Evidence for selective executive function deficits in ecstasy/polydrug users

Previous research has suggested that the separate aspects of executive functioning are differentially affected by ecstasy use. Although the inhibition process appears to be unaffected by ecstasy use, it is unclear whether this is true of heavy users under conditions of high demand. Tasks loading on the updating process have been shown to be adversely affected by ecstasy use. However, it remains unclear whether the deficits observed reflect the executive aspects of the tasks or whether they are domain general in nature affecting both verbal and visuo-spatial updating. Fourteen heavy ecstasy users (mean total lifetime use 1000 tablets), 39 light ecstasy users (mean total lifetime use 150 tablets) and 28 non-users were tested on tasks loading on the inhibition executive process (random letter generation) and the updating component process (letter updating, visuo-spatial updating and computation span). Heavy users were not impaired in random letter generation even under conditions designed to be more demanding. Ecstasy-related deficits were observed on all updating measures and were statistically significant for two of the three measures. Following controls for various aspects of cannabis use, statistically significant ecstasy-related deficits were obtained on all three updating measures. It was concluded that the inhibition process is unaffected by ecstasy use even among heavy users. By way of contrast, the updating process appears to be impaired in ecstasy users with the deficit apparently domain general in nature

Muon ID- Taking Care of Lower Momenta Muons

In the Muon package under study, the tracks are extrapolated using an algorithm which accounts for the magnetic field and the ionization (dE/dx). We improved the calculation of the field dependent term to increase the muon detection efficiency at lower momenta using a Runge-Kutta method. The muon identification and hadron separation in b-bbar jets is reported with the improved software. In the same framework, the utilization of the Kalman filter is introduced. The principle of the Kalman filter is described in some detail with the propagation matrix, with the Runge-Kutta term included, and the effect on low momenta single muons particles is described.Comment: PDF,5pages,2 Figures,1 Table,Presented at the 2005 International Linear Collider Physics and Detectors Workshop,Snowmass,Colorado,14-27 Aug. 2005, PSN1011 in the proceedin

Cardiac Arrest Associated with Endotracheal Suctioning Following Surgery for Congenital Heart Disease

(CHD) describes the most common congenital defect and represents a significant health burden worldwide. Yearly, there are more than a million newborns diagnosed with congenital heart disease, many of the defects require surgical correction. The cost of surgical correction can be significant, of the ten congenital defects with the highest hospital cost, six are CHD. Cardiac arrest, like other postoperative complications, can increase the length of intensive care and hospital stay, and is associated with hospital-acquired infections, errors, and poorer long-term outcomes. Several studies included physiological data and hemodynamic monitoring or assigned causation for cardiac arrest to broad categories, such as respiratory, arrhythmia, metabolic or central nervous system, but did not describe specific clinical signs of impending cardiac arrest with the exception of rising serum lactate. The paucity of data in this area demonstrates a gap in the literature on cardiac arrest in children following cardiac surgery. The first manuscript in this dissertation describes the current literature on the effect of endotracheal suctioning in pediatrics, guided by the Neuman Systems model. The second manuscript, using the Knowledge-to-Action theoretical framework, explores available tools for risk adjustment in congenital heart surgery. Lastly, the third manuscript describes the hemodynamic variability preceding cardiac arrest associated with endotracheal suctioning in children following surgery for congenital heart defects compared to others. This dissertation establishes a basis for further research and interventions to avert cardiac arrest in the vulnerable child with congenital heart disease

Real-world memory and executive processes in cannabis users and non-users

The relationships between executive processes, associative learning and different aspects of real world memory functioning were explored in a sample of cannabis users and nonusers. Measures of executive component processes, associative learning, everyday memory, prospective memory, and cognitive failures were administered. Relative to nonusers, cannabis users were found to be impaired in several aspects of real world memory functioning. No other group differences were apparent. The absence of cannabis related deficits in those executive component processes and aspects of learning that are believed to support real world memory processes is surprising given that cannabis related deficits were obtained in real world memory. The present results are discussed within the context of neuroimaging evidence which suggests that cannabis users may exhibit different patterns of neural activation when performing executive tasks while not always exhibiting deficits on these tasks

Anisotropy in magnetic and transport properties of Fe1-xCoxSb2

Anisotropic magnetic and electronic transport measurements were carried out on large single crystals of Fe1-xCoxSb2 (0<= x <=1). The semiconducting state of FeSb2 evolves into metallic and weakly ferromagnetic by substitution of Fe with Co for x<0.5. Further doping induces structural transformation from orthorhombic Pnnm structure of FeSb2 to monoclinic P21/c structure of CoSb2 where semiconducting and diamagnetic ground state is restored again. Large magnetoresistance and anisotropy in electronic transport were observed.Comment: 7 pages, 6 figure

Magnetic, thermal and transport properties of Cd doped CeIn3_3

We have investigated the effect of Cd substitution on the archetypal heavy fermion antiferromagnet CeIn$_3$ via magnetic susceptibility, specific heat and resistivity measurements. The suppression of the Neel temperature, T$_{N}$, with Cd doping is more pronounced than with Sn. Nevertheless, a doping induced quantum critical point does not appear to be achievable in this system. The magnetic entropy at $T_N$ and the temperature of the maximum in resistivity are also systematically suppressed with Cd, while the effective moment and the Curie-Weiss temperature in the paramagnetic state are not affected. These results suggest that Cd locally disrupts the AFM order on its neighboring Ce moments, without affecting the valence of Ce. Moreover, the temperature dependence of the specific heat below $T_N$ is not consistent with 3D magnons in pure as well as in Cd-doped CeIn$_3$, a point that has been missed in previous investigations of CeIn$_3$ and that has bearing on the type of quantum criticality in this system