Threat Frequency and Contingency in a Threat-Vulnerable Game

The primary purpose of the present study was to determine the effects of threat frequency and contingency on game-playing behaviour in a threat-vulnerable game. A second purpose was to determine the stability of these effects when strategies were alerted during the final 75 trials of the game. Threat was operationally defined as the use of a particular choice in a threat-vulnerable game. One hundred students enrolled in undergraduate courses at Wilfrid Laurier University played in one of nine programmed strategy conditions: all possible pairwise orderings of a passive, demanding contingent, and a demanding noncontingent strategy. The latter two strategies were yoked to one another and therefore different only with respect to the contingency of threat. The passive strategy different from the two demanding strategies in that the programmed opponent never used the available threat. Results indicated that both threat frequency and threat contingency had significant effects on the Column player’s behaviour. However, the effects of contingency were observed earlier in the interaction sequence. In addition, delayed strategy effects were only obtained for the contingency variable. Postexperimental questionnaire data revealed that, contrary to previous reports, attributions of incompetence and foolishness were not necessary conditions for an exploiter to take advantage of a passive opponent

The Alliance for Cellular Signaling Plasmid Collection: A Flexible Resource for Protein Localization Studies and Signaling Pathway Analysis

Cellular responses to inputs that vary both temporally and spatially are determined by complex relationships between the components of cell signaling networks. Analysis of these relationships requires access to a wide range of experimental reagents and techniques, including the ability to express the protein components of the model cells in a variety of contexts. As part of the Alliance for Cellular Signaling, we developed a robust method for cloning large numbers of signaling ORFs into Gateway® entry vectors, and we created a wide range of compatible expression platforms for proteomics applications. To date, we have generated over 3000 plasmids that are available to the scientific community via the American Type Culture Collection. We have established a website at www.signaling-gateway.org/data/plasmid/ that allows users to browse, search, and blast Alliance for Cellular Signaling plasmids. The collection primarily contains murine signaling ORFs with an emphasis on kinases and G protein signaling genes. Here we describe the cloning, databasing, and application of this proteomics resource for large scale subcellular localization screens in mammalian cell lines

Juveniles’ Knowledge of the Court Process: Results from Instruction from an Electronic Source

Our study first determined what juveniles know about the juvenile court process. Second, it evaluated a DVD designed to be a systematic and simple way to improve this knowledge. A pre- and post-test design was used with two pilot samples and two samples from the population of interest. A sample from a juvenile detention center (n = 118) was the focus of this study. Initial knowledge of the court process was quite low for the detention sample (pretest M = 64.0%, SD = 14.2%). All samples experienced a significant improvement of knowledge after watching the DVD. Youth in the detention sample had a mean improvement from pretest to posttest of 6.4% (SD = 11.9%), with mean scores at posttest being 70.3% (SD = 17.4%). Respondents varied in their performance on different question topics, scoring the lowest on questions related to what happens at juvenile court hearings. The social and demographic variables of age, race, gender, grades in school, number of previous arrests, and the number of times the respondent had been to court were evaluated through regression analysis. Age and race were found to be significantly related to pretest scores, and race was significantly related to improvement scores

Metformin does not prevent glucose intolerance but improves renal function and reduces oxidative stress in type 1 diabetes.

Master of Science in Pharmaceutical Sciences. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 2016.Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is a chronic condition caused by the complete destruction of insulin producing pancreatic β-cells. Increased oxidative stress and impaired antioxidant capacity are associated with the development of diabetic complications such as diabetic nephropathy. Metformin, a drug commonly used in the treatment of type 2 diabetes, has been suggested to have antioxidant capacity. We hypothesise that metformin, when used as an adjunct to insulin in T1D may help prevent the development of diabetic nephropathy by decreasing oxidative stress. Sprague-Dawley rats (230-250g) were divided into 5 groups, (Group A: untreated controls, B: diabetic control, C: T1D + insulin (4U/kg twice daily), D: T1D + metformin (250mg/kg via oral gavage), E: T1D + metformin + insulin). Diabetes was induced in groups B-E by intraperitoneal streptozotocin injection at a dose of 65mg/kg body weight and diabetes was confirmed 48 hours later. Glucose tolerance test, serum and urinary electrolytes (K+,Cl- ,Na+), creatinine, urea, superoxide dismutase activity, glutathione concentration and malondialdehyde concentration were analysed. Metformin alone did not improve glucose intolerance. Both the diabetic control group as well as the group treated with metformin alone experienced hyperglycemia, polydipsia, polyuria, weight loss and impaired glucose tolerance. However, when metformin was added to insulin there was a significant increase in electrolyte excretion and also greatly improved creatinine clearance when compared to the diabetic control group. Metformin with insulin further reduced superoxide dismutase activity compared to the diabetic control, increased glutathione concentration as well as reduced malondialdehyde concentrations in both plasma and renal tissue. In conclusion, metformin has positive additive effects on oxidative stress and renal function when used as an adjunct therapy to insulin for T1D

Knowledge, attitudes and perceptions of pharmacy and nursing students towards male circumcision and HIV in a KwaZulu-Natal University, South Africa.

Background: Male circumcision is currently being promoted in South Africa as a Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) prevention method. Effective implementation requires that healthcare providers should believe in the procedure’s efficacy and should possess a positive attitude. A study was undertaken amongst pharmacy and nursing students with different objectives. Objectives: To ascertain students’ knowledge, attitudes and perceptions regarding male circumcision and (HIV) prevention. Method: A descriptive cross-sectional study using anonymous questionnaires was undertaken amongst 4th year pharmacy and nursing students studying at a university in KwaZulu-Natal, after obtaining their consent. Data were captured and analysed using SPSS version 15. Results: A response rate of 83.18% and a mean knowledge score of 66.43% with relatively positive attitudes (62.7) were obtained; 85.4% of the respondents felt that promoting male circumcision is appropriate, with all Muslim students (n < 11) supporting the promotion of male circumcision. Even though all Muslim students supported male circumcision, only 3 students were willing to perform the procedure if adequately trained (p < 0.03). The majority of the female students were unwilling to perform the procedure (p < 0.005). A third of the respondents indicated that male circumcision would both undermine existing protective behaviours and strategies as well as increase riskier sexual behaviour. Over 54% of the respondents believed that the South African Health System would be able to cope with the massive male circumcision drive. The majority of the respondents favoured the procedure to be done at birth. Pain was cited as the most important reason for not wanting to be circumcised. Conclusion: Pharmacy and nursing students have a moderate knowledge of male circumcision and HIV prevention with relatively positive attitudes. The majority felt that promoting male circumcision is appropriate and should be encouraged

Are Luminous cD Haloes Formed by the Disruption of Dwarf Galaxies?

From a total sample of 45 Abell clusters observed by the Einstein X-ray observatory, we present the results on the galaxy luminosity function (LF) for a group of seven clusters that were identified by the morphology of their LFs. The LFs were derived using photometric data to a completeness limit ~5.5 magnitudes below M*. We found that a single Schechter function with an average $\alpha \approx -1.0$ gives a good fit to these individual LFs within the magnitude range. These seven clusters have common properties, which indicate they form a homogeneous class of dynamically evolved clusters that can be characterized by the presence of a dominant cD galaxy, high richness, symmetrical single-peaked X-ray emission, and high gas mass. On the other hand, steep faint-end slopes (-2.0 < \alpha < -1.4) are usually detected in poorer clusters. Our result gives a direct indication that the faint-end slope of the galaxy LF is subject to environmental effects. We propose that the flatness of the faint-end slope in these clusters results from the disruption of a large fraction of dwarf galaxies during the early stages of cluster evolution. The stars and gas from the disrupted galaxies are redistributed throughout the cluster potential during violent relaxation. This heuristic scenario can explain the origin of the luminous haloes of cD galaxies and a large fraction of the gas content in the intracluster medium as a by-product. The correlation between the cluster gas mass determined from the modeling of the X-ray emission and the cD halo optical luminosity is presented to support the proposed model.Comment: 11 pages,Latex,2 Postscript figures, 2 Postscript tables, accepted for publication in Apj

Tau immunoreactivity in peripheral tissues of human aging and select tauopathies

Many studies have been directed at understanding mechanisms of tau aggregation and therapeutics, nearly all focusing on the brain. It is critical to understand the presence of tau in peripheral tissues since this may provide new insights into disease progression and selective vulnerability. The current study sought to determine the presence of select tau species in peripheral tissues in elderly individuals and across an array of tauopathies. Using formalin fixed paraffin embedded sections, we examined abdominal skin, submandibular gland, and sigmoid colon among 69 clinicopathologically defined cases: 19 lacking a clinical neuropathological diagnosis (normal controls), 26 progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), 21 Alzheimer's disease (AD), and 3 with corticobasal degeneration (CBD). Immunohistochemistry was performed using antibodies for "total" tau (HT7) and two phosphorylated tau species (AT8 and pT231). HT7 staining of abdominal skin revealed immunoreactivity of potential nerve elements in 5% of cases (1 AD, 1 AD/PSP, and 1 CBD out of 55 cases examined); skin sections lacked AT8 and pT231 immunoreactive nerve elements. Submandibular glands from all cases had HT7 immunoreactive nerve elements; while pT231 was present in 92% of cases, and AT8 in only 3 cases (2 AD and one AD/PSP case). In sigmoid colon, HT7 immunoreactivity was present in all but 2 cases (97%), pT231 in 54%, and AT8 was present in only 5/62 cases (8%). These data suggest select tau species in CNS tauopathies do not have a high propensity to spread to the periphery and this may hold clues for the understanding of CNS tau pathogenicity and vulnerability

Essential Tremor in the Elderly and Risk for Dementia

The objective is to examine the risk of dementia in subjects with essential tremor (ET) involved in the Arizona Study of Aging and Neurodegenerative Disorders. All subjects were free of a neurodegenerative diagnosis at baseline and had annual motor, general neurological, and neuropsychological assessments. Subjects with ET were compared with controls for the risk of dementia. There were 83 subjects with ET and 424 subjects without tremor. Mean age at study entry was 80±5.9 for ET and 76±8.5 for controls. Median tremor duration was 5.2 years at study entry. Followup was a median of 5.4 years (range 0.9 to 12.1). The hazard ratio for the association between ET and dementia was 0.79 (95% CI 0.33 to 1.85). The hazard ratio for the association between tremor onset at age 65 or over, versus onset before age 65, was 2.1 (95% CI 0.24 to 18) and the hazard ratio for the association between tremor duration greater than 5 years, versus less than 5 years, was 0.46 (95% CI 0.08 to 2.6). We conclude that all elderly ET was not associated with an increased risk of dementia but that a subset of subjects with older age onset/shorter duration tremor may be at higher risk

Workflow to facilitate the detection of new psychoactive substances and drugs of abuse in influent urban wastewater

The complexity around the dynamic markets for new psychoactive substances (NPS) forces researchers to develop and apply innovative analytical strategies to detect and identify them in influent urban wastewater. In this work a comprehensive suspect screening workflow following liquid chromatography – high resolution mass spectrometry analysis was established utilising the open-source InSpectra data processing platform and the HighResNPS library. In total, 278 urban influent wastewater samples from 47 sites in 16 countries were collected to investigate the presence of NPS and other drugs of abuse. A total of 50 compounds were detected in samples from at least one site. Most compounds found were prescription drugs such as gabapentin (detection frequency 79%), codeine (40%) and pregabalin (15%). However, cocaine was the most found illicit drug (83%), in all countries where samples were collected apart from the Republic of Korea and China. Eight NPS were also identified with this protocol: 3-methylmethcathinone 11%), eutylone (6%), etizolam (2%), 3-chloromethcathinone (4%), mitragynine (6%), phenibut (2%), 25I-NBOH (2%) and trimethoxyamphetamine (2%). The latter three have not previously been reported in municipal wastewater samples. The workflow employed allowed the prioritisation of features to be further investigated, reducing processing time and gaining in confidence in their identification