Expectations in committed relationships

This study sought to identify trends in American expectations regarding commitment, marriage, monogamy, cohabitation, child rearing, and domestic responsibilities in committed relationships and explored the ways expectations differed based on gender, generation, income, and US region. A committed relationship was defined as an interpersonal romantic relationship based upon a mutually agreed-upon commitment to one another regarding certain behavior and lifestyle choices. The different generations that were compared fall into the following year brackets: Boomers (1943-1960), Generation X (1961-1981), and Millennials (1982-2004). Two hundred and ninety-four participants completed an online, anonymous survey that collected basic demographic information including gender, sexual orientation, and generation, income level and geographic location. Participants were required to be at least 18 years of age and living in the United States in order to participate. Participants were then asked to rate various expectations on a Likert-like scale indicating if they agree or disagree with that expectation. The findings identified a trend toward more egalitarian expectations in committed relationships as well as more openness toward non-monogamous relationships. The majority of participants did expect a life-long committed relationship and most expected that their life-long committed relationship would be a marriage

Investigating neurogenic bowel in experimental spinal cord injury: where to begin?

The devastating losses following traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) encompass the motor, sensory and autonomic nervous systems. Neurogenic bowel is a slow transit colonic dysfunction marked by constipation, rectal evacuation difficulties, decreased anorectal sensation, fecal incontinence or some combination thereof. Furthermore, neurogenic bowel is one of the most prevalent comorbidities of SCI and is recognized by afflicted individuals and caregivers as a lifelong physical and psychological challenge that profoundly affects quality of life. The restoration of post-injury control of movement has received considerable scientific scrutiny yet the daily necessity of voiding the bowel and bladder remains critically under-investigated. Subsequently, physicians and caregivers are rarely presented with consistent, evidence-based strategies to successfully address the consequences of dysregulated voiding reflexes. Neurogenic bowel is commonly believed to result from the interruption of the supraspinal control of the spinal autonomic circuits regulating the colon. In this mini-review, we discuss the clinical challenges presented by neurogenic bowel and emerging pre-clinical evidence that is revealing that SCI also initiates functional remodeling of the colonic wall concurrent with a decrease in local enteric neurons. Since the enteric input to the colonic smooth muscle is the final common pathway for functional contractions of the colon, changes to the neuromuscular interface must first be understood in order to maximize the efficacy of therapeutic interventions targeting colonic dysfunction following SCI

The Impact of Host Diet on Wolbachia Titer in Drosophila

While a number of studies have identified host factors that influence endosymbiont titer, little is known concerning environmental influences on titer. Here we examined nutrient impact on maternally transmitted Wolbachia endosymbionts in Drosophila. We demonstrate that Drosophila reared on sucrose- and yeast-enriched diets exhibit increased and reduced Wolbachia titers in oogenesis, respectively. The yeast-induced Wolbachia depletion is mediated in large part by the somatic TOR and insulin signaling pathways. Disrupting TORC1 with the small molecule rapamycin dramatically increases oocyte Wolbachia titer, whereas hyper-activating somatic TORC1 suppresses oocyte titer. Furthermore, genetic ablation of insulin-producing cells located in the Drosophila brain abolished the yeast impact on oocyte titer. Exposure to yeast-enriched diets altered Wolbachia nucleoid morphology in oogenesis. Furthermore, dietary yeast increased somatic Wolbachia titer overall, though not in the central nervous system. These findings highlight the interactions between Wolbachia and germline cells as strongly nutrient-sensitive, and implicate conserved host signaling pathways by which nutrients influence Wolbachia titer.Florida International University, National Institutes of Health, Minority Access to Research Careers program: (GMS-2T34GM007910), National Science Foundation grant: (MCB-1122252)

Проблема здоровьесбережения детей в современной России

Pretreatment of mixed softwoods with SO2 impregnation and steam for production of ethanol has been investigated. The optimal conditions, both for sugar yield and ethanol yield, to assess the effect of inhibitors formed in the pretreatment, have been determined. The parameters investigated were: SO2 concentration (1-6% (w/w) dry matter), temperature (190-230 degrees C) and residence time (2-15 min). After pretreatment, the material was separated into a solid residue and a filtrate. The solid residue was enzymatically hydrolysed with 2% dry matter (w/w). To investigate fermentability, the hydrolysed filtrate was fermented using Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The effects of the different parameters are described by response-surface modelling. The highest experimental sugar yield of 42.1 g per 100 g dry matter was obtained at 210 degrees C and 5.5 min residence time. Although the fermentabilities were good for all filtrates with yields greater than 90% of the yield obtained in a pure glucose reference solution, the pretreatment has a clear influence on the ethanol production rate. (C) 1998 SCI

New Cryogenian, Neoproterozoic, and middle Paleozoic U–Pb zircon ages from the Caledonia terrane, southern New Brunswick, Canada: better constrained but more complex volcanic stratigraphy

New U–Pb zircon ages from volcanic, plutonic, and sedimentary units in the Avalonian Caledonia terrane of southern New Brunswick provide better timing constraints in this geologically complex area. Previous ca. 620 Ma ages from the Broad River Group are now corroborated by additional dates from felsic tuff in the Gordon Falls Formation and rhyolite in the former Fairfield (now East Branch Black River) Formation of 620 ± 5 Ma and 622 ± 1.9 Ma, respectively. Combined with ages ranging from ca. 625 Ma to 615 Ma from crosscutting plutons, the data suggest that the minimum age of the Broad River Group is about 615 Ma. A quartzfeldspar porphyry dyke in mafic volcanic rocks of the previously undated Long Beach Formation yielded an igneous crystallization age of 685 ± 10 Ma, the oldest unit yet dated in the Caledonia terrane but similar in age to porphyry in the Stirling belt in the Avalonian Mira terrane of Nova Scotia. The age of the Coldbrook Group was constrained previously by U–Pb (zircon) ages of volcanic rocks between 560 and 550 Ma as well as by similar ages from comagmatic plutons. Five additional samples from both volcanic and plutonic units lie in the same range of 560–550 Ma, including errors, demonstrating that the Coldbrook Group and related plutons formed in less than 10 million years. Such a large volume of mainly felsic magma erupted and emplaced in a short time span suggests a “supereruption/supervolcano” environment such as the late Cenozoic southwestern USA but not yet recognized at ca. 560–550 Ma elsewhere in Avalonia. Two units yielded Paleozoic ages: felsite of the Bloomsbury Mountain Formation with a zircon population at 427 ± 9 Ma, indicating a Silurian maximum emplacement age, and dacite of the Grassy Lake Formation with several zircon grains at 382.8 ± 8.3 Ma, indicating a maximum age of middle Devonian, the first rocks of this age to be identified in the Caledonia terrane

Ultrafast extreme ultraviolet photoemission without space charge

Time- and Angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy from surfaces can be used to record the dynamics of electrons and holes in condensed matter on ultrafast time scales. However, ultrafast photoemission experiments using extreme-ultraviolet (XUV) light have previously been limited by either space-charge effects, low photon flux, or limited tuning range. In this article, we describe space-charge-free XUV photoelectron spectroscopy experiments with up to 5 nA of average sample current using a tunable cavity-enhanced high-harmonic source operating at 88 MHz repetition rate. The source delivers $> 10^{11}$ photons/s in isolated harmonics to the sample over a broad photon energy range from 18 to 37 eV with a spot size of $58 \times 100 \; \mu$m$^2$. From photoelectron spectroscopy data, we place conservative upper limits on the XUV pulse duration and photon energy bandwidth of 93 fs and 65 meV, respectively. The high photocurrent, lack of space charge distortions of the photoelectron spectra, and excellent isolation of individual harmonic orders allow us to observe the laser-assisted photoelectric effect with sideband amplitudes as low as $6 \times 10^{-4}$, enabling time-resolved XUV photoemission experiments in a qualitatively new regime

Six-minute walk distance after coronary artery bypass grafting compared with medical therapy in ischaemic cardiomyopathy

Background: In patients with ischaemic left ventricular dysfunction, coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG) may decrease mortality, but it is not known whether CABG improves functional capacity. Objective: To determine whether CABG compared with medical therapy alone (MED) increases 6 min walk distance in patients with ischaemic left ventricular dysfunction and coronary artery disease amenable to revascularisation. Methods: The Surgical Treatment in Ischemic Heart disease trial randomised 1212 patients with ischaemic left ventricular dysfunction to CABG or MED. A 6 min walk distance test was performed both at baseline and at least one follow-up assessment at 4, 12, 24 and/or 36 months in 409 patients randomised to CABG and 466 to MED. Change in 6 min walk distance between baseline and follow-up were compared by treatment allocation. Results: 6 min walk distance at baseline for CABG was mean 340±117 m and for MED 339±118 m. Change in walk distance from baseline was similar for CABG and MED groups at 4 months (mean +38 vs +28 m), 12 months (+47 vs +36 m), 24 months (+31 vs +34 m) and 36 months (−7 vs +7 m), P>0.10 for all. Change in walk distance between CABG and MED groups over all assessments was also similar after adjusting for covariates and imputation for missing values (+8 m, 95% CI −7 to 23 m, P=0.29). Results were consistent for subgroups defined by angina, New York Heart Association class ≥3, left ventricular ejection fraction, baseline walk distance and geographic region. Conclusion: In patients with ischaemic left ventricular dysfunction CABG compared with MED alone is known to reduce mortality but is unlikely to result in a clinically significant improvement in functional capacity

Where Do We Go From Here? The Need for Genetic Referrals in Patients who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing: Findings from a Regional Survey

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess primary health care providers’ knowledge and use of genetic services for children whose hearing screening indicates they may be deaf/hard of hearing (D/HH) and identify areas in which health care providers can be supported to increase family education and referral of families for genetic consultation. Methodology: A survey was developed on current practices, knowledge, and perceived beliefs regarding genetic education and referrals for deafness. The surveys were distributed to pediatricians, family medicine physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants in DC, DE, MD, NJ, NY, PA, VA, and WV. Results: Among 266 respondents, 80% were uninformed about Early Hearing Detection Intervention (EHDI) 1-3-6 guidelines prior to taking the survey. Approximately 55% were not confident about the genetic causes of deafness, 44% rarely consulted genetics professionals, 41% had not referred families to genetics, and 37% were not confident about the importance of genetic referrals. Conclusions: Integrated, targeted, and user-friendly genetics education strategies in the existing EHDI framework are needed to ensure adequate awareness and delivery of genetics services for D/HH children