Exploring the receptor origin of vibration-induced reflexes

STUDY DESIGN: An experimental design. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to determine the latencies of vibration-induced reflexes in individuals with and without spinal cord injury (SCI), and to compare these latencies to identify differences in reflex circuitries. SETTING: A tertiary rehabilitation center in Istanbul. METHODS: Seventeen individuals with chronic SCI (SCI group) and 23 participants without SCI (Control group) were included in this study. Latency of tonic vibration reflex (TVR) and whole-body vibration-induced muscular reflex (WBV-IMR) of the left soleus muscle was tested for estimating the reflex origins. The local tendon vibration was applied at six different vibration frequencies (50, 85, 140, 185, 235, and 265 Hz), each lasting for 15 s with 3-s rest intervals. The WBV was applied at six different vibration frequencies (35, 37, 39, 41, 43, and 45 Hz), each lasting for 15 s with 3-s rest intervals. RESULTS: Mean (SD) TVR latency was 39.7 (5.3) ms in the SCI group and 35.9 (2.7) ms in the Control group with a mean (95% CI) difference of -3.8 (-6.7 to -0.9) ms. Mean (SD) WBV-IMR latency was 45.8 (7.4) ms in the SCI group and 43.3 (3.0) ms in the Control group with a mean (95% CI) difference of -2.5 (-6.5 to 1.4) ms. There were significant differences between TVR latency and WBV-IMR latency in both the groups (mean (95% CI) difference; -6.2 (-9.3 to -3.0) ms, p = 0.0001 for the SCI group and -7.4 (-9.3 to -5.6) ms, p = 0.011 for Control group). CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that the receptor of origin of TVR and WBV-IMR may be different

Propuesta de utilizaci?n del gas natural licuefactado en los camiones mineros : evaluaci?n de beneficios

El uso intensivo del di?sel en la cadena de valor de la miner?a representa una gran oportunidad de brindar eficiencia y sostenibilidad al sector minero mediante la sustituci?n parcial del di?sel por Gas Natural Licuado (GNL) en los camiones mineros. El presente trabajo de investigaci?n evalu? las ventajas competitivas para la miner?a de tajo abierto reduciendo los costos de combustibles en 49.4% (US$513 millones); adem?s se dejar?an de importar 4.5 millones de Barriles de di?sel por a?o, que representa un super?vit de US$ 386 millones en la balanza comercial del a?o 2018. Asimismo, se dejar?an de emitir 543 mil toneladas de CO2 por a?o, lo cual representa una reducci?n del 28% de las emisiones de CO2. Los otros beneficios que se generan al introducir el GNL en la matriz energ?tica de la miner?a, acorde a la pol?tica energ?tica nacional, incluyen poner en valor las reservas de gas natural e impulsar su masificaci?n, menor dependencia energ?tica y volatilidad en los precios de los recursos energ?ticos, menores riesgos asociados a la adulteraci?n y los derrames, reducci?n de material particulado que produce una serie de externalidades negativas. Tambi?n se genera el aumento del canon y regal?as por la mayor producci?n de gas natural

Personality, personnel selection, and job performance

Job Performance: The term job performance can either refer to the objective or subjective outcomes one achieves in a specific job (e.g., the profit of a sales persons, the number of publications of a scientist, the number of successful operations of a surgeon) or to work-related activities (e.g., writing an article, conducting specific surgical acts). In the majority of research on this topic, job performance as an outcome is used. Personnel selection: Personnel selection refers to the process of selecting the best employees for specific jobs. Introduction One major application of personality research is in the area of personnel selection. The key question in this area is to which extent personality can predict how well a candidate will perform on the job he or she is applying for. Most scholars in this area acknowledge that personality has predictive validity for job performance. In line with this, personality assessment is part of the selection procedure in many organizations

Temporal changes in the prevalence of childhood asthma and allergies in urban and rural areas of Cyprus: results from two cross sectional studies

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The prevalence of childhood asthma and allergies in Cyprus was significantly higher in urban compared to rural areas back in the year 2000, against a background of an overall low prevalence (e.g. current wheeze 6.9%) by comparison to northern European countries. In this study we aimed to assess temporal changes in the prevalence of asthma and allergies in Cyprus after an 8-year interval and to examine whether any differential changes have occurred in urban and rural parts of the island.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>During the academic years 1999-2000 and 2007-2008, the parents of 7-8 year old children residing in the same set of urban and rural areas completed the ISAAC core questionnaire. In addition to providing prevalence estimates of allergic diseases in 2000 and 2008, changes between the two periods were expressed as odds ratios estimated in multiple logistic regression models adjusting for survey participants' characteristics.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The prevalence of current wheeze was higher in 2008 (8.7%, 95% confidence interval 7.5%-9.9%, n = 2216) than the previously recorded figure in 2000 (6.9%, 95% CI 6.2%-7.6%, OR = 1.25, 95% CI: 1.02-1.53, n = 4944). Significant increases were also seen in the prevalence of lifetime asthma (11.3% vs. 17.4%, OR = 1.59, CI: 1.36-1.86), eczema (6.8% vs. 13.5%, OR = 1.91, CI: 1.59-2.29) and allergic rhinoconjuctivitis (2.6% vs. 5.2%, OR = 1.82, CI: 1.39-2.41). The prevalence of current wheeze nearly doubled between 2000 and 2008 in rural areas (5.4% vs. 9.7%, OR 1.81, CI: 1.24-2.64) while no significant change was observed in urban areas (7.5% vs. 8.4%, OR 1.08, CI: 0.84-1.37); p value for effect modification = 0.04. Rises in asthma and rhinitis prevalence, but not eczema were also more pronounced in rural compared to urban areas.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The prevalence of allergic diseases in Cyprus is still on the rise; recent increases appear more pronounced among children living in rural areas possibly indicating recent environmental and lifestyle changes in these communities</p

Reversing the Extraverted Leadership Advantage: The Role of Employee Proactivity

Extraversion predicts leadership emergence and effectiveness, but do groups perform more effectively under extraverted leadership? Drawing on dominance complementarity theory, we propose that although extraverted leadership enhances group performance when employees are passive, this effect reverses when employees are proactive, because extraverted leaders are less receptive to proactivity. In Study 1, pizza stores with leaders rated high (low) in extraversion achieved higher profits when employees were passive (proactive). Study 2 constructively replicates these findings in the laboratory: passive (proactive) groups achieved higher performance when leaders acted high (low) in extraversion. We discuss theoretical and practical implications for leadership and proactivity

Open Peer Commentary and Author's Response

Mõttus gives the impression that composites, as well as other models in which traits are a result rather than a cause of their indicators, require “emergent properties” to have causal power. We argue that this is not necessary; composites can be considered causally relevant by themselves when they mediate the relation between their constituents and the outcome variable

Low fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols (FODMAP) diet improves symptoms in adults suffering from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) compared to standard IBS diet: A meta-analysis of clinical studies

BACKGROUND: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and functional digestive tract disorders, e.g. functional bloating, carbohydrate maldigestion and intolerances, are very common disorders frequently causing significant symptoms that challenge health care systems. A low Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides and Polyols (FODMAP) diet is one of the possible therapeutic approaches for decreasing abdominal symptoms and improving quality of life. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to meta-analyze data on the therapeutic effect of a low-FODMAP diet on symptoms of IBS and quality of life and compare its effectiveness to a regular, standard IBS diet with high FODMAP content, using a common scoring system, the IBS Symptom Severity Score (IBS-SSS). METHODS: A systematic literature search was conducted in PubMed, EMBASE and the Cochrane Library as well as in the references in a recent meta-analysis. Adult patients diagnosed with IBS according to the Rome II, Rome III, Rome IV or NICE criteria were included in the analysis. STATISTICAL METHODS: Mean differences with 95% confidence intervals were calculated from studies that contained means, standard deviation (SD) or mean differences and SD of differences and p-values. A random effect model was used because of the heterogeneity (Q test (chi2) and I2 indicator). A p-value of less than 0.05 was chosen to indicate a significant difference. RESULTS: The literature search yielded 902 publications, but only 10 were eligible for our meta-analysis. Both regular and low-FODMAP diets proved to be effective in IBS, but post-diet IBS-SSS values were significantly lower (p = 0.002) in the low-FODMAP group. The low-FODMAP diet showed a correlation with the improvement of general symptoms (by IBS-SSS) in patients with IBS. CONCLUSIONS: This meta-analysis provides high-grade evidence of an improved general symptom score among patients with irritable bowel syndrome who have maintained a low-FODMAP diet compared to those on a traditional IBS diet, therefore showing its superiority to regular IBS dietary therapy. These data suggest that a low-FODMAP diet with dietitian control can be a candidate for first-line therapeutic modality in IBS. Because of a lack of data, well-planned randomized controlled studies are needed to ascertain the correlation between improvement of separate key IBS symptoms and the effect of a low-FODMAP diet