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PubMed1992

A review of the strength properties of dental ceramics.

New ceramic materials for restorative dentistry have been developed and introduced in recent years. This article reviews advantages and disadvantages of dental ceramics, concentrating on strength properties. Included are factors affecting the strength of dental ceramic materials and the most common mechanisms for increasing the strength of dental ceramics. The properties of presently available materials such as dispersion-strengthened ceramics, cast ceramics, and foil-reinforced materials are discussed. Current research efforts to improve the fracture resistance of ceramic restorative materials are reviewed. A description of methods to evaluate the strength of ceramics is included, as a caution concerning the interpretation of strength data reported in the literature.

Ceramics↗
PubMed1989

Adolescent images of adolescence.

This study examines the extent to which a group of Scottish adolescents are influenced by negative images of adolescence present in our culture, and investigates their self-image by means of a Q sort. Forty 15- and 16-year-old school students took part in the study, half of whom were female. Half of the sample were staying on at school to take higher examinations, the other half being school leavers. Eleven factors emerged from the analysis, the first six of which met the criterion that distinguishes common factors. Participants defining common factors were re-interviewed, and their responses to factor interpretations noted. Little evidence was found to suggest that adolescents are influenced by newspaper images. Some descriptions hint at conflict, while others do not. If the results of the present study were to be replicated, a more pluralistic view of adolescence may be required.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1983

Perceived risk and choice of childbirth service.

This paper presents an analysis of the risk perceptions of a sample of pregnant women in a large metropolitan area on the West Coast regarding childbirth and its medical management, and how these perceptions correspond to their choice of childbirth service. The analysis first summarizes recent experimental work in cognitive and social psychology on information processing in decision making and examines its usefulness for the study of women's reproductive strategies in real life contexts. Following this, perceived risks of childbirth and its management are examined in light of the concept of 'bolstering', advanced in Janis and Mann's conflict theory of decision making. The findings, that women discount the risks and magnify the benefits of the chosen birth service, and exaggerate the risks and minimize the advantages of the rejected services, support the concept of bolstering and provide empirical evidence of its explanatory power in interpreting a decision making domain--women's childbirth care decision making--heretofore approached almost exclusively through description.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1975

Interactions between the macromolecule and the gradient-forming solute in isopycnic sedimentation.

Interactions between the macromolecules and the gradient-forming solute in isopycnic sedimentation equilibrium experiments affect the distribution of the macromolecules in a number of ways. A description is given of the effects that may be expected, and some recently reported results are interpreted in the light of these. Suggestions are made for the recognition of such interactions, and for their possible effects, both good and bad, on experimental results.

Centrifugation, Density Gradient↗
PubMed2005

Reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography behavior of chaotropic counteranions.

The retention behavior of inorganic liophilic anions in reversed-phase HPLC columns was studied. Usually, the addition of these ions to the mobile phase influences the retention of protonated basic analytes similar to the effect of amphiphilic ions (ion-pairing agents). The nature of this influence is the subject of this paper. HPLC retention of perchlorate (ClO4-), tetrafluoroborate (BF4-), and hexafluorophosphate (PF6-) ions was studied on six columns with different bonded phases including alkyl, phenyl and perfluorophenyl phases. The effect of the mobile phase ionic strength on the retention of liophilic ions was investigated. The influence of the type of organic modifier, acetonitrile and methanol, on the retention of inorganic ions was also studied and interpreted on the basis of adsorption from solutions. Semi-empirical expression is suggested for the description of the retention profile of studied liophilic ions versus the eluent composition. Significant retention of these ions is observed in acetonitrile-water eluents. Multilayer-type adsorption of the acetonitrile on the reversed-phase surface and its strong dispersive (or pi-pi) interactions with liophilic ions are responsible for significant retention of these ions. This accumulation of liophilic ions in the adsorbed layer on the surface of reversed-phase material introduces an electrostatic component in the retention of protonated basic analytes.

Adsorption↗
PubMed2004

Adolescents in mid-sized and rural communities: foregone care, perceived barriers, and risk factors.

PURPOSE: To investigate the perceived health care needs, foregone care, barriers to care, and associated risk factors in a non-urban population of adolescents. METHODS: Tenth-grade students attending school and 15-17-year-old youth not attending school in a Midwestern county were surveyed or interviewed. Eighty-six percent provided usable data (n = 1948, 134 of whom were not in school). Nine focus groups (71 participants; 28 were not in school) were conducted in follow-up. Quantitative analysis included descriptive statistics, factor analysis, and logistic regression. Qualitative analysis of taped focus groups identified themes and interpreted findings. RESULTS: Although 91% had seen a physician in the past 2 years, 44% reported foregoing needed care in the last year. Barriers for specific health needs were: cost of care and lack of insurance coverage for injuries and illnesses; lack of knowledge, distrust, and stigma for depression; embarrassment and transportation for birth control and sexually transmitted infections (STIs); and not knowing where or how to access care for drug and alcohol use. Youth most likely to have foregone care included those involved with dangerous activities under peer pressure (1.8, CI: 1.44-2.13), sexual intercourse (1.4, CI: 1.25-1.67), marijuana use (1.4, CI: 1.17-1.67), anticipating parenthood before age 20 years (1.2, CI: 1.04-1.33), male gender (2.5, CI: 1.89-2.86) and perceiving good health (1.7, CI: 1.45-1.85). CONCLUSIONS: Nearly half of this non-urban population (both in and out of school) reported foregoing needed care in the last year. The barriers to care include lack of information, lack of access, poor insurance coverage, parenting issues, and concern about confidentiality.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

Independent component analysis of neural populations from multielectrode field potential measurements.

Independent component analysis (ICA) is proposed for analysis of neural population activity from multichannel electrophysiological field potential measurements. The proposed analysis method provides information on spatial extents of active neural populations, locations of the populations with respect to each other, population evolution, including merging and splitting of populations in time, and on time lag differences between the populations. In some cases, results of the proposed analysis may also be interpreted as independent information flows carried by neurons and neural populations. In this paper, a detailed description of the analysis method is given. The proposed analysis is demonstrated with an illustrative simulation, and with an exemplary analysis of an in vivo multichannel recording from rat hippocampus. The proposed method can be applied in analysis of any recordings of neural networks in which contributions from a number of neural populations or information flows are simultaneously recorded via a number of measurement points, as well in vivo as in vitro.

Algorithms↗
PubMed2004

Spatial heterogeneity and the persistence of infectious diseases.

The endemic persistence of infectious diseases can often not be understood without taking into account the relevant heterogeneities of host mixing. Here, we consider spatial heterogeneity, defined as 'patchiness' of the host population. After briefly reviewing how disease persistence is influenced by population size, reproduction number and infectious period, we explore its dependence on the level of spatial heterogeneity. Analysis and simulation of disease transmission in a symmetric meta-population suggest that disease persistence typically becomes worse as spatial heterogeneity increases, although local persistence optima can occur for infections with oscillatory population dynamics. We obtain insight into the dynamics that underlie the observed persistence patterns by studying the infection prevalence correlation between patches and by comparing full-model simulations to results obtained using simplified patch-level descriptions of the interplay between local extinctions and between-patch transmissions. The observed patterns are interpreted in terms of rescue effects for strong spatial heterogeneity and in terms of between-patch coherence and synchronization effects at intermediate and weak levels of heterogeneity.

Communicable Diseases↗
PubMed1999

Carbonaceous grain processing in space and in the laboratory.

Laboratory simulations of carbonaceous grain processing which occurs in space are fundamental to outline an evolutionary pathway for these particles. We consider the UV spectral changes induced in hydrogenated carbon grains by thermal annealing, UV irradiation and ion bombardment. The results give the opportunity to interpret observations in different space environments. In particular, modelling of the optical properties, based on a description of the electronic structure of carbons, indicates small hydrogenated amorphous carbon grains, with different degrees of UV irradiation, as the carrier of the ubiquitous UV interstellar extinction bump.

Carbon↗
PubMed2000

Simple pain rating scales hide complex idiosyncratic meanings.

Assumptions of reliability and consistency of self-report of pain by patients using visual analogue scales (VAS) and numerical rating scales (NRS) are based on narrow considerations of possible sources of error. This study examined patients' use of VASs and NRSs, by their own description, with particular attention to rating of multiple pains, of different dimensions of pain, and of interpretation and use of lower and upper endpoints and increments on the scales. These have implications for the approximation of the scales to psychometric requirements. An interview developed from a small pilot project was given to 78 volunteer chronic pain patients embarking on a pain management course, and consisted of both forced choice questions and free response. Data are described with reference to lack of concordance between patients and of consistency within patients; responses suggested that ratings incorporate multiple partially differentiated dimensions of pain, with particular importance placed on function or mobility. Labels assigned to scale endpoints by researchers, whether lexical or numerical, appeared to affect their use; however, covert relabelling of scale points was revealed in free response. The action of arriving at a rating is better conceptualised as an attempt to construct meaning, influenced by and with reference to a range of internal and external factors and private meanings, rather than as a task of matching a distance or number to a discrete internal stimulus.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Encoding variability and age-related retrieval failures.

The hypothesis that an age-related decrease in consistency of processing may contribute to age-related deficits in episodic remembering was examined in 2 experiments. Older and younger adults generated properties to a series of target words on 2 occasions. Encoding variability was determined by calculating the degree of intra- and intersubject overlap of properties generated on both occasions. Experiment 1 showed that older adults' interpretations varied more than those of younger adults. Furthermore, older adults were less idiosyncratic in their descriptions than were younger adults. Experiment 2 replicated this pattern of results and showed that the observed age-related decrease in consistency of processing was associated with age-related retrieval failures. An age-related decrease in distinctiveness of encoding was proposed as a factor underlying age differences in consistency that, in turn, is assumed to contribute to age-related deficits in episodic remembering.

Adult↗
PubMed1977

An extension of a familiar index of observer agreement.

A popular index of observer agreement is a/(a + d) in which a and d represent the number of agreements and disagreements. This article provides a rationale for the extension of the index to the multiple-observer case, a comparison with another frequently used index, a description of situations for which the index is appropriate, and an analysis of factors related to interpreting the magnitude of the index.

Attention↗
PubMed2000

[Aspects and convergences in the evolutionary theory of biological selection and the development of psychosomatic theory].

Psychotherapeutic theories have a lamarcistic trait in interpreting psychogeneous symptoms and signs. In the theory of Ch. Darwin the mechanism of selection plays an important role to interpret evolutionary processes. According to the psychotherapeutic process early infant relation-ships, the relation between description and structure, the six components of the affect and the convergence between non-verbal interaction and motivation are important.

Biological Evolution↗
PubMed2003

[Avellis' syndrome in brainstem infarctions].

In 1891 Georg Avellis described a so-called "laryngeal hemiplegia" that can be caused by peripheral lesions of the vagal and glossopharyngeal nerves and rarely by infarctions of the medulla oblongata, thus representing a classical brainstem syndrome. In this study we describe two patients with an Avellis' syndrome caused by brainstem ischemia. Contemporary publications about Avellis' syndrome in brainstem lesions seem to be very inhomogenous. They report various diseases with unilateral laryngeal palsy due to nucleus ambiguus lesions with diverse additional neurological symptoms. We conclude that according to Avellis' original description only the combination of ipsilateral palatolaryngeal paresis and contralateral hemiparesis and/or hemihypesthesia should to be interpreted as Avellis' syndrome.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

The effect of date of cut and barley substitution on gain and on the efficiency of utilization of grass silage by growing cattle. 2. Nutrient supply and energy partition.

1. The effect of harvesting date of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) on the nutritive value of the resultant silage and the effect of substitution of late-cut silage with barley was examined in growing cattle. The diets comprised early-cut (H) and late-cut (L) silage offered alone or with 280 (LC1) or 560 (LC2) g rolled barley/kg total dry matter (DM) substituted for late-cut silage. 2. Both silages were prepared with the addition of formic acid (850 milligram; 2.4 litres/t fresh weight) to a partially wilted crop, and were judged to be well fermented (pH 3.9, 3.8) with lactic acid contents of 108 and 73 g/kg DM, total nitrogen contents of 24.6 and 18.4 g/kg DM and ammonia-N contents of 121 and 124 g/kg total N (values for early- and late-cut silages respectively). 3. Two experiments were conducted to measure duodenal non-NH3-N (NAN) supply in relation to N intake on the four diets (feeding level 18 g DM/kg live weight (LW] and to examine the partition of the metabolizable energy (ME) supply from the four diets using open-circuit indirect calorimetry (three feeding levels, 14, 17 and 20 g DM/kg LW). The experiments were undertaken with eight and nine Friesian male castrates respectively with a mean starting weight of 300 kg and age 12 months. The animals used in Expt 1 had been previously fitted with cannulas into the dorsal rumen and the proximal duodenum. 4. NAN supply was significantly higher on diet H than all other diets which were similar irrespective of the level of barley inclusion. Mean ME contents (MJ/kg DM) of the two silages differed markedly (H 11.9, L 9.7) and barley addition (LC1 and LC2) restored values to 10.7 and 11.1 MJ/kg DM respectively. Estimated NAN absorption in relation to energy supply was significantly higher for diet H (1.47 g/MJ ME) than for all other diets (mean 1.25 g/MJ ME). 5. Partition of ME supply using conventional linear analysis indicated dietary differences with respect to estimated ME for maintenance (L greater than H, LC1 and LC2) and efficiency of utilization of ME supplied above maintenance (L greater than H, LC1 and LC2), but difficulties in biological interpretation of these findings led to the use of exponential curve analysis. This provided an improved description of the findings, and whilst dietary differences were apparent, none were statistically significant. It was concluded that a single exponential equation could be used satisfactorily to describe all values.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Animal Feed↗
PubMed1982

Survey of current functions of a music therapist.

Active music therapists (n = 466) responded to a national survey concerning the role and functions of a music therapist. The survey included demographic information and task inventory in four areas: (a) indirect service and program preparation or planning, (b) evaluation, (c) intervention programs, and (d) adaptive equipment and material. The purpose of the survey was to identify the roles, functions, and competencies performed by music therapy personnel; responses should not be interpreted as tasks that should be practiced. Each of the 157 survey items was analyzed via descriptive statistics, a two-way frequency analysis, and factor analysis. This repeated for the total group (n = 466) and for groups sorted by employment categories. Further analysis of each item investigated response differences between male and female music therapists and individuals whose age was over 35 or under 35. Data analyzed by group, age, and sex characteristics will be presented in subsequent reports.

Adult↗