Measurement of illumination exposure in postpartum women

BACKGROUND: Low levels of light exposure at critical times are thought to cause seasonal affective disorder. Investigators, in studies demonstrating the usefulness of bright light therapy, also have implicated light's role in non-seasonal depression. The precise cause of postpartum depression has not been delineated, but it seemed possible that new mothers would spend reduced time in daylight. The goal of this study was to examine the levels of illumination experienced by postpartum mothers and to discover any relationship between light exposure and mood levels experienced during the postpartum period. METHODS: Fifteen postpartum women, who did not have any baseline indication of depression, wore a wrist device (Actillume) for 72 hours to measure their exposure to light. At the end of the recording period, they completed a self-reported measure of mood. The mean light exposure of these postpartum women (expressed as the 24-hour average logarithm of illumination in lux) was compared with that of a representative sample of women of comparable age, residence, and seasonal months of recording. Mood levels were then rank-ordered and tested for correlation with light exposure levels. RESULTS: There was no significant difference between the amount of light [log(10)lux] experienced by postpartum (1.01 SD 0.236) and control women (1.06 SD 0.285). Mood was not correlated with illumination in the postpartum sample. CONCLUSIONS: Postpartum women in San Diego did not receive reduced light, nor was low mood related to low illumination

Psychiatric outcomes following medical and surgical abortion

BACKGROUND: Hypercortisolaemia is associated with certain depressive disorders. Mifepristone has possible antidepressant properties related to its anti-glucocorticoid activity. To explore the possible mood effects of mifepristone, we examined the mood outcomes after surgical and medical (mifepristone-misoprostol) abortion. The objectives were to determine post-abortion depression risk, evaluate risk factors for post-abortion depression and to explore the relationship between cortisol and depression. METHODS: We enrolled 47 surgical and 31 medical abortion patients. Women were assessed pre-abortion and 1 month post-abortion with the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and salivary cortisol levels. RESULTS: Pre-abortion, 36% (17/47) of surgical and 35% (11/31) of medical patients had high depression risk (EPDS \u3e or = 10; (chi(2) = 0.31, df = 1, P = 0.58). At follow-up, 17% (7/42) of surgical and 21% (5/24) of medical patients had an EPDS \u3e or = 10 (chi(2) = 0.18, df = 1, P = 0.67). The decline post-abortion in the women with EPDS \u3e or = 10 was significant (P = 0.01). Women with past psychiatric history (Fisher\u27s exact P = 0.05) or anxiety disorders (Fisher\u27s exact P = 0.005) had elevated risk for post-abortion depression. Change in cortisol levels was not correlated with change in EPDS (r = 0.10, P = 0.28). CONCLUSIONS: Most patients experienced post-abortion mood improvement. Mifepristone did not offer additional antidepressant effects. The lack of correlation between cortisol and depression could represent hypersuppression of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis or insufficient mifepristone dose to alter HPA axis activity

Human Computer Interaction with Mobile Devices and Services

www.mimuc.de/mirw2007 5th Workshop on "HCI in Mobile Guides" (MGuides 2007) www.mguides.info in Conjunction with th

Synthesis and Mechanical Characterization of Mechanically Strong, Polyurea-crosslinked, Ordered Mesoporous Silica Aerogels

Mechanically strong polymer-crosslinked templated silica aerogel (CTSA) monoliths with ordered tubular mesopores were synthesized through an acid-catalyzed, surfactant-templated sol–gel process followed by covalent crosslinking of the elementary building blocks with polyurea. Specifically, a structure-directing reagent (triblock copolymer, Pluronic P123) was used in combination with variable amounts of a micelle-swelling reagent (1,3,5-trimethylbenzene) to regulate the size, shape, morphology of the elementary building blocks, as well as the pore size distribution of acid-catalyzed silica. the structure was subsequently treated with variable concentrations of a diisocyanate that reacts with surface –OH groups as well as residual gelation water adsorbed on the surface of silica. the developing polymer (polyurea) adheres to the walls of the mesoporous tubes and leaves macropores open. Rather than using a typical supercritical fluid (typically from CO2) drying protocol, the polymer-crosslinked materials of this study are strong enough to withstand stresses imposed by evaporating solvents and were dried from pentane under ambient pressure. the morphostructural properties of CTSAs were characterized before and after compression testing using a battery of methods including SEM, TEM and small-angle X-ray scattering. Mechanical properties were investigated using quasi-static compression tests, tensile, high-strain-rate dynamic tests as well as shear creep measurements. in addition, dynamic mechanical analysis as well as heat transfer tests was conducted. the Young’s modulus was found to be about 800 MPa while the specific energy absorption was as high as 123 J/g, making this material a prime candidate for ballistic protection. Graphical abstract: Mechanically strong polymer-crosslinked templated silica aerogel (CTSA) monoliths with ordered tubular mesopores were synthesized through an acid-catalyzed, surfactant-templated sol–gel process followed by covalent crosslinking of the elementary building blocks with polyurea, leaving macropores open. Using pentane under ambient pressure drying protocol, the CTSAs are strong enough to withstand stresses imposed by evaporating solvents. the mechanical and morphostructural properties of CTSAs were characterized using SEM, TEM and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). the Young’s modulus was found to be about 800 MPa while the specific energy absorption was as high as 123 J/g, making this material a prime candidate for energy absorption under impact.[Figure not available: see fulltext.]TEM/SEM images and SAXS of X-MP4-T045-11/94 templated aerogel. (a) TEM images before compression; (b) TEM images after 85 % compressive strain; (c) SAXS data at different strain. (d) SEM images before compression; (e) SEM images after 23 % strain; (f) SEM images after 83 % strain. Insets of (e) and (f) are the compressive stress-strain curves

Oropharyngeal meningococcal carriage in children and adolescents, a single center study in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

BackgroundNeisseria meningitidis (Nm) pharyngeal carriage is a necessary condition for invasive disease. We present the first carriage study in children in Buenos Aires, Argentina, considering 2017 as a transition year. Aims: to assess the rate of Nm carriage, to determine genogroup, clonal complex and outer membrane protein distribution, to determine carriage risk factors by age.MethodsCross-sectional study including children 1-17 yrs, at Ricardo Gutiérrez Children's Hospital in Buenos Aires 2017. Oro-pharyngeal swabs were taken and cultured within a short time after collection. Genogroup was determined by PCR and clonal complex by MLST. Categorical variables were analyzed.ResultsA total of 1,751 children were included. Group 1: 943 children 1-9 yrs, 38 Nm were isolated; overall carriage 4.0%. Genogroup distribution: B 26.3%, W 5.3%, Y 2.6%, Z 5.3%, other groups 7.9% and capsule null (cnl) 52.6%. Participating in extracurricular activities was the only independent predictor of Nm carriage. Group 2: 808 children 10-17 yrs, 76 Nm were isolated; overall carriage 9.4%. Genogroup distribution: B 19.7%, C 5.3%, W 7.9%, Y 9.2%, Z 5.3%, other groups 7.9% and cnl 44.7%. Independent predictors of carriage: attending pubs/night clubs and passive smoking (adjusted OR: 0.55, 95%CI = 0.32-0.93; p = 0.025).ConclusionsOverall carriage was higher in 10-17 yrs. The isolates presenting the cnl locus were prevalent in both age groups and genogroup B was the second most frequent