Effect of nitrogen on the antibacterial behavior of oxynitride glasses

The main drawback of bioglasses is their restricted use in load bearing applications and the consequent need to develop stronger glassy materials. This has led to the consideration of oxynitride glasses for numerous biomedical applications. This paper investigated two different types of glasses at a constant cationic ratio, with and without nitrogen (a N containing and a N-free glass composition) to better understand the effect of N on the biological properties of glasses. The results revealed that the addition of N increased the glass transition temperature, isoelectric point (IEP) and slightly increased wettability. Moreover, compared to N including glass, N-free glass exhibited better anti-bacterial activity against Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), two key bacteria that infect implants. In summary, these in vitro results indicated that amine functional groups existing in N containing glasses which are missing in N-free glasses, caused a slight difference in wetting behavior and a more obvious change in isoelectric point and in bacterial response. N-free glasses exhibited better inhibitory results both against E. coli and S. aureus compared to N including glass suggesting that oxygen rich glasses should be further studied for their novel antibacterial properties.     

Early patterning of prelimbic cortical axons to the striatal patch compartment in the neonatal mouse

The striatum receives excitatory input from virtually the entire cerebral cortex. In the adult, this input is segregated into two functionally distinct compartments of the striatum, the patch (striosome) and matrix regions. This study determined whether the patterning of corticostriatal afferents from the prelimbic cortex to the striatal patch compartment develops during the early period of collateral formation or instead at the time of peak synaptogenesis. Initial formation of corticostriatal axon collaterals was observed by embryonic day (E) 19. Quantification of corticostriatal collaterals revealed a significant increase in the number and complexity of collateral branches at postnatal day 6 as compared to E19. Concomitant with the increase in collateral branching, a heterogeneous pattern of collateralization consisting of parallel rows of corticostriatal collaterals was observed in the medial striatum. In addition to the rows, clusters of corticostriatal axons occurred more laterally. These clusters colocalized with patches of dense tyrosine hydroxylase-positive fibers, a marker for the striatal patch compartment in the neonatal mouse. Together, these data indicate that corticostriatal patterning occurs during the period of early axon collateralization resulting in a segregation of corticostriatal axon collaterals from the prelimbic cortex to the striatal patch compartment.     

A behavioral medicine intervention in persons with HIV

This study used a pretest-posttest preexperimental design to examine the effect of a 10-week behavioral medicine support group intervention in a sample of persons with HIV. Using Solomon's psychoneuroimmunologic framework, the 10-week behavioral medicine program focused on the mind/body interaction, the relaxation response, coping with illness, hardiness, and nutrition. Pearson correlation coefficients and t tests were performed on the pre- and postintervention measures of hardiness, social support, immune function, and perceived health status. Results of the study indicated that hardiness (preintervention) and CD4 counts (pre- and postintervention) were significantly correlated with health status; however, CD4 counts decreased over the course of the behavioral medicine program. Implications for nursing and recommendations for further research are discussed.     

Applicant reactions to face-to-face and technology-mediated interviews: A field investigation.

This field study examined applicant reactions (N = 802) toward face-to-face as compared with technology-mediated interviews (through videoconferencing or by telephone) for 346 organizations. Face-to-face interviews were perceived as more fair and led to higher job acceptance intentions than were videoconferencing and telephone interviews. Perceived interview outcomes were higher with face-to-face and telephone interviews over videoconferencing. Self-monitoring moderated the relationship between interview medium and perceptions of fairness. Specifically, this relationship was (a) positive for face-to-face, (b) negative for telephone, and (c) nonsignificant for videoconferencing interviews. Moreover, the number of offers an applicant received moderated the relationship between interview medium over, and perceived fairness. The relationship between number of offers and perceived fairness was positive for face-to-face and negative for technology-mediated interviews. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The relationship between age and depressive symptoms in two national surveys.

There is inconsistency in the literature on the relationship between age and depressive symptoms. Although a careful review shows that some of this inconsistency can be reconciled by recognizing the nonlinear relationship (J. P. Newmann, 1989), 2 additional issues remain unclear. One is that most previous studies used depression screening scales that contain somatic items that could introduce an age bias. The other is that most previous studies combined samples of men and women even though there is evidence that the sex difference in depressive symptoms varies with age. These 2 issues are addressed in this article, using analyzed data from 2 large national surveys. There is a consistent, but quite modest, nonlinear association between age, somatic, and nonsomatic depressive symptoms in both surveys. There is no significant sex difference in the age curves. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Oxidation protection for carbon fibre composites

Carbon fibre-reinforced ceramic matrix composites are promising candidate materials for high-temperature structural applications such as gas turbine blades. In oxidizing environments at temperatures above 400°C, however, carbon fibres are rapidly oxidized. There is, therefore, a need to coat the composite in order to protect it against oxidation. This review identifies the requirements of an effective oxidation protection system for carbon fibre-reinforced ceramics and summarizes the work which has been carried out towards this goal over the last 50 years. The most promising coatings are those composed of several ceramic layers designed to protect against erosion, spallation and corrosion, in addition to possessing a self-healing capability by the formation of glassy phases on exposure to oxygen.     

Describing and predicting alcohol use-related harm: an analysis of the Yukon Alcohol and Drug Survey

During 1990 the Yukon Bureau of Statistics conducted an alcohol and drug survey with a sample of 1,348 residents of the Territory, aged 15 and over. Over three-quarters of the sample reported experiencing at least one type of harm from others' drinking during the past year, and over a half experienced two or more types of harm. Among the main predictors of prevalence and extent of harm were respondents' age (younger), a greater number of drinks per occasion, close associates with alcohol problems, and residing in smaller communities. The results are discussed in terms of their relevance to identifying vulnerable groups and informing policy aimed at reducing alcohol use-related harm.     

The experiences and health care needs of Asian coronary patients and their partners. Methodological issues and preliminary findings

The incidence of heart disease in the Asian population in the UK is high and mortality from coronary heart disease for both Asian men and women is also higher than for non-Asians. The need to provide more information on cardiac rehabilitation programmes is highlighted. Cultural factors influence how Asian people perceive the heart, health and health care practices. A number of methodological issues are pertinent to conducting research involving ethnic groups, namely inter vs intra group differences, victim blaming, sampling, measurement, language issues and researcher effect. The aim of the study is to design, refine and validate a number of tools for use with Asian people in relation to cardiac rehabilitation. Preliminary and tentative conclusions suggest that cardiac rehabilitation services need a higher profile within the Asian community and that established approaches to data collection may need to be challenged if accurate and relevant feedback is to be achieved.     

Cokriging with airborne MSS imagery

The coregionalization of radiation sensed by an airborne multispectral scanner (MSS) and both the green leaf area index (GLAI) of barley and the biomass of pasture has been investigated and modeled. In both crops there was fairly strong spatial interdependence with the radiation, even though the simple correlation was weak. The auto and cross variograms showed dependence extending to some 15 m. These functions were used with the data to estimate GLAI and biomass by cokriging, and to calculate the estimation variances. The results showed that whereas simple regression would have provided worthless estimates, cokriging with the MSS data both increased the precision of the estimates above that attainable by auto kriging, and allowed the planning of a new survey with substantially less sampling effort. The study also revealed considerable redundancy in the MSS data.     

Poetry I: Teaching verse with CAI

The teaching of literature through CAI raises problems of both a linguistic and instructional nature; student involvement and creativity in studying literature, and especially poetry, is difficult to build into a computer-based lesson. We have confronted these difficulties in the lessonPoetry I, which introduces undergraduates to basic concepts of poetic verse in a design using screen display, speech synthesis, and verse processing to maximize interactivity and student involvement.The lesson contains instructional modules which include the student's composition of a limerick. Computational processing of the limerick's text enables the program to offer guidance as the student composes and revises the verse and gains first-hand experience with metrical language. The significant problems inherent in processing verse are addressed by adapting Digital Equipment Corporation's DECTalk speech synthesizer as an engine converting natural language verse text into accessible strings of phonemic symbols. Although the verse processor cannot scan verse, it can interpret DECTalk's symbols reliably enough to successfully stimulate students' thinking about their verse compositions.Preliminary responses to the program have been favorable and demonstrate its effectiveness in involving students more deeply in learning about poetic verse. This suggests that the techniques of verse processing prototyped inPoetry I might be usefully extended to other types of verse and levels of study.W. Webster Newbold is an Assistant Professor of English at Ball State University, Muncie, Indiana, USA, who has recently served as English Department Computer Coordinator. His research interests include computer-assisted instruction and computer-based composition.Herbert F. W Stahlke is a Professor of English, specializing in linguistics, and currently serves as Associate Director for Academic Computing, Ball State University Computing Services. His research interests include computer-assisted instruction, natural language processing, and lexical databases.