Comparison of Treatment Outcome Measures for Irritable Bowel Syndrome

We have examined the relations among three common treatment outcome measures in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS): end of treatment global ratings by a physician, end of treatment patient global ratings, and measures derived from a daily symptom diary completed by the patient. Eighty-four IBS patients (53 female, 31 male) participated in a randomized controlled evaluation of three psychological treatment conditions for IBS. Treatment outcome measures from this trial (Blanchard et al., 1992) were used in the present methodological study. Physician global ratings were significantly correlated with patient global ratings (r = .45, p < .01). Both of these global ratings also correlated significantly with a composite score from patient diary ratings. Multiple regression analyses revealed that reductions in bloating and constipation account for 18% of the variance in patient global ratings. Global ratings at end of treatment by either patient or physician were only partially related to symptom relief as measured by a daily diary.     

Growth and Respiration in Plants from Various Adaptation Groups as Affected by Mineral Nutrient Deficiency

The effect of the deficiency in mineral nutrients was investigated in plant species representing various adaptation groups (stress-tolerant, competitive, and ruderal plants). Dry and fresh weight, as well as the length of shoots and underground organs, were determined in 20- to 50-day-old seedlings. The ratio between the dry weights of shoot and root (SRR), relative growth rate (RGR), the rate of total dark respiration (R), gross photosynthesis (P _g), and the proportion of the respiratory expenditures to gross photosynthesis (R/P _g) were calculated. When affected by a deficiency in mineral nutrients, the weight of the whole plant decreased. In resistant species of clover (Trifolium pratense L.) and alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), this reduction was insignificant, whereas, in the ruderal species amaranth (Amaranthus retroflexus L.), it was at its highest. In all the species investigated, the ratio R/P _g was 38–46%. Under stress conditions, this index increased. Given a deficiency in mineral nutrients, the changes in SRR, RGR, and R/P _g were greater in amaranth, suggesting that this plant species is less tolerant to stress. The correlation between RGR and R observed in amaranth under normal conditions indicates that the major energy expenditures are associated with growth. Under stress conditions, such a correlation was not observed. In more resistant species of clover and alfalfa, a weak positive correlation between RGR and R was observed both under normal and stress conditions. In these species, the deficiency in mineral nutrients probably brought about a reduction in the growth component of total dark respiration and a rise in the adaptation component. The complex of indices (R/P _g, RGR, and SRR) and the extent of their variation in the seedlings describe the potential productivity and resistance of particular species to a deficiency in mineral nutrients and may characterize the adaptation type of the plants.     

Perceived Feasibility,Acceptability, and Cultural Adaptation for a Mental Health Intervention in Rural Haiti

Culture, Medicine, and Psychiatry - Mental healthcare is largely unavailable throughout Haiti, particularly in rural areas. The aim of the current study is to explore perceived feasibility,...     

深海细菌及其适压机制

深海是以高压为主要特征的极端环境。在深海中适压生活的细菌在分类上多属于蛋白细菌(Pro-teobacteria)类群的γ分支。深海细菌对高压的适应可表现为嗜压或耐压,其适压的机制包括细胞膜脂成分中不饱和脂肪酸的增加,此外,细菌细胞的呼吸链系统也与耐压有关。     

妊娠高血压疾病对妊娠结局的影响及防治对策探讨

目的：研究妊娠高血压疾病对妊娠结局的影响及防治对策讨论。方法：选择回顾性研究方法,选择2010年9月到2012年8月到我院的妊娠高血压患者60名作为观察组,并且同期选择60名正常妊娠妇女作为对照组,比较妊娠高血压患者的母体并发症（早产、胎盘早剥、产后出血）等及胎儿妊娠结局等情况与对照组的比较。结果：妊娠高血压患者不同程度对妊娠结局的影响不同P〈0．05,并且妊娠高血压患者的母体并发症与对新生儿的影响与对照组比较有差异P〈0．05,异常情况均较正常妊娠妇女要高。结论：妊娠高血压患者对妊娠结局的影响较为严重,对母婴危害严重,需积极预防。     

产前多媒体健康教育对剖宫产率、产程及分娩结局的影响

为了探讨产前多媒体健康教育对剖宫产率、产程及分娩结局的影响,本研究选取健康实施产前常规检查的妊娠妇女200例,其中100例接受常规产前指导(对照组)、100例妊娠妇女定期接受产前多媒体健康教育指导(研究组),随访至分娩结局,观察两组妊娠妇女的产程、分娩方式、分娩结局差异。研究结果表明,研究组有1例妇女出现流产、对照组有2例妇女出现自然流产;研究组的第一产程潜伏期、活跃期、第一产程、第二产程显著的低于对照组(p<0.05),研究组的第三产程时间与对照组差异不具有统计学意义(p>0.05);研究组的剖宫产率14.14%显著低于对照组的27.55%(p<0.05);研究组与对照组的新生儿1 min、5 min Apgar评分差异不具有统计学意义(p>0.05);研究组分娩相关并发症率3.03%低于对照组的11.22%(p<0.05)。本研究初步表明:产前多媒体健康教育有利于降低剖宫产率、缩短产程时间、减少分娩并发症。     

The Biology of Invasions: The Genetic Adaptation Paradox

One of the most relevant topics in the biology of invasion concerns the genetic changes that occur subsequent to a species invasion, an issue of particular focus among conservation biologists. Colonizing a novel environment presents a genetic challenge to invading species because such species surely have not experienced the selective pressures presented by the environment. Here we ask, by what mechanisms and processes do alien species genetically naïve to their new environment, become successful invaders? We attempt to resolve this paradox by considering the interplay between an invader’s ability to modify its new environment, and genetic modifications imposed by the new environment. We postulate that epigenetic adaptations, and adaptive mutations are likely play a role in enhancing invasion success.     

Time Course and Action Spectrum of Vibrotactile Adaptation

In a series of experiments designed to explore the processes underlying adaptation of the sense of flutter-vibration, vibrotactile threshold was measured on the pad of the index finger, using Békésy tracking. Unadapted thresholds were first measured, for a number of frequencies (4-90 Hz) and contactor sizes (1-8 mm diameter). As expected, these measurements indicated the presence of (1) a Pacinian system possessing spatial summation and increasing in sensitivity, as frequency was raised, at the rate of 12 dB/octave; and (2) a non-Pacinian system showing little spatial summation, and with a frequency characteristic matching that of the NP I mechanism of Bolanowski et al. (1988). These baseline data of Experiment 1 guided the selection of stimulus parameters for subsequent experiments, in which threshold for a test stimulus was measured before, during, and after periods of vibrotactile adaptation.

In Experiment 2, test stimuli of 10 H_z and 50 H_z were combined factorially with 30-dB SL adapting stimuli of the same two frequencies. When the test stimulus was 10 Hz, the two adapting frequencies were equally effective in raising threshold; however, when the 50-Hz test stimulus was used, the 50-Hz adapting stimulus raised threshold by a greater amount than did the 10-Hz adapter. These results confirm on the finger the independence of adaptation in Pacinian and non-Pacinian channels, a result previously established on the thenar by other workers. For all four frequency combinations, threshold rose exponentially with a time constant of 1.5-2 min.

In Experiment 3, an action spectrum was determined, showing the adapting amplitude needed at each of a series of frequencies to raise the threshold of a 10-Hz stimulus by 10 dB; this spectrum was essentially flat from 30 to 90 Hz. The results, taken in conjunction with what is known about rapidly adapting cutaneous mechanoreceptors, imply that the effectiveness of an adapting stimulus is not determined solely by the amount of activity it generates in first-order afferents.     

Explaining Mental Health Treatment Disparities: Ethnic and Cultural Differences in Family Involvement

In a large, representative sample of persons receiving public mental health treatment, we examined whether ethnic minority consumers were more likely than white consumers to live with their families and to receive family support. We then evaluated whether differences observed in family involvement explained treatment disparities observed in outpatient and inpatient mental health services. Results indicated that Asian American and Latino consumers, especially, were considerably more likely than white consumers to live with family members and to receive family support. Ethnocultural differences in living with family did explain treatment intensity disparities whether or not consumers described themselves as dependent on family support. The results support the hypothesis that cultural differences in family involvement and support play a role in explaining mental health treatment disparities.     

The Evolution of Resource Adaptation: How Generalist and Specialist Consumers Evolve

Why and how specialist and generalist strategies evolve are important questions in evolutionary ecology. In this paper, with the method of adaptive dynamics and evolutionary branching, we identify conditions that select for specialist and generalist strategies. Generally, generalist strategies evolve if there is a switching benefit; specialists evolve if there is a switching cost. If the switching cost is large, specialists always evolve. If the switching cost is small, even though the consumer will first evolve toward a generalist strategy, it will eventually branch into two specialists.     

翻译速率与蛋白质二级结构的关系

统计分析了人的 119种蛋白质和大肠杆菌的 92种蛋白质密码子翻译速率和蛋白质二级结构的关系。据m 密码子片段在不同二级结构中的频数分布 ,我们发现人和大肠杆菌中翻译速率与蛋白质二级结构之间有一定关系 :高翻译速率时倾向编码α螺旋、不倾向编码线团 (coil) ;低翻译速率时倾向编码线团、不倾向编码α螺旋 ;β折叠结构则随翻译速率表现出明显的振荡。同时 ,密码子的使用在不同片段内一般也是不均匀的 :在α螺旋片段内 ,结构尾部偏向使用高翻译速率密码子 ;中部倾向使用中翻译速率密码子 ;而头部使用的密码子翻译速率偏低。这样的倾向性不大可能归结为随机起伏的影响。     

妊娠期糖尿病与妊娠结局的临床分析

目的：探讨妊娠期糖尿病（GDM）对孕妇妊娠结局和胎儿健康的影响。方法：回顾性分析2009 年8 月～2012 年12 月在我院分娩的184 例GDM 患者及200 例健康孕妇的临床资料,并对两组孕妇的妊娠结局进行比较。结果：GDM 组妊高症35 例（19.0%）、羊水过多17 例（9.2%）、早产21 例（11.4%）、产后出血14 例（7.6%）、产褥感染12 例（6.5%）,发生率均显著高于对照组（P〈0.05）;GDM组中发生巨大儿48 例（26.1%）、新生儿低血糖31 例（16.8%）,与对照组比较均显著增高（P＜0.05）,而胎儿宫内窘迫的发生率（3.3%）也较对照组升高,但差异无统计学意义（P＞0.05）;GDM组剖宫产141 例（76.6%）,阴道产43 例（23.4%）,剖宫产比例较对照组显著升高（P〈0.05）。结论：GDM对孕妇的妊娠结局有不利影响,孕妇应加强孕期保健,规范治疗妊娠期糖尿病,减少各种并发症的发生。     

Adaptation and the genetics of social behaviour

In recent years much progress has been made towards understanding the selective forces involved in the evolution of social behaviour including conflicts over reproduction among group members. Here, I argue that an important additional step necessary for advancing our understanding of the resolution of potential conflicts within insect societies is to consider the genetics of the behaviours involved. First, I discuss how epigenetic modifications of behaviour may affect conflict resolution within groups. Second, I review known natural polymorphisms of social organization to demonstrate that a lack of consideration of the genetic mechanisms involved may lead to erroneous explanations of the adaptive significance of behaviour. Third, I suggest that, on the basis of recent genetic studies of sexual conflict in Drosophila, it is necessary to reconsider the possibility of within-group manipulation by means of chemical substances (i.e. pheromones). Fourth, I address the issue of direct versus indirect genetic effects, which is of particular importance for the study of behaviour in social groups. Fifth, I discuss the issue of how a genetic influence on dominance hierarchies and reproductive division of labour can have secondary effects, for example in the evolution of promiscuity. Finally, because the same sets of genes (e.g. those implicated in chemical signalling and the responses that are triggered) may be used even in species as divergent as ants, cooperative breeding birds and primates, an integration of genetic mechanisms into the field of social evolution may also provide unifying ideas.     

Adaptation of redband trout in desert and montane environments

Natural populations that evolve under extreme climates are likely to diverge because of selection in local environments. To explore whether local adaptation has occurred in redband trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss gairdneri) occupying differing climate regimes, we used a limited genome scan approach to test for candidate markers under selection in populations occurring in desert and montane streams. An environmental approach to identifying outlier loci, spatial analysis method and linear regression of minor allele frequency with environmental variables revealed six candidate markers (P < 0.01). Putatively neutral markers identified high genetic differentiation among desert populations relative to montane sites, likely due to intermittent flows in desert streams. Additionally, populations exhibited a highly significant pattern of isolation by temperature (P< 0.0001) and those adapted to the same environment had similar allele frequencies across candidate markers, indicating selection for differing climates. These results imply that many genes are involved in the adaptation of redband trout to differing environments, and selection acts to reinforce localization. The potential to predict genetic adaptability of individuals and populations to changing environmental conditions may have profound implications for species that face extensive anthropogenic disturbances.     

Improving the Rank Precision of Population Health Measures for Small Areas with Longitudinal and Joint Outcome Models

Objectives

The University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute has published the County Health Rankings since 2010. These rankings use population-based data to highlight health outcomes and the multiple determinants of these outcomes and to encourage in-depth health assessment for all United States counties. A significant methodological limitation, however, is the uncertainty of rank estimates, particularly for small counties. To address this challenge, we explore the use of longitudinal and pooled outcome data in hierarchical Bayesian models to generate county ranks with greater precision.

Methods

In our models we used pooled outcome data for three measure groups: (1) Poor physical and poor mental health days; (2) percent of births with low birth weight and fair or poor health prevalence; and (3) age-specific mortality rates for nine age groups. We used the fixed and random effects components of these models to generate posterior samples of rates for each measure. We also used time-series data in longitudinal random effects models for age-specific mortality. Based on the posterior samples from these models, we estimate ranks and rank quartiles for each measure, as well as the probability of a county ranking in its assigned quartile. Rank quartile probabilities for univariate, joint outcome, and/or longitudinal models were compared to assess improvements in rank precision.

Results

The joint outcome model for poor physical and poor mental health days resulted in improved rank precision, as did the longitudinal model for age-specific mortality rates. Rank precision for low birth weight births and fair/poor health prevalence based on the univariate and joint outcome models were equivalent.

Conclusion

Incorporating longitudinal or pooled outcome data may improve rank certainty, depending on characteristics of the measures selected. For measures with different determinants, joint modeling neither improved nor degraded rank precision. This approach suggests a simple way to use existing information to improve the precision of small-area measures of population health.     

Unsupervised Learning and Adaptation in a Model of Adult Neurogenesis

Adult neurogenesis has long been documented in the vertebrate brain and recently even in humans. Although it has been conjectured for many years that its functional role is related to the renewing of memories, no clear mechanism as to how this can be achieved has been proposed. Using the mammalian olfactory bulb as a paradigm, we present a scheme in which incorporation of new neurons proceeds at a constant rate, while their survival is activity-dependent and thus contingent on new neurons establishing suitable connections. We show that a simple mathematical model following these rules organizes its activity so as to maximize the difference between its responses and can adapt to changing environmental conditions in unsupervised fashion, in agreement with current neurophysiological data.     

工作属性与员工心理健康的关系

以Karasek的工作要求一控制模型为分析框架,通过对三家企业219名员工的问卷调查,探讨工作属性与员工心理健康的关系。研究结果显示,工作属性中的工作要求、工作控制均与心理健康显著相关;在控制了人口统计学变量之后,二者所解释的心理健康方差变异量为7%;工作要求和工作控制的交互效应也能够有效预测心理健康。这些结果提示:工作要求过高和工作控制缺乏都会导致员工的心理健康下降,员工的心理健康是工作要求和工作控制共同作用的结果。     

葡萄幼苗在温度胁迫交叉适应过程中对水杨酸的应答

在温度锻炼诱导葡萄幼苗对交叉温度逆境的适应过程中叶片内源SA变化的结果表明,0℃低温胁迫期间,葡萄幼苗叶片细胞膜系统受到严重伤害,丙二醛(MDA)含量明显升高;此时自由态SA含量呈波动性变化,并随着胁迫进程的延长,内源SA含量明显低于正常叶片水平。而经过高温锻炼的幼苗,在低温胁迫初期自由态SA含量迅速达到一个高峰,之后回落并保持在正常叶片的SA水平,MDA含量也相应降低且相对稳定。结合态SA的变化相对较平稳,并且总SA含量变化趋势与自由态SA含量的变化趋势相吻合。在45℃高温胁迫期间,经过低温锻炼的幼苗的上述各项指标的变化规律与经过高温锻炼的幼苗在低温胁迫期间的变化趋势相似。     

昆虫社会行为的进化与生态适应

一、引言昆虫社会行为的进化涉及两大问题:(1)社会行为的起源和进化过程;(2)社会行为的适应意义。这两个问题都曾使达尔文感到困惑。达尔文曾详尽地描述过蜜蜂复杂的造巢行