Effects of four maintenance programs on the long-term management of obesity.

This study evaluated the effectiveness of four posttreatment programs designed to enhance the long-term maintenance of weight loss. Mildly and moderately obese adults (N?=?123) were randomly assigned to one of the following five conditions: (a) behavior therapy only; (b) behavior therapy plus a posttreatment therapist-contact maintenance program; (c) behavior therapy plus posttreatment therapist contact plus a social influence maintenance program; (d) behavior therapy plus posttreatment therapist contact plus an aerobic exercise maintenance program; or (e) behavior therapy plus posttreatment therapist contact plus both the aerobic exercise and social influence maintenance programs. All posttreatment programs were conducted in 26 biweekly sessions during the year following behavioral treatment for obesity. At an 18-month follow-up evaluation, all four conditions that combined behavior therapy with a posttreatment maintenance program yielded significantly greater long-term weight losses than behavior therapy alone. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

PIV and PTV measurements in hydro-sciences with focus on turbulent open-channel flows

PIV is one of the most popular measurement techniques in hydraulic engineering as well as in fluid sciences. It has been applied to study various turbulent phenomena in laboratory experiments related to natural rivers, e.g., bursting phenomena near the bed, mixing layers observed at confluences, wake turbulence around dikes and piers, and so on. In these studies, PIV plays important roles in revealing the space-time structure of velocity fluctuations and coherent vortices. This review article focuses particularly on the applications of PIV to turbulent open-channel flows, which have been conducted for the past decade in Hydraulics Laboratory of Kyoto University. In Section 2, we introduce our experimental setup and PIV/PTV algorithm. In Section 3, we apply the PIV measurements to reveal turbulence characteristics and coherent structures in open-channel flows as well as in vegetated canopy flows. For complex flow situations, various applications of PIV to compound open-channel flows and wind-induced water waves are considered to reveal coherent vortices. In Section 4, we discuss some advanced PIV measurements in open-channel flows. The free-surface-elevation fluctuations and velocity components were measured simultaneously with two sets of cameras to examine phase-averaged parameters of turbulence. A multi-layer scanning PIV was developed to reveal 3D turbulence structure in compound open-channel flows. Our discriminator PIV/PTV was applied successfully to sediment-laden open-channel flows and revealed the fluid/particle interaction and the relationship between coherent structures and sediment concentration. Finally, we conducted simultaneous measurements of velocity and dye concentration with a combination of PIV and LIF in vegetated open-channel flow, which enables us to examine turbulent scalar flux of a passive contaminant.     

Turbulence Characteristics and Interaction between Particles and Fluid in Particle-Laden Open Channel Flows

Mechanism of sediment transport is composed of complicated interactions between turbulent flow, particle motion, and bed configurations. Of particular significance is the interaction between turbulence and particle motion, although turbulence measurements of particle-laden two phase flow have been a problem for a long time, especially in the near-wall region. In this study, simultaneous measurements of both the particles and fluid (water) were conducted in particle-laden two phase open channel flows by means of a discriminator particle-tracking velocimetry. The mean velocity and turbulence characteristics for fluid and particles each were examined in comparison with those in clear-water (particle-free) flow, together with previous existing data measured by laser Doppler anemometer and phase Doppler anemometer. The relative velocity and the turbulence modulation, which are the most important topics in two phase-flow approach, were revealed by varying the particle diameter and specific density. The fluid-sweeps are more contributory to the motion of particles than the fluid ejections in the near-wall region. In turn, the particle-sweeps transport the high momentum to the carrier fluid and enhance the turbulence intensities of fluid.     

Preparation of sharp-melting hard palm midfraction and its use as hard butter in chocolate

Preparation of hard palm midfractions (PMF) and its use as a cocoa butter equivalent ingredient were studied. Hard PMF is obtained by multistep fractionation of palm oil involving dry fractionation (DF) and/or solvent fractionation (SF), usually using hexane or acetone. From our experience, in acetone, a polar solvent, symmetrical 1,3-disaturated triacylglycerols tend to selectively crystallize more than nonsymmetrical 1,2- or 2,3-disaturated triacylglycerols, making it suitable for obtaining the solid midfraction. Unfortunately, triacylglycerols are very soluble in hexane, and temperatures at least 15 degrees lower than those required for acetone must be used for equivalent crystal yields. On the other hand, DF is a less expensive and safer process. Thus, multistep fractionation combining DF and SF using acetone was developed to achieve sufficient removal of high-melting components, and further enrichment of 1,3-dipalmitoyl-2-oleoylglycerol and the hard PMF was obtained by triple-step fractionation of palm olein or double-step fractionation of soft PMF. Compared to conventional hard PMF, this hard PMF had a steeper melting curve and better snapping and sharp-melting qualities when used in chocolate. Heat resistance of the hard PMF chocolate was similar to the conventional hard PMF chocolate, and its bloom resistance could be improved by adding polyglycerol fatty acid esters.     

Effects of peer support and therapist contact on long-term weight loss.

This study evaluated the effectiveness of two posttreatment programs designed to enhance the maintenance of weight loss. Eighty-five obese clients were randomly assigned to either (a) behavior therapy plus a peer-support maintenance program, (b) behavior therapy plus a therapist-contact maintenance program, or (c) behavior therapy only. At a 7-month follow-up session, the therapist-contact program resulted in significantly greater maintenance of weight loss compared with the peer support and behavior therapy only conditions. However, by the time of an 18-month follow-up assessment, overall relapse rates were equivalent across conditions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

On the evaluation of crack propagation velocity by the observation of stress waves created during tensile fracture

The purpose of the work described in this paper is to study the relation of crack propagation velocity to stress variation arising due to the arrival of a longitudinal unloading wave created during a tensile fracture. The time dependent stress due to the compression wave emanated from the rupture section of the notched round bar specimen of annealed JIS-SS41 steel is observed using the strain gage method. The same problem is theoretically analyzed by postulating three different crack growth models. A crack front of circular shape possessing a radius which increases at a constant rate (c_o/k) with time is assumed, where c_o is the propagation velocity of the elastic stress wave and k is the crack velocity factor determined by comparing the experimental results with the theory.     

Social problem solving as a mediator of the stress-pain relationship among individuals with noncardiac chest pain.

Objective: The present study tested the hypothesis that social problem solving (SPS) served to mediate the relationship between preceived stress and noncardiac chest pain (NCCP). Design: Adults undergoing stress myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) to determine the presence of underlying cardiovascular disease related to the experience of chest pain were recruited prior to stress testing to complete a series of self-report inventories. Main Outcome Measures: MPI results were used to identify individuals with NCCP (N = 166; 91 men, 75 women; mean age = 53.92 years, SD = 11.98). Measures included perceived stress, SPS, and chest pain frequency and intensity. Results: In direct tests of the mediational effects of SPS, it was found that two problem-solving dimensions, negative problem orientation and rational problem solving, each served as significant mediators of the effects of stress on both NCCP intensity and frequency. Conclusion: These results support a mediational analysis of NCCP that includes stress and SPS. As such, it identifies SPS as a potentially important clinical target to consider when developing future psychosocial-based therapy protocols for treating individuals with NCCP. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Presence of Streptococcus anginosus DNA in esophageal cancer, dysplasia of esophagus, and gastric cancer

We recently reported cloning of Streptococcus anginosus (S. anginosus) DNA fragments containing the 16S ribosomal gene from DNA samples of surgical specimens of gastric cancers. To investigate the specificity of S. anginosus infection, Southern blot analysis with S. anginosus 16S ribosomal DNA probe and PCR analysis with S. anginosus-specific primers were performed in DNA samples prepared from 15 esophageal cancers, 43 gastric cancers, 16 lung cancers, 10 cervical cancers, 14 renal cell carcinomas, 10 colorectal cancers, and 19 bladder cancers. We frequently found S. anginosus DNA sequences in DNA samples from esophageal cancer and gastric cancer tissues, as well as in those from dysplasia of the esophagus of esophageal cancer patients. No S. anginosus DNA bands were detected by Southern blot analysis on DNAs from the noncancerous portions of the esophagus or the stomach. By PCR analysis with 35 cycles, only 7% of the noncancerous portion of the esophagus was shown to contain S. anginosus sequences. No S. anginosus sequences were found in DNAs from cancers in lung, cervix, and kidney, but they were found in 1 of 10 colon cancers.     

Sense of humor as a moderator of the relation between stressful events and psychological distress: A prospective analysis.

Previous research has indicated that one's sense of humor serves as a moderator of the deleterious effects of negative stressful life events. However, because this research has been only cross-sectional in nature, such conclusions remain tentative. The purpose of this study was to provide for a more rigorous test of the humor as a stress-buffer hypothesis by using a prospective design that also attempted to control for the variance attributable to prior level of distress. Additionally, two measures of humor were included to increase the construct validity of the findings. Results from a series of regression analyses indicated that humor served as a moderator of stress for depressive, but not anxiety, symptomatology, regardless of the measure of humor that was used in the analyses. Implications of these findings for future research are noted. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Occlusion of a postoperative rectoabdominocutaneous fistula with fibrin clot: a case report

Ultrasonography (US) plays a crucial role in the evaluation of scrotal masses and is highly accurate in distinguishing extratesticular from intratesticular lesions. Occasionally, however, it may be difficult to distinguish an extratesticular process adherent to the testis from an intratesticular mass on the basis of US findings. The authors present one such unusual case, in which an epididymal sperm granuloma mimicked a testicular mass.