Computerized Response Inhibition Training For Children With Trichotillomania

Evidence suggests that trichotillomania is characterized by impairment in response inhibition, which is the ability to suppress pre-potent/dominant but inappropriate responses. This study sought to test the feasibility of computerized response inhibition training for children with trichotillomania. Twenty-two children were randomized to the 8-session response inhibition training (RIT; n = 12) or a waitlisted control (WLT; n = 10). Primary outcomes were assessed by an independent evaluator, using the Clinical Global Impression-Improvement (CGI-I), and the NIMH Trichotillomania Severity (NIMH-TSS) and Impairment scales (NIMH-TIS) at pre, post-training/waiting, and 1-month follow-up. Relative to the WLT group, the RIT group showed a higher response rate (55% vs. 11%) on the CGI-I and a lower level of impairment on the NIMH-TIS, at post-training. Overall symptom reductions rates on the NIMH-TSS were 34% (RIT) vs. 21% (WLT) at post-training. The RIT\u27s therapeutic gains were maintained at 1-month follow-up, as indicated by the CGI-I responder status (= 66%), and a continuing reduction in symptom on the NIMH-TSS. This pattern of findings was also replicated by the 6 waitlisted children who received the same RIT intervention after post-waiting assessment. Results suggest that computerized RIT may be a potentially useful intervention for trichotillomania

A study protocol for a randomised crossover study evaluating the effect of diets differing in carbohydrate quality on ileal content and appetite regulation in healthy humans

A major component of the digesta reaching the colon from the distal ileum is carbohydrate. This carbohydrate is subject to microbial fermentation and can radically change bacterial populations in the colon and the metabolites they produce, particularly short-chain fatty acids (SCFA). However, very little is currently known about the forms and levels of carbohydrate in the ileum and the composition of the ileal microbiota in humans. Most of our current understanding of carbohydrate that is not absorbed by the small intestine comes from ileostomy models, which may not reflect the physiology of an intact gastrointestinal tract. We will investigate how ileal content changes depending on diet using a randomised crossover study in healthy humans. Participants will be inpatients at the research facility for three separate 4-day visits. During each visit, participants will consume one of three diets, which differ in carbohydrate quality: 1) low-fibre refined diet; 2) high-fibre diet with intact cellular structures; 3) high-fibre diet where the cellular structures have been disrupted (e.g. milling, blending). On day 1, a nasoenteric tube will be placed into the distal ileum and its position confirmed under fluoroscopy. Ileal samples will be collected via the nasoenteric tube and metabolically profiled, which will determine the amount and type of carbohydrate present, and the composition of the ileal microbiota will be measured. Blood samples will be collected to assess circulating hormones and metabolites. Stool samples will be collected to assess faecal microbiota composition. Subjective appetite measures will be collected using visual analogue scales. Breath hydrogen will be measured in real-time as a marker of intestinal fermentation. Finally, an continuous fermentation model will be inoculated with ileal fluid in order to understand the shift in microbial composition and SCFA produced in the colon following the different diets. ISRCTN11327221. [Abstract copyright: Copyright: © 2019 Byrne CS et al.

A Study of Lyman-Alpha Quasar Absorbers in the Nearby Universe

Spectroscopy of ten quasars obtained with the Goddard High Resolution Spectrograph (GHRS) of the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) is presented. A clustering analysis reveals an excess of nearest neighbor line pairs on velocity scales of 250-750 km/s at a 95-98% confidence level. The hypothesis that the absorbers are randomly distributed in velocity space can be ruled out at the 99.8% confidence level. No two-point correlation power is detected (xi < 1 with 95% confidence). Lyman-alpha absorbers have correlation amplitudes on scales of 250-500 km/s at least 4-5 times smaller than the correlation amplitude of bright galaxies. A detailed comparison between absorbers in nearby galaxies is carried out on a limited subset of 11 Lyman- alpha absorbers where the galaxy sample in a large contiguous volume is complete to M_B = -16. Absorbers lie preferentially in regions of intermediate galaxy density but it is often not possible to uniquely assign a galaxy counterpart to an absorber. This sample provides no explicit support for the hypothesis that absorbers are preferentially associated with the halos of luminous galaxies. We have made a preliminary comparison of the absorption line properties and environments with the results of hydrodynamic simulations. The results suggest that the Lyman-alpha absorbers represent diffuse or shocked gas in the IGM that traces the cosmic web of large scale structure. (abridged)Comment: 36 pages of text, 15 figures, 4 tables, 36 file

Gauge Theories with Cayley-Klein SO(2;j)SO(2;j) and SO(3;j)SO(3;j) Gauge Groups

Gauge theories with the orthogonal Cayley-Klein gauge groups $SO(2;j)$ and $SO(3;{\bf j})$ are regarded. For nilpotent values of the contraction parameters ${\bf j}$ these groups are isomorphic to the non-semisimple Euclid, Newton, Galilei groups and corresponding matter spaces are fiber spaces with degenerate metrics. It is shown that the contracted gauge field theories describe the same set of fields and particle mass as $SO(2), SO(3)$ gauge theories, if Lagrangians in the base and in the fibers all are taken into account. Such theories based on non-semisimple contracted group provide more simple field interactions as compared with the initial ones.Comment: 14 pages, 5 figure

Manufacturing of 100mm diameter GaSb substrates for advanced space based applications

Engineered substrates such as large diameter (100mm) GaSb wafers need to be ready years in advance of any major shift in DoD and commercial technology, and typically before much of the rest of the materials and equipment for fabricating next generation devices. Antimony based III-V semiconductors are of significant interest for advanced applications in optoelectronics, high speed transistors, microwave devices, and photovoltaics. GaSb demand is increasing due to its lattice parameter matching of various ternary and quaternary III-V compounds, as their bandgaps can be engineered to cover a wide spectral range. For these stealth and spaced based applications, larger format IRFPAs benefit clearly from next generation starting substrates. In this study, we have manufactured and tested 100mm GaSb substrates. This paper describes the characterization process that provides the best possible GaSb material for advanced IRFPA and SLS epi growth. The analysis of substrate by AFM surface roughness, particles, haze, GaSb oxide character and desorption using XPS, flatness measurements, and SLS based epitaxy quality are shown. By implementing subtle changes in our substrate processing, we show that a Sb-oxide rich surface is routinely provided for rapid desorption. Post-MBE CBIRD structures on the 100mm ULD GaSb were examined and reveals a high intensity, 6.6nm periodicity, low (15.48 arcsec) FWHM peak distribution that suggests low surface strain and excellent lattice matching. The Ra for GaSb is a consistent ~0.2-4nm, with average batch wafer warp of ~4 μm to provide a clean, flat GaSb template critical for next generation epi growth

Effects of once-weekly semaglutide on appetite, energy intake, control of eating, food preference and body weight in subjects with obesity.

AIM: To investigate the mechanism of action for body weight loss with semaglutide. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, two-period crossover trial investigated the effects of 12 weeks treatment with once-weekly subcutaneous semaglutide, dose-escalated to 1.0 mg, in 30 subjects with obesity. Ad libitum energy intake, ratings of appetite, thirst, nausea and well-being, control of eating, food preference, resting metabolic rate, body weight and body composition were assessed. RESULTS: After a standardised breakfast, semaglutide, compared with placebo, led to a lower ad libitum energy intake during lunch (-1255 kJ; P < 0.0001), and during the subsequent evening meal (P = 0.0401) and snacks (P = 0.0034), resulting in a 24% reduction in total energy intake across all ad libitum meals throughout the day (-3036 kJ; P < 0.0001). Fasting overall appetite suppression scores were improved with semaglutide versus placebo, while nausea ratings were similar. Semaglutide was associated with less hunger and food cravings, better control of eating and a lower preference for high-fat foods. Resting metabolic rate, adjusted for lean body mass, did not differ between treatments. Semaglutide led to a reduction from baseline in mean body weight of 5.0 kg, predominantly from body fat mass. CONCLUSION: After 12 weeks' treatment, ad libitum energy intake was substantially lower with semaglutide versus placebo with a corresponding loss of body weight observed with semaglutide. In addition to reduced energy intake, likely mechanisms for semaglutide-induced weight loss included less appetite and food cravings, better control of eating and lower relative preference for fatty, energy-dense foods

Quantum mechanics and geodesic deviation in the brane world

We investigate the induced geodesic deviation equations in the brane world models, in which all the matter forces except gravity are confined on the 3-brane. Also, the Newtonian limit of induced geodesic deviation equation is studied. We show that in the first Randall-Sundrum model the Bohr-Sommerfeld quantization rule is as a result of consistency between the geodesic and geodesic deviation equations. This indicates that the path of test particle is made up of integral multiples of a fundamental Compton-type unit of length $h/mc$.Comment: 5 pages, no figure

Gas-phase formation and spectroscopic characterization of the disubstituted cyclopropenylidenes c-C3(C2H)2, c-C3(CN)2, and c-C3(C2H)(CN)

Aims. The detection of c-C3HC2H and possible future detection of c-C3HCN provide new molecules for reaction chemistry in the dense ISM where R-C2 and R-CN species are prevalent. Determination of chemically viable c-C3HC2H and c-C3HCN derivatives and their prominent spectral features can accelerate potential astrophysical detection for this chemical family. This work will characterize three such derivatives: c-C3(C2H)2, c-C3(CN)2, and c-C3(C2H)(CN). Methods. Interstellar reaction pathways of small carbonaceous species are well-replicated through quantum chemical means. Highly-accurate cc-pVX Z-F12/CCSD(T)-F12 (X =D,T) calculations generate the energetics of chemical formation pathways as well as the basis for quartic force field and second-order vibrational perturbation theory rovibrational analysis of the vibrational frequencies and rotational constants of the molecules under study. Results. The formation of c-C3(C2H)2 is as thermodynamically and, likely, stepwise favorable as the formation of c-C3HC2H, rendering its detectability to be mostly dependent on the concentrations of the reactants. c-C3(C2H)2 and c-C3(C2H)(CN) will be detectable through radioastronomical observation with large dipole moments of 2.84 D and 4.26 D, respectively, while c-C3(CN)2 has an exceedingly small and likely unobservable dipole moment of 0.08 D. The most intense frequency for c-C3(C2H)2 is ν2 at 3316.9 cm−1 (3.01 µm) with an intensity of 140 km mol−1. c-C3(C2H)(CN) has one frequency with a large intensity, ν1, at 3321.0 cm−1 (3.01 µm) with an intensity of 82 km mol−1. c-C3(CN)2 lacks intense vibrational frequencies within the range that current instrumentation can readily observe. Conclusions. c-C3(C2H)2 and c-C3(C2H)(CN) are viable candidates for astrophysical observation with favorable reaction profiles and spectral data produced herein, but c-C3(CN)2 will not be directly observable through any currently-available remote sensing means even if it forms in large abundances

Muon Simulations for Super-Kamiokande, KamLAND and CHOOZ

Muon backgrounds at Super-Kamiokande, KamLAND and CHOOZ are calculated using MUSIC. A modified version of the Gaisser sea level muon distribution and a well-tested Monte Carlo integration method are introduced. Average muon energy, flux and rate are tabulated. Plots of average energy and angular distributions are given. Implications on muon tracker design for future experiments are discussed.Comment: Revtex4 33 pages, 16 figures and 4 table

Inhibition of Tendon Cell Proliferation and Matrix Glycosaminoglycan Synthesis by Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs in vitro

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of some commonly used non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) on human tendon. Explants of human digital flexor and patella tendons were cultured in medium containing pharmacological concentrations of NSAIDs. Cell proliferation was measured by incorporation of 3H-thymidine and glycosaminoglycan synthesis was measured by incorporation of 35S-Sulphate. Diclofenac and aceclofenac had no significant effect either on tendon cell proliferation or glycosaminoglycan synthesis. Indomethacin and naproxen inhibited cell proliferation in patella tendons and inhibited glycosaminoglycan synthesis in both digital flexor and patella tendons. If applicable to the in vivo situation, these NSAIDs should be used with caution in the treatment of pain after tendon injury and surgery