Food insecurity is positively related to overweight in women

Although individuals with poor food security might be expected to have reduced food intake, and thus reduced body fat and less likelihood of being overweight, these associations have not been adequately studied. The purpose of the current study was to examine the relationship between food insecurity and overweight as measured by body mass index (BMI) using data from the nationally representative 1994-1996 Continuing Survey of Food Intakes by Individuals (CSFII). Overweight was defined as BMI >27.3 kg/m(2) for women and 27.8 kg/m(2) for men. Food insecurity was related to overweight status for women (n = 4509, P < 0.0001), but not for men (n = 4970, P = 0.44). Excluding the 11 severely insecure women, the prevalence of overweight among women increased as food insecurity increased, from 34% for those who were food secure (n = 3447), to 41% for those who were mildly food insecure (n = 966) and to 52% for those who were moderately food insecure (n = 86). Food insecurity remained a significant predictor of overweight status, after adjustment for potentially confounding demographic and lifestyle variables (P < 0.01). In a logistic regression analysis, mildly insecure women were 30% more likely to be overweight than those who were food secure [odds ratio (OR) 1.3, P = 0.005]. Thus, food insecurity had an unexpected and paradoxical association with overweight status among women with a higher prevalence of overweight among the food insecure, and a resulting potential for increased incidence of obesity-related chronic diseases. Given that the rates of both overweight and food insecurity are on the rise, this research area warrants further investigation.

A sea-floor spreading event captured by seismometers

Two-thirds of Earth's surface is formed at mid-ocean ridges, yet sea-floor spreading events are poorly understood because they occur far beneath the ocean surface. At 9 degrees 50'N on the East Pacific Rise, ocean-bottom seismometers recently recorded the microearthquake character of a mid-ocean ridge eruption, including precursory activity. A gradual ramp-up in activity rates since seismic monitoring began at this site in October 2003 suggests that eruptions may be forecast in the fast-spreading environment. The pattern culminates in an intense but brief (approximately 6-hour) inferred diking event on 22 January 2006, followed by rapid tapering to markedly decreased levels of seismicity.

Development and validation of a discriminative quality of life questionnaire for osteoporosis (the OPTQoL)

We report the development and validation of an osteoporosis-targeted quality of life questionnaire to measure the impact of the disease in the general population. From multiple focus groups with women with osteoporosis, healthy women at risk for osteoporosis, spouses and relatives of women with osteoporosis, and health care providers, we identified over 300 potential items related to the disease. A lengthy questionnaire incorporated these items and was administered to a second large study cohort of 222 women with clinical osteoporosis (history of fracture, significant height loss, and/or kyphosis); 101 women with known low bone mineral density levels that would categorize them as osteoporotic but who had not yet shown obvious physical manifestations of the disease; and 142 women with other conditions (such as arthritis, cancer, depression) expected to also have an impact on quality of life. Final items from among the original 300 were chosen for their demonstrated relationship with osteoporosis as measured by clinical manifestations and low bone density and with quality of life measured by a standard generic questionnaire, the SF-36. The final questionnaire contains 26 scored items in three domains-physical activity, adaptations, and fears- and six nonscored questions relating to osteoporotic changes and diagnosis. This instrument is unique among osteoporosis-targeted questionnaires in that it attempts to measure the total impact of the disease on quality of life within a population at a single point in time.

Determination of the antibacterial efficacy of a new porphyrin-based photosensitizer against MRSA ex vivo

Following extensive in vitro screening of new photosensitizers the purpose of the present study was to examine penetration as well as antibacterial efficacy of a lead photosensitizer against MRSA using an ex vivo porcine skin model. Two different applications were performed: (i) preincubation of bacteria in solution with a porphyrin-based photosensitizer XF73 and subsequent application on the ex vivo porcine skin; (ii) application of pure bacteria on the explants followed by an incubation with XF73 in a water-ethanol formulation for up to 60 min under occlusion. The localisation of XF73 was restricted to the stratum corneum. Different concentrations (0-10 microM) of XF73 and different incubation times (5-60 min) were used to determine phototoxicity against methicillin-resistant and methicillin-sensitive S. aureus, which was applied on the explants. Preincubation of S. aureus with 0.1 microM XF73 in solution prior to the application of these XF73-incubated bacteria on the skin demonstrates a higher efficacy (>3 log10) after irradiation. Antibacterial photodynamic inactivation resulted in a approximately 1 log10 (0.1 microM)-3.64+/-0.035 (10 microM) log10 growth reduction independently of the antibiotic resistance pattern of used S. aureus strains. Irradiation of applied bacteria without photosensitizer incubation did not show any marked decrease (<1 log10) of bacteria cell number, indicating a significant phototoxicity of the XF73. Histological evaluations of untreated and treated skin areas upon irradiation within 24 h showed no significant degree of necrosis or apoptosis determined by TUNEL-assay indicating that the porcine skin is still vital. This study demonstrates that this XF73 porphyrin-based photosensitizer had concentration-dependent differences in killing efficacy of MRSA in comparison to skin cells using an ex vivo porcine skin model. The results described here imply that topical delivery of XF73 may be considered as a possible treatment in patients with superficial infections of the skin.

Diagnostic and operative microlaparoscopy: a preliminary multicentre report

Microlaparoscopes have been evaluated for minimally invasive laparoscopy using minimal anaesthesia or analgesia since our preliminary report on microlaparoscopy in 1993. This international multicentre report of safety and efficacy of diagnostic and operative microlaparoscopy was completed to evaluate the role of microlaparoscopy in a wide spectrum of gynaecological indications, diagnoses of pelvic and tubal disease, tubal occlusion and assisted reproduction. A total of 408 patients from seven centres around the world were included in this report. Of the 164 patients who underwent microlaparoscopy under local analgesia only three patients (1.8%) converted to i.v. sedation because of pain intolerance. All 71 patients who underwent microlaparoscopy under i.v. sedation as planned tolerated the procedure with acceptable pain level perception. Only one abdominal wall minor bleeding and one uterine wall minor bleeding were recorded in the remaining 173 patients who underwent microlaparoscopy under general anaesthesia. Visualization of the pelvic organs was sufficient in all 408 cases for diagnosis and treatment of selected pelvic pathology. We concluded, based on this sizeable microlaparoscopy series, that this outpatient procedure can replace large diameter laparoscopy for diagnosis and treatment of various pelvic conditions. Microlaparoscopy can safely replace large diameter laparoscopy in motivated patients who require minor operative procedures such as tubal occlusion, minor adhesiolysis, tubal gamete or embryo transfers and fulguration of endometriotic implants. This series demonstrated that operative microlaparoscopy can be carried out under general anaesthesia, reducing to nil the potential damage of a large diameter tracer. Future improvements in i.v. sedation in combination with i.p. local anaesthesia will potentially eliminate the need for general anaesthesia in some of the patients undergoing minor operative microlaparoscopy.

Adult psychosocial adjustment following childhood injury: the effect of disfigurement

The literature investigating the psychosocial adjustment of burn survivors is limited and that addressing such adjustment in burned children is contradictory. Forty-two adults, burned in childhood, were assembled into burn severity cohorts and compared as to burn severity, intensity of stress, and extent of disfigurement and disability. The findings substantiated the hypothesis that the biologic variables of years since burn and severity would not explain psychosocial adjustment in adulthood; lower adjustment correlated with visible disfigurement and less peer support rather than with severity of burn.

Enhanced production of direct photons in Au + Au collisions at square root(S(NN)) = 200 GeV and implications for the initial temperature

The production of e+ e- pairs for m(e+ e-)<0.3 GeV/c2 and 1<p(T)<5 GeV/c is measured in p+p and Au+Au collisions at square root(S(NN))=200 GeV. An enhanced yield above hadronic sources is observed. Treating the excess as photon internal conversions, the invariant yield of direct photons is deduced. In central Au+Au collisions, the excess of the direct photon yield over p+p is exponential in transverse momentum, with an inverse slope T=221+/-19(stat)+/-19(syst) MeV. Hydrodynamical models with initial temperatures ranging from T(init) approximately 300-600 MeV at times of approximately 0.6-0.15 fm/c after the collision are in qualitative agreement with the data. Lattice QCD predicts a phase transition to quark gluon plasma at approximately 170 MeV.

J/psi production versus centrality, transverse momentum, and rapidity in Au+Au collisions at square root sNN=200 GeV

The PHENIX experiment at the BNL Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) has measured J/psi production for rapidities -2.2<y<2.2 in Au+Au collisions at square root sNN=200 GeV. The J/psi invariant yield and nuclear modification factor RAA as a function of centrality, transverse momentum, and rapidity are reported. A suppression of J/psi relative to binary collision scaling of proton-proton reaction yields is observed. Models which describe the lower energy J/psi data at the CERN Super Proton Synchrotron invoking only J/psi destruction based on the local medium density predict a significantly larger suppression at RHIC and more suppression at midrapidity than at forward rapidity. Both trends are contradicted by our data.

Observation of direct-photon collective flow in Au + Au collisions at √s(NN)] = 200 GeV

The second Fourier component v(2) of the azimuthal anisotropy with respect to the reaction plane is measured for direct photons at midrapidity and transverse momentum (p(T)) of 1-12 GeV/c in Au + Au collisions at √s(NN)] = 200 GeV. Previous measurements of this quantity for hadrons with p(T) < 6 GeV/c indicate that the medium behaves like a nearly perfect fluid, while for p(T) > 6 GeV/c a reduced anisotropy is interpreted in terms of a path-length dependence for parton energy loss. In this measurement with the PHENIX detector at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider we find that for p(T) > 4 GeV/c the anisotropy for direct photons is consistent with zero, which is as expected if the dominant source of direct photons is initial hard scattering. However, in the p(T) < 4 GeV/c region dominated by thermal photons, we find a substantial direct-photon v(2) comparable to that of hadrons, whereas model calculations for thermal photons in this kinematic region underpredict the observed v(2).

Gender differences in variables associated with psychosocial adjustment to a burn injury

The purpose of this study was to determine whether variables associated with psychosocial adjustment to a burn injury vary by gender. Male and female burned subjects (N = 260) were compared on their functional disability, disfigurement, coping responses, social resources, and psychosocial adjustment to a burn injury. Both men and women had adjusted psychosocially to their burn injury. Less functional disability (r = .57, p less than .001) for men and greater problem-solving (r = .57, p less than .001) for women were the most important variables in explaining psychosocial adjustment to a burn injury. In the future, researchers need to be cognizant of gender differences and consider men and women as separate populations.

Teaching psychomotor skills in nursing: a randomized control trial

Historically, McMaster University School of Nursing in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada has utilized self-directed learning methods to teach psychomotor nursing skills to undergraduate nursing students. Second year students, in their post-clinical evaluations indicated a desire for a structured laboratory setting to assist them in acquiring these skills. In response, faculty designed a randomized control trial to compare the effectiveness of teaching psychomotor skills in a structured laboratory setting with self-directed self-taught modules. The results of this study substantiated the hypothesis of no difference between psychomotor skill performance of students who learn in a self-directed manner and those taught in a structured clinical laboratory.

Scaling properties of azimuthal anisotropy in Au+Au and Cu+Cu Collisions at sqrt[s NN]=200 GeV

Differential measurements of elliptic flow (v2) for Au+Au and Cu+Cu collisions at sqrt[sNN]=200 GeV are used to test and validate predictions from perfect fluid hydrodynamics for scaling of v2 with eccentricity, system size, and transverse kinetic energy (KE T). For KE T identical with mT-m up to approximately 1 GeV the scaling is compatible with hydrodynamic expansion of a thermalized fluid. For large values of KE T mesons and baryons scale separately. Quark number scaling reveals a universal scaling of v2 for both mesons and baryons over the full KE T range for Au+Au. For Au+Au and Cu+Cu the scaling is more pronounced in terms of KE T, rather than transverse momentum.

Psychomotor skills laboratories as self-directed learning: a study of nursing students' perceptions

Fifty-nine baccalaureate nursing students were surveyed regarding their preferred method of learning psychomotor skills necessary for clinical practice. In addition, 12 faculty members were also asked to express their opinions of the best way for students to learn psychomotor skills. The use of a self-directed clinical laboratory was supported by both students and faculty in this study. Hands on and visual pre-clinical experiences with adequate equipment were the major factors influencing the students' requests for clinical laboratories. Faculty expressed the same concerns about equipment and human resources, but their support of the laboratory was tempered and based on the presence or absence of adequate human resources and equipment available to students in the clinical setting.

Nuclear modification of ψ', χc, and J/ψ production in d+Au collisions at sqrt[s(NN)]=200 GeV

We present results for three charmonia states (ψ', χc, and J/ψ) in d+Au collisions at |y|<0.35 and sqrt[s(NN)]=200  GeV. We find that the modification of the ψ' yield relative to that of the J/ψ scales approximately with charged particle multiplicity at midrapidity across p+A, d+Au, and A+A results from the Super Proton Synchrotron and the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider. In large-impact-parameter collisions we observe a similar suppression for the ψ' and J/ψ, while in small-impact-parameter collisions the more weakly bound ψ' is more strongly suppressed. Owing to the short time spent traversing the Au nucleus, the larger ψ' suppression in central events is not explained by an increase of the nuclear absorption owing to meson formation time effects.

Suppression pattern of neutral pions at high transverse momentum in Au + Au collisions at sqrt[sNN]=200 GeV and constraints on medium transport coefficients

For Au + Au collisions at 200 GeV, we measure neutral pion production with good statistics for transverse momentum, pT, up to 20 GeV/c. A fivefold suppression is found, which is essentially constant for 5 < pT < 20 GeV/c. Experimental uncertainties are small enough to constrain any model-dependent parametrization for the transport coefficient of the medium, e.g., q in the parton quenching model. The spectral shape is similar for all collision classes, and the suppression does not saturate in Au + Au collisions.

Clinical effectiveness of fluoride-releasing elastomers. II. Enamel microhardness levels

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of fluoride-releasing elastomers on enamel microhardness levels. Sixteen teeth from four patients scheduled to have premolars extracted as part of their orthodontic treatment were examined in this study. Orthodontic brackets were bonded to the buccal surface of the test teeth with a nonfluoridated adhesive. Two of the patients had fluoride-releasing elastomers placed on the right upper and lower brackets and conventional elastomers placed on the left side. This sequence was reversed for the remaining two patients. After 1 calendar month, the experimental teeth were extracted, sectioned, and embedded in acrylic. Microhardness tests were performed 50 to 75 microns cervical to the bracket. Indentations were taken at the surface and continued in 20 microns increments to a depth of 200 microns. Results showed the enamel was significantly harder (p < 0.05) in the fluoride group at the 20 microns depth compared with the control group. No other microhardness readings showed a statistically significant difference.

Quadrupole anisotropy in dihadron azimuthal correlations in central d+Au collisions at √(s(NN))=200 GeV

The PHENIX collaboration at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) reports measurements of azimuthal dihadron correlations near midrapidity in d+Au collisions at √(s(NN))=200 GeV. These measurements complement recent analyses by experiments at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) involving central p+Pb collisions at √(s(NN))=5.02 TeV, which have indicated strong anisotropic long-range correlations in angular distributions of hadron pairs. The origin of these anisotropies is currently unknown. Various competing explanations include parton saturation and hydrodynamic flow. We observe qualitatively similar, but larger, anisotropies in d+Au collisions at RHIC compared to those seen in p+Pb collisions at the LHC. The larger extracted v2 values in d+Au are consistent with expectations from hydrodynamic calculations owing to the larger expected initial-state eccentricity compared with that from p+Pb collisions. When both are divided by an estimate of the initial-state eccentricity the scaled anisotropies follow a common trend with multiplicity that may extend to heavy ion data at RHIC and the LHC, where the anisotropies are widely thought to arise from hydrodynamic flow.

Female sensitivity to diet and irradiation treatments underlies sex-mortality differentials in the Mediterranean fruit fly

Large-scale experiments on medflies that were subjected to sterilizing doses of ionizing radiation (plus intact controls) and maintained on either sugar-only or full, protein-enriched diets revealed that, whereas the mortality trajectories of both intact and irradiated male cohorts maintained on both diets are similar, the mortality patterns of females are highly variable. Mean mortality rates at 35 days in male cohorts ranged from 0.2 to 0.3 but in female cohorts ranged from 0.09 to 0.35, depending on treatment. The study reports three main influences: (a) qualitative differences exist in the sex-mortality response of medflies subjected to dietary manipulations and irradiation; (b) the female mortality response is linked to increased vulnerability due to the nutritional demands of reproduction; and (c) female sensitivity to environmental changes underlies the dynamics of the sex-mortality differential.

Measurement of Long-Range Angular Correlation and Quadrupole Anisotropy of Pions and (Anti)Protons in Central d+Au Collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=200 GeV

We present azimuthal angular correlations between charged hadrons and energy deposited in calorimeter towers in central d+Au and minimum bias p+p collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=200 GeV. The charged hadron is measured at midrapidity |η|<0.35, and the energy is measured at large rapidity (-3.7<η<-3.1, Au-going direction). An enhanced near-side angular correlation across |Δη|>2.75 is observed in d+Au collisions. Using the event plane method applied to the Au-going energy distribution, we extract the anisotropy strength v_{2} for inclusive charged hadrons at midrapidity up to p_{T}=4.5 GeV/c. We also present the measurement of v_{2} for identified π^{±} and (anti)protons in central d+Au collisions, and observe a mass-ordering pattern similar to that seen in heavy-ion collisions. These results are compared with viscous hydrodynamic calculations and measurements from p+Pb at sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02 TeV. The magnitude of the mass ordering in d+Au is found to be smaller than that in p+Pb collisions, which may indicate smaller radial flow in lower energy d+Au collisions.

Measurement of high-pT single electrons from heavy-flavor decays in p + p collisions at square root of s = 200 GeV

The momentum distribution of electrons from decays of heavy flavor (charm and bottom) for midrapidity absolute value of y < 0.35 in p + p collisions at square root of s = 200 GeV has been measured by the PHENIX experiment at the BNL Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider over the transverse momentum range 0.3 < pT < 9 GeV/c. Two independent methods have been used to determine the heavy-flavor yields, and the results are in good agreement with each other. A fixed-order-plus-next-to-leading-log perturbative QCD calculation agrees with the data within the theoretical and experimental uncertainties, with the data/theory ratio of 1.71+/-0.02stat+/-0.18sys for 0.3 < pT < 9 GeV/c. The total charm production cross section at this energy has also been deduced to be sigma cc = 567+/-57stat+/-193sys microb.

Cold nuclear matter effects on J/ψ yields as a function of rapidity and nuclear geometry in d+A collisions at sqrt[s(NN)]=200 GeV

We present measurements of J/ψ yields in d+Au collisions at sqrt[s(NN)]=200  GeV recorded by the PHENIX experiment and compare them with yields in p+p collisions at the same energy per nucleon-nucleon collision. The measurements cover a large kinematic range in J/ψ rapidity (-2.2<y<2.4) with high statistical precision and are compared with two theoretical models: one with nuclear shadowing combined with final state breakup and one with coherent gluon saturation effects. In order to remove model dependent systematic uncertainties we also compare the data to a simple geometric model. The forward rapidity data are inconsistent with nuclear modifications that are linear or exponential in the density weighted longitudinal thickness, such as those from the final state breakup of the bound state.

Measurements of Elliptic and Triangular Flow in High-Multiplicity 3He+Au Collisions at √(s(NN))=200 GeV

We present the first measurement of elliptic (v(2)) and triangular (v(3)) flow in high-multiplicity (3)He+Au collisions at √(s(NN))=200  GeV. Two-particle correlations, where the particles have a large separation in pseudorapidity, are compared in (3)He+Au and in p+p collisions and indicate that collective effects dominate the second and third Fourier components for the correlations observed in the (3)He+Au system. The collective behavior is quantified in terms of elliptic v(2) and triangular v(3) anisotropy coefficients measured with respect to their corresponding event planes. The v(2) values are comparable to those previously measured in d+Au collisions at the same nucleon-nucleon center-of-mass energy. Comparisons with various theoretical predictions are made, including to models where the hot spots created by the impact of the three (3)He nucleons on the Au nucleus expand hydrodynamically to generate the triangular flow. The agreement of these models with data may indicate the formation of low-viscosity quark-gluon plasma even in these small collision systems.