REFLECTION OF PRESSURE WAVES AT FLOW IN ELASTIC TUBES

The field of climate change communication (CCC) has recently emerged to address the gap between scientific knowledge of climate change and public motivation to respond. Psychologists in this field have offered helpful strategies for improving the effectiveness of CCC, but their empirical research tends to neglect the ethics of CCC. Philosophers have been more attentive to ethical communication, but they tend to focus on its cognitive dimensions and minimize the affective and social dimensions that contribute to effectiveness. As a result, studies that address ethics and effectiveness in tandem are lacking. This chapter fills this gap by recovering insights from Aristotle’s Rhetoric. By situating all communication within an ethical relationship between speaker and auditor, emphasizing the agency and judgement of auditors, and highlighting ways to build trust, Aristotle offers an art of rhetoric that can help climate scientists communicate both ethically and effectively

Evaluación ética de la memoria económica de los contratos de ensayos clínicos con medicamentos en España

Objetivos: Analizar el grado de homogeneidad de la memoria económica incluida en los contratos de centros sanitarios españoles participantes en ensayos clínicos (EC) con medicamentos para detectar puntos de potencial conflicto de interés en la investigación clínica. Material y métodos: Se ha analizado, mediante un autocuestionario, la memoria económica de 40 contratos, 31 correspondientes a centros sanitarios privados y públicos seleccionados al azar y 9 correspondientes a las comunidades autónomas con modelo de contrato único. Resultados: El equipo investigador, en el 97,5% de los casos (39 contratos), es el destinatario mayoritario de la remuneración económica por participar en un EC. El porcentaje aportado difiere según el centro, siendo mayor si es público (p=0,021) pero sin especificarse en el 50% de los contratos. En 38 de los 40 contratos analizados no se proporciona un listado de precios de las pruebas complementarias. En el 57,5%, (23 contratos), no se especifica si los gastos de los pacientes son abonados por el promotor. En el 77,5% (31 casos) no se especifica si los gastos derivados de reuniones relacionadas con el EC se incluyen en la memoria económica. Conclusiones: Existe una elevada heterogeneidad en el contenido de la memoria económica. La implantación de un modelo de memoria económica que incluyera una cantidad económica de remuneración fija por cada paciente reclutado por parte del promotor, para todos los centros participantes, podría disminuir las desigualdades entre centros, los conflictos de intereses, y además, incrementaría la trasparencia y la calidad de los EC.Abstract: Objectives: To analyze the homogeneity of the economic report of the contracts of Spanish medical centers participating in clinical trials with medicinal products for detecting points of potential conflict of interest in clinical research. Material and methods: We analyzed, through a selfautoquestionnaire, the budgetary information of the 40 contracts, 31 of them corresponding to public and private healthcare centers, randomly selected, and 9 corresponding to the Spanish regions who have only a model contract. Results: The investigator team is the recipient majority (97.5% of cases) the economic remuneration for participating in a clinical trial. The percentage differs according to the center considered, being greater in the public setting (p=0.021) but no specified in 50% of the contracts. In 38 of the 40 contracts analyzed a price list of tests is not provided. In 57.5% of the patients are paid by the promoter. In 17.5% failed to mention that the comparative drug to be supplied free of charge. And, 77.5% did not specify whether the costs of meetings relating to the clinical trial or not to include in the expenses of the promoter. Conclusions: There is a high heterogeneity in the content of the budgetary information. The implementation of a single contract model would reduce the inequalities between schools, conflict of interest and increase transparency and quality of the clinical trial

Mapping The Toronto Theatre Blogosphere

From online reviews, to live tweeting during a performance, to “liking” a production on Facebook, the blogosphere is transforming how we talk about theatre. Theatre criticism in the digital world is now a “team sport,” where audience members and artists play alongside professional critics (Fricker 49). This shift holds much potential: online critical discourse can help us develop a more diverse and inclusive picture of theatre reception and theatre-going cultures than print reviews, and expand the historical documentation of performance, which, as a vanishing art form, leaves very few traces of itself. However, the limited research in this area has yet to fully understand the role of the blogosphere in theatre ecology or how to archive the criticism found there (Collins ; Poll ; Radosavljevic). “Mapping the Toronto Theatre Blogosphere” is a new research project bringing together Dramatic Art and Computer Science students. It attempts to answer two key questions: how is the blogosphere changing how we talk about theatre, and how can we preserve the critical discourse occurring there? To answer the first question, we tracked and archived the online critical response (blog reviews, online publications, tweets, and Facebook posts) to a representative sample from the fall 2016 Toronto theatre season. Our resulting dataset was examined using a content analysis approach in order to identify which productions generated the most critical response (posts) online, the demographics of the posters (including age, gender, occupation, and ethnicity), and the purpose of the posts (including commentary on the production, socio-political commentary, endorsements, and check-ins). To answer the second question, our CS team member is developing an open-access website to archive the materials collected, which the public will be invited to use and contribute to once it is launched. Our preliminary findings suggest that the blogosphere is changing how we talk about theatre in three key ways: it is providing more coverage to new plays and plays about political or controversial subject matter; it is increasing and diversifying the participants in critical discourse, allowing women and people of colour more access into the conversations; and it is connecting discussions about theatre to other topics such as political issues and identity. Our UWill Discover presentation will summarize our findings about the Toronto theatre blogosphere and include an interactive demonstration of our database

Current quark mass dependence of nucleon magnetic moments and radii

A calculation of the current-quark-mass-dependence of nucleon static electromagnetic properties is necessary in order to use observational data as a means to place constraints on the variation of Nature's fundamental parameters. A Poincare' covariant Faddeev equation, which describes baryons as composites of confined-quarks and -nonpointlike-diquarks, is used to calculate this dependence The results indicate that, like observables dependent on the nucleons' magnetic moments, quantities sensitive to their magnetic and charge radii, such as the energy levels and transition frequencies in Hydrogen and Deuterium, might also provide a tool with which to place limits on the allowed variation in Nature's constants.Comment: 23 pages, 2 figures, 4 tables, 4 appendice

); fax 886-4-2236-1230; hylane@gmail

The WCST, a widely used measure of prefrontal cognitive functions (including executive function, abstraction and working memory), is sensitive to a person's ability to generate hypotheses, establish response sets and fluently shift sets. 9,10 A recent meta-analysis 11 suggests that there is a small but significant relation between Val158Met genotype and WCST performance in healthy people but not in those with schizophrenia. Because the COMT Val158Met polymorphism accounts for a small portion of the variability in prefrontal cognition, it is warranted to explore whether other genetic mutations have potential effects. Of dopamine receptors, D 1 and D 3 may deserve foremost attention. D 1 receptors play a critical role in the activation of prefrontal cognition such as working memory. 3 In addition, D 1 activation modulates rodents' social cognition, 13 which depends substantially on prefrontal function. 14 Among genetic variants of D 1 receptors, the A-48G polymorphism is associated with glucose metabolic rates in human brain regions, including the prefrontal cortex. 15 The D 3 receptor, although structurally highly homologous to other D 2 -like dopamine receptors, differs from them in regulating neuropsychological performance. 6 D 2 may also regulate spatial working memory, but the latter is principally attributed to D 1 receptor-mediated mechanisms. 22 By interacting with the dopaminergic system, serotonergic transmission also plays a significant role in prefrontal cognitive function. 23 Its action is mediated via specific receptors, possibly serotonin 5-HT 2A and 5-HT 6 , located in crucial brain structures, primarily the nucleus basalis magnocellularisfrontal cortex. In rats, 5-HT 2A receptors regulate prefrontal cortex-related execution of primed responses. 3 In healthy volunteers, 5-HT 2A agonists impair the continuous performance task, 24 which is mainly determined by prefrontal function. 25 Among 5-HT 2A receptor polymorphisms, T102C has received considerable attention. For instance, this genetic variance affects treatment response to antipsychotics. The 5-HT 6 receptor is responsible for endogenous 5-HT-mediated facilitation of dopamine release in the rat prefrontal cortex 30 and regulates brain cholinergic neurotransmission. 31,32 It has been indicated that, among 5-HT 6 receptor polymorphisms, 33 T267C is associated with Alzheimer disease. 35 The current study aims to explore the effects of the aforementioned genetic variances of D 1 , D 3 , 5-HT 2A and 5-HT 6 on WCST performance, which reflects prefrontal executive function, in a healthy population. Methods Participants This study was approved by the institutional review board of China Medical University Hospital and carried out in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki (www.wma.net /e/policy/b3.htm). The participants were 216 unrelated healthy volunteers (81 men and 135 women) with a mean age of 48.6 (standard deviation [SD] 9.4) years (range 20-65 y) and a mean education level of 10.9 (SD 3.7) years (range 0-20 y). All were Han Chinese living in Taiwan. The subjects in this study gave their consent to participate after procedures were explained to them. All subjects were free of any axis I or II psychiatric disorders, as determined by a research psychiatrist using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV. WCST assessments An experienced psychologist (Y-LC) administered the WCST. Genotyping Genomic DNA was extracted from the subjects' white blood cells. The 4 polymorphisms were genotyped according to the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism technique. Forward and reverse primers and restriction enzymes for each polymorphism were as follows: 5′-ACT GAC CCC TAT TCC CTG CT-3′, 5′-AGC ACA GAC CAG CGT GTT C-3′, DdeI for A-48G polymorphisms in the promoter region of the dopamine D 1 receptor gene; 38 5′-GCT CTA TCT CCA ACT CTC ACA-3′, 5′-AAG TCT ACT CAC CTC CAG GTA-3′, MscΙ for the D 3 Ser9Gly polymorphism; 39,40 5′-TCT GCT ACA AGT TCT GGC TT-3′, 5′-CTG CAG CTT TTT CTC TAG GG-3′, MspI for 5-HT 2A T102C; 41,42 and 5′-AAC TTC TTC CTG GTG TCG CTC TTC-3′, 5′-ATG AGC AGG TAG CGG TCC AGG-3′, RsaI for T267C polymorphisms in the 5-HT 6 receptor gene. Data analyses We used a 2-tailed Mann-Whitney U test for WCST performance comparisons between male and female subjects. Kruskal-Wallis tests were carried out with each genetic polymorphism as the independent variable and percentage of perseverative errors and number of categories as the dependent measures. These nonparametric statistical methods were used because the distributions of perseverative errors and categories numbers were skewed to the right (data not shown). We also compared the subjects' demographic characteristics among genotypes of each genetic polymorphism, using Kruskal-Wallis tests for continuous variables and χ 2 tests for categorical variables. Statistical significance was defined as p < 0.05 or corrected for multiple comparisons as needed (p < 0.0125 = 0.05/4 [genetic polymorphisms]). To control for the effects of other confounding factors, we used multiple linear regression in a single analysis to evaluate impacts of sex, age, sex × age interaction, education level and the 4 genetic polymorphisms simultaneously on WCST performance. Because all these comparisons were performed in a single multiple regression analysis, no correction for multiple comparisons was required. However, the distributions of the WCST data were skewed to the right and unsuitable for regression analyses. To convert the skewed distribution to a normal one, we measured each perseverative error value in its natural logarithmic scale before the regression analysis. 44,45 Results In all 216 subjects, the mean percentage of WCST perseverative errors was 20.1% (SD 13.1%) and the mean number of WCST categories completed was 4.18 (SD 3.08). Men and women had comparable mean perseverative errors at 18.7 (SD 12.0) and 20.9 (SD 13.8) (p = 0.46), respectively, and comparable mean numbers of categories completed at 4.4 (SD 3.2) and 4.1 (SD 3.0) (p = 0.55). Allele frequencies of the genetic polymorphisms in our Han Chinese sample are similar to those in other Han Chinese populations but may be different from those in white populations WCST perseverative errors and genotype

Sutureless prepuceplasty with wound healing by second intention: An alternative surgical approach in children's phimosis treatment

Abstract Background A new technique for the treatment of children's phimosis is presented that minimizes the repairing time, the postoperative complications and maintains the physical foreskin appearance intact. Methods Eightyseven children with phimosis were treated with this new developed technique, between 2003 and 2005. Sutureless prepuceplasty creates a permanent surgical extension of the close prepuce. Stretching and retraction of phimotic foreskin reveals a tight prepuce ring that is cutting in its dorsal surface longitudinally. Rarely triple symmetric incisions in the preputial outlet are necessary. The foreskin is loose and moves absolutely free in bilateral courses. The wounds are healing by second intention. Antisepsis, steroids and Elicina cream, (which contains allantoin, collagen, elastin, glycolic acid and vitamins A, D, and E) should apply daily, for twenty to thirty days. Results The foreskin is moving in centripetal or efferent courses absolutely loosely, painlessly and bloodlessly. The mean time of follow-up was 27 months (one to four years). No complications were observed. Conclusion Sutureless prepuceplasty may present an acceptable alternative in children's phimosis reconstruction.</p

Further characterization of ADAMTS-13 inactivation by thrombin

Background: The multimeric size and platelet-tethering function of von Willebrand factor (VWF) are modulated by the plasma metalloprotease, a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with a thrombospondin type 1 motif, member 13 (ADAMTS-13). In vitro ADAMTS-13 is susceptible to proteolytic inactivation by thrombin. Objectives: In this study, we aimed to characterize the inactivation of ADAMTS-13 by thrombin and to assess its physiological significance. Methods and results: By N-terminal sequencing of cleavage products, and by mutagenesis, we identified the principal thrombin cleavage sites in ADAMTS-13 as R257 and R1176. Using a library of 76 thrombin mutants, we highlighted the functional importance of exosite I on thrombin in the proteolysis of ADAMTS-13. Proteolysis of ADAMTS-13 by thrombin caused an 8-fold reduction in its affinity for VWF that contributed to its loss of VWF-cleaving function. Intriguingly, thrombin-cleaved ADAMTS-13 both bound and proteolyzed a short recombinant VWF A2 domain substrate (VWF115) normally. Following activation of coagulation in normal plasma, endogenous ADAMTS-13, but not added ADAMTS-13, appeared resistant to coagulation-induced fragmentation. An estimation of the Km for ADAMTS-13 proteolysis by thrombin was appreciably higher than the physiological concentration of ADAMTS-13. This was corroborated by the comparatively low affinity of ADAMTS-13 for thrombin (KD 95 nm). Conclusions: Together, our data suggest that ADAMTS-13 is protected from rapid proteolytic inactivation by thrombin in normal plasma. Whether this remains the case under pathological situations involving elevated/sustained generation of thrombin remains unclear

Associations of vitamin D pathway genes with circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin-D, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin-D, and prostate cancer:a nested case-control study

Vitamin D pathway single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are potentially useful proxies for investigating whether circulating vitamin D metabolites [total 25-hydroxyvitamin-D, 25(OH)D; 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin, 1,25(OH)2D] are causally related to prostate cancer. We investigated associations of sixteen SNPs across seven genes with prostate-specific antigen-detected prostate cancer

Rectal Transmission of Transmitted/Founder HIV-1 Is Efficiently Prevented by Topical 1% Tenofovir in BLT Humanized Mice

Rectal microbicides are being developed to prevent new HIV infections in both men and women. We focused our in vivo preclinical efficacy study on rectally-applied tenofovir. BLT humanized mice (n = 43) were rectally inoculated with either the primary isolate HIV-1(JRCSF) or the MSM-derived transmitted/founder (T/F) virus HIV-1(THRO) within 30 minutes following treatment with topical 1% tenofovir or vehicle. Under our experimental conditions, in the absence of drug treatment we observed 50% and 60% rectal transmission by HIV-1(JRCSF) and HIV-1(THRO), respectively. Topical tenofovir reduced rectal transmission to 8% (1/12; log rank p = 0.03) for HIV-1(JRCSF) and 0% (0/6; log rank p = 0.02) for HIV-1(THRO). This is the first demonstration that any human T/F HIV-1 rectally infects humanized mice and that transmission of the T/F virus can be efficiently blocked by rectally applied 1% tenofovir. These results obtained in BLT mice, along with recent ex vivo, Phase 1 trial and non-human primate reports, provide a critically important step forward in the development of tenofovir-based rectal microbicides