Determining arterial blood velocity using MAUI software from recorded doppler ultrasound videos

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the repeatability and reproducibility of a new software, developed to provide measurements of arterial blood velocity from recorded Doppler ultrasound videos. Methods: The “Measurements from Arterial Ultrasound Imaging” (MAUI) software (Hedgehog Medical Inc.), developed for the measurement of arterial dimensions, has been expanded to measure the blood velocity from ultrasound videos. MAUI uses an adaptive based segmentation and intelligent outlier removal image analysis method to determine the instantaneous peak velocity in the positive and negative directions and the intensity weighted mean of the signal. Three recorded videos of popliteal arterial velocity were used to evaluate the reproducibility and repeatability of MAUI. For this assessment, two investigators (E1 and E2) each performed 10 measurements of the three test videos using MAUI. Results: MAUI provided blood velocity measurements (cm/s) for each frame of each video. The ten measurements made by E1 and E2 were averaged and are listed below (mean ± SD).Video # Velocity Measure E1 E21 Positive Envelope 27.84 ± 0.15 27.31 ± 0.28 Negative Envelope -13.99 ± 0.28 -13.68 ± 0.19 Mean Signal 13.80 ± 0.24 13.81 ± 0.102 Positive Envelope 42.30 ± 0.13 42.34 ± 0.33 Negative Envelope -11.51 ± 0.28 -11.53 ± 0.24 Mean Signal 29.69 ± 0.02 29.08 ± 0.363 Positive Envelope 53.48 ± 0.11 53.54 ± 0.20 Negative Envelope -13.66 ± 0.10 -13.40 ± 0.21 Mean Signal 38.60 ± 0.12 38.47 ± 0.17Conclusion: Preliminary assessments suggest that MAUI is a viable method for the measurement of blood velocity from recorded Doppler ultrasound video with high repeatability and low interrater variability. In future, measurements of velocity may be combined with existing continuous measurements of arterial diameter for the calculation of blood flow and assessments of vascular health and disease.<br/

Multicultural training on American Indian issues: Testing the effectiveness of an intervention to change attitudes toward Native-themed mascots

This study investigated attitudes toward Native-themed mascots in the context of color blind racial attitudes (CoBRAs). Results indicate that higher CoBRAs are related to lower awareness of the offensiveness of Native-themed mascots. The researchers tested the effectiveness of a training intervention designed to produce attitudinal change among master’s level counseling students. Results demonstrate that the training intervention produced significantly greater attitudinal change than did a general training session on culturally sensitive counseling practices with American Indian clients, particularly among students with high CoBRAs. Results also indicate that this training intervention on Native-themed mascots contributed to lower color blind racial attitudes, thus increasing the student’s awareness of societal racism. Psychological training programs may benefit from augmenting their multicultural counseling curriculum by specifically addressing the offensive nature of Native-themed mascots. An awareness of the marginalization of American Indians, particularly as it involves racialized mascots, can reduce color blind racial attitudes and may provide psychologists with a more comprehensive understanding of aspects of the reality of American Indian clients that contribute to their worldview

Risk and Protective Factors Associated With Asian American Students’ Suicidal Ideation: A Multi-Campus, National Study

The purpose of this study was to examine risk and protective factors associated with suicidal ideation among 1,377 Asian American college students’ across 66 campuses. The results indicated that medication for mental health concerns, gender, GPA, undergraduate status, religious affiliation, living with a family member, living with a partner, and active participation in student organizations were associated with morbid thoughts. Furthermore, medication for mental health concerns, undergraduate status, living with family, and active participation in student organizations were related to serious consideration of suicide. Among Asian Americans who seriously considered suicide in the past 12 months, recent family, academic, and financial problems were the top three most frequently endorsed events occurring before the development of suicidal ideation

Asian Americans’ Family Cohesion and Suicide Ideation: Moderating and Mediating Effects

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between family cohesion and suicide ideation in a national, adult community sample of Asian Americans (N = 2072). The data for this study was drawn from the National Latino Asian American Study, the first national epidemiological study of Asian Americans’ mental health. The results indicate that family cohesion was negatively related to suicide ideation. In addition, English proficiency moderated the relationship between family cohesion and suicide ideation. Family cohesion was more strongly related to suicide ideation among low English proficiency Asian Americans than among high English proficiency Asian Americans. Further, the findings are consistent with a model in which the relationship between family cohesion and suicide ideation was partially mediated by psychological distress. Practical implications of the results are discussed in terms of how mental health professionals can help strengthen family cohesion and prevent suicide ideation among Asian Americans

Asian Americans’ Family Cohesion and Suicide Ideation: Moderating and Mediating Effects

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between family cohesion and suicide ideation in a national, adult community sample of Asian Americans (N = 2072). The data for this study was drawn from the National Latino Asian American Study, the first national epidemiological study of Asian Americans’ mental health. The results indicate that family cohesion was negatively related to suicide ideation. In addition, English proficiency moderated the relationship between family cohesion and suicide ideation. Family cohesion was more strongly related to suicide ideation among low English proficiency Asian Americans than among high English proficiency Asian Americans. Further, the findings are consistent with a model in which the relationship between family cohesion and suicide ideation was partially mediated by psychological distress. Practical implications of the results are discussed in terms of how mental health professionals can help strengthen family cohesion and prevent suicide ideation among Asian Americans

Feasibility Study on Effect of Microwave-Assisted Extraction Method on Physicochemical Characteristic of Sarawak Coffea liberica sp. Pulp Waste

Coffee is one of the most widely consumed beverages around the globe. Its unique aroma, flavor, and stimulating effects have made it an indispensable part of daily life for many individuals. The coffee industry is notably dominated by two species, Coffea arabica and Coffea canephora (Robusta), however, a third species, Coffea liberica, although less common, holds significant potential. The present study aims to advance the usage of Sarawak Coffea liberica sp. for the development of functional products and aids in reducing environmental pollution by utilisation of coffee pulp waste. This study investigates the optimisation of microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) using response surface methodology (RSM) to obtain maximum yield of total phenolic, flavonoid, and carbohydrate content from Sarawak C. liberica sp. pulp. Optimal MAE conditions were found to be a microwave power of 700 W, irradiation time of 180 s, and a solvent-to-feed ratio of 87:1. Besides, the effectiveness of microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) was compared with Soxhlet extraction (SE) and conventional maceration extraction (CME) in this study. Comparison with CME confirmed the efficiency of MAE as it revealed the advantages of higher extraction yield within a shorter time of extraction. No significant difference was observed (p< 0.05) between MAE and SE on the extraction efficiency of TPC, TFC, and TCC. The antioxidant properties of the coffee pulp waste extract were evaluated, with a DPPH scavenging activity assay revealing a dose-dependent antioxidant activity. Maximum inhibition was observed at a concentration of 2.5 mg/mL, indicating the presence of bioactive compounds. However, no antibacterial activity was detected against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus under the experimental conditions. Characterisation of the extract via Fourier transform-infrared (FTIR) analysis identified the presence of various functional groups associated with carbohydrates, lipids, organic acids, and phenolic compounds. High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) quantified the caffeine concentration, revealing a concentration of 2.62 ± 0.31 ppm in the liquid extract and 0.05 ± 0.01% (w/w) on a dry basis. This study contributes to understanding the potential of Sarawak C. liberica sp. pulp as a source of bioactive compounds, while also demonstrating the advantages of MAE over traditional extraction methods. Despite the absence of antibacterial activity, the extract exhibited potential antioxidant properties, emphasizing the potential health benefits and applications of coffee by-products

Novice Counselors’ Conceptualizations and Experiences of Therapeutic Relationships

This qualitative study investigated three novice counselors’ experiences and characterizations of therapeutic relationships. Thematic analyses of interviews and diaries revealed six common themes: (a) the centrality of supervision and training experiences to navigating interpersonal experiences with clients; (b) anxiety about counselors’ roles in therapeutic relationships; (c) the perception of the therapeutic relationship as less directive than outside (lay) helping relationships; (d) experimentation with different interpersonal styles; (e)awareness of countertransference; and, (f) impact of therapeutic relationships on outside relationships. Findings expand upon the therapeutic relationship as a focal point for the training and supervision of novice counselors

RFI Risk Reduction Activities Using New Goddard Digital Radiometry Capabilities

The Goddard Radio-Frequency Explorer (GREX) is the latest fast-sampling radiometer digital back-end processor that will be used for radiometry and radio-frequency interference (RFI) surveying at Goddard Space Flight Center. The system is compact and deployable, with a mass of about 40 kilograms. It is intended to be flown on aircraft. GREX is compatible with almost any aircraft, including P-3, twin otter, C-23, C-130, G3, and G5 types. At a minimum, the system can function as a clone of the Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) ground-based development unit [1], or can be a completely independent system that is interfaced to any radiometer, provided that frequency shifting to GREX's intermediate frequency is performed prior to sampling. If the radiometer RF is less than 200MHz, then the band can be sampled and acquired directly by the system. A key feature of GREX is its ability to simultaneously sample two polarization channels simultaneously at up to 400MSPS, 14-bit resolution each. The sampled signals can be recorded continuously to a 23 TB solid-state RAID storage array. Data captures can be analyzed offline using the supercomputing facilities at Goddard Space Flight Center. In addition, various Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) - amenable radiometer signal processing and RFI detection algorithms can be implemented directly on the GREX system because it includes a high-capacity Xilinx Virtex-5 FPGA prototyping system that is user customizable

Content Analysis of the Psychology of Men and Masculinity (2000 to 2008)

In 2010, the Psychology of Men and Masculinity (PMM) celebrates the 10th anniversary of its inception as the official journal of the Society for the Psychological Study of Men andMasculinity. This article commemorates this significant milestone by examining the journal’s current trends and future directions through a content analysis of 154 articles published in PMM from 2000 to 2008. The authors found that PMM scholarship was dominated by theories associated with the gender role strain paradigm, addressed clinically-related topics, relied largely on White male college samples, and had a growing impact on clinically-focused scholarly journals and books. Recommendations for addressing theoretical orientations, topics, and populations underrepresented in PMM scholarship are provided