Neuropsychological functioning post-renal transplantation: A prospective comparison of a steroid avoidance and a steroid maintenance protocol in relation to chronic prednisone therapy

Thirty-nine participants, 17 in a chronic steroid group (CS) and 22 in a steroid avoidance group (SA) were compared with regard to their cognitive performance. It was predicted that participants in the SA group would outperform those in the CS group on the domains of declarative memory and complex attention. For participants in the CS group, age and prednisone duration but not dose were predicted to significantly contribute to the score on the declarative memory composite score. Group-wise comparisons were not significant for the domains of declarative memory, complex attention, or processing speed. The CS group outperformed the SA group on the domain of simple attention. Regression analysis, for the CS group, indicated that duration of dialysis prior to transplant accounted for a significant portion of the variance in the declarative memory composite score. After controlling for months since transplant, prednisone dose also accounted for approximately 26% of the variance in the declarative memory score. Patients maintained on 5 mg of prednisone performed relatively worse than those maintained on 2.5 mg with regard to declarative memory. The clinical and theoretical significance of the findings relative to recent literature is discussed

Relative stability of the neuropsychological profiles of non-verbal learning disabilities (NVLD) and basic phonological processing disabilities (BPPD) from middle childhood to early adolescence.

The present study is a longitudinal comparison of relative neuropsychological assets and deficits for young and older children with Nonverbal Learning Disabilities (NLD) and Basic Phonological Processing Disabilities (BPPD). The sample for the investigation was comprised of clinic-referred children who had been diagnosed with either NLD or BPPD by an experienced clinical neuropsychologist. A total of 18 children, nine in each of the NLD and BPPD groups were selected. The children were between 7 and 8 years of age at first testing, and 9 and 14 years of age at second testing, inclusive. The NLD and BPPD groups were compared across young and older ages on a number of achievement, verbal, visual-spatial, motor/psychomotor, tactile-perceptual, and concept-formation/problem-solving measures. Results of the comparisons confirmed the pattern of relative neuropsychological assets and deficits as predicted by the NLD and BPPD models for both young and older children. An examination of age-related profiles of neuropsychological functioning suggested that the children with BPPD demonstrated age-appropriate development with regard to their neuropsychological deficits, but the children with NLD demonstrated a pattern of worsening with regard to some of their neuropsychological deficits. Specifically, the performance of the children with NLD declined significantly in areas related to Arithmetic and Complex-Tactile abilities. Children in both LD subtypes demonstrated age-appropriate development of the majority of their respective neuropsychological assets. The failure to confirm all of the age-related predictions based upon the NLD and BPPD models, along with the neuropsychological implications of the findings, are discussed.Dept. of Psychology. Paper copy at Leddy Library: Theses & Major Papers - Basement, West Bldg. / Call Number: Thesis2003 .K685. Source: Masters Abstracts International, Volume: 42-03, page: 1053. Adviser: Byron Rourke. Thesis (M.A.)--University of Windsor (Canada), 2003

Gravity duals for non-relativistic CFTs

We attempt to generalize the AdS/CFT correspondence to non-relativistic conformal field theories which are invariant under Galilean transformations. Such systems govern ultracold atoms at unitarity, nucleon scattering in some channels, and more generally, a family of universality classes of quantum critical behavior. We construct a family of metrics which realize these symmetries as isometries. They are solutions of gravity with negative cosmological constant coupled to pressureless dust. We discuss realizations of the dust, which include a bulk superconductor. We develop the holographic dictionary and compute some two-point correlators. A strange aspect of the correspondence is that the bulk geometry has two extra noncompact dimensions.Comment: 12 pages; v2, v3, v4: added references, minor corrections; v3: cleaned up and generalized dust; v4: closer to published versio

Assessing the Fire Risk for a Historic Hangar

NASA Ames Research Center (ARC) is evaluating options of reuse of its historic Hangar 1. As a part of this evaluation, a qualitative fire risk assessment study was performed to evaluate the potential threat of combustion of the historic hangar. The study focused on the fire risk trade-off of either installing or not installing a Special Hazard Fire Suppression System in the Hangar 1 deck areas. The assessment methodology was useful in discussing the important issues among various groups within the Center. Once the methodology was deemed acceptable, the results were assessed. The results showed that the risk remained in the same risk category, whether Hangar 1 does or does not have a Special Hazard Fire Suppression System. Note that the methodology assessed the risk to Hangar 1 and not the risk to an aircraft in the hangar. If one had a high value aircraft, the aircraft risk analysis could potentially show a different result. The assessed risk results were then communicated to management and other stakeholders

Standardization of an in Vitro Regeneration Protocol in Gerbera (Gerbera jamesonii Bolus Ex. Hooker F.)

An experiment was undertaken to develop an improved in vitro regeneration protocol in gerbera. Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium was supplemented with various growth regulators at different concentrations for callus induction and organogenesis. Newly emerging leaves of Gerbera cv. Rosalin were used as explants. Experimental results showed that maximum rate (74.07%) of formation of callus with good growth was recorded on MS medium supplemented with 2.0mgL-1 2,4-D + BAP 0.5mgL-1. Best shoot regeneration (57.8 %) with maximum shoot number (12.0) was achieved on with BAP 2.0mgL-1 + NAA 0.5mgL-1 fortified MS medium. Maximum (66.7 %) and earliest (12.3 days) root formation in shoots was recorded on IBA 3.0mgL-1is 1/2MS media. Survival rate of regenerated plantlets was maximum (73.33 %) in the potting mixture containing garden soil, sand and vermicompost (1:1:1)

Boost Mass and the Mechanics of Accelerated Black Holes

In this paper we study the concept of the boost mass of a spacetime and investigate how variations in the boost mass enter into the laws of black hole mechanics. We define the boost mass as the gravitational charge associated with an asymptotic boost symmetry, similiar to how the ADM mass is associated with an asymptotic time translation symmetry. In distinction to the ADM mass, the boost mass is a relevant concept when the spacetime has stress energy at infinity, and so the spacetime is not asymptotically flat. We prove a version of the first law which relates the variation in the boost mass to the change in the area of the black hole horizon, plus the change in the area of an acceleration horizon, which is necessarily present with the boost Killing field, as we discuss. The C-metric and Ernst metric are two known analytical solutions to Einstein-Maxwell theory describing accelerating black holes which illustrate these concepts.Comment: 23 pages, A few modifications and clarifications at the referee's suggestions; References added and correcte