2nd Study Research Articles

Imaging Protocol, Feasibility, and Reproducibility of Cardiovascular Phenotyping in a Large Tri-Ethnic Population-Based Study of Older People: The Southall and Brent Revisited (SABRE) Study.

Background: People of South Asian and African Caribbean ethnicities living in UK have a high risk of cardiometabolic disease. Limited data exist regarding detailed cardiometabolic phenotyping in this population. Methods enabling this are widely available, but the practical aspects of undertaking such studies in large and diverse samples are seldom reported.Methods: The Southall and Brent Revisited (SABRE) study is the UK's largest tri-ethnic longitudinal cohort. Over 1,400 surviving participants (58–85 years) attended the 2nd study visit (2008–2011); during which, comprehensive cardiovascular phenotyping, including 3D-echocardiography [3D-speckle-tracking (3D-STE)], computed tomography, coronary artery calcium scoring, pulse wave velocity, central blood pressure, carotid artery ultrasound, and retinal imaging, were performed. We describe the methods used with the aim of providing a guide to their feasibility and reproducibility in a large tri-ethnic population-based study of older people.Results: Conventional echocardiography and all vascular measurements showed high feasibility (>90% analyzable of clinic attendees), but 3D-echocardiography (3DE) and 3D-STE were less feasible (71% 3DE acquisition feasibility and 38% 3D-STE feasibility of clinic attendees). 3D-STE feasibility differed by ethnicity, being lowest in South Asian participants and highest in African Caribbean participants (p < 0.0001). Similar trends were observed in men (P < 0.0001) and women (P = 0.005); however, in South Asians, there were more women with unreadable 3D-images compared to men (67 vs. 58%). Intra- and inter-observer variabilities were excellent for most of conventional and advanced echocardiographic measures. The test-retest reproducibility was good-excellent and fair-good for conventional and advanced echocardiographic measures, respectively, but lower than when re-reading the same images. All vascular measures demonstrated excellent or fair-good reproducibility.Conclusions: We describe the feasibility and reproducibility of detailed cardiovascular phenotyping in an ethnically diverse population. The data collected will lead to a better understanding of why people of South Asian and African Caribbean ancestry are at elevated risk of cardiometabolic diseases.

The diagnostic value of brain natriuretic peptide in men with comorbid essential arterial hypertension and type 2 diabetes mellitus

The aim of the work is to investigate the diagnostic informativeness of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) in men with left ventricular (LV) diastolic dysfunction (DD) and initial stages of chronic heart failure (CHF) in comorbid stage 2 essential hypertension (EH 2) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).Materials and methods. We examined 211 men. 79 people without signs of cardiovascular disease were assigned to a control group. 62 patients with EH 2 and CHF no higher than NYHA functional class (FC) I were included in the 1st, and 70 men with EH 2 combined with T2DM and CHF FC I–II formed the 2nd main study group. The plasma concentration of BNP was measured by ELISA. The examination included the determination of HbA1c, blood lipid profile, echocardiography. The mathematical processing was performed using the standard statistical package Statistica 6.1.Results. Plasma levels of BNP in comorbid EH 2 and T2DM were significantly higher (102.18 ± 4.18 pg/ml) than those in patients with EH without T2DM (77.40 ± 2.85 pg/ml) and in subjects without cardiovascular diseases (21.74 ± 0.59 pg/ml) (P &lt; 0.00001). According to the regression analysis, the level of BNP was associated with changes in parameters of intracardiac hemodynamics in patients with EH2. In patients with comorbid EH 2 and T2DM, the level of BNP was also associated with indicators of systemic hemodynamics and body weight. BNP as a marker of CHF at the recommended borderline level (35 pg/ml) in patients with EH 2 and T2DM was characterized by a sensitivity of 98.57 % and specificity of 55.32 %. The BNP borderline levels with higher specificity were determined for early diagnosis of CHF in EH 2 with T2DM and obesity comorbidities.Conclusions. BNP, as an early marker of LV DD and the initial stages of CHF at the recommended borderline level in men with comorbid EH 2 and T2DM does not have sufficiently high specificity. In these pathological conditions, the determined borderline levels of BNP can be used as indicative surrogate markers for early diagnosis of CHF during screening with the view to identify persons for further echocardiographic additional examination and in cases where echocardiography is not possible.

Do tightwads cheat more? Evidence from three field experiments

• Three field studies are designed to explore a connection between tightwads and cheating. • The 1st study views tightwads as mall shoppers who rank themselves as tightwads. • The 2nd study views tightwads as laptop users who sit long hours over a single cup of coffee. • The 3rd study views tightwads as cab drivers who fail to turn on air-conditioning on a hot day. • All three studies find that tightwads cheat more than other people to avoid spending money. The paper reports the results of three field experiments designed to inquire whether tightwads, defined in the eco-psych literature as people who feel intense pain at the prospect of spending money, are more likely to cheat than other people in order to avoid paying. In the first experiment, passersby at a Tel-Aviv shopping mall were asked to answer a questionnaire that determined their pain of paying level. They were thereafter invited to perform an "inverse" version of the die-under-the-cup (DUTC) task that incentivized under-reporting of the actual die outcome to avoid paying money. In the second experiment, laptop users at Tel-Aviv coffee shops, who may unabashedly work long hours over a single cup of coffee, were offered to perform the inverse DUTC task upon leaving the shop and after recording the time and money they spent there. The third experiment was conducted with Jerusalem cab drivers, many of whom avoid turning on their air conditioning systems on hot summer days. The experiment involved riding both air-conditioned and non-air-conditioned cabs in Jerusalem and offering drivers, at the end of the ride, to perform the inverse DUTC task. In all three experiments, tightwaddism was found to have a statistically significant positive effect on cheating. The experimental findings are supported by a rational-choice model that predicts that cheating increases with the pain of spending money.

Random offset minimization in low frequency front-end amplifiers using swarm intelligence based techniques

Random offset in amplifiers arises mainly due to random variations i.e. inherent mismatch in transistor parameters and greatly impacts its overall design specifications, especially in case of low frequency application. It must be minimized for high precision in the amplifier’s performance. A new approach for minimization of random offset voltage in amplifiers has been proposed through the use of swarm intelligence based optimization algorithms due to their derivative free nature and easy search mechanism. The approach involves firstly, modelling the random offset voltage due to mismatch between transistors parameters based on Pelgrom’s model and then minimizing the formulated model subjected to design constraints using swarm intelligence based algorithms. Two case studies are considered, firstly, a high swing Folded Cascode Operational Transconductance Amplifier (OTA) and secondly, a Recycling Folded Cascode (RFC) OTA. Comparative analysis have been performed by recording best, worst and mean data for 2500 function evaluations and also using statistical analysis such as Friedmann’s test and Mann–Whitney’s U test. The results indicate that the Hybrid Whale Particle Swarm Optimization (HWPSO) algorithm outperforms the other state of the art algorithms by giving a minimum random offset voltage of 7.2 mV and 1.452 mV with a mean rank of 1.55 and 1.75 for the 1st and 2nd case studies respectively. Validation of HWPSO results have been done by performing simulations and Monte Carlo Analysis for the two amplifiers in Cadence Virtuoso, which are found to be in close agreement with the algorithmic results.

Changes in auditory cortical thickness following music training in children: converging longitudinal and cross-sectional results.

Evidence is accumulating to suggest that music training is associated with structural brain differences in children and in adults. We used magnetic resonance imagining in two studies to investigate neuroanatomical correlates of music training in children. In study 1, we cross-sectionally compared a group of child musician (ages 9-11) matched to non-musicians and found that cortical thickness was greater in child musician in the posterior segment of the right-superior temporal gyrus (STG), an auditory association area that is involved in processing complex auditory stimuli, including pitch. We also found that thickness in the right posterior STG is related to music proficiency, however this relationship did not reach significance. In study 2, a longitudinal study, we investigated change in cortical thickness over a four-year period comparing a group of children involved in a systematic music training program with another group of children who did not have any music training. In this 2nd study we assessed both groups at the beginning of the study, prior to music training for the music group, and four years later. We found that children in the music group showed a strong trend of lower rate of cortical thinning in the right posterior superior temporal gyrus. Together, our results provide evidence that music training induces structural brain changes in school-age children and that these changes are predominantly pronounced in the right auditory association areas.

Prospects of application of cone beam computed tomography for analyzing upper respiratory tract pathologies in patients with dentition system diseases

The goal of the study was to analyze the upper respiratory tract condition indicators obtained by means of сone beam computed tomography (CBCT) for patients with dentition system diseases and obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome. Patients were divided into 3 study groups. The control group (the 1st study group) included the CBCT data obtained for 33 healthy patients. The 2nd study group included the CBCT data obtained for 136 patients with dentition system diseases (partial secondary edentia combined with chronic generalized periodontitis) without sleep disorder signs. The 3rd study group included the CBCT data obtained for 70 patients with partial secondary edentia combined with deep distal occlusion and obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS). The CBCT method using the proposed diagnosis criteria made it possible to identify not only dentition system diseases, but also the dysfunction of the upper respiratory tract, in particular the OSAS causes. It was found with confidence that the reduction of the upper respiratory tract diagnostic indicators by 40 % or more, as compared to the regulatory indicators of healthy patients, led to the dysfunction of the respiratory tract and the apnoea development. Deep distal occlusion and secondary edentia conditioned the presence of the upper respiratory tract concave configuration and the localization of the minimum cross-sectional area below the occlusion plane, which increases the probability of development and progression of the obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome.

Strategic human resource practices, emotional exhaustion and OCB: the mediator role of person-organization fit

PurposeThe paper examines the mediator role of person-organization fit on the relationships between reward management, employee training, emotional exhaustion and organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) among employees in the manufacturing sector in Uganda.Design/methodology/approachThe study took a cross-sectional descriptive and analytical design. Using a sample of 380 respondents, data were obtained in two studies, the 2nd study being carried out after 8 months from the 1st. Using statistical program for social scientists (SPSS) and analysis of moment structures (AMOS), six hypotheses were tested and analyzed.FindingsResults indicate that employee development and person-organization fit were significant predictors of OCB. The influence of Reward Management and Emotional Exhaustion on OCB was inconclusive since in the 1st study it was positive and significant while non-significant in the 2nd study. Person-organization fit emerged as a full mediator of the Reward Management, Emotional Exhaustion–OCB relationships; and a partial mediator of the Employee Development–OCB relationship.Practical implicationsManufacturing firms will be able to implement HR policies and practices that are relevant for increased employee exhibition of extra role activities. They will be able to adhere to efforts that increase person-organization fit in order to reduce emotional exhaustion for OCB exhibition.Originality/valueThe study demonstrates that person-organization fit acts as a conduit for the translation of all the inputs of reward management and employee exhaustion and, part of the inputs of employee development into increased worker exhibition of extra role activities.

434 Association of skin response in erythema and sclerosis with survival in chronic graft-versus-host disease

Skin is the most commonly affected organ in chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD). Though causing significant morbidity, skin is not a common direct cause of mortality. We report survival associations of complete (CR) vs partial (PR) and no cutaneous response (NR). Using the cGVHD Consortium, a prospective observational study of cGVHD patients from 2007-2017 at 9 centers, we studied patients who were enrolled <3 months (incident) or >=3 months (prevalent) after diagnosis of cutaneous cGVHD and within 3 years of transplant. We used the 2005 NIH criteria to designate CR, PR, or NR in erythema or sclerosis at the 2nd study visit. Cox regression models were used to predict subsequent overall survival (OS) and non-relapse mortality (NRM) based on skin response. Of 468 consortium patients, 185 (40%) had erythema at entry of whom 136 (74%) achieved CR at the 2nd visit, 9% PR, 18% NR, with similar response in incident and prevalent erythema. At entry, 89 (19%) patients had sclerosis. Response was higher in incident (68% CR, 2% PR, 30% NR) compared to prevalent sclerosis (28% CR, 4% PR, 68% NR). Erythema CR in prevalent cases correlated with improved OS (median OS 1858 vs 1026 days, HR 0.29, 0.09-0.89, p=0.03) and NRM (median NRM 1194 vs 1026 days, HR 0.26, 0.08-0.92, p=0.04). CR of incident erythema was weakly associated with improved OS and NRM, with a stronger effect in the subgroup with additional affected organs. Though underpowered, CR of sclerosis had similar trends of improved OS and NRM in both incident and prevalent groups. Most incident cases of cGVHD have CR in both sclerosis and erythema by the following visit. Cutaneous CR is associated with improved survival times up to and exceeding 2 years. Sclerosis present <3 months from cGVHD diagnosis is twice as likely to resolve as sclerosis present later in the disease.

295 - Perceived stress of Hungarian dermatological outpatients based on the 2nd ESDaP Study

Glucagon-like peptide 2 (GLP-2) analogues are approved for adults with intestinal failure (IF), but no studies have included infants. This study examined the pharmacokinetics (PK), safety, and nutritional effects of GLP-2 in infants with IF.With parental consent (Health Canada Protocol:150,979), parenteral nutrition (PN)-dependent infants were treated with 5–20-μg/kg/day GLP-2 for 3 days (phase 1), and if tolerated continued for 42 days (phase 2). Nutritional therapy was by primary caregivers, and follow-up was to one year.Six patients were enrolled, age 5.4 ± 3.2 months, bowel length: 27 ± 12% of predicted, PN dependent (67 ± 18% of calories). GLP-2 did not affect vital signs, nor were there significant adverse events during the trial. Dosing 5 μg/kg/day gave GLP-2 levels of 52–57 pmol/L, with no change in half-life or endogenous GLP-2 levels. Enteral feeds, weight, Z scores, stooling frequency, and citrulline levels improved numerically. The trial was discontinued early because of a drop in potency.GLP-2 was well tolerated in infants, and pK was similar to children with no changes in endogenous GLP-2 release. The findings suggest that GLP-2 ligands may be safely used in infants and may have beneficial effects on nutritional status. Further study is required.2b Prospective Interventional Study.

SUN-662 Praliciguat, a Clinical-Stage Soluble Guanylate Cyclase Stimulator, Improves Lipid Handling and Insulin Sensitivity in Diet-Induced Obese Mice

Praliciguat (PRL) is a soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) stimulator which in animal models distributes broadly to tissues and elicits hemodynamic, anti-inflammatory, anti-fibrotic, and metabolic effects. Here, we assessed metabolic effects of PRL in a mouse diet-induced obesity model.Six-week-old male C57BL/6N mice were maintained on a low-fat diet (LFD, lean mice) or placed on a 60% high-fat diet (HFD, obese mice). At age 14 weeks, one group of obese mice was maintained on HFD (obese controls) and one group of obese mice was switched to HFD formulated with PRL to achieve a Cmax similar to a 6-mg/kg oral dose (PRL-treated mice). After 38 days of treatment, an oral lipid tolerance test (LTT) was conducted. In a 2nd study under the same dosing paradigm, overnight fasted blood and organs were collected on day 28.As reported previously (1), compared to obese controls, PRL-treated mice had lower fasting insulin (-28%), HOMA-IR (-26%) and triglycerides (-16%) as well as lower plasma triglycerides AUC after LTT (-34%). Gene expression and phosphorylated proteins associated with insulin pathways were measured in liver, skeletal muscle and white adipose tissue. PRL treatment normalized expression of genes involved in lipid handling (liver Pnpla3, Slc27a1, Lpl; muscle Lipe; white adipose tissue Fdft1, Ppara). Expression of proinflammatory genes (liver Tnf; muscle Ccl2; white adipose tissue Akt1, Icam1) was lower in PRL-treated mice than in obese controls. Liver insulin signaling was assessed by determining pAKT (T308) and pAKT (S473), markers of PI3K pathway activity and pERK, a marker of MAPK pathway activity. Compared to lean mice, pAKT (T308) and pERK were lower in obese controls, whereas pAKT (S473) was similar; PRL-treated mice had higher pAKT (T308) and pAKT (S473) compared to obese controls while pERK was unchanged. In skeletal muscle and white adipose tissue, levels of pVASP, a key mediator of the sGC pathway, were higher in PRL-treated mice than in obese controls.In summary, PRL improved insulin sensitivity and lipids in diet-induced obese mice by affecting mechanisms of lipid handling, inflammation, and insulin signaling in key tissues associated with metabolism.1. Author information excluded, 1924-P: Praliciguat, a Clinical-Stage sGC Stimulator, Improves Insulin Sensitivity, Lipid Tolerance, and Energy Utilization in a Mouse Diet-Induced Obesity Model Housed at Thermoneutrality. Diabetes, 2019. 68(Supplement 1): p. 1924-P.

STUDENTS’ ATTITUDES AND EXPECTATIONS TOWARDS PROFESSIONAL WORK

Knowledge of attitudes of certain professional groups towards professional work poses a significant factor that affects rationality of numerous managerial decisions related to human capital management. Expertise in this field is essential from the perspective of effective use of particular tools and solutions in the area of human resources management in an organization. The raised problems are particularly important from the perspective of diagnosing students’ attitudes towards professional work as they are a population of potential employees. The main objective of the research presented in the paper was to identify the students’ attitudes and expectations related to work and career. The research intended to achieve the objective was carried out with a survey questionnaire. It covered persons who pursued master studies (2nd degree studies) at the Faculty of Economic Sciences of the University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn.

Guselkumab in the treatment of patients with plaque psoriasis of moderate and severe severity: Efficacy and safety of interleukin-23 blockade

Materials and methods . In this paper, we review publications on the significance of interleukin-(IL)-23 in the pathogenesis of plaque psoriasis and analyse the results of the 1st and 2nd phase clinical studies, as well as the 3rd phase comparative studies VOYAGE 1, VOYAGE 2, NAVIGATE and ECLIPSE on the efficacy and safety of Guselkumab — a blocker of the p19 subunit in IL-23. The review was conducted using the scientific literature databases PubMed and RSCI. Results. The high efficiency and safety of Guselkumab in the treatment of patients with plaque psoriasis is demonstrated. The PASI 90 value during Guselkumab treatment reached 73.3 % and 80.2 % at the 24th and 16th week (VOYAGE 1). The therapeutic effect persisted following treatment for 48 weeks. It is shown that Guselkumab therapy is effective in patients having undergone unsuccessful therapy with other genetically engineered biological preparations. The reviewed comparative studies show a higher therapeutic efficacy of Guselkumab compared to TNF- α blockers, IL-12/23 p40 subunit, IL-17. The incidence of adverse events during therapy using Guselkumab and other biological drugs used in comparative studies was low and comparable. Conclusion. The IL-23 subunit p19 blocker Guselkumab is an effective and safe drug for the treatment of patients with plaque psoriasis of moderate and severe severity.

Социально-психологические предпосылки веры в конспирологические теории происхождения COVID-19 и вовлеченность в сетевые коммуникации

Objective. Search for socio-psychological antecedents for the individual’s belief in conspiracy theories of the origin of the pandemic. Revealing the dynamics of Internet users’ attitudes to the coronavirus pandemic in March-early June 2020. Background. As part of the study of the psychological mechanisms of the impact of the pandemic on the individual and society, an increasingly urgent task is to clarify the socio-psychological prerequisites of belief in conspiracy theories of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the relationship between attitudes towards the pandemic and the involvement of the individual in the use of social media. Study design. The paper presents the results of two online surveys conducted in March-April and May-June 2020 to study the dynamics of Russians’ belief in conspiracy theories of the origin of the COVID-19, taking into account involvement in social media and gender differences. Participants. The first study involved 668 people (78.2% women) aged 17 to 80 years (M=30; SD=12.7); the second survey involved 986 people (56.9% — men) aged 18 to 76 years (M=36.63; SD=10.2). The survey geography covered various regions of Russia. Measurements. The basic tool in both studies was developed by T.A. Nestik questionnaire “Attitude towards the epidemiological threat”. The first study additionally measured the social axioms (SAS), moral foundations (MFQ), belief in the justice of the world and trust in social institutions. The second study additionally measured involvement in social media communications. Results. The 1st study found a connection between conspiracy beliefs and belief in a just world, low self-efficacy, moral foundations of ingroup/loyalty and authority/respect, low institutional trust, and social cynicism. In the 2nd study, it was shown that, compared to March-April, the level of belief of social media users in conspiracy theories of the origin of the pandemic, the severity of distrust in the health care system and skepticism about vaccinations significantly increased; both the fear of infection and the controllability of the threat have become less, but fears of a recurrence of epidemics have increased. It is shown that involvement in social media increases anxiety about the consequences of the coronavirus crisis, which in turn intensifies the search for conspiracy explanations of pandemic. Conclusions. Low social trust and the experience of an uncontrollable threat increase the susceptibility of social media users to belief in conspiracy theories of the origin of the pandemic.

Impact of micro-teaching on teaching practice performance of 2nd year primary education studies (P.E.S.) students in ignatius Ajuru University of education

Impact of micro-teaching on teaching practice performance of 2nd year primary education studies (P.E.S.) students in ignatius Ajuru University of education

SCREENING ANALYSIS OF PSYCHOSOCIAL FUNCTIONING OF PRIMARY PUPILS AT SCHOOL

Currently, research on possible psychological and socio-psychological problems of children and adolescents during the period of their education is becoming increasingly important. Extensive use of short screening tests-questionnaires allows to identify possible deviations in the psychosocial functioning of ordinary children and adolescents, children with somatic diseases, victims of violence. The aim of the study was to increase the effectiveness of determining psychosocial dysfunction in children of primary school age by analyzing the results of a screening study. Using «Pediatric Symptom Checklist» methodology, including child (Y-PSC) and parent (PSC) versions in Ukrainian adaptation, 263 primary schoolchildren and 228 parents were examined by filling out a paper version or an online version. Statistical processing of the data was performed using t-test and one-way analysis of variance in a licensed SPSS Statistic v.20 software suite. With the help of adapted version of the methodology, it was determined that general average level of psychosocial functioning of primary pupils, according to Y-PSC, was exceeding the established norm, particularly during 2nd and 3rd study years; this fact can be the evidence of some stress in mechanisms of psychosocial adaptation during that period. According to the child version, critically high indicators were observed in 12.9% of cases – by attention subscale, in 33.1% – by internalization subscale, in 21.7% – by externalization subscale. According to parent version (PSC), critically high indicators were observed in 18.9% of cases – by attention subscale, in 7.9% – by internalization subscale, and in 32.9% – by externalization subscale. By one-way analysis of variance, it has been established that psychosocial state is affected by sex, grade and method of survey. For example, attention and externalization subscale indicators were higher in online data. In girls, there was a higher level of internalization, while in boys, veraciously – of externalization, according to both parent and child versions. Indicators by attention and externalization subscale have been significantly higher in first-graders, while the level of internalization – in students of 2nd and 3rd grade. Therefore, obtained results can be utilized as groundwork for further study of various age groups of schoolchildren and adolescents. Additionally, dynamic observation of risk group children while employing psychologists, primarily school psychologists, for support, psychological interventions, and psychoeducational programs, can produce certain reasonable activities for overcoming and deactualization of present deviations at a prenosological level.

P660 Arterial hypertension as confounding factor in the echocardiographic assessment of patients with significant aortic stenosis

Abstract Purpose Increased arterial pressure affects the accuracy of clinical conclusions in a number of cardiac pathologies, including valvulopathies. We investigated the influence of increased blood pressure in the assessment of multiple echo variables in patients with significant aortic stenosis of different physiologies. Methods Seventy two patients (33 women, aged 72 ± 12 years old, EF: 56 ± 9%) with significant aortic stenosis [18 (25%) with low flow low gradient (LFLG) and 7 (10%) with paradoxic LFLG (PLFLG) physiology] and arterial systolic pressure ≥140 mmHg on admission, were assessed with a full 2D and Doppler echocardiographic study including non-invasive assessment of pressure recovery and valvuloarterial impedance (z). Echo study was performed on two occasions during their hospitalization, on admission and after normalization of blood pressure. Arterial pressure was controlled by any therapeutic means at the discretion of the referring physician. Significant serial changes between echo variables were assessed by the Student paired t-test. Results Arterial pressure and heart rate were significantly lowered between the two studies (from 152 ± 13 to 116 ± 11 mmHg and 78 ± 7 to 73 ± 5, p&amp;lt; 0,001 respectively). Differences between the echo variables are depicted in the following table. Conclusions Small but significant changes were noticed in several echo parameters after lowering blood pressure in patients with significant aortic stenosis. These patients should always be assessed after normalization of their blood pressure since the degree of stenosis can be erroneously overestimated and affect clinical decision. p &amp;lt; 0,001 Echo variable 1st study 2nd study Stroke vol index (i) (ml/m2) 37,1 ± 9,5 44,1 ± 10* Mean gradient (mmHg) 42 ± 6,2 44 ± 5,8 * Pressure recovery (mmHg) 8,4 ± 2,5 9,5 ± 2,7* Z (mmHg/mL * m2) 5,4 ± 1,5 3,8 ± 1,1* AVAi (cm2/m2) 0,44 ± 0,06 0,49 ± 0,06*

The Effect of Symbol Background Color on the Speed of Locating Targets by Adults Without Disabilities: Implications for Augmentative and Alternative Communication Display Design

Purpose Previous research with children with and without disabilities has demonstrated that visual–perceptual factors can influence the speech of locating a target on an array. Adults without disabilities often facilitate the learning and use of a child's augmentative and alternative communication system. The current research examined how the presence of symbol background color influenced the speed with which adults without disabilities located target line drawings in 2 studies. Method Both studies used a between-subjects design. In the 1st study, 30 adults (ages 18–29 years) located targets in a 16-symbol array. In the 2nd study, 30 adults (ages 18–34 years) located targets in a 60-symbol array. There were 3 conditions in each study: symbol background color, symbol background white with a black border, and symbol background white with a color border. Results In the 1st study, reaction times across groups were not significantly different. In the 2nd study, participants in the symbol background color condition were significantly faster than participants in the other conditions, and participants in the symbol background white with black border were significantly slower than participants in the other conditions. Conclusion Communication partners may benefit from the presence of background color, especially when supporting children using displays with many symbols.

Ny-Ålesund-oriented organic pollutants in sewage effluent and receiving seawater in the Arctic region of Kongsfjorden

Ny-Ålesund, one of four permanent settlements on Spitsbergen in Svalbard, is a research town that includes scientific institutes from many countries. Because of daily-used chemicals (e.g., pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs)) used by residents in the area, generated sewage is considered as a point source in the Kongsfjorden. The aim of the present study was to identify and quantify organic pollutants in the effluent and along the shoreline and offshore via target, suspect, and non-target screening using liquid chromatography–high-resolution mass spectrometry. We tentatively identified 30 compounds using the suspect and non-target screening methods in effluent samples from our first visit to the settlement in 2016. Among these, 3 were false positive, 24 were confirmed, and the 3 remaining compounds were not confirmed because of a lack of reference standards. Of the confirmed, 21 were quantifiable and considered target compounds for the 2nd year study. The quantified compounds in the effluent samples in 2017 totaled 17, including PPCPs, pesticides, perfluorinated compounds, and their metabolites. Some of the compounds, such as caffeine, paraxanthine/theophylline, acetaminophen, cetirizine, diethyl toluamide (DEET), and icaridin, were also detected in the receiving seawater. The concentration range was from 4 to 280,000 ng/L in the effluent and 2–98 ng/L in the seawater. Other 24 compounds were tentatively identified in the second-year effluent samples. Five were further confirmed using reference standards. Prioritization was performed on the 47 substances screened in Ny-Ålesund using the exposure and toxicity index. As the result, the top seven substances of concern present were perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), triphenyl phosphate (TPHP), irbesartan, DEET, acetaminophen, caffeine, and paraxanthine/theophylline. As the effluent was identified as a source of the concerned organic pollutants, an emission reduction strategy should take place for protection of Arctic Fjorden environment.

Detailed Images for Sustainability Development in Cross-Sectional Human Anatomy

Abstract In medical education and preclinical, clinical and transdisciplinary studies, tutors should be able to perform and offer qualitative study courses with more articulated perspective on higher educational sustainable development in higher education. Digital images have found their direct way to education in different medical areas. The aims of the study are to assess and verify the impact of cross-sectional images on the study process of Human Anatomy. In 2018, two randomly selected groups of 200 students from 2nd study year, Faculty of Medicine (Rīga Stradiņš University) were asked by tutors to identify several anatomical structures, using a three-dimensional virtual dissection table “Anatomage”. Group I analyzed cross-sectional images after cutting and segmentation of human body with interactive tools. Group II studied X-ray pictures, computerized tomography scans and magnetic resonance images of different regions and systems. The present paper focuses on the rate of cross-sectional image effectiveness in both groups. Analyzed detailed images represent their role in teaching and learning of Human Anatomy. Interpretation of these medical images will require very deep anatomical knowledge from basic studies until clinical courses.

Language Mapping in Aphasia.

Purpose Recovery from aphasia is thought to depend on neural plasticity, that is, functional reorganization of surviving brain regions such that they take on new or expanded roles in language processing. To make progress in characterizing the nature of this process, we need feasible, reliable, and valid methods for identifying language regions of the brain in individuals with aphasia. This article reviews 3 recent studies from our lab in which we have developed and validated several novel functional magnetic resonance imaging paradigms for language mapping in aphasia. Method In the 1st study, we investigated the reliability and validity of 4 language mapping paradigms in neurologically normal older adults. In the 2nd study, we developed a novel adaptive semantic matching paradigm and assessed its feasibility, reliability, and validity in individuals with and without aphasia. In the 3rd study, we developed and evaluated 2 additional adaptive paradigms-rhyme judgment and syllable counting-for mapping phonological encoding regions. Results We found that the adaptive semantic matching paradigm could be performed by most individuals with aphasia and yielded reliable and valid maps of core perisylvian language regions in each individual participant. The psychometric properties of this paradigm were superior to those of other commonly used paradigms such as narrative comprehension and picture naming. The adaptive rhyme judgment paradigm was capable of identifying fronto-parietal phonological encoding regions in individual participants. Conclusion Adaptive language mapping paradigms offer a promising approach for future research on the neural basis of recovery from aphasia. Presentation Video https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.10257584.