Attachment security in very low birth weight infants.

34 infants of very low birth weight (VLBW) and a comparison group of 40 full-term infants were observed in the Strange Situation of M. D. Ainsworth et al (1978) at 14 and 19 mo and observed in the home at 14 mo of age, using E. Waters's (1995) Attachment Q-set. Results indicated that at 14 mo VLBW infants were more likely than the full-term infants to be insecurely attached when rated using the Q-set but not when using the Strange Situation. However, at 19 mo VLBW infants were also more likely than full-term infants to be insecurely attached in the Strange Situation assessment. There were no associations between the Q-set and Strange Situation measures of attachment security. These results are discussed in terms of the social-emotional development of VLBW infants. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Quasi-CW optical bistability in InSb at room temperature

We report the first observation of quasi-steady-state optical bistability in an InSb etalon at room temperature as a result of the generation of free carriers through two photon absorption of 10 μm radiation. Nonlinear tuning of the etalon through two free spectral ranges has been achieved, with bistability observed around the two cavity resonances. Switching from a low to high transmission state has been achieved in times less than 10 ns while switching in the opposite direction occurs within 50-100 ns. The experimental results have been successfully fitted to a numerical model of the device.     

Development of antibodies to fetal calf serum with arthus-like reactions in human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients given syngeneic lymphocyte infusions

In an attempt to restore immune competence to 12 human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1)-infected patients, lymphocytes from their HIV-1-uninfected identical twin siblings were cultured in medium supplemented with 5% fetal calf serum (FCS), anti-CD3 antibody, and interleukin-2 (100 IU/mL) for 10 days and then infused into the patients. After multiple infusions, at 6- to 8-week intervals, half of the patients developed arthus-like reactions within 4 to 12 hours of infusion consisting of fever > 39 degrees C, hypotension, rigors, arthralgias, myalgias, headache, and/or malaise. Preinfusion and postinfusion serum samples were evaluated for the presence of antibodies to FCS using double immunodiffusion. All preinfusion serum samples were negative by this method while 8 of the 12 patients developed antibodies to a single component of FCS after two or more infusions of lymphocytes cultured in FCS-supplemented medium. Prick skin testing to standardized beef extract was negative in all patients. There was a correlation between initial CD4 level and the development of antibodies to FCS (median initial CD4 count in FCS antibody positive patients = 362.0/microL v median initial CD4 count of nonresponders = 135.0/microL). There was no correlation with response to recall antigens in delayed-type hypersensitivity testing. We conclude that selected patients were sensitized to a single component of FCS carried on donor lymphocytes, despite thorough washing of the cells before infusion. The development of antibodies to FCS indicates that immune complex formation could have occurred after the cell infusions, resulting in the arthus-like reactions. These observations suggest that the therapeutic use of human lymphocytes cultured in FCS may expose the recipient to immunogenic substances with possible clinical sequelae.     

Effects of regulation on the flow regime of the river Murray,Australia

The flow regime of the River Murray has changed markedly over the last century, and especially the last 50 years, through increased diversions, construction of dams, weirs and levees and changes in operational procedures. A model developed by the Murray–Darling Basin Commission is used to compare simulated natural (unregulated) flows at eight stations with those at seven consecutive stages in the development of regulation. Monthly and annual average flows and coefficients of variation and skewness were computed, and the flow-duration, peak-flow and low-flow characteristics curves plotted. The results confirm that average monthly and annual flows are now considerably lower than those which prevailed under natural conditions. The seasonal distribution of flows has changed in the upper Murray, owing to the influence of dams. Flow-duration characteristics now vary considerably along the river, whereas there was little change under natural conditions. The effect of regulation on flow-duration characteristics is minimal at Albury and becomes more pronounced downstream; it is most apparent in regard to flows exceeded 20–80% of the time. The magnitude of average annual floods (annual exceedance probability 50%) has been reduced by over 50% at all stations, but big floods (average recurrence interval 20 years or more) are little affected. Further, the low flows for a given annual non-exceedance probability are higher under regulated conditions than those under natural conditions. These changes have profound implications for communities of native plants and animals in both riverine and floodplain environments, and also for the long-term utility of the river as a resource.     

MMPI-2 random responding indices: Validation using a self-report methodology.

Investigated the validity of F, back F, and variable response inconsistency indices of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2) for detection of self-reported partially random responding in several samples, including college students, community volunteers, and job applicants. Substantial numbers of Ss admitted to providing some random responses, with 29–60% of the various samples acknowledging an average of 12–38 random responses in their MMPI-2 answers. For all groups, with the expected exception of job applicants, the appropriate MMPI-2 validity indices were reliably and positively correlated with self-estimates of random responses. Available data suggested that random responding occurred most commonly toward the end of the test, although significant numbers indicated that they had scattered their random responses throughout the test. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Polyethylene wear after total hip arthroplasty: the effect of a modular femoral head with an extended flange-reinforced neck

The use of modular components in total hip arthroplasty has been thought to contribute to accelerated polyethylene wear. Specifically, a modular femoral head with a flange extension and a longer neck may cause increased wear. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the effect of a flange extension on polyethylene wear. Ninety-one patients who had had a total of 100 primary total hip arthroplasties were evaluated after an intermediate duration of follow-up. All of the acetabular components consisted of a hemispherical titanium-alloy fiber-mesh porous-coated shell with a nonelevated modular polyethylene liner; they were inserted without cement and with use of supplemental screws through the dome after so-called line-to-line reaming. All of the femoral components consisted of a modular head with a diameter of twenty-eight millimeters and either a long neck (with a flange extension) or a short or medium neck (without a flange extension). The study group comprised sixty-two patients (sixty-six hips) who had had radiographic evaluation that was adequate to allow the valid measurement of polyethylene wear. Thirty-two hips were in men, and thirty-four were in women. The mean age of the patients was fifty-six years, the mean weight was seventy-three kilograms, and the mean duration of follow-up was 6.1 years (range, four to eight years). The rate of polyethylene wear in the eleven hips in which the femoral component had a flange extension was significantly greater than that in the fifty-five in which the femoral component did not have a flange extension (mean, 0.17 compared with 0.11 millimeter per year; p = 0.009). Multivariate analysis showed that the presence of a flange extension was associated with increased polyethylene wear to a greater degree (F = 2.86) than were all other variables that were measured, including a younger age (F = 1.72), a more vertical angle of the acetabular component (F = 0.49), a heavier weight (F = 0.14), male gender (F = 0.11), and a smaller initial thickness of the polyethylene (F = 0.02). These data support an association between the presence of a modular femoral head with a flange extension and an accelerated rate of polyethylene wear. The presumed mechanism is an increase in peripheral, or so-called rim, impingement of the flange-reinforced neck on the acetabulum due to a decrease in the ratio between the diameters of the femoral head and neck.     

Suppression of arousal by progesterone in fetal sheep

The high rate of progesterone synthesis by the placenta in late gestation exposes the ovine fetus to high concentrations of progesterone and its metabolites that may affect activity of the fetal brain. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of inhibiting maternal progesterone synthesis on sleep-wake activity in fetal sheep. Fetal and maternal vascular catheters, a fetal tracheal catheter, and electrodes for recording fetal electrocortical (ECoG), electro-ocular (EOG) and nuchal muscle electromyographic (EMG) activity were implanted. At 128-131 days gestation, progesterone production was inhibited by an injection of trilostane (50 mg), a 3beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase inhibitor. Vehicle solution or progesterone (3 mg h(-1)) was then infused into the ewe between 6 and 12 h after the trilostane treatment. Maternal progesterone concentrations were significantly reduced from 1-24 h after trilostane treatment (P < 0.05) when followed by vehicle infusion. Fetal breathing movements (FBM), EOG, nuchal muscle EMG, and behavioural arousal increased 12 h after trilostane treatment (P < 0.05). In contrast, there was no change in fetal arousal, EOG, EMG or FBM activities when progesterone was infused after the trilostane treatment. These findings show that progesterone can influence fetal behaviour, and indicates that normal progesterone production tonically suppresses arousal, or wakefulness in the fetus.     

Engineering Dynamic Scheduler for Work Manager

Provision of service to business and residential customers, network maintenance and fault repair are core activities of large telecommunications companies which involve thousands of technicians every day. Managing a large-sized workforce efficiently in a highly dynamic environment is a challenge that BT has addressed by automating its work management processes within a single application known as Work Manager. For the most part, the success of Work Manager rests upon the ability of its work allocation component in determining the best assignments at any time and in any environment.This paper presents a scheduler for Work Manager which is both predictive and reactive and whose computational model reconciles genericity and efficiency. Coupling Constraint Satisfaction and Local Search, this scheduler can generate long-term schedules that satisfy the conflicting objectives of feasibility, productivity, quality of service and cost minimisation. It also provides the capability to adjust schedules before despatch through on-line heuristic repair/improvement. Equipped with a powerful interface, this system has been successfully trialled within the field and is now deployed nationally.     

Magnesium supplementation alleviates premenstrual symptoms of fluid retention

We investigated the effect of a daily supplement of 200 mg of magnesium (as MgO) for two menstrual cycles on the severity of premenstrual symptoms in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study. A daily supplement of 200 mg of Mg (as MgO) or placebo was administered for two menstrual cycles to each volunteer, who kept a daily record of her symptoms, using a 4-point scale in a menstrual diary of 22 items. Symptoms were grouped into six categories: PMS-A (anxiety), PMS-C (craving), PMS-D (depression), PMS-H (hydration), PMS-O (other), and PMS-T (total overall symptoms). Urinary Mg output/24 hours was estimated from spot samples using the Mg/creatinine ratio. Analysis of variance for 38 women showed no effect of Mg supplementation compared with placebo in any category in the first month of supplementation. In the second month there was a greater reduction (p = 0.009) of symptoms of PMS-H (weight gain, swelling of extremities, breast tenderness, abdominal bloating) with Mg supplementation compared with placebo. Compliance to supplementation was confirmed by the greater mean estimated 24-hour urinary output of Mg (p = 0.013) during Mg supplementation (100.8 mg) compared with placebo (74.1 mg). A daily supplement of 200 mg of Mg (as MgO) reduced mild premenstrual symptoms of fluid retention in the second cycle of administration.