757 research outputs found
Cognitive function is associated with risk aversion in community-based older persons
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Emerging data from younger and middle-aged persons suggest that cognitive ability is negatively associated with risk aversion, but this association has not been studied among older persons who are at high risk of experiencing loss of cognitive function.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Using data from 369 community-dwelling older persons without dementia from the Rush Memory and Aging Project, an ongoing longitudinal epidemiologic study of aging, we examined the correlates of risk aversion and tested the hypothesis that cognition is negatively associated with risk aversion. Global cognition and five specific cognitive abilities were measured via detailed cognitive testing, and risk aversion was measured using standard behavioral economics questions in which participants were asked to choose between a certain monetary payment (15 or gain nothing; potential gamble gains ranged from 151.19 with the gain amounts varied randomly over questions. We first examined the bivariate associations of age, education, sex, income and cognition with risk aversion. Next, we examined the associations between cognition and risk aversion via mixed models adjusted for age, sex, education, and income. Finally, we conducted sensitivity analyses to ensure that our results were not driven by persons with preclinical cognitive impairment.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In bivariate analyses, sex, education, income and global cognition were associated with risk aversion. However, in a mixed effect model, only sex (estimate = -1.49, standard error (SE) = 0.39, p < 0.001) and global cognitive function (estimate = -1.05, standard error (SE) = 0.34, p < 0.003) were significantly inversely associated with risk aversion. Thus, a lower level of global cognitive function and female sex were associated with greater risk aversion. Moreover, performance on four out of the five cognitive domains was negatively related to risk aversion (<it>i.e</it>., semantic memory, episodic memory, working memory, and perceptual speed); performance on visuospatial abilities was not.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>A lower level of cognitive ability and female sex are associated with greater risk aversion in advanced age.</p
A member of the TERMINAL FLOWER1/CENTRORADIALIS gene family controls sprout growth in potato tubers
Potato tuber bud dormancy break followed by premature sprouting is a major commercial problem which results in quality losses and decreased tuber marketability. An approach to controlling premature tuber sprouting is to develop potato cultivars with a longer dormancy period and/or reduced rate of sprout growth. Our recent studies using a potato diploid population have identified several quantitative trait loci (QTLs) that are associated with tuber sprout growth. In the current study, we aim to characterize a candidate gene associated with one of the largest effect QTLs for rapid tuber sprout growth on potato chromosome 3. Underlying this QTL is a gene encoding a TERMINAL FLOWER 1/CENTRORADIALIS homologue (PGSC0003DMG400014322). Here, we use a transgenic approach to manipulate the expression level of the CEN family member in a potato tetraploid genotype (cv. Désirée). We demonstrate a clear effect of manipulation of StCEN expression, with decreased expression levels associated with an increased rate of sprout growth, and overexpressing lines showing a lower rate of sprout growth than controls. Associated with different levels of StCEN expression were different levels of abscisic acid and cytokinins, implying a role in controlling the levels of plant growth regulators in the apical meristem
Motor function in Parkinson's disease and supranuclear palsy: simultaneous factor analysis of a clinical scale in several populations
BACKGROUND: In order to better understand the similarities and differences in the motor behaviour of different groups of patients, their scores on the Motor Examination section of the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) were analysed simultaneously. The three groups consisted, respectively, of patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) on medication, patients with Parkinson's disease withdrawn from anti-parkinsonian medication for at least 12 hours, and patients diagnosed with a specific Parkinsonism syndrome: Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP). METHODS: A total of 669 consecutively sampled patients from three separate hospital-based clinics participated (294 PD on medication; 200 PD off medication: 175 PSP). The Motor Examination section of the UPDRS was administered by neurologists at the three participating clinics. The patient scores on each item were recorded. To assess similarities and differences among the components of the UPDRS in these samples, we performed simultaneous or multigroup factor analysis on the covariance matrices of the three groups. In addition, it was investigated whether a single model for the Motor Examination section of the UPDRS could be developed which would be valid for all three groups at the same time. RESULTS: A single six-dimensional factor solution was found that fitted all groups, although this was not straightforward due to differences between the tremor-at-rest variables. The factors were identified as Tremor-at-rest, Postural Tremor, Axial Dysfunctioning, Rigidity, Left Bradykinesia and Right Bradykinesia. The analysis also pointed to a somewhat lower lateralization in bradykinesia for PSP patients. The groups differed in intensity of motor impairment, especially with respect to Tremor-at-Rest, but the overall relationships between the variables were shared by the three groups. In addition, apart from the common factor structure evidence of differences in body part-specific and motor-specific variances was found. CONCLUSION: From a clinical point of view, the analyses showed that using the Motor Examination section of the UPDRS is also appropriate for patients with PSP, because the correlational structure of the items is directly comparable to that of Parkinson's patients. Methodologically, the analysis of all groups together showed that it is possible to evaluate similarities and differences between factor structures in great detail
A Millimeter-Wave Galactic Plane Survey With The BICEP Polarimeter
In addition to its potential to probe the Inflationary cosmological paradigm,
millimeter-wave polarimetry is a powerful tool for studying the Milky Way
galaxy's composition and magnetic field structure. Towards this end, presented
here are Stokes I, Q, and U maps of the Galactic plane from the millimeter-wave
polarimeter BICEP covering the Galactic longitude range 260 - 340 degrees in
three atmospheric transmission windows centered on 100, 150, and 220 GHz. The
maps sample an optical depth 1 < AV < 30, and are consistent with previous
characterizations of the Galactic millimeter-wave frequency spectrum and the
large-scale magnetic field structure permeating the interstellar medium.
Polarized emission is detected over the entire region within two degrees of the
Galactic plane and indicates that the large-scale magnetic field is oriented
parallel to the plane of the Galaxy. An observed trend of decreasing
polarization fraction with increasing total intensity rules out the simplest
model of a constant Galactic magnetic field throughout the Galaxy. Including
WMAP data in the analysis, the degree-scale frequency spectrum of Galactic
polarization fraction is plotted between 23 and 220 GHz for the first time. A
generally increasing trend of polarization fraction with electromagnetic
frequency is found, which varies from 0.5%-1.5%at frequencies below 50 GHz to
2.5%-3.5%above 90 GHz. The BICEP and WMAP data are fit to a two-component
(synchrotron and dust) model showing that the higher frequency BICEP data are
necessary to tightly constrain the amplitude and spectral index of Galactic
dust. Furthermore, the dust amplitude predicted by this two-component fit is
consistent with model predictions of dust emission in the BICEP bands
The Future of Heliophysics Research through Targeted use of Constellations
This white paper seeks to outline the benefits and challenges of constellations, ranging from the Heliophysics System Observatory, to constellations consisting of a small number of spacecraft, to large-number constellations. In moving toward this constellation era, investments are required by our sponsors to best enable our continued scientific advancement in Solar and Space Physics
Cross sections and double-helicity asymmetries of midrapidity inclusive charged hadrons in p+p collisions at sqrt(s)=62.4 GeV
Unpolarized cross sections and double-helicity asymmetries of
single-inclusive positive and negative charged hadrons at midrapidity from p+p
collisions at sqrt(s)=62.4 GeV are presented. The PHENIX measurements for 1.0 <
p_T < 4.5 GeV/c are consistent with perturbative QCD calculations at
next-to-leading order in the strong coupling constant, alpha_s. Resummed pQCD
calculations including terms with next-to-leading-log accuracy, yielding
reduced theoretical uncertainties, also agree with the data. The
double-helicity asymmetry, sensitive at leading order to the gluon polarization
in a momentum-fraction range of 0.05 ~< x_gluon ~< 0.2, is consistent with
recent global parameterizations disfavoring large gluon polarization.Comment: PHENIX Collaboration. 447 authors, 12 pages, 5 figures, 5 tables.
Submitted to Physical Review
Physics Opportunities with the 12 GeV Upgrade at Jefferson Lab
This white paper summarizes the scientific opportunities for utilization of
the upgraded 12 GeV Continuous Electron Beam Accelerator Facility (CEBAF) and
associated experimental equipment at Jefferson Lab. It is based on the 52
proposals recommended for approval by the Jefferson Lab Program Advisory
Committee.The upgraded facility will enable a new experimental program with
substantial discovery potential to address important topics in nuclear,
hadronic, and electroweak physics.Comment: 64 page
Inclusive cross section and double helicity asymmetry for pi^0 production in p+p collisions at sqrt(s) = 62.4 GeV
The PHENIX experiment presents results from the RHIC 2006 run with polarized
proton collisions at sqrt(s) = 62.4 GeV for inclusive pi^0 production at
mid-rapidity. Unpolarized cross section results are measured for transverse
momenta p_T = 0.5 to 7 GeV/c. Next-to-leading order perturbative quantum
chromodynamics calculations are compared with the data, and while the
calculations are consistent with the measurements, next-to-leading logarithmic
corrections improve the agreement. Double helicity asymmetries A_LL are
presented for p_T = 1 to 4 GeV/c and probe the higher range of Bjorken_x of the
gluon (x_g) with better statistical precision than our previous measurements at
sqrt(s)=200 GeV. These measurements are sensitive to the gluon polarization in
the proton for 0.06 < x_g < 0.4.Comment: 387 authors from 63 institutions, 10 pages, 6 figures, 1 table.
Submitted to Physical Review D. Plain text data tables for the points plotted
in figures for this and previous PHENIX publications are (or will be)
publicly available at http://www.phenix.bnl.gov/papers.htm
Inclusive cross section and single-transverse-spin asymmetry for very forward neutron production in polarized p+p collisions at sqrt(s)=200 GeV
The energy dependence of the single-transverse-spin asymmetry, A_N, and the
cross section for neutron production at very forward angles were measured in
the PHENIX experiment at RHIC for polarized p+p collisions at sqrt(s)=200 GeV.
The neutrons were observed in forward detectors covering an angular range of up
to 2.2 mrad. We report results for neutrons with momentum fraction of x_F=0.45
to 1.0. The energy dependence of the measured cross sections were consistent
with x_F scaling, compared to measurements by an ISR experiment which measured
neutron production in unpolarized p+p collisions at sqrt(s)=30.6--62.7 GeV. The
cross sections for large x_F neutron production for p+p collisions, as well as
those in e+p collisions measured at HERA, are described by a pion exchange
mechanism. The observed forward neutron asymmetries were large, reaching
A_N=-0.08+/-0.02 for x_F=0.8; the measured backward asymmetries, for negative
x_F, were consistent with zero. The observed asymmetry for forward neutron
production is discussed within the pion exchange framework, with interference
between the spin-flip amplitude due to the pion exchange and nonflip amplitudes
from all Reggeon exchanges. Within the pion exchange description, the measured
neutron asymmetry is sensitive to the contribution of other Reggeon exchanges
even for small amplitudes.Comment: 383 authors, 16 pages, 18 figures, 6 tables. Submitted to Phys. Rev.
D. Plain text data tables for the points plotted in figures for this and
previous PHENIX publications are (or will be) publicly available at
http://www.phenix.bnl.gov/papers.htm
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