Investigation Of Possible Differences Research Articles

Availability of health-promoting interventions in high schools in Quebec, Canada, by school deprivation level.

School-based health-promoting interventions (HPIs) foster adolescent health and well-being. Access to HPIs may differ by the socioeconomic advantage of students at each school (school deprivation). We assessed the importance of health issues and availability of HPIs and extracurricular activities by school deprivation in high schools in Quebec, Canada. In 2016/17, 2017/18 and 2018/19, we interviewed school principals or a designee in 48 public high schools classified as disadvantaged (33%) or advantaged (67%). Schools rated whether 13 common health-related issues were important (i.e. warranted intervention) in their student population and reported whether HPIs to address these or other health issues and/or sports or special interest extracurricular activities had been available in the past year. 84% of disadvantaged schools offered one or more HPIs in the past year compared to 73% of advantaged schools. Higher proportions of disadvantaged schools perceived most of 13 health-related issues as important. HPIs for bullying/exclusion, sex education and physical activity (issues subject to government mandates) were available in most schools. Higher proportions of disadvantaged schools offered non-mandated HPIs (i.e. for healthy eating, mental health/well-being and substance use). Higher proportions of advantaged schools offered extracurricular activities in all areas other than non-competitive sports, which was offered by equal proportions of advantaged and disadvantaged schools. Government mandates appear to facilitate universal availability of HPIs in schools, possibly boosting equity in school-based health promotion. Further investigation of possible differences in the content, implementation and/or effects of HPIs based on school deprivation is warranted.

Comparison of the Results of Prenatal and Postnatal Echocardiography and Postnatal Cardiac MRI in Children with a Congenital Heart Defect.

In fetuses with suspicion of congenital heart disease (CHD), assessment by segmental fetal echocardiography is of great importance. This study sought to examine the concordance of expert fetal echocardiography and postnatal MRI of the heart at a high-volume paediatric heart centre. The data of two hundred forty-two fetuses have been gathered under the condition of full pre- and postnatal and the presence of a pre- and postnatal diagnosis of CHD. The haemodynamically leading diagnosis was determined for each test person and was then sorted into diagnostic groups. The diagnoses and diagnostic groups were used for the comparison of diagnostic accuracy in fetal echocardiography. All comparisons between the diagnostic methods for detection of congenital heart disease showed an "almost perfect" (Cohen's Kappa > 0.9) strength of agreement for the diagnostic groups. The diagnosis made by prenatal echocardiography showed a sensitivity of 90-100%, a specificity and a negative predictive value of 97-100%, and a positive predictive value of 85-100%. The diagnostic congruence resulted in an "almost perfect" strength of agreement for all evaluated diagnoses (transposition of great arteries, double outlet right ventricle, hypoplastic left heart, tetralogy of Fallot, atrioventricular septal defect). An agreement of Cohen's Kappa > 0.9 was achieved for all groups, with exception of the diagnosis of double outlet right ventricle (0.8) in prenatal echocardiography compared to postnatal echocardiography. This study came to the result of a sensitivity of 88-100%, a specificity and negative predictive value of 97-100%, and a positive predictive value of 84-100%. The performance of cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as an additional measure to echocardiography had an added value in the description of the malposition of the great arteries when diagnosed with double outlet right ventricle and in the detailed description of the anatomy of the lung circulation. Prenatal echocardiography could be shown to be a reliable method for detection of congenital heart disease when regarding the slightly lower accuracy of diagnosis for double outlet right ventricle and right heart anomalies. Furthermore, the impact of examiner experience and the consideration of follow-up examinations for further improvement of diagnosis accuracy may not be underestimated. The main advantage of an additional MRI is the possibility to obtain a detailed anatomic description of the blood vessels of the lung and the outflow tract. The conduction of further studies that include false-negative and false-positive cases, and studies that are not set within the high-risk-group, as well as studies in a less specialized setting, would allow the completion and investigation of possible differences and discrepancies when comparing the results that have been obtained in this study.

The Prognostic Value of White-Matter Selective Double Inversion Recovery MRI Sequence in Multiple Sclerosis: An Exploratory Study.

Using a white-matter selective double inversion recovery sequence (WM-DIR) that suppresses both grey matter (GM) and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) signals, some white matter (WM) lesions appear surrounded by a dark rim. These dark rim lesions (DRLs) seem to be specific for multiple sclerosis (MS). They could be of great usefulness in clinical practice, proving to increase the MRI diagnostic criteria specificity. The aims of this study are the identification of DRLs on 1.5 T MRI, the exploration of the relationship between DRLs and disease course, the characterization of DRLs with respect to perilesional normal-appearing WM using magnetization transfer imaging, and the investigation of possible differences in the underlying tissue properties by assessing WM-DIR images obtained at 3.0 T MRI. DRLs are frequent in primary progressive MS (PPMS) patients. Amongst relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) patients, DRLs are associated with a high risk of the disease worsening and secondary progressive MS (SPMS) conversion after 15 years. The mean magnetization transfer ratio (MTR) of DRLs is significantly different from the lesion without the dark rim, suggesting that DRLs correspond to more destructive lesions.

Site amplification within the Mississippi embayment of the central United States: Investigation of possible differences among various phases of seismic waves and presence of basin waves

The impact of unconsolidated sedimentary basins on ground motion amplification is of particular interest for earthquake engineers and seismologists. The Mississippi embayment (ME) of the New Madrid seismic zone, located in the central United States, is covered with a thick layer of unconsolidated soil deposits. Thus, the estimation of site response in this region is vital to simulate site-specific ground motions and to conduct site-specific probabilistic seismic hazard analysis. We evaluated site amplification at 11 stations within the ME, employing the horizontal-to-vertical spectral ratio (HVSR) technique.Regarding the results obtained from this study, weak ground motions recorded by stations on the unconsolidated ME sediments are amplified 3–7 times for frequencies less than 5 Hz compared to stations located on bedrock. The fundamental resonant frequencies vary from 0.2 to 0.4 Hz within the ME. We investigated differences between the HVSRs obtained from P-waves, S-waves, coda, and pre-event noise. All fundamental frequencies obtained from different seismic phases are in good agreement with a less than 10% difference. The fundamental frequencies of the P-wave and S-wave are relatively higher due to higher velocity of the P-wave and S-wave compared to other phases since the velocity of seismic waves and fundamental frequencies are proportional. There is a good correlation between the HVSR of the S-wave, coda, and pre-event noise portions for frequencies more than 4 Hz. For the frequencies less than 4 Hz, the HVSR of the S-wave is higher than the HVSR of coda by a factor of 3. Reflections of S-waves from the edges of the unconsolidated sedimentary basin of the ME produce surface waves. The presence of basin-induced surface waves in the coda portion for frequencies less than 3 Hz results in increased amplitude of coda, and as a result, slower decay rate with time implying higher Q values. These basin-induced surface waves have a period of 0.5–4.0 s.

Left-Turn Gap Acceptance Behavior of Elderly Drivers at Unsignalized Intersections

This article describes an investigation of possible differences in elderly drivers’ gap acceptance behavior from other drivers when making left turns across oncoming traffic at unsignalized intersections. Elderly and other drivers were observed turning left at two unsignalized intersections with different speed limits of major roads. Statistical analyses were used to identify whether older drivers choose different gaps for left turns. Results indicated that drivers older than age 70 were different from drivers younger than age 35 and drivers age 55 to 69 in gap selection and female drivers different from male drivers. Finally, traffic simulations were run in VISSIM to determine how age differences in gap acceptance impact traffic operations. Results showed significant differences in the delay time, the number of stops per vehicle, and the total delay time of the network for drivers older than age 70 and other drivers under the same traffic conditions.

Comparing Mycobacterium massiliense and Mycobacterium abscessus lung infections in cystic fibrosis patients

BackgroundMycobacterium massiliense is closely related to Mycobacterium abscessus and is also a frequent cause of mycobacterial lung disease in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). There has been no previous investigation of possible differences between M. massiliense and M. abscessus infections in the setting of CF. MethodsWe studied a prospective cohort of 16 M. massiliense and 27 M. abscessus lung infection cases with CF, with a mean follow-up of 6years. ResultsM. massiliense cases were younger than M. abscessus cases (mean age: 12.8 vs 17.1years; p=0.02) at the time of the first mycobacterial isolation and also had lower body mass index values (mean: 16.4 vs 19.3kg/m2, p=0.002). All M. massiliense cases, except one, had negative BMI Z-score values at the time of the first mycobacterial isolation (11/12 vs 16/23 M. abscessus cases, p=0.04). Clarithromycin-based combination therapies led to mycobacterial eradication in 100% of M. massiliense cases but only in 27% of M. abscessus cases (p=0.009). ConclusionOur data show a particular link between M. massiliense and malnutrition specifically in CF patients. Unlike M. abscessus, the bacteriological response of M. massiliense to combination antibiotic therapies containing clarithromycin was excellent. Distinguishing between M. massiliense and M. abscessus has major clinical implications for CF patients.

Relationship dimensions of the ‘Down syndrome advantage’

Some researchers have proposed an 'advantage' for parents of children with Down syndrome over parents of children with other intellectual disabilities, especially in relation to experiencing less parenting stress. Others have maintained that these differences are an artefact of demographic and related differences. This study extends the investigation of possible differences in dimensions of parenting stress and also examines whether differences exist in maternal and child contingent responsiveness during mother-child interaction in these two groups. Mothers of children with Down syndrome (n = 43) and undifferentiated developmental disabilities (n = 54) completed measures of children's adaptive functioning and behaviour problems, parenting stress and maternal social support. Observers rated the contingent interactions between mothers and children using the Nursing Child Assessment Teaching Scale. Once mother's age, education and social support as well as child adaptive functioning and behaviour problems were considered, neither parent nor child related parenting stress demonstrated an advantage for parents of children with Down syndrome. However, a 'Down syndrome advantage' was apparent for both maternal and child contingent responsiveness after accounting for maternal demographic and contextual variables and child attributes. Children with Down syndrome and their mothers have more positive interactions than children with other developmental disabilities, both in terms of the responsiveness of mothers and of child responses contingent on maternal behaviour. These findings suggest that both children with Down syndrome themselves and their mothers are contributing to a Down syndrome advantage.

Lethal Intimate Partner Violence: An Interactional Perspective on Women’s Perceptions of Lethal Incidents

Intimate partner homicide (IPH) is the only lethal violence in which women are the principal victims. This research reports on an investigation of possible differences between dynamics of lethal and nonlethal intimate partner violence (IPV). A representative sample of 157 help-seeking female victims of IPV in Norway was interviewed. Results from multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that women who perceived they had been subjected to lethal IPV were different from those who had not perceived the IPV as lethal concerning interactional dimensions of IPV and in their help-seeking responses. There was no difference related to sociodemographic factors. Because some IPV help-seeking women may be at a heightened risk for lethal violence, it is imperative that their efforts to seek assistance are responded to with care and structured risk assessment.

Characterization, quantification and stability of differently prepared amorphous forms of some oral hypoglycaemic agents

The study deals with the investigation of possible differences induced in the physicochemical properties within the amorphous forms prepared by different methods. Enthalpy of solution measured by solution calorimetry was utilized to highlight the differences prevailing within the amorphous forms and to determine the percentage of amorphous content. Emphasis is laid on the quantification and physical stability of these forms. Amorphization was induced in poorly water-soluble oral hypoglycaemic agents (repaglinide, gliclazide and glipizide), by quench cooling, vaporization under reduced pressure and lyophilization. The amorphous nature was evident from a halo pattern in powder X-ray diffraction. A glass transition event is evident in differential scanning calorimetry thermograms of the amorphous forms of the three drugs. As expected, the amorphous forms show improvement in solubility and dissolution profiles. On subjecting these amorphous forms to different relative humidities at 25°C for three months and subsequent analysis showed that amorphous form of repaglinide prepared by quench cooling is most stable and has the potential to be formulated without any additive while amorphous form of gliclazide tends to devitrify pointing towards its unstable nature.

Measurement of time averaged power in HITU fields—effects of duty cycle and target distance

The reliable description of the ultrasonic fields of high-intensity therapeutic ultrasound (HITU) devices is a prerequisite concerning the safe application of the method in the daily clinical routine. Since ultrasonic sensors used for the characterization of diagnostic fields are at high risk of being damaged in the strong therapeutic fields, the measurements are carried out in burst mode to reduce the acting temporal-average intensities. For the thorough investigation of possible differences between the excitation in continuous wave (cw) and burst mode, the temporal-average total acoustic output powers of two types of HITU transducers with f-numbers of approximately 1 and with working frequencies between 1.1 MHz and 3.3 MHz were investigated by means of a radiation force balance. The maximum cw equivalent power level was 300 W; the duty cycles varied between 1% and 90%. In addition, the possible effect of the transducer–target distance was investigated. It was found that the different turn-on and turn-off behaviour of the transducers caused variations of the effective duty cycle, depending on the power level and the power amplifier used. The temporal-average power declined with increasing distance as expected, and no focal anomaly was detected.

Concentrate-related inhibitor risk: is a difference always real?

See also Aledort LM, Navickis RJ, Wilkes MM. Can B-domain deletion alter the immunogenicity of recombinant factor VIII? A meta-analysis of prospective clinical studies. This issue, pp 2180–92.

Exploring the metal phytoremediation potential of three Populus alba L. clones using an in vitro screening

This work was planned for providing a useful screening tool for the selection of Populus alba clones suitable for phytoremediation techniques. To this aim, we investigated variation in arsenic, cadmium, copper, and zinc tolerance, accumulation and translocation in three poplar clones through an in vitro screening. Poplars have been widely proposed for phytoremediation, as they are adaptable to grow on contaminated areas and able to accumulate metals. The investigation of possible differences among poplar clones in metal tolerance and accumulation deserves to be deeply studied and exploited for the selection of the more suitable tool for phytoremediation purposes. In vitro multiplied microshoots of a commercial and two autochthonous P. alba clones were subcultured on hormone-free WPM medium for 1month and then transferred for 2weeks onto media containing different concentrations of the metals investigated. At the end of the treatments, plantlets were sampled, weighed, and mineralised by wet ashing. Metal concentrations were determined by ICP-OES. For the metal concentration used in the experiments, our clones of P. alba showed variation in metal tolerance, metal accumulation and content. The fast-growing commercial clone, even if rarely showing the highest plant metal concentration, displayed the highest metal content, suggesting biomass production as the key factor in evaluating the phytoextraction capacity of P. alba clones for the metals studied. Data demonstrated that in vitro screening of cuttings represents a valuable way of assessing the ability of different poplar clones to take up, tolerate and survive metal stress.

Chemical abundances of 451 stars from the HARPS GTO planet search program

We present a uniform study of the chemical abundances of 12 elements (Si, Ca, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Na, Mg, and Al) derived from the spectra of 451 stars observed as part of one of the HARPS GTO planet search programs. Sixty eight of these are planet-bearing stars. The main goals of our work are: i) the investigation of possible differences between the abundances of stars with and without planets; ii) the study of the possible differences in the abundances of stars in the thin and the thick disc. We confirm that there is a systematically higher metallicity in planet host stars, when compared to non planet-hosts, common to all studied species. We also found that there is no difference in the galactic chemical evolution trends of the stars with and without planets. Stars that harbour planetary companions simply appear to be in the high metallicity tail of the distribution. We also confirm that Neptunian and super-Earth class planets may be easier to find at lower metallicities. A statistically significative abundance difference between stars of the thin and the thick disc was found for [Fe/H] < 0. However, the populations from the thick and the thin disc cannot be clearly separated.

Observed and predicted silicosis risks in heavy clay workers

There is increasing pressure to tighten the regulation of workers' exposures to airborne silica, which can lead to severe and in some cases rapid development of disease. However, estimated risks from respirable silica vary greatly across industries. To clarify differences in risks between workers in the heavy clay and coal industries with documented exposures to respirable silica, in order to assist decisions on whether further investigation of possible differences might be justified. We applied a published equation for radiological risks from exposure to respirable silica, from a study of Scottish coalworkers (with unusually high exposures) to exposure estimates from an epidemiological study of heavy clay workers, by the same research team and using similar methods. The equation based on coalworkers' risks predicted in the heavy clay workers 31 cases of abnormalities at grade 2/1+ on the International Labour Organization scale, greatly in excess of the eight cases observed. Statistical variation is an implausible explanation (P < 0.0001). While there were some methodological differences between the studies, the disparity in risks provides some support for the case for further investigation of possible differences.

A Comparison of the Blood Constituents of Dwarf Versus Non-Dwarf Birds

INTRODUCTIONDIFFERENCES in body size, metabolic activity, feed intake, level of egg production and rate of thyroxine secretion have been the major physiological parameters used to differentiate the influence of the recessive sex-linked dwarf from the non-dwarf gene of the White Leghorn breed (Huston et al., 1962; Bernier and Arscott, 1966; Arscott and Bernier, 1968; and Rajaratnam et al., 1969). Little is known about the hematology of these birds as an adjunct to the differences in metabolic activity and production. An investigation of possible differences in hemoglobin and hematocrit concentrations as well as other blood parameters between the dwarf and non-dwarf could further add to an appreciation of the physiological nature of the two strains of birds.The present study was therefore conducted to determine some blood constituents of the non-dwarf and dwarf strains of birds within the White Leghorn (W.L.) and White Rock (W.R.) breeds raised under similar conditions…

AUXIN METABOLISM IN NORMAL AND CROWN GALL TISSUE OF SUNFLOWER

IT HAS BEEN established by the work of many investigators with many different species of plants that callus tissue of stems or roots may be cultured as isolated tissue in vitro provided that indoleacetic acid (IAA) or its equivalent is supplied as a growth factor in addition to the sugar and mineral salts of the basal nutrient medium. Plant tumor tissues on the contrary may in general be grown indefinitely in vitro without the provision of any exogenous supply of IAA. This difference in growth factor requirement for the in vitro growth of callus and tumor tissue has been demonstrated with particular clarity by the work of deRopp (1947) with sunflower and by that of Gautheret (1947a,b) with Jerusalem artichoke and Scorzonera. It seems logical to suspect, and it has in fact been suggested by deRopp and by Gautheret, that IAA may be required for the growth of both callus and tumor tissue but that tumor tissue, unlike callus tissue of the normal stem or root from which it is derived, may itself be able to synthesize adequate amounts of the growth factor. Examination of this possibility constitutes the subject matter of the present paper. Indoleacetic acid has been shown to be synthesized in plant tissues by an enzyme system which converts tryptophan to IAA (Wildman et al., 1947; Wildman and Bonner, 1948; Wildman and Muir, 1949; Gordon and Sanchez-Nieva, 1949). Investigation of differences in auxin-producing abilitv of callus and tumor tissues may therefore be extended to an investigation of possible differences in activity of this auxin-producing enzyme system. The present work is concerned, therefore, not only with differences in auxin production of tumor and normal tissue, but also with analysis of the problem in terms of the components of the system for the enzymatic production of auxin. MATERIALS AND METHODS.-Plant tissue.-The plant tissues used in these investigations were all derived from the sunflower, Helianthus annuus var. Giant Russian. The crown gall tumor tissue used was principally deRopp's (1947) primary strain P-III.3 A second primary strain, P-V, closely resembling P-III in appearance and behavior was isolated during the course of the work and was used