"Familial Concordance by Sex with Respect to Schizophrenia": Erratum.

Reports an error in the original article by David Rosenthal (Psychological Bulletin, 1962, 59[4], 401-421). The column headings Male and Female should be reversed in Table 1, page 403. (The following abstract of this article originally appeared in record 1963-07079-001.) The literature regarding concordance rates with respect to schizophrenia among relatives of both sexes is reviewed. These rates are generally found to be higher for female than male pairs and higher for same-sexed than opposite-sexed pairs of relatives in primary family groups, but not among collateral relatives. The possible role of sampling errors, genetic contributions, and psychological factors in generating such sex-concordance ratios is examined. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The effect of heredity on attitudes toward alcohol, cigarettes, and coffee.

Administered a 20-item bipolar rating scale of attitudes toward alcohol drinking, cigarette smoking, and coffee drinking to 46 monozygotic and 38 dizygotic twins (age range 16-31 yrs). Genetic factors accounted for 51% of the variation in the attitude toward alcohol (p     

Polymerization of acrylamide in the presence of calcium sulfate dihydrate and calcium sulfate hemihydrate

The homopolymerization of acrylamide in water alone and also in the presence of calcium sulfate dihydrate and of calcium sulfate hemihydrate has been studied. Polymerizing acrylamide with the redox pair potassium persulfate—sodium bisulfite, the rate increased steadily with increasing initiator concentration. In the presence of up to 25% dihydrate, the rate was like that of acrylamide alone. However, when adding the “reactive” hemihydrate that is hydrated to the dihydrate concurrently with the progressing polymerization, the rate is somewhat slower in comparison with the two other systems. For determination of the compositions of the various reaction products, a method combining DTA and XRD data has been developed.     

Mechanical properties and fracture characteristics of aged Cu-1.8 wt% Be-0.2 wt% Co alloy in various loading modes

The fracture of a Cu-Be alloy was examined in various loading modes. For the tensile mode, two degrees of ageing were also tested. The common fracture mode was defined as a dimpled intergranular, and its relation to the precipitate morphology is discussed.     

Performance improvement of optical wireless communication through fog with a decision feedback equalizer

Optical wireless communication (OWC) systems use the atmosphere as a propagation medium. However, a common problem is that from time to time moderate cloud and fog emerge between the receiver and the transmitter. These adverse weather conditions impose temporal broadening and power loss on the optical signal, which reduces the digital signal-to-noise ratio (DSNR), produces significant intersymbol interference (ISI), and degrades the communication system's bit error rate (BER) and throughput. We propose and investigate the use of a combined adaptive bandwidth mechanism and decision feedback equalizer (DFE) to mitigate these atmospheric multipath effects. Based on theoretical analysis and simulations of DSNR penalties, BER, and optimum system bandwidths, we show that a DFE improves the outdoor OWC system immunity to ISI in foggy weather while maintaining high throughput and desired low BER.     

Biodegradation of 2,4,6-tribromophenol during transport in fractured chalk

The effect of physicochemical conditions (residence time, oxygen concentrations, and chalk characteristics) on the biodegradation of 2,4,6-tribromophenol (TBP) during transport was investigated in low-permeability fractured-chalk cores. Long-term (approximately 600 d) biodegradation experiments were conducted in two cores (approximately 21 cm diameter, 31 and 44 cm long, respectively), intersected by a natural fracture. TBP was used as a model contaminant and as the sole carbon source for aerobic microbial activity. Bacterial isolates were recovered and identified by both Biolog identification kit and 16S rDNA sequences from batch enrichment cultures. One of the strains, with 98% similarity (based on the 16S rDNA data) to Achromobacter xylosoxidans, was shown to have the ability to degrade TBP in the presence of chalk. The decrease in TBP concentration along the fracture due to biodegradation was not affected by reducing the residence time from 49 to 8 min. In contrast, adding oxygen to the water at the inlet and increasing the flow rates improved TBP removal. Although the matrix pore-size distribution limits microbial activity to the fracture void, the chalk appears to provide an excellent environment for biodegradation activity. Approximately 90% of TBP removal occurred within 10 cm of the TBP source, indicating that in-situ bioremediation can be used to remove organic contaminants in low-permeability fractured rocks if nutrient-delivery pathways within the aquifer are secured.     

The value of ultrafast computed tomography in the investigation of pediatric chest disease

A significant number of open and comparative studies have now addressed the use of teicoplanin in the treatment of documented or presumed infection in patients with haematological and non-haematological malignancy. Available evidence suggests that teicoplanin is an effective agent against such infections, with an excellent safety profile. The use of teicoplanin and vancomycin may be justified as part of the initial management of clinically infected right atrial catheters in patients with malignancy. The first-line use of glycopeptides may also be appropriate in units where streptococcal and methicillin resistant staphylococcal infections are prevalent. However, such a policy should be reviewed regularly. Except in the above situations, a delay in the introduction of either teicoplanin or vancomycin in cancer patients does not appear to produce any excess mortality, but there may be some additional morbidity in terms of fever and malaise. The introduction of glycopeptides as second-line agents is indicated for sensitive, microbiologically documented infections and for patients who have not responded to empirical, first-line therapy. Non-inpatient treatment with teicoplanin is an area of ongoing interest and may be justified on both humanitarian and pharmacoeconomic grounds. The use of glycopeptides in the prophylactic setting remains controversial and should be avoided while the emergence of resistance, particularly in enterococci, should be monitored closely.     

Community consultation in socially sensitive research: Lessons from clinical trials of treatments for AIDS.

Contends that few studies have more starkly posed the dilemmas in socially sensitive research than the recent and ongoing clinical trials of medications (such as azidothymidine [AZT]) to treat acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). One response to such dilemmas is to include potential participants or surrogates for them in decision making. Although the investigator and relevant regulatory bodies are not absolved of responsibility by community consultation, such a procedure may help to create a partnership between the investigator and participants, consistent with ethical duties of respect for persons, beneficence, and fidelity. Community consultation also may dampen participants' anxiety and increase perceived justice of decisions about the research. Such a procedure has the potential to mitigate ethical problems in research involving a wide variety of socially sensitive topics and in randomized clinical trials of treatments for conditions other than AIDS. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Rare presentation of acute urinary retention secondary to herpes zoster

There are many causes of acute urinary retention. Reported here is a case of one of the more rare causes: herpes zoster. Fewer than 70 cases have been reported in the literature since 1890. In the present clinical environment where many patients are immunocompromised, reports of herpes zoster and its sequelae are no longer thought of as anecdotal. The virus may interrupt the detrusor reflex due to involvement of the sacral dorsal root ganglia. Urinary retention with sensory loss of both bladder and rectum as well as flaccid paralysis of the detrusor can develop in patients with herpes zoster. Fortunately, the outcome of this process is benign and full recovery of the detrusor is likely.