Testing a Self-Determination Theory Process Model for Promoting Glycemic Control Through Diabetes Self-Management.

A longitudinal study tested the self-determination theory (SDT) process model of health behavior change for glycemic control within a randomized trial of patient activation versus passive education. Glycosylated hemoglobin for patients with Type 2 diabetes (n=159) was assessed at baseline, 6 months, and 12 months. Autonomous motivation and perceived competence were assessed at baseline and 6 months, and the autonomy supportiveness of clinical practitioners was assessed at 3 months. Perceptions of autonomy and competence were promoted by perceived autonomy support, and changes in perceptions of autonomy and competence, in turn, predicted change in glycemic control. Self-management behaviors mediated the relation between change in perceived competence and change in glycemic control. The self-determination process model fit the data well. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Positive chronotropic actions of parathyroid hormone and parathyroid hormone-related peptide are associated with increases in the current, I(f), and the slope of the pacemaker potential

BACKGROUND: The classic calciotropic hormone parathyroid hormone (PTH) and its paracrine factor parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP) both increase heart rate. METHODS AND RESULTS: We used standard electrophysiological techniques to study the effects of PTH and PTHrP on isolated rabbit sinus node, isolated canine Purkinje fibers, and disaggregated rabbit sinus node myocytes. Sinus node maximum diastolic potential, activation voltage, and amplitude were unchanged by PTH or PTHrP (P>.05). However, the slope of phase 4 and the automatic rate were increased at PTH and PTHrP > or = 10 nmol/L (P<.05). Comparable results were seen in canine Purkinje fibers. We then used the perforated-patch technique to study the I(f) pacemaker current in sinus node. PTH 12.5 nmol/L and PTHrP 12.5 to 18 nmol/L increased I(f) at -65 mV by 68+/-41% (n=5) and 69+/-50% (n=5), respectively. Actions of both agents were reversible. The increase in I(f) appeared to result from a change in maximal conductance and not a shift in the voltage dependence of activation. CONCLUSIONS: These observations provide, for the first time, direct electrophysiological support for the chronotropic actions of PTH and PTHrP. They suggest that classic hormones and paracrine factors can have multiple functions and that in the case of PTH and PTHrP, a newly recognized action is to alter automaticity directly.     

Environmentally Smart Design: Designing for Social Wellbeing Across the City and in the Workplace

Sustainable need not mean more expensive. Health problems caused by sedentary lifestyles, pollution and injuries from road accidents come at great financial cost — not just for individuals, but also for employers and indeed national governments. Built environments designed to keep people active and away from harm are thus economically beneficial, too. Alisdair McGregor, Ann Marie Aguilar and Victoria Lockhart of Arup cite some of the company's recent schemes in New York and London that have successfully encouraged cycling, strolling and other healthy behaviours, while also avoiding contributing to climate change.     

Precise measurements of intrauterine vascular structures at hysteroscopy in menorrhagia and during Norplant use

Using currently available equipment for panoramic hysteroscopy, the size of images viewed cannot be accurately judged because of the magnifying and distorting effects of the objective lens. This study has demonstrated that magnification by the hysteroscope lens can alter the apparent size of images by up to 27%. An additional effect of lens distortion can alter the apparent size of images viewed by up to 28%, depending on the position of the image in the field of view. These effects are independent and may be additive. Thus, the apparent size of intrauterine structures at hysteroscopy may bear little resemblance to their actual size. Image-correction methods are described which reduce the effects of image magnification on the apparent size of an object viewed through the hysteroscope to 7%, and the effect of distortion to 3 %. This technique can greatly improve the accuracy of measurement at hysteroscopy, and has been utilized in this study for the precise measurement of superficial endometrial vascular diameter (mean+/-SEM) in 34 Norplant users (120+/-11.6 microm) and 20 women with spontaneous menorrhagia (74+/-7.2 microm). It has also confirmed the presence of scattered dilated vessels (up to 777 microm in diameter) on the endometrial surface in some Norplant users.     

Sulfation of parabens and tyrosylpeptides by bacterial arylsulfate sulfotransferases

Arylsulfate sulfotransferase purified from Eubacterium A-44 has higher specific activity than the enzymes from Klebsiella K-36 and Haemophilus K-12. Propylparaben and butylparaben were good substrates among several parabens. The antibacterial activity of parabens was reduced by the sulfation of the phenolic hydroxy group. Tyrosine-containing peptides, kyotorphin, enkephalin and cholecystokinin non-sulfate, were effective as acceptor substrates by A-44, K-36 and K-12 sulfotransferases.     

Lipid peroxidation and antioxidant system changes in acute L-arginine pancreatitis in rats

The World Wide Web-based form is a promising method for the construction of an on-line data collection system for clinical and epidemiological research. It is, however, laborious to prepare a common gateway interface (CGI) program for each project, which the World Wide Web server needs to handle the submitted data. In medicine, it is even more laborious because the CGI program must check deficits, type, ranges, and logical errors (bad combination of data) of entered data for quality assurance as well as data length and meta-characters of the entered data to enhance the security of the server. We have extended the specification of the hypertext markup language (HTML) form to accommodate information necessary for such data checking and we have developed software named AUTOFORM for this purpose. The software automatically analyzes the extended HTML form and generates the corresponding ordinary HTML form, 'Makefile', and C source of CGI programs. The resultant CGI program checks the entered data through the HTML form, records them in a computer, and returns them to the end-user. AUTOFORM drastically reduces the burden of development of the World Wide Web-based data entry system and allows the CGI programs to be more securely and reliably prepared than had they been written from scratch.     

Magnetic resonance imaging of H, Na, and Cl penetration in Portland cement mortar

The first magnetic resonance imaging profiles of chloride content in low- and high-permeability Portland cement mortar have been obtained using a novel material science imaging technique. The penetration of water as well as chloride and sodium ions, into mortar specimens was monitored for a period of 72 h. Marked differences in penetration depth were observed in low- and high-permeability mortar. These preliminary experiments show significant differences between the extent and nature in the penetration of chlorides compared to water and sodium.     

A predicted three-dimensional structure for the human immunodeficiency virus binding domains of CD4 antigen

A predicted three-dimensional structure of the two N-terminalextracellular domains of human CD4 antigen, a cell surface glycoprotein,is reported. This region of CD4, particularly the first domain,has been identified as containing the binding region for theenvelope gp120 protein of the human immuno-deficiency virus.The model was predicted based on the sequence homology of eachdomain with the variable light chain of immunoglobulins. Theframework ß-sheet regions were taken from the crystalcoordinates of REI. For one region in the first domain of CD4there was an ambiguity in the alignment with REI and two alternatemodels are presented. Loops connecting the framework were modeledfrom fragments selected from a database of main chain coordinatesfrom all known protein structures. Residues identified as involvedin binding gp120 have been located in several other studieswithin the first domain of CD4. Epitopes from eight monoclonalantibodies have been mapped onto residues in both domains. Competitionof these antibodies with each other and with gp120 can be interpretedfrom the structural model.     

Active coke: Carbonaceous materials as catalysts for alkane dehydrogenation

The catalytic dehydrogenation (DH) and oxidative dehydrogenation (ODH) of light alkanes are of significant industrial importance. In this work both carbonaceous material deposited on VO_x/Al₂O₃ catalysts during reaction and unsupported carbon nanofibres (CNFs) are shown to be active for the dehydrogenation of butane in the absence of gas-phase oxygen. Their activity in these reactions is shown to be dependent upon their structure, with different reaction temperatures yielding structurally different coke deposits. Terahertz time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS), among other techniques, has been applied to the characterisation of these deposits – the first time this technique has been employed in coke studies. TEM and other techniques show that coke encapsulates the catalyst, preventing access to VO_x sites, without a loss of activity. Studies on CNFs confirm that carbonaceous materials act as catalysts in this reaction. Carbon-based catalysts represent an important new class of potential catalysts for DH and ODH reactions.