Levels and correlates of internalized homophobia among men who have sex with men in Pretoria, South Africa.

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Vu, Lung; Tun, Waimar; Sheehy, Meredith; Nel, Dawie

2012-04-01

This study examines levels and correlates of internalized homophobia among men who have sex with men (MSM) in Pretoria, South Africa. Using respondent-driven sampling, we recruited 324 MSM from February to August 2009. Results were adjusted using RDSAT analysis to yield population-based estimates. High levels of internalized homophobia exist among South African MSM: 10-15% reported "often/very often" and over 20% reported "sometimes" having feelings of internalized homophobia. A greater level of internalized homophobia was significantly associated with a lower level of education [Adjusted Odds Ratio = 2.2; 95% CI = 1.1-4.9], a higher level of HIV misinformation [AOR = 2.7; 95% CI: 1.3-5.3], bisexual identity (vs. homosexual) [AOR = 5.5; 95% CI: 2.5-12.0], and HIV-related conspiracy beliefs [AOR = 2.4; 95% CI: 1.02-5.8]. These findings contribute valuable information to our understanding of internalized homophobia in South Africa, highlighting the need to empower the gay community, promote self-acceptance of homosexual identity, and address conspiracy beliefs among MSM to reduce internalized homophobia and increase access to HIV prevention interventions.

The Interrelations Between Internalized Homophobia, Depressive Symptoms, and Suicidal Ideation Among Australian Gay Men, Lesbians, and Bisexual Women.

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McLaren, Suzanne

2016-01-01

Internalized homophobia has been linked to depression among gay men, lesbians, and bisexuals. Relatively little research has investigated the link between internalized homophobia and suicidal thoughts and behaviors. The current research investigated the interrelations among internalized homophobia, depressive symptoms, and suicidal ideation by testing additive, mediation, and moderation models. Self-identified Australian gay men (n = 360), lesbians (n = 444), and bisexual women (n = 114) completed the Internalized Homophobia Scale, the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale, and the suicide subscale of the General Health Questionnaire. Results supported the additive and partial mediation models for gay men and the mediation and moderation models for lesbians. None of the models were supported for bisexual women. The findings imply that clinicians should focus on reducing internalized homophobia and depressive symptoms among gay men and lesbians, and depressive symptoms among bisexual women, to reduce suicidal ideation.

Internalized homophobia and reduced HIV testing among men who have sex with men in China.

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Pyun, Thomas; Santos, Glenn-Milo; Arreola, Sonya; Do, Tri; Hebert, Pato; Beck, Jack; Makofane, Keletso; Wilson, Patrick A; Ayala, George

2014-03-01

Although previous research has examined barriers and facilitators of HIV testing among men who have sex with men (MSM) in China, few studies have focused on social factors, including homophobia and internalized homophobia. This study utilized data from a global online survey to determine correlates of HIV testing as part of a subanalysis focused on Chinese MSM. Controlling for age, HIV knowledge, number of sexual partners, and other covariates, ever having tested for HIV was significantly correlated with lower internalized homophobia. This study suggests that stigma associated with sexual orientation may serve as a barrier to participation in HIV testing and other health-promoting behaviors.

COPING AS A MEDIATOR OF INTERNALIZED HOMOPHOBIA AND PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS AMONG YOUNG ADULT SEXUAL MINORITY WOMEN.

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Kaysen, Debra; Kulesza, Magdalena; Balsam, Kimberly F; Rhew, Isaac C; Blayney, Jessica A; Lehavot, Keren; Hughes, Tonda L

2014-09-01

Sexual minorities have higher rates of depression and anxiety than their heterosexual counterparts. This elevated risk of psychological distress has generally been hypothesized to be a result of the effects of discrimination including internalized negative beliefs about sexual minorities. However, little research has examined the role of various types of coping in mediating between internalized homophobia and mental health. We tested the direct relationship between internalized homophobia and psychological distress and evaluated general and sexual minority-specific coping strategies as potential mediators using structural equation modeling. Data are from a national sample of 1,099 young adult sexual minority women who were on average 20.86 ( SD = 2.12) years old, participating in a study on mental health and substance use. The model demonstrated acceptable fit, χ 2 (83) = 402.9, p homophobia and psychological distress, sexual minority-specific coping did not. Our findings support previous studies that have demonstrated the impact of internalized homophobia on psychological distress as well as the role of coping as a protective/risk factor in this relationship.

Gender, age, and place of residence as moderators of the internalized homophobia-depressive symptoms relation among Australian gay men and lesbians.

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McLaren, Suzanne

2015-01-01

Internalized homophobia is a risk factor for depression among gay men and lesbians. The aim of the study was to test whether the internalized homophobia-depression relation was moderated by gender (stronger among gay men compared with lesbians), age (stronger among younger compared with older gay men and lesbians), and place of residence (stronger among gay men and lesbians who live in rural areas compared with those who live in urban areas). An Australian sample of 311 self-identified gay men and 570 self-identified lesbians, aged 18 to 70 years, completed the Internalized Homophobia Scale and the Centre for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale. Results indicated that age and gender did not moderate the internalized homophobia-depressive symptoms relation. Place of residence was a significant moderator for gay men but not lesbians. In contrast to the hypothesis, the internalized homophobia-depression relation was significant only among gay men who resided in urban areas. Those who work with gay men should be particularly aware of the significant relationship between internalized homophobia and depressive symptoms among gay men who reside in urban areas.

Prevalence of internalized homophobia and HIV associated risks among men who have sex with men in Nigeria.

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Adebajo, Sylvia B; Eluwa, George I; Allman, Dan; Myers, Ted; Ahonsi, Babatunde A

2012-12-01

This study assessed the level of internalized homophobia and associated factors among men who have sex with men (MSM) in Nigeria. Using respondent driven sampling, MSM were recruited in Lagos and Ibadan between July and September, 2006. Internalized homophobia was assessed as a negative composite score using an 11-item scale. A total of 1,125 MSM were interviewed. About 44.4% self-identified as homosexual or gay while 55% regarded themselves as bisexual. About a third of the respondents reported internalized homophobia. With homosexual/gay men as reference, respondents who self-identified as bisexual were two times more likely [AOR 2.1; 95 CI: 1.6 - 2.9, p Nigeria.

Gender nonconformity and mental health among lesbian, gay, and bisexual adults: Homophobic stigmatization and internalized homophobia as mediators.

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Van Beusekom, Gabriël; Bos, Henny Mw; Kuyper, Lisette; Overbeek, Geertjan; Sandfort, Theo Gm

2016-04-01

We assessed among a sample of 724 Dutch lesbian, gay, and bisexual-identified adults ( M age  = 31.42) whether experiences with homophobic stigmatization and internalized homophobia simultaneously mediated the relation of gender nonconformity with mental health. Results indicated that homophobic stigmatization and internalized homophobia partially mediated the relation between gender nonconformity and mental health. Gender nonconformity was related to more mental health problems via increased experiences with homophobic stigmatization and to less mental health problems because of reduced levels of internalized homophobia. However, the mediated relation of gender nonconformity with mental health via homophobic stigmatization was only significant for men.

Internalized Homophobia as a Partial Mediator between Homophobic Bullying and Self-Esteem among Sexual Minority Youths in Quebec (Canada)

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Blais, Martin; Gervais, Jesse; Hébert, Martine

2016-01-01

Verbal/psychological homophobic bullying is widespread among sexual minority youths. Homophobic bullying has been associated with both high internalized homophobia and low self-esteem. The objectives were to document verbal/psychological homophobic bullying among sexual minority youths and to model the relationships between homophobic bullying, internalized homophobia and self-esteem. Method: A community sample of 300 sexual minority youths aged 14 to 22 years old was used. A structural equations model was tested using a nonlinear, robust estimator implemented in Mplus. The model postulated that homophobic bullying impacts self-esteem both directly and indirectly, via internalized homophobia. Results: 60.7% of the sample reported at least on form of verbal/psychological homophobic bullying. The model explained 29% of the variance of self-esteem, 19.6% of the variance of internalized homophobia and 5.3% of the verbal/psychological homophobic bullying. The model suggests that the relationship between verbal/psychological homophobic bullying and self-esteem is partially mediated by internalized homophobia. Conclusion: Our results underscore the importance of initiatives to prevent homophobic bullying in order to prevent its negative effects on well-being of sexual minority youths. PMID:24714888

Relational aggression and victimization in gay male relationships: the role of internalized homophobia.

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Kelley, Thomas M; Robertson, Richard A

2008-01-01

This article presents two studies that are the first to examine relational aggression and relational victimization in gay male peer relationships. A qualitative pilot study provides a strong rationale for a subsequent empirical investigation of 100 young adult, self-identified gay males. Results of both studies demonstrate that relational aggression and relational victimization are common experiences in gay male relationships. They also reveal forms of relational aggression and victimization that appear to be unique to gay males (e.g., outing). Results of the empirical study found significant relations between engaging in relational aggression against gay males and experiencing relational victimization and between experiencing relational victimization and internalized homophobia. However, there was no significant correlation between internalized homophobia and engaging in relational aggression. A multiple regression analysis found that experiencing relational victimization was correlated more strongly with the combination of engaging in relational aggression and internalized homophobia together than with relational aggression alone. Results are discussed within the framework of Allport's "traits due to victimization" theory and Meyer's theory of "minority stress." Implications for the prevention of relational aggression/victimization in gay male relationships are offered. Copyright 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Cultural value orientations, internalized homophobia, and accommodation in romantic relationships.

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Gaines, Stanley O; Henderson, Michael C; Kim, Mary; Gilstrap, Samuel; Yi, Jennifer; Rusbult, Caryl E; Hardin, Deletha P; Gaertner, Lowell

2005-01-01

In the present study, we examined the impact of cultural value orientations (i.e., the personally oriented value of individualism, and the socially oriented values of collectivism, familism, romanticism, and spiritualism) on accommodation (i.e., voice and loyalty, rather than exit and neglect, responses to partners' anger or criticism) in heterosexual and gay relationships; and we examined the impact of internalized homophobia (i.e., attitudes toward self, other, and disclosure) on accommodation specifically in gay relationships. A total of 262 heterosexuals (102 men and 162 women) and 857 gays (474 men and 383 women) participated in the present study. Consistent with hypotheses, among heterosexuals and gays, socially oriented values were significantly and positively related to accommodation (whereas the personally oriented value of individualism was unrelated to accommodation); and among gays in particular, internalized homophobia was significantly and negatively related to accommodation. Implications for the study of heterosexual and gay relationships are discussed.

Internalized Homophobia Scale for Gay Chinese Men: Conceptualization, Factor Structure, Reliability, and Associations With Hypothesized Correlates.

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Ren, Zhengjia; Hood, Ralph W

2018-04-01

This study reports the development of an inventory to assess the perceived internalized homophobia of gay men in a collectivistic Chinese cultural context. The results of exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses using two samples suggested the viability and stability of a three-factor model: internalized heteronormativity (IHN), family-oriented identity (FOI), and socially oriented identity (SOI). The 11-item internalized homophobia inventory demonstrated good internal consistency and construct validity. Internalized homophobia was related positively to the extent of a sense of loneliness and negatively to self-evaluation and the discrepancy in self-identification as a gay man. In addition, the participants' internalized SOI consistently predicted their coming out choices in their social surroundings, while their FOI predicted their decisions to enter into heterosexual marriages. The findings suggest that sexual self-prejudice was correlated with IHN, family values, and social norms. The present research demonstrates that a culturally sensitive scale is necessary to understand the cultural and family-oriented values that influence gay Chinese men's everyday lives, self-constructs, and behavioral choices.

Internalized homophobia as a partial mediator between homophobic bullying and self-esteem among youths of sexual minorities in Quebec (Canada

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Martin Blais

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Verbal/psychological homophobic bullying is widespread among youths of sexual minorities. Homophobic bullying has been associated with both high internalized homophobia and low self-esteem. The objectives were to document verbal/psychological homophobic bullying among youths of sexual minorities and model the relationships between homophobic bullying, internalized homophobia and self-esteem. A community sample of 300 youths of sexual minorities aged 14 to 22 years old was used. A structural equation model was tested using a nonlinear, robust estimator implemented in Mplus. The model postulated that homophobic bullying impacts self-esteem both directly and indirectly, via internalized homophobia. 60.7% of the sample reported at least one form of verbal/psychological homophobic bullying. The model explained 29% of the variance of self-esteem, 19.6% of the variance of internalized homophobia and 5.3% of the verbal/psychological homophobic bullying. The model suggests that the relationship between verbal/psychological homophobic bullying and self-esteem is partially mediated by internalized homophobia. The results underscore the importance of initiatives to prevent homophobic bullying in order to prevent its negative effects on the well-being of youths of sexual minorities.

Internalized homophobia as a partial mediator between homophobic bullying and self-esteem among youths of sexual minorities in Quebec (Canada).

Science.gov (United States)

Blais, Martin; Gervais, Jesse; Hébert, Martine

2014-03-01

Verbal/psychological homophobic bullying is widespread among youths of sexual minorities. Homophobic bullying has been associated with both high internalized homophobia and low self-esteem. The objectives were to document verbal/psychological homophobic bullying among youths of sexual minorities and model the relationships between homophobic bullying, internalized homophobia and self-esteem. A community sample of 300 youths of sexual minorities aged 14 to 22 years old was used. A structural equation model was tested using a nonlinear, robust estimator implemented in Mplus. The model postulated that homophobic bullying impacts self-esteem both directly and indirectly, via internalized homophobia. 60.7% of the sample reported at least one form of verbal/psychological homophobic bullying. The model explained 29% of the variance of self-esteem, 19.6% of the variance of internalized homophobia and 5.3% of the verbal/psychological homophobic bullying. The model suggests that the relationship between verbal/psychological homophobic bullying and self-esteem is partially mediated by internalized homophobia. The results underscore the importance of initiatives to prevent homophobic bullying in order to prevent its negative effects on the well-being of youths of sexual minorities.

Psychometrics of an internalized homophobia instrument for men.

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Theodore, John L; Shidlo, Ariel; Zemon, Vance; Foley, Frederick W; Dorfman, David; Dahlman, Karen L; Hamid, Sahira

2013-01-01

The Multi-Axial Gay Men's Inventory-Men's Short Version (MAGI-MSV) assesses internalized homophobia via 20 items and 3 dimensions. This study extended the psychometric examination of the MAGI-MSV. The instrument was administered to 228 ethnically diverse HIV-negative gay men seeking counseling in New York City (mean age = 35, age range = 16-70). Following principal axis factoring and parallel analyses, 4 factors emerged and 14 items were retained. The descriptive labels for factors included gay self-assurance and worth, public appearance of homosexuality, and impact of HIV/AIDS on homosexuality. The new, fourth factor was named maladaptive measures to eliminate homosexuality.

[Homophobia among nursing students].

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Campo-Arias, Adalberto; Herazo, Edwin; Cogollo, Zuleima

2010-09-01

Homophobia is defined as a general negative attitude towards homosexual persons, with implications on public health. This fact has been less investigated among nursing students. The objective of this review was to learn about the prevalence of homophobia and its associated variables among nursing students. A systematic review was performed on original articles published in EBSCO, Imbiomed, LILACS, MEDLINE, Ovid, and ProQuest, including articles published between 1998 and 2008 in English, Portuguese and Spanish. Keywords used were homophobia, homosexuality, and nursing students. Descriptive analysis was performed. Eight studies were analyzed. The incidence of homophobia in nursing students is between 7% and 16%. Homophobia is more common among males and religious conservatism people. Homophobia is quite frequent in nursing students. This negative attitude toward homosexuality may affect services and care giving by nursing professions and could have negative implications in nursing practice.

Homophobia and communal coping for HIV risk management among gay men in relationships.

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Stachowski, Courtney; Stephenson, Rob

2015-02-01

Men who have sex with men (MSM) remain disproportionately affected by the HIV epidemic in the US and estimates suggest that one to two-thirds of new infections occur among main partners. Previous research has focused on individual MSM and their risk for HIV, yet couples' ability to manage risk has been largely understudied. In particular, the role that homophobia plays in shaping the ability of gay male couples to cope with HIV risk is currently understudied. A sample of 447 gay/bisexual men with main partners was taken from a 2011 survey of gay and bisexual men in Atlanta. Linear regression models were fitted for three couples' coping outcome scales (outcome efficacy, couple efficacy, communal coping) and included indicators of homophobia (internalized homophobia and homophobic discrimination). Findings indicate that reporting of increased levels of internalized homophobia were consistently associated with decreased outcome measures of couples' coping ability regarding risk management. The results highlight the role that homophobia plays in gay male couples' relationships and HIV risk, extending the existing literature in the field of same-sex relationships as influenced by homophobia.

[The role of parental support in the relationship between homophobic bullying, internalized homophobia and psychological distress among sexual-minority youths (SMY): a moderated mediation approach].

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Bergeron, Félix-Antoine; Blais, Martin; Hébert, Martine

Introduction Sexual-minority youths (SMY) report high rates of psychological distress such as depression, anxiety and suicidal ideation (Burton, Marshal, Chisolm, Sucato et Friedman, 2013; Williams & Chapman, 2011). Several studies confirm that the poor mental health outcomes are partly related to their high likelihood of experiencing homophobic victimization (Blais, Gervais, Boucher, Hébert & Lavoie, 2013; Taylor & Peter, 2011; Hughes, McCabe, Wilsnack, West & Boyd, 2010; Chamberland, Richard & Bernier, 2013). Whereas the development of a positive sexual minority identity is crucial for the mental health of SMY (Chamberland, Richard & Chevrier, 2011; Rosario, Schrimshaw & Hunter, 2011; Luhtanen, 2002), the victimization they experience put them at risk of internalizing societal homophobia and heterosexism (Meyer, 2003; Hatzenbuehler, 2009). It is important to identify variables that may influence the impact of distal and proximal factors that impact SMY's mental health.Objectives The objectives of this paper are 1) to document different forms of homophobic victimization experienced by SMY, according to gender and age, and 2) to test the potential moderating effect of parental support in the relationship between homophobic victimization, internalized homophobia and psychological distress.Method Data come from 228 SMY aged 14 to 22 years old recruited through online means as part of the Quebec Youth's Romantic Relationships Survey. The impact of homophobic victimization, parental support, and internalized homophobia on psychological distress is explored by a linear regression model including moderated mediation effects.Results Results show the relationship between homophobic victimization and psychological distress as well as indirect significant relationship through internalized homophobia. The moderated mediation analysis also confirms the moderating role of parental support in the relationship between homophobic victimization and psychological distress. Thus

Italian Validation of Homophobia Scale (HS).

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Ciocca, Giacomo; Capuano, Nicolina; Tuziak, Bogdan; Mollaioli, Daniele; Limoncin, Erika; Valsecchi, Diana; Carosa, Eleonora; Gravina, Giovanni L; Gianfrilli, Daniele; Lenzi, Andrea; Jannini, Emmanuele A

2015-09-01

The Homophobia Scale (HS) is a valid tool to assess homophobia. This test is self-reporting, composed of 25 items, which assesses a total score and three factors linked to homophobia: behavior/negative affect, affect/behavioral aggression, and negative cognition. The aim of this study was to validate the HS in the Italian context. An Italian translation of the HS was carried out by two bilingual people, after which an English native translated the test back into the English language. A psychologist and sexologist checked the translated items from a clinical point of view. We recruited 100 subjects aged18-65 for the Italian validation of the HS. The Pearson coefficient and Cronbach's α coefficient were performed to test the test-retest reliability and internal consistency. A sociodemographic questionnaire including the main information as age, geographic distribution, partnership status, education, religious orientation, and sex orientation was administrated together with the translated version of HS. The analysis of the internal consistency showed an overall Cronbach's α coefficient of 0.92. In the four domains, the Cronbach's α coefficient was 0.90 in behavior/negative affect, 0.94 in affect/behavioral aggression, and 0.92 in negative cognition, whereas in the total score was 0.86. The test-retest reliability showed the following results: the HS total score was r = 0.93 (P cognition was r = 0.75 (P validation of the HS revealed the use of this self-report test to have good psychometric properties. This study offers a new tool to assess homophobia. In this regard, the HS can be introduced into the clinical praxis and into programs for the prevention of homophobic behavior.

Exploring Homophobia in Tbilisi, Georgia.

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Mestvirishvili, Maia; Zurabishvili, Tinatin; Iakobidze, Tamar; Mestvirishvili, Natia

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study is to determine statistical predictors of homophobic attitudes among the residents of Tbilisi, Georgia. We analyze 2013 survey data from a representative sample of the Tbilisi adult population. Residents were asked about their attitudes, beliefs, and political and social values in the context of the May 17, 2013 attack on LGBT activists on the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHOT). Findings show that homophobia is significantly predicted by male gender, lower levels of education, acceptance of social inequality, nonliberal attitudes, and perceiving homosexuals as a "threat to national security." However, psychological perceptions and personal experiences also indirectly influence homophobic attitudes: the findings suggest that males report homophobic attitudes more often than females do and tend to be even more homophobic when they believe that homosexuality is inborn rather than acquired. The study also found that people without liberal attitudes tend to be more homophobic when they have personal contacts with homosexuals. This article highlights the need for a more comprehensive approach to education and the promotion of liberal values as well as legal equality for LGBTQ individuals to decrease the level of homophobia in Georgian society and, specifically, in Tbilisi.

Investigating the influence of shame, depression, and distress tolerance on the relationship between internalized homophobia and binge eating in lesbian and bisexual women.

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Bayer, Vanessa; Robert-McComb, Jacalyn J; Clopton, James R; Reich, Darcy A

2017-01-01

There is limited research evidence about the specific factors influencing disordered eating for lesbian and bisexual women. Therefore, this study investigated relationships among binge eating, internalized homophobia, shame, depression, and distress tolerance in a sample of lesbian (n=72) and bisexual women (n=66). Two hypotheses were tested. First, it was hypothesized that shame and depression would mediate the relationship between internalized homophobia and binge eating. Second, it was hypothesized that distress tolerance would moderate the relationship between shame and binge eating and the relationship between depression and binge eating in the mediation relationships proposed in the first hypothesis. Results indicated that shame was a significant mediator for the relationship between internalized homophobia and binge eating, that depression was not a significant mediator, and that distress tolerance did not moderate the significant mediation relationship between shame and binge eating. The data in this study also indicated that the proportions of lesbian and bisexual participants who reported binge eating and compensatory behavior did not differ significantly, but that bisexual participants reported significantly more depression and shame than lesbian participants. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Avoiding shame: young LGBT people, homophobia and self-destructive behaviours.

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McDermott, Elizabeth; Roen, Katrina; Scourfield, Jonathan

2008-11-01

This paper reports on findings from qualitative research conducted in the UK that sought to explore the connections between sexual identities and self-destructive behaviours in young people. International evidence demonstrates that there are elevated rates of suicide and alcohol abuse amongst lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) youth. Rarely included in this body of research are investigations into young LGBT people's views and experiences of self-destructive behaviours. Data from interviews and focus groups with young LGBT participants suggest a strong link between homophobia and self-destructive behaviours. Utilising a discourse analytic approach, we argue that homophobia works to punish at a deep individual level and requires young LGBT people to manage being positioned, because of their sexual desire or gendered ways of being, as abnormal, dirty and disgusting. At the centre of the complex and multiple ways in which young LGBT people negotiate homophobia are 'modalities of shame-avoidance' such as: the routinization and minimizing of homophobia; maintaining individual 'adult' responsibility; and constructing 'proud' identities. The paper argues that these strategies of shame-avoidance suggest young LGBT people manage homophobia individually, without expectation of support and, as such, may make them vulnerable to self-destructive behaviours.

Homophobia: A New Challenge.

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Gramick, Jeannine

1983-01-01

Gives a history of attitudes toward homosexuality and discusses the consequences of homophobia, an irrational fear of homosexuality. Stresses that social workers must understand that feelings and fantasies about same-sex behavior are natural before they can help clients cope with the social problems engendered by homophobia. (Author/JAC)

Queer theory, late capitalism, and internalized homophobia.

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Kirsch, Max

2006-01-01

The emergence of queer theory represents a transformation in the approach to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered peoples. It has claimed new ground for treating sexuality and gender as worthy subjects in their own rights, rather than offshoots of gay and lesbian studies or of general cultural theory. The author contends, however, that it is doubtful that this approach can lead to social change. Queer theory has dismissed the usefulness of the disciplines that were the foundation of the social movements that initiated gay and lesbian studies, such as political economy, and in doing so, it has surreptitiously mirrored the social relations of reproduction that constitute late capitalism. This mirroring has had unseen consequences for the individual in society, and with queer theory's insistence on the relativity of experience and the dismissal of identity, has set the stage for a benign reinforcement of internalized homophobia. The author argues that this approach can be mediated by recognizing that identity is fluid, and that by focusing on identifying with social movements rather than centering analyses on the problems associated with identifying as a particular category of status and being, we can refocus our energies on the building and maintenance of mutual support and collective recognition that can lead to resolving the stagnation now dominating attempts to develop coalitions around issues that matter.

The impact of gendered friendship patterns on the prevalence of homophobia among belgian late adolescents.

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Hooghe, Marc

2011-06-01

In order to assess the determinants of homophobia among Belgian adolescents, a shortened version of the Homophobia scale (Wright et al., 1999) was included in a representative survey among Belgian adolescents (n = 4,870). Principal component analysis demonstrated that the scale was one-dimensional and internally coherent. The results showed that homophobia is still widespread among Belgian adolescents, despite various legal reforms in the country aiming to combat discrimination of gay women and men. A multivariate regression analysis demonstrated that boys, ethnic minorities, individuals with high levels of ethnocentrism and an instrumental worldview, Muslim minorities, and those with low levels of associational involvement scored significantly higher on the scale. While among boys an extensive friendship network was associated with higher levels of homophobia, the opposite phenomenon was found among girls. We discuss the possible relation between notions of masculinity within predominantly male adolescent friendship networks and social support for homophobia.

Changing the Game: Homophobia, Sexism, and Lesbians in Sport.

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Griffin, Pat

1992-01-01

A feminist discussion of the interconnected nature of homophobia and sexism in women's sport examines the origins of the lesbian stereotype, political functions of homophobia in a sexist culture, manifestations of homophobia in women's sport, and suggestions for confronting homophobia in women's sport. (SM)

Hegemony and the internalisation of homophobia caused by heteronormativity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yolanda Dreyer

2007-05-01

Full Text Available The aim of the article is to focus on hegemony as it relates to the issue of sexuality and the trauma imposed on sexual minorities. A point of departure is that social identity theories can shed light on homophobia. The article argues that an empathic approach to those traumatised by internalised homophobia calls for a gay-friendly psychotherapy/analysis. The article reflects particularly on how heteronormativity maintains homophobia. It also illustrates the relationship between homophobia and social scientific insights regarding personality types and gender. The concepts homophobia and the internalisation of homophobia are discussed by focusing on aspects such as personality types and violence. The article finds that blind submission to heteronormativity, an outdated social construct, traumatises those who do not conform to the hetero norm, in two ways: hegemony is one consequence, and internalised homophobia is another.

Italian Validation of Homophobia Scale (HS)

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Ciocca, Giacomo; Capuano, Nicolina; Tuziak, Bogdan; Mollaioli, Daniele; Limoncin, Erika; Valsecchi, Diana; Carosa, Eleonora; Gravina, Giovanni L.; Gianfrilli, Daniele; Lenzi, Andrea; Jannini, Emmanuele A.

2015-01-01

Introduction: The Homophobia Scale (HS) is a valid tool to assess homophobia. This test is self‐reporting, composed of 25 items, which assesses a total score and three factors linked to homophobia: behavior/negative affect, affect/behavioral aggression, and negative cognition. Aim: The aim of this study was to validate the HS in the Italian context. Methods: An Italian translation of the HS was carried out by two bilingual people, after which an English native translated the test back i...

FFT-enhanced IHS transform method for fusing high-resolution satellite images

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Ling, Y.; Ehlers, M.; Usery, E.L.; Madden, M.

2007-01-01

Existing image fusion techniques such as the intensity-hue-saturation (IHS) transform and principal components analysis (PCA) methods may not be optimal for fusing the new generation commercial high-resolution satellite images such as Ikonos and QuickBird. One problem is color distortion in the fused image, which causes visual changes as well as spectral differences between the original and fused images. In this paper, a fast Fourier transform (FFT)-enhanced IHS method is developed for fusing new generation high-resolution satellite images. This method combines a standard IHS transform with FFT filtering of both the panchromatic image and the intensity component of the original multispectral image. Ikonos and QuickBird data are used to assess the FFT-enhanced IHS transform method. Experimental results indicate that the FFT-enhanced IHS transform method may improve upon the standard IHS transform and the PCA methods in preserving spectral and spatial information. ?? 2006 International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, Inc. (ISPRS).

Homophobia in Registered Nurses: Impact on LGB Youth

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Blackwell, Christopher W.; Kiehl, Ermalynn M.

2008-01-01

This study examined registered nurses' overall attitudes and homophobia towards gays and lesbians in the workplace. Homophobia scores, represented by the Attitudes Toward Lesbians and Gay Men (ATLG) Scale, was the dependent variable. Overall homophobia scores were assessed among a randomized stratified sample of registered nurses licensed in the…

Comparing Heterosexuals' and Gay Men/Lesbians' Responses to Relationship Problems and the Effects of Internalized Homophobia on Gay Men/Lesbians' Responses to Relationship Problems in Turkey.

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Okutan, Nur; Buyuksahin Sunal, Ayda; Sakalli Ugurlu, Nuray

2017-01-01

The purpose of the present study was twofold: (1) to investigate the effects of sexual orientation (heterosexuals and gay men/lesbians) and gender difference on responses to romantic relationship problems (Exit, Voice, Loyalty, and Neglect [EVLN] responses) and of perceived partner's EVLN responses in Turkey, and (2) to examine whether internalized homophobia was associated with EVLN responses and perceived partner's EVLN responses for gay men and lesbians. Responses to Dissatisfaction Scale-Accommodation Instrument, Internalized Homophobia, and Demographics Information were administered to 187 participants (44 lesbians, 44 gay men, 53 heterosexual women, 46 heterosexual men).The MANCOVA results showed that men reported higher loyalty than women, whereas women presented more exit responses than men. Further, the interactions between gender and sexual orientation on the participants' EVLN responses and on the perceived partner's EVLN responses were significant. With respect to heterosexual women, heterosexual men displayed more loyalty responses. Lesbians had higher scores on loyalty than did heterosexual women. Lesbians also had higher scores on perceived partner's exit response than did heterosexual women and gay men. On the contrary, heterosexual women reported more perceived partner's voice response than lesbians. In addition, lesbians reported higher perceived partner's neglect responses than heterosexual women. Compared to heterosexual women, heterosexual men reported higher perceived partner's exit response. Finally, internalized homophobia was associated with destructive responses for both lesbians and gay men.

Predictors of Homophobia in Female College Students.

Science.gov (United States)

Basow, Susan A.; Johnson, Kelly

2000-01-01

Investigated how self-esteem, self-discrepancy, and gender-attribute importance related to homophobia in predominantly white college women, noting sex role attitudes, authoritarian attitudes, and extent of contact with homosexuals. The only significant predictor of homophobia was authoritarian attitudes. Other correlations included belief in sex…

Homophobia and perceptions about homosexuality among students ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Both male and female same-sex sexual activity is illegal in Nigeria.2 Discrimination by reason of sexual orientation, termed homophobia, embraces prejudices against LGBT individuals. The objective of the study was to determine the prevalence of homophobia, explore the perception about homosexuality and associations ...

Homophobia, stigma and HIV in Jamaican prisons.

Science.gov (United States)

Andrinopoulos, Katherine; Figueroa, J Peter; Kerrigan, Deanna; Ellen, Jonathan M

2011-02-01

Success in addressing HIV and AIDS among men who have sex with men, a key population in the global epidemic, is impeded by homophobia. Homophobia as a barrier to HIV prevention and AIDS treatment is a particularly acute problem in the prison setting. In this qualitative study, we explore HIV and AIDS, stigma and homosexuality in the largest all male prison in Jamaica by conducting iterative in-depth interviews with 25 inmates. Participant narratives unveil a purposeful manipulation of beliefs related to homosexuality that impedes an effective response to HIV and AIDS both in prison and wider society. Findings indicate that homophobia is both a social construction and a tangible tool used to leverage power and a sense of solidarity in a larger political and economic landscape. This use of homophobia may not be unique to Jamaica and is an important issue to address in other low- and middle-income post-colonialist societies.

Uncovering the Secrets: Homophobia in Physical Education

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Ayvazo, Shiri; Sutherland, Sue

2009-01-01

Studies examining the discourse on issues related to sexual orientation in physical education reveal that the physical education setting is an environment where heterosexism, heteronormativity, and homophobia subsist fervently. The purpose of this article is to review the growing research that has been conducted on homophobia in physical education…

Homophobia in Medical Students of the University of Hong Kong

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Kan, R. W. M.; Au, K. P.; Chan, W. K.; Cheung, L. W. M.; Lam, C. Y. Y.; Liu, H. H. W.; Ng, L. Y.; Wong, M. Y.; Wong, W. C.

2009-01-01

Homosexuality is now accepted as a normal variant of human sexuality, but homophobia among healthcare professionals is well documented. Establishment of trustful doctor-patient relationships is impossible in the presence of homophobia. We were interested to examine the extent of homophobia among medical students, the future doctors. This article…

Review: Regulatory mechanisms of gonadotropin-inhibitory hormone (GnIH synthesis and release in photoperiodic animals

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Kazuyoshi eTsutsui

2013-04-01

Full Text Available Gonadotropin-inhibitory hormone (GnIH is a novel hypothalamic neuropeptide that was discovered in quail as an inhibitory factor for gonadotropin release. GnIH inhibits gonadotropin synthesis and release in birds through actions on gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH neurons and gonadotropes, mediated via the GnIH receptor (GnIH-R, GPR147. Subsequently, GnIH was identified in mammals and other vertebrates. As in birds, mammalian GnIH inhibits gonadotropin secretion, indicating a conserved role for this neuropeptide in the control of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG axis across species. Identification of the regulatory mechanisms governing GnIH expression and release is important in understanding the physiological role of the GnIH system. A nocturnal hormone, melatonin, appears to act directly on GnIH neurons through its receptor to induce expression and release of GnIH in quail, a photoperiodic bird. Recently, a similar, but opposite, action of melatonin on the inhibition of expression of mammalian GnIH was shown in hamsters and sheep, photoperiodic mammals. These results in photoperiodic animals demonstrate that GnIH expression is photoperiodically modulated via a melatonin-dependent process. Recent findings indicate that GnIH may be a mediator of stress-induced reproductive disruption in birds and mammals, pointing to a broad role for this neuropeptide in assessing physiological state and modifying reproductive effort accordingly. This paper summarizes the advances made in our knowledge regarding the regulation of GnIH synthesis and release in photoperiodic birds and mammals. This paper also discusses the neuroendocrine integration of environmental signals, such as photoperiods and stress, and internal signals, such as GnIH, melatonin and glucocorticoids, to control avian and mammalian reproduction.

[Discrimination and homophobia associated to the human immunodeficiency virus epidemic].

Science.gov (United States)

Orozco-Núñez, Emanuel; Alcalde-Rabanal, Jacqueline Elizabeth; Ruiz-Larios, José Arturo; Sucilla-Pérez, Héctor; García-Cerde, Rodrigo

2015-01-01

To describe a political mapping on discrimination and homophobia associated to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in the context of public institutions in Mexico. The political mapping was conducted in six Mexican states. Stakeholders who were involved in HIV actions from public and private sectors were included. Semistructured interviews were applied to explore homophobia and discrimination associated with HIV. Information was systematized using the Policy Maker software, which is a good support for analyzing health policies. Discriminatory and homophobic practices in the public domain occurred, damaging people´s integrity via insults, derision and hate crimes. Most stakeholders expressed a supportive position to prevent discrimination and homophobia and some of them had great influence on policy-making decisions. It was found that state policy frameworks are less specific in addressing these issues. Homophobia and discrimination associated to HIV are still considered problematic in Mexico. Homophobia is a very sensitive issue that requires further attention. Also, an actual execution of governmental authority requires greater enforcement of laws against discrimination and homophobia.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Self-Stigma around Sexual Orientation: A Multiple Baseline Evaluation

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Yadavaia, James E.; Hayes, Steven C.

2012-01-01

This study evaluated the effectiveness of 6 to 10 sessions of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for self-stigma around sexual orientation linked to same-sex attraction (what has generally been referred to as internalized homophobia; IH) in a concurrent multiple-baseline across-participants design. Three men and 2 women showed sizeable…

Review: Evolution of GnIH structure and function

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Tomohiro eOsugi

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Discovery of gonadotropin-inhibitory hormone (GnIH in the Japanese quail in 2000 was the first to demonstrate the existence of a hypothalamic neuropeptide inhibiting gonadotropin release. We now know that GnIH regulates reproduction by inhibiting gonadotropin synthesis and release via action on the gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH system and the gonadotrope in various vertebrates. GnIH peptides identified in birds and mammals have a common LPXRF-amide (X = L or Q motif at the C-terminus and inhibits pituitary gonadotropin secretion. However, the function and structure of GnIH peptides were diverse in fish. Goldfish GnIHs possessing a C-terminal LPXRF-amide motif had both stimulatory and inhibitory effects on gonadotropin synthesis or release. The C-terminal sequence of grass puffer and medaka GnIHs were MPQRF-amide. To investigate the evolutionary origin of GnIH and its ancestral structure and function, we searched for GnIH in agnathans, the most ancient lineage of vertebrates. We identified GnIH precursor gene and mature GnIH peptides with C-terminal QPQRF-amide or RPQRF-amide from the brain of sea lamprey. Lamprey GnIH fibers were in close proximity to GnRH-III neurons. Further, one of lamprey GnIHs stimulated the expression of lamprey GnRH-III peptide in the hypothalamus and gonadotropic hormone β mRNA expression in the pituitary. We further identified the ancestral form of GnIH, which had a C-terminal RPQRF-amide, and its receptors in amphioxus, the most basal chordate species. The amphioxus GnIH inhibited cAMP signaling in vitro. In sum, the original forms of GnIH may date back to the time of the emergence of early chordates. GnIH peptides may have had various C-terminal structures slightly different from LPXRF-amide in basal chordates, which had stimulatory and/or inhibitory functions on reproduction. The C-terminal LPXRF-amide structure and its inhibitory function on reproduction may be selected in later-evolved vertebrates, such as

Homophobia as a barrier to comprehensive media coverage of the Ugandan anti-homosexual bill.

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Strand, Cecilia

2012-01-01

The Ugandan Anti-Homosexuality Bill of October 2009 caused an international outcry and sparked intense debate in the local media. This article explores to what degree a discriminatory social environment manifests itself in the Ugandan print media and discusses the potential implications for media's coverage of contentious policy options such as the Anti-Homosexuality Bill. A content analysis of 115 items from two daily newspapers (the government-owned New Vision and the privately owned the Daily Monitor, between October and December 2009) indicates the existence of two separate house styles; this is in spite of the fact that both newspapers reproduce the surrounding society's homophobia, albeit with different frequency. Unlike the New Vision, the Daily Monitor includes coverage on homophobia and discrimination, as well as provides space for criticism of the Bill. By acknowledging discrimination and its negative impact, the newspaper de-legitimizes homophobia and problematizes the proposed Anti-homosexuality Bill for their readers.

Homophobia Is Related to a Low Interest in Sexuality in General: An Analysis of Pupillometric Evoked Responses.

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Cheval, Boris; Grob, Emmanuelle; Chanal, Julien; Ghisletta, Paolo; Bianchi-Demicheli, Francesco; Radel, Remi

2016-10-01

A recent study by Cheval et al (J Sex Med 2016;13:825-834) found that individuals high in homophobia look significantly less long at sex-related photographs, regardless of their nature (ie, homosexual or heterosexual). Because viewing time is under some conscious control, this result could indicate that individuals high in homophobia have a low sexual interest in any sexual stimuli or are consciously motivated to avoid sexual material in line with their conscious values. To determine the mechanism underlying shorter viewing time of sex-related photographs in individuals high in homophobia using pupil dilatation, which is considered a spontaneous, unconscious, and uncontrollable index of sexual interest. Heterosexual men (N = 36) completed a questionnaire assessing their level of homo-negativity and then performed a picture-viewing task with simultaneous eye-tracking recording to assess their pupillary responses to the presentation of sexually related or neutral photographs. Non-linear mixed models were carried out to fit the individual non-linear trajectories of pupillary reaction. Different parameters were obtained including the final asymptote of the pupillary response. Results showed that the final pupil size of men high in homophobia increased significantly less to the presentation of sex-related images (ie, heterosexual and homosexual) than the pupil size of men low in homophobia. In contrast, no significant difference in the final pupil size reaction toward homosexual images (vs heterosexual images) emerged between men high and men low in homophobia. Theoretically, these findings reinforce the necessity to consider that homophobia might reflect concerns about sexuality in general and not homosexuality in particular. Copyright © 2016 International Society for Sexual Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

What Is IH (Intracranial Hypertension)?

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... Store What is IH? What is IH? Intracranial hypertension literally means that the pressure of cerebrospinal fluid ( ... is too high. “Intracranial” means “within the skull.” “Hypertension” means “high fluid pressure.” To understand how this ...

Understanding and addressing homophobia in schools: a view from teachers

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Deevia Bhana

2012-01-01

Full Text Available South African schools have been found to be homophobic. Teachers can play an important role in offering a critique of homophobia grounded in South Africa's legal claim to equality on the basis of sexual orientation. Currently there is a dearth of educational research about how teachers understand and address homophobia. By drawing upon focus-group interviews with teachers based atfive schools, this paper shows dominant teaching views which contribute to homophobia, although this is not the only view. Informed by theoretical framings that seek to uncover heterosexual domination, the analysis shows three interrelated discursive constructions through which homophobia is both produced and resisted by teachers. Silencing homosexuality, denying its existence in the curriculum, and religious prohibitions were found to be dominant. It must be understood however that teachers are working in a context without any intervention and support. Their views also show potentialfor working against the climate of homophobia. Recommendations for such work are indicated in the conclusion of the paper.

Genetic Variance in Homophobia: Evidence from Self- and Peer Reports.

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Zapko-Willmes, Alexandra; Kandler, Christian

2018-01-01

The present twin study combined self- and peer assessments of twins' general homophobia targeting gay men in order to replicate previous behavior genetic findings across different rater perspectives and to disentangle self-rater-specific variance from common variance in self- and peer-reported homophobia (i.e., rater-consistent variance). We hypothesized rater-consistent variance in homophobia to be attributable to genetic and nonshared environmental effects, and self-rater-specific variance to be partially accounted for by genetic influences. A sample of 869 twins and 1329 peer raters completed a seven item scale containing cognitive, affective, and discriminatory homophobic tendencies. After correction for age and sex differences, we found most of the genetic contributions (62%) and significant nonshared environmental contributions (16%) to individual differences in self-reports on homophobia to be also reflected in peer-reported homophobia. A significant genetic component, however, was self-report-specific (38%), suggesting that self-assessments alone produce inflated heritability estimates to some degree. Different explanations are discussed.

Italian Validation of Homophobia Scale (HS

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Giacomo Ciocca, PsyD, PhD

2015-09-01

Conclusions: The Italian validation of the HS revealed the use of this self‐report test to have good psychometric properties. This study offers a new tool to assess homophobia. In this regard, the HS can be introduced into the clinical praxis and into programs for the prevention of homophobic behavior. Ciocca G, Capuano N, Tuziak B, Mollaioli D, Limoncin E, Valsecchi D, Carosa E, Gravina GL, Gianfrilli D, Lenzi A, and Jannini EA. Italian validation of Homophobia Scale (HS. Sex Med 2015;3:213–218.

Social Justice and Lesbian Feminism: Two Theories Applied to Homophobia

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Denise L. Levy

2007-12-01

Full Text Available Trends in contemporary social work include the use of an eclectic theory base. In an effort to incorporate multiple theories, this article will examine the social problem of homophobia using two different theoretical perspectives: John Rawls’ theory of social justice and lesbian feminist theory.Homophobia, a current social problem, can be defined as “dislike or hatred toward homosexuals, including both cultural and personal biases against homosexuals” (Sullivan, 2003, p. 2. Rawls’ theory of justice and lesbian feminist theory are especially relevant to the issue of homophobia and provide a useful lens to understanding this social problem. In this article, these two theories will be summarized, applied to the issue of homophobia, and compared and contrasted based on their utility.

Hegemony and the internalisation of homophobia caused by ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The aim of the article is to focus on hegemony as it relates to the issue of sexuality and the trauma imposed on sexual minorities. A point of departure is that social identity theories can shed light on homophobia. The article argues that an empathic approach to those traumatised by internalised homophobia calls for a gay- ...

Teachers Reflect on Homophobia in the Cypriot Education System: A Qualitative Study

Science.gov (United States)

Shoshilou, Panayiota A.; Vasiliou, Elena

2016-01-01

A review of the academic and lay literature concerning Cyprus reveals that homophobia is prevalent throughout society. This research aimed to investigate homophobia through the narratives of educators. Twenty-three teachers were randomly selected out of the pool of volunteers in a training project. Aspects of homophobia previously reported in…

Homophobia, heteronormativity, and slash fan fiction

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April S. Callis

2016-09-01

Full Text Available I analyze the relationship between homophobia/heteronormativity and slash fan fiction. Through reading and coding almost 6,000 pages of Kirk/Spock fan fiction written from 1978 to 2014, I illuminate shifts in how normative gender and sexuality are portrayed by K/S authors. Writers of K/S, while ostensibly writing about the 23rd century, consciously or unconsciously include cultural norms from the 20th and 21st centuries. Thus, slash becomes a lens through which readers can view a decrease in both homophobia and heteronormativity in US culture over the past several decades.

Homophobia, Transphobia, Young People and the Question of Responsibility

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Rasmussen, Mary Lou; Sanjakdar, Fida; Allen, Louisa; Quinlivan, Kathleen; Bromdal, Annette

2017-01-01

Young people may face conflicting and confusing messages about what it means to respond well in relation to homophobia and transphobia. Consequently, we ask--What might it mean to respond well to homophobia and transphobia? This strategy, inspired by Anika Thiem and Judith Butler, is recognition of the ambivalent conditions which structure…

Homophobia in an intercultural context Homophobia in an intercultural context

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David William Foster

2008-04-01

Full Text Available A necessidade, na teoria queer, de discriminar diferenças leva ao devido estudo da relatividade de conceitos tais como sexo, gênero, desejo e atos sexuais. Contudo, o mesmo esforço analítico não vem sendo direcionado para o conceito de homofobia. O presente estudo propõe alguns dos parâmetros necessários para empreender diferenças analíticas fundamentais. Esses parâmetros são aqui ilustrados e discutidos com base no filme cubano, Fresa y chocolate, em três romances detetivescos do chicano Michael Nava. Palavras-chaves: Homofobia; diferença; teoria queer. The need to distinguish differences within queer theory leads to the study of the relativity of such concepts as those of sex, gender, desire, and sexual acts. However, this effort on which analysis depends has not been geared toward the concept of homophobia. The purpose of this paper is to propose strategic parameters for conceptualizing homophobia in order to enable fundamental analytical differences. Such parameters are herein illustrated based on the Cuban film Fresa y chocolate, and on three detective novels by U.S.-Chicano writer Michael Nava.

Prejudice, homophobia and the Christian faith community

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Y Dreyer

2006-09-01

Full Text Available The aim of the article is to illustrate that prejudice differs fundamentally from legitimate presuppositions that come into play when people interpret the Bible or reflect theologically on contemporary issues such as homosexuality. It is argued that prejudice leads to the theologically untenable phenomenon of homophobia. Though the rejection of prejudicial attitudes does not mean that �anything goes�, it is a theological necessity to expose harmful attitudes and behaviours regarding sexuality. To this end the article investigates the labels �homosexual�, �gay� and �queer� that, on the one hand, express and perpetuate homophobia and on the other hand represent a search for authentic identity on the part of sexual minorities. The� article reflects on the effect of underlying social identity theories on homophobia. Such theories include nominialism with its focus on �sameness� and essentialism that focuses on �difference�, as well as primordialism with its emphasis on the immutability of social identity formation and constructionism that highlights change.

[Reliability and Validity of the Scale for Homophobia in Medicine Students].

Science.gov (United States)

Campo-Arias, Adalberto; Lafaurie, María Mercedes; Gaitán-Duarte, Hernando G

2012-12-01

There are several scales to quantify homophobia in different populations. However, the reliability and validity of these instruments among Colombian students are unknown. Consequently, this work is intended to assess reliability (inner consistency) as well as the validity of the Scale for Homophobia in Medicine students from a private university in Bogotá (Colombia). Methodological study with 199 Medicine students from 1st to 5th semester that filled out the Homophobia Scale form, the general welfare questionnaire, the Attitude Towards Gays and Lesbians Scale (ATGL), WHO-5 (divergent validity) and the Francis Scale of Attitude Toward Christianity (nomologic validity). Pearson's correlations were computed, the Cronbach's alfa coefficient, the omega coefficient (construct's reliability) and confirmatory factorial analysis. The Scale for Homophobia showed an alpha Cronbach coefficient of 0,785, an omega coefficient of 0,790 and a Pearson correlation with the ATGL of 0,844; with WHO-5, -0,059; and a Francis Scale of Attitude Toward Christianity, 0,187. The Scale toward Homophobia exhibited a relevant factor of 44,7% of the total variance. The Scale for Homophobia showed acceptable reliability and validity. New studies should investigate the stability of the scale and the nomologic validity regarding other constructs. Copyright © 2012 Asociación Colombiana de Psiquiatría. Publicado por Elsevier España. All rights reserved.

Sexism and Homophobia in Adolescents of a Public Educational Institution

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Breiding Junior Bernuy Castromonte

2017-09-01

Full Text Available The research explores the relationship between sexism and homophobia in adolescents of a public educational institution in Chimbote. The research design was descriptive - correlational and a sample of 406 students between males and females from 1st to 5th level of secondary education. As a measure they were evaluated with the Scale of Detection of Sexism of Ramos, Cuadrado and Recio (2007 adaptation of Acosta (2010 and the scale of modern homophobia of Raja and Stokes (2005 adaptation of Paredes (2013. The results of the research reflect a very significant, direct and strong relationship that indicates that the more sexism in adolescents, the more homophobic attitudes they can show. For hostile sexism and homophobia towards gay, a correlation of (r =.641 ** p <.01 and for lesbians (r =. 658 ** p <.01 was obtained; between gay sexism and homophobia towards gay (r =.574 ** p <.01 and towards lesbians (r =.646 ** p <.01. Levels of sexism by gender are identified as a high level of hostile and benevolent sexism for the male population with 14.1% and 15.7% respectively. There are also levels of homophobia according to gender in adolescents to gay and lesbian people with 35.3% and 25.3%

Gender Expression and Homophobia: A Motor Development and Learning Perspective

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Garcia, Clersida

2011-01-01

Homosexuality and homophobia are rarely discussed in schools, yet they are relevant in motor-development and motor-learning settings because people hold gender-stereotyped beliefs about movement and about lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgendered individuals. This article addresses homophobia and related stereotypes in physical education settings…

A socioecological measurement of homophobia for all countries and its public health impact.

Science.gov (United States)

Lamontagne, Erik; d'Elbée, Marc; Ross, Michael W; Carroll, Aengus; Plessis, André du; Loures, Luiz

2018-03-03

Measuring homophobia at country level is important to guide public health policy as reductions in stigma are associated with improved health outcomes among gay men and other men who have sex with men. Methods: We developed a Homophobic Climate Index incorporating institutional and social components of homophobia. Institutional homophobia was based on the level of enforcement of laws that criminalise, protect or recognise same-sex relations. Social homophobia was based on the level of acceptance and justifiability of homosexuality. We estimated the Index for 158 countries and assessed its robustness and validity. Western Europe is the most inclusive region, followed by Latin America. Africa and the Middle East are home to the most homophobic countries with two exceptions: South Africa and Cabo Verde. We found that a 1% decrease in the level of homophobia is associated with a 10% increase in the gross domestic product per capita. Countries whose citizens face gender inequality, human rights abuses, low health expenditures and low life satisfaction are the ones with a higher homophobic climate. Moreover, a 10% increase in the level of homophobia at country level is associated with a 1.7-year loss in life expectancy for males. A higher level of homophobia is associated with increased AIDS-related death among HIV-positive men. The socioecological approach of this index demonstrates the negative social, economic and health consequences of homophobia in low- and middle-income countries. It provides sound evidence for public health policy in favour of the inclusion of sexual minorities.

Factors Related to Homophobia Among Nursing Students.

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Rowniak, Stefan R

2015-01-01

A convenience sample of 90 nursing students participated in an online survey measuring homophobia or sexual prejudice. Significantly higher scores were seen among those who endorsed the belief that being gay was a matter of personal choice, did not have a friend or family member who was gay or lesbian, and endorsed religiosity. A significantly higher level of sexual prejudice was seen among those who identified as non-Catholic Christians when compared to other religions. Asian/Pacific Islanders showed significantly higher scores on the scales compared to non-Hispanic Caucasian students. Nursing education should focus on those aspects of homophobia amenable to change.

Development and validation of the International Hidradenitis Suppurativa Severity Score System (IHS4), a novel dynamic scoring system to assess HS severity

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zouboulis, C C; Tzellos, T; Kyrgidis, A

2017-01-01

BACKGROUND: A validated tool for the dynamic severity assessment of hidradenitis suppurativa/acne inversa (HS) is lacking. OBJECTIVES: To develop and validate a novel dynamic scoring system to assess the severity of HS. METHODS: A Delphi voting procedure was conducted among the members......, as well as examination for correlation (Spearman's rho) and agreement (Cohen's kappa) with existing scores, were engaged to recognize the variables for a new International HS4 (IHS4) that was established by a second Delphi round. RESULTS: Consensus HS4 was based on number of skin lesions, number of skin....... Three candidate scores were presented to the second Delphi round. The resulting IHS4 score is arrived at by the number of nodules (multiplied by 1) plus the number of abscesses (multiplied by 2) plus the number of draining tunnels (multiplied by 4). A total score of 3 or less signifies mild, 4...

Understanding and Addressing Homophobia in Schools: A View from Teachers

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Bhana, Deevia

2012-01-01

South African schools have been found to be homophobic. Teachers can play an important role in offering a critique of homophobia grounded in South Africa's legal claim to equality on the basis of sexual orientation. Currently there is a dearth of educational research about how teachers understand and address homophobia. By drawing upon focus-group…

“Let’s get those queers!” : Homophobia and heteronormativity within young male sporting cultures in the Netherlands.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Agnes Elling; Froukje Smits

2016-01-01

Presentation at ISSA Conference 2016 (International Sport Sociology Association): "Based on predominantly qualitative research, socio-critical sports sociologists from various (western) countries have in the past argued convincingly that heteronormativity and homophobia form early influences in

Inviting the breach: confronting homophobia in the name of social justice.

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Robinson, Subrina J; Johnson, Julia R; Rich, Marc D

2015-01-01

In 2008 California was divided over Proposition 8, a measure designed to prohibit same-sex marriage. In this article, we focus on a university classroom setting to explore how discussions about Proposition 8 and homophobia led to what Turner (1986) termed a social drama. Drawing on student personal narratives as they moved through the stages of social drama, we provide a poignant example of the conflict that may erupt when homophobia and heteronormativity are part of the curriculum. After documenting the social drama, we offer pedagogical strategies and note the strategic ways Christian, hegemonic discourse is utilized during discussions about homophobia.

Effects Of Field Distortions In Ih-apf Linac

CERN Document Server

Kapin, Valery; Yamada, S

2004-01-01

The project on developing compact medical accelera-tors for the tumor therapy using carbon ions has been started at the National Institute of Radiological Sciences (NIRS). Alternating-phase-focused (APF) linac using an interdigital H-mode (IH) cavity has been proposed for the injector linac. The IH-cavity is doubly ridged circular resonator loaded by the drift-tubes mounted on ridges with supporting stems. The effects of intrinsic and random field distortions in a practical design of the 4-MeV/u 200 MHz IH-APF linac are considered. The intrinsic field distortions in IH-cavity are caused by the asymmetry of the gap field due to presence of the drift-tube supporting stems and pair of ridges. The random field distortions are caused by drift-tube misalignments and non-regular deviations of the voltage distribution from programmed law. The RF fields in IH-cavity have been calculated using Microwave Studio (MWS) code. The effects of field distortions on beam dynamics have been simulated numerically.

It gets better: resolution of internalized homophobia over time and associations with positive health outcomes among MSM.

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Herrick, Amy L; Stall, Ron; Chmiel, Joan S; Guadamuz, Thomas E; Penniman, Typhanye; Shoptaw, Steven; Ostrow, David; Plankey, Michael W

2013-05-01

Health disparities research among gay and bisexual men has focused primarily on risk and deficits. However, a focus on resiliencies within this population may greatly benefit health promotion. We describe a pattern of resilience (internalized homophobia (IHP) resolution) over the life-course and its associations with current health outcomes. 1,541 gay and bisexual men from the Multi-Center AIDS Cohort study, an ongoing prospective study of the natural and treated histories of HIV, completed a survey about life-course events thought to be related to health. The majority of men resolved IHP over time independent of demographics. Men who resolved IHP had significantly higher odds of positive health outcomes compared to those who did not. These results provide evidence of resilience among participants that is associated with positive health outcomes. Understanding resiliencies and incorporating them into interventions may help to promote health and well-being among gay and bisexual men.

Evolutionary origin and divergence of GnIH and its homologous peptides.

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Tsutsui, Kazuyoshi; Osugi, Tomohiro

2009-03-01

Probing undiscovered hypothalamic neuropeptides that play important roles in the regulation of pituitary function in vertebrates is essential for the progress of neuroendocrinology. In 2000, we discovered a novel hypothalamic dodecapeptide inhibiting gonadotropin release in quail and termed it gonadotropin-inhibitory hormone (GnIH). GnIH acts on the pituitary and gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) neurons in the hypothalamus via a novel G protein-coupled receptor for GnIH to inhibit gonadal development and maintenance by decreasing gonadotropin release and synthesis. Similar findings were observed in other avian species. Thus, GnIH is a key factor controlling avian reproduction. To give our findings a broader perspective, we also found GnIH homologous peptides in the hypothalamus of other vertebrates, such as mammals, reptiles, amphibians and teleosts. GnIH and its homologs share a common C-terminal LPXRFamide (X=L or Q) motif. A mammalian GnIH homolog also inhibited gonadotropin release in mammals like the GnIH action in birds. In contrast to higher vertebrates, hypophysiotropic activities of GnIH homologs were different in lower vertebrates. To clarify the evolutionary origin of GnIH and its homologs, we further sought to identify novel LPXRFamide peptides from the brain of sea lamprey and hagfish, two extant groups of the oldest lineage of vertebrates, Agnatha. In these agnathans, LPXRFamide peptide and its cDNA were identified only from the brain of hagfish. Based on these findings over the past decade, this paper summarizes the evolutionary origin and divergence of GnIH and its homologous peptides.

Stigma and self-esteem across societies: avoiding blanket psychological responses to gay men experiencing homophobia.

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Zervoulis, Karyofyllis; Lyons, Evanthia; Dinos, Sokratis

2015-08-01

Aims and method The relationship between homophobia (varying from actual and perceived to internalised) and measures of well-being is well documented. A study in Athens, Greece and London, UK attempted to examine this relationship in two cities with potentially different levels of homophobia. One-hundred and eighty-eight men who have sex with men (MSM) living in London and 173 MSM living in Athens completed a survey investigating their views on their sexuality, perceptions of local homophobia and their identity evaluation in terms of global self-esteem. Results The results confirmed a negative association between homophobia and self-esteem within each city sample. However, Athens MSM, despite perceiving significantly higher levels of local homophobia than London MSM, did not differ on most indicators of internalised homophobia and scored higher on global self-esteem than London MSM. The city context had a significant impact on the relationship. Clinical implications The findings are discussed in relation to the implications they pose for mental health professionals dealing with MSM from communities experiencing variable societal stigmatisation and its effect on a positive sense of self.

Eşcinsel ve biseksüel erkeklerin içselleştirilmiş homofobi düzeyi ve sağlık üzerine etkileri/The internalized homophobia level of the homosexual and bisexual men and its effect on the health

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nilgül Yalçınoğlu

2014-08-01

ğlı olarak psikolojik ve fiziksel sağlıklarının gelişimine faydalı olacağı düşünülmektedir.Anahtar Kelimeler: Gey, biseksüel, içselleştirilmiş homofobi, depresyon, Genel Sağlık Anketi (GSA-12Abstract Objective: Homosexual individuals are often alienated and stigmatised by society and exposure to discrimination. The prejudice and discrimination coming from society are assumed to increase emotional and anxiety disorders as well as alcohol and substance abuse and the risk of suicide in homosexual individuals. Therefore, the problems of homosexual individuals are issues of public health. The aim of this study is to determine the internalized homophobia levels of gay and bisexual men and the impact of this on their mental health. Method: 210 homosexual or bisexual men, who were accessed by the snowball method, were included in this descriptive study with the help of the Lambda Istanbul Association. The data were collected by using a self-reporting questionnaire under supervision, in the Beyoğlu District of Istanbul Province, between April 21 – June 24 2012. The questionnaire included sociodemographic characteristics, substance abuse, problems relating to sexual orientation and suicidal tendencies. The internalized homophobia scale, the Beck depression scale and General Health Questionnaire-12 were applied. Findings: Of the participants, 21,9% had internalized homophobia. Individuals who have homophobic families, who believe that homosexuality is a sin and who use alcohol everyday were regarded as homophobic against their own sexual orientation. In a logistic regression analysis, it was found that whereas suffering from internalized homophobia decreases after the age of 25, gay individuals have more risk than the bisexual individuals of internalized homophobia and the risk of internalized homophobia declines with education. Conclusion: Almost one fifth of homosexual men have internalized homophobia. It is assumed that public health efforts towards decreasing

From Sexuality (Gender) to Gender (Sexuality): The Aims of Anti-Homophobia Education

Science.gov (United States)

Airton, Liz

2009-01-01

The tradition of anti-homophobia education is often characterized by the conflation of gender and sexuality in which oppression arising from gender non-normativity is subsumed within the sexuality-based concepts of homophobia and heterosexism. This paper presents the view that oppression arising from stringent gender normativity should instead be…

Experiences of homophobia among gay and bisexual men: results from a cross-sectional study in seven countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Chard, Anna N; Finneran, Catherine; Sullivan, Patrick S; Stephenson, Rob

2015-01-01

Experiences of homophobic discrimination are associated with an increased prevalence of psychological disorders and increased odds of reporting suicidal ideation among gay and bisexual men. We examine two domains of homophobia--external homophobic discrimination and internalised homophobia--and their associations with sexual orientation, demographic characteristics, relationships and social support among a sample of gay and bisexual men from seven countries. Sexually active gay and bisexual men aged over 18 and residing in Australia, Brazil, Canada, South Africa, Thailand, the UK and the USA were recruited through banner advertisements on Facebook. Two outcomes were examined: reporting experiences of homophobic discrimination and reporting feelings of internalised homophobia. No covariates were consistently significantly associated with experiencing external homophobic discrimination across countries. Across all countries, bisexually identifying respondents reported significantly greater feelings of internalised homophobia. Respondents in Brazil and the UK reporting a main partner, and respondents in Australia, Brazil, Canada, South Africa, Thailand and the USA reporting a larger gay/bisexual social network, reported significantly fewer feelings of internalised homophobia. Results suggest an ameliorative effect of social networks on experiencing homophobia. Additional research should focus on the mechanisms through which social networks reduce feelings of internalised homophobia.

Is homophobia associated with an implicit same-sex attraction?

Science.gov (United States)

Macinnis, Cara C; Hodson, Gordon

2013-01-01

Some theorists propose that homophobia stems from underlying same-sex attraction. A few studies have tested this hypothesis, yet without a clear measure of implicit sexual attraction, producing mixed results. For the first time, we test this attraction-based account of homophobia among both men and women using an implicit measure of sexual attraction. No evidence of an attraction-based account of homophobia emerged. Instead, implicit same-sex attraction was related to positive evaluations of gay men and lesbians among female participants. Even in targeted analyses examining the relation between implicit same-sex attraction and homosexual evaluations among only those theoretically most likely to demonstrate an attraction-based homophobic effect, implicit same-sex attraction was not associated with evaluations of homosexuals or was associated with more positive evaluations of homosexuals. In addition, explicit same-sex attraction was related to positive evaluations of gay men and lesbians for male participants. These results are more in keeping with the attitude-similarity effect (i.e., people like, rather than dislike, similar others).

Homophobia in Marlowe’s Edward II Homophobia in Marlowe’s Edward II

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Gelson Peres de Silva

2008-04-01

Full Text Available Drawing on queer theory, this essay demonstrates how homophobia motivates the plot of usurpation in Edward II, by Chistopher Marlowe (1564-1593, a play in which complex power relations can be verified. The main characters, King Edward II, Pierce of Gaveston, Mortimer Junior, Mortimer Senior and Queen Isabella, together with the nobles and the clerics, interact in a world of fierce political dispute. Power relations are at the core of the play and involve, on the one hand, the characters who envy and dispute Edward II’s royal power. On the other hand, the king suffers the effects of the power of his own homosexual drive and affective ties with Gaveston. Drawing on queer theory, this essay demonstrates how homophobia motivates the plot of usurpation in Edward II, by Chistopher Marlowe (1564-1593, a play in which complex power relations can be verified. The main characters, King Edward II, Pierce of Gaveston, Mortimer Junior, Mortimer Senior and Queen Isabella, together with the nobles and the clerics, interact in a world of fierce political dispute. Power relations are at the core of the play and involve, on the one hand, the characters who envy and dispute Edward II’s royal power. On the other hand, the king suffers the effects of the power of his own homosexual drive and affective ties with Gaveston.

Das IHS und die Rolle der Forschungsinstitute

OpenAIRE

Keuschnigg, Christian

2014-01-01

Das Institut für Höhere Studien und wissenschaftliche Forschung (IHS) ist ein unabhängiges Forschungsinstitut und leistet Forschung und Ausbildung auf Spitzenniveau für Politik, Wirtschaft und Gesellschaft. Im Wettbewerb zwischen Universitäten und angewandten Forschungsinstituten ist das IHS einzigartig, weil es unter einem Dach Grundlagenforschung und forschungsnahe Lehre mit angewandter Forschung für die wissenschaftliche Politikberatung verbindet. Mit den drei Disziplinen Ökonomie, Soziolo...

Mapping Homophobia in Australia

OpenAIRE

Flood, Michael Gaston; Flood, Michael; Flood, C.; Hamilton, Clive

2008-01-01

One-third of the Australian population believe that 'homosexuality is immoral', and this belief is spread in distinct ways across the nation. Using data from a survey of nearly 25,000 Australians, we can 'map' homophobia in Australia. Homophobic attitudes are worst in country areas of Queensland and Tasmania. Men are far more likely than women to feel that homosexuality does not have moral legitimacy, and this gender gap in attitudes persists across age, socioeconomic, educational, and region...

Economic and Social Political Ideology and Homophobia: The Mediating Role of Binding and Individualizing Moral Foundations.

Science.gov (United States)

Barnett, Michael D; Öz, Haluk C M; Marsden, Arthur D

2018-05-01

Previous research has linked conservative political ideology with homophobia. Political ideology has also been linked to differences in moral decision-making, with research suggesting that conservatives and liberals may use different values in their moral decision-making processes. Moral foundations theory is a model of moral decision-making that proposes that individuals emphasize different domains in moral decision-making. Conservatives tend to emphasize binding foundations, while liberals tend to emphasize individualizing foundations. Utilizing large, ethnically diverse college samples, the purpose of these two cross-sectional studies (Study 1 N = 492; Study 2 N = 861) was to explore whether moral foundations mediate the relationship between political ideology and homophobia. These studies explored economic and social political ideology separately and utilized a two-factor model of moral foundations theory (individualizing and binding foundations). Results of both studies found that conservative economic and social political ideology was positively associated with homophobia. Study 1 found that both conservative economic and social political ideology had an indirect effect on homophobia through binding foundations. Study 2 found that both economic and social political ideology had an indirect effect on homophobia through both binding and individualizing foundations. Overall, the results were consistent with the notion that moral foundations may explain the relationship between political ideology and homophobia.

Review: evolution of GnIH and related peptides structure and function in the chordates.

Science.gov (United States)

Osugi, Tomohiro; Ubuka, Takayoshi; Tsutsui, Kazuyoshi

2014-01-01

Discovery of gonadotropin-inhibitory hormone (GnIH) in the Japanese quail in 2000 was the first to demonstrate the existence of a hypothalamic neuropeptide inhibiting gonadotropin release. We now know that GnIH regulates reproduction by inhibiting gonadotropin synthesis and release via action on the gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) system and the gonadotrope in various vertebrates. GnIH peptides identified in birds and mammals have a common LPXRF-amide (X = L or Q) motif at the C-terminus and inhibit pituitary gonadotropin secretion. However, the function and structure of GnIH peptides are diverse in fish. Goldfish GnIHs possessing a C-terminal LPXRF-amide motif have both stimulatory and inhibitory effects on gonadotropin synthesis or release. The C-terminal sequence of grass puffer and medaka GnIHs are MPQRF-amide. To investigate the evolutionary origin of GnIH and its ancestral structure and function, we searched for GnIH in agnathans, the most ancient lineage of vertebrates. We identified GnIH precursor gene and mature GnIH peptides with C-terminal QPQRF-amide or RPQRF-amide from the brain of sea lamprey. Lamprey GnIH fibers were in close proximity to GnRH-III neurons. Further, one of lamprey GnIHs stimulated the expression of lamprey GnRH-III peptide in the hypothalamus and gonadotropic hormone β mRNA expression in the pituitary. We further identified the ancestral form of GnIH, which had a C-terminal RPQRF-amide, and its receptors in amphioxus, the most basal chordate species. The amphioxus GnIH inhibited cAMP signaling in vitro. In sum, the original forms of GnIH may date back to the time of the emergence of early chordates. GnIH peptides may have had various C-terminal structures slightly different from LPXRF-amide in basal chordates, which had stimulatory and/or inhibitory functions on reproduction. The C-terminal LPXRF-amide structure and its inhibitory function on reproduction may be selected in later-evolved vertebrates, such as birds and mammals.

Texts, Structure, and Collaboration: Reflections of a Professional Development Addressing Homophobia in Secondary Schools

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, Joseph R.

2015-01-01

Homophobia is an incredible problem within educational settings. Therefore, we must begin examining how we can address the challenge in an effective manner. Researchers postulate professional development (PD) discussing homophobia is an appropriate method to address the problem. To date, there is little published literature that discusses how a PD…

Demographic and social factors associated with homophobia and fear of AIDS in a community sample.

Science.gov (United States)

Walch, Susan E; Orlosky, Paula M; Sinkkanen, Kimberly A; Stevens, Heather R

2010-01-01

Examinations of demographic and social factors associated with homophobia and fear of AIDS are limited by the frequent use of homogeneous, college student samples and limited examination of interrelationships among variables. The present study examined community attitudes toward homosexuality and fear of HIV/AIDS as a function of age, education, race/ethnicity, religious affiliation, political party affiliation, and personal contact with homosexual individuals and persons living with HIV/AIDS. A community sample of 463 adults completed standardized measures of homophobia and fear of AIDS as well as demographic and social background items. When examined separately, each demographic and social factor assessed, with the exception of race/ethnicity, was associated with homophobia and all but race/ethnicity and political party affiliation were associated with fear of AIDS. However, when entered into multiple regression analyses, 24% of the variance in homophobia was predicted by a single variable, including only personal contact with homosexual individuals, while 18% of the variance in fear of AIDS was accounted for by five variables, including personal contact with homosexual individuals, religious affiliation, political affiliation, education, and personal contact with someone living with HIV/AIDS. Findings suggest that it is important to consider intercorrelations among social and demographic factors, particularly when considering homophobia.

Fans, homophobia and masculinities in association football: evidence of a more inclusive environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Cashmore, Ellis; Cleland, Jamie

2012-06-01

This article draws on 3,500 responses from fans and professionals involved in association football (soccer) to an anonymous online survey posted from June 2010 to October 2010 regarding their views towards gay footballers. The overall findings are that, contrary to assumptions of homophobia, there is evidence of rapidly decreasing homophobia within the culture of football fandom. The results advance inclusive masculinity theory with 93 per cent of fans of all ages stating that there is no place for homophobia within football. Fans blame agents and clubs for the lack of openness and challenge football's governing organizations to oppose the culture of secrecy surrounding gay players and to provide a more inclusive environment to support players who want to come out. © London School of Economics and Political Science 2012.

Internalized Stigma and Psychological Well-Being in Gay Men and Lesbians in Italy and Belgium

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Giorgia Lorenzi

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Several studies have shown that internalized homophobia is a risk factor for mental health illness in homosexual individuals, whereas the perception of social support is a protective factor for their psychological well-being. In line with those studies, the present research has investigated the levels of internalized homophobia, anxiety, depression and social support, among two groups of gay men and lesbian individuals living in two European countries (N = 194: 86 Italian and 108 Belgian, where legislations grant different civil rights to lesbian and gay individuals (LG. The main goal of this research has been to verify the possible differences between the two groups. Results showed some significant differences in terms of observed levels of internalized homophobia, which was higher in the Belgian gay men’s group compared to the Italian one. Furthermore, path analysis emphasized the role of social support as a potential factor of mediation between internalized homophobia and mental health.

Challenging homophobia and heterosexism through storytelling and critical dialogue among Hong Kong Chinese immigrant parents in Toronto.

Science.gov (United States)

Wong, Josephine Pui-Hing; Poon, Maurice Kwong-Lai

2013-01-01

Homophobia and heterosexism are ubiquitous in Canadian society. They contribute to significant health and mental health disparities for lesbian, gay and bisexual youth and their families. Anti-homophobia efforts tend to focus on students and teachers at school. While these efforts are important, they do not reach parents, who play an important role in shaping young people's attitudes towards gender and sexuality. To eliminate bullying and victimisation associated with homophobia at school and in the community, concerted efforts are urgently needed to mobilise parents to become champions against homophobia and heterosexism. In this paper, we report on our use of storytelling and critical dialogue to engage a group of Hong Kong Chinese immigrant parents in Toronto to interrogate their values and assumptions about homosexuality. In particular, we illustrate how we use storytelling to create a liminal space whereby the narrators and listeners collaborate to create counter-discourses that challenge social domination and exclusion. We then discuss the implications of using a critical dialogical approach to integrate anti-homophobia efforts in community parenting programmes.

Povratna informacija pri matematičnih domačih nalogah

OpenAIRE

Žitko, Urša

2017-01-01

V diplomskem delu je predstavljena povratna informacija pri matematičnih domačih nalogah. V teoretičnem delu so predstavljene domače naloge: njihova zgodovina, namen in več klasifikacij vrst domačih nalog. Domače naloge so namenjene učencem, da z njimi usvojijo in utrdijo obravnavano snov. Domača naloga učencem omogoča učenje uporabe postopkov, ki jih že poznajo, in pridobivanje novih spretnosti za nadaljnje razumevanje snovi. Z rednim pisanjem domačih nalog se učenci naučijo vestnega in sam...

Development of non-duct IH (induction heating) smokeless roaster; Nonduct IH (denjiha yudo kanetsu) muen roaster no kaihatsu

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Matsunaga, K. [Chubu Electric Power Co. Inc., Nagoya (Japan)

1996-11-01

As a part of diffusion and promotion of electric cooking apparatuses, a non-duct IH smokeless roaster has been developed for roast meat restaurants in cooperation with Hitachi Home Tech. Smoke and odor in the room can be removed without using exhaust duct by incorporating smoke and odor processing equipment into the main body. For the developed roaster, IH was adopted as a heat source with less smoke and exhaust gas compared with city gas. Generated smoke and odor are removed by the electrical precipitator and the deodorant catalyst incorporated in the main body. After the treatment, exhaust gas is emitted in the room. This roaster has characteristics as follows. This roaster can be used at high-class roast meat restaurants for avoiding smoke and odor, and can be brought in banqueting hall of hotels. Since it does not have a duct, there is no danger of fire. It is easy to change the layout of guest room. Since the IH system has less exhaust heat than the gas system, increase in room temperature is moderate, which results in the reduction of air conditioning load. 8 figs., 3 tabs.

Beyond Homophobia: How Do Jamaican Men Who Have Sex with Men Build Communities, Affirm Identity, and Mitigate Homophobia?

Science.gov (United States)

Harris, Orlando O; Jarrett, Sharlene

2018-03-14

Jamaican men who have sex with men (MSM) have experienced widespread stigma and discrimination. Much of the research on Jamaican MSM has focused on HIV risk behaviors. We examined the social and romantic relationships of Jamaican MSM and how these factors fostered a sense of community in an antihomosexual environment. Qualitative in-depth interviews were conducted with 30 MSM ages 18 to 29 years. Women and familial matriarchal figures were more likely to accept someone identified as homosexual and provide protection against homophobia. Jamaican MSM affirmed their identity by providing emotional support and safe spaces, which aided in building a sense of community. Relationships with friends and intimate partners were a source of love and validation as opposed to simply sexual gratification. The social and romantic relationships of Jamaican MSM transcended the social boundaries of homophobia, affirmed sexual identity and orientation, and served as facilitators across most general societal and cultural interactions. Copyright © 2018 Association of Nurses in AIDS Care. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Homophobia: An Impulsive Attraction to the Same Sex? Evidence From Eye-Tracking Data in a Picture-Viewing Task.

Science.gov (United States)

Cheval, Boris; Radel, Remi; Grob, Emmanuelle; Ghisletta, Paolo; Bianchi-Demicheli, Francesco; Chanal, Julien

2016-05-01

Some models suggest that homophobia can be explained as a denied attraction toward same-sex individuals. While it has been found that homophobic men have same-sex attraction, these results are not consistent. This study drew on the dual-process models to test the assumption that sexual interest in homosexual cues among men high in homophobia will depend on their specific impulses toward homosexual-related stimuli. Heterosexual men (N = 38) first completed a scale measuring their level of homonegativity. Then, they performed a manikin task to evaluate their impulsive approach tendencies toward homosexual stimuli (IAHS). A picture-viewing task was performed with simultaneous eye-tracking recording to assess participants' viewing time of the visual area of interest (i.e., face and body). IAHS positively predicted the viewing time of homosexual photographs among men with a high score of homonegativity. Men with a high homonegativity score looked significantly longer at homosexual than at heterosexual photographs but only when they had a high IAHS. These findings confirm the importance of considering the variability in impulsive processes to understand why some (but not all) men high in homophobia have homosexual interest. These findings reinforce the theoretical basis for elaborating a dual-process model for behaviors in the sexual context. Copyright © 2016 International Society for Sexual Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Reversible pressure-induced crystal-amorphous structural transformation in ice Ih

Science.gov (United States)

English, Niall J.; Tse, John S.

2014-08-01

Molecular dynamics (MD) simulation of depressurised high-density amorphous ice (HDA) at 80 K and at negative pressures has been performed. Over several attempts, HDA recrystallised to a form close to hexagonal ice Ih, albeit with some defects. The results support the hypothesis that compression of ice-Ih to HDA is a reversible first-order phase transition, with a large hysteresis. Therefore, it would appear that LDA is not truly amorphous. The elastic energy estimated from the area of the hysteresis loop is ca. 4.5 kJ/mol, in some way consistent with experimentally-determined accumulated successive heats of transformations from recovered HDA → ice Ih.

The IHS diagnostic X-ray equipment radiation protection program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Knapp, A.; Byrns, G.; Suleiman, O.

1994-01-01

The Indian Health Service (IHS) operates or contracts with Tribal groups to operate 50 hospitals and approximately 165 primary ambulatory care centers. These facilities contain approximately 275 medical and 800 dental diagnostic x-ray machines. IHS environmental health personnel in collaboration with the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH) developed a diagnostic x-ray protection program including standard survey procedures and menu-driven calculations software. Important features of the program include the evaluation of equipment performance collection of average patient entrance skin exposure (ESE) measurements for selected procedures, and quality assurance. The ESE data, collected using the National Evaluation of X-ray Trends (NEXT) protocol, will be presented. The IHS Diagnostic X-ray Radiation Protection Program is dynamic and is adapting to changes in technology and workload

Cell-Type Specific Development of the Hyperpolarization-Activated Current, Ih, in Prefrontal Cortical Neurons

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Sha-Sha Yang

2018-05-01

Full Text Available H-current, also known as hyperpolarization-activated current (Ih, is an inward current generated by the hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated (HCN cation channels. Ih plays an essential role in regulating neuronal properties, synaptic integration and plasticity, and synchronous activity in the brain. As these biological factors change across development, the brain undergoes varying levels of vulnerability to disorders like schizophrenia that disrupt prefrontal cortex (PFC-dependent function. However, developmental changes in Ih in PFC neurons remains untested. Here, we examine Ih in pyramidal neurons vs. gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABAergic parvalbumin-expressing (PV+ interneurons in developing mouse PFC. Our findings show that the amplitudes of Ih in these cell types are identical during the juvenile period but differ at later time points. In pyramidal neurons, Ih amplitude significantly increases from juvenile to adolescence and follows a similar trend into adulthood. In contrast, the amplitude of Ih in PV+ interneurons decreases from juvenile to adolescence, and does not change from adolescence to adulthood. Moreover, the kinetics of HCN channels in pyramidal neurons is significantly slower than in PV+ interneurons, with a gradual decrease in pyramidal neurons and a gradual increase in PV+ cells across development. Our study reveals distinct developmental trajectories of Ih in pyramidal neurons and PV+ interneurons. The cell-type specific alteration of Ih during the critical period from juvenile to adolescence reflects the contribution of Ih to the maturation of the PFC and PFC-dependent function. These findings are essential for a better understanding of normal PFC function, and for elucidating Ih’s crucial role in the pathophysiology of neurodevelopmental disorders.

Ih current is necessary to maintain normal dopamine fluctuations and sleep consolidation in Drosophila.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alicia Gonzalo-Gomez

Full Text Available HCN channels are becoming pharmacological targets mainly in cardiac diseases. But apart from their well-known role in heart pacemaking, these channels are widely expressed in the nervous system where they contribute to the neuron firing pattern. Consequently, abolishing Ih current might have detrimental consequences in a big repertoire of behavioral traits. Several studies in mammals have identified the Ih current as an important determinant of the firing activity of dopaminergic neurons, and recent evidences link alterations in this current to various dopamine-related disorders. We used the model organism Drosophila melanogaster to investigate how lack of Ih current affects dopamine levels and the behavioral consequences in the sleep:activity pattern. Unlike mammals, in Drosophila there is only one gene encoding HCN channels. We generated a deficiency of the DmIh core gene region and measured, by HPLC, levels of dopamine. Our data demonstrate daily variations of dopamine in wild-type fly heads. Lack of Ih current dramatically alters dopamine pattern, but different mechanisms seem to operate during light and dark conditions. Behaviorally, DmIh mutant flies display alterations in the rest:activity pattern, and altered circadian rhythms. Our data strongly suggest that Ih current is necessary to prevent dopamine overproduction at dark, while light input allows cycling of dopamine in an Ih current dependent manner. Moreover, lack of Ih current results in behavioral defects that are consistent with altered dopamine levels.

Dismantling the Context and Breaking Free from Contextual Oppositions: How Teacher Education Programs Can Combat Homophobia

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, Joseph R.

2012-01-01

In exploring homophobia in schools, the author discusses a qualitative research study conducted with a group of teachers from New York State. The article examines how the group of teachers (participating in professional development program) discusses their perceptions of homophobia in their classrooms and schools. Specifically, the teachers…

Ocena prehranskega stanja starejših v socialnovarstvenem zavodu

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Nika Urh

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Uvod: Eden od dejavnikov kakovosti življenja starejših v socialnovarstvenem zavodu je prehrana. Namen raziskave je bil proučiti prehransko stanje in ponuditi predloge za izboljšanje prehrane starejših v socialnovarstvenem zavodu. Metode: V raziskavi je bila uporabljena kvantitativna opisna metoda raziskovanja. Analizirani so bili dnevni jedilniki v socialnovarstvenem zavodu in na vzorcu starejših (n = 48 izvedena analizo dejanskega vnosa hranil in prehranskega statusa. Prehransko stanje je bilo ugotovljeno na podlagi indeksa telesne mase in vprašalnika Mini prehranski pregled. Vključeni v raziskavo so imeli prehrano, pri kateri dietne prilagoditve niso bile potrebne. Rezultati: Povprečna energijska vrednost ponujenih jedilnikov je znašala 8457 kJ (2021 kcal na dan, 17 hranil je odstopalo od priporočil. Moški (M in ženske (Ž se statistično pomembno razlikujejo v deležu ostanka maščob (μM = 16 %, μŽ = 24 %; p = 0,036, holesterola (μM = 15 %, μŽ = 26 %; p = 0,035, vitamina D (μM = 15 %, μŽ = 27 %; p = 0,017 in vitamina B12 (μM = 17 %, μŽ = 25 %; p = 0,016. Indeks telesne mase je pokazal, da nihče od starejših, ki so bili vključeni v raziskavo, ni bil podhranjen ali v kategoriji debelost III. stopnje. Diskusija in zaključek: Raziskava je potrdila potrebo po sistematičnem spremljanju kakovosti prehrane starejših v socialnovarstvenih zavodih. Da bi starejšim zagotovili ustrezno prehransko oskrbo, je potrebno sodelovanje medpoklicnega tima s starejšimi in njihovimi družinskimi člani.

Prospects of implicit measures in assessment of defensive function of explicit homophobia in heterosexuals

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lazarević Ljiljana B.

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Some authors state that one of the functions of explicit homophobia is defensive, and that it has roots in latent attraction towards same sex. Large body of evidence suggests that implicit techniques enable assessment of those cognitions hidden from conscious awareness. Sample of 277 heterosexuals completed several implicit (Implicit Association Test-IAT and Affective Priming-AP and explicit measures of attitude (Test of homophobia and Connotative differential. Multi-group SEM analysis was done to investigate cross-sample stability of the model postulating influence of IAT and AP factors on latent explicit factor. Analyses suggest that both in males and females IAT latent factor predicts negative explicit attitude. Results revealed that explicit homophobia is related to implicit, negative attitude toward homosexuals and not to implicit attraction towards same sex. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. 179018 i br. 179033

Developing a community-level anti-HIV/AIDS stigma and homophobia intervention in new York city: The project CHHANGE model.

Science.gov (United States)

Frye, Victoria; Paige, Mark Q; Gordon, Steven; Matthews, David; Musgrave, Geneva; Kornegay, Mark; Greene, Emily; Phelan, Jo C; Koblin, Beryl A; Taylor-Akutagawa, Vaughn

2017-08-01

HIV/AIDS stigma and homophobia are associated with significant negative health and social outcomes among people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) and those at risk of infection. Interventions to decrease HIV stigma have focused on providing information and education, changing attitudes and values, and increasing contact with people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA), activities that act to reduce stereotyped beliefs and prejudice, as well as acts of discrimination. Most anti-homophobia interventions have focused on bullying reduction and have been implemented at the secondary and post-secondary education levels. Few interventions address HIV stigma and homophobia and operate at the community level. Project CHHANGE, Challenge HIV Stigma and Homophobia and Gain Empowerment, was a community-level, multi-component anti-HIV/AIDS stigma and homophobia intervention designed to reduce HIV stigma and homophobia thus increasing access to HIV prevention and treatment access. The theory-based intervention included three primary components: workshops and trainings with local residents, businesses and community-based organizations (CBO); space-based events at a CBO-partner drop-in storefront and "pop-up" street-based events and outreach; and a bus shelter ad campaign. This paper describes the intervention design process, resultant intervention and the study team's experiences working with the community. We conclude that CHHANGE was feasible and acceptable to the community. Promoting the labeling of gay and/or HIV-related "space" as a non-stigmatized, community resource, as well as providing opportunities for residents to have contact with targeted groups and to understand how HIV stigma and homophobia relate to HIV/AIDS prevalence in their neighborhood may be crucial components of successful anti-stigma and discrimination programming. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Effect of cortisol on gonadotropin inhibitory hormone (GnIH) in the cinnamon clownfish, Amphiprion melanopus.

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, Young Jae; Habibi, Hamid R; Kil, Gyung-Suk; Jung, Min-Min; Choi, Cheol Young

2017-04-01

Hypothalamic peptides, gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) and gonadotropin inhibitory hormone (GnIH), play pivotal roles in the control of reproduction and gonadal maturation in fish. In the present study we tested the possibility that stress-mediated reproductive dysfunction in teleost may involve changes in GnRH and GnIH activity. We studied expression of brain GnIH, GnIH-R, seabream GnRH (sbGnRH), as well as circulating levels of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), and luteinizing hormone (LH) in the cinnamon clownfish, Amphiprion melanopus. Treatment with cortisol increased GnIH mRNA level, but reduced sbGnRH mRNA and circulating levels of LH and FSH in cinnamon clownfish. Using double immunofluorescence staining, we found expression of both GnIH and GnRH in the diencephalon region of cinnamon clownfish brain. These findings support the hypothesis that cortisol, an indicator of stress, affects reproduction, in part, by increasing GnIH in cinnamon clownfish which contributes to hypothalamic suppression of reproductive function in A. melanopus, a protandrous hermaphroditic fish. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Homophobia, Lesbians, and Women's Sports: An Exploratory Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Griffin, Patricia S.

In addressing the subject of lesbian athletes, this paper discusses some ways in which sport psychologists, researchers and clinicians may constructively approach the issues. These include: (1) understand one's own homophobia and how it affects clinical work as a sport psychologist by studying the growing body of literature on the topic; (2)…

42 CFR 137.294 - What is the typical IHS environmental review process for construction projects?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... SELF-GOVERNANCE Construction Nepa Process § 137.294 What is the typical IHS environmental review... impact on the environment, and therefore do not require environmental impact statements (EIS). Under current IHS procedures, an environmental review is performed on all construction projects. During the IHS...

Substance use by same sex attracted young people: Prevalence, perceptions and homophobia.

Science.gov (United States)

Kelly, John; Davis, Cassandra; Schlesinger, Carla

2015-07-01

Research highlights that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people use alcohol and drugs (AOD) more than heterosexual people; however, the incidence of AOD use by LGBT youth is less understood. The purpose of the current study was to ascertain AOD prevalence rates for LGBT youth compared with the Australian youth population; perceptions of AOD use within the LGBT community; and the impact of homophobia on AOD use. The study surveyed a cross-sectional sample of LGBT youth (13-24 years) (n = 161) who attended a LGBT festival in Brisbane, Australia, in 2012. The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-Consumption, Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence and Drug Check Assessment Tool were utilised to examine patterns of AOD use, with items developed to explore perceptions of AOD use and homophobia. AOD use was common among the LGBT sample, with higher prevalence rates compared with the general Australian youth population (2010 National Drug Strategy Household Survey). AOD use by under 18-year-olds, and gender diverse youth was markedly higher. The majority misperceived AOD use to be the same in the LGBT and heterosexual communities. Those who believed homophobia impacted on AOD use were significantly more likely to use AOD. The higher prevalence of AOD use strongly suggests the need for AOD agencies to better respond to LGBT youth by not only screening sexuality and gender identity but also exploring young people's perceptions of AOD use in the LGBT community and their experiences of homophobia in order to provide effective AOD clinical treatment. © 2014 Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs.

Teaching about Heterosexism: Challenging Homophobia in South Africa

Science.gov (United States)

Francis, Dennis; Msibi, Thabo

2011-01-01

This article, a critical review of a module on heterosexism and homophobia, sets out the challenges to be overcome if the oppressive conditions for lesbian, gay, and bisexual students and teachers in South Africa are to be changed. It draws on evidence from student assignments, records of participatory discussions and the notes of the authors, who…

Effects of Field Distortions in IH-APF Linac for a Compact Medical Accelerator

CERN Document Server

Kapin, Valery; Yamada, Satoru

2004-01-01

The project on developing compact medical accelerators for the tumor therapy using carbon ions has been started at the National Institute of Radiological Sciences (NIRS). Alternating-phase-focused (APF) linac using an interdigital H-mode (IH) cavity has been proposed for the injector linac. The IH-cavity is a doubly ridged circular resonator loaded by the drift-tubes mounted on ridges with supporting stems. The effects of intrinsic and random field distortions in a practical design of the 4-Mev/u 200-MHz IH-APF linac are considered. The intrinsic field distortions in the IH-cavity are caused by an asymmetry of the gap fields due to presence of the stems and pair of ridges. The random field distortions are caused by drift-tube misalignments and non-regular deviations of the gap voltages from programmed values. The RF fields in the IH-cavity have been calculated using Microwave Studio (MWS) code. The effects of field distortions on beam dynamics have been simulated numerically. The intrinsic field distortions a...

42 CFR 137.206 - Why does the IHS need this information?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 42 Public Health 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Why does the IHS need this information? 137.206 Section 137.206 Public Health PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES INDIAN HEALTH SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES TRIBAL SELF-GOVERNANCE Operational Provisions Health Status Reports § 137.206 Why does the IHS...

Understanding and addressing homophobia in schools: a view from ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

important role in offering a critique of homophobia grounded in South Africa's legal .... This could serve the interest of securing a safe environment for ... ethnic or social origin, colour, sexual orientation, age, disability, religion, conscience, ..... complicit in inciting feelings of 'abnormality' of conduct in relation to gay learners.

Using a College Human Sexuality Course to Combat Homophobia

Science.gov (United States)

Rogers, Anissa; McRee, Nick; Arntz, Diana L.

2009-01-01

The present study seeks to identify factors among university students that may be associated with homophobic attitudes and whether homophobia may be reduced by educational interventions, such as knowledge-based curricula found in college sexuality courses. Participants were 128 undergraduate students attending a small, private university in the…

Qualidades psicométricas do Inventário de Habilidades Sociais (IHS: estudo sobre a estabilidade temporal e a validade concomitante Psychometric qualities of a Social Skills Inventory (IHS: a study of its temporal stability and concomitant validity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marina Bandeira

2000-12-01

Full Text Available Esta pesquisa investiga as qualidades psicométricas do Inventário de Habilidades Sociais (IHS em termos de sua validade concomitante e de sua fidedignidade ou estabilidade temporal. Participaram desta pesquisa, 104 estudantes de Psicologia que foram submetidos à aplicação do IHS e da Escala de Assertividade de Rathus. Os resultados mostram uma correlação significativa entre estas duas escalas de avaliação. Os dados referentes à aplicação teste-reteste do IHS, em uma subamostra aleatória de 39 sujeitos, mostram igualmente um correlação significativa entre as duas aplicações. Estes resultados indicam que o IHS possui validade concomitante e fidedignidade ou estabilidade temporal. Estas conclusões complementam os resultados de estudos anteriores sobre as qualidades psicométricas do IHS e recomendam a utilização desta escala para avaliar as habilidades sociais de estudantes universitários no contexto brasileiro.This research investigates the psychometric properties of the Social Skills Inventory (IHS in terms of its concomitant validity and reliability. A sample of 104 psychology students participated in this research. Two scales were applied to the subjects, the IHS and the Rathus Assertiveness Scale. The results showed a significant correlation between the IHS and the Rathus Scale scores. The IHS was also reapplied to a randomized sub-sample of 39 students. The results of this test-retest application also showed a significant correlation between these scores. The results indicate that the IHS has concomitant validity and reliability or temporal stability. This study adds positive results to a previous study investigating some other psychometric properties of the IHS and recommends the use of this scale for the evaluation of college student social skills.

Using Nail Polish to Teach about Gender and Homophobia

Science.gov (United States)

Edwards, Nelta M.

2010-01-01

How might teachers help students investigate the relationship between gender and homophobia? This article describes an exercise that uses fingernail polish to do just that. The authors uses anecdotal evidence to describe the exercise in which students pair with someone of the opposite gender and paint each other's fingernails. Additionally, the…

Homofobia en estudiantes de enfermería Homofobia em estudantes de enfermagem Homophobia among nursing students

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adalberto Campo-Arias

2010-09-01

Full Text Available La homofobia es una actitud negativa hacia personas homosexuales, frecuente en profesionales de la salud y con implicaciones en la salud pública. Este fenómeno había sido poco estudiado en estudiantes de enfermería. El objetivo fue conocer la prevalencia y las variables asociadas a la homofobia en estudiantes de enfermería. La revisión sistemática fue realizada de los artículos de investigación formal en EBSCO, Imbiomed, LILACS, MEDLINE, Ovid y ProQuest. Fueron incluidos los artículos publicados entre 1998 y 2008, escritos en español, inglés o portugués. Fueron utilizadas las palabras llave homophobia, homosexuality y nursing students. Se realizó un análisis descriptivo. Se revisaron ocho investigaciones. Entre el 7 y el 16% de los estudiantes presenta algún grado de homofobia. La homofobia es más común en varones y en los religiosos más conservadores. La homofobia es frecuente en estudiantes de enfermería y puede tener implicancias negativas para el ejercicio de la enfermería.A homofobia é uma atitude negativa em relação a pessoas homossexuais, frequente em profissionais da saúde, e com implicações na saúde pública. Este fenômeno havia sido pouco estudado em estudantes de enfermagem. O objetivo foi conhecer a prevalência e variáveis associadas à homofobia em estudantes de enfermagem. A revisão sistemática foi realizada nos artigos de pesquisa formal em EBSCO, Imbiomed, LILACS, MEDLINE, Ovid e ProQuest. Foram incluídos os artigos publicados entre 1998 e 2008, escritos em espanhol, inglês ou português. Foram utilizadas as palavras-chave homophobia, homosexuality e nursing students. Uma análise descritiva foi realizada. Oito pesquisas foram revisadas. Entre 7% e 16% dos estudantes apresenta algum grau de homofobia. A homofobia é mais comum em homens e nos religiosos mais conservadores. A homofobia é frequente em estudantes de enfermagem, e pode ter implicações negativas para o exercício da enfermagem.Homophobia

Addressing the Question of Homophobia in Jordanian Public Discourse

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ahmad El-Sharif

2016-11-01

Full Text Available This article investigates the question of homosexuality, homosexuals, and homophobia in the Jordanian public debate in the aftermath of an LGBTQIA meeting that was held secretly in Amman in May 2015. The main purpose of the article is to demonstrate the constituents and arguments which reproduce the public discourse on anti-homosexuality and anti-homosexuals and homophobia in Jordan. This purpose is reached by analysing 35 journal articles written in Standard Arabic in Jordanian public and open-access media. The analysis involves the qualitative analysis of the argument, processes, and themes used to represent homosexuality and homosexuals by the discourse producers. The analysis reveals that the question of homosexuality and homosexuals in Jordan can be addressed in terms of seven angles: the public anti-homosexuality and anti-homosexuals’ calls, the (Islamic religious argument, protecting and reinforcing law and order, the argument of (homosexually-transmitted diseases, the calls of pro-homosexuality and pro-homosexuals and LGBTQIA’s rights activists, the homosexuals’ own self-representation, and the neutral scientific account and representation.

Homophobia and racism experienced by Latino men who have sex with men in the United States: correlates of exposure and associations with HIV risk behaviors.

Science.gov (United States)

Mizuno, Yuko; Borkowf, Craig; Millett, Gregorio A; Bingham, Trista; Ayala, George; Stueve, Ann

2012-04-01

Using cross-sectional data collected from 1081 Latino men who have sex with men (MSM) recruited with respondent-driven sampling (RDS) techniques from Los Angeles and New York, we examined the extent to which Latino MSM reported exposure to social discrimination (i.e., experienced both homophobia and racism, homophobia only, racism only, or neither homophobia nor racism). More than 40% of respondents experienced both homophobia and racism in the past 12 months. Los Angeles participants, those with lower income, and those who reported being HIV-positive were more likely to report experiencing both types of social discrimination. Adjusting for potential confounders, men exposed to both homophobia and racism were more likely than men exposed to neither form of discrimination to report unprotected receptive anal intercourse with a casual sex partner (AOR = 1.92, 95% CI, 1.18-3.24) and binge drinking (AOR = 1.42, 95% CI, 1.02-1.98). Our findings suggest the presence of a syndemic of adverse social experiences and call for more intervention research to address both homophobia and racism experienced among Latino MSM in the United States.

Homophobia and the Transition to Adulthood: A Three Year Panel Study among Belgian Late Adolescents and Young Adults, 2008-2011

Science.gov (United States)

Hooghe, Marc; Meeusen, Cecil

2012-01-01

Studies on homophobia among adolescents routinely depart from the assumption that this attitude will be continued into adulthood. However, little research has been conducted on how the transition toward adulthood actually affects homophobia. While earlier studies relied on cross-sectional observations, the present analysis makes use of the Belgian…

Photoabsorption of the molecular IH cation at the iodine 3 d absorption edge

Science.gov (United States)

Klumpp, Stephan; Guda, Alexander A.; Schubert, Kaja; Mertens, Karolin; Hellhund, Jonas; Müller, Alfred; Schippers, Stefan; Bari, Sadia; Martins, Michael

2018-03-01

Yields of atomic iodine Iq + (q ≥2 ) fragments resulting from photoexcitation and photoionization of the target ions IH+ and I+ have been measured in the photon-energy range 610-680 eV, which comprises the thresholds for iodine 3 d ionization. The measured ion-yield spectra show two strong and broad resonance features due to the excitation of the 3 d3 /2 ,5 /2 electrons into ɛ f states rather similar for both parent ions. In the 3 d pre-edge range, excitations into (n p π ) -like orbitals and into an additional σ* orbital are found for IH+, which have been identified by comparison of the atomic I+ and molecular IH+ data and with the help of (time-dependent) density functional theory (DFT) and atomic Hartree-Fock calculations. The (5 p π ) orbital is almost atomlike, whereas all other resonances of the IH+ primary ion show a more pronounced molecular character, which is deduced from the chemical shifts of the resonances and the theoretical analysis.

A Computer-Based Intervention to Reduce Internalized Heterosexism in Men

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Yen-Jui; Israel, Tania

2012-01-01

Internalized heterosexism (IH) is a strong predictor of the psychological well-being of lesbian, gay, bisexual (LGB), or other same-sex attracted individuals. To respond to the call for interventions to address IH, the current study developed and tested an online intervention to reduce IH among gay, bisexual, and other same-sex attracted men. A…

Sexism and Homophobia in Adolescents of a Public Educational Institution

Science.gov (United States)

Bernuy Castromonte, Breiding Junior; Noé Grijalva, Hugo Martín

2017-01-01

The research explores the relationship between sexism and homophobia in adolescents of a public educational institution in Chimbote. The research design was descriptive-correlational with a sample of 406 students, including boys and girls, from 1st to 5th level of secondary education. They were evaluated using the Acosta's Adaptation (2010) of the…

Death qualification and prejudice: the effect of implicit racism, sexism, and homophobia on capital defendants' right to due process.

Science.gov (United States)

Butler, Brooke

2007-01-01

Two hundred venirepersons from the 12th Judicial Circuit in Bradenton, Florida completed the following measures: (1) one question that measured their level of support for the death penalty; (2) one question that categorized their death-qualification status; (3) 23 questions that measured their attitudes toward the death penalty (ATDP); (4) 22 questions that assessed their attitudes toward women (ATW); (5) 25 questions that measured their level of homophobia (H); (6) seven questions that assessed their level of modern racism (MR); (7) eight questions that measured their level of modern sexism (MS); and (8) standard demographic questions. Results indicated that as death-penalty support increased participants exhibited more positive attitudes toward the death penalty, more negative attitudes toward women, and higher levels of homophobia, modern racism, and modern sexism. Findings also suggested that death-qualified venirepersons exhibited more positive attitudes toward the death penalty and higher levels of homophobia, modern racism, and modern sexism. Finally, more positive attitudes toward the death penalty were correlated with more negative attitudes toward women and higher levels of homophobia, modern racism, and modern sexism. Legal implications are discussed. Copyright (c) 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Diffuse scattering in Ih ice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wehinger, Björn; Krisch, Michael; Bosak, Alexeï; Chernyshov, Dmitry; Bulat, Sergey; Ezhov, Victor

2014-01-01

Single crystals of ice Ih, extracted from the subglacial Lake Vostok accretion ice layer (3621 m depth) were investigated by means of diffuse x-ray scattering and inelastic x-ray scattering. The diffuse scattering was identified as mainly inelastic and rationalized in the frame of ab initio calculations for the ordered ice XI approximant. Together with Monte-Carlo modelling, our data allowed reconsidering previously available neutron diffuse scattering data of heavy ice as the sum of thermal diffuse scattering and static disorder contribution. (paper)

Post accelerator of the IH type structure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Ming

2002-01-01

The principle, structure, adjustment of the gap voltage, beam dynamic, RF system and the bunchers of the post-accelerator with Interdigital-H type structure, which was developed by the author and Technical University Munich in four years, is described. The energy of ions with mass of three was increased from 340 keV to 1.74 MeV, when resonant frequency of 84.2 MHz and input RF power of 3 kW. The effective shunt impedance reached to 408 MΩ/m. The commissioning was succeeded with H 3 + ion beams. The output energy of H 3 + ion beams reached the design value. The two harmonic double drift buncher used by the IH structure bunches the beam to the bunches with the width of 360 ps. Then the acceptance of the IH structure is increased to 240 degree. Its shunt impedance is three times higher than former single gap bunchers used by TUM and the length of the buncher system is one fifth of former one only because the use of λ/4 coaxial cavities with double gaps

Long Term Processing Using Integrated Hydropyrolysis plus Hydroconversion (IH2) for the Production of Gasoline and Diesel from Biomass

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Marker, Terry [Gas Technology Institute; Roberts, Michael [Gas Technology Institute; Linck, Martin [Gas Technology Institute; Felix, Larry [Gas Technology Institute; Ortiz-Toral, Pedro [Gas Technology Institute; Wangerow, Jim [Gas Technology Institute; McLeod, Celeste [CRI Catalyst; Del Paggio, Alan [CRI Catalyst; Gephart, John [Johnson Timber; Starr, Jack [Cargill; Hahn, John [Cargill

2013-06-09

Cellulosic and woody biomass can be directly converted to hydrocarbon gasoline and diesel blending components through the use of a new, economical, technology named integrated hydropyrolysis plus hydroconversion (IH2). The IH2 gasoline and diesel blending components are fully compatible with petroleum based gasoline and diesel, contain less than 1% oxygen and have less than 1 total acid number (TAN). The IH2 gasoline is high quality and very close to a drop in fuel. The life cycle analysis (LCA) shows that the use of the IH2 process to convert wood to gasoline and diesel results in a greater than 90% reduction in greenhouse gas emission compared to that found with fossil derived fuels. The technoeconomic analysis showed the conversion of wood using the IH2 process can produce gasoline and diesel at less than $2.00/gallon. In this project, the previously reported semi-continuous small scale IH2 test results were confirmed in a continuous 50 kg/day pilot plant. The continuous IH2 pilot plant used in this project was operated round the clock for over 750 hours and showed good pilot plant operability while consistently producing 26-28 wt % yields of high quality gasoline and diesel product. The IH2 catalyst showed good stability, although more work on catalyst stability is recommended. Additional work is needed to commercialize the IH2 technology including running large particle size biomass, modeling the hydropyrolysis step, studying the effects of process variables and building and operating a 1-50 ton/day demonstration scale plant. The IH2 is a true game changing technology by utilizing U.S. domestic renewable biomass resources to create transportation fuels, sufficient in quantity and quality to substantially reduce our reliance on foreign crude oil. Thus, the IH2 technology offers a path to genuine energy independence for the U. S., along with the creation of a significant number of new U.S. jobs to plant, grow, harvest, and process biomass crops into fungible

Single Ih channels in pyramidal neuron dendrites: properties, distribution, and impact on action potential output

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kole, Maarten H. P.; Hallermann, Stefan; Stuart, Greg J.

2006-01-01

The hyperpolarization-activated cation current (Ih) plays an important role in regulating neuronal excitability, yet its native single-channel properties in the brain are essentially unknown. Here we use variance-mean analysis to study the properties of single Ih channels in the apical dendrites of

Combatting Homophobia in Sport and Physical Education: Academic and Professional Responsibilities.

Science.gov (United States)

Lenskyj, Helen

This paper presents a discussion of events within national sport organizations that have recently addressed the problem of homophobia in sports; in particular, the social, professional, and political harassment of lesbian women who are career athletes. A brief overview is given of the stance of feminists, both liberal humanist and radical, on the…

Remote Sensing Image Fusion Based on the Combination Grey Absolute Correlation Degree and IHS Transform

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hui LIN

2014-12-01

Full Text Available An improved fusion algorithm for multi-source remote sensing images with high spatial resolution and multi-spectral capacity is proposed based on traditional IHS fusion and grey correlation analysis. Firstly, grey absolute correlation degree is used to discriminate non-edge pixels and edge pixels in high-spatial resolution images, by which the weight of intensity component is identified in order to combine it with high-spatial resolution image. Therefore, image fusion is achieved using IHS inverse transform. The proposed method is applied to ETM+ multi-spectral images and panchromatic image, and Quickbird’s multi-spectral images and panchromatic image respectively. The experiments prove that the fusion method proposed in the paper can efficiently preserve spectral information of the original multi-spectral images while enhancing spatial resolution greatly. By comparison and analysis, the proposed fusion algorithm is better than traditional IHS fusion and fusion method based on grey correlation analysis and IHS transform.

"Honk against homophobia": rethinking relations between media and sexual minorities.

Science.gov (United States)

Venzo, Paul; Hess, Kristy

2013-01-01

The theory of "symbolic annihilation" or "symbolic violence" has been used in academic literature to describe the way in which sexual minorities have been ignored, trivialized, or condemned by the media. This article aims to de-center research from issues of media representation to consider the capacity for minority groups to proactively use new media and its various avenues for interactivity, social networking, and feedback to fight social exclusion. This work suggests that new media has become a space in which the nominally marginal in society may acquire "social artillery"-a term used to describe how sexual minorities utilize their expanding and more readily accessible social connections in digital space to combat instances of homophobia. The research draws on the results of an inquiry into the relation between media and a regional youth social justice group in Australia tackling homophobia. The research demonstrates that the group is becoming increasingly adept and comfortable with using a cross-section of media platforms to fulfill their own objectives, rather than seeing themselves as passive subjects of media representation. This article argues that this sets an example for other socially excluded groups looking to renegotiate their relation with the media in regional areas.

76 FR 73489 - Airworthiness Directives; Honeywell International Inc. Turbofan Engines

Science.gov (United States)

2011-11-29

... Airworthiness Directives; Honeywell International Inc. Turbofan Engines AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration...-1F, and LF507-IH turbofan engines. This AD requires removing from service certain second stage high... International Inc. ALF502L-2C, ALF502R-3, ALF502R-3A, ALF502R-5, LF507-1F, and LF507-IH turbofan engines, with...

Evaluation of the Acceptance Journeys Social Marketing Campaign to Reduce Homophobia.

Science.gov (United States)

Hull, Shawnika J; Davis, Catasha R; Hollander, Gary; Gasiorowicz, Mari; Jeffries, William L; Gray, Simone; Bertolli, Jeanne; Mohr, Anneke

2017-01-01

To evaluate the effectiveness of the Acceptance Journeys social marketing campaign to reduce homophobia in the Black community in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. We assessed the campaign's effectiveness using a rolling cross-sectional survey. Data were collected annually online between 2011 and 2015. Each year, a unique sample of Black and White adults, aged 30 years and older, were surveyed in the treatment city (Milwaukee) and in 2 comparison cities that did not have antihomophobia campaigns (St. Louis, MO, and Cleveland, OH; for total sample, n = 3592). Black self-identification and Milwaukee residence were significantly associated with exposure to the campaign, suggesting successful message targeting. The relationship between exposure and acceptance of gay men was significantly mediated through attitudes toward gay men, perceptions of community acceptance, and perceptions of the impact of stigma on gay men, but not through rejection of stereotypes. This model accounted for 39% of variance in acceptance. This evidence suggests that the Acceptance Journeys model of social marketing may be a promising strategy for addressing homophobia in US Black communities.

High dendritic expression of Ih in the proximity of the axon origin controls the integrative properties of nigral dopamine neurons.

Science.gov (United States)

Engel, Dominique; Seutin, Vincent

2015-11-15

The hyperpolarization-activated cation current Ih is expressed in dopamine neurons of the substantia nigra, but the subcellular distribution of the current and its role in synaptic integration remain unknown. We used cell-attached patch recordings to determine the localization profile of Ih along the somatodendritic axis of nigral dopamine neurons in slices from young rats. Ih density is higher in axon-bearing dendrites, in a membrane area close to the axon origin, than in the soma and axon-lacking dendrites. Dual current-clamp recordings revealed a similar contribution of Ih to the waveform of single excitatory postsynaptic potentials throughout the somatodendritic domain. The Ih blocker ZD 7288 increased the temporal summation in all dendrites with a comparable effect in axon- and non-axon dendrites. The strategic position of Ih in the proximity of the axon may influence importantly transitions between pacemaker and bursting activities and consequently the downstream release of dopamine. Dendrites of most neurons express voltage-gated ion channels in their membrane. In combination with passive properties, active currents confer to dendrites a high computational potential. The hyperpolarization-activated cation current Ih present in the dendrites of some pyramidal neurons affects their membrane and integration properties, synaptic plasticity and higher functions such as memory. A gradient of increasing h-channel density towards distal dendrites has been found to be responsible for the location independence of excitatory postsynaptic potential (EPSP) waveform and temporal summation in cortical and hippocampal pyramidal cells. However, reports on other cell types revealed that smoother gradients or even linear distributions of Ih can achieve homogeneous temporal summation. Although the existence of a robust, slowly activating Ih current has been repeatedly demonstrated in nigral dopamine neurons, its subcellular distribution and precise role in synaptic integration

Homophobia or sexism? A systematic review of prejudice against nonheterosexual orientation in Brazil.

Science.gov (United States)

Costa, Angelo Brandelli; Peroni, Rodrigo Oliva; Bandeira, Denise Ruschel; Nardi, Henrique Caetano

2013-01-01

Since it was coined in the 1970s, in the United States, the term "homophobia" has been invoked to define the prejudice against nonheterosexual orientation. Besides the US, the phenomenon has been detected in many contemporary societies, including Brazil. Prejudice against nonheterosexual orientation is strongly associated with the historical and social contexts in which it is embedded, which means that the term should not be used without a clear definition of its local specificities. This applies to the recent debate around homophobia in the Brazilian context. In an attempt to identify existing studies of prejudice against nonheterosexual orientations in Brazil, a systematic review was conducted in SciELO indexes, PubMed, PsycINFO, SCOPUS, and Web of Science. The articles were collected using the keyword "homophobia" and related terms, and "Brazil", in the languages of the databases. The search returned 355 articles. Of these, 247 were removed because they were duplicates. The abstracts of 109 studies published between 1973 and 2011were analyzed. Thirty-one articles were identified as relevant. The reviewed studies indicate that prejudice against nonheterosexual orientations is an evident and widespread phenomenon that is prevalent in various populations and contexts. Nevertheless, prejudice in Brazil is not homogeneous, and particular attention is necessary to the inequality of gender relations (sexism) and prejudice against gender nonconformity, which seem to explain, if not cause, most of the prejudice against nonheterosexual orientations. Although theoretically there is a clear distinction between sexual orientation and gender expression, from the standpoint of manifestation of prejudice that distinction seems to be more tenuous.

Hyperpolarization-activated current (I(h)) in vestibular calyx terminals: characterization and role in shaping postsynaptic events.

Science.gov (United States)

Meredith, Frances L; Benke, Tim A; Rennie, Katherine J

2012-12-01

Calyx afferent terminals engulf the basolateral region of type I vestibular hair cells, and synaptic transmission across the vestibular type I hair cell/calyx is not well understood. Calyces express several ionic conductances, which may shape postsynaptic potentials. These include previously described tetrodotoxin-sensitive inward Na(+) currents, voltage-dependent outward K(+) currents and a K(Ca) current. Here, we characterize an inwardly rectifying conductance in gerbil semicircular canal calyx terminals (postnatal days 3-45), sensitive to voltage and to cyclic nucleotides. Using whole-cell patch clamp, we recorded from isolated calyx terminals still attached to their type I hair cells. A slowly activating, noninactivating current (I(h)) was seen with hyperpolarizing voltage steps negative to the resting potential. External Cs(+) (1-5 mM) and ZD7288 (100 μM) blocked the inward current by 97 and 83 %, respectively, confirming that I(h) was carried by hyperpolarization-activated, cyclic nucleotide gated channels. Mean half-activation voltage of I(h) was -123 mV, which shifted to -114 mV in the presence of cAMP. Activation of I(h) was well described with a third order exponential fit to the current (mean time constant of activation, τ, was 190 ms at -139 mV). Activation speeded up significantly (τ=136 and 127 ms, respectively) when intracellular cAMP and cGMP were present, suggesting that in vivo I(h) could be subject to efferent modulation via cyclic nucleotide-dependent mechanisms. In current clamp, hyperpolarizing current steps produced a time-dependent depolarizing sag followed by either a rebound afterdepolarization or an action potential. Spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs) became larger and wider when I(h) was blocked with ZD7288. In a three-dimensional mathematical model of the calyx terminal based on Hodgkin-Huxley type ionic conductances, removal of I(h) similarly increased the EPSP, whereas cAMP slightly decreased simulated EPSP size

Multipole moments of water molecules in clusters and ice Ih from first principles calculations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Batista, E.R.; Xantheas, S.S.; Jonsson, H.

1999-01-01

We have calculated molecular multipole moments for water molecules in clusters and in ice Ih by partitioning the charge density obtained from first principles calculations. Various schemes for dividing the electronic charge density among the water molecules were used. They include Bader close-quote s zero flux surfaces and Voronoi partitioning schemes. A comparison was also made with an induction model including dipole, dipole-quadrupole, quadrupole-quadrupole polarizability and first hyperpolarizability as well as fixed octopole and hexadecapole moments. We have found that the different density partitioning schemes lead to widely different values for the molecular multipoles, illustrating how poorly defined molecular multipoles are in clusters and condensed environments. For instance, the magnitude of the molecular dipole moment in ice Ih ranges between 2.3 D and 3.1 D depending on the partitioning scheme used. Within each scheme, though, the value for the molecular dipole moment in ice is larger than in the hexamer. The magnitude of the molecular dipole moment in the clusters shows a monotonic increase from the gas phase value to the one in ice Ih, with the molecular dipole moment in the water ring hexamer being smaller than the one in ice Ih for all the partitioning schemes used. copyright 1999 American Institute of Physics

Who has the worst attitudes toward sexual minorities? Comparison of transphobia and homophobia levels in gender dysphoric individuals, the general population and health care providers.

Science.gov (United States)

Fisher, A D; Castellini, G; Ristori, J; Casale, H; Giovanardi, G; Carone, N; Fanni, E; Mosconi, M; Ciocca, G; Jannini, E A; Ricca, V; Lingiardi, V; Maggi, M

2017-03-01

To date, few studies have addressed attitudes toward transgender individuals. In addition, little is known about health care providers' (HCP) attitudes toward sexual minorities. The aim of the present study is to compare attitudes toward homosexual and transgender individuals between gender dysphoric individuals (GDs), general population controls (C) and HCP. A total of 310 subjects were considered, including 122 GDs (63 transwomen and 59 transmen), 53 heterosexual HCP (26 males and 27 females) and 135 C. Participants completed the Modern Homophobia Scale (MHS) and the Attitudes Toward Transgendered Individuals Scale (ATTI) in order to assess attitudes toward gay men and lesbian women and toward transgender individuals, respectively. In addition, GDs completed the Gender Identity/Gender Dysphoria Questionnaire (GIDYQ-AA) and ATTI to measure, respectively, gender dysphoria levels and internalized transphobia. Religious attitudes were evaluated by means of the Religious Fundamentalism Scale (RFS), and Discrimination and Stigma Scale (DISC-12) was used to measure perceived discrimination. (1) Men showed significantly higher levels of homophobia and transphobia when compared to women (p attitudes, which are strongly dependent on religious precepts and dogma.

A Study of Homophobia among HBCU Undergraduate Students toward Gay and Lesbian Adoption

Science.gov (United States)

McCrary, Donna Gibson

2014-01-01

While recent research examines homophobia among social work majors, there is limited research devoted to social work students enrolled in a historically Black college and university (HBCU). Social workers are not immune to possessing homophobic attitudes; therefore, diversity training is important. This research explored whether there were any…

Wearing a Rainbow Bumper Sticker: Experiential Learning on Homophobia, Heteronormativity, and Heterosexual Privilege

Science.gov (United States)

Nunn, Lisa M.; Bolt, Sophia C.

2015-01-01

College campuses are known to be heteronormative environments that often foster heterosexism and homophobia. There is a broad call for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) awareness-building curricula as one avenue for positive change in campus climates. This study interrogates the effects of an experiential learning activity…

The USA National Longitudinal Lesbian Family Study (NLLFS): homophobia, psychological adjustment, and protective factors

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bos, H.M.W.; Gartrell, N.K.; Peyser, H.; van Balen, F.

2008-01-01

The study assessed the influence of protective factors on the psychological adjustment of children who had experienced homophobia and whose mothers were participants in a longitudinal study of planned lesbian families. Data were collected as part of the National Longitudinal Lesbian Family Study by

"It's Just More Acceptable To Be White or Mixed Race and Gay Than Black and Gay": The Perceptions and Experiences of Homophobia in St. Lucia.

Science.gov (United States)

Couzens, Jimmy; Mahoney, Berenice; Wilkinson, Dean

2017-01-01

Lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals come from diverse cultural groups with differing ethnic and racial identities. However, most research on LGB people uses white western samples and studies of Afro-Caribbean diaspora often use Jamaican samples. Thus, the complexity of Afro-Caribbean LGB peoples' experiences of homophobia is largely unknown. The authors' analyses explore experiences of homophobia among LGB people in St. Lucia. Findings indicate issues of skin-shade orientated tolerance, regionalized disparities in levels of tolerance toward LGB people and regionalized passing (regionalized sexual identity shifting). Finally, the authors' findings indicate that skin shade identities and regional location influence the psychological health outcomes of homophobia experienced by LGB people in St. Lucia.

Transforming wealth: using the inverse hyperbolic sine (IHS) and splines to predict youth's math achievement.

Science.gov (United States)

Friedline, Terri; Masa, Rainier D; Chowa, Gina A N

2015-01-01

The natural log and categorical transformations commonly applied to wealth for meeting the statistical assumptions of research may not always be appropriate for adjusting for skewness given wealth's unique properties. Finding and applying appropriate transformations is becoming increasingly important as researchers consider wealth as a predictor of well-being. We present an alternative transformation-the inverse hyperbolic sine (IHS)-for simultaneously dealing with skewness and accounting for wealth's unique properties. Using the relationship between household wealth and youth's math achievement as an example, we apply the IHS transformation to wealth data from US and Ghanaian households. We also explore non-linearity and accumulation thresholds by combining IHS transformed wealth with splines. IHS transformed wealth relates to youth's math achievement similarly when compared to categorical and natural log transformations, indicating that it is a viable alternative to other transformations commonly used in research. Non-linear relationships and accumulation thresholds emerge that predict youth's math achievement when splines are incorporated. In US households, accumulating debt relates to decreases in math achievement whereas accumulating assets relates to increases in math achievement. In Ghanaian households, accumulating assets between the 25th and 50th percentiles relates to increases in youth's math achievement. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

42 CFR 137.275 - May Self-Governance Tribes include IHS construction programs in a construction project agreement...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 42 Public Health 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false May Self-Governance Tribes include IHS construction... OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES TRIBAL SELF-GOVERNANCE Construction Purpose and Scope § 137.275 May Self-Governance Tribes include IHS construction programs in a construction project agreement or in a funding...

High-pass filtering of input signals by the Ih current in a non-spiking neuron, the retinal rod bipolar cell.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lorenzo Cangiano

Full Text Available Hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-sensitive (HCN channels mediate the I(f current in heart and I(h throughout the nervous system. In spiking neurons I(h participates primarily in different forms of rhythmic activity. Little is known, however, about its role in neurons operating with graded potentials as in the retina, where all four channel isoforms are expressed. Intriguing evidence for an involvement of I(h in early visual processing are the side effects reported, in dim light or darkness, by cardiac patients treated with HCN inhibitors. Moreover, electroretinographic recordings indicate that these drugs affect temporal processing in the outer retina. Here we analyzed the functional role of HCN channels in rod bipolar cells (RBCs of the mouse. Perforated-patch recordings in the dark-adapted slice found that RBCs exhibit I(h, and that this is sensitive to the specific blocker ZD7288. RBC input impedance, explored by sinusoidal frequency-modulated current stimuli (0.1-30 Hz, displays band-pass behavior in the range of I(h activation. Theoretical modeling and pharmacological blockade demonstrate that high-pass filtering of input signals by I(h, in combination with low-pass filtering by passive properties, fully accounts for this frequency-tuning. Correcting for the depolarization introduced by shunting through the pipette-membrane seal, leads to predict that in darkness I(h is tonically active in RBCs and quickens their responses to dim light stimuli. Immunohistochemistry targeting candidate subunit isoforms HCN1-2, in combination with markers of RBCs (PKC and rod-RBC synaptic contacts (bassoon, mGluR6, Kv1.3, suggests that RBCs express HCN2 on the tip of their dendrites. The functional properties conferred by I(h onto RBCs may contribute to shape the retina's light response and explain the visual side effects of HCN inhibitors.

Role of Ih in differentiating the dynamics of the gastric and pyloric neurons in the stomatogastric ganglion of the lobster, Homarus americanus.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Lin; Selverston, Allen I; Ayers, Joseph

2016-06-01

The hyperpolarization-activated inward cationic current (Ih) is known to regulate the rhythmicity, excitability, and synaptic transmission in heart cells and many types of neurons across a variety of species, including some pyloric and gastric mill neurons in the stomatogastric ganglion (STG) in Cancer borealis and Panulirus interruptus However, little is known about the role of Ih in regulating the gastric mill dynamics and its contribution to the dynamical bifurcation of the gastric mill and pyloric networks. We investigated the role of Ih in the rhythmic activity and cellular excitability of both the gastric mill neurons (medial gastric, gastric mill) and pyloric neurons (pyloric dilator, lateral pyloric) in Homarus americanus Through testing the burst period between 5 and 50 mM CsCl, and elimination of postinhibitory rebound and voltage sag, we found that 30 mM CsCl can sufficiently block Ih in both the pyloric and gastric mill neurons. Our results show that Ih maintains the excitability of both the pyloric and gastric mill neurons. However, Ih regulates slow oscillations of the pyloric and gastric mill neurons differently. Specifically, blocking Ih diminishes the difference between the pyloric and gastric mill burst periods by increasing the pyloric burst period and decreasing the gastric mill burst period. Moreover, the phase-plane analysis shows that blocking Ih causes the trajectory of slow oscillations of the gastric mill neurons to change toward the pyloric sinusoidal-like trajectories. In addition to regulating the pyloric rhythm, we found that Ih is also essential for the gastric mill rhythms and differentially regulates these two dynamics. Copyright © 2016 the American Physiological Society.

Path-integral simulation of ice Ih: The effect of pressure

Science.gov (United States)

Herrero, Carlos P.; Ramírez, Rafael

2011-12-01

The effect of pressure on structural and thermodynamic properties of ice Ih has been studied by means of path-integral molecular dynamics simulations at temperatures between 50 and 300 K. Interatomic interactions were modeled by using the effective q-TIP4P/F potential for flexible water. Positive (compression) and negative (tension) pressures have been considered, which allowed us to approach the limits for the mechanical stability of this solid water phase. We have studied the pressure dependence of the crystal volume, bulk modulus, interatomic distances, atomic delocalization, and kinetic energy. The spinodal point at both negative and positive pressures is derived from the vanishing of the bulk modulus. For P300 K. At positive pressure the spinodal is associated with ice amorphization, and at low temperatures it is found to be between 1.1 and 1.3 GPa. Quantum nuclear effects cause a reduction of the metastability region of ice Ih.

Homophobia is associated with sexual behavior that increases risk of acquiring and transmitting HIV infection among black men who have sex with men.

Science.gov (United States)

Jeffries, William L; Marks, Gary; Lauby, Jennifer; Murrill, Christopher S; Millett, Gregorio A

2013-05-01

We investigated whether the experience of homophobic events increases the odds of engaging in unprotected anal intercourse (UAI) among black men who have sex with men (MSM) and whether social integration level buffered the association. Participants (N = 1,154) reported homophobic events experienced in the past 12 months. Social integration measures included social support, closeness with family members and friends, attachment to the black gay community, openness about sexuality within religious communities, and MSM social network size. Logistic regression analyses indicated that experiencing homophobia was associated with (1) UAI among men not previously diagnosed with HIV and (2) sexual HIV transmission risk behavior among men who knew they were HIV-infected. None of the social integration measures buffered these associations. Homophobia may promote acquisition and transmission of HIV infection among black MSM. Interventions are needed to reduce homophobia experienced by black MSM.

“It's Just More Acceptable To Be White or Mixed Race and Gay Than Black and Gay”: The Perceptions and Experiences of Homophobia in St. Lucia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jimmy Couzens

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB individuals come from diverse cultural groups with differing ethnic and racial identities. However, most research on LGB people uses white western samples and studies of Afro-Caribbean diaspora often use Jamaican samples. Thus, the complexity of Afro-Caribbean LGB peoples' experiences of homophobia is largely unknown. The authors' analyses explore experiences of homophobia among LGB people in St. Lucia. Findings indicate issues of skin-shade orientated tolerance, regionalized disparities in levels of tolerance toward LGB people and regionalized passing (regionalized sexual identity shifting. Finally, the authors' findings indicate that skin shade identities and regional location influence the psychological health outcomes of homophobia experienced by LGB people in St. Lucia.

“It's Just More Acceptable To Be White or Mixed Race and Gay Than Black and Gay”: The Perceptions and Experiences of Homophobia in St. Lucia

Science.gov (United States)

Couzens, Jimmy; Mahoney, Berenice; Wilkinson, Dean

2017-01-01

Lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals come from diverse cultural groups with differing ethnic and racial identities. However, most research on LGB people uses white western samples and studies of Afro-Caribbean diaspora often use Jamaican samples. Thus, the complexity of Afro-Caribbean LGB peoples' experiences of homophobia is largely unknown. The authors' analyses explore experiences of homophobia among LGB people in St. Lucia. Findings indicate issues of skin-shade orientated tolerance, regionalized disparities in levels of tolerance toward LGB people and regionalized passing (regionalized sexual identity shifting). Finally, the authors' findings indicate that skin shade identities and regional location influence the psychological health outcomes of homophobia experienced by LGB people in St. Lucia. PMID:28674508

Racial Disparities in Health Behaviors and Conditions Among Lesbian and Bisexual Women: The Role of Internalized Stigma

Science.gov (United States)

Molina, Yamile; Lehavot, Keren; Beadnell, Blair; Simoni, Jane

2013-01-01

There are documented disparities in physical health behaviors and conditions, such as physical activity and obesity, with regard to both race/ethnicity and sexual orientation. However, physical health disparities for lesbian and bisexual (LB) women who are also racial minorities are relatively unexplored. Minority stressors, such as internalized stigma, may account for disparities in such multiply marginalized populations. We sought to (1) characterize inequalities among non-Hispanic white and African American LB women and (2) examine the roles of internalized sexism and homophobia in disparities. Data on health behaviors (diet, physical activity); physical health (hypertension, diabetes, overweight/obesity); internalized sexism; and internalized homophobia were collected via a web-based survey. Recruitment ads were sent electronically to over 200 listservs, online groups, and organizations serving the lesbian, gay, and bisexual community in all 50 U.S. states. The analytic sample consisted of 954 white and 75 African American LB women. African American participants were more likely than white participants to report low fruit/vegetable intake and physical activity, a higher body mass index, and a history of diabetes and hypertension. There were no racial differences in internalized homophobia, but African American women reported higher levels of internalized sexism. Internalized sexism partially mediated racial disparities in physical activity and diabetes, but not in the other outcomes. Findings suggest that African American LB women may be at greater risk than their white counterparts for poor health and that internalized sexism may be a mediator of racial differences for certain behaviors and conditions. PMID:25364769

Izobraževanje starejših odraslih in pomen njihovega izobraževanja za njih same ter družbo

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dušana Findeisen

2009-12-01

Full Text Available Avtorica predstavi pomen izobraževanja starejših odraslih za dejavno staranje v dolgem prehodnem obdobju, imenovanem »čas med delom, upokojitvijo in starostjo«. Ta koncept prehodnega obdobja, prehoda v starost, namreč danes nadomešča starejši koncept pokoja. V tem času ljudje v poznejših letih življenja opravljajo plačano delo, se izobražujejo, se (občasno vračajo na trg dela, delajo prostovoljno. Avtorica piše o prebivalstvenih spremembah in o pomenu izobraženosti vseh in vseh skupin starejših odraslih za soočanje s staranjem družbe. Dušana Findeisen zastane pri vprašanju značilnosti izobraževalnih programov za starejše odrasle, obravnava vrednote, nosilce in oblike izobraževanja starejših. Nazadnje opiše slovensko univerzo za tretje življenjsko obdobje kot konceptualno eno najbolj celostno domišljenih oblik in modelov izobraževanja ljudi v poznejših letih življenja.

Total Hip Arthroplasty in Mucopolysaccharidosis Type IH

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. O'hEireamhoin

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Children affected by mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS type IH (Hurler Syndrome, an autosomal recessive metabolic disorder, are known to experience a range of musculoskeletal manifestations including spinal abnormalities, hand abnormalities, generalised joint stiffness, genu valgum, and hip dysplasia and avascular necrosis. Enzyme therapy, in the form of bone marrow transplantation, significantly increases life expectancy but does not prevent the development of the associated musculoskeletal disorders. We present the case of a 23-year-old woman with a diagnosis of Hurler syndrome with a satisfactory result following uncemented total hip arthroplasty.

Convergent and reciprocal modulation of a leak K+ current and Ih by an inhalational anaesthetic and neurotransmitters in rat brainstem motoneurones

Science.gov (United States)

Sirois, Jay E; Lynch, Carl; Bayliss, Douglas A

2002-01-01

Neurotransmitters and volatile anaesthetics have opposing effects on motoneuronal excitability which appear to reflect contrasting modulation of two types of subthreshold currents. Neurotransmitters increase motoneuronal excitability by inhibiting TWIK-related acid-sensitive K+ channels (TASK) and shifting activation of a hyperpolarization-activated cationic current (Ih) to more depolarized potentials; on the other hand, anaesthetics decrease excitability by activating a TASK-like current and inducing a hyperpolarizing shift in Ih activation. Here, we used whole-cell recording from motoneurones in brainstem slices to test if neurotransmitters (serotonin (5-HT) and noradrenaline (NA)) and an anaesthetic (halothane) indeed compete for modulation of the same ion channels - and we determined which prevails. When applied together under current clamp conditions, 5-HT reversed anaesthetic-induced membrane hyperpolarization and increased motoneuronal excitability. Under voltage clamp conditions, 5-HT and NA overcame most, but not all, of the halothane-induced current. When Ih was blocked with ZD 7288, the neurotransmitters completely inhibited the K+ current activated by halothane; the halothane-sensitive neurotransmitter current reversed at the equilibrium potential for potassium (EK) and displayed properties expected of acid-sensitive, open-rectifier TASK channels. To characterize modulation of Ih in relative isolation, effects of 5-HT and halothane were examined in acidified bath solutions that blocked TASK channels. Under these conditions, 5-HT and halothane each caused their characteristic shift in voltage-dependent gating of Ih. When tested concurrently, however, halothane decreased the neurotransmitter-induced depolarizing shift in Ih activation. Thus, halothane and neurotransmitters converge on TASK and Ih channels with opposite effects; transmitter action prevailed over anaesthetic effects on TASK channels, but not over effects on Ih. These data suggest that

The "Gay Comfort Level": Examining a Media Advocacy Group's Efforts to Combat Youth Homophobia

Science.gov (United States)

Kachgal, Tara M.

2011-01-01

This article scrutinizes the efforts of a media advocacy group to redress the stigma of youth homosexuality among United States youth: a report published in 2003 by the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation called, "How Youth Media Can Help Combat Homophobia Among American Teenagers." The report, authored by Rodger Streitmatter, concluded…

Elastic wave speeds and moduli in polycrystalline ice Ih, si methane hydrate, and sll methane-ethane hydrate

Science.gov (United States)

Helgerud, M.B.; Waite, W.F.; Kirby, S.H.; Nur, A.

2009-01-01

We used ultrasonic pulse transmission to measure compressional, P, and shear, S, wave speeds in laboratory-formed polycrystalline ice Ih, si methane hydrate, and sll methane-ethane hydrate. From the wave speed's linear dependence on temperature and pressure and from the sample's calculated density, we derived expressions for bulk, shear, and compressional wave moduli and Poisson's ratio from -20 to 15??C and 22.4 to 32.8 MPa for ice Ih, -20 to 15??C and 30.5 to 97.7 MPa for si methane hydrate, and -20 to 10??C and 30.5 to 91.6 MPa for sll methane-ethane hydrate. All three materials had comparable P and S wave speeds and decreasing shear wave speeds with increasing applied pressure. Each material also showed evidence of rapid intergranular bonding, with a corresponding increase in wave speed, in response to pauses in sample deformation. There were also key differences. Resistance to uniaxial compaction, indicated by the pressure required to compact initially porous samples, was significantly lower for ice Ih than for either hydrate. The ice Ih shear modulus decreased with increasing pressure, in contrast to the increase measured in both hydrates ?? 2009.

Religious Identity and Cultural Diversity: Exploring the Relationships between Religious Identity, Sexism, Homophobia, and Multicultural Competence

Science.gov (United States)

Balkin, Richard S.; Schlosser, Lewis Z.; Levitt, Dana Heller

2009-01-01

In this article, the authors present the results from a national study investigating the relationships between religious identity, sexism, homophobia, and multicultural competence. Participants were 111 randomly sampled counseling professionals and graduate students. The results indicated a relationship between religious identity and various…

Bullying among Spanish Secondary Education Students: The Role of Gender Traits, Sexism, and Homophobia

Science.gov (United States)

Carrera-Fernández, María-Victoria; Lameiras-Fernández, María; Rodríguez-Castro, Yolanda; Vallejo-Medina, Pablo

2013-01-01

The aim of the present study was to assess the combined influence of gender stereotypes, sexism, and homophobia on attitudes toward bullying and bullying behavior. A total of 1,500 Spanish adolescents between 12 and 18 years of age (49.3% girls and 50.7% boys) completed a questionnaire that included measures of bullying, attitudes toward bullying,…

Ice Ih anomalies: Thermal contraction, anomalous volume isotope effect, and pressure-induced amorphization

Science.gov (United States)

Salim, Michael A.; Willow, Soohaeng Yoo; Hirata, So

2016-05-01

Ice Ih displays several anomalous thermodynamic properties such as thermal contraction at low temperatures, an anomalous volume isotope effect (VIE) rendering the volume of D2O ice greater than that of H2O ice, and a pressure-induced transition to the high-density amorphous (HDA) phase. Furthermore, the anomalous VIE increases with temperature, despite its quantum-mechanical origin. Here, embedded-fragment ab initio second-order many-body perturbation (MP2) theory in the quasiharmonic approximation (QHA) is applied to the Gibbs energy of an infinite, proton-disordered crystal of ice Ih at wide ranges of temperatures and pressures. The quantum effect of nuclei moving in anharmonic potentials is taken into account from first principles without any empirical or nonsystematic approximation to either the electronic or vibrational Hamiltonian. MP2 predicts quantitatively correctly the thermal contraction at low temperatures, which is confirmed to originate from the volume-contracting hydrogen-bond bending modes (acoustic phonons). It qualitatively reproduces (but underestimates) the thermal expansion at higher temperatures, caused by the volume-expanding hydrogen-bond stretching (and to a lesser extent librational) modes. The anomalous VIE is found to be the result of subtle cancellations among closely competing isotope effects on volume from all modes. Consequently, even ab initio MP2 with the aug-cc-pVDZ and aug-cc-pVTZ basis sets has difficulty reproducing this anomaly, yielding qualitatively varied predictions of the sign of the VIE depending on such computational details as the choice of the embedding field. However, the temperature growth of the anomalous VIE is reproduced robustly and is ascribed to the librational modes. These solid-state MP2 calculations, as well as MP2 Born-Oppenheimer molecular dynamics, find a volume collapse and a loss of symmetry and long-range order in ice Ih upon pressure loading of 2.35 GPa or higher. Concomitantly, rapid softening of

Ice Ih anomalies: Thermal contraction, anomalous volume isotope effect, and pressure-induced amorphization

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Salim, Michael A.; Willow, Soohaeng Yoo; Hirata, So, E-mail: sohirata@illinois.edu [Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 600 South Mathews Avenue, Urbana, Illinois 61801 (United States)

2016-05-28

Ice Ih displays several anomalous thermodynamic properties such as thermal contraction at low temperatures, an anomalous volume isotope effect (VIE) rendering the volume of D{sub 2}O ice greater than that of H{sub 2}O ice, and a pressure-induced transition to the high-density amorphous (HDA) phase. Furthermore, the anomalous VIE increases with temperature, despite its quantum-mechanical origin. Here, embedded-fragment ab initio second-order many-body perturbation (MP2) theory in the quasiharmonic approximation (QHA) is applied to the Gibbs energy of an infinite, proton-disordered crystal of ice Ih at wide ranges of temperatures and pressures. The quantum effect of nuclei moving in anharmonic potentials is taken into account from first principles without any empirical or nonsystematic approximation to either the electronic or vibrational Hamiltonian. MP2 predicts quantitatively correctly the thermal contraction at low temperatures, which is confirmed to originate from the volume-contracting hydrogen-bond bending modes (acoustic phonons). It qualitatively reproduces (but underestimates) the thermal expansion at higher temperatures, caused by the volume-expanding hydrogen-bond stretching (and to a lesser extent librational) modes. The anomalous VIE is found to be the result of subtle cancellations among closely competing isotope effects on volume from all modes. Consequently, even ab initio MP2 with the aug-cc-pVDZ and aug-cc-pVTZ basis sets has difficulty reproducing this anomaly, yielding qualitatively varied predictions of the sign of the VIE depending on such computational details as the choice of the embedding field. However, the temperature growth of the anomalous VIE is reproduced robustly and is ascribed to the librational modes. These solid-state MP2 calculations, as well as MP2 Born–Oppenheimer molecular dynamics, find a volume collapse and a loss of symmetry and long-range order in ice Ih upon pressure loading of 2.35 GPa or higher. Concomitantly, rapid

42 CFR 137.95 - May a Self-Governance Tribe purchase goods and services from the IHS on a reimbursable basis?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... services from the IHS on a reimbursable basis? 137.95 Section 137.95 Public Health PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE... Tribe purchase goods and services from the IHS on a reimbursable basis? Yes, a Self-Governance Tribe may...-Governance Tribe, on a reimbursable basis, including payment in advance with subsequent adjustment. Prompt...

Internalised homophobia is differentially associated with sexual risk behaviour by race/ethnicity and HIV serostatus among substance-using men who have sex with men in the United States.

Science.gov (United States)

Mansergh, Gordon; Spikes, Pilgrim; Flores, Stephen A; Koblin, Beryl A; McKirnan, David; Hudson, Sharon M; Colfax, Grant N

2015-08-01

There is a continuing need to identify factors associated with risk for HIV transmission among men who have sex with men (MSM), including a need for further research in the ongoing scientific debate about the association of internalised homophobia and sexual risk due partly to the lack of specificity in analysis. We assess the association of internalised homophobia by race/ethnicity within HIV serostatus for a large sample of substance-using MSM at high risk of HIV acquisition or transmission. Convenience sample of substance-using (non-injection) MSM reporting unprotected anal sex in the prior 6 months residing in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco. The analytic sample included HIV-negative and HIV-positive black (n=391), Latino (n=220), and white (n=458) MSM. Internalised homophobia was assessed using a published four-item scale focusing on negative self-perceptions and feelings of their own sexual behaviour with men, or for being gay or bisexual. Analyses tested associations of internalised homophobia with recent risk behaviour, stratified by laboratory-confirmed HIV serostatus within race/ethnicity, and controlling for other demographic variables. In multivariate analysis, internalised homophobia was inversely associated (pbehaviour among white and Latino MSM. More research is needed to further identify nuanced differences in subpopulations of MSM, but these results suggest differentially targeted intervention messages for MSM by race/ethnicity. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Complete genome sequence of Pseudomonas rhizosphaerae IH5T (=DSM 16299T), a phosphate-solubilizing rhizobacterium for bacterial biofertilizer.

Science.gov (United States)

Kwak, Yunyoung; Jung, Byung Kwon; Shin, Jae-Ho

2015-01-10

Pseudomonas rhizosphaerae IH5(T) (=DSM 16299(T)), isolated from the rhizospheric soil of grass growing in Spain, has been reported as a novel species of the genus Pseudomonas harboring insoluble phosphorus solubilizing activity. To understanding the multifunctional biofertilizer better, we report the complete genome sequence of P. rhizosphaerae IH5(T). Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Identification and localization of gonadotropin-inhibitory hormone (GnIH) orthologs in the hypothalamus of the red-eared slider turtle, Trachemys scripta elegans.

Science.gov (United States)

Ukena, Kazuyoshi; Iwakoshi-Ukena, Eiko; Osugi, Tomohiro; Tsutsui, Kazuyoshi

2016-02-01

Gonadotropin-inhibitory hormone (GnIH) was discovered in 2000 as a novel hypothalamic neuropeptide that inhibited gonadotropin release in the Japanese quail. GnIH and its orthologs have a common C-terminal LPXRFamide (X=L or Q) motif, and have been identified in vertebrates from agnathans to humans, apart from reptiles. In the present study, we characterized a cDNA encoding GnIH orthologs in the brain of the red-eared slider turtle. The deduced precursor protein consisted of 205 amino-acid residues, encoding three putative peptide sequences that included the LPXRFamide motif at their C-termini. In addition, the precursor sequence was most similar to those of avian species. Immunoaffinity purification combined with mass spectrometry confirmed that three mature peptides were produced in the brain. In situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry showed that turtle GnIH-containing cells were restricted to the periventricular hypothalamic nucleus. Immunoreactive fibers were densely distributed in the median eminence. Thus, GnIH and related peptides may act on the pituitary to regulate pituitary hormone release in turtles as well as other vertebrates. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Essay of accelerator R and D in a small laboratory of an university. Head ion IH linac for fusion material. 1983-1985

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hattori, Toshiyuki

2005-01-01

The linear accelerator of Inter-Digital H type (IH linac) is known to have a high shunt impedance. Research Laboratory for Nuclear Reactors of Tokyo Institute of Technology introduced an IH linac for fusion materials irradiation test in 1983. The beam injector was a tandem electrostatic accelerator. The IH linac was designed and fabricated based on the developmental work at Institute for Nuclear Study of University of Tokyo. The processes of component alignment, cold test and start-up operation are described. Educational aspect of the project is also reviewed. (K.Y.)

Revealing topographic lineaments through IHS enhancement of DEM data. [Digital Elevation Model

Science.gov (United States)

Murdock, Gary

1990-01-01

Intensity-hue-saturation (IHS) processing of slope (dip), aspect (dip direction), and elevation to reveal subtle topographic lineaments which may not be obvious in the unprocessed data are used to enhance digital elevation model (DEM) data from northwestern Nevada. This IHS method of lineament identification was applied to a mosiac of 12 square degrees using a Cray Y-MP8/864. Square arrays from 3 x 3 to 31 x 31 points were tested as well as several different slope enhancements. When relatively few points are used to fit the plane, lineaments of various lengths are observed and a mechanism for lineament classification is described. An area encompassing the gold deposits of the Carlin trend and including the Rain in the southeast to Midas in the northwest is investigated in greater detail. The orientation and density of lineaments may be determined on the gently sloping pediment surface as well as in the more steeply sloping ranges.

Purple Boas, Lesbian Affection, and John Deere Hats: Teacher Educators' Role in Addressing Homophobia in Secondary Schools

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, Joseph R.

2014-01-01

This article examines how one group of teachers discussed their perceptions of homophobia in their schools. A qualitative study was conducted that utilized the following: individual and group interviews, participant reflective journals, professional development sessions, and a research journal. The study illuminated how the role of hegemonic…

Discussing Sexual Orientation and Gender in Classrooms: A Testimonial-Based Approach to Fighting Homophobia in Schools

Science.gov (United States)

Richard, Gabrielle; Vallerand, Olivier; Petit, Marie-Pier; Charbonneau, Amélie

2015-01-01

To fight homophobia in schools in Québec, many teachers rely on community organizations such as the Groupe de Recherche et d'Intervention Sociale (Research and Social Intervention Group) to address sexual diversity in class. This article documents major outcomes of these workshops as seen by students. Students identified topics related to…

Colonoscopic band ligation for internal hemorrhoids - A tertiary care experience

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Umesh Jalihal

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Background and objectives: Rubber band ligation (BL is the most widely used technique for treatment of symptomatic internal haemorrhoids (IH that are refractory to conservative treatment. The aim of this study is to assess the efficacy of colonoscopic BL as therapy for symptomatic IH. Methods: Patients seen at our center with symptomatic IH who underwent BL between January 2006 and December 2011 were included in this prospective study. The clinical and colonoscopic details were entered in uniform structured data forms. Results: Two hundred and eighteen consecutive patients with symptomatic IH were enrolled in the study. The presentations were rectal bleeding in 150 (69% and prolapse in remaining 68 (31% patients. Twenty-four patients (11% had chronic liver disease (child B-C. Same operator treated all the patients. The severity of the IH was classified by using Goligher grading system. The mean age of patients was 48.3 + 15 years with range of 22 - 85 years. The mean follow up was 3months (range 1 month - 36 months. In 209 patients (96% there was at least 1 grade reduction in hemorrhoids as well the symptoms were controlled. Two patients required surgery and another 7 patients required repeat session of banding. After banding session 32 (15% patients had perianal pain and 13 (6% had mild bleeding. Conclusions: Colonoscopic BL is a safe, and effective outpatient therapeutic procedure for symptomatic internal hemorrhoids. Furthermore, the BL is safe and effective in patients of coagulopathy associated with chronic liver disease.

Infusing Multicultural Education into the Curriculum: Preparing Pre-Service Teachers to Address Homophobia in K-12 Schools

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, Joseph R.

2015-01-01

This article discusses the role multicultural education can play in addressing homophobia in K-12 schools. The author explores the lack of multiculturalism courses in undergraduate teacher education programs. To address the lack of multiculturalism courses, three instructional activities are offered that faculty in teacher education programs can…

Četrta konferenca o izobraževanju in učenju starejših

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dušana Findeisen

1998-12-01

Full Text Available Pravijo, da je Univerza v Ulmu "najvišja nemška univerza". Najvišja zato, ker stoji zunaj mesta na vzpetini. Res je, da slovi po svojih tehniških fakultetah, pa vendar v Ulmu niso pozabili na družbene vede. Znanja iz teh ved si je na Univerzi v Ulmu moč pridobiti pri ZAWIW, Univerzitetnem centru za splošno nadaljevalno izobraževanje. Pri tem centru pa je leta 1994 nastal tudi sedež Evropske zveze "Učenje v poznejših letih". Tako je v njenem okviru lani potekala v Ulmu že četrta konferenca, posvečena izobraževanju in učenju starejših odraslih.

Compression of the superior mesenteric vein - a sign of acute internal herniation in patients with antecolic laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maier, Jens; Herrasti Gallego, Amaya; Floyd, Andrea K.

2017-01-01

To investigate whether compression of the superior mesenteric vein (SMV) on computed tomography (CT) can serve as a valid sign of internal herniation (IH) in patients with antecolic laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGBP). With institutional review board approval, we performed a retrospective analysis of 41 patients with antecolic LRYGBP referred for acute CT of the abdomen with suspicion of IH or another cause of acute abdomen. CT scans were randomly reviewed for signs of IH by two radiologists in a blinded manner, and the findings were correlated with the results of the patients' bariatric workup. Sensitivity, specificity, and inter-observer agreement were calculated for each sign. Five patients were classified as having intermittent IH and were excluded. Eighteen patients were found to have IH at laparoscopy and served as the study group; 18 patients served as the control group. SMV compression had the best sensitivity (67 % for both reviewers) and inter-observer agreement (kappa = 0.82) of all investigated signs. The swirl sign showed a lower sensitivity (39 and 50 % respectively) and kappa (0.37). SMV compression is a reliable sign of IH in patients with antecolic LRYGBP. circle CT can help detect internal herniation after laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. (orig.)

Compression of the superior mesenteric vein - a sign of acute internal herniation in patients with antecolic laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Maier, Jens; Herrasti Gallego, Amaya [Koege Sygehus, Department of Radiology, Koege (Denmark); Floyd, Andrea K. [Holbaek Sygehus, Department of Abdominal Surgery, Holbaek (Denmark)

2017-04-15

To investigate whether compression of the superior mesenteric vein (SMV) on computed tomography (CT) can serve as a valid sign of internal herniation (IH) in patients with antecolic laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGBP). With institutional review board approval, we performed a retrospective analysis of 41 patients with antecolic LRYGBP referred for acute CT of the abdomen with suspicion of IH or another cause of acute abdomen. CT scans were randomly reviewed for signs of IH by two radiologists in a blinded manner, and the findings were correlated with the results of the patients' bariatric workup. Sensitivity, specificity, and inter-observer agreement were calculated for each sign. Five patients were classified as having intermittent IH and were excluded. Eighteen patients were found to have IH at laparoscopy and served as the study group; 18 patients served as the control group. SMV compression had the best sensitivity (67 % for both reviewers) and inter-observer agreement (kappa = 0.82) of all investigated signs. The swirl sign showed a lower sensitivity (39 and 50 % respectively) and kappa (0.37). SMV compression is a reliable sign of IH in patients with antecolic LRYGBP. circle CT can help detect internal herniation after laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. (orig.)

Bullying, "Cussing" and "Mucking About": Complexities in Tackling Homophobia in Three Secondary Schools in South London, UK

Science.gov (United States)

Warwick, Ian; Aggleton, Peter

2014-01-01

In countries such as the UK, schools have a responsibility to prevent all forms of bullying, including those related to sexual orientation. However, relatively little is known about how schools go about this work successfully. This study aimed to identify how three secondary schools in south London, England, were addressing homophobia. Three…

Internal herniation after laparoscopic antecolic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kristensen, Sara Danshøj; Jess, Per; Floyd, Andrea Karen

2016-01-01

BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB) is the most common surgical treatment for morbid obesity in Denmark. Internal herniation (IH) or intermittent internal herniation (IIH) is a major late complication after LRYGB due to persistent mesenteric defects. However, the incidence...

Dielectric constant and low-frequency infrared spectra for liquid water and ice Ih within the E3B model

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shi, L.; Ni, Y.; Drews, S. E. P.; Skinner, J. L. [Theoretical Chemistry Institute and Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53706 (United States)

2014-08-28

Two intrinsic difficulties in modeling condensed-phase water with conventional rigid non-polarizable water models are: reproducing the static dielectric constants for liquid water and ice Ih, and generating the peak at about 200 cm{sup −1} in the low-frequency infrared spectrum for liquid water. The primary physical reason for these failures is believed to be the missing polarization effect in these models, and consequently various sophisticated polarizable water models have been developed. However, in this work we pursue a different strategy and propose a simple empirical scheme to include the polarization effect only on the dipole surface (without modifying a model's intermolecular interaction potential). We implement this strategy for our explicit three-body (E3B) model. Our calculated static dielectric constants and low-frequency infrared spectra are in good agreement with experiment for both liquid water and ice Ih over wide temperature ranges, albeit with one fitting parameter for each phase. The success of our modeling also suggests that thermal fluctuations about local minima and the energy differences between different proton-disordered configurations play minor roles in the static dielectric constant of ice Ih. Our analysis shows that the polarization effect is important in resolving the two difficulties mentioned above and sheds some light on the origin of several features in the low-frequency infrared spectra for liquid water and ice Ih.

[Descriptive study of homophobia and vulnerability to HIV/AIDS of the transvestites in the Metropolitan Region of Recife, Brazil].

Science.gov (United States)

de Sousa, Patricia Juliana; Ferreira, Luiz Oscar Cardoso; de Sá, Janilson Barros

2013-08-01

This study sought to ascertain the vulnerabilities to HIV/Aids of transvestites of the Metropolitan Region of Recife. The Respondent-Driven Sampling (RDS) method was selected for data collection. Among the 110 transvestites, high indices of homophobia were found in locations such as: security services, work facilities, family and religious environments, neighborhood, school, stores, leisure spaces, and healthcare services. Among the situations of violence experienced, the predominant cases involved verbal aggression (81.8%) and physical aggression (68.2%). The HIV test carried out at some stage in their lives was reported by 84.4% of the subjects. A high level of knowledge of the forms of HIV prevention and transmission was detected. The majority of the transvestites began their sexual activity before 15 years of age without condom use. It was seen that in the context of the HIV/Aids epidemic, the strategies for health promotion can only be effective if factors for enhancing the understanding of the vulnerability to HIV/Aids, such as homophobia, are considered.

Popular heavy particle beam cancer therapeutic system (3). Development of high efficiency compact incident system-2. Great success of beam test of new APF-IH type DTL

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamamoto, Kazuo; Iwata, Yoshiyuki

2006-01-01

High efficiency compact incident system consists of an electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) ion source, a radio frequency quadrupole (RFQ) linear accelerator and an interdigital H-mode (IH) drift tube linear accelerator (DTL). IH type DTL and alternating phase focusing (APF) method is explained. Its special features, production, and beam test are reported. The electric field generation method, outline of the APF method, drift tube, IH type DTL, distribution of electric field and voltage, set up of beam test, ECR ion source and incident line, the inside structure of the RFQ type linear accelerator and the APF-IH type DTL, matching Q lens section, beam, emittance, measurement results of momentum dispersion are illustrated. (S.Y.)

Sexual Identity and HIV Status Influence the Relationship Between Internalized Stigma and Psychological Distress in Black Gay and Bisexual Men

Science.gov (United States)

Boone, Melissa R.; Cook, Stephanie H.; Wilson, Patrick A.

2016-01-01

Experiences of internalized homophobia and HIV stigma in young Black gay and bisexual men (GBM) may lead to psychological distress, but levels of distress may be dependent upon their sexual identity or HIV status. In this study, we set out to explore the associations between psychological distress, sexual identity, and HIV status in young Black GBM. Participants were 228 young Black GBM who reported on their psychological distress, their HIV status, and their sexual identity. Results indicated that internalized homophobia was significantly related to psychological distress for gay men, but not for bisexual men. HIV stigma was related to psychological stress for HIV-positive men, but not for HIV-negative men. Results indicate a need for more nuanced examinations of the role of identity in the health and well-being of men who have sex with men. PMID:27017893

Sexual identity and HIV status influence the relationship between internalized stigma and psychological distress in black gay and bisexual men.

Science.gov (United States)

Boone, Melissa R; Cook, Stephanie H; Wilson, Patrick A

2016-01-01

Experiences of internalized homophobia and HIV stigma in young Black gay and bisexual men (GBM) may lead to psychological distress, but levels of distress may be dependent upon their sexual identity or HIV status. In this study, we set out to explore the associations between psychological distress, sexual identity, and HIV status in young Black GBM. Participants were 228 young Black GBM who reported on their psychological distress, their HIV status, and their sexual identity. Results indicated that internalized homophobia was significantly related to psychological distress for gay men, but not for bisexual men. HIV stigma was related to psychological stress for HIV-positive men, but not for HIV-negative men. Results indicate a need for more nuanced examinations of the role of identity in the health and well-being of men who have sex with men.

Discrimination, Internalized Homonegativity, and Attitudes Toward Children of Same-Sex Parents: Can Secure Attachment Buffer Against Stigma Internalization?

Science.gov (United States)

Trub, Leora; Quinlan, Ella; Starks, Tyrel J; Rosenthal, Lisa

2017-09-01

With increasing numbers of same-sex couples raising children in the United States, discriminatory attitudes toward children of same-sex parents (ACSSP) are of increasing concern. As with other forms of stigma and discrimination, lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals are at risk for internalizing these societal attitudes, which can negatively affect parenting-related decisions and behaviors and the mental and physical health of their children. Secure attachment is characterized by positive views of the self as loveable and worthy of care that are understood to develop in early relationships with caregivers. Secure attachment has been associated with positive mental and physical health, including among LGB individuals and couples. This study aimed to test the potential buffering role of secure attachment against stigma internalization by examining associations among secure attachment, discrimination, internalized homonegativity (IH), and ACSSP in an online survey study of 209 U.S. adults in same-sex relationships. Bootstrap analyses supported our hypothesized moderated mediation model, with secure attachment being a buffer. Greater discrimination was indirectly associated with more negative ACSSP through greater IH for individuals with mean or lower levels, but not for individuals with higher than average levels of secure attachment, specifically because among those with higher levels of secure attachment, discrimination was not associated with IH. These findings build on and extend past research, with important implications for future research and clinical work with LGB individuals, same-sex couples, and their families, including potential implementation of interventions targeting attachment security. © 2016 Family Process Institute.

Trends in attitudes toward people living with HIV, homophobia, and HIV transmission knowledge in Quebec, Canada (1996, 2002, and 2010).

Science.gov (United States)

Adrien, Alix; Beaulieu, Marianne; Leaune, Viviane; Perron, Michèle; Dassa, Clément

2013-01-01

People living with HIV (PWHIV) face negative attitudes that isolate and discourage them from accessing services. Understanding negative attitudes and the social environment can lead to more effective health promotion strategies and programs. However, a scale to measure attitudes has been lacking. We developed and validated attitudes toward PWHIV Scale to examine trends in attitudes toward PWHIV in Quebec in 1996, 2002, and 2010. We also examined the relationship between negative attitudes toward PWHIV, homophobia, and knowledge about HIV transmission. The scale included 16 items and had a five-factor structure: F1 (fear of being infected), F2 (fear of contact with PWHIV), F3 (prejudicial beliefs toward groups at high risk of HIV), F4 (tolerance regarding sexual mores and behaviors), and F5 (social support for PWHIV). The validity and reliability of the scale were assessed and found to be high. Overall, Quebecers had positive attitudes toward PWHIV, with more negative attitudes observed in subgroups defined as male, ≥50 years of age, homophobia, and below-average knowledge about HIV transmission. Scores were stable between 1996 and 2002, and increased in 2010. Negative attitudes were correlated with higher levels of homophobia and lesser knowledge about HIV transmission. The lowest scores for each factor were observed in the same subgroups that had low overall scores on the Attitudes Scale. The findings from this study can be used to intensify interventions that promote compassion for PWHIV, address attitudes toward homosexuality, and encourage greater knowledge about the transmission of HIV in these subgroups.

Psychosocial Implications of Family and Religious Homophobia: Insights for HIV Combination Prevention among Black Men who have Sex with Men

Science.gov (United States)

Garcia, Jonathan; Parker, Caroline; Parker, Richard G.; Wilson, Patrick A.; Philbin, Morgan; Hirsch, Jennifer S.

2016-01-01

Black men who have sex with men (BMSM) bear an increasingly disproportionate burden of HIV in the United States. Research demonstrates that psychosocial factors, such as homophobia, are associated with HIV risk. Between June 2013 and May 2014, we conducted three in-depth interviews with each of 31 BMSM and interviews with 17 community stakeholders in New York City to understand the sociocultural and structural factors that may affect adherence to oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) among BMSM and to inform an adherence clinical trial. BMSM and community leaders frequently described condomless sex as a consequence of psychological factors and economic circumstances stemming from homophobia from families and religious groups. Negative support from social networks affected self-worth, which community stakeholders believed was crucial for men to engage in HIV prevention, such as PrEP. Our results indicate that addressing psychosocial factors and fostering social support are key elements to improve the effectiveness of combination prevention among BMSM. PMID:27037286

Delicious Low GL space foods by using Low GI materials -IH and Vacuum cooking -

Science.gov (United States)

Katayama, Naomi; Nagasaka, Sanako; Murasaki, Masahiro; Space Agriculture Task Force, J.

Enough life-support systems are necessary to stay in space for a long term. The management of the meal for astronauts is in particular very important. When an astronaut gets sick in outer space, it means death. To astronauts, the delicious good balance space foods are essential for their work. This study was aimed at making balance space foods menu for the healthy space-life. The kitchen utensil has a limit in the space environment. And a method to warm is only heater without fire. Therefore purpose of this study, we make the space foods which make by using vacuum cooking device and the IH heater We made space foods menu to referred to Japanese nutrition standard in 2010. We made space foods menu which are using "brown rice, wheat, soy bean, sweet potato and green-vegetable" and " loach and insects which are silkworm pupa, snail, mud snail, turmait, fly, grasshopper, bee". We use ten health adults as subjects. Ten subjects performed the sensory test of the questionnaire method. There was the sensuality examination in the item of "taste, a fragrance, color, the quantity" and acquired a mark at ten points of perfect scores.. We could make the space foods which we devised with vacuum cooking and IH deliciously. As a result of sensuality examination, the eight points in ten points of perfect scores was appeared. This result showed, our space food menu is delicious. We can store these space foods with a refrigerator for 20 days by making vacuum cooking. This thing is at all important result so that a save is enabled when surplus food was done in future by performing vacuum cooking. We want to make delicious space foods menu with vacuum cooking and IH heater more in future.

77 FR 52748 - 60-Day Proposed Information Collection: Indian Health Service (IHS) Sharing What Works-Best...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-08-30

... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Indian Health Service 60-Day Proposed Information Collection: Indian Health Service (IHS) Sharing What Works--Best Practice, Promising Practice, and Local Effort (BPPPLE) Form; Request For Public Comment AGENCY: Indian Health Service, HHS. ACTION: Notice...

Coping with Sexual Stigma: Emerging Adults with Lesbian Parents Reflect on the Impact of Heterosexism and Homophobia during Their Adolescence

Science.gov (United States)

Kuvalanka, Katherine A.; Leslie, Leigh A.; Radina, Rachel

2014-01-01

Little is known about how youth with LGB (lesbian, gay, and bisexual) parents experience various forms of sexual stigma (i.e., homophobia and heterosexism). Previous studies have focused primarily on frequency of teasing and harassment; therefore, much less is known about how indirect and institutional types of sexual stigma play out in the lives…

Beyond "homophobia": Thinking more clearly about stigma, prejudice, and sexual orientation.

Science.gov (United States)

Herek, Gregory M

2015-09-01

This article addresses the topic of homophobia. Recent events might make it seem as though it is dying out. Hate crimes based on a person's sexual orientation or gender presentation can now be prosecuted by the federal government, even when they occur in states lacking their own hate crime laws. Numerous states have changed their laws to permit same-sex couples to marry, some through the passage of legislation and others through ballot measures. Since the U.S. Supreme Court's 2013 decision overturning part of the Defense of Marriage Act, those marriages have been recognized by the federal government. With the dramatic and relatively rapid turnaround in public opinion, this article focuses on the changes in stigma and issues of sexual prejudice as well. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

'Triply cursed': racism, homophobia and HIV-related stigma are barriers to regular HIV testing, treatment adherence and disclosure among young Black gay men.

Science.gov (United States)

Arnold, Emily A; Rebchook, Gregory M; Kegeles, Susan M

2014-06-01

In the USA, young Black gay men are disproportionately impacted upon by HIV. In this qualitative study consisting of in-depth interviews with 31 young Black gay men and nine service providers, where we used thematic analysis to guide our interpretations, we found that HIV-related stigma and homophobia, within the larger societal context of racism, were related to sexual risk behaviour, reluctance to obtain HIV testing or care, lower adherence to treatment medication, and non-disclosure of a positive HIV status to sexual partners. Participants experienced homophobia and HIV-related stigma from churches and families within the Black community and from friends within the Black gay community, which otherwise provide support in the face of racism. Vulnerability to HIV was related to strategies that young Black gay men enacted to avoid being stigmatised or as a way of coping with alienation and rejection.

Ih equalizes membrane input resistance in a heterogeneous population of fusiform neurons in the dorsal cochlear nucleus.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cesar Celis Ceballos

2016-10-01

Full Text Available In a neuronal population, several combinations of its ionic conductances are used to attain a specific firing phenotype. Some neurons present heterogeneity in their firing, generally produced by expression of a specific conductance, but how additional conductances vary along in order to homeostatically regulate membrane excitability is less known. Dorsal cochlear nucleus principal neurons, fusiform neurons, display heterogeneous spontaneous action potential activity and thus represent an appropriate model to study the role of different conductances in establishing firing heterogeneity. Particularly, fusiform neurons are divided into quiet, with no spontaneous firing, or active neurons, presenting spontaneous, regular firing. These modes are determined by the expression levels of an intrinsic membrane conductance, an inwardly rectifying potassium current (IKir. In this work, we tested whether other subthreshold conductances vary homeostatically to maintain membrane excitability constant across the two subtypes. We found that Ih expression covaries specifically with IKir in order to maintain membrane resistance constant. The impact of Ih on membrane resistance is dependent on the level of IKir expression, being much smaller in quiet neurons with bigger IKir, but Ih variations are not relevant for creating the quiet and active phenotypes. Finally, we demonstrate that the individual proportion of each conductance, and not their absolute conductance, is relevant for determining the neuronal firing mode. We conclude that in fusiform neurons the variations of their different subthreshold conductances are limited to specific conductances in order to create firing heterogeneity and maintain membrane homeostasis.

Development of an IH-type linac for the acceleration of high current heavy ion beams

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Haehnel, Jan Hendrik

2017-07-20

The Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research (FAIR) at GSI Darmstadt will provide unprecedented intensities of protons and heavy ions up to uranium at energies of up to 29 GeV for protons and 2.7 GeV/u for U{sup 28+}. To achieve high intensities in the synchrotron accelerators, high beam currents have to be provided by the injector linear accelerators. High current heavy ion beams are provided by the Universal Linear Accelerator (UNILAC), which in its current state will not be able to provide the required FAIR beam currents. This thesis deals with the development of upgrades for the UNILAC to ensure its high current capability. The first improvement is a matching section (MEBT) for the interface between the RFQ and the IH-DTL of the existing high current injector HSI at the UNILAC. With this new MEBT section, particle losses are eliminated and the overall beam quality is improved. As a second improvement, a complete replacement of the existing Alvarez-DTL is presented. A combination of efficient IH-type cavities and KONUS beam dynamics results in a reduction of the linac length from about 60 m (Alvarez) to just 23 m (new IH-DTL) while providing the same energy and fulfilling FAIR requirements of a high beam current and beam quality. This thesis contains a detailed beam dynamics design of the new linac including some fundamental investigations of the KONUS beam dynamics concept. A cross-check of the beam dynamics design was performed with two independent multi-particle simulation codes. Detailed error studies were conducted to investigate the influence of manufacturing, alignment and operating errors on the beam dynamics performance. Additionally, all five linac cavities were designed, optimized, and their RF parameters including power requirements calculated to provide a comprehensive linac design.

Development of an IH-type linac for the acceleration of high current heavy ion beams

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haehnel, Jan Hendrik

2017-01-01

The Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research (FAIR) at GSI Darmstadt will provide unprecedented intensities of protons and heavy ions up to uranium at energies of up to 29 GeV for protons and 2.7 GeV/u for U 28+ . To achieve high intensities in the synchrotron accelerators, high beam currents have to be provided by the injector linear accelerators. High current heavy ion beams are provided by the Universal Linear Accelerator (UNILAC), which in its current state will not be able to provide the required FAIR beam currents. This thesis deals with the development of upgrades for the UNILAC to ensure its high current capability. The first improvement is a matching section (MEBT) for the interface between the RFQ and the IH-DTL of the existing high current injector HSI at the UNILAC. With this new MEBT section, particle losses are eliminated and the overall beam quality is improved. As a second improvement, a complete replacement of the existing Alvarez-DTL is presented. A combination of efficient IH-type cavities and KONUS beam dynamics results in a reduction of the linac length from about 60 m (Alvarez) to just 23 m (new IH-DTL) while providing the same energy and fulfilling FAIR requirements of a high beam current and beam quality. This thesis contains a detailed beam dynamics design of the new linac including some fundamental investigations of the KONUS beam dynamics concept. A cross-check of the beam dynamics design was performed with two independent multi-particle simulation codes. Detailed error studies were conducted to investigate the influence of manufacturing, alignment and operating errors on the beam dynamics performance. Additionally, all five linac cavities were designed, optimized, and their RF parameters including power requirements calculated to provide a comprehensive linac design.

The intersection of youth masculinities, decreasing homophobia and class: an ethnography.

Science.gov (United States)

McCormack, Mark

2014-03-01

This article examines the emergence of progressive attitudes toward homosexuality among working-class boys in a sixth form in the south of England to develop an intersectional analysis of class, youth masculinities and decreasing homophobia. Drawing on three months of ethnographic data collection, I find that working-class male youth intellectualize pro-gay attitudes and that homophobic language is almost entirely absent from the setting. I document the presence of homosocial tactility, as well as the valuing of friendship and emotional closeness. However, these behaviours are less pronounced than documented among middle-class boys, and I use these findings to advance understanding of how class influences the development of inclusive attitudes and behaviours. Inclusive masculinity theory is used to understand these findings, refining the theory and extending it to a new demographic. © London School of Economics and Political Science 2014.

Resonant vibrational energy transfer in ice Ih

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shi, L.; Li, F.; Skinner, J. L. [Theoretical Chemistry Institute and Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53706 (United States)

2014-06-28

Fascinating anisotropy decay experiments have recently been performed on H{sub 2}O ice Ih by Timmer and Bakker [R. L. A. Timmer, and H. J. Bakker, J. Phys. Chem. A 114, 4148 (2010)]. The very fast decay (on the order of 100 fs) is indicative of resonant energy transfer between OH stretches on different molecules. Isotope dilution experiments with deuterium show a dramatic dependence on the hydrogen mole fraction, which confirms the energy transfer picture. Timmer and Bakker have interpreted the experiments with a Förster incoherent hopping model, finding that energy transfer within the first solvation shell dominates the relaxation process. We have developed a microscopic theory of vibrational spectroscopy of water and ice, and herein we use this theory to calculate the anisotropy decay in ice as a function of hydrogen mole fraction. We obtain very good agreement with experiment. Interpretation of our results shows that four nearest-neighbor acceptors dominate the energy transfer, and that while the incoherent hopping picture is qualitatively correct, vibrational energy transport is partially coherent on the relevant timescale.

“Triply cursed”: Racism, homophobia, and HIV-related stigma are barriers to regular HIV testing, treatment adherence, and disclosure among young Black gay men

Science.gov (United States)

Arnold, Emily A.; Rebchook, Gregory M.; Kegeles, Susan M.

2014-01-01

In the USA, young Black gay men are disproportionately impacted by HIV. In this qualitative study consisting of in-depth interviews with 31 young Black gay men and 9 service providers, where we used thematic analysis to guide our interpretations, we found that HIV-related stigma and homophobia, within the larger societal context of racism, were related to sexual risk behaviour, reluctance to obtain HIV testing or care, lower adherence to treatment medication, and disclosure of a positive HIV status to sexual partners. Participants experienced homophobia and HIV-related stigma from churches and families within the Black community, and from friends within the Black gay community, that otherwise provide support in the face of racism. Vulnerability to HIV was related to strategies that young Black gay men enacted to avoid being stigmatised or as a way of coping with their alienation and rejection. PMID:24784224

42 CFR 136.412 - What questions must the IHS ask as part of the background investigation?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

..., exploitation, contact, or prostitution; crimes against persons; or offenses committed against children? If yes... Child Protection and Family Violence Prevention § 136.412 What questions must the IHS ask as part of the...: (1) Has the individual been arrested or charged with a crime involving a child? If yes, the...

Lesbian mommy blogging in Canada: documenting subtle homophobia in Canadian society and building community online.

Science.gov (United States)

Hunter, Andrea

2015-01-01

This article analyzes how lesbian mommy bloggers in Canada are using their blogs as forums for self-expression and a means to form community, as they record their unique experiences as queer parents. Further, it argues that lesbian mommy blogging is documenting a subtle form of homophobia that exists in Canada in terms of social acceptance. Although there is legal acceptance of queer families, society has not necessarily caught up with the law. These blogs show that lesbian parents in Canada still struggle with issues of equality, including difficulties being "out," invisibility, and having to advocate for the non-birth parent.

Effect of abutment screw length and cyclic loading on removal torque in external and internal hex implants.

Science.gov (United States)

Mohammed, Hnd Hadi; Lee, Jin-Han; Bae, Ji-Myung; Cho, Hye-Won

2016-02-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of abutment screw length and cyclic loading on the removal torque (RTV) in external hex (EH) and internal hex (IH) implants. Forty screw-retained single crowns were connected to external and internal hex implants. The prepared titanium abutment screws were classified into 8 groups based on the number of threads (n = 5 per group): EH 12.5, 6.5, 3.5, 2.5 and IH 6.5, 5, 3.5, 2.5 threads. The abutment screws were tightened with 20 Ncm torque twice with 10-minute intervals. After 5 minutes, the initial RTVs of the abutment screws were measured with a digital torque gauge (MGT12). A customized jig was constructed to apply a load along the implant long axis at the central fossa of the maxillary first molar. The post-loading RTVs were measured after 16,000 cycles of mechanical loading with 50 N at a 1-Hz frequency. Statistical analysis included one-way analysis of variance and paired t-tests. The post-loading RTVs were significantly lower than the initial RTVs in the EH 2.5 thread and IH 2.5 thread groups (P<.05). The initial RTVs exhibited no significant differences among the 8 groups, whereas the post-loading RTVs of the EH 6.5 and EH 3.5 thread groups were higher than those of the IH 3.5 thread group (P<.05). Within the limitations of this study, the external hex implants with short screw lengths were more advantageous than internal hex implants with short screw lengths in torque maintenance after cyclic loading.

Design and Construction of Power System for Induction Heating (IH) Cooker Using Resonant Converter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Soe Thiri Thandar; Clement Saldanah; Win Khaing Moe

2008-06-01

Induction Heating (IH) systems using electromagnetic induction are developed in many industrial applications in Myanmar. Many industries have benefited from this new breakthrough by implementing induction heating for melting, hardening, and heating. Induction heating cooker is based on high frequency induction heating,electrical and electronic technologies. From the electronic point of view, induction heating cooker is composed of four parts.They are rectifier, filter, high frequency inverter, and resonant load. The purpose of this research is mainly objected to developed an induction heating cooker. The rectifier module is considered as full-bridge rectifier. The second protion of the system is a capacitive filter. The ripple components are minimized by this filter. The third is a high frequency converter to convert the constant DC to high frequency AC by switching the devices alternately. In this research, the Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT) will be used as a power source, and can be driven by the pulse signals from the pulse transformer circuit. In the resonant load, the power consumption is about 500W. Construction and testing has been carried out. The merits of this research work is that IH cooker can be developed because of having less energy consumption, safe, efficient, quick heating, and having efficiency of 90% or more

Homophobia and internalized homophobia: subjective productions of heteronormative control?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Márcio Alessandro Neman do Nascimento

2010-03-01

Full Text Available El artículo presentará, en teoría, algunas de las cuestiones que limitan el buque insignia de la homosexualidad en la historia, partindo de una posición teórica y metodológica marcada por los estudios culturales y de género realizado por los autores post-estructuralista. Actualmente, hay muchos avances y logros en el contexto socio-político en relación con la diversidad sexual, pero, La  visibilidad se há tambíen producido desencadenantes de las prácticas sociales se demuestra en los crímenes violentos y los discursos de odio, la intolerancia y la velada prohibiciones contra los homosexuales. Así, se pretende presentar la construcción social de la homofobia, y, posteriormente, de la homofobia internalizada, como pilares de sus instructores cuentan con el apoyo de procesos de subjetivación heteronormativa rociarán los contextos sociales en la vida cotidiana.

42 CFR 137.401 - What role does Tribal consultation play in the IHS annual budget request process?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 42 Public Health 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false What role does Tribal consultation play in the IHS annual budget request process? 137.401 Section 137.401 Public Health PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF...-GOVERNANCE Secretarial Responsibilities Budget Request § 137.401 What role does Tribal consultation play in...

Salud internacional: el nuevo desafío para la educación de enfermería International health: a new challenge to nursing education

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria da Gloria Miotto Wright

1998-07-01

Full Text Available Para identificar las actividades de salud internacional (SI en escuelas de enfermería y analizarlas en forma preliminar, se utilizó una muestra de 110 escuelas norteamericanas y, paralelamente, se enviaron cuestionarios a 4 escuelas latinoamericanas y a una del Caribe (ALC. Parte significativa de las escuelas norteamericanas y todas las 5 escuelas de ALC tienen actividades de salud internacional. Dicho interés es básicamente un fenómeno de los últimos cinco a dez años. Hubo diferencias en la estructura de las actividades de SI entre las escuelas, pero el tipo de apoyo ofrecido para actividades internacionales era similar, tanto en los EEUU como en ALC. El componente de SI en el currículo de las escuelas norteamericanas estaba dentro de cursos sobre cultura, sistemas de salud y salud de la comunidad, en cuanto en las escuelas de ALC dicho componente estaba en cursos relacionados con promoción de la salud, políticas y estrategias de salud y perspectivas de enfermería. Esas escuelas tienen sólamente 10% de sus profesores y estudiantes involucrados en actividades de salud internacional. Se verificó que las escuelas de enfermería todavía no hacen parte de los cursos y actividades que las Escuelas de Salud Pública han implementado en ese campo y se observan áreas que deben ser fortalecidas para que la enfermería ocupe una posición de liderazgo en la práctica y la investigación en salud internacional.A survey was conducted among 110 Schools of Nursing in USA and 5 Schools in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC to identify the international health (IH component in nursing education, practice and research. A significant part of U.S. schools and all 5 LAC schools have international activities, and this interest has started basically in the last 5 to 10 years. There was difference in the structure of IH activities among U.S. and LAC nursing schools, but they were similar in the type of support offered to IH initiatives. IH content in

A systematic review of instruments that measure attitudes toward homosexual men.

Science.gov (United States)

Grey, Jeremy A; Robinson, Beatrice Bean E; Coleman, Eli; Bockting, Walter O

2013-01-01

Scientific interest in the measurement of homophobia and internalized homophobia has grown over the past 30 years, and new instruments and terms have emerged. To help researchers with the challenging task of identifying appropriate measures for studies in sexual-minority health, we reviewed measures of homophobia published in the academic literature from 1970 to 2012. Instruments that measured attitudes toward male homosexuals/homosexuality or measured homosexuals' internalized attitudes toward homosexuality were identified using measurement manuals and a systematic review. A total of 23 instruments met criteria for inclusion, and their features were summarized and compared. All 23 instruments met minimal criteria for adequate scale construction, including scale development, sampling, reliability, and evidence of validity. Validity evidence was diverse and was categorized as interaction with gay men, HIV/AIDS variables, mental health, and conservative religious or political beliefs. Homophobia was additionally correlated with authoritarianism and bias, gender ideology, gender differences, and reactions to homosexual stimuli. Internalized homophobia was validated by examining relationships with disclosing one's homosexuality and level of homosexual identity development. We hope this review will make the process of instrument selection more efficient by allowing researchers to easily locate, evaluate, and choose the proper measure based on their research question and population of interest.

Analysis of the role of the low threshold currents IT and Ih in intrinsic delta oscillations of thalamocortical neurons

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Yimy eAmarillo

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Thalamocortical neurons are involved in the generation and maintenance of brain rhythms associated with global functional states. The repetitive burst firing of TC neurons at delta frequencies (1-4 Hz has been linked to the oscillations recorded during deep sleep and during episodes of absence seizures. To get insight into the biophysical properties that are the basis for intrinsic delta oscillations in these neurons, we performed a bifurcation analysis of a minimal conductance-based thalamocortical neuron model including only the IT channel and the sodium and potassium leak channels. This analysis unveils the dynamics of repetitive burst firing of TC neurons, and describes how the interplay between the amplifying variable mT and the recovering variable hT of the calcium channel IT is sufficient to generate low threshold oscillations in the delta band. We also explored the role of the hyperpolarization activated cationic current Ih in this reduced model and determine that, albeit not required, Ih amplifies and stabilizes the oscillation.

A method based on IHS cylindrical transform model for quality assessment of image fusion

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Xiaokun; Jia, Yonghong

2005-10-01

Image fusion technique has been widely applied to remote sensing image analysis and processing, and methods for quality assessment of image fusion in remote sensing have also become the research issues at home and abroad. Traditional assessment methods combine calculation of quantitative indexes and visual interpretation to compare fused images quantificationally and qualitatively. However, in the existing assessment methods, there are two defects: on one hand, most imdexes lack the theoretic support to compare different fusion methods. On the hand, there is not a uniform preference for most of the quantitative assessment indexes when they are applied to estimate the fusion effects. That is, the spatial resolution and spectral feature could not be analyzed synchronously by these indexes and there is not a general method to unify the spatial and spectral feature assessment. So in this paper, on the basis of the approximate general model of four traditional fusion methods, including Intensity Hue Saturation(IHS) triangle transform fusion, High Pass Filter(HPF) fusion, Principal Component Analysis(PCA) fusion, Wavelet Transform(WT) fusion, a correlation coefficient assessment method based on IHS cylindrical transform is proposed. By experiments, this method can not only get the evaluation results of spatial and spectral features on the basis of uniform preference, but also can acquire the comparison between fusion image sources and fused images, and acquire differences among fusion methods. Compared with the traditional assessment methods, the new methods is more intuitionistic, and in accord with subjective estimation.

Sexual diversity and homophobia: a “disarrangement” culture in public educational policies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Isaias Batista de Oliveira Júnior

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Levels resulting from the disqualification of “compulsory heteronormativity” process that focus on Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals, Bigenders, Transvestites, Transsexuals, Transgenders, Queers, Questioners, Intersexes, Indecisives, Asexuals and Allies people emerge in several instances. As a dialog agent, the school has been characterized asa strategic place to implement public policies and, in this context, emerge actions as the School without Homophobia and Health and Prevention in School programs. In order to promote the discussion on strategies developed in the national scenario, it is discussed its products: Gay Kit, Adolescents and Youth Peer Education Guide and Comic Books. Using bibliographical research as a methodology, excerpts of a master’s thesis are used so as to bring the theory of Cultural Studies as a mainstay of discourse. Given the government’s suspension of these materials, one realizes how difficult it is to stand up against public opinion. However, the refusal of the majority does not give the State the right to withhold basic rights of minorities.

Between queerpos and speeches: standardization of conducts, homosexualities and homophobia in the practices of School Physical Education

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vagner Matias do Prado

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Anchored in the queers studies, this article aims to discuss the tagging social process standardization of conducts, repudiation of homosexuality and construction of homophobia through some school practices of Physical Education. From reports generated by semi-structured interviews, it was possible to infer that, from the curriculum, sports are mobilized for the construction and maintenance of a representation of masculinity that subjugates and ranks other expressions of existence. In this relational game, students who do not fit (or will not fit to the hegemonic models are targets of constant derogatory demarcations, which aim to establish a difference that “is read” socially as “abnormal”.

同性愛者のアイデンティティ発達に関する研究の動向と展望 : 内在化された同性愛嫌悪・カミングアウトに着目して

OpenAIRE

高藤, 真作; 岡本, 祐子

2018-01-01

Homosexuals are exposed to a great deal of discrimination and prejudice: Identifying as homosexual remains difficult in today’s society. The purpose of this paper is to review current research on the development of homosexual identity, focusing on internalized homophobia and coming out. The development of homosexual identity is an important factor to prevent mental health problems, and overcoming internalized homophobia is indispensable in this process. Although emotional connections with oth...

42 CFR 136.404 - What does the Indian Child Protection and Family Violence Prevention Act require of the IHS and...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... Protection and Family Violence Prevention § 136.404 What does the Indian Child Protection and Family Violence... 42 Public Health 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false What does the Indian Child Protection and Family Violence Prevention Act require of the IHS and Indian Tribes or Tribal organizations receiving funds under...

Testing IH Instrumentation: Analysis of 1996-1998 Tank Ventilation Data in Terms of Characterizing a Transient Release

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Droppo, James G.

2004-01-01

An analysis is conducted of the 1996-1998 Hanford tank ventilation studies of average ventilation rates to help define characteristics of shorter term releases. This effort is being conducted as part of the design of tests of Industrial Hygiene's (IH) instrumentation ability to detect transient airborne plumes from tanks using current deployment strategies for tank operations. This analysis has improved our understanding of the variability of hourly average tank ventilation processes. However, the analysis was unable to discern the relative importance of emissions due to continuous releases and short-duration bursts of material. The key findings are as follows: (1) The ventilation of relatively well-sealed, passively ventilated tanks appears to be driven by a combination of pressure, buoyancy, and wind influences. The results of a best-fit analysis conducted with a single data set provide information on the hourly emission variability that IH instrumentation will need to detect. (2) Tank ventilation rates and tank emission rates are not the same. The studies found that the measured infiltration rates for a single tank are often a complex function of air exchanges between tanks and air exchanges with outdoor air. This situation greatly limits the usefulness of the ventilation data in defining vapor emission rates. (3) There is no evidence in the data to discern if the routine tank vapor releases occur over a short time (i.e., a puff) or over an extended time (i.e., continuous releases). Based on this analysis of the tank ventilation studies, it is also noted that (1) the hourly averaged emission peaks from the relatively well-sealed passively-vented tanks (such as U-103) are not a simple function of one meteorological parameter--but the peaks often are the result of the coincidence of temporal maximums in pressure, temperature, and wind influences and (2) a mechanistic combination modeling approach and/or field studies may be necessary to understand the short

State-Sponsored Homophobia and the Denial of the Right of Assembly in Central and Eastern Europe : The "Boomerang" and the "Ricochet" between European Organizations and Civil Society to Uphold Human Rights

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Holzhacker, Ronald

2013-01-01

State-sponsored homophobia emerged in certain Central and Eastern European states in the past decade, with the denial of the right of assembly for gay pride marches. However, more recently there has been progress in the recognition of the fundamental democratic right of assembly. What accounts for

Argentinean adaptation of the Social Skills Inventory IHS-Del-Prette.

Science.gov (United States)

Olaz, Fabián Orlando; Medrano, Leonardo; Greco, María Eugenia; Del Prette, Zilda Aparecida Pereira

2009-11-01

We present the results of the adaptation of the IHS-Del-Prette (Inventario de Habilidades Sociales, in English, Social Skills Inventory) to a sample of Argentinean college students. Firstly, we addressed the backward translation and carried out an equivalence study of the Portuguese and Spanish versions of the scale. The results showed the two versions were equivalent, as we obtained correlations lower than .50 in only 5 items. Secondly, we performed item analysis by calculating discrimination indexes and item-total correlations. Results indicated that the items are sensitive to differentiate between high and low social-skill groups. Exploratory factor analysis carried out with a sample of 602 college students yielded five factors that explained 26.5% of the total variance, although our data did not completely match the original factor structure. We also obtained moderate alpha values for the subscales, but high reliability for the total scale. Lastly, group differences between males and females are presented to provide evidence of validity. We discuss the implications of the results and present future lines of inquiry.

Measurements of Neuronal Soma Size and Estimated Peptide Concentrations in Addition to Cell Abundance Offer a Higher Resolution of Seasonal and Reproductive Influences of GnRH-I and GnIH in European Starlings.

Science.gov (United States)

Amorin, Nelson; Calisi, Rebecca M

2015-08-01

Hypothalamic neuropeptides involved in vertebrate reproduction, gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH-I) and gonadotropin-inhibitory hormone (GnIH), can vary in the abundance of immunoreactive cells as a function of the reproductive status and nest box occupation of European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris). While using the abundance of cells as an indicator of the activity of neurohormones is informative, incorporating information on cell size (readily observed using immunohistochemistry) can offer a more detailed understanding of environmentally-mediated changes in hormonal dynamics. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that the size of cells' somas and the estimated concentration of peptides in cells immunoreactive (ir) for GnRH-I and GnIH would vary throughout the breeding season and as a function of nest-box status (resident or not). In the absence of a direct assay of protein, we estimated an index of the concentration of hypothalamic peptides via the relative optical density (i.e., the difference between the mean optical density and the optical density of background staining). In support of our hypothesis, we found that GnRH-I- and GnIH-ir soma size and peptide concentration changed both in males and females throughout the breeding season. Somas were largest and estimated peptide concentration was highest mid-season when compared with earlier in the season or to the non-breeding period. For nest-box residents, GnIH-ir soma size and peptide concentration were higher during the middle of the breeding season than earlier in the breeding season, although residence in the nest box was not related to GnRH-I-ir variables. Our results confirm that previously reported changes in cell abundance mimic changes we see in GnRH-I and GnIH-ir soma size and our proxy for peptide concentration. However, investigating changes in the soma of GnRH-I-ir cells revealed a peak in size during the middle of the breeding season, a change not evident when solely examining data on the

Synthesis and Isolation of the Titanium-Scandium Endohedral Fullerenes-Sc2 TiC@Ih -C80 , Sc2 TiC@D5h -C80 and Sc2 TiC2 @Ih -C80 : Metal Size Tuning of the Ti(IV) /Ti(III) Redox Potentials.

Science.gov (United States)

Junghans, Katrin; Ghiassi, Kamran B; Samoylova, Nataliya A; Deng, Qingming; Rosenkranz, Marco; Olmstead, Marilyn M; Balch, Alan L; Popov, Alexey A

2016-09-05

The formation of endohedral metallofullerenes (EMFs) in an electric arc is reported for the mixed-metal Sc-Ti system utilizing methane as a reactive gas. Comparison of these results with those from the Sc/CH4 and Ti/CH4 systems as well as syntheses without methane revealed a strong mutual influence of all key components on the product distribution. Whereas a methane atmosphere alone suppresses the formation of empty cage fullerenes, the Ti/CH4 system forms mainly empty cage fullerenes. In contrast, the main fullerene products in the Sc/CH4 system are Sc4 C2 @C80 (the most abundant EMF from this synthesis), Sc3 C2 @C80 , isomers of Sc2 C2 @C82 , and the family Sc2 C2 n (2 n=74, 76, 82, 86, 90, etc.), as well as Sc3 CH@C80 . The Sc-Ti/CH4 system produces the mixed-metal Sc2 TiC@C2 n (2 n=68, 78, 80) and Sc2 TiC2 @C2 n (2 n=80) clusterfullerene families. The molecular structures of the new, transition-metal-containing endohedral fullerenes, Sc2 TiC@Ih -C80 , Sc2 TiC@D5h -C80 , and Sc2 TiC2 @Ih -C80 , were characterized by NMR spectroscopy. The structure of Sc2 TiC@Ih -C80 was also determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, which demonstrated the presence of a short Ti=C double bond. Both Sc2 TiC- and Sc2 TiC2 -containing clusterfullerenes have Ti-localized LUMOs. Encapsulation of the redox-active Ti ion inside the fullerene cage enables analysis of the cluster-cage strain in the endohedral fullerenes through electrochemical measurements. © 2016 The Authors. Published by Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.

[A Brief Homophobia Scale in Medical Students From Two Universities: Results of A Refinement Process].

Science.gov (United States)

Campo-Arias, Adalberto; Herazo, Edwin; Oviedo, Heidi Celina

The process of evaluating measurement scales is an ongoing procedure that requires revisions and adaptations according to the characteristics of the participants. The Homophobia Scale of seven items (EHF-7) has showed acceptable performance in medical students attending to two universities in Colombia. However, performance of some items was poor and could be removed, with an improvement in the psychometric findings of items retained. To review the psychometric functioning and refine the content of EHF-7 among medical students from two Colombian universities. A group of 667 students from the first to tenth semester participated in the research. Theirs ages were between 18 and 34 (mean, 20.9±2.7) years-old, and 60.6% were females. Cronbach alpha (α) and omega of McDonald (Ω) were calculated as indicators of reliability and to refine the scale, an exploratory (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was performed. EHF-7 showed α=.793 and Ω=.796 and a main factor that explained 45.2% of the total variance. EFA and CFA suggested the suppression of three items. The four-item version (EHF-4) reached an α=.770 and Ω=.775, with a single factor that accounted for 59.7% of the total variance. CFA showed better indexes (χ 2 =3.622; df=1; P=.057; Root-mean-square error of approximation (RMSEA)=.063, 90% CI, .000-.130; Comparative Fit Indices (CFI)=.998; Tucker-Lewis Index (TLI)=.991). EHF-4 shows high internal consistency and a single dimension that explains more than 50% of the total variance. Further studies are needed to confirm these observations, that can be taken as preliminary. Copyright © 2016 Asociación Colombiana de Psiquiatría. Publicado por Elsevier España. All rights reserved.

Internal hernia in late pregnancy after laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass.

Science.gov (United States)

Gruetter, Florian; Kraljević, Marko; Nebiker, Christian A; Delko, Tarik

2014-12-23

A 27-year-old patient in late pregnancy presented to the department of obstetrics with crampy abdominal pain located in the right flank, 3 years after a laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. Clinical investigation showed tenderness on palpation in the upper abdomen without signs of peritonitis. The cardiotocogram and blood tests were normal. The ultrasound showed a hydronephrosis on the right side, and a pigtail catheter was inserted. The abdominal symptoms did not abate and the abdominal surgeon was consulted 36 hours after admission. Diagnostic laparoscopy was performed promptly because of high suspicion of internal hernia (IH). Laparoscopy showed IH at the mesojejunal intermesenteric defect with a herniated common channel and volvulus of the anastomosis. Conversion to open reduction and complete closure with non-absorbable interrupted sutures was performed. Small bowel resection was avoided. The patient was discharged 10 days after the operation and a healthy boy was born 4 weeks later. 2014 BMJ Publishing Group Ltd.

Anomalous diffusion of water molecules at grain boundaries in ice Ih.

Science.gov (United States)

Moreira, Pedro Augusto Franco Pinheiro; Veiga, Roberto Gomes de Aguiar; Ribeiro, Ingrid de Almeida; Freitas, Rodrigo; Helfferich, Julian; de Koning, Maurice

2018-05-23

Using ab initio and classical molecular dynamics simulations, we study pre-melting phenomena in pristine coincident-site-lattice grain boundaries (GBs) in proton-disordered hexagonal ice Ih at temperatures just below the melting point Tm. Concerning pre-melt-layer thicknesses, the results are consistent with the available experimental estimates for low-disorder impurity-free GBs. With regard to molecular mobility, the simulations provide a key new insight: the translational motion of the water molecules is found to be subdiffusive for time scales from ∼10 ns up to at least 0.1 μs. Moreover, the fact that the anomalous diffusion occurs even at temperatures just below Tm where the bulk supercooled liquid still diffuses normally suggests that it is related to the confinement of the GB pre-melt layers by the surrounding crystalline environment. Furthermore, we show that this behavior can be characterized by continuous-time random walk models in which the waiting-time distributions decay according to power-laws that are very similar to those describing dynamics in glass-forming systems.

The Conditions under which Growth-Fostering Relationships Promote Resilience and Alleviate Psychological Distress among Sexual Minorities: Applications of Relational Cultural Theory

Science.gov (United States)

Mereish, Ethan H.; Poteat, V. Paul

2015-01-01

Relational cultural theory posits that resilience and psychological growth are rooted in relational connections and are facilitated through growth-fostering relationships. Framed within this theory, the current study examined the associations between growth-fostering relationships (i.e., relationships characterized by authenticity and mutuality) with a close friend and psychological distress among sexual minorities. More specifically, we tested the moderating effects of individuals’ internalized homophobia and their friend’s sexual orientation on the associations between growth-fostering relationship with their close friend and level of psychological distress. A sample of sexual minorities (N = 661) were recruited online and completed a questionnaire. The 3-way interaction between (a) growth-fostering relationship with a close friend, (b) the close friend’s sexual orientation, and (c) internalized homophobia was significant in predicting psychological distress. Among participants with low levels of internalized homophobia, a stronger growth-fostering relationship with a close heterosexual or LGBT friend was associated with less psychological distress. Among participants with high levels of internalized homophobia, a stronger growth-fostering relationship with a close LGBT friend was associated with less psychological distress but not with a heterosexual friend. Our results demonstrate that growth-fostering relationships may be associated with less psychological distress but under specific conditions. These findings illuminate a potential mechanism for sexual minorities’ resilience and provide support for relational cultural theory. Understanding resilience factors among sexual minorities is critical for culturally sensitive and affirmative clinical practice and future research. PMID:26380836

Bullying among Spanish secondary education students: the role of gender traits, sexism, and homophobia.

Science.gov (United States)

Carrera-Fernández, María-Victoria; Lameiras-Fernández, María; Rodríguez-Castro, Yolanda; Vallejo-Medina, Pablo

2013-09-01

The aim of the present study was to assess the combined influence of gender stereotypes, sexism, and homophobia on attitudes toward bullying and bullying behavior. A total of 1,500 Spanish adolescents between 12 and 18 years of age (49.3% girls and 50.7% boys) completed a questionnaire that included measures of bullying, attitudes toward bullying, gender-stereotyped personality traits (instrumentality and expressiveness), hostile and benevolent sexism, and attitudes toward gay men and lesbians. First, the findings demonstrated that boys scored significantly higher on all the variables assessed except on benevolent sexism. Two similar models were obtained for both sexes. Benevolent sexism and, in boys, more positive attitudes toward gay men predicted more negative attitudes toward bullying when mediated by more expressive gender traits. An inverse pattern was also observed: Hostile sexism predicted more favorable attitudes toward bullying when mediated by instrumental gender traits. Attitudes toward bullying were highly correlated with bullying behavior. The five-predictor variables (including attitudes toward bullying) explained 58% of the variance of bullying behavior in girls and 37% of such variance in boys.

Psychoticism, Immature Defense Mechanisms and a Fearful Attachment Style are Associated with a Higher Homophobic Attitude.

Science.gov (United States)

Ciocca, Giacomo; Tuziak, Bogdan; Limoncin, Erika; Mollaioli, Daniele; Capuano, Nicolina; Martini, Alessia; Carosa, Eleonora; Fisher, Alessandra D; Maggi, Mario; Niolu, Cinzia; Siracusano, Alberto; Lenzi, Andrea; Jannini, Emmanuele A

2015-09-01

Homophobic behavior and a negative attitude toward homosexuals are prevalent among the population. Despite this, few researches have investigated the psychologic aspects associated with homophobia, as psychopathologic symptoms, the defensive system, and attachment styles. The aim of this study was to investigate the psychologic factors mentioned earlier and their correlation with homophobia. Five hundred fifty-one university students recruited, aged 18-30, were asked to complete several psychometric evaluation. In particular, Homophobia Scale (HS) was used to assess homophobia levels, the Symptoms Check List Revised (SCL-90-R) for the identification of psychopathologic symptoms, the Defence Style Questionnaire (DSQ-40) for the evaluation of defense mechanisms and the Relationship Questionnaire (RQ) for attachment styles. After a regression analysis, we found a significant predictive value of psychoticism (β = 0.142; P = 0.04) and of immature defense mechanisms (β = 0.257; P homophobia, while neurotic defense mechanisms (β = -0.123; P = 0.02) and depressive symptoms (β = -0.152; P = 0.04) have an opposite role. Moreover, categorical constructs of the RQ revealed a significant difference between secure and fearful attachments styles in levels of homophobia (secure = 22.09 ± 17.22 vs. fearful = 31.07 ± 25.09; P homophobia compared with the subjects demonstrating a fearful style of attachment. Hence, in the assessment of homophobia and in the relevant programs of prevention, it is necessary to consider the psychologic aspects described earlier. © 2015 International Society for Sexual Medicine.

The influence of world societal forces on social tolerance. A time comparative study of prejudices in 32 countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Hadler, Markus

2012-01-01

Societal variation in xenophobia, homophobia, and other prejudices is frequently explained by the economic background and political history of different countries. This article expands these explanations by considering the influence of world societal factors on individual attitudes. The empirical analysis is based on survey data collected within the World Value Survey and European Values Study framework between 1989 and 2010. Data are combined to a three-wave cross-sectional design including about 130,000 respondents from 32 countries. Results show that xenophobia and homophobia are influenced by the national political history, societal affluence, and the presence of international organizations. Global forces, however, are of particular importance for homophobia.

Empirical Investigation of a Model of Sexual Minority Specific and General Risk Factors for Intimate Partner Violence among Lesbian Women.

Science.gov (United States)

Lewis, Robin J; Mason, Tyler B; Winstead, Barbara A; Kelley, Michelle L

2017-01-01

This study proposed and tested the first conceptual model of sexual minority specific (discrimination, internalized homophobia) and more general risk factors (perpetrator and partner alcohol use, anger, relationship satisfaction) for intimate partner violence among partnered lesbian women. Self-identified lesbian women ( N =1048) were recruited from online market research panels. Participants completed an online survey that included measures of minority stress, anger, alcohol use and alcohol-related problems, relationship satisfaction, psychological aggression, and physical violence. The model demonstrated good fit and significant links from sexual minority discrimination to internalized homophobia and anger, from internalized homophobia to anger and alcohol problems, and from alcohol problems to intimate partner violence. Partner alcohol use predicted partner physical violence. Relationship dissatisfaction was associated with physical violence via psychological aggression. Physical violence was bidirectional. Minority stress, anger, alcohol use and alcohol-related problems play an important role in perpetration of psychological aggression and physical violence in lesbian women's intimate partner relationships. The results of this study provide evidence of potentially modifiable sexual minority specific and more general risk factors for lesbian women's partner violence.

Self-diffusion of polycrystalline ice Ih under confining pressure: Hydrogen isotope analysis using 2-D Raman imaging

Science.gov (United States)

Noguchi, Naoki; Kubo, Tomoaki; Durham, William B.; Kagi, Hiroyuki; Shimizu, Ichiko

2016-08-01

We have developed a high-resolution technique based on micro Raman spectroscopy to measure hydrogen isotope diffusion profiles in ice Ih. The calibration curve for quantitative analysis of deuterium in ice Ih was constructed using micro Raman spectroscopy. Diffusion experiments using diffusion couples composed of dense polycrystalline H2O and D2O ice were carried out under a gas confining pressure of 100 MPa (to suppress micro-fracturing and pore formation) at temperatures from 235 K to 245 K and diffusion times from 0.2 to 94 hours. Two-dimensional deuterium profiles across the diffusion couples were determined by Raman imaging. The location of small spots of frost from room air could be detected from the shapes of the Raman bands of OH and OD stretching modes, which change because of the effect of the molar ratio of deuterium on the molecular coupling interaction. We emphasize the validity for screening the impurities utilizing the coupling interaction. Some recrystallization and grain boundary migration occurred in recovered diffusion couples, but analysis of two-dimensional diffusion profiles of regions not affected by grain boundary migration allowed us to measure a volume diffusivity for ice at 100 MPa of (2.8 ± 0.4) ×10-3exp[ -57.0 ± 15.4kJ /mol RT ] m2 /s (R is the gas constant, T is temperature). Based on ambient pressure diffusivity measurements by others, this value indicates a high (negative) activation volume for volume diffusivity of -29.5 cm3/mol or more. We can also constrain the value of grain boundary diffusivity in ice at 100 MPa to be volume diffusivity.

[Socio-demographic characteristics, subjective well-being, and homophobia experienced by a sample of gay men from three cities in Chile].

Science.gov (United States)

Barrientos-Delgado, Jaime; Cárdenas-Castro, Manuel; Gómez-Ojeda, Fabiola

2014-06-01

This article describes the socio-demographic characteristics of a sample of gay men in three cities in Chile, as well as experience with homophobia and subjective well-being. Snowball sampling was used to interview 325 gay men. The main findings included high levels of perceived discrimination and victimization, but interviewees reported higher levels of social well-being compared to studies elsewhere in the country. Age was related to differences in levels of social well-being, but not other variables. Individuals with university education reported higher levels of victimization and greater impact of discrimination on their lives. Gay men in Santiago reported a higher relative impact from incidents of aggression, but better levels of social well-being and happiness compared to those in other regions of Chile.

The Impact of Homophobia and HIV Stigma on HIV Testing Uptake Among Chinese Men Who Have Sex With Men: a Mediation Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Wei, Chongyi; Cheung, Doug H; Yan, Hongjing; Li, Jianjun; Shi, Ling-en; Raymond, Henry F

2016-01-01

Gay and HIV-related stigma and discrimination are major barriers to accessing HIV prevention services among Men Who Have Sex with Men (MSM) worldwide. We aimed to identify modifiable factors that mediate the relationships between gay and HIV-related stigma and discrimination and HIV testing uptake among Chinese MSM. We conducted a cross-sectional survey study of 523 HIV-uninfected or unknown HIV status MSM in Jiangsu Province, China between November 2013 and January 2014. Multivariable analyses were conducted to examine the associations among experienced homophobia, HIV stigma, and recent HIV testing. Causal mediation parametric analyses were conducted to assess whether depression and social norms mediated hypothesized associations. Stronger subjective norms toward testing was associated with higher odds of recent HIV testing (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 1.10, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.01 to 1.21), whereas increasing levels of depression and HIV stigma were both associated with lower odds of recent testing (AOR: 0.96, 95% CI: 0.92 to 0.99; and AOR: 0.91, 95% CI: 0.84 to 0.99, respectively). There was an indirect relationship (natural indirect effect [NIE]) of experienced homophobia on recent testing (ORNIE: 0.96, 95% CI: 0.93 to 0.98) mediated (35.0%) through depression. Furthermore, there was an indirect relationship of HIV stigma on recent testing (ORNIE: 0.98, 95% CI: 0.95 to 0.99) mediated (19.2%) through subjective norms. Depression and social norms are important mediators of HIV testing uptake among stigmatized Chinese MSM. Therefore, in addition to advocacy efforts and policies that address social-level stigma and discrimination, HIV prevention programs should also address mental health issues and incorporate community-based approaches to changing social norms toward HIV testing.

Molecular, dynamic, and structural origin of inhomogeneous magnetization transfer in lipid membranes.

Science.gov (United States)

Swanson, Scott D; Malyarenko, Dariya I; Fabiilli, Mario L; Welsh, Robert C; Nielsen, Jon-Fredrik; Srinivasan, Ashok

2017-03-01

To elucidate the dynamic, structural, and molecular properties that create inhomogeneous magnetization transfer (ihMT) contrast. Amphiphilic lipids, lamellar phospholipids with cholesterol, and bovine spinal cord (BSC) specimens were examined along with nonlipid systems. Magnetization transfer (MT), enhanced MT (eMT, obtained with double-sided radiofrequency saturation), ihMT (MT - eMT), and dipolar relaxation, T 1D , were measured at 2.0 and 11.7 T. The amplitude of ihMT ratio (ihMTR) is positively correlated with T 1D values. Both ihMTR and T 1D increase with increasing temperature in BSC white matter and in phospholipids and decrease with temperature in other lipids. Changes in ihMTR with temperature arise primarily from alterations in MT rather than eMT. Spectral width of MT, eMT, and ihMT increases with increasing carbon chain length. Concerted motions of phospholipids in white matter decrease proton spin diffusion leading to increased proton T 1D times and increased ihMT amplitudes, consistent with decoupling of Zeeman and dipolar spin reservoirs. Molecular specificity and dynamic sensitivity of ihMT contrast make it a suitable candidate for probing myelin membrane disorders. Magn Reson Med 77:1318-1328, 2017. © 2016 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. © 2016 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

Compatibility of amino acids in ice Ih and high-pressure phases: implications for the origin of life

Science.gov (United States)

Hao, J.; Giovenco, E.; Pedreira-Segade, U.; Montagnac, G.; Daniel, I.

2017-12-01

Icy environments may have been common on the early Earth due to the faint young sun. Previous studies have proposed that the formation of large icy bodies in the early ocean could concentrate the building blocks of life in eutectic fluids and therefore facilitate the polymerization of monomers. This hypothesis is based on the untested assumption that organic molecules are virtually incompatible in ice Ih. In this study, we conducted freezing experiments to explore the partitioning behavior of selected amino acids (glycine, L-alanine, L-proline, and L-phenylalanine) between ice Ih and aqueous solutions analogous to seawater. We let ice crystals grow slowly from a few seeds in equilibrium with the solution and used Raman spectroscopy to analyze in situ the relative concentrations of amino acids in the ice and aqueous solution. During freezing, there was no precipitation of amino acid crystals, indicating that the concentrations in solution never reached their solubility limit, even when the droplet was mostly frozen. Analyses of the Raman spectra of ice and eutectic solution showed that considerable amounts of amino acids existed in the ice phase with partition coefficients ranging between 0.2 and 0.5. This study also explored the partitioning of amino acids between other phases of ice (ice VI and ice VII) and solutions at high pressures and observed similar results. These observations implied little incompatibility of amino acids in ice during the freezing of the solutions, rendering the hypothesis of a cold origin of life unwarranted. However, incorporation into ice could significantly improve the efficiency of extraterrestrial transport of small organics. Therefore, this study supports the hypothesis of extraterrestrial delivery of organic molecules in the icy comets and asteroids to the primitive Earth as suggested by an increasing number of independent observations.

Empirical Investigation of a Model of Sexual Minority Specific and General Risk Factors for Intimate Partner Violence among Lesbian Women

Science.gov (United States)

Lewis, Robin J.; Mason, Tyler B.; Winstead, Barbara A.; Kelley, Michelle L.

2015-01-01

Objective This study proposed and tested the first conceptual model of sexual minority specific (discrimination, internalized homophobia) and more general risk factors (perpetrator and partner alcohol use, anger, relationship satisfaction) for intimate partner violence among partnered lesbian women. Method Self-identified lesbian women (N=1048) were recruited from online market research panels. Participants completed an online survey that included measures of minority stress, anger, alcohol use and alcohol-related problems, relationship satisfaction, psychological aggression, and physical violence. Results The model demonstrated good fit and significant links from sexual minority discrimination to internalized homophobia and anger, from internalized homophobia to anger and alcohol problems, and from alcohol problems to intimate partner violence. Partner alcohol use predicted partner physical violence. Relationship dissatisfaction was associated with physical violence via psychological aggression. Physical violence was bidirectional. Conclusions Minority stress, anger, alcohol use and alcohol-related problems play an important role in perpetration of psychological aggression and physical violence in lesbian women's intimate partner relationships. The results of this study provide evidence of potentially modifiable sexual minority specific and more general risk factors for lesbian women's partner violence. PMID:28239508

"Homosexuality/Homophobia Is Un-African"?: Un-Mapping Transnational Discourses in the Context of Uganda's Anti-Homosexuality Bill/Act.

Science.gov (United States)

Wahab, Amar

2016-01-01

This article un-maps the recent impasse between pro- and antigay mobilization around Uganda's Anti-Homosexuality Act (AHA, 2009-2014). Drawing on scholarly and social media sources, it summarizes the increasing influence of (U.S.) transnational evangelism that has precipitated a state-religious complex of "anticipatory political homophobia" in Uganda. If transnational evangelism against same-sex sexuality in Uganda has generated a strong reaction from global LGBT human-rights advocates, this article critiques this Western homotransnationalist response by analyzing its limited terms of operation, focusing on the ways in which Uganda is hailed into the biopolitical project of a Western queer modernity. The author focuses on the copresence between homotransnationalist mobilization and "homophobic anticipatory countermobilization" as (re)organizing/suturing a global ordering project that is deeply invested in biopolitics and necropolitics. This suggests that the global flashpointing of Uganda in the context of the AHA incites further questions concerning the transnationality of "gay human rights" discourse under neoliberalism.

A queer day in Canada: examining Canadian high school students' experiences with school-based homophobia in two large-scale studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Peter, Tracey; Taylor, Catherine; Chamberland, Line

2015-01-01

The goal of the study is to examine how location (nationally, compared to Canadian regions) is related to indicators of a hostile school environment for sexual minority youth, particularly when physical abuse is used as the outcome variable. Data representing 5,766 Canadian students were analyzed using bivariate and multivariate techniques. Results from the multivariate analyses showed that non-physical abuse was the most significant predictor of homophobically based physical abuse, for both LGBQ and non-LGBQ students. Findings reiterate the importance of considering the progression of harmful events as an escalation of violence as well as the need to view homophobic bullying as having a significant impact on all students. Finally, while the presence of homophobia is prevalent across all Canadian regions, there are, nevertheless, many regional differences, which could be used to inform region-specific action plans.

It Was Too Rare To Be Normal : The Impact of Off-Stage Characters, Homosexuality and Homophobia in A Streetcar Named Desire and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof

OpenAIRE

Næss, Hege Linnerud

2012-01-01

Tennessee Williams’ on-stage characters have been given much attention by the critics, yet the off-stage characters that exist only as a memory are sometimes forgotten. The theme homosexuality is shown through Williams’ off-stage characters, as well as the homophobia we encounter, which is triggered by the deaths of these two. My main objective is to look at Allan Grey in A Streetcar Named Desire and Skipper in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and their function in the two plays. It is remarkable how Wi...

[Changes introduced into the recent International Classification of Headache Disorders: ICHD-III beta classification].

Science.gov (United States)

Belvis, Robert; Mas, Natàlia; Roig, Carles

2015-01-16

The International Headache Society (IHS) has published the third edition of the International Classification of Headache Disorders (ICHD-III beta), the most commonly used guide to diagnosing headaches in the world. To review the recent additions to the guide, to explain the new entities that appear in it and to compare the conditions that have had their criteria further clarified against the criteria in the previous edition. We have recorded a large number of clarifications in the criteria in practically all the headaches and neuralgias in the classification, but the conditions that have undergone the most significant clarifications are chronic migraine, primary headache associated with sexual activity, short-lasting unilateral neuralgiform headache attacks, new daily persistent headache, medication-overuse headache, syndrome of transient headache and neurological deficits with cerebrospinal fluid lymphocytosis. The most notable new entities that have been incorporated are external-compression headache, cold-stimulus headache, nummular headache, headache attributed to aeroplane travel and headache attributed to autonomic dysreflexia. Another point to be highlighted is the case of the new headaches (still not considered entities in their own right) included in the appendix, some of the most noteworthy being epicrania fugax, vestibular migraine and infantile colic. The IHS recommends no longer using the previous classification and changing over to the new classification (ICHD-III beta) in healthcare, teaching and research, in addition to making this new guide as widely known as possible.

Essentialist beliefs, sexual identity uncertainty, internalized homonegativity and psychological wellbeing in gay men.

Science.gov (United States)

Morandini, James S; Blaszczynski, Alexander; Ross, Michael W; Costa, Daniel S J; Dar-Nimrod, Ilan

2015-07-01

The present study examined essentialist beliefs about sexual orientation and their implications for sexual identity uncertainty, internalized homonegativity and psychological wellbeing in a sample of gay men. A combination of targeted sampling and snowball strategies were used to recruit 639 gay identifying men for a cross-sectional online survey. Participants completed a questionnaire assessing sexual orientation beliefs, sexual identity uncertainty, internalized homonegativity, and psychological wellbeing outcomes. Structural equation modeling was used to test whether essentialist beliefs were associated with psychological wellbeing indirectly via their effect on sexual identity uncertainty and internalized homonegativity. A unique pattern of direct and indirect effects was observed in which facets of essentialism predicted sexual identity uncertainty, internalized homonegativity and psychological wellbeing. Of note, viewing sexual orientation as immutable/biologically based and as existing in discrete categories, were associated with less sexual identity uncertainty. On the other hand, these beliefs had divergent relationships with internalized homonegativity, with immutability/biological beliefs associated with lower, and discreteness beliefs associated with greater internalized homonegativity. Of interest, although sexual identity uncertainty was associated with poorer psychological wellbeing via its contribution to internalized homophobia, there was no direct relationship between identity uncertainty and psychological wellbeing. Findings indicate that essentializing sexual orientation has mixed implications for sexual identity uncertainty and internalized homonegativity and wellbeing in gay men. Those undertaking educational and clinical interventions with gay men should be aware of the benefits and of caveats of essentialist theories of homosexuality for this population. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Shuttle Return-to-Flight IH-108 Aerothermal Test at CUBRC - Flow Field Calibration and CFD

Science.gov (United States)

Lau, Kei Y.; Holden, M. S.

2011-01-01

This paper discusses one specific aspect of the Shuttle Retrun-To-Flight IH-108 Aerothermal Test at Calspan-University of Buffalo Research Center (CUBRC), the test flow field calibration. It showed the versatility of the CUBRC Large Energy National Shock Tunnel (LENS) II wind tunnel for an aerothermal test with unique and demanding requirements. CFD analyses were used effectively to extend the test range at the low end of the Mach range. It demonstrated how ground test facility and CFD synergy can be utilitzed iteratively to enhance the confidence in the fedility of both tools. It addressed the lingering concerns of the aerothermal community on use of inpulse facility and CFD analysis. At the conclusion of the test program, members from the NASA Marshall (MSFC), CUBRC and USA (United Space Alliance) Consultants (The Grey Beards) were asked to independently verify the flight scaling data generated by Boeing for flight certification of the re-designed external tank (ET) components. The blind test comparison showed very good results.

Predictors of HIV testing among men who have sex with men: a focus on men living outside major urban centres in Canada.

Science.gov (United States)

Holtzman, Susan; Landis, Lisa; Walsh, Zachary; Puterman, Eli; Roberts, Daryle; Saya-Moore, Kevin

2016-01-01

Men who have sex with men (MSM) represent almost half of new HIV infections in Canada each year. However, the vast majority of research on HIV testing among MSM has been conducted in major urban centres. The present study addressed this gap by investigating HIV testing behaviour and predictors of HIV testing among MSM living outside major urban centres, in the Interior of British Columbia. An anonymous online survey of 153 MSM assessed HIV testing behaviour and psychosocial factors that may impact HIV testing (internalized homophobia, disclosure to healthcare providers (HCPs) of same sex attraction, and gay community involvement). Almost one-quarter (24%) had never been tested and over one-third (35%) had not disclosed same sex attraction to HCPs. Internalized homophobia was associated with a lower likelihood of HIV testing, and this relationship was partially explained by the fact that those high in internalized homophobia were less likely to disclose same sex attraction to their HCPs. Neither formal nor informal involvement in the gay community was related to HIV testing, and both types of involvement were relatively low in our sample. Further research is needed to better understand the distinctive health issues facing MSM living outside major urban centres.

Social oppression, psychological vulnerability, and unprotected intercourse among young Black men who have sex with men.

Science.gov (United States)

Huebner, David M; Kegeles, Susan M; Rebchook, Gregory M; Peterson, John L; Neilands, Torsten B; Johnson, Wayne D; Eke, Agatha N

2014-12-01

Young Black men who have sex with men (YBMSM) are at extraordinarily high risk for HIV infection. Given their dual minority identity, they experience multiple forms of social oppression-racism, homophobia, and poverty. This study tested a model for how these forces contribute to their sexual risk behavior. YBMSM (n = 1,289) from 2 Texas cities completed a 1-time assessment of sexual behaviors and psychosocial variables. Structural equation modeling was used to characterize relationships among variables. Experiences of racism, homophobia, and socioeconomic distress were all associated with unprotected anal intercourse (UAI) either directly or indirectly in a manner largely consistent with Díaz's (1997, 1998) model of the effects of social oppression. Racism, homophobia, and socioeconomic distress were each associated with specific psychological vulnerabilities, which were in turn associated with participation in difficult sexual situations (e.g., in a public setting), and then UAI. The effects of racism were largely mediated by depressive symptoms and participation in difficult sexual situations. Homophobia was mediated by depressive symptoms, social support, and internalized homophobia. The effects of socioeconomic distress were partially mediated by decreased social support and greater participation in difficult sexual situations. Socioeconomic distress also had a significant direct effect on UAI not explained by the proposed mediators. Social oppression contributes to YBMSM's psychological vulnerabilities, participation in difficult sexual situations, and their UAI. Interventions to reduce sexual risk in YBMSM should address socioeconomic disadvantage, homophobia, and racism, as well as the psychological challenges that social oppression creates for them.

Ih tunes theta/gamma oscillations and cross-frequency coupling in an in silico CA3 model.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Samuel A Neymotin

Full Text Available Ih channels are uniquely positioned to act as neuromodulatory control points for tuning hippocampal theta (4-12 Hz and gamma (25 Hz oscillations, oscillations which are thought to have importance for organization of information flow. contributes to neuronal membrane resonance and resting membrane potential, and is modulated by second messengers. We investigated oscillatory control using a multiscale computer model of hippocampal CA3, where each cell class (pyramidal, basket, and oriens-lacunosum moleculare cells, contained type-appropriate isoforms of . Our model demonstrated that modulation of pyramidal and basket allows tuning theta and gamma oscillation frequency and amplitude. Pyramidal also controlled cross-frequency coupling (CFC and allowed shifting gamma generation towards particular phases of the theta cycle, effected via 's ability to set pyramidal excitability. Our model predicts that in vivo neuromodulatory control of allows flexibly controlling CFC and the timing of gamma discharges at particular theta phases.

Bringing Baby-Friendly to the Indian Health Service: A Systemwide Approach to Implementation.

Science.gov (United States)

Karol, Susan; Tah, Tina; Kenon, Clifton; Meyer, Jenna; Yazzie, Jeannette; Stephens, Celissa; Merewood, Anne

2016-05-01

The Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) increases exclusive breastfeeding. Breastfeeding protects against obesity and diabetes, conditions to which American Indians and Alaska Natives are particularly prone. As part of the First Lady'sLet's Move! in Indian Countryinitiative, the US Department of Health and Human Services' Indian Health Service (IHS) began implementing the BFHI in 2011. The IHS administers 13 US birthing hospitals. There are 5 tribally administered hospitals in the lower 48 states that receive IHS funding, and the IHS encouraged them to seek Baby-Friendly designation also. In the 13 federally administered hospitals, the IHS implemented a Baby-Friendly infant feeding policy, extensive clinician training, and Baby-Friendly compatible medical records. All hospitals also became compliant with the World Health Organization's International Code of Marketing of Breast-Milk Substitutes. Strategies and solutions were shared systemwide via webinars and conference calls. Quality improvement methods, technical assistance, and site visits assisted with the implementation process. Between 2011 and December 2014, 100% (13 of 13) of IHS federally administered hospitals gained Baby-Friendly designation. The first Baby-Friendly hospitals in Arizona, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, and South Dakota were all IHS sites; 6% of all US Baby-Friendly hospitals are currently IHS hospitals. One tribal site has also been Baby-Friendly designated and 3 of the 5 remaining tribally administered hospitals in the lower 48 states are pursuing Baby-Friendly status. Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative implementation systemwide is possible in a US government agency serving a high-risk, underprivileged population. Other systems looking to implement the BFHI can learn from the IHS model. © International Lactation Consultant Association 2015.

Absence of c-Aminobutyric Acid-A Receptor Potentiation in Central Hypersomnolence Disorders

OpenAIRE

Dauvilliers, Yves; Evangelista, Elisa; Lopez, Regis; Barateau, Lucie; Jaussent, Isabelle; Cens, Thierry; Rousset, Matthieu; Charnet, Pierre

2016-01-01

International audience; Objective: The pathophysiology of idiopathic hypersomnia (IH) remains unclear. Recently, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)-induced enhancement of c-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-A receptor activity was found in patients with IH compared to controls. Methods: Fifteen unrelated patients (2 males and 13 females) affected with typical IH, 12 patients (9 males and 3 females) with narcolepsy type 1, and 15 controls (9 males and 6 females) with unspecified hypersomnolence (n 5 7) and misc...

Does the closure of mesenteric defects during laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery cause complications?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kristensen, Sara Danshøj; Floyd, Andrea Karen; Naver, Lars

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND: A well-known complication of laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery (LRYGB) is bowel obstruction due to internal herniation (IH). Evidence suggests that mesenteric defects should be closed during LRYGB to reduce the risk of IH. Therefore, surgeons are now closing mesenteric...

Relationship characteristics of women in interracial same-sex relationships.

Science.gov (United States)

Jeong, Jae Y; Horne, Sharon G

2009-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship characteristics of women in interracial same-sex relationships with respect to their current level of stress, internalized homophobia, perceived relationship equality, relationship satisfaction, and social support. Four groups were compared according to their current type of race relationship (ethnic minority women with White partners, White partners only, both ethnic minority partners, and White women with ethnic minority partners). No significant differences were found in terms of children and income; however, ethnic minority women with ethnic minority partners reported lower education attainment than the other groups. Relationally, there were no significant differences by race relationship for social support, relationship equality, relationship satisfaction, or stress. Internalized homophobia was lowest for interracial partnerships (ethnic minority paired with White partner). These findings are discussed in relationship to minority stress.

Quality of life in children with infantile hemangioma: a case control study.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Chuan; Li, Yanan; Xiang, Bo; Xiong, Fei; Li, Kai; Yang, Kaiying; Chen, Siyuan; Ji, Yi

2017-11-16

Infantile hemangioma (IH) is the most common vascular tumor in children. It is controversial whether IHs has effects on the quality of life (QOL) in patients of whom IH poses no threat or potential for complication. Thus, we conducted this study to evaluate the q QOL in patients with IH and find the predictors of poor QOL. The PedsQL 4.0 Genetic Core Scales and the PedsQL family information form were administered to parents of children with IH and healthy children both younger than 2-year-old. The quality-of-life instrument for IH (IH-QOL) and the PedsQL 4.0 family impact module were administered to parents of children with IH. We compared the PedsQL 4.0 Genetic Core Scales (GCIS) scores of the two groups. Multiple step-wise regression analysis was used to determine factors that influenced QOL in children with IH and their parents. Except for physical symptom, we found no significant difference in GCIS between patient group and healthy group (P = 0.409). The internal reliability of IH-QOL was excellent with the Cronbach's alpha coefficient for summary scores being 0.76. Multiple step-wise regression analysis showed that the predictors of poor IH-QOL total scores were hemangioma size, location, and mother's education level. The predictors of poor FIM total scores were hemangioma location and father's education level. The predictors of poor GCIS total scores were children's age, hemangioma location and father's education level. The findings support the feasibility and reliability of the Chinese version of IH-QOL to evaluate the QOL in children with IH and their parents. Hemangioma size, location and education level of mother are important impact factors for QOL in children with IH and their parents.

Stigma, social context, and mental health: lesbian and gay couples across the transition to adoptive parenthood.

Science.gov (United States)

Goldberg, Abbie E; Smith, JuliAnna Z

2011-01-01

This is the first study to examine change in depression and anxiety across the first year of adoptive parenthood in same-sex couples (90 couples: 52 lesbian, 38 gay male). Given that sexual minorities uniquely contend with sexual orientation-related stigma, this study examined how both internalized and enacted forms of stigma affect the mental health of lesbians and gay men during the transition to parenthood. In addition, the role of contextual support was examined. Higher perceived workplace support, family support, and relationship quality were related to lower depressive and anxious symptoms at the time of the adoption, and higher perceived friend support was related to lower anxiety symptoms. Lower internalized homophobia and higher perceived neighborhood gay-friendliness were related to lower depressive symptoms. Finally, individuals with high internalized homophobia who lived in states with unfavorable legal climates regarding gay adoption experienced the steepest increases in depressive and anxious symptoms. Findings have important implications for counselors working with sexual minorities, especially those experiencing the transition to parenthood.

Homosexuality as a silent insider: a call for social work discourse ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

nasw zimbabwe

2018-06-02

Jun 2, 2018 ... remains stuck in an argument between respect for religious belief ..... Results from this survey confirm – on a wide scale in the .... discovered a relationship between internalized homophobia and various forms of self-harm,.

Dual Actions of Mammalian and Piscine Gonadotropin-Inhibitory Hormones, RFamide-Related Peptides and LPXRFamide Peptides, in the Hypothalamic–Pituitary–Gonadal Axis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Takayoshi Ubuka

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Gonadotropin-inhibitory hormone (GnIH is a hypothalamic neuropeptide that decreases gonadotropin synthesis and release by directly acting on the gonadotrope or by decreasing the activity of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH neurons. GnIH is also called RFamide-related peptide in mammals or LPXRFamide peptide in fishes due to its characteristic C-terminal structure. The primary receptor for GnIH is GPR147 that inhibits cAMP production in target cells. Although most of the studies in mammals, birds, and fish have shown the inhibitory action of GnIH in the hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal (HPG axis, several in vivo studies in mammals and many in vivo and in vitro studies in fish have shown its stimulatory action. In mouse, although the firing rate of the majority of GnRH neurons is decreased, a small population of GnRH neurons is stimulated by GnIH. In hamsters, GnIH inhibits luteinizing hormone (LH release in the breeding season when their endogenous LH level is high but stimulates LH release in non-breeding season when their LH level is basal. Besides different effects of GnIH on the HPG axis depending on the reproductive stages in fish, higher concentration or longer duration of GnIH administration can stimulate their HPG axis. These results suggest that GnIH action in the HPG axis is modulated by sex-steroid concentration, the action of neuroestrogen synthesized by the activity of aromatase stimulated by GnIH, estrogen membrane receptor, heteromerization and internalization of GnIH, GnRH, and estrogen membrane receptors. The inhibitory and stimulatory action of GnIH in the HPG axis may have a physiological role to maintain reproductive homeostasis according to developmental and reproductive stages.

[Factors Associated with Suicide in Adolescents and Young People Self-Identified as Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual: Current State of the Literature].

Science.gov (United States)

Pineda Roa, Carlos Alejandro

2013-12-01

A framework within sexual and reproductive health is presented to understand the mental health issues of the population of lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) adolescents and young people. Different ways of understanding the nature of internalized homophobia were developed. On the other hand, in suicidology studies it is understood that the risk of suicide consists of the steps of ideation, planning and attempted suicide, and that there is an increased risk of suicide in the LGB population. Numerous factors have been associated with suicide risk in this population, one of the main internalized homophobia and other mental health problems. By means of a literature review, to establish the possible relationship between internalized homophobia and ideation and attempted suicide in the LGB population, as well as to identify the mental health problems associated to suicide risk in sexually diverse communities. Articles in English and Spanish, mainly within the last five years, were reviewed. They included articles in peer reviewed journals, and databases, such as Google Scholar, Redalyc, Byreme, Ovid, Science Direct, Taylor and Francis, MEDLINE, Scopus, PsycINFO, and Ebsco. It was found in the available literature that internalized homophobia is associated with suicide ideation and attempts in adults. A state of science of the major mental health problems associated with suicide risk in young LGB people reported contradictory findings. While some studies showed an association between depression, anxiety and distress and suicidal ideation and attempts, in others, the data do not allow such a conclusion. The theoretical framework presents the most important conceptualizations of suicide risk and emphasizes the social type. It identifies issues of suicide prevention, protective factors that contribute towards this, as well as elements of psychotherapy for LGB consultants. It concludes and discusses the importance of studying the sexually diverse as regards determining factors

Homofobia y/o ser enfermero. Primer evento científico de violencia. Segundo trimestre del año 2009. Pinar del Río Homophobia and/or to be a male nurse. 1st Scientific Event of Violence on the second quarter of 2009. Pinar del Rio

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marisol Rodríguez Lazo

2011-06-01

Full Text Available La homofobia significa un terror irracional e injustificado hacia a los homosexuales y la homosexualidad. Se realizó un estudio descriptivo, a un grupo determinado de hombres del municipio de Pinar del Río con el objetivo de reflexionar sobre la homofobia en cuanto a los enfermeros homosexuales, durante el segundo trimestre del año 2009. El universo estuvo constituido por 147 hombres del municipio de Pinar del Río, a los cuales se le aplicó una encuesta, la muestra fue de 100 hombres seleccionados por el método estadístico al azar simple, lo que indica que se encuesto el 68,02%, obteniéndose los siguientes resultados, el 100% de los encuestados si conocen que es la homofobia, el 77% de los encuestados si sienten rechazo por los homosexuales, la totalidad de los encuestados no consideran que todos los enfermeros sean homosexuales, un 29% consideran que el trabajo de los enfermeros homosexuales es mejor, y el 70% de los encuestados opinan que la mayoría de los enfermeros que optan por su profesión tienen orientación por personas de su mismo sexo.Homophobia means an irrational and unjustified fear to homosexuals and homosexuality. A descriptive study was conducted to a determined group of men in Pinar del Rio municipality. This research was aimed at reflecting on homophobia regarding male homosexual nurses during the second quarter of 2009. The target group included 147 men in Pinar del Rio municipality, this group was polled. The sample was comprised of 100 men chosen at a simple random, which indicated that 68, 02% were surveyed, results showed that: 100% knew what homophobia was, 77% felt aversion to homosexuals, the totality of those polled did not consider all male nurses were homosexuals, 29% considered male homosexual nurses performed their job better, and 70% expressed the opinion that the majority of the male choosing nursing profession experience same-sex attraction.

Gender Nonconformity, Discrimination, and Mental Health among Black South African Men Who Have Sex with Men: A Further Exploration of Unexpected Findings

Science.gov (United States)

Sandfort, Theo; Bos, Henny; Knox, Justin; Reddy, Vasu

2015-01-01

Using data from a study about HIV risk among Black South African MSM, we aimed to ascertain whether unexpected findings about the relationship between gender nonconformity, discrimination, and mental health in this population, as reported by Cook, Sandfort, Nel, and Rich (2013), could be replicated, and to explore more in-depth how gender nonconformity relates to health. Cook et al. found that feminine men were not more likely to be depressed despite the observation that they were more likely to be discriminated against and that discrimination increased the likelihood of depression. This is in contrast to what studies among gay and bisexual men in Western countries have consistently shown. In the current study, 196 Black South African MSM (ages between 18 and 40; mean age, 26.65 years) were surveyed. Assessments included stressors (identity confusion, internalized homophobia, and sexual orientation-based discrimination) and resilience factors (openness about one’s sexual orientation, social support, and identification with the gay community). We observed that gender-nonconforming men were not more likely to be depressed despite having experienced more discrimination, which was associated with depression. The same relationships were observed when considering anxiety as the mental health outcome. We found an indirect negative effect of gender nonconformity on depression through internalized homophobia, suggesting that, in this population, internalized homophobia masks the effect of discrimination on mental distress. Implications for the sexual minority stress model, used to guide our analyses, are discussed. Further research is needed to entangle the complex relationship between gender nonconformity and mental health among MSM populations. PMID:26067298

Gender Nonconformity, Discrimination, and Mental Health Among Black South African Men Who Have Sex with Men: A Further Exploration of Unexpected Findings.

Science.gov (United States)

Sandfort, Theo; Bos, Henny; Knox, Justin; Reddy, Vasu

2016-04-01

Using data from a study about HIV risk among Black South African MSM, we aimed to ascertain whether unexpected findings about the relationship between gender nonconformity, discrimination, and mental health in this population, as reported by Cook, Sandfort, Nel, and Rich (2013), could be replicated, and to explore more in-depth how gender nonconformity relates to health. Cook et al. found that feminine men were not more likely to be depressed despite the observation that they were more likely to be discriminated against and that discrimination increased the likelihood of depression. This is in contrast to what studies among gay and bisexual men in Western countries have consistently shown. In the current study, 196 Black South African MSM (ages between 18 and 40; M age, 26.65 years) were surveyed. Assessments included stressors (identity confusion, internalized homophobia, and sexual orientation-based discrimination) and resilience factors (openness about one's sexual orientation, social support, and identification with the gay community). We observed that gender-nonconforming men were not more likely to be depressed despite having experienced more discrimination, which was associated with depression. The same relationships were observed when considering anxiety as the mental health outcome. We found an indirect negative effect of gender nonconformity on depression through internalized homophobia, suggesting that, in this population, internalized homophobia masks the effect of discrimination on mental distress. Implications for the sexual minority stress model, used to guide our analyses, are discussed. Further research is needed to disentangle the complex relationship between gender nonconformity and mental health among MSM populations.

African Journal of Reproductive Health - Vol 16, No 4 (2012)

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Prevalence of Internalized Homophobia and HIV Associated Risks among Men who have Sex with Men in Nigeria · EMAIL FREE FULL TEXT EMAIL FREE FULL TEXT DOWNLOAD FULL TEXT DOWNLOAD FULL TEXT. SB Adebajo, GI Eluwa, D Allman, T Myers, BA Ahonsi, 21-28 ...

Stigma, Social Context, and Mental Health: Lesbian and Gay Couples Across the Transition to Adoptive Parenthood

Science.gov (United States)

Goldberg, Abbie E.; Smith, JuliAnna Z.

2010-01-01

This is the first study to examine change in depression and anxiety across the first year of adoptive parenthood in same-sex couples (90 couples: 52 lesbian, 38 gay male). Given that sexual minorities uniquely contend with sexual orientation-related stigma, this study examined how both internalized and enacted forms of stigma affect the mental health of lesbians and gay men during the transition to parenthood. In addition, the role of contextual support was examined. Higher perceived workplace support, family support, and relationship quality were related to lower depressive and anxious symptoms at the time of the adoption, and higher perceived friend support was related to lower anxiety symptoms. Lower internalized homophobia and higher perceived neighborhood gay-friendliness were related to lower depressive symptoms. Finally, individuals with high internalized homophobia who lived in states with unfavorable legal climates regarding gay adoption experienced the steepest increases in depressive and anxious symptoms. Findings have important implications for counselors working with sexual minorities, especially those experiencing the transition to parenthood. PMID:21171740

Homofobia e educação: quando a omissão também é signo de violência Homophobia and education: when omission is also a sign of violence

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Nilson Fernandes Dinis

2011-04-01

Full Text Available Provocado pelo conceito de "amolador de facas", criado pelo psicólogo Luis Antonio Baptista, este artigo busca discutir alguns aspectos da violência contra estudantes LGBTT e a omissão do tema da diversidade sexual e de gênero no currículo escolar como forma oculta de homofobia e da cumplicidade de educadores e educadoras com essa violência.Being motivated by the concept of "knife sharpener" created by the psychologist Luis Antonio Baptista, this article aims to discuss some aspects of the violence against LGBTT students and the omission of the topic of gender and sexual diversity in schools curriculum as a hidden way of homophobia and as a sign of educators' complicity in this violence.

Mixed quantum/classical approach to OH-stretch inelastic incoherent neutron scattering spectroscopy for ambient and supercooled liquid water and ice Ih

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shi, L.; Skinner, J. L. [Theoretical Chemistry Institute and Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53706 (United States)

2015-07-07

OH-stretch inelastic incoherent neutron scattering (IINS) has been measured to determine the vibrational density of states (VDOS) in the OH-stretch region for liquid water, supercooled water, and ice Ih, providing complementary information to IR and Raman spectroscopies about hydrogen bonding in these phases. In this work, we extend the combined electronic-structure/molecular-dynamics (ES/MD) method, originally developed by Skinner and co-workers to simulate OH-stretch IR and Raman spectra, to the calculation of IINS spectra with small k values. The agreement between theory and experiment in the limit k → 0 is reasonable, further validating the reliability of the ES/MD method in simulating OH-stretch spectroscopy in condensed phases. The connections and differences between IINS and IR spectra are analyzed to illustrate the advantages of IINS over IR in estimating the OH-stretch VDOS.

Mixed quantum/classical approach to OH-stretch inelastic incoherent neutron scattering spectroscopy for ambient and supercooled liquid water and ice Ih

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shi, L.; Skinner, J. L.

2015-01-01

OH-stretch inelastic incoherent neutron scattering (IINS) has been measured to determine the vibrational density of states (VDOS) in the OH-stretch region for liquid water, supercooled water, and ice Ih, providing complementary information to IR and Raman spectroscopies about hydrogen bonding in these phases. In this work, we extend the combined electronic-structure/molecular-dynamics (ES/MD) method, originally developed by Skinner and co-workers to simulate OH-stretch IR and Raman spectra, to the calculation of IINS spectra with small k values. The agreement between theory and experiment in the limit k → 0 is reasonable, further validating the reliability of the ES/MD method in simulating OH-stretch spectroscopy in condensed phases. The connections and differences between IINS and IR spectra are analyzed to illustrate the advantages of IINS over IR in estimating the OH-stretch VDOS

Assessment of the effectiveness of topical propranolol 4% gel for infantile hemangiomas.

Science.gov (United States)

Mashiah, Jacob; Kutz, Ana; Rabia, Smail Hadj; Ilan, Efrat Bar; Goldberg, Ilan; Sprecher, Eli; Harel, Avikam

2017-02-01

Infantile hemangiomas (IHs) are the most common vascular tumors in children. Because of their benign character and natural involution, the vast majority of IHs do not require any treatment. In the past few years, topical beta blockers have been reported to be an effective treatment of superficial IHs. We sought to evaluate the clinical effectiveness and safety profile of topical propranolol 4% gel for the treatment of IHs. A retrospective study of all cases of IHs treated with topical propranolol 4% gel between 2013 and 2015 was performed. All patients were evaluated in a pediatric dermatology unit of a tertiary medical center. Epidemiologic, clinical, and treatment data, including effectiveness score and safety, were reviewed. The study included 63 patients with a total of 75 IHs. Of the total number of IHs, 43 (57.3%) showed a good response to treatment, 19 (25.3%) a partial response, and 13 (17.33%) poor or no response, thus 62 (82.6%) had good or partial response to treatment. Age at treatment initiation, treatment time, thickness of the superficial component, and size of the lesions were shown to predict response to therapy. Out of the entire examined group, only two patients reported minor local side effects manifested by irritation, redness, and scaling of the treated area. No systemic adverse effects were reported. This is an uncontrolled retrospective study. Propranolol 4% gel is a safe and efficient topical therapy for IH. © 2017 The International Society of Dermatology.

Kvalitet budućih ulja za motore niskih emisija / Future lubricants quality for low emission engines

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Radinko Gligorijević

2004-01-01

Full Text Available U tekućoj dekadi ovog milenijima proizvođači motora moraju postići dvostruko smanjenje potrošnje goriva, pa time i emisije CO2 i desetostruko smanjenje nivoa emisija, pre svega NOX i čestica. Za dostizanje tog cilja moraju se razviti nove specifikacije ulja, čiji doprinos smanjenju potrošnje goriva i nivou štetnih emisija postaje sve važniji. Trend razvoja ulja kreće se u pravcu nižih viskoznih gradacija sa nižim sadržajem sumpora, fosfora, sulfatnog pepela i nižom isparljivošću, čime se postiže smanjenje emisije, kao i potrošnje goriva. / In the current decade of this millennium automobile manufacturers must achieve an additional twofold increase in fuel efficiency and a tenfold reduction of emission of CO2 and pollutants, especially NOX and particles. To achieve this goal, a new specification of engine lubricants, whose contribution to fuel efficiency and reduction of emissions cannot be neglected, is to be developed. Development trends in lubricants move towards low viscosity, low content of sulfur, phosphorus, sulfate ash and low volatility, resulting in emission reduction and increase of fuel efficiency.

Sexual Minority Stress and Same-Sex Relationship Well-Being: A Meta-Analysis of Research Prior to the U.S. Nationwide Legalization of Same-Sex Marriage.

Science.gov (United States)

Cao, Hongjian; Zhou, Nan; Fine, Mark; Liang, Yue; Li, Jiayao; Mills-Koonce, W Roger

2017-10-01

Meta-analytic methods were used to analyze 179 effect sizes retrieved from 32 research reports on the implications that sexual minority stress may have for same-sex relationship well-being. Sexual minority stress (aggregated across different types of stress) was moderately and negatively associated with same-sex relationship well-being (aggregated across different dimensions of relationship well-being). Internalized homophobia was significantly and negatively associated with same-sex relationship well-being, whereas heterosexist discrimination and sexual orientation visibility management were not. Moreover, the effect size for internalized homophobia was significantly larger than those for heterosexist discrimination and sexual orientation visibility management. Sexual minority stress was significantly and negatively associated with same-sex relationship quality but not associated with closeness or stability. Sexual minority stress was significantly and negatively associated with relationship well-being among same-sex female couples but not among same-sex male couples. The current status of research approaches in this field was also summarized and discussed.

Minority Stress and Intimate Partner Violence Among Gay and Bisexual Men in Atlanta.

Science.gov (United States)

Stephenson, Rob; Finneran, Catherine

2017-07-01

Intimate partner violence (IPV) rates are disproportionately high among sexual minority populations. Few studies have examined the plausible relationship between minority stress and IPV among men who have sex with men. This study examines the associations between IPV and three indicators of minority stress: internalized homophobia, sexuality-based discrimination, and racism, in a large venue-based sample of gay and bisexual men from Atlanta, USA. Each of the minority stress measures was found to be significantly associated with increased odds of self-reporting any form of receipt of IPV. Significant associations were also identified between perpetration of IPV and minority stressors, with most types of IPV perpetration linked to internalized homophobia. This study confirms findings in a growing body of research supporting the relationship between minority stress and increased prevalence of IPV among men who have sex with men, and points to the need to address structural factors in IPV prevention programs for male-male couples.

Clinical characteristics of migraine and episodic tension-type headache in relation to old and new diagnostic criteria

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Iversen, Helle Klingenberg; Langemark, M; Andersson, P G

1990-01-01

Eighty-one patients were diagnosed as having migraine, tension headache or both according to previously used criteria. Then we performed a standardized interview to determine the frequency and severity of headache characteristics used in the new operational diagnostic criteria of the International...... Headache Society (IHS). In every patient the original diagnosis fulfilled also the IHS criteria, but in 9 patients the criteria were only fulfilled in half or less of the attacks, and applying the IHS criteria they also achieved an additional diagnosis. In one patient these attacks did not fulfill the pain...... criteria and in 8 (4 migraine, 4 tension headache) they did not fulfill the criteria for accompanying symptoms. Overall the IHS criteria are sensitive and specific, but they may possibly be improved with regard to accompanying symptoms. The present study suggests that recording of frequency and graded...

Relationship Quality and Domestic Violence in Women's Same-Sex Relationships: The Role of Minority Stress

Science.gov (United States)

Balsam, Kimberly F.; Szymanski, Dawn M.

2005-01-01

Despite a large body of literature addressing relationship quality and domestic violence in women's same-sex relationships, few studies have empirically examined how stress specific to living as a lesbian or bisexual woman might correlate with these relationship variables. Degree of outness, internalized homophobia, lifetime and recent experiences…

Minority Stress, Masculinity, and Social Norms Predicting Gay Men's Health Risk Behaviors

Science.gov (United States)

Hamilton, Christopher J.; Mahalik, James R.

2009-01-01

The authors examined the contributions of the minority stress model, traditional masculine gender roles, and perceived social norms in accounting for gay men's use of alcohol, tobacco, illicit drugs, and risky sexual practices. Three hundred fifteen gay men recruited from listserv communities completed measures assessing internalized homophobia,…

At risk, infected, and invisible: older gay men and HIV/AIDS.

Science.gov (United States)

Grossman, A H

1995-01-01

Older gay men over the age of 50 have been and continue to be an invisible part of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. The reasons for this phenomenon are many, but among them are societal beliefs, myths, and stereotypes emanating from ageism and homophobia. In addition, HIV/AIDS is sometimes misdiagnosed in older adults because many of its symptoms mimic other illness that affect older people. Among the HIV risk factors of older gay men are internalized homophobia, denial of risk, alcohol and other substance use, and anonymous sexual encounters. The challenge for nurses and other providers is to reach, educate, and assist older gay men effectively in changing and maintaining safe behaviors when they are engaging in sexual and drug-using behaviors that can transmit HIV.

Percepção de professoras de ensino médio e fundamental sobre a homofobia na escola em Santa Maria (Rio Grande do Sul/Brasil Elementary and High School teachers'perception on homophobia at school in Santa Maria (Rio Grande do Sul/Brazil

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Zulmira Newlands Borges

2011-04-01

Full Text Available Em pesquisa com escolas estaduais na cidade de Santa Maria (RS, em que entrevistamos 20 professoras, observou-se que não existe a preocupação formal com questões de sexualidade na escola. Discriminações e brincadeiras em torno dos que são ou parecem ser homossexuais são geralmente ignoradas. Professoras entrevistadas relatam grandes dificuldades em tratar o tema homofobia em sala de aula. Os dados indicam que é necessário um trabalho educativo com diretoras de escolas e com orientadoras pedagógicas para que estas sejam sensibilizadas para a questão e possam dar suporte para as professoras que tomam para si a tarefa de abordar temas como a homofobia.In research on state schools in the city of Santa Maria (RS, in which 20 teachers were interviewed, it was observed that there is no formal concern with sexuality issues at school. Discrimination and jokes around those who are or appear to be homosexuals are generally ignored. Teachers interviewed reported great difficulty in dealing with the issue homophobia in the classroom. The data indicated that educational work with school principals and mentors is necessary so that they can be sensitized to the issue and can provide support for teachers who take upon themselves the task of addressing issues such as homophobia.

Tell Me Lies: Confronting the Preschool Closet

Science.gov (United States)

Wright, Travis

2011-01-01

This case explores the impact of being closeted on a gay, male preschool educator and the ways in which homophobic culture is fostered in one early learning center. Although sometimes protective, being challenged to hide one's sexual orientation most always has negative consequences for the individual and society. Internalized homophobia silences…

Parents Awareness of Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Youths Sexual Orientation

Science.gov (United States)

Daugelli, Anthony R.; Grossman, Arnold H.; Starks, Michael T.

2005-01-01

This study used a sample of 293 lesbian, gay, and bisexual youth to examine factors that differentiated youth whose parents knew of their sexual orientation from youth whose parents did not know. Earlier awareness and disclosure of same-gender attractions, greater childhood gender atypicality, and less internalized homophobia were characteristic…

Same sex relationships and HIV/AIDS in Africa

African Journals Online (AJOL)

AJRH Managing Editor

perceptions of internalized homophobia. This report is groundbreaking in several respects. First, this is one of a few documented studies on LGBT in Nigeria and serves to address the current lack of empirical research on the subject in the country. In recent times, Nigeria has joined other African countries in mounting a.

Gender Identities in Class: the use of movies on combat against homophobia in schools of Brasília – Federal District of Brazil

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Edlene Oliveira Silva

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Traditionally, the cinema is a broadcasting place of negative images of homosexuality, as it reinforces stereotypes and prejudices about sexual and gender identities non-heteronormative. Yet, for its global reach, the movies can be used as a privileged way in the confrontation of homophobia and in debates about homosexuality at school. This paper analyses a pedagogical intervention in a public elementary school of Federal District of Brazil from the exhibition of the short-film “I don’t want to go back alone”, directed by Daniel Ribeiro (2010. In this work, our goal is understand in three stages the imaginary and social practices that instruct the student’s social representation of gender relations and homosexuality: the first is a chat session with the students, than a collective reading of texts about sexuality and gender relations, and then the use of the chosen movie. During this investigation, it was possible to identify proper teaching knowledge to the treatment of this subject under the suggested activities with the usage of the film and the gender and homosexuality conception, sometimes conservative, sometimes transgressive, branding the students discourses.

Sex, violence and HIV on the inside: cultures of violence, denial, gender inequality and homophobia negatively influence the health outcomes of those in closed settings.

Science.gov (United States)

Kelly-Hanku, Angela; Kawage, Thomas; Vallely, Andrew; Mek, Agnes; Mathers, Bradley

2015-01-01

To map the context of HIV in closed settings in Papua New Guinea (PNG), semi-structured interviews were undertaken with 56 prisoners and detainees and 60 key stakeholders. The nature of HIV-related risk differs for detained women and men, and reflects important gender-based issues present in PNG society more broadly. Women in detention are vulnerable to sexual violence and exploitation and at greatest risk of HIV while detained in police holding cells, where they are typically supervised by male officers, in contrast to prisons, where they have little contact with male staff. HIV risk for men in prison is associated with consensual and non-consensual sex; this risk is perpetuated by a pervasive culture of denial and institutionalised homophobia. The illegal nature of sodomy and male-to-male sex provides Correctional Services the legal grounds by which to refuse access to condoms for prisoners. Addressing HIV risk among detained men and women in PNG requires the reform of legislation, police and prison practices and an understanding of broader structural problems of gender-based violence and stigma and discrimination.

The Nation and the Family: The Impact of National Identification and Perceived Importance of Family Values on Homophobic Attitudes in Lithuania and Scotland.

Science.gov (United States)

Wakefield, Juliet R H; Kalinauskaite, Monika; Hopkins, Nick

The meanings attached to the nation can be consequential for group members' attitudes and beliefs. We examined how national identity definition can influence the extent of individuals' homophobia with 159 Lithuanian and 176 Scottish university students who completed a questionnaire which measured their national identification, homophobia, and the extent to which they felt traditional family values were central to their nation's identity. Consistent with nation-wide differences in the significance given to the family, Lithuanian participants perceived family values to be more important for their national identity and expressed higher levels of homophobia than did Scottish participants. Moreover, the relationship between level of national identification and homophobia was stronger in Lithuania than in Scotland. Analyses revealed that the perceived importance of family values helped explain the difference between homophobia levels in Lithuania and Scotland. In both sites we found an indirect effect of national identification on homophobia via the perceived importance of family values, but this effect was significantly stronger for Lithuanian participants. These findings illustrate the ways in which identification with the nation is relevant to attitudes concerning sexuality, and how this varies according to national context. Our work indicates that LGBT rights campaigns should be informed by the knowledge that homophobia may be perpetuated by national valorisation of the family.

Browse Title Index

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Items 651 - 700 of 943 ... Vol 16, No 4 (2012), Prevalence of Internalized Homophobia and HIV Associated Risks among Men who have Sex with Men in Nigeria, Abstract PDF. SB Adebajo, GI Eluwa, D Allman, T Myers, BA Ahonsi. Vol 12, No 1 (2008), Prevalence of Low Sperm Count and Abnormal Semen Parameters in Male ...

Effect of closure of the mesenteric defect during laparoscopic gastric bypass and prevention of internal hernia

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kristensen, Sara Danshøj; Naver, Lars; Jess, Per

2014-01-01

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study is to evaluate the benefits and disadvantages of closing the mesenteric defects during gastric bypass to avoid internal herniation (IH). MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study is performed as a single-centre, randomised, controlled, blinded trial. Patients are randomly...... assigned to either conventional laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB) without closing the mesenteric defects (n = 250) or RYGB with closing of the defects with hernia clips (n = 250). Follow-up is conducted at six months, one year, two years and five years after RYGB. The primary endpoint......: The study was registered with the Danish Data Protection Agency (SN-10-2012) and The Central Denmark Regional Committees on Biomedical Research Ethics (1-01-83-0209-12, SJ-284). The study is registered with clinicaltrials.gov: NCT01595230....

Taking homophobia’s measure

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Mary Lou Lou Rasmussen

2013-07-01

Full Text Available My focus in this article is on the topic of homophobia and its place in the sexuality education classroom in Australia and the United States (US. This paper draws on research in anthropology law and, on studies of gender and sexuality in an attempt to complicate predominantly psychological understandings of homophobia that may underscore the popular use of scales to measure homophobic attitudes in pre-service and in-service teachers. These interdisciplinary approaches to homophobia provide the basis for a critical reading of some contemporary pedagogical approaches to anti-homophobia education in diverse education contexts.

Cultural value orientations, internalized homophobia, and accommodation in romantic relationships

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gaines, S.O.; Henderson, M.C.; Kim, M.; Gilstrap, S.; Yi, J.; Rusbult, C.E.; Hardin, D.P.; Gaertner, L.A.

2005-01-01

In the present study, we examined the impact of cultural value orientations (i.e., the personally oriented value of individualism, and the socially oriented values of collectivism, familism, romanticism, and spiritualism) on accommodation (i.e., voice and loyalty, rather than exit and neglect,

Neuroendocrine regulation of gonadotropin secretion in seasonally breeding birds

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Takayoshi eUbuka

2013-03-01

Full Text Available Seasonally breeding birds detect environmental signals, such as light, temperature, food availability and presence of mates to time reproduction. Hypothalamic neurons integrate external and internal signals, and regulate reproduction by releasing neurohormones to the pituitary gland. The pituitary gland synthesizes and releases gonadotropins which in turn act on the gonads to stimulate gametogenesis and sex steroid secretion. Accordingly, how gonadotropin secretion is controlled by the hypothalamus is key to our understanding of the mechanisms of seasonal reproduction. A hypothalamic neuropeptide, gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH, activates reproduction by stimulating gonadotropin synthesis and release. Another hypothalamic neuropeptide, gonadotropin-inhibitory hormone (GnIH, inhibits gonadotropin synthesis and release directly by acting on the pituitary gland or indirectly by decreasing the activity of GnRH neurons. Therefore, the next step to understand seasonal reproduction is to investigate how the activities of GnRH and GnIH neurons in the hypothalamus and their receptors in the pituitary gland are regulated by external and internal signals. It is possible that locally-produced triiodothyronine resulting from the action of type 2 iodothyronine deiodinase on thyroxine stimulates the release of gonadotropins, perhaps by action on GnRH neurons. The function of GnRH neurons is also regulated by transcription of the GnRH gene. Melatonin, a nocturnal hormone, stimulates the synthesis and release of GnIH and GnIH may therefore regulate a daily rhythm of gonadotropin secretion. GnIH may also temporally suppress gonadotropin secretion when environmental conditions are unfavorable. Environmental and social milieus fluctuate seasonally in the wild. Accordingly, complex interactions of various neuronal and hormonal systems need to be considered if we are to understand the mechanisms underlying seasonal reproduction.

Upregulation of Ih expressed in IB4-negative Aδ nociceptive DRG neurons contributes to mechanical hypersensitivity associated with cervical radiculopathic pain

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Da-Lu; Lu, Na; Han, Wen-Juan; Chen, Rong-Gui; Cong, Rui; Xie, Rou-Gang; Zhang, Yu-Fei; Kong, Wei-Wei; Hu, San-Jue; Luo, Ceng

2015-01-01

Cervical radiculopathy represents aberrant mechanical hypersensitivity. Primary sensory neuron’s ability to sense mechanical force forms mechanotransduction. However, whether this property undergoes activity-dependent plastic changes and underlies mechanical hypersensitivity associated with cervical radiculopathic pain (CRP) is not clear. Here we show a new CRP model producing stable mechanical compression of dorsal root ganglion (DRG), which induces dramatic behavioral mechanical hypersensitivity. Amongst nociceptive DRG neurons, a mechanically sensitive neuron, isolectin B4 negative Aδ-type (IB4− Aδ) DRG neuron displays spontaneous activity with hyperexcitability after chronic compression of cervical DRGs. Focal mechanical stimulation on somata of IB4- Aδ neuron induces abnormal hypersensitivity. Upregulated HCN1 and HCN3 channels and increased Ih current on this subset of primary nociceptors underlies the spontaneous activity together with neuronal mechanical hypersensitivity, which further contributes to the behavioral mechanical hypersensitivity associated with CRP. This study sheds new light on the functional plasticity of a specific subset of nociceptive DRG neurons to mechanical stimulation and reveals a novel mechanism that could underlie the mechanical hypersensitivity associated with cervical radiculopathy. PMID:26577374

Phase changes induced by guest orientational ordering of filled ice Ih methane hydrate under high pressure and low temperature

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hirai, H; Tanaka, T; Yagi, T; Matsuoka, T; Ohishi, Y; Ohtake, M; Yamamoto, Y

2014-01-01

Low-temperature and high-pressure experiments were performed with filled ice Ih structure of methane hydrate under pressure and temperature conditions of 2.0 to 77.0 GPa and 30 to 300 K, respectively, using diamond anvil cells and a helium-refrigeration cryostat. Distinct changes in the axial ratios of the host framework were revealed by In-situ X-ray diffractometry. Splitting in the CH vibration modes of the guest methane molecules, which was previously explained by the orientational ordering of the guest molecules, was observed by Raman spectroscopy. The pressure and temperature conditions at the split of the vibration modes agreed well with those of the axial ratio changes. The results indicated that orientational ordering of the guest methane molecules from orientational disordered-state occurred at high pressures and low temperatures, and that this guest ordering led to the axial ratio changes in the host framework. Existing regions of the guest disordered-phase and the guest ordered-phase were roughly estimated by the X-ray data. In addition, above the pressure of the guest-ordered phase, another high pressure phase was developed at a low-temperature region. The deuterated-water host samples were also examined and isotopic effects on the guest ordering and phase changes were observed.

Integrative health coaching: an organizational case study.

Science.gov (United States)

Wolever, Ruth Q; Caldwell, Karen L; Wakefield, Jessica P; Little, Kerry J; Gresko, Jeanne; Shaw, Andrea; Duda, Linda V; Kosey, Julie M; Gaudet, Tracy

2011-01-01

The aim of this study was to describe integrative health (IH) coaching as developed in three different interventions offered through a major medical center, as a step toward further defining the field of health coaching. An organizational case study was conducted with document analysis and interviews. Interviewees were the first six IH coaches at Duke Integrative Medicine who provided 360 clients with individual and/or group coaching (two to 28 sessions) in a randomized clinical study and two work-site wellness programs. Qualitative analysis using the constant comparative method was conducted. Integrative health coaching is characterized by a process of self-discovery that informs goal setting and builds internal motivation by linking clients' goals to their values and sense of purpose. Time, commitment, and motivation are necessary in the IH coaching process. The underpinnings of IH coaching are distinct from the medical model, and the process is distinct from health education, executive coaching, and psychotherapy. Integrative health coaching fits well with the assumptions of integrative medicine and has a role in supporting behavior change. Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Homossexualidade, homofobia e a agressividade do palavrão: seu uso na educação sexual escolar Homosexuality, homophobia and the aggressiveness of curse words: its use in the school sexual education

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amadeu Roselli-Cruz

2011-04-01

Full Text Available O uso do palavrão pode gerar violência e até crime de morte na escola. Muitos professores e famílias relatam a dificuldade em lidar com ele. 90% da agressividade do palavrão se referem à sexualidade do ofendido e/ou de sua família, em especial à mãe, e à homossexualidade. Muitos dos livros de educação sexual sequer fazem referência à homossexualidade e, em nenhum deles encontramos conteúdos sobre o palavrão. O discurso religioso mais contribui para aumentar as possibilidades de punição do que à compreensão e aceitação do sujeito com esses comportamentos. Nossa pesquisa estudou jovens do sexo masculino entre 9 e 14 anos de escola pública de periferia, com o objetivo de verificar o uso do palavrão, a ofensa e a conotação expressa e entendida, mais especificamente referente a mecanismos de homofobia entre adolescentes na escola. A despreocupação para com o palavrão contribui para a homofobia e agressividade dentro da escola.The use of swear words may generate violence and even murder at school. Many teachers and families report having difficulty in dealing with it. 90% of the swear word aggressiveness refers to the offended person's and/or to hers or his family's sexuality, especially to the mother, and to homosexuality. Many of the sex education books do not even refer to homosexuality and, in none of them were found contents related to swear words. The religious discourse contributes to increase the possibilities of punishment rather than to understand and accept the individual who is the offended one. Our research has studied young state school boys in the outskirts between the age of 9 and 14, aiming to check the usage of swear words, the offense itself, the expressed and understood connotation, more specifically relative to homophobia mechanisms among teenagers at school. The unconcern in relation to the use of swear words contributes to homophobia and aggressiveness at school.

Presentation of a new instrument

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Russell, M B; Rasmussen, B K; Brennum, J

1992-01-01

A new instrument, the Diagnostic Headache Diary, based on the operational diagnostic criteria of the International Headache Society (IHS), was tested in 61 migraine patients from a headache research clinic using the clinical diagnosis (IHS criteria) for comparison. All patients kept the diary...... for one to eight months. The clinical and diary diagnosis of migraine with and without aura was the same in, respectively, 72 and 87% of the patients. Nausea, photophobia and phonophobia tended to be more pronounced at the clinical interview. The diary identified 20 more cases of episodic tension......-type headache and 15 fewer cases of chronic tension-type headache than the clinical interview. Two blinded observers always made the same IHS diagnoses when interpreting the diagnostic headache diary. A combination of a clinical interview and the diagnostic headache diary gives a qualitatively...

Hotelli ja restoranimajanduse globaalsed probleemid / Donald Visnapuu

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

Visnapuu, Donald, 1946-

2000-01-01

Järgi nr. 2 lk. 27. Infot maailmas hotelli- ja restoranimajanduses valitsevate trendide kohta saadakse põhiliselt IH&RA ja HOTREC-i vahendusel, mille liige EHRL on. International Hotel & Restaurant Association. HOTREC

hegemony of heteronormativity

African Journals Online (AJOL)

p1243322

assumption that social identity theories underlie homophobia. Empathy with .... hating, sexual orientationalism (along with racism, sexism, etc) and heterosexism .... consequences of homophobia whilst sets of statistics on 'gay-bashing' and.

Migraine vestibulaire 

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lempert, T; Olesen, J; Furman, J

2014-01-01

This paper presents diagnostic criteria for vestibular migraine, jointly formulated by the Committee for Classification of Vestibular Disorders of the Bárány Society and the Migraine Classification Subcommittee of the International Headache Society (IHS). The classification includes vestibular...... migraine and probable vestibular migraine. Vestibular migraine will appear in an appendix of the third edition of the International Classification of Headache Disorders (ICHD) as a first step for new entities, in accordance with the usual IHS procedures. Probable vestibular migraine may be included...... in a later version of the ICHD, when further evidence has been accumulated. The diagnosis of vestibular migraine is based on recurrent vestibular symptoms, a history of migraine, a temporal association between vestibular symptoms and migraine symptoms and exclusion of other causes of vestibular symptoms...

Vestibular migraine

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lempert, Thomas; Olesen, Jes; Furman, Joseph

2012-01-01

This paper presents diagnostic criteria for vestibular migraine, jointly formulated by the Committee for Classification of Vestibular Disorders of the Bárány Society and the Migraine Classification Subcommittee of the International Headache Society (IHS). The classification includes vestibular...... migraine and probable vestibular migraine. Vestibular migraine will appear in an appendix of the third edition of the International Classification of Headache Disorders (ICHD) as a first step for new entities, in accordance with the usual IHS procedures. Probable vestibular migraine may be included...... in a later version of the ICHD, when further evidence has been accumulated. The diagnosis of vestibular migraine is based on recurrent vestibular symptoms, a history of migraine, a temporal association between vestibular symptoms and migraine symptoms and exclusion of other causes of vestibular symptoms...

Medication overuse headache and chronic migraine in a specialized headache centre: field-testing proposed new appendix criteria

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zeeberg, P; Olesen, Jes; Jensen, R

2009-01-01

The classification subcommittee of the International Headache Society (IHS) has recently suggested revised criteria for medication overuse headache (MOH) and chronic migraine (CM). We field tested these revised criteria by applying them to the headache population at the Danish Headache Centre...... suggest that the IHS has succeeded in choosing new criteria for CM which are neither too strict, nor too loose. For MOH, a shift to the appendix criteria will increase the number of MOH patients, but take into account the possibility of permanent changes in pain perception due to medication overuse...... and the possibility of a renewed effect of prophylactic drugs due to medication withdrawal. We therefore recommend the implementation of the appendix criteria for both MOH and CM into the main body of the International Classification of Headache Disorders....

International symposium on advances in isotope hydrology and its role in sustainable water resources management (IHS-2007). Book of abstracts

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2007-07-01

The quadrennial IAEA isotope hydrology symposia provide an international forum for a comprehensive review of the state of the art and recent advances in this field. The symposia also facilitate the transfer of information, knowledge and interactions between developed and developing countries. Isotopes are increasingly being used to address many of the challenges in sustainable water resources management. The integration of these tools with classical methods and spatial information technologies has been growing rapidly over the past sel years. These have provided unsurpassed capabilities to apply nuclear and geochemical techniques in complex hydrological systems. The main objectives of this symposium are to: - Review the state of the art in isotope hydrology; - Outline recent developments in the application of isotope techniques for water resources management; - Identify future trends and developments for research and applications.

International symposium on advances in isotope hydrology and its role in sustainable water resources management (IHS-2007). Book of abstracts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2007-01-01

The quadrennial IAEA isotope hydrology symposia provide an international forum for a comprehensive review of the state of the art and recent advances in this field. The symposia also facilitate the transfer of information, knowledge and interactions between developed and developing countries. Isotopes are increasingly being used to address many of the challenges in sustainable water resources management. The integration of these tools with classical methods and spatial information technologies has been growing rapidly over the past several years. These have provided unsurpassed capabilities to apply nuclear and geochemical techniques in complex hydrological systems. The main objectives of this symposium are to: - Review the state of the art in isotope hydrology; - Outline recent developments in the application of isotope techniques for water resources management; - Identify future trends and developments for research and applications

1ST International Conference on Small Satellites: New Technologies, Achievements, Problems And Prospects For International Co-Operation In The New Millenium.

Science.gov (United States)

1998-01-01

821798). May 25-28, 1998. Friedrichshafen , Germany. P.507-510. 3. Didier Massonnet, Producing ground deformation maps automatically: the DIAPASON...In Proc. of European Conference on Synthetic Aperture Radar (EUSAR󈨦). May 25-28, 1998. Friedrichshafen , Germany. P.237-240. 5. Z. Bergen, D...EjIH3aBeTHH, n. IIlHpOKOB Synthetic Aperture Radar (EUSAR󈨦). May 25-28, 1998. Friedrichshafen , Germany. P.503-506. 8. U.Wegmuller, SAR Processing

The Impact of Upper Abdominal Pain During Pregnancy Following a Gastric Bypass

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Petersen, Liselotte; Lauenborg, Jeannet; Svare, Jens

2017-01-01

Objective: The aim of the present study was to describe the risk of internal herniation (IH) and the obstetric outcome in pregnant women with Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) and episodes of upper abdominal pain.  Methods: The cohort included 133 women with RYGB: 94 with 113 pregnancies, from......).  Results: Upper abdominal pain complicated 42/113 (37.2 %) pregnancies in the local cohort and 11 women (9.7 %) had IH. In the birth cohort, upper abdominal pain complicated 64/139 (46.0 %) pregnancies; surgery was performed in 30/64 (46.9 %), and IH diagnosed in 21/64 (32.8 %). The median gestational age...... at onset of pain was 25 + 3 weeks. Women reporting abdominal pain had a higher risk of preterm birth (n = 14/64 vs. 1/75, p women without abdominal pain...

Growth hormone releasing hormone (GHRH) signaling modulates intermittent hypoxia-induced oxidative stress and cognitive deficits in mouse.

Science.gov (United States)

Nair, Deepti; Ramesh, Vijay; Li, Richard C; Schally, Andrew V; Gozal, David

2013-11-01

Intermittent hypoxia (IH) during sleep, such as occurs in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), leads to degenerative changes in the hippocampus, and is associated with spatial learning deficits in adult mice. In both patients and murine models of OSA, the disease is associated with suppression of growth hormone (GH) secretion, which is actively involved in the growth, development, and function of the central nervous system (CNS). Recent work showed that exogenous GH therapy attenuated neurocognitive deficits elicited by IH during sleep in rats. Here, we show that administration of the Growth Hormone Releasing Hormone (GHRH) agonist JI-34 attenuates IH-induced neurocognitive deficits, anxiety, and depression in mice along with reduction in oxidative stress markers such as MDA and 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine, and increases in hypoxia inducible factor-1α DNA binding and up-regulation of insulin growth factor-1 and erythropoietin expression. In contrast, treatment with a GHRH antagonist (MIA-602) during intermittent hypoxia did not affect any of the IH-induced deleterious effects in mice. Thus, exogenous GHRH administered as the formulation of a GHRH agonist may provide a viable therapeutic intervention to protect IH-vulnerable brain regions from OSA-associated neurocognitive dysfunction. Sleep apnea, characterized by chronic intermittent hypoxia (IH), is associated with substantial cognitive and behavioral deficits. Here, we show that administration of a GHRH agonist (JI-34) reduces oxidative stress, increases both HIF-1α nuclear binding and downstream expression of IGF1 and erythropoietin (EPO) in hippocampus and cortex, and markedly attenuates water maze performance deficits in mice exposed to intermittent hypoxia during sleep. © 2013 International Society for Neurochemistry.

[Caesarean section in german hospitals: validity of hospital quality report data for monitoring C-section rates].

Science.gov (United States)

Junghänel, K; Renz-Polster, H; Jarczok, M N; Hornemann, A; Böhler, T; De Bock, F

2015-04-01

It is not known if "hospital quality reports" (HQR) document Caesarean (C-) section rates at the hospital level accurately enough for use as a reliable data source when it comes to explaining regional variations of C-sections in Germany by factors at the hospital level. We aimed to answer this question using HQR from hospitals in Baden-Württemberg as data source. Diagnostic and procedure codes from HQR for the year 2008 (HQRdata), were used to calculate numbers of births, numbers of C-sections, and rates of births by C-section (CSR) for 94 of 97 hospitals in Baden-Württemberg. These numbers were compared to internal hospital (IH) data delivered upon request by 80 of 97 hospitals and stemming from vital statistics, birth registry forms, or external quality assurance datasets. There was no difference in the number of births between HQR data and IH data, but the number of C-sections and the CSR differed significantly (pCSR calculated using HQR data was 4.9 ± 17.9% higher than CSR from IH data (absolute difference 1.5 ± 5.8%). The correlation between the 2 data sources was moderate (r=0.73). Only 55% of the variance in IH data-based CSR was explained by HQR data. The proportion between highest and lowest CSR in hospitals in Baden-Württemberg was 4.9 for HQR data and 3.6 for IH data. There are significant and relevant differences between C-section rates based on ei-ther HQR or IH data. This questions routine data from HQR for 2008 as a reliable data source for research work. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Cervicogenic headache: too important to be left un-diagnosed.

Science.gov (United States)

Fredriksen, Torbjørn A; Antonaci, Fabio; Sjaastad, Ottar

2015-01-01

A comparison has been made between the cervicogenic headache criteria in the new IHS classification of headaches (3rd edition-beta version) and The Cervicogenic Headache International Study Group's (GHISG) criteria from 1998. In a more recent version, the CHISG criteria consist of 7 different items. While "core cases" of cervicogenic headache (CEH) usually fulfill all 7 criteria, the IHS classification--3rd edition beta version--fulfills only 3 criteria. Although the new three beta version represents an improvement from the previous one, it does not quite seem to live up to the expectations for a diagnostic system for routine, clinical use.

Validation of The 3-Question Headache Screen in The Diagnosis of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

diagnosed and undertreated. A rapid diagnostic method is desirable so that treatment can be initiated early. We compared the 3-question headache screen with the International Headache Society (IHS) criteria in the diagnosis of migraine among ...

Attitudes of Heterosexual Men and Women Toward HIV Negative and Positive Gay Men.

Science.gov (United States)

Norcini Pala, Andrea; Villano, Paola; Clinton, Lauren

2017-01-01

Attitudes of Italian heterosexual men and women toward gay men, both HIV positive and negative, are poorly investigated. Italian culture is still extremely conservative and provides limited support to the gay community (e.g., lack of same-sex marriage recognition). Consequently, gay men experience social exclusion and disparities. The present study explores the association between homophobia and closeness with sexual orientation and HIV status. 261 heterosexual Italian men and women were assessed for feelings of closeness and homophobia after reading a vignette where the character was C1: heterosexual and HIV negative; C2: gay and HIV negative; or C3: gay and HIV positive. Experiences of homophobia and closeness varied depending on gender of participant and condition assigned, and higher levels of homophobia were correlated with lower levels of closeness regardless of HIV status. Implications and future directions are discussed.

Authoritarian and homophobic attitudes: gender and adult attachment style differences.

Science.gov (United States)

Gormley, Barbara; Lopez, Frederick G

2010-01-01

This study explored the relations of gender and adult attachment styles to college students' scores on several measures of authoritarian attitudes (e.g., right-wing authoritarianism, ethnocentrism, homophobia, and religious fundamentalism). A multivariate analysis of authoritarian attitudes yielded significant main and interaction effects involving students' gender and their (categorical) attachment style scores. Relative to women, men reported higher levels of homophobia, ethnocentrism, and right-wing authoritarianism. Gender differences in homophobia were additionally conditioned by participants' adult attachment styles: Men with dismissing styles evidenced the highest levels of homophobia, whereas women with dismissing styles demonstrated the lowest levels; that is, a fear of intimacy seemed to contribute to homophobic attitudes found among heterosexual men. This was the first U.S. study of the relationship between adult attachment styles and right-wing authoritarianism, and further investigation is warranted.

Stability of Microturbulent Drift Modes during Internal Transport Barrier Formation in the Alcator C-Mod Radio Frequency Heated H-mode

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Redi, M.H.; Fiore, C.L.; Dorland, W.; Mikkelsen, D.R.; Rewoldt, G.; Bonoli, P.T.; Ernst, D.R.; Rice, J.E.; Wukitch, S.J.

2003-01-01

Recent H-mode experiments on Alcator C-Mod [I.H. Hutchinson, et al., Phys. Plasmas 1 (1994) 1511] which exhibit an internal transport barrier (ITB), have been examined with flux tube geometry gyrokinetic simulations, using the massively parallel code GS2 [M. Kotschenreuther, G. Rewoldt, and W.M. Tang, Comput. Phys. Commun. 88 (1995) 128]. The simulations support the picture of ion/electron temperature gradient (ITG/ETG) microturbulence driving high xi/ xe and that suppressed ITG causes reduced particle transport and improved ci on C-Mod. Nonlinear calculations for C-Mod confirm initial linear simulations, which predicted ITG stability in the barrier region just before ITB formation, without invoking E x B shear suppression of turbulence. Nonlinear fluxes are compared to experiment, which both show low heat transport in the ITB and higher transport within and outside of the barrier region

Discrimination and abuse experienced by general internists in Canada.

Science.gov (United States)

Cook, D J; Griffith, L E; Cohen, M; Guyatt, G H; O'Brien, B

1995-10-01

To identify the frequency of psychological and emotional abuse, gender discrimination, verbal sexual harassment, physical sexual harassment, physical assault, and homophobia experienced by general internists. Cross-sectional survey. Canadian general internal medicine practices. The overall response rate was 70.6% (984/1,393); the 501 respondents who classified themselves as general internists were studied. Three-fourths of the internists experienced psychological and emotional abuse at the hands of patients, and 38% of the women and 26% of the men experienced physical assault by patients. The majority of the female internists experienced gender discrimination by patients (67%) and by physician peers (56%). Forty-five percent of the women experienced verbal sexual harassment by patients, and 22% experienced physical sexual harassment by patients. The male internists experienced verbal sexual harassment from nurses slightly more often than the female internists did (19% vs 13%, p > 0.05). Verbal sexual harassment by male colleagues was reported by 35% of the female internists, and physical sexual harassment was reported by 11%. Approximately 40% of general internists reported homophobic remarks by both health care team members and patients. Abuse, discrimination, and homophobia are prevalent in the internal medicine workplace. A direct, progressive, multidisciplinary approach is necessary to label and address these problems.

Genetic and Environmental Influences on Individual Differences in Attitudes Toward Homosexuality: An Australian Twin Study.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Verweij, K.J.H.; Shekar, S.N.; Zietsch, B.P.; Eaves, L.J.; Bailey, J.M.; Boomsma, D.I.; Martin, N.G.

2008-01-01

Previous research has shown that many heterosexuals hold negative attitudes toward homosexuals and homosexuality (homophobia). Although a great deal of research has focused on the profile of homophobic individuals, this research provides little theoretical insight into the aetiology of homophobia.

Genetic and environmental influences on individual differences in attitudes toward homosexuality: An Australian twin study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Verweij, K.J.H.; Shekar, S.N.; Zietsch, B.P.; Eaves, L.J.; Bailey, J.M.; Boomsma, D.I.; Martin, N.G.

2008-01-01

Previous research has shown that many heterosexuals hold negative attitudes toward homosexuals and homosexuality (homophobia). Although a great deal of research has focused on the profile of homophobic individuals, this research provides little theoretical insight into the aetiology of homophobia.

Elliptic Solvers for Mediterranean Sea Ocean Modeling,

Science.gov (United States)

1984-05-01

KWSP =21*(112+2*21+6) C PARAMETER (NX=IH-2, NY=JHS-2, KQ=NY*((NX+7)/4+1)+(NY+3)/2+8) 9C DOUBLE PRECISION AX,AY,AC(KH),ACKL DIMENSION HD(IH,JH),HT(IH...JH),RS(IH,JH) C COMMON/BV/ W1(IH,JHS),W2(IH,JHS),W3(IH,JHS),W4(IH,JHS) DOUBLE PRECISION WQ DIMENSION MAP(IH,JHS),WQ(JHS,5),WC( KWSP ) EQUIVALENCE (W1(1...AND ALL OTHER MODES C ( TYPICALLY MXKC1 .GE. MXKC2 .GE .MXKC3 ), C MXKC3 = MAX SIZE OF CV FOR RESTART T.S. C ( TYPICALLY MXKC3 = MXKP*3 ). C KWSP

Validation of the Minority Stress Scale Among Italian Gay and Bisexual Men.

Science.gov (United States)

Pala, Andrea Norcini; Dell'Amore, Francesca; Steca, Patrizia; Clinton, Lauren; Sandfort, Theodorus; Rael, Christine

2017-12-01

The experience of sexual orientation stigma (e.g., homophobic discrimination and physical aggression) generates minority stress, a chronic form of psychosocial stress. Minority stress has been shown to have a negative effect on gay and bisexual men's (GBM's) mental and physical health, increasing the rates of depression, suicidal ideation, and HIV risk behaviors. In conservative religious settings, such as Italy, sexual orientation stigma can be more frequently and/or more intensively experienced. However, minority stress among Italian GBM remains understudied. The aim of this study was to explore the dimensionality, internal reliability, and convergent validity of the Minority Stress Scale (MSS), a comprehensive instrument designed to assess the manifestations of sexual orientation stigma. The MSS consists of 50 items assessing (a) Structural Stigma, (b) Enacted Stigma, (c) Expectations of Discrimination, (d) Sexual Orientation Concealment, (e) Internalized Homophobia Toward Others, (f) Internalized Homophobia toward Oneself, and (g) Stigma Awareness. We recruited an online sample of 451 Italian GBM to take the MSS. We tested convergent validity using the Perceived Stress Questionnaire. Through exploratory factor analysis, we extracted the 7 theoretical factors and an additional 3-item factor assessing Expectations of Discrimination From Family Members. The MSS factors showed good internal reliability (ordinal α > .81) and good convergent validity. Our scale can be suitable for applications in research settings, psychosocial interventions, and, potentially, in clinical practice. Future studies will be conducted to further investigate the properties of the MSS, exploring the association with additional health-related measures (e.g., depressive symptoms and anxiety).

Altered dynamics in the circadian oscillation of clock genes in dermal fibroblasts of patients suffering from idiopathic hypersomnia.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Julian Lippert

Full Text Available From single cell organisms to the most complex life forms, the 24-hour circadian rhythm is important for numerous aspects of physiology and behavior such as daily periodic fluctuations in body temperature and sleep-wake cycles. Influenced by environmental cues - mainly by light input -, the central pacemaker in the thalamic suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN controls and regulates the internal clock mechanisms which are present in peripheral tissues. In order to correlate modifications in the molecular mechanisms of circadian rhythm with the pathophysiology of idiopathic hypersomnia, this study aimed to investigate the dynamics of the expression of circadian clock genes in dermal fibroblasts of idiopathic hypersomniacs (IH in comparison to those of healthy controls (HC. Ten clinically and polysomnographically proven IH patients were recruited from the department of sleep medicine of the University Hospital of Muenster. Clinical diagnosis was done by two consecutive polysomnographies (PSG and Multiple Sleep Latency Test (MSLT. Fourteen clinical healthy volunteers served as control group. Dermal fibroblasts were obtained via punch biopsy and grown in cell culture. The expression of circadian clock genes was investigated by semiquantitative Reverse Transcriptase-PCR qRT-PCR analysis, confirming periodical oscillation of expression of the core circadian clock genes BMAL1, PER1/2 and CRY1/2. The amplitude of the rhythmically expressed BMAL1, PER1 and PER2 was significantly dampened in dermal fibroblasts of IH compared to HC over two circadian periods whereas the overall expression of only the key transcriptional factor BMAL1 was significantly reduced in IH. Our study suggests for the first time an aberrant dynamics in the circadian clock in IH. These findings may serve to better understand some clinical features of the pathophysiology in sleep - wake rhythms in IH.

Altered dynamics in the circadian oscillation of clock genes in dermal fibroblasts of patients suffering from idiopathic hypersomnia.

Science.gov (United States)

Lippert, Julian; Halfter, Hartmut; Heidbreder, Anna; Röhr, Dominik; Gess, Burkhard; Boentert, Mathias; Osada, Nani; Young, Peter

2014-01-01

From single cell organisms to the most complex life forms, the 24-hour circadian rhythm is important for numerous aspects of physiology and behavior such as daily periodic fluctuations in body temperature and sleep-wake cycles. Influenced by environmental cues - mainly by light input -, the central pacemaker in the thalamic suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN) controls and regulates the internal clock mechanisms which are present in peripheral tissues. In order to correlate modifications in the molecular mechanisms of circadian rhythm with the pathophysiology of idiopathic hypersomnia, this study aimed to investigate the dynamics of the expression of circadian clock genes in dermal fibroblasts of idiopathic hypersomniacs (IH) in comparison to those of healthy controls (HC). Ten clinically and polysomnographically proven IH patients were recruited from the department of sleep medicine of the University Hospital of Muenster. Clinical diagnosis was done by two consecutive polysomnographies (PSG) and Multiple Sleep Latency Test (MSLT). Fourteen clinical healthy volunteers served as control group. Dermal fibroblasts were obtained via punch biopsy and grown in cell culture. The expression of circadian clock genes was investigated by semiquantitative Reverse Transcriptase-PCR qRT-PCR analysis, confirming periodical oscillation of expression of the core circadian clock genes BMAL1, PER1/2 and CRY1/2. The amplitude of the rhythmically expressed BMAL1, PER1 and PER2 was significantly dampened in dermal fibroblasts of IH compared to HC over two circadian periods whereas the overall expression of only the key transcriptional factor BMAL1 was significantly reduced in IH. Our study suggests for the first time an aberrant dynamics in the circadian clock in IH. These findings may serve to better understand some clinical features of the pathophysiology in sleep - wake rhythms in IH.

Evidence for efficacy of acute treatment of episodic tension-type headache

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Moore, R Andrew; Derry, Sheena; Wiffen, Philip J

2014-01-01

The International Headache Society (IHS) provides guidance on the conduct of trials for acute treatment of episodic tension-type headache (TTH), a common disorder with considerable disability. Electronic and other searches identified randomised, double-blind trials of oral drugs treating episodic...

Mechanisms of IhERG/IKr Modulation by α1-Adrenoceptors in HEK293 Cells and Cardiac Myocytes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Janire Urrutia

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Background: The rapid delayed rectifier K+ current (IKr, carried by the hERG protein, is one of the main repolarising currents in the human heart and a reduction of this current increases the risk of ventricular fibrillation. α1-adrenoceptors (α1-AR activation reduces IKr but, despite the clear relationship between an increase in the sympathetic tone and arrhythmias, the mechanisms underlying the α1-AR regulation of the hERG channel are controversial. Thus, we aimed to investigate the mechanisms by which α1-AR stimulation regulates IKr. Methods: α1-adrenoceptors, hERG channels, auxiliary subunits minK and MIRP1, the non PIP2-interacting mutant D-hERG (with a deletion of the 883-894 amino acids in the C-terminal and the non PKC-phosphorylable mutant N-terminal truncated-hERG (NTK-hERG were transfected in HEK293 cells. Cell membranes were extracted by centrifugation and the different proteins were visualized by Western blot. Potassium currents were recorded by the patch-clamp technique. IKr was recorded in isolated feline cardiac myocytes. Results: Activation of the α1-AR reduces the amplitude of IhERG and IKr through a positive shift in the activation half voltage, which reduces the channel availability at physiological membrane potentials. The intracellular pathway connecting the α1-AR to the hERG channel in HEK293 cells includes activation of the Gαq protein, PLC activation and PIP2 hydrolysis, activation of PKC and direct phosphorylation of the hERG channel N-terminal. The PKC-mediated IKr channel phosphorylation and subsequent IKr reduction after α1-AR stimulation was corroborated in feline cardiac myocytes. Conclusions: These findings clarify the link between sympathetic nervous system hyperactivity and IKr reduction, one of the best characterized causes of torsades de pointes and ventricular fibrillation.

Intimate Partner Violence and Social Pressure among Gay Men in Six Countries

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Catherine Finneran

2012-08-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Recent research suggests that men who have sex with men (MSM experience intimate partner violence (IPV at significantly higher rates than heterosexual men. Few studies, however, have investigated implications of heterosexist social pressures – namely, homophobic discrimination, internalized homophobia, and heterosexism– on risk for IPV among MSM, and no previous studies have examined cross-national variations in the relationship between IPV and social pressure. This paperexamines reporting of IPV and associations with social pressure among a sample of internet-recruited MSM in the United States (U.S., Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, South Africa, and Brazil.Methods: We recruited internet-using MSM from 6 countries through selective banner advertisements placed on Facebook. Eligibility criteria were men age over 18 reporting sex with a man in the past year. Of the 2,771 eligible respondents, 2,368 had complete data and were included in the analysis. Threeoutcomes were examined: reporting recent experience of physical violence, sexual violence, and recent perpetration of physical violence. The analysis focused on associations between reporting of IPV and experiences of homophobic discrimination, internalized homophobia, and heteronormativity.Results: Reporting of experiencing physical IPV ranged from 5.75% in the U.S. to 11.75% in South Africa, while experiencing sexual violence was less commonly reported and ranged from 2.54% in Australia to 4.52% in the U.S. Perpetration of physical violence ranged from 2.47% in the U.S. to 5.76% in South Africa. Experiences of homophobic discrimination, internalized homophobia, and heteronormativity were found to increase odds of reporting IPV in all countries.Conclusion: There has been little data on IPV among MSM, particularly MSM living in low- and middleincome countries. Despite the lack of consensus in demographic correlates of violence reporting, heterosexist social pressures were

Intimate Partner Violence and Social Pressure among Gay Men in Six Countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Finneran, Catherine; Chard, Anna; Sineath, Craig; Sullivan, Patrick; Stephenson, Rob

2012-08-01

Recent research suggests that men who have sex with men (MSM) experience intimate partner violence (IPV) at significantly higher rates than heterosexual men. Few studies, however, have investigated implications of heterosexist social pressures - namely, homophobic discrimination, internalized homophobia, and heterosexism - on risk for IPV among MSM, and no previous studies have examined cross-national variations in the relationship between IPV and social pressure. This paper examines reporting of IPV and associations with social pressure among a sample of internet-recruited MSM in the United States (U.S.), Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, South Africa, and Brazil. We recruited internet-using MSM from 6 countries through selective banner advertisements placed on Facebook. Eligibility criteria were men age over 18 reporting sex with a man in the past year. Of the 2,771 eligible respondents, 2,368 had complete data and were included in the analysis. Three outcomes were examined: reporting recent experience of physical violence, sexual violence, and recent perpetration of physical violence. The analysis focused on associations between reporting of IPV and experiences of homophobic discrimination, internalized homophobia, and heteronormativity. Reporting of experiencing physical IPV ranged from 5.75% in the U.S. to 11.75% in South Africa, while experiencing sexual violence was less commonly reported and ranged from 2.54% in Australia to 4.52% in the U.S. Perpetration of physical violence ranged from 2.47% in the U.S. to 5.76% in South Africa. Experiences of homophobic discrimination, internalized homophobia, and heteronormativity were found to increase odds of reporting IPV in all countries. There has been little data on IPV among MSM, particularly MSM living in low- and middle-income countries. Despite the lack of consensus in demographic correlates of violence reporting, heterosexist social pressures were found to significantly increase odds of reporting IPV in

Safe, Positive and Queering Moments in Teaching Education and Schooling: A Conceptual Framework

Science.gov (United States)

Goldstein, Tara; Russell, Vanessa; Daley, Andrea

2007-01-01

This article introduces a conceptual framework for thinking about the development of anti-homophobia education in teacher education and schooling contexts. We bring the safe, positive, and queering moments framework to bear on three distinct anti-homophobia education practices: coming out stories, homophobic name-calling analysis, and Pride Week…

Playing It Up, Playing It Down, Playing It Safe: Queering Teacher Education

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Robinson, Kerry H.; Ferfolja, Tania

2008-01-01

The impact of homophobia and heterosexism on the e/quality of schooling experiences for many students and teachers in Australia places a responsibility on teacher education institutions to incorporate anti-homophobia and anti-heterosexist education in their courses. This discussion, based on research undertaken in universities across New South…

Resveratrol attenuates intermittent hypoxia-induced macrophage migration to visceral white adipose tissue and insulin resistance in male mice.

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Carreras, Alba; Zhang, Shelley X L; Almendros, Isaac; Wang, Yang; Peris, Eduard; Qiao, Zhuanhong; Gozal, David

2015-02-01

Chronic intermittent hypoxia during sleep (IH), as occurs in sleep apnea, promotes systemic insulin resistance. Resveratrol (Resv) has been reported to ameliorate high-fat diet-induced obesity, inflammation, and insulin resistance. To examine the effect of Resv on IH-induced metabolic dysfunction, male mice were subjected to IH or room air conditions for 8 weeks and treated with either Resv or vehicle (Veh). Fasting plasma levels of glucose, insulin, and leptin were obtained, homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance index levels were calculated, and insulin sensitivity tests (phosphorylated AKT [also known as protein kinase B]/total AKT) were performed in 2 visceral white adipose tissue (VWAT) depots (epididymal [Epi] and mesenteric [Mes]) along with flow cytometry assessments for VWAT macrophages and phenotypes (M1 and M2). IH-Veh and IH-Resv mice showed initial reductions in food intake with later recovery, with resultant lower body weights after 8 weeks but with IH-Resv showing better increases in body weight vs IH-Veh. IH-Veh and IH-Resv mice exhibited lower fasting glucose levels, but only IH-Veh had increased homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance index vs all 3 other groups. Leptin levels were preserved in IH-Veh but were significantly lower in IH-Resv. Reduced VWAT phosphorylated-AKT/AKT responses to insulin emerged in both Mes and Epi in IH-Veh but normalized in IH-Resv. Increases total macrophage counts and in M1 to M2 ratios occurred in IH-Veh Mes and Epi compared all other 3 groups. Thus, Resv ameliorates food intake and weight gain during IH exposures and markedly attenuates VWAT inflammation and insulin resistance, thereby providing a potentially useful adjunctive therapy for metabolic morbidity in the context of sleep apnea.

Exploring risk behaviors and vulnerability for HIV among men who have sex with men in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire: poor knowledge, homophobia and sexual violence.

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Aho, Josephine; Hakim, Avi; Vuylsteke, Bea; Semde, Gisèle; Gbais, Honorat G; Diarrassouba, Mamadou; Thiam, Marguerite; Laga, Marie

2014-01-01

Men who have sex with men (MSM) are at high risk of HIV. Few data are available on MSM and HIV-related risk behaviors in West Africa. We aimed to describe risk behaviors and vulnerability among MSM in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire. We conducted a cross-sectional respondent-driven sampling survey with 601 MSM in 2011-2012. Sociodemographic and behavioural data as well as data related to emotional state and stigma were collected. Population estimates with 95% confidence intervals were produced. Survey weighted logistic regression was used to assess factors associated with inconsistent condom use in the prior 12 months. Most MSM were 24 years of age or younger (63.9%) and had attained at least primary education (84.4%). HIV risk behaviors such as low condom and water-based lubricant use, high numbers of male and female sex partners, and sex work were frequently reported as well as verbal, physical and sexual abuse. Inconsistent condom use during anal sex with a male partner in the prior 12 months was reported by 66.0% of the MSM and was positively associated with history of forced sex, alcohol consumption, having a regular partner and a casual partner, having bought sex, and self-perception of low HIV risk. MSM in Abidjan exhibit multiple and frequent HIV-related risk behaviors. To address those behaviours, a combination of individual but also structural interventions will be needed given the context of stigma, homophobia and violence.

Exploring Risk Behaviors and Vulnerability for HIV among Men Who Have Sex with Men in Abidjan, Cote d′Ivoire: Poor Knowledge, Homophobia and Sexual Violence

Science.gov (United States)

Aho, Josephine; Hakim, Avi; Vuylsteke, Bea; Semde, Gisèle; Gbais, Honorat G.; Diarrassouba, Mamadou; Thiam, Marguerite; Laga, Marie

2014-01-01

Men who have sex with men (MSM) are at high risk of HIV. Few data are available on MSM and HIV-related risk behaviors in West Africa. We aimed to describe risk behaviors and vulnerability among MSM in Abidjan, Cote d′Ivoire. We conducted a cross-sectional respondent-driven sampling survey with 601 MSM in 2011–2012. Sociodemographic and behavioural data as well as data related to emotional state and stigma were collected. Population estimates with 95% confidence intervals were produced. Survey weighted logistic regression was used to assess factors associated with inconsistent condom use in the prior 12 months. Most MSM were 24 years of age or younger (63.9%) and had attained at least primary education (84.4%). HIV risk behaviors such as low condom and water-based lubricant use, high numbers of male and female sex partners, and sex work were frequently reported as well as verbal, physical and sexual abuse. Inconsistent condom use during anal sex with a male partner in the prior 12 months was reported by 66.0% of the MSM and was positively associated with history of forced sex, alcohol consumption, having a regular partner and a casual partner, having bought sex, and self-perception of low HIV risk. MSM in Abidjan exhibit multiple and frequent HIV-related risk behaviors. To address those behaviours, a combination of individual but also structural interventions will be needed given the context of stigma, homophobia and violence. PMID:24959923

Gonadotropin Inhibitory Hormone Down-Regulates the Brain-Pituitary Reproductive Axis of Male European Sea Bass (Dicentrarchus labrax).

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Paullada-Salmerón, José A; Cowan, Mairi; Aliaga-Guerrero, María; Morano, Francesca; Zanuy, Silvia; Muñoz-Cueto, José A

2016-06-01

Gonadotropin-inhibitory hormone (GnIH) inhibits gonadotropin synthesis and release from the pituitary of birds and mammals. However, the physiological role of orthologous GnIH peptides on the reproductive axis of fish is still uncertain, and their actions on the main neuroendocrine systems controlling reproduction (i.e., GnRHs, kisspeptins) have received little attention. In a recent study performed in the European sea bass, we cloned a cDNA encoding a precursor polypeptide that contained C-terminal MPMRFamide (sbGnIH-1) and MPQRFamide (sbGnIH-2) peptide sequences, developed a specific antiserum against sbGnIH-2, and characterized its central and pituitary GnIH projections in this species. In this study, we analyzed the effects of intracerebroventricular injection of sbGnIH-1 and sbGnIH-2 on brain and pituitary expression of reproductive hormone genes (gnrh1, gnrh2, gnrh3, kiss1, kiss2, gnih, lhbeta, fshbeta), and their receptors (gnrhr II-1a, gnrhr II-2b, kiss1r, kiss2r, and gnihr) as well as on plasma Fsh and Lh levels. In addition, we determined the effects of GnIH on pituitary somatotropin (Gh) expression. The results obtained revealed the inhibitory role of sbGnIH-2 on brain gnrh2, kiss1, kiss2, kiss1r, gnih, and gnihr transcripts and on pituitary fshbeta, lhbeta, gh, and gnrhr-II-1a expression, whereas sbGnIH-1 only down-regulated brain gnrh1 expression. However, at different doses, central administration of both sbGnIH-1 and sbGnIH-2 decreased Lh plasma levels. Our work represents the first study reporting the effects of centrally administered GnIH in fish and provides evidence of the differential actions of sbGnIH-1 and sbGnIH-2 on the reproductive axis of sea bass, the main inhibitory role being exerted by the sbGnIH-2 peptide. © 2016 by the Society for the Study of Reproduction, Inc.

Ipsilateral hemiparesis in lateral medullary infarction: Clinical investigation of the lesion location on magnetic resonance imaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Uemura, Masahiro; Naritomi, Hiroaki; Uno, Hisakazu; Umesaki, Arisa; Miyashita, Kotaro; Toyoda, Kazunori; Minematsu, Kazuo; Nagatsuka, Kazuyuki

2016-06-15

In 1946, Opalski reported two cases of Wallenberg syndrome with ipsilateral hemiparesis (IH). His hypothesis seems to be based on the view that IH is caused by post-decussating pyramidal tract damage. Afterwards, other researchers proposed a different hypothesis that ipsilateral sensory symptoms of limbs (ISSL) or ipsilateral limb ataxia (ILA) caused by lateral medullary infarction (LMI) might lead to ipsilateral motor weakness. The present study is aimed to clarify whether IH in LMI patients is attributable mainly to ISSL/ILA or disruption of ipsilateral post-decussating pyramidal tract. Thirty-two patients with acute LMI admitted during the last 13years were divided to IH Group (n=7) and Non-IH Group (n=25). Lesion location/distribution on MRI and neurological findings were compared between the two groups. LMI involved the lower medulla in all seven IH patients and 12 of 25 Non-IH patients. The lower medullary lesion extended to the cervico-medullary junction (CMJ) in four of seven IH patients and one of 12 Non-IH patients. Definitive extension to upper cervical cord (UCC) was confirmed in none of the patients. ISSL was found in two IH and three Non-IH patients all showing only superficial sensory impairments. ILA or hypotonia was observed in 57% of IH and 60% of Non-IH patients. IH in LMI appears to be due mainly to post-decussating pyramidal tract damage at the lower medulla instead of ILA or ISSL participation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Health care utilization in a sample of Canadian lesbian women: predictors of risk and resilience.

Science.gov (United States)

Bergeron, Sherry; Senn, Charlene Y

2003-01-01

This study was designed to test an exploratory path model predicting health care utilization by lesbian women. Using structural equation modeling we examined the joint influence of internalized homophobia, feminism, comfort with health care providers (HCPs), education, and disclosure of sexual identity both in one's life and to one's HCP on health care utilization. Surveys were completed by 254 Canadian lesbian women (54% participation rate) recruited through snowball sampling and specialized media. The majority (95%) of women were White, 3% (n = 7) were women of colour, and the remaining six women did not indicate ethnicity. Participants ranged in age from 18 to 67 with a mean age of 38.85 years (SD = 9.12). In the final path model, higher education predicted greater feminism, more disclosure to HCPs, and better utilization of health services. Feminism predicted both decreased levels of internalized homophobia and increased disclosure across relationships. Being more open about one's sexual identity was related to increased disclosure to HCPs, which in turn, led to better health care utilization. Finally, the more comfortable women were with their HCP the more likely they were to seek preventive care. All paths were significant at p < .01. The path model offers insight into potential target areas for intervention with the goal of improving health care utilization in lesbian women.

The Declining Significance of Homohysteria for Male Students in Three Sixth Forms in the South of England

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McCormack, M.

2011-01-01

English schools have traditionally been institutions with high levels of homophobia. This is attributed to the need that heterosexual boys have to maintain a heteromasculine identity. However, by drawing on 44 in-depth interviews and 12 months of participant observation across three sixth forms, I detail the ways in which homophobia holds little…

Evaluation of the European Union-United States oil and petroleum-based fuels trade potential in the context of the negotiated TTIP agreement

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Olkuski Tadeusz

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The article evaluates the European Union-United States oil and petroleum-based fuels trade potential. The planned trade structure and balance according to IEA (International Energy Agency and IHS (IHS CERA www.ihs.com scenarios, the projected volume of imports and exports, and differences in price levels and costs are presented. The projected potential of the trade volume, taking into account the possible impact of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP, is also presented. The analysis has shown that the elimination of trade barriers between the European Union and the United States would be more beneficial to US refineries. Due to the higher import tariffs to the EU, the potential benefits of US exporters are higher than those of the EU exporters to the US. This confirms the fears of European negotiators that some aspects of the agreement will have a negative impact on European businesses. However, in the case of petroleum products the TTIP agreement will have a negligible impact on increasing the export volume.

THE EFFECT OF ADRENAL MEDULLECTOMY ON METABOLIC RESPONSES TO CHRONIC INTERMITTENT HYPOXIA

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Shin, Mi-Kyung; Han, Woobum; Bevans-Fonti, Shannon; Jun, Jonathan C.; Punjabi, Naresh M.; Polotsky, Vsevolod Y.

2014-01-01

Obstructive sleep apnea causes intermittent hypoxia (IH) and is associated with insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. IH increases plasma catecholamine levels, which may increase insulin resistance and suppress insulin secretion. The objective of this study was to determine if adrenal medullectomy (MED) prevents metabolic dysfunction in IH. MED or sham surgery was performed in 60 male C57BL/6J mice, which were then exposed to IH or control conditions (intermittent air) for 6 weeks. IH increased plasma epinephrine and norepinephrine levels, increased fasting blood glucose and lowered basal and glucose-stimulated insulin secretion. MED decreased baseline epinephrine and prevented the IH induced increase in epinephrine, whereas the norepinephrine response remained intact. MED improved glucose tolerance in mice exposed to IH, attenuated the impairment in basal and glucose-stimulated insulin secretion, but did not prevent IH-induced fasting hyperglycemia or insulin resistance. We conclude that the epinephrine release from the adrenal medulla during IH suppresses insulin secretion causing hyperglycemia. PMID:25179887

High intensity aerobic exercise training improves chronic intermittent hypoxia-induced insulin resistance without basal autophagy modulation.

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Pauly, Marion; Assense, Allan; Rondon, Aurélie; Thomas, Amandine; Dubouchaud, Hervé; Freyssenet, Damien; Benoit, Henri; Castells, Josiane; Flore, Patrice

2017-03-03

Chronic intermittent hypoxia (IH) associated with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a major risk factor for cardiovascular and metabolic diseases (insulin resistance: IR). Autophagy is involved in the pathophysiology of IR and high intensity training (HIT) has recently emerged as a potential therapy. We aimed to confirm IH-induced IR in a tissue-dependent way and to explore the preventive effect of HIT on IR-induced by IH. Thirty Swiss 129 male mice were randomly assigned to Normoxia (N), Intermittent Hypoxia (IH: 21-5% FiO 2 , 30 s cycle, 8 h/day) or IH associated with high intensity training (IH HIT). After 8 days of HIT (2*24 min, 50 to 90% of Maximal Aerobic Speed or MAS on a treadmill) mice underwent 14 days IH or N. We found that IH induced IR, characterized by a greater glycemia, an impaired insulin sensitivity and lower AKT phosphorylation in adipose tissue and liver. Nevertheless, MAS and AKT phosphorylation were greater in muscle after IH. IH associated with HIT induced better systemic insulin sensitivity and AKT phosphorylation in liver. Autophagy markers were not altered in both conditions. These findings suggest that HIT could represent a preventive strategy to limit IH-induced IR without change of basal autophagy.

Cine Club

CERN Multimedia

Cine Club

2017-01-01

LGBTQ CERN, Ciné Club and the Diversity Offiche present for International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia: Wednesday 17 May 2017 at 20:00 CERN Council Chamber The Kids Are All Right Directed by Lisa Cholodenko USA, 2010, 104 min. Two teenaged children get the notion to seek out their biological father an introduce him into the family life that their two mothers have built for them. Once the donor is found, the household will never be the same..

Intermittent hypoxia induces the proliferation of rat vascular smooth muscle cell with the increases in epidermal growth factor family and erbB2 receptor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kyotani, Yoji; Ota, Hiroyo; Itaya-Hironaka, Asako; Yamauchi, Akiyo; Sakuramoto-Tsuchida, Sumiyo; Zhao, Jing; Ozawa, Kentaro; Nagayama, Kosuke; Ito, Satoyasu; Takasawa, Shin; Kimura, Hiroshi; Uno, Masayuki; Yoshizumi, Masanori

2013-01-01

Obstructive sleep apnea is characterized by intermittent hypoxia (IH), and associated with cardiovascular diseases, such as stroke and heart failure. These cardiovascular diseases have a relation to atherosclerosis marked by the proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). In this study, we investigated the influence of IH on cultured rat aortic smooth muscle cell (RASMC). The proliferation of RASMC was significantly increased by IH without changing the level of apoptosis. In order to see what induces RASMC proliferation, we investigated the influence of normoxia (N)-, IH- and sustained hypoxia (SH)-treated cell conditioned media on RASMC proliferation. IH-treated cell conditioned medium significantly increased RASMC proliferation compared with N-treated cell conditioned medium, but SH-treated cell conditioned medium did not. We next investigated the epidermal growth factor (EGF) family as autocrine growth factors. Among the EGF family, we found significant increases in mRNAs for epiregulin (ER), amphiregulin (AR) and neuregulin-1 (NRG1) in IH-treated cells and mature ER in IH-treated cell conditioned medium. We next investigated the changes in erbB family receptors that are receptors for ER, AR and NRG1, and found that erbB2 receptor mRNA and protein expressions were increased by IH, but not by SH. Phosphorylation of erbB2 receptor at Tyr-1248 that mediates intracellular signaling for several physiological effects including cell proliferation was increased by IH, but not by SH. In addition, inhibitor for erbB2 receptor suppressed IH-induced cell proliferation. These results provide the first demonstration that IH induces VSMC proliferation, and suggest that EGF family, such as ER, AR and NRG1, and erbB2 receptor could be involved in the IH-induced VSMC proliferation. - Highlights: ●In vitro system for intermittent hypoxia (IH) and sustained hypoxia (SH). ●IH, but not SH, induces the proliferation of rat vascular smooth muscle cell. ●Epiregulin m

Intermittent hypoxia induces the proliferation of rat vascular smooth muscle cell with the increases in epidermal growth factor family and erbB2 receptor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kyotani, Yoji, E-mail: cd147@naramed-u.ac.jp [Department of Pharmacology, Nara Medical University School of Medicine, Kashihara 634-8521 (Japan); Department of Pharmacy, Nara Medical University Hospital, Kashihara 634-8522 (Japan); Ota, Hiroyo [Second Department of Internal Medicine, Nara Medical University School of Medicine, Kashihara 634-8522 (Japan); Department of Biochemistry, Nara Medical University School of Medicine, Kashihara 634-8521 (Japan); Itaya-Hironaka, Asako; Yamauchi, Akiyo; Sakuramoto-Tsuchida, Sumiyo [Department of Biochemistry, Nara Medical University School of Medicine, Kashihara 634-8521 (Japan); Zhao, Jing; Ozawa, Kentaro; Nagayama, Kosuke; Ito, Satoyasu [Department of Pharmacology, Nara Medical University School of Medicine, Kashihara 634-8521 (Japan); Takasawa, Shin [Department of Biochemistry, Nara Medical University School of Medicine, Kashihara 634-8521 (Japan); Kimura, Hiroshi [Second Department of Internal Medicine, Nara Medical University School of Medicine, Kashihara 634-8522 (Japan); Uno, Masayuki [Department of Pharmacy, Nara Medical University Hospital, Kashihara 634-8522 (Japan); Yoshizumi, Masanori [Department of Pharmacology, Nara Medical University School of Medicine, Kashihara 634-8521 (Japan)

2013-11-15

Obstructive sleep apnea is characterized by intermittent hypoxia (IH), and associated with cardiovascular diseases, such as stroke and heart failure. These cardiovascular diseases have a relation to atherosclerosis marked by the proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). In this study, we investigated the influence of IH on cultured rat aortic smooth muscle cell (RASMC). The proliferation of RASMC was significantly increased by IH without changing the level of apoptosis. In order to see what induces RASMC proliferation, we investigated the influence of normoxia (N)-, IH- and sustained hypoxia (SH)-treated cell conditioned media on RASMC proliferation. IH-treated cell conditioned medium significantly increased RASMC proliferation compared with N-treated cell conditioned medium, but SH-treated cell conditioned medium did not. We next investigated the epidermal growth factor (EGF) family as autocrine growth factors. Among the EGF family, we found significant increases in mRNAs for epiregulin (ER), amphiregulin (AR) and neuregulin-1 (NRG1) in IH-treated cells and mature ER in IH-treated cell conditioned medium. We next investigated the changes in erbB family receptors that are receptors for ER, AR and NRG1, and found that erbB2 receptor mRNA and protein expressions were increased by IH, but not by SH. Phosphorylation of erbB2 receptor at Tyr-1248 that mediates intracellular signaling for several physiological effects including cell proliferation was increased by IH, but not by SH. In addition, inhibitor for erbB2 receptor suppressed IH-induced cell proliferation. These results provide the first demonstration that IH induces VSMC proliferation, and suggest that EGF family, such as ER, AR and NRG1, and erbB2 receptor could be involved in the IH-induced VSMC proliferation. - Highlights: ●In vitro system for intermittent hypoxia (IH) and sustained hypoxia (SH). ●IH, but not SH, induces the proliferation of rat vascular smooth muscle cell. ●Epiregulin m

Prolonged Exposures to Intermittent Hypoxia Promote Visceral White Adipose Tissue Inflammation in a Murine Model of Severe Sleep Apnea: Effect of Normoxic Recovery.

Science.gov (United States)

Gileles-Hillel, Alex; Almendros, Isaac; Khalyfa, Abdelnaby; Nigdelioglu, Recep; Qiao, Zhuanhong; Hamanaka, Robert B; Mutlu, Gökhan M; Akbarpour, Mahzad; Gozal, David

2017-03-01

Increased visceral white adipose tissue (vWAT) mass results in infiltration of inflammatory macrophages that drive inflammation and insulin resistance. Patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) suffer from increased prevalence of obesity, insulin resistance, and metabolic syndrome. Murine models of intermittent hypoxia (IH) mimicking moderate-severe OSA manifest insulin resistance following short-term IH. We examined in mice the effect of long-term IH on the inflammatory cellular changes within vWAT and the potential effect of normoxic recovery (IH-R). Male C57BL/6J mice were subjected to IH for 20 weeks, and a subset was allowed to recover in room air (RA) for 6 or 12 weeks (IH-R). Stromal vascular fraction was isolated from epididymal vWAT and mesenteric vWAT depots, and single-cell suspensions were prepared for flow cytometry analyses, reactive oxygen species (ROS), and metabolic assays. IH reduced body weight and vWAT mass and IH-R resulted in catch-up weight and vWAT mass. IH-exposed vWAT exhibited increased macrophage counts (ATMs) that were only partially improved in IH-R. IH also caused a proinflammatory shift in ATMs (increased Ly6c(hi)(+) and CD36(+) ATMs). These changes were accompanied by increased vWAT insulin resistance with only partial improvements in IH-R. In addition, ATMs exhibited increased ROS production, altered metabolism, and changes in electron transport chain, which were only partially improved in IH-R. Prolonged exposures to IH during the sleep period induce pronounced vWAT inflammation and insulin resistance despite concomitant vWAT mass reductions. These changes are only partially reversible after 3 months of normoxic recovery. Thus, long-lasting OSA may preclude complete reversibility of metabolic changes. © Sleep Research Society (SRS) 2016. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com

Homophobia in physical education and sport: the role of physical/sporting identity and attributes, authoritarian aggression, and social dominance orientation.

Science.gov (United States)

O'Brien, Kerry S; Shovelton, Heather; Latner, Janet D

2013-01-01

We examined levels of, and reasons for, anti-gay and anti-lesbian prejudice (homophobia) in pre-service physical education (PE) and non-physical education (non-PE) university students. Participants (N = 409; 66% female; N = 199 pre-service physical educators) completed questionnaires assessing anti-gay and lesbian prejudice, authoritarianism, social dominance orientation (SDO), physical/athletic identity and self-concept, and physical attributes. ANCOVAs revealed that PE students had higher levels of anti-gay (p = .004) and lesbian prejudice than non-PE students (p = .008), respectively. Males reported greater anti-gay prejudice (p anti-lesbian prejudice, than females. Authoritarian aggression was positively associated with greater anti-gay (β = .49) and lesbian prejudice (β = .37) among male participants. Among females, higher authoritarian aggression and SDO was associated with greater anti-gay (β = .34 and β = .25, respectively) and lesbian (β = .26 and β = .16, respectively) prejudice. The physical identity-related constructs of athletic self-concept (β = .-15) and perceived upper body strength (β = .39) were associated with anti-gay attitudes among male participants. Physical attractiveness (β = -.29) and upper body strength (β = .29) were also associated with male participants' anti-lesbian prejudice. Regression analyses showed that the differences between PE and non-PE students in anti-gay and lesbian prejudice were largely mediated by authoritarianism and SDO. The present study is the first to examine the relationship between investment in physical/sporting identity and attributes and anti-gay and lesbian prejudice in PE/sport participants. In the present sample, anti-gay and lesbian prejudice was greater in pre-service PE students than non-PE students, but these differences appear to be explained by differences in conservative ideological traits. Additionally, physical identity and

Effects of varying degrees of intermittent hypoxia on proinflammatory cytokines and adipokines in rats and 3T3-L1 adipocytes.

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Qing He

Full Text Available OBJECTIVES: Intermittent hypoxia (IH, resulted from recurring episodes of upper airway obstruction, is the hallmark feature and the most important pathophysiologic pathway of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA. IH is believed to be the most important factor causing systemic inflammation. Studies suggest that insulin resistance (IR is positively associated with OSA. In this study, we hypothesized that the recurrence of IH might result in cellular and systemic inflammation, which was manifested through the levels of proinflammatory cytokines and adipokines after IH exposure, and because IR is linked with inflammation tightly, this inflammatory situation may implicate an IR status. METHODS: We developed an IH 3T3-L1 adipocyte and rat model respectively, recapitulating the nocturnal oxygen profile in OSA. In IH cells, nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB DNA binding reactions, hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α, glucose transporter-1 (Glut-1, necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α, interleukin (IL -6, leptin, adiponectin mRNA transcriptional activities and protein expressions were measured. In IH rats, blood glucose, insulin, TNF-α, IL-6, leptin and adiponectin levels were analyzed. RESULTS: The insulin and blood glucose levels in rats and NF-κB DNA binding activities in cells had significantly statistical results described as severe IH>moderate IH>mild IH>sustained hypoxia>control. The mRNA and protein levels of HIF-1α and Glut-1 in severe IH group were the highest. In cellular and animal models, both the mRNA and protein levels of TNF-α, IL-6 and leptin were the highest in severe IH group, when the lowest in severe IH group for adiponectin. CONCLUSIONS: Oxidative stress and the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines/adipokines, which are the systemic inflammatory markers, are associated with IH closely and are proportional to the severity of IH. Because IR and glucose intolerance are linked with inflammation tightly, our results may implicate the clinical

An evolutionary scenario for gonadotrophin-inhibitory hormone in chordates.

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Osugi, T; Ubuka, T; Tsutsui, K

2015-06-01

In 2000, we discovered a novel hypothalamic neuropeptide that actively inhibits gonadotrophin release in quail and termed it gonadotrophin-inhibitory hormone (GnIH). GnIH peptides have subsequently been identified in most representative species of gnathostomes. They all share a C-terminal LPXRFamide (X = L or Q) motif. GnIH can inhibit gonadotrophin synthesis and release by decreasing the activity of GnRH neuroes, as well as by directly inhibiting pituitary gonadotrophin secretion in birds and mammals. To investigate the evolutionary origin of GnIH and its ancestral function, we identified a GnIH precursor gene encoding GnIHs from the brain of sea lamprey, the most ancient lineage of vertebrates. Lamprey GnIHs possess a C-terminal PQRFamide motif. In vivo administration of one of lamprey GnIHs stimulated the expression of lamprey GnRH in the hypothalamus and gonadotophin β mRNA in the pituitary. Thus, GnIH may have emerged in agnathans as a stimulatory neuropeptide that subsequently diverged to an inhibitory neuropeptide during the course of evolution from basal vertebrates to later-evolved vertebrates, such as birds and mammals. From a structural point of view, pain modulatory neuropeptides, such as neuropeptide FF (NPFF) and neuropeptide AF, share a C-terminal PQRFamide motif. Because agnathans possess both GnIH and NPFF genes, the origin of GnIH and NPFF genes may date back before the emergence of agnathans. More recently, we identified a novel gene encoding RFamide peptides in the amphioxus. Molecular phylogenetic analysis and synteny analysis indicated that this gene is closely related to the genes of GnIH and NPFF of vertebrates. The results suggest that the identified protochordate gene is similar to the common ancestor of GnIH and NPFF genes, indicating that the origin of GnIH and NPFF may date back to the time of the emergence of early chordates. The GnIH and NPFF genes may have diverged by whole-genome duplication during the course of vertebrate

The Intergenerational Association Between Parents' Problem Gambling and Impulsivity-Hyperactivity/Inattention Behaviors in Children.

Science.gov (United States)

Carbonneau, Rene; Vitaro, Frank; Brendgen, Mara; Tremblay, Richard E

2017-11-04

Despite the well-established association between problem gambling and ADHD core categories of impulsivity-hyperactivity and inattention, the link between parents' problem gambling and impulsivity-hyperactivity/inattention (IH/I) behaviors in children has not been investigated. This study investigated the association between parents' problem gambling and children's IH/I behaviors while controlling for potential confounding variables. A population-based prospective cohort followed-up from kindergarten to age 30, the Quebec Longitudinal Study of Kindergarten Children (QLSKC), provided data over three generations. Among 1358 participants at age 30, parents with a child aged 1 year or older (N = 468; Mean age = 4.65 years; SD = 2.70) were selected. Generalized Linear Models included measures of grandparents' and parents' problem gambling, parents' IH/I behaviors in childhood, and a host of risk factors and comorbidities to predict IH/I in children. Intergenerational bivariate associations were observed between grandparents' problem gambling, parents' IH/I in childhood and problem gambling at age 30, and between parents' IH/I, problem gambling, and children's IH/I behaviors. Parents' problem gambling predicted children's IH/I behaviors above and beyond the effects of covariates such as family and socioeconomic characteristics, alcohol and drug use, depression symptoms and parents' gambling involvement. Parents' IH/I behaviors in childhood also predicted children's IH/I and had a moderating, enhancing effect on parents' problem gambling association with their offspring's IH/I behaviors. Problem gambling is a characteristic of parents' mental health that is distinctively associated with children's IH/I behaviors, above and beyond parents' own history of IH/I and of typically related addictive, psychopathological or socioeconomic risk factors and comorbidities.

Treatment of hip dysplasia in patients with mucopolysaccharidosis type I after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: results of an international consensus procedure

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Langereis, Eveline J.; Borgo, Andrea; Crushell, Ellen; Harmatz, Paul R.; van Hasselt, Peter M.; Jones, Simon A.; Kelly, Paula M.; Lampe, Christina; van der Lee, Johanna H.; Odent, Thierry; Sakkers, Ralph; Scarpa, Maurizio; Schafroth, Matthias U.; Struijs, Peter A.; Valayannopoulos, Vassili; White, Klane K.; Wijburg, Frits A.

2013-01-01

Mucopolysaccharidosis type I (MPS-I) is a lysosomal storage disorder characterized by progressive multi-organ disease. The standard of care for patients with the severe phenotype (Hurler syndrome, MPS I-H) is early hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). However, skeletal disease, including

Reflexões sobre homofobia e educação em escolas do interior paulista Reflections on homophobia and education in schools in the interior of Sao Paulo state

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Fernando Silva Teixeira-Filho

2011-12-01

reinforce the hegemonic discourses of control of sexualities guided by the attempt to promote heterosexuality as the only form of sexual intelligibility, to the detriment of other forms of expression of sexuality. We discuss how homophobia and the devices of social control of sexuality (re produce prejudices and stereotypies, resulting in vulnerabilities that non-heterosexual teenagers have, such as homophobic victimization, social and affective isolation, ideations and suicide attempts. The study shows that the invariant were discrimination, homophobic violence and the insults that are perpetrated in the values and discourses of adolescents at school and in their family, demonstrating the institutionalization of homophobia as a regulatory practice of the psychological and social construction of gender and sexual identities. We highlight how important it is for the school to appropriate the means of deconstruction of heterocentric normativity to preserve the rights and citizenship of the people who do not identify with the prevailing models of heterosexuality.

A Journey through the Gonadotropin-Inhibitory Hormone System of Fish

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José A. Muñoz-Cueto

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Gonadotropin-inhibitory hormone (GnIH is a hypothalamic neuropeptide that belongs to the RFamide peptide family and was first identified in the quail brain. From the discovery of avian GnIH, orthologous GnIH peptides have been reported in a variety of vertebrates, including mammals, amphibians, teleosts and agnathans, but also in protochordates. It has been clearly established that GnIH suppresses reproduction in avian and mammalian species through its inhibitory actions on brain GnRH and pituitary gonadotropins. In addition, GnIH also appears to be involved in the regulation of feeding, growth, stress response, heart function and social behavior. These actions are mediated via G protein-coupled GnIH receptors (GnIH-Rs, of which two different subtypes, GPR147 and GPR74, have been described to date. With around 30,000 species, fish represent more than one-half of the total number of recognized living vertebrate species. In addition to this impressive biological diversity, fish are relevant because they include model species with scientific and clinical interest as well as many exploited species with economic importance. In spite of this, the study of GnIH and its physiological effects on reproduction and other physiological processes has only been approached in a few fish species, and results obtained are in some cases conflicting. In this review, we summarize the information available in the literature on GnIH sequences identified in fish, the distribution of GnIH and GnIH-Rs in central and peripheral tissues, the physiological actions of GnIH on the reproductive brain-pituitary-gonadal axis, as well as other reported effects of this neuropeptide, and existing knowledge on the regulatory mechanisms of GnIH in fish.

Cyclooxygenases 1 and 2 differentially regulate blood pressure and cerebrovascular responses to acute and chronic intermittent hypoxia: implications for sleep apnea.

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Beaudin, Andrew E; Pun, Matiram; Yang, Christina; Nicholl, David D M; Steinback, Craig D; Slater, Donna M; Wynne-Edwards, Katherine E; Hanly, Patrick J; Ahmed, Sofia B; Poulin, Marc J

2014-05-09

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease resulting from intermittent hypoxia (IH)-induced inflammation. Cyclooxygenase (COX)-formed prostanoids mediate the inflammatory response, and regulate blood pressure and cerebral blood flow (CBF), but their role in blood pressure and CBF responses to IH is unknown. Therefore, this study's objective was to determine the role of prostanoids in cardiovascular and cerebrovascular responses to IH. Twelve healthy, male participants underwent three, 6-hour IH exposures. For 4 days before each IH exposure, participants ingested a placebo, indomethacin (nonselective COX inhibitor), or Celebrex(®) (selective COX-2 inhibitor) in a double-blind, randomized, crossover study design. Pre- and post-IH blood pressure, CBF, and urinary prostanoids were assessed. Additionally, blood pressure and urinary prostanoids were assessed in newly diagnosed, untreated OSA patients (n=33). Nonselective COX inhibition increased pre-IH blood pressure (P ≤ 0.04) and decreased pre-IH CBF (P=0.04) while neither physiological variable was affected by COX-2 inhibition (P ≥ 0.90). Post-IH, MAP was elevated (P ≤ 0.05) and CBF was unchanged with placebo and nonselective COX inhibition. Selective COX-2 inhibition abrogated the IH-induced MAP increase (P=0.19), but resulted in lower post-IH CBF (P=0.01). Prostanoids were unaffected by IH, except prostaglandin E2 was elevated with the placebo (P=0.02). Finally, OSA patients had elevated blood pressure (P ≤ 0.4) and COX-1 formed thromboxane A2 concentrations (P=0.02). COX-2 and COX-1 have divergent roles in modulating vascular responses to acute and chronic IH. Moreover, COX-1 inhibition may mitigate cardiovascular and cerebrovascular morbidity in OSA. www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT01280006.

Heterosexual attitudes toward same-sex marriage.

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Moskowitz, David A; Rieger, Gerulf; Roloff, Michael E

2010-01-01

Negative attitudes of heterosexual people toward same-sex marriage relate to the degree to which they are homophobic. However, it has been understudied whether there exists a gender difference in this association. Our results indicated that homophobia was the best predictor of attitudes toward gay male and lesbian marriage, and this was equally true for both heterosexual men and women. However, the attitudinal difference between gay male and lesbian marriage was related to homophobia in men but not in women. That is, for men only, being less homophobic toward lesbians than toward gay men was associated with favoring lesbian over gay men marriage. Considering these results, the role of gender in attitudes toward same-sex marriage seems to be as an important moderator of homophobia.

Heterosexual Attitudes towards Same-Sex Marriage

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Moskowitz, David A.; Rieger, Gerulf; Roloff, Michael E.

2016-01-01

Negative attitudes of heterosexual people toward same-sex marriage relate to the degree to which they are homophobic. However, it has been understudied whether there exists a gender difference in this association. Our results indicated that homophobia was the best predictor of attitudes toward gay male and lesbian marriage, and this was equally true for both heterosexual men and women. However, the attitudinal difference between gay male and lesbian marriage was related to homophobia in men but not in women. That is, for men only, being less homophobic towards lesbians than towards gay men was associated with favoring lesbian over gay men marriage. Considering these results, the role of gender in attitudes toward same-sex marriage seems to be as an important moderator of homophobia. PMID:20390996

Metallothionein as a compensatory component prevents intermittent hypoxia-induced cardiomyopathy in mice

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Yin, Xia; Zhou, Shanshan [The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130021 (China); KCHRI at the Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, 40202 (United States); Zheng, Yang, E-mail: zhengyang@jlu.edu.cn [The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130021 (China); Tan, Yi [KCHRI at the Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, 40202 (United States); Chinese–American Research Institute for Diabetic Complications, Wenzhou Medical College School of Pharmacy, Wenzhou, 325035 (China); Kong, Maiying [Department of Bioinformatics and Biostatistics, School of Public Health and Information Sciences, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40202 (United States); Wang, Bo [KCHRI at the Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, 40202 (United States); Department of Pathology, Inner Mongolia Forestry General Hospital, Yakeshi, 022150 (China); Feng, Wenke [Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, 40202 (United States); Epstein, Paul N. [KCHRI at the Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, 40202 (United States); Cai, Jun, E-mail: j0cai002@louisville.edu [KCHRI at the Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, 40202 (United States); Cai, Lu [KCHRI at the Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, 40202 (United States); Chinese–American Research Institute for Diabetic Complications, Wenzhou Medical College School of Pharmacy, Wenzhou, 325035 (China); Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, 40202 (United States)

2014-05-15

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) causes chronic intermittent hypoxia (IH) to induce cardiovascular disease, which may be related to oxidative damage. Metallothionein (MT) has been extensively proved to be an endogenous and highly inducible antioxidant protein expressed in the heart. Therefore, we tested the hypotheses that oxidative stress plays a critical role in OSA induced cardiac damage and MT protects the heart from OSA-induced cardiomyopathy. To mimic hypoxia/reoxygenation events that occur in adult OSA patients, mice were exposed to IH for 3 days to 8 weeks. The IH paradigm consisted of alternating cycles of 20.9% O{sub 2}/8% O{sub 2} F{sub I}O{sub 2} (30 episodes per hour) with 20 s at the nadir F{sub I}O{sub 2} for 12 h a day during daylight. IH significantly increased the ratio of heart weight to tibia length at 4 weeks with a decrease in cardiac function from 4 to 8 weeks. Cardiac oxidative damage and fibrosis were observed after 4 and 8 weeks of IH exposures. Endogenous MT expression was up-regulated in response to 3-day IH, but significantly decreased at 4 and 8 weeks of IH. In support of MT as a major compensatory component, mice with cardiac overexpression of MT gene and mice with global MT gene deletion were completely resistant, and highly sensitive, respectively, to chronic IH induced cardiac effects. These findings suggest that chronic IH induces cardiomyopathy characterized by oxidative stress-mediated cardiac damage and the antioxidant MT protects the heart from such pathological and functional changes. - Highlights: • The effect of intermittent hypoxia (IH) on cardiac metallothionein (MT) • Cardiac MT expression was up-regulated in response to 3-day IH. • Exposure to 4- or 8-week IH downregulated cardiac MT expression. • Overexpression of cardiac MT protects from IH-induced cardiac damage. • Global deletion of MT gene made the heart more sensitive to IH damage.

Metallothionein as a compensatory component prevents intermittent hypoxia-induced cardiomyopathy in mice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yin, Xia; Zhou, Shanshan; Zheng, Yang; Tan, Yi; Kong, Maiying; Wang, Bo; Feng, Wenke; Epstein, Paul N.; Cai, Jun; Cai, Lu

2014-01-01

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) causes chronic intermittent hypoxia (IH) to induce cardiovascular disease, which may be related to oxidative damage. Metallothionein (MT) has been extensively proved to be an endogenous and highly inducible antioxidant protein expressed in the heart. Therefore, we tested the hypotheses that oxidative stress plays a critical role in OSA induced cardiac damage and MT protects the heart from OSA-induced cardiomyopathy. To mimic hypoxia/reoxygenation events that occur in adult OSA patients, mice were exposed to IH for 3 days to 8 weeks. The IH paradigm consisted of alternating cycles of 20.9% O 2 /8% O 2 F I O 2 (30 episodes per hour) with 20 s at the nadir F I O 2 for 12 h a day during daylight. IH significantly increased the ratio of heart weight to tibia length at 4 weeks with a decrease in cardiac function from 4 to 8 weeks. Cardiac oxidative damage and fibrosis were observed after 4 and 8 weeks of IH exposures. Endogenous MT expression was up-regulated in response to 3-day IH, but significantly decreased at 4 and 8 weeks of IH. In support of MT as a major compensatory component, mice with cardiac overexpression of MT gene and mice with global MT gene deletion were completely resistant, and highly sensitive, respectively, to chronic IH induced cardiac effects. These findings suggest that chronic IH induces cardiomyopathy characterized by oxidative stress-mediated cardiac damage and the antioxidant MT protects the heart from such pathological and functional changes. - Highlights: • The effect of intermittent hypoxia (IH) on cardiac metallothionein (MT) • Cardiac MT expression was up-regulated in response to 3-day IH. • Exposure to 4- or 8-week IH downregulated cardiac MT expression. • Overexpression of cardiac MT protects from IH-induced cardiac damage. • Global deletion of MT gene made the heart more sensitive to IH damage

Estimation of Rabeprazole Sodium and Itopride Hydrochloride in Tablet Dosage Form Using Reverse Phase High Performance Liquid Chromatography

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Shaik Harum Rasheed

2011-01-01

Full Text Available A reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC method was developed, validated and used for the quantitative determination of rabeprazole sodium (RP and itopride hydrochloride (IH, from its tablet dosage form. Chromatographic separation was performed on a Phenomenex C18 column (250 mm × 4.6 mm, 5 μm, with a mobile phase comprising of a mixture of 50 mM ammonium acetate buffer and methanol (20:80v/v, pH 4.5 adjusted with acetic acid, at a flow rate of 1.3 mL/min with detection at 286 nm. Separation was completed in less than 10 min. As per International Conference on Harmonization (ICH guidelines the method was validated for linearity, accuracy, precision, limit of quantitation and limit of detection. Linearity of RP was found to be in the range of 37.5-375 μg/mL and IH was found to be in the range of 5-50 μg/mL. The correlation coefficients were 0.9997 and 0.9995 for RB and IH respectively. The accuracy of the developed method was found to be 98.6-100.7 for RP and 99.42 -100.81 for IH. The experiment shows the developed method is free from interference of excipients. It indicates the developed RP-HPLC method is simple, linear, precise and accurate and it can be conveniently adopted for the routine quality control analysis of the tablet dosage form.

The Ethanolic Extracts The Gorgonian Isis hippuris Inhibited the Induced Mammary Carcinoma Growth In C3H Mice

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Trianto, Agus; Andriyas, Yogi; Ridlo, Ali; Sedjati, Sri; Susilaningsih, Neni; Murwani, Retno

2018-02-01

The gorgonian Isis hippuris contains secondary metabolites gorgosterol and hippuristanol which are capable of inhibiting cancer cells. However, in vivo test of the gorgonian Isis hippuris extract as the anticancer drug has not been conducted. The research to study of the effect of ethanolic extract of the gorgonian on the induced tumor growth in C3H mice. The I. hippuris was obtained from Karimunjawa water in Jepara. The extract was prepared by maceration using ethanol. A total 20, 8-10 moths old of C3H mice with an initial weight of 20-25 gram were assigned into control, Ih-1, Ih-2, and Ih-3 groups. Control, Ih-1, Ih-2, and Ih-3 groups each received 0, 0.15, 1.5, and 15 mg extract per mouse per day respectively for two weeks. Cancer cells were introduced to all groups from a donor cancer mouse by injection via left or right axilla and allowed to grow. The cancer mass was removed and processed for histological examination, and cancer growth was determined according to Elston and Ellis criteria. The result showed that histological grade of cancer mass from the control group was in grade 2 or differentiated moderately. The histological grade of cancer mass from Ih-1, Ih-2, and Ih-3 groups were in grade 1 (low grade) or similar to a normal cell. Statistical analysis by Kruskal-Wallis test showed a significant difference (ptest found no significant differences among Ih-1, Ih-2, and Ih-3 treated mice. The results indicated the potential of active substances in the ethanol extract of I. hippuris as an anti-cancer drug.

Differences between previously married and never married 'gay' men: family background, childhood experiences and current attitudes.

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Higgins, Daryl J

2004-01-01

Despite a large body of literature on the development of sexual orientation, little is known about why some gay men have been (or remain) married to a woman. In the current study, a self-selected sample of 43 never married gay men ('never married') and 26 gay men who were married to a woman ('previously married') completed a self-report questionnaire. Hypotheses were based on five possible explanations for gay men's marriages: (a) differences in sexual orientation (i.e., bisexuality); (b) internalized homophobia; (c) religious intolerance; (d) confusion created because of childhood/adolescent sexual experiences; and/or (e) poor psychological adjustment. Previously married described their families' religious beliefs as more fundamentalist than never married. No differences were found between married' and never married' ratings of their sexual orientation and identity, and levels of homophobia and self-depreciation. Family adaptability and family cohesion and the degree to which respondents reported having experienced child maltreatment did not distinguish between previously married and never married. The results highlight how little is understood of the reasons why gay men marry, and the need to develop an adequate theoretical model.

Undergraduates' perceptions of the value of practical inhalation sedation experience in a UK dental school.

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Walley, S; Albadri, S

2015-10-01

This was to establish the level and reported value of paediatric IHS experience from the perspective of final year undergraduates and to evaluate whether those students with more experience expressed feeling better-prepared for future practice and more likely to undertake further postgraduate education in IHS. All final year students were invited to complete an anonymous questionnaire designed to elicit undergraduate perceptions of IHS using visual analogue scales and free-text questions. A response rate of 77 % was achieved. Results revealed that only 21 % of participants reported acting as operator sedationist in ten or more IHS cases. Thus, the majority of undergraduates' did not meet the recommended quantity of practical IHS experiences, as outlined by the British Dental Sedation Teachers Group. In general, students felt on the value of IHS in the management of anxious children and expressed a desire to undertake further postgraduate education in conscious sedation. However, those students with more experience of practical IHS expressed feeling better able to describe the IHS experience with patients and parents, and were more satisfied with the quality of teaching. Furthermore free-text comments revealed that, regardless of experience, students wished to gain more experience of the practical administration of IHS. There is a need to increase the provision of IHS training within an undergraduate curriculum, in addition to improving the accessibility of postgraduate sedation courses.

An evaluation of factors associated with sexual risk taking among Black men who have sex with men: A comparison of younger and older populations

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Maksut, Jessica L.; Eaton, Lisa A.; Siembida, Elizabeth J.; Driffin, Daniel D.; Baldwin, Robert

2016-01-01

Background In the United States, rates of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection are highest among Black men who have sex with men (BMSM). Prior research indicates that younger BMSM in particular (i.e., BMSM 29 years of age and younger) are most at risk for HIV infection and that HIV incidence in this subpopulation has risen in recent years. It remains unclear, however, why younger BMSM, relative to BMSM 30 years of age and older, are at increased risk for HIV infection. Methods For the current study, we surveyed 450 BMSM located in the Atlanta, GA metropolitan and surrounding areas. We assessed BMSM’s depressive symptoms, substance use during sex, psychosocial risk factors (i.e., HIV risk perceptions, condom use self-efficacy, internalized homophobia, and perceived HIV stigmatization), and sexual risk taking (i.e., condomless anal intercourse [CAI]). Results We found that younger BMSM (YBMSM) and older BMSM (OBMSM) differed with respect to factors associated with CAI. In multivariable models, alcohol use before or during sex, lower educational attainment, and sexual orientation (i.e., bisexual sexual orientation) were significantly associated with increased CAI for YBMSM, while HIV risk perceptions and internalized homophobia were significantly, negatively associated with CAI among OBMSM. Discussion Rates of engaging in CAI were similar across the two age cohorts; however, factors related to CAI varied by these two groups. Findings emphasize the need to consider targeted interventions for different generational cohorts of BMSM. PMID:27001255

The impact of minority stress on mental health and substance use among sexual minority women.

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Lehavot, Keren; Simoni, Jane M

2011-04-01

We examined the direct and indirect impact of minority stress on mental health and substance use among sexual minority women. A combination of snowball and targeted sampling strategies was used to recruit lesbian and bisexual women (N = 1,381) for a cross-sectional, online survey. Participants (M age = 33.54 years; 74% White) completed a questionnaire assessing gender expression, minority stressors (i.e., victimization, internalized homophobia, and concealment), social-psychological resources (i.e., social support, spirituality), and health-related outcomes. We used structural equation modeling to test associations among these factors, with gender expression as an antecedent and social-psychological resources as a mediator between minority stress and health. The final model demonstrated acceptable fit, χ²(79) = 414.00, p accounting for significant portions of the variance in mental health problems (56%) and substance use (14%), as well as the mediator social-psychological resources (24%). Beyond indirect effects of minority stress on health outcomes, direct links emerged between victimization and substance use and between internalized homophobia and substance use. Findings indicate a significant impact of minority stressors and social-psychological resources on mental health and substance use among sexual minority women. The results improve understanding of the distinct role of various minority stressors and their mechanisms on health outcomes. Health care professionals should assess for minority stress and coping resources and refer for evidence-based psychosocial treatments. (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved.

Intermittent Hypoxia-Induced Cardiovascular Remodeling Is Reversed by Normoxia in a Mouse Model of Sleep Apnea.

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Castro-Grattoni, Anabel L; Alvarez-Buvé, Roger; Torres, Marta; Farré, Ramon; Montserrat, Josep M; Dalmases, Mireia; Almendros, Isaac; Barbé, Ferran; Sánchez-de-la-Torre, Manuel

2016-06-01

Intermittent hypoxia (IH) is the principal injurious factor involved in the cardiovascular morbidity and mortality associated with OSA. The gold standard for treatment is CPAP, which eliminates IH and appears to reduce cardiovascular risk. There is no experimental evidence on the reversibility of cardiovascular remodeling after IH withdrawal. The objective of the present study is to assess the reversibility of early cardiovascular structural remodeling induced by IH after resumption of normoxic breathing in a novel recovery animal model mimicking OSA treatment. We investigated cardiovascular remodeling in C57BL/6 mice exposed to IH for 6 weeks vs the normoxia group and its spontaneous recovery after 6 subsequent weeks under normoxia. Aortic expansive remodeling was induced by IH, with intima-media thickening and without lumen perimeter changes. Elastic fiber network disorganization, fragmentation, and estrangement between the end points of disrupted fibers were increased by IH. Extracellular matrix turnover was altered, as visualized by collagen and mucoid interlaminar accumulation. Furthermore, left ventricular perivascular fibrosis was increased by IH, whereas cardiomyocytes size was unaffected. These cardiovascular remodeling events induced by IH were normalized after recovery in normoxia, mimicking CPAP treatment. The early structural cardiovascular remodeling induced by IH was normalized after IH removal, revealing a novel recovery model for studying the effects of OSA treatment. Our findings suggest the clinical relevance of early detection and effective treatment of OSA in patients to prevent the natural course of cardiovascular diseases. Copyright © 2016 American College of Chest Physicians. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Early-Life Social Isolation Impairs the Gonadotropin-Inhibitory Hormone Neuronal Activity and Serotonergic System in Male Rats.

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Soga, Tomoko; Teo, Chuin Hau; Cham, Kai Lin; Idris, Marshita Mohd; Parhar, Ishwar S

2015-01-01

Social isolation in early life deregulates the serotonergic system of the brain, compromising reproductive function. Gonadotropin-inhibitory hormone (GnIH) neurons in the dorsomedial hypothalamic nucleus are critical to the inhibitory regulation of gonadotropin-releasing hormone neuronal activity in the brain and release of luteinizing hormone by the pituitary gland. Although GnIH responds to stress, the role of GnIH in social isolation-induced deregulation of the serotonin system and reproductive function remains unclear. We investigated the effect of social isolation in early life on the serotonergic-GnIH neuronal system using enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP)-tagged GnIH transgenic rats. Socially isolated rats were observed for anxious and depressive behaviors. Using immunohistochemistry, we examined c-Fos protein expression in EGFP-GnIH neurons in 9-week-old adult male rats after 6 weeks post-weaning isolation or group housing. We also inspected serotonergic fiber juxtapositions in EGFP-GnIH neurons in control and socially isolated male rats. Socially isolated rats exhibited anxious and depressive behaviors. The total number of EGFP-GnIH neurons was the same in control and socially isolated rats, but c-Fos expression in GnIH neurons was significantly reduced in socially isolated rats. Serotonin fiber juxtapositions on EGFP-GnIH neurons were also lower in socially isolated rats. In addition, levels of tryptophan hydroxylase mRNA expression in the dorsal raphe nucleus were significantly attenuated in these rats. These results suggest that social isolation in early-life results in lower serotonin levels, which reduce GnIH neuronal activity and may lead to reproductive failure.

Fall in thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) may be an early marker of ipilimumab-induced hypophysitis.

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De Sousa, Sunita M C; Sheriff, Nisa; Tran, Chau H; Menzies, Alexander M; Tsang, Venessa H M; Long, Georgina V; Tonks, Katherine T T

2018-06-01

Hypophysitis develops in up to 19% of melanoma patients treated with ipilimumab, a cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen-4 antibody. Early detection may avert life-threatening hypopituitarism. We aimed to assess the incidence of ipilimumab-induced hypophysitis (IH) at a quaternary melanoma referral centre, and to determine whether cortisol or thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) monitoring could predict IH onset. We performed a retrospective cohort study of ipilimumab-treated patients at a quaternary melanoma referral centre in Australia. The inclusion criteria were patients with metastatic or unresectable melanoma treated with ipilimumab monotherapy, and cortisol and TSH measurements prior to ≥ 2 infusions. The main outcomes were IH incidence and TSH and cortisol patterns in patients who did and did not develop IH. Of 78 ipilimumab-treated patients, 46 met the study criteria and 9/46 (20%) developed IH at a median duration of 13.0 weeks (range 7.7-18.1) following ipilimumab initiation. All patients whose TSH fell ≥ 80% compared to baseline developed IH, and, in 5/9 patients with IH, TSH fell prior to cortisol fall and IH diagnosis. Pre-cycle-4 TSH was significantly lower in those who developed IH (0.31 vs. 1.73 mIU/L, P = 0.006). TSH fall was detected at a median time of 9.2 (range 7.7-16.4) weeks after commencing ipilimumab, and a median of 3.6 (range of - 1.4 to 9.7) weeks before IH diagnosis. There was no difference in TSH between the groups before cycles 1-3 or in cortisol before cycles 1-4. TSH fall ≥ 80% may be an early marker of IH. Serial TSH measurement during ipilimumab therapy may be an inexpensive tool to expedite IH diagnosis.

Situation-Based Contingencies Underlying Wisdom-Content Manifestations: Examining Intellectual Humility in Daily Life.

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Zachry, Corinne E; Phan, Le Vy; Blackie, Laura E R; Jayawickreme, Eranda

2018-02-21

Existing assessments of intellectual humility (IH)-a key component of wisdom-do not examine its manifestation in daily life while sufficiently focusing on the core idea of the construct: owning up to one's intellectual shortcomings. The present research sought to examine situational contingencies underlying daily manifestations of IH-relevant characteristics. We developed a trait version of the State-Trait IH Scale in two studies and subsequently examined daily manifestations of IH-relevant characteristics utilizing a contextualized state version of the State-Trait IH Scale in a 21-day experience sampling study. Here we tested how specific situational contingencies (associated with the context and the personality of the individual with whom participants engaged) influenced the manifestation of IH-relevant qualities. We found strong evidence for the validity of both versions of the scale. Specifically, the state measure exhibited high within-person variability, and aggregated state assessments were strongly correlated with the trait measure. Additionally, morality positively predicted manifestation of IH, while disagreeableness negatively predicted manifestation of IH. These results offer new directions for research on the expression of wisdom-related characteristics in daily life.

Cross-cultural differences in female university students' attitudes toward homosexuals: a preliminary study.

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Span, Sherry A; Vidal, Lourdes A

2003-04-01

62 Caucasian, 61 Hispanic, and 44 Asian female undergraduates completed the Index of Homophobia by Hudson and Ricketts, seven items from the Attitudes Toward Lesbians and Gay Men Scale by Herek, and three questions on Affectional Orientation toward homosexuals from D'Augelli and Rose. Overall, familiarity with homosexuals as measured by self-reported number of homosexual friends correlated negatively with scores on the homophobia measures, but there were no significant differences among the groups' reported number of homosexual friends. Asian students scored significantly higher on the homophobia measures than Caucasian students. Both Asian and Hispanic students endorsed the statement significantly more often than Caucasian students that the university would be better if only heterosexuals attended. No significant differences in scores were found regarding attitudes toward lesbians versus gay men.

The Role of Individual Differences and Situational Variables in the Use of Workplace Sexual Identity Management Strategies.

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Reed, Louren; Leuty, Melanie E

2016-07-01

Examination of individual difference variables have been largely ignored within research on the use of workplace sexual identity management strategies. The current study examined personality traits (extraversion, openness, and neuroticism), facets of sexual identity development (identity confusion, internalized heterosexism), and situational variables (e.g., perceptions of workplace climate and heterosexism) in explaining the use of management strategies, as well as possible interactions between individual and situational factors. Perceptions of the workplace climate toward lesbian and gay individuals significantly related to the use each of the management strategies, and Internalized Heterosexism was found to significantly predict the use of the Explicitly Out strategy. Most interactions between individual difference and situational variables were not supported, with the exception of an interaction between workplace heterosexism and internalized homophobia in explaining the use of the Explicitly Out strategy.

High-intensity training reduces intermittent hypoxia-induced ER stress and myocardial infarct size.

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Bourdier, Guillaume; Flore, Patrice; Sanchez, Hervé; Pepin, Jean-Louis; Belaidi, Elise; Arnaud, Claire

2016-01-15

Chronic intermittent hypoxia (IH) is described as the major detrimental factor leading to cardiovascular morbimortality in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients. OSA patients exhibit increased infarct size after a myocardial event, and previous animal studies have shown that chronic IH could be the main mechanism. Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress plays a major role in the pathophysiology of cardiovascular disease. High-intensity training (HIT) exerts beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system. Thus, we hypothesized that HIT could prevent IH-induced ER stress and the increase in infarct size. Male Wistar rats were exposed to 21 days of IH (21-5% fraction of inspired O2, 60-s cycle, 8 h/day) or normoxia. After 1 wk of IH alone, rats were submitted daily to both IH and HIT (2 × 24 min, 15-30m/min). Rat hearts were either rapidly frozen to evaluate ER stress by Western blot analysis or submitted to an ischemia-reperfusion protocol ex vivo (30 min of global ischemia/120 min of reperfusion). IH induced cardiac proapoptotic ER stress, characterized by increased expression of glucose-regulated protein kinase 78, phosphorylated protein kinase-like ER kinase, activating transcription factor 4, and C/EBP homologous protein. IH-induced myocardial apoptosis was confirmed by increased expression of cleaved caspase-3. These IH-associated proapoptotic alterations were associated with a significant increase in infarct size (35.4 ± 3.2% vs. 22.7 ± 1.7% of ventricles in IH + sedenary and normoxia + sedentary groups, respectively, P < 0.05). HIT prevented both the IH-induced proapoptotic ER stress and increased myocardial infarct size (28.8 ± 3.9% and 21.0 ± 5.1% in IH + HIT and normoxia + HIT groups, respectively, P = 0.28). In conclusion, these findings suggest that HIT could represent a preventive strategy to limit IH-induced myocardial ischemia-reperfusion damages in OSA patients. Copyright © 2016 the American Physiological Society.

International Conference on the Methods of Aerophysical Research 98 "ICMAR 98". Part 3: Proceedings

Science.gov (United States)

1998-01-01

Analysis, Algebra, Ordinary Differential Equations) . -Nauka, Moscow, 1975. -631 p. 83 HIGH-SPEED CINEMATOGRAPHY STUDY OF AN IMPULSE HIGH-PRESSURE GAS...Complex experimental researches were performed using the methods of high-speed cinematography [1, 2], microphotography with impulse laser lighting [3...coIlour is expressed there inl terims of’ inltenlsity, hue . and Saturation (abbreviations HSIS. HIS. or IHS in different puiblicationis V A point-by-point

Development of small applied accelerator in Tokyo Institute of Technology

CERN Document Server

Hattori, T

2002-01-01

Interdigital-H(IH) Linac was constructed and applied to materials research in the University. IH Linac uses 1.6 MV small tandem pelletron and accelerates ion (>Q/A=1/4) from 240 KeV to 2.4 MeV. The secondary IH Linac was built and increased the energy to 3.4 MeV/u. In order to apply linac to therapy, IH Linac for PET (Position Emission Tomography), Carbon 6 MeV/u Linac for cancer therapy, APF (Alternating Phase Focus)-IH prototype linac, Carbon 2 MeV/u test APF-IH linac were developed. On application to semiconductor and industry, IHQ type MeV ion implantation device, APF-IH type MeV ion implantation device and high-energy electron accelerator were developed. A bone density measurement instrument was developed and the data was proved better values than ordinary instrument. The problems of prototype small accelerator are summarized. (S.Y.)

Social Isolation Modulates CLOCK Protein and Beta-Catenin Expression Pattern in Gonadotropin-Inhibitory Hormone Neurons in Male Rats

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Chuin Hau Teo

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Postweaning social isolation reduces the amplitude of the daily variation of CLOCK protein in the brain and induces lower reproductive activity. Gonadotropin-inhibitory hormone (GnIH acts as an inhibitor in the reproductive system and has been linked to stress. Social isolation has been shown to lower neuronal activity of GnIH-expressing neurons in the dorsomedial hypothalamus (DMH. The exact mechanism by which social isolation may affect GnIH is still unclear. We investigated the impact of social isolation on regulatory cellular mechanisms in GnIH neurons. We examined via immunohistochemistry the expression of CLOCK protein at four different times throughout the day in GnIH cells tagged with enhanced fluorescent green protein (EGFP-GnIH in 9-week-old adult male rats that have been raised for 6 weeks under postweaning social isolation and compared them with group-raised control rats of the same age. We also studied the expression of β-catenin—which has been shown to be affected by circadian proteins such as Bmal1—in EGFP-GnIH neurons to determine whether it could play a role in linking CLOCK in GnIH neurons. We found that social isolation modifies the pattern of CLOCK expression in GnIH neurons in the DMH. Socially isolated rats displayed greater CLOCK expression in the dark phase, while control rats displayed increased CLOCK expression in the light phase. Furthermore, β-catenin expression pattern in GnIH cells was disrupted by social isolation. This suggests that social isolation triggers changes in CLOCK and GnIH expression, which may be associated with an increase in nuclear β-catenin during the dark phase.

Early-life Social Isolation Impairs the Gonadotropin-Inhibitory Hormone Neuronal Activity and Serotonergic System in Male Rats

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Tomoko eSoga

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Social isolation in early life deregulates the serotonergic system of the brain, compromising reproductive function. Gonadotropin-inhibitory hormone (GnIH neurons in the dorsomedial hypothalamic nucleus are critical to the inhibitory regulation of gonadotropin-releasing hormone neuronal activity in the brain and release of luteinising hormone by the pituitary gland. Although GnIH responds to stress, the role of GnIH in social isolation-induced deregulation of the serotonin system and reproductive function remains unclear. We investigated the effect of social isolation in early life on the serotonergic–GnIH neuronal system using enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP-tagged GnIH-transgenic rats. Socially isolated rats were observed for anxious and depressive behaviours. Using immunohistochemistry, we examined c-Fos protein expression in EGFP–GnIH neurons in 9-week-old adult male rats after 6 weeks post-weaning isolation or group -housing. We also inspected serotonergic fibre juxtapositions in EGFP–GnIH neurons in control and socially isolated male rats. Socially isolated rats exhibited anxious and depressive behaviours. The total number of EGFP–GnIH neurons was the same in control and socially isolated rats, but c-Fos expression in GnIH neurons was significantly reduced in socially isolated rats. Serotonin fibre juxtapositions on EGFP–GnIH neurons was also lower in socially isolated rats. In addition, levels of tryptophan hydroxylase mRNA expression in the dorsal raphe nucleus were significantly attenuated in these rats. These results suggest that social isolation in early life results in lower serotonin levels, which reduce GnIH neuronal activity and may lead to reproductive failure.

Social Isolation Modulates CLOCK Protein and Beta-Catenin Expression Pattern in Gonadotropin-Inhibitory Hormone Neurons in Male Rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Teo, Chuin Hau; Soga, Tomoko; Parhar, Ishwar S

2017-01-01

Postweaning social isolation reduces the amplitude of the daily variation of CLOCK protein in the brain and induces lower reproductive activity. Gonadotropin-inhibitory hormone (GnIH) acts as an inhibitor in the reproductive system and has been linked to stress. Social isolation has been shown to lower neuronal activity of GnIH-expressing neurons in the dorsomedial hypothalamus (DMH). The exact mechanism by which social isolation may affect GnIH is still unclear. We investigated the impact of social isolation on regulatory cellular mechanisms in GnIH neurons. We examined via immunohistochemistry the expression of CLOCK protein at four different times throughout the day in GnIH cells tagged with enhanced fluorescent green protein (EGFP-GnIH) in 9-week-old adult male rats that have been raised for 6 weeks under postweaning social isolation and compared them with group-raised control rats of the same age. We also studied the expression of β-catenin-which has been shown to be affected by circadian proteins such as Bmal1-in EGFP-GnIH neurons to determine whether it could play a role in linking CLOCK in GnIH neurons. We found that social isolation modifies the pattern of CLOCK expression in GnIH neurons in the DMH. Socially isolated rats displayed greater CLOCK expression in the dark phase, while control rats displayed increased CLOCK expression in the light phase. Furthermore, β-catenin expression pattern in GnIH cells was disrupted by social isolation. This suggests that social isolation triggers changes in CLOCK and GnIH expression, which may be associated with an increase in nuclear β-catenin during the dark phase.

Incisional hernia in pediatric surgery - experience at a single UK tertiary centre.

Science.gov (United States)

Mullassery, Dhanya; Pedersen, Ami; Robb, Andrew; Smith, Nicola

2016-11-01

Incisional hernia (IH) is a recognized complication of open and laparoscopic visceral surgery, with reported rates of 10-50% in adult surgical literature. There is a paucity of data relating to incisional hernias in children. The aim of our study was to analyze the incidence and treatment of IH in children. Retrospective review of all patients admitted for incisional hernia repair at a tertiary pediatric surgical centre in the UK more than a 7-year period was performed. Data collected included age at initial surgery, time to IH repair, and type of IH repair and postoperative complications. Twenty one patients (14 male) underwent IH repair during the study period. The incidence of IH among children who had primary abdominal surgery in our institution less than the age of 6months was 2.3%. Median age at repair was 7.9months (range: 18days-5years). Median time from primary surgery to diagnosis of IH was 2months (range 0day-3years), with 81% (17/21) diagnosed within 1year of the preceding abdominal procedure. The most common pathology necessitating the primary operative procedure was necrotising enterocolitis (n=9) in babies of gestational age less than 30weeks. The highest rates of IH were noted in infants following closure of stoma (7.5%) and pyloromyotomy (2.52%). Primary closure was undertaken in all cases. Two children had recurrence of IH, one of which underwent surgical repair. Incidence of IH in children is low but significant. IH was most commonly diagnosed following closure of stoma for NEC in this study. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

The Nation and the Family: The Impact of National Identification and Perceived Importance of Family Values on Homophobic Attitudes in Lithuania and Scotland

OpenAIRE

Wakefield, Juliet R. H.; Kalinauskaite, Monika; Hopkins, Nick

2016-01-01

The meanings attached to the nation can be consequential for group members’ attitudes and beliefs. We examined how national identity definition can influence the extent of individuals’ homophobia with 159 Lithuanian and 176 Scottish university students who completed a questionnaire which measured their national identification, homophobia, and the extent to which they felt traditional family values were central to their nation’s identity. Consistent with nation-wide differences in the signific...

Challenging homophobia in schools: policies and programs for safe school climates Desafiando a homofobia nas escolas: políticas e programas para climas escolares seguros

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stephen T. Russell

2011-04-01

Full Text Available In the United States there has been growing public and scientific attention to homophobia in schools. A well-established body of research documents persistent and pervasive bullying, harassment and lack of safety at schools towards lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT students. This work makes clear that contemporary school and youth cultures are characterized by rigid gender and sexuality norms (including homophobia and expectations regarding masculinity, femininity, and heterosexuality; the well-being of students who do not conform to or who challenge these norms is often undermined. In recent years there has been a shift from consideration of the plight of individual students to the acknowledgement that the school context or climate must be better understood in order to prevent bias-motivated bullying and promote school safety and student well-being. During the last decade a number of studies have identified specific education policies, programs, and practices that promote safe school climates. In this article I review what is known about policies and programs that promote safety for LGBT as well as heterosexual students in schools. A growing body of work indicates that the following strategies are associated with safer school climates for LGBT students: enumerated school nondiscrimination and anti-bullying policies; teacher intervention when harassment takes place; availability of information and support about LGBT concerns for students; the presence of school-based support groups or clubs (often called "gay-straight alliances"; and curricular inclusion of LGBT people and issues. In the context of this research, I discuss several key issues for consideration by educators, policy-makers, and scholars.A homofobia nas escolas tem sido foco crescente de atenção científica e do público nos Estados Unidos da América. Um corpo bem estabelecido de pesquisa documenta o bullying, assédio e falta de segurança na escola para estudantes l

Cross-cultural and socio-demographic correlates of homophobic attitude among university students in three European countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Ciocca, G; Niolu, C; Déttore, D; Antonelli, P; Conte, S; Tuziak, B; Limoncin, E; Mollaioli, D; Carosa, E; Gravina, G L; Di Sante, S; Di Lorenzo, G; Fisher, A D; Maggi, M; Lenzi, A; Siracusano, A; Jannini, E A

2017-02-01

The aim of this study was to investigate homophobic attitudes in three European countries: Italy, Albania, and Ukraine. One thousand and forty-eight students were recruited in Italian (n = 766), Albanian (n = 180), and Ukrainian (n = 102) university centers. A socio-demographic questionnaire and Homophobia Scale (HS) were administered by our staff. Cross-cultural and significant differences among Italian, Albanian, and Ukrainian students were found on the Homophobia Scale (HS; Italy: mean = 22.26 ± 16.73; Albania: mean = 38.15 ± 17.28; Ukraine: mean = 59.18 ± 16.23). The analysis of socio-demographic characteristics revealed that the male gender emerged as main predictor of homophobic attitude in all the three countries, although also a conservative political orientation and the religious belief predict higher homophobia levels in Italy and Albania, particularly. This study revealed that in these European countries assessed, attitudes toward homosexuality are different. Ukrainians display higher levels of homophobia than Albanians and Italians, confirming the central role of cultural differences in homophobic attitudes. Nevertheless, some socio-demographic aspects such as identification as male have a similar influence on homophobic attitudes in all assessed populations.

Intermittent Hypoxia Increases the Severity of Bleomycin-Induced Lung Injury in Mice

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Thomas Gille

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Background. Severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA with chronic intermittent hypoxia (IH is common in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF. Here, we evaluated the impact of IH on bleomycin- (BLM- induced pulmonary fibrosis in mice. Methods. C57BL/6J mice received intratracheal BLM or saline and were exposed to IH (40 cycles/hour; FiO2 nadir: 6%; 8 hours/day or intermittent air (IA. In the four experimental groups, we evaluated (i survival; (ii alveolar inflammation, pulmonary edema, lung oxidative stress, and antioxidant enzymes; (iii lung cell apoptosis; and (iv pulmonary fibrosis. Results. Survival at day 21 was lower in the BLM-IH group (p<0.05. Pulmonary fibrosis was more severe at day 21 in BLM-IH mice, as assessed by lung collagen content (p=0.02 and histology. At day 4, BLM-IH mice developed a more severe neutrophilic alveolitis, (p<0.001. Lung oxidative stress was observed, and superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase expression was decreased in BLM-IH mice (p<0.05 versus BLM-IA group. At day 8, pulmonary edema was observed and lung cell apoptosis was increased in the BLM-IH group. Conclusion. These results show that exposure to chronic IH increases mortality, lung inflammation, and lung fibrosis in BLM-treated mice. This study raises the question of the worsening impact of severe OSA in IPF patients.

Poly (ADP-ribose polymerase plays an important role in intermittent hypoxia-induced cell death in rat cerebellar granule cells

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Chiu Sheng-Chun

2012-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Episodic cessation of airflow during sleep in patients with sleep apnea syndrome results in intermittent hypoxia (IH. Our aim was to investigate the effects of IH on cerebellar granule cells and to identify the mechanism of IH-induced cell death. Methods Cerebellar granule cells were freshly prepared from neonatal Sprague-Dawley rats. IH was created by culturing the cerebellar granule cells in the incubators with oscillating O2 concentration at 20% and 5% every 30 min for 1-4 days. The results of this study are based on image analysis using a confocal microscope and associated software. Cellular oxidative stress increased with increase in IH. In addition, the occurrence of cell death (apoptosis and necrosis increased as the duration of IH increased, but decreased in the presence of an iron chelator (phenanthroline or poly (ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP inhibitors [3-aminobenzamide (3-AB and DPQ]. The fluorescence of caspase-3 remained the same regardless of the duration of IH, and Western blots did not detect activation of caspase-3. However, IH increased the ratio of apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF translocation to the nucleus, while PARP inhibitors (3-AB reduced this ratio. Results According to our findings, IH increased oxidative stress and subsequently leading to cell death. This effect was at least partially mediated by PARP activation, resulting in ATP depletion, calpain activation leading to AIF translocation to the nucleus. Conclusions We suggest that IH induces cell death in rat primary cerebellar granule cells by stimulating oxidative stress PARP-mediated calpain and AIF activation.

Case Study in Internal Audit of Nuclear Material; Etude d'un Systeme de Verification Comptable Interne des Matieres Nucleaires; Izuchenie primera organizatsii vnutrennego ucheta yadernykh materialov na predpriyatii; Estudio de la Fiscalizacion Interna de los Materiales Nucleares

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kops, S. [United States Atomic Energy Commission, Argonne, IL (United States)

1966-02-15

The general need for the internal audit function and the basic principles of management underlying this need are briefly discussed. The size, complexity and degree of centralization, or decentralization, are usually the main factors in determining the need for a conventional internal audit. Here, the more specialized needs and characteristics of an internal audit peculiar to an organization handling source or special fissionable material (nuclear material) are discussed and contrasted with an audit of the standard type. The necessity of a special audit, because of the high monetary and strategic value, is demonstrated. Planning the internal audit within a production plant is discussed in detail. This includes the rationale of timing the review together with the records and physical inventory to be tested and verified. Quality and types of professional skills of the personnel to be used in internal audit are also discussed. A qualified statistical plan in choosing the items to be tested is discussed. The application of the plans in the actual performance of the internal audit are described in detail. Possible variances from a recognized norm and possible approaches to audit resolution are discussed. Although in many other manufacturing situations there are variations in the methods of verifying inventories without physically doing so, the necessity for physically testing inventories of nuclear material is demonstrated. The various means of reporting the results of the internal audit are presented. The needs of individual groups within the organization are considered in determining the format of the report, as well as the basic content. Distribution of the report and its variations are discussed. (author) [French] L'auteur etudie brievement la necessite de la verification comptable interne en general, et les principes essentiels de gestion auxquels repond cette necessite. La taille de l'installation, la complexite et le degre de centralisation ou de decentralisation

The Social Context of Depression Symptomology in Sexual Minority Male Youth: Determinants of Depression in a Sample of Grindr Users.

Science.gov (United States)

Gibbs, Jeremy J; Rice, Eric

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to understand which social context factors most influence depression symptomology among sexual minority male youth (SMMY). In 2011, 195 SMMY who use Grindr were recruited to complete an online survey in Los Angeles, California. Items focused on social context variables and depression symptomology. Hierarchical multiple regressions were conducted using an ecological framework. The best fitting model accounted for 29.5% of the variance in depression. Experiences of homophobia, gay community connection, presence of an objecting network member, and emotional support were found to be significant predictors. Past experiences of homophobia continuing to affect youth indicates the need for intervention to reduction of homophobia in youths' social contexts. Interventions that teach youth skills to manage objecting viewpoints or help youth to reorganize their social networks may help to reduce the impact of an objecting network alter.

Human adipocytes are highly sensitive to intermittent hypoxia induced NF-kappaB activity and subsequent inflammatory gene expression

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Taylor, Cormac T.; Kent, Brian D.; Crinion, Sophie J.; McNicholas, Walter T.; Ryan, Silke

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Intermittent hypoxia (IH) leads to NF-κB activation in human primary adipocytes. • Adipocytes bear higher pro-inflammatory potential than other human primary cells. • IH leads to upregulation of multiple pro-inflammatory genes in human adipocytes. - Abstract: Introduction: Intermittent hypoxia (IH)-induced activation of pro-inflammatory pathways is a major contributing factor to the cardiovascular pathophysiology associated with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Obesity is commonly associated with OSA although it remains unknown whether adipose tissue is a major source of inflammatory mediators in response to IH. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that IH leads to augmented inflammatory responses in human adipocytes when compared to cells of non-adipocyte lineages. Methods and results: Human primary subcutaneous and visceral adipocytes, human primary microvascular pulmonary endothelial cells (HUMEC-L) and human primary small airway epithelial cells (SAEC) were exposed to 0, 6 or 12 cycles of IH or stimulated with tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α. IH led to a robust increase in NF-κB DNA-binding activity in adipocytes compared with normoxic controls regardless of whether the source of adipocytes was visceral or subcutaneous. Notably, the NF-κB response of adipocytes to both IH and TNF-α was significantly greater than that in HUMEC-L and SAEC. Western blotting confirmed enhanced nuclear translocation of p65 in adipocytes in response to IH, accompanied by phosphorylation of I-κB. Parallel to p65 activation, we observed a significant increase in secretion of the adipokines interleukin (IL)-8, IL-6 and TNF-α with IH in adipocytes accompanied by significant upregulation of mRNA expression. PCR-array suggested profound influence of IH on pro-inflammatory gene expression in adipocytes. Conclusion: Human adipocytes demonstrate strong sensitivity to inflammatory gene expression in response to acute IH and hence, adipose tissue may be a key

Human adipocytes are highly sensitive to intermittent hypoxia induced NF-kappaB activity and subsequent inflammatory gene expression

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Taylor, Cormac T. [School of Medicine and Medical Science, The Conway Institute, University College Dublin (Ireland); Kent, Brian D.; Crinion, Sophie J.; McNicholas, Walter T. [School of Medicine and Medical Science, The Conway Institute, University College Dublin (Ireland); Pulmonary and Sleep Disorders Unit, St. Vincent’s University Hospital, Dublin (Ireland); Ryan, Silke, E-mail: silke.ryan@ucd.ie [School of Medicine and Medical Science, The Conway Institute, University College Dublin (Ireland); Pulmonary and Sleep Disorders Unit, St. Vincent’s University Hospital, Dublin (Ireland)

2014-05-16

Highlights: • Intermittent hypoxia (IH) leads to NF-κB activation in human primary adipocytes. • Adipocytes bear higher pro-inflammatory potential than other human primary cells. • IH leads to upregulation of multiple pro-inflammatory genes in human adipocytes. - Abstract: Introduction: Intermittent hypoxia (IH)-induced activation of pro-inflammatory pathways is a major contributing factor to the cardiovascular pathophysiology associated with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Obesity is commonly associated with OSA although it remains unknown whether adipose tissue is a major source of inflammatory mediators in response to IH. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that IH leads to augmented inflammatory responses in human adipocytes when compared to cells of non-adipocyte lineages. Methods and results: Human primary subcutaneous and visceral adipocytes, human primary microvascular pulmonary endothelial cells (HUMEC-L) and human primary small airway epithelial cells (SAEC) were exposed to 0, 6 or 12 cycles of IH or stimulated with tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α. IH led to a robust increase in NF-κB DNA-binding activity in adipocytes compared with normoxic controls regardless of whether the source of adipocytes was visceral or subcutaneous. Notably, the NF-κB response of adipocytes to both IH and TNF-α was significantly greater than that in HUMEC-L and SAEC. Western blotting confirmed enhanced nuclear translocation of p65 in adipocytes in response to IH, accompanied by phosphorylation of I-κB. Parallel to p65 activation, we observed a significant increase in secretion of the adipokines interleukin (IL)-8, IL-6 and TNF-α with IH in adipocytes accompanied by significant upregulation of mRNA expression. PCR-array suggested profound influence of IH on pro-inflammatory gene expression in adipocytes. Conclusion: Human adipocytes demonstrate strong sensitivity to inflammatory gene expression in response to acute IH and hence, adipose tissue may be a key

Biomass to Gasoline and Diesel Using Integrated Hydropyrolysis and Hydroconversion

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Marker, Terry [Gas Technology Inst., Des Plaines, IL (United States); Roberts, Michael [Gas Technology Inst., Des Plaines, IL (United States); Linck, Martin [Gas Technology Inst., Des Plaines, IL (United States); Felix, Larry [Gas Technology Inst., Des Plaines, IL (United States); Ortiz-Toral, Pedro [Gas Technology Inst., Des Plaines, IL (United States); Wangerow, Jim [Gas Technology Inst., Des Plaines, IL (United States); Kraus, Larry [CRI-Criterion, Houston, TX (United States); McLeod, Celeste [CRI-Criterion, Houston, TX (United States); DelPaggio, Alan [CRI-Criterion, Houston, TX (United States); Tan, Eric [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Gephart, John [Johnson Timber, Hayward, WI (United States); Gromov, Dmitri [Cargill, Wayzata, MN (United States); Purtle, Ian [Cargill, Wayzata, MN (United States); Starr, Jack [Cargill, Wayzata, MN (United States); Hahn, John [Cargill, Wayzata, MN (United States); Dorrington, Paul [Aquaflow Bionomic Corporation, Nelson (New Zealand); Stevens, James [Blue Marble Biomaterials, Missoula, MT (United States); Shonnard, David [Michigan Technological Univ., Houghton, MI (United States); Maleche, Edwin [Michigan Technological Univ., Houghton, MI (United States)

2013-01-02

Cellulosic and woody biomass can be directly converted to hydrocarbon gasoline and diesel blending components through the use of integrated hydropyrolysis plus hydroconversion (IH²). The IH² gasoline and diesel blending components are fully compatible with petroleum based gasoline and diesel, contain less than 1% oxygen and have less than 1 total acid number (TAN). The IH² gasoline is high quality and very close to a drop in fuel. The DOE funding enabled rapid development of the IH² technology from initial proof-of-principle experiments through continuous testing in a 50 kg/day pilot plant. As part of this project, engineering work on IH² has also been completed to design a 1 ton/day demonstration unit and a commercial-scale 2000 ton/day IH² unit. These studies show when using IH² technology, biomass can be converted directly to transportation quality fuel blending components for the same capital cost required for pyrolysis alone, and a fraction of the cost of pyrolysis plus upgrading of pyrolysis oil. Technoeconomic work for IH² and lifecycle analysis (LCA) work has also been completed as part of this DOE study and shows IH² technology can convert biomass to gasoline and diesel blending components for less than $2.00/gallon with greater than 90% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. As a result of the work completed in this DOE project, a joint development agreement was reached with CRI Catalyst Company to license the IH² technology. Further larger-scale, continuous testing of IH² will be required to fully demonstrate the technology, and funding for this is recommended. The IH² biomass conversion technology would reduce U.S. dependence on foreign oil, reduce the price of transportation fuels, and significantly lower greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. It is a breakthrough for the widespread conversion of biomass to transportation fuels.

β2-Adrenergic receptor-dependent attenuation of hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction prevents progression of pulmonary arterial hypertension in intermittent hypoxic rats.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hisashi Nagai

Full Text Available In sleep apnea syndrome (SAS, intermittent hypoxia (IH induces repeated episodes of hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction (HPV during sleep, which presumably contribute to pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH. However, the prevalence of PAH was low and severity is mostly mild in SAS patients, and mild or no right ventricular hypertrophy (RVH was reported in IH-exposed animals. The question then arises as to why PAH is not a universal finding in SAS if repeated hypoxia of sufficient duration causes cycling HPV. In the present study, rats underwent IH at a rate of 3 min cycles of 4-21% O2 for 8 h/d for 6 w. Assessment of diameter changes in small pulmonary arteries in response to acute hypoxia and drugs were performed using synchrotron radiation microangiography on anesthetized rats. In IH-rats, neither PAH nor RVH was observed and HPV was strongly reversed. Nadolol (a hydrophilic β(1, 2-blocker augmented the attenuated HPV to almost the same level as that in N-rats, but atenolol (a hydrophilic β1-blocker had no effect on the HPV in IH. These β-blockers had almost no effect on the HPV in N-rats. Chronic administration of nadolol during 6 weeks of IH exposure induced PAH and RVH in IH-rats, but did not in N-rats. Meanwhile, atenolol had no effect on morphometric and hemodynamic changes in N and IH-rats. Protein expression of the β1-adrenergic receptor (AR was down-regulated while that of β2AR was preserved in pulmonary arteries of IH-rats. Phosphorylation of p85 (chief component of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K, protein kinase B (Akt, and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS were abrogated by chronic administration of nadolol in the lung tissue of IH-rats. We conclude that IH-derived activation of β2AR in the pulmonary arteries attenuates the HPV, thereby preventing progression of IH-induced PAH. This protective effect may depend on the β2AR-Gi mediated PI3K/Akt/eNOS signaling pathway.

Frequency and magnitude of intermittent hypoxia modulate endothelial wound healing in a cell culture model of sleep apnea.

Science.gov (United States)

Campillo, Noelia; Falcones, Bryan; Montserrat, Josep M; Gozal, David; Obeso, Ana; Gallego-Martin, Teresa; Navajas, Daniel; Almendros, Isaac; Farré, Ramon

2017-11-01

Intermittent hypoxia (IH) has been implicated in the cardiovascular consequences of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). However, the lack of suitable experimental systems has precluded assessment as to whether IH is detrimental, protective, or both for the endothelium. The aim of the work was to determine the effects of frequency and amplitude of IH oxygenation swings on aortic endothelial wound healing. Monolayers of human primary endothelial cells were wounded and subjected to constant oxygenation (1%, 4%, 13%, or 20% O 2 ) or IH at different frequencies (0.6, 6, or 60 cycles/h) and magnitude ranges (13-4% O 2 or 20-1% O 2 ), using a novel well-controlled system, with wound healing being measured after 24 h. Cell monolayer repair was similar at 20% O 2 and 13% O 2 , but was considerably increased (approximately twofold) in constant hypoxia at 4% O 2 The magnitude and frequency of IH considerably modulated wound healing. Cycles ranging 13-4% O 2 at the lowest frequency (0.6 cycles/h) accelerated endothelial wound healing by 102%. However, for IH exposures consisting of 20% to 1% O 2 oscillations, wound closure was reduced compared with oscillation in the 13-4% range (by 74% and 44% at 6 cycles/h and 0.6 cycles/h, respectively). High-frequency IH patterns simulating severe OSA (60 cycles/h) did not significantly modify endothelial wound closure, regardless of the oxygenation cycle amplitude. In conclusion, the frequency and magnitude of hypoxia cycling in IH markedly alter wound healing responses and emerge as key factors determining how cells will respond in OSA. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Intermittent hypoxia (IH) induces cardiovascular consequences in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients. However, the vast array of frequencies and severities of IH previously employed in OSA-related experimental studies has led to controversial results on the effects of IH. By employing an optimized IH experimental system here, we provide evidence that the frequency and magnitude of IH

‘We’re all very liberal in our views’: students’ talk about lesbian and gay parenting

OpenAIRE

Clarke, V.

2005-01-01

Mapping the contours of homophobia and heterosexism is a key concern for lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans (LGBT) psychology. In this paper, I present a discursive analysis of the construction of heterosexism in student focus group discussions about lesbian and gay parenting. My analysis (empirically) develops Kitzinger’s (1987) theoretical and political argument that the concept of homophobia is embedded in a liberal framework and requires people to endorse a liberal construction of homosexua...

Double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomised phase II trial of IH636 grape seed proanthocyanidin extract (GSPE) in patients with radiation-induced breast induration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brooker, Sonja; Martin, Susan; Pearson, Ann; Bagchi, Debasis; Earl, Judith; Gothard, Lone; Hall, Emma; Porter, Lucy; Yarnold, John

2006-01-01

Background and purpose: Tissue hardness (induration), pain and tenderness are common late adverse effects of curative radiotherapy for early breast cancer. The purpose of this study was to test the efficacy of IH636 grape seed proanthocyanidin extract (GSPE) in patients with tissue induration after high-dose radiotherapy for early breast cancer in a double-blind placebo-controlled randomised phase II trial. Patients and methods: Sixty-six eligible research volunteers with moderate or marked breast induration at a mean 10.8 years since radiotherapy for early breast cancer were randomised to active drug (n=44) or placebo (n=22). All patients were given grape seed proanthocyanidin extract (GSPE) 100 mg three times a day orally, or corresponding placebo capsules, for 6 months. The primary endpoint was percentage change in surface area (cm 2 ) of palpable breast induration measured at the skin surface 12 months after randomisation. Secondary endpoints included change in photographic breast appearance and patient self-assessment of breast hardness, pain and tenderness. Results: At 12 months post-randomisation, ≥50% reduction in surface area (cm 2 ) of breast induration was recorded in13/44 (29.5%) GSPE and 6/22 (27%) placebo group patients (NS). At 12 months post-randomisation, there was no significant difference between treatment and control groups in terms of external assessments of tissue hardness, breast appearance or patient self-assessments of breast hardness, pain or tenderness. Conclusions: The study failed to show efficacy of orally-adminstered GSPE in patients with breast induration following radiotherapy for breast cancer

Ideas and Inspirations: Good News about Diabetes Prevention and Management in Indian Country

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Full Text Available ... Director's Speeches Fact Sheets IHS Blog Press Releases Reports to Congress Tribal Leader Letters Urban Leader Letters ... CDC and IHS have released a Vital Signs report Exit Disclaimer: You Are Leaving www.ihs.gov ...

Intermittent hypoxia initiated plasticity in humans: A multipronged therapeutic approach to treat sleep apnea and overlapping co-morbidities.

Science.gov (United States)

Mateika, Jason H; Komnenov, Dragana

2017-01-01

Over the past three decades exposure to intermittent hypoxia (IH) has generally been considered a stimulus associated with a number of detrimental outcomes. However, there is sufficient evidence to link IH to many beneficial outcomes but they have largely been ignored, particularly in the field of sleep medicine in the United States. Recent reviews have postulated that this apparent contradiction is related to the severity and duration of exposure to IH; mild forms of IH initiate beneficial outcomes while severe forms of IH are coupled to detrimental consequences. In the present review we explore the role that IH has in initiating respiratory plasticity and the potential this form of plasticity has to mitigate obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in humans. In taking this approach, we address the possibility that IH could serve as an adjunct therapy coupled with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) to treat OSA. Our working hypothesis is that exposure to mild IH leads to respiratory plasticity that manifests in increased stability of the upper airway, which could ultimately reduce the CPAP required to treat OSA. In turn, this reduction could increase CPAP compliance and extend the length of treatment each night, which might improve the magnitude of outcome measures. Improved treatment compliance coupled with the direct effect that IH has on numerous overlapping conditions (i.e. asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, spinal cord injury) may well lead to substantial improvements that exceed outcomes following treatment with CPAP alone. Overall, this review will consider evidence from the published literature which suggests that IH could serve as an effective multipronged therapeutic approach to treat sleep apnea and its overlapping co-morbidities. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Morphometric MRI changes in intracranial hypertension due to cerebral venous thrombosis: a retrospective imaging study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dong, Cheng; Zheng, Ying-mei; Li, Xiao-li; Wang, He-xiang; Hao, Da-peng; Nie, Pei; Pang, Jing; Xu, Wen-jian

2016-01-01

Aim: To evaluate whether some magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) signs suggesting idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) could also be found in intracranial hypertension (IH) due to cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) and to assess their possible contribution to diagnosing this disorder. Materials and methods: Thirty-one patients with IH due to CVT were evaluated prospectively using MRI. A group of 33 age- and sex-matched healthy volunteers served as controls. The optic nerve and sheath, pituitary gland, and ventricles were assessed. The prevalence of each imaging feature was compared between the two groups. Results: Optic nerve sheath (ONS) dilatation and decreased pituitary gland height were the most valid signs suggesting IH in CVT patients: sensitivity 70.97% and 87.1%, respectively; specificity 96.97% and 72.73%, respectively; area under the curve 0.840 and 0.809, respectively. The MRI finding that showed the strongest association with IH in CVT patients was ONS dilatation (odds ratio 78.5). Conclusions: The combination of T1-weighted volumetric MRI and magnetic resonance venography could be helpful for diagnosing IH with CVT. Abnormalities of the ONS and the pituitary gland were reliable diagnostic signs for IH due to CVT. - Highlights: • We compared the prevalence of MRI imaging features between IH patients due to CVT and healthy volunteers. • Several MRI imaging features occur more frequently in IH patients due to CVT. • Abnormalities of the ONS and the pituitary gland were reliable diagnostic signs for IH due to CVT.

Gender-related differences of inguinal hernia and asymptomatic patent processus vaginalis in term and preterm infants.

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Burgmeier, Christine; Dreyhaupt, Jens; Schier, Felix

2015-03-01

The aim of this study was to analyze the gender-related differences of inguinal hernia (IH) and patent processus vaginalis (PPV) in term and preterm infants. Over a nine-year-period 411 infants underwent laparoscopic herniorrhaphy within the first six months of life. 246 term (191 male; 55 female) and 165 preterm (118 male; 47 female) infants were included in this retrospective study. Initial presentation of IH and intraoperative anatomical findings of PPV were reviewed. We found that term boys (58.6%) and girls (58.2%) predominantly presented with right-sided IH whereas preterm boys (36.4%) and girls (44.7%) mostly presented with bilateral IH. Female babies had a higher incidence of initial left-sided IH. Term and preterm girls with initial left-sided hernia were found to have highest incidence of PPV. Male term babies with initial left-sided IH were found to have the lowest incidence of PPV (25.0%). The highest incidence of PPV in male was found in preterm boys with either left- or right-sided IH. Incidence and laterality of IH and PPV differ between term and preterm girls and boys. In open hernia repair decision concerning contralateral groin exploration should consider term/preterm birth as well as gender. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The polymorphic and contradictory aspects of intermittent hypoxia

Science.gov (United States)

Almendros, Isaac; Wang, Yang

2014-01-01

Intermittent hypoxia (IH) has been extensively studied during the last decade, primarily as a surrogate model of sleep apnea. However, IH is a much more pervasive phenomenon in human disease, is viewed as a potential therapeutic approach, and has also been used in other disciplines, such as in competitive sports. In this context, adverse outcomes involving cardiovascular, cognitive, metabolic, and cancer problems have emerged in obstructive sleep apnea-based studies, whereas beneficial effects of IH have also been identified. Those a priori contradictory findings may not be as contradictory as initially thought. Indeed, the opposite outcomes triggered by IH can be explained by the specific characteristics of the large diversity of IH patterns applied in each study. The balance between benefits and injury appears to primarily depend on the ability of the organism to respond and activate adaptive mechanisms to IH. In this context, the adaptive or maladaptive responses can be generally predicted by the frequency, severity, and duration of IH. However, the presence of underlying conditions such as hypertension or obesity, as well as age, sex, or genotypic variance, may be important factors tilting the balance between an appropriate homeostatic response and decompensation. Here, the two possible facets of IH as derived from human and experimental animal settings will be reviewed. PMID:24838748

Intelligence and Neurophysiological Markers of Error Monitoring Relate to Children's Intellectual Humility.

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Danovitch, Judith H; Fisher, Megan; Schroder, Hans; Hambrick, David Z; Moser, Jason

2017-09-18

This study explored developmental and individual differences in intellectual humility (IH) among 127 children ages 6-8. IH was operationalized as children's assessment of their knowledge and willingness to delegate scientific questions to experts. Children completed measures of IH, theory of mind, motivational framework, and intelligence, and neurophysiological measures indexing early (error-related negativity [ERN]) and later (error positivity [Pe]) error-monitoring processes related to cognitive control. Children's knowledge self-assessment correlated with question delegation, and older children showed greater IH than younger children. Greater IH was associated with higher intelligence but not with social cognition or motivational framework. ERN related to self-assessment, whereas Pe related to question delegation. Thus, children show separable epistemic and social components of IH that may differentially contribute to metacognition and learning. © 2017 The Authors. Child Development © 2017 Society for Research in Child Development, Inc.

Depression and Associated Factors Among Gay and Heterosexual Male University Students in Nigeria.

Science.gov (United States)

Oginni, Olakunle A; Mosaku, Kolawole S; Mapayi, Boladale M; Akinsulore, Adesanmi; Afolabi, Temitope O

2018-05-01

Homosexuality is a recognized risk factor for depression in high-income countries; however, there is little research investigating the relationship between depression and sexual orientation in developing countries, especially in Africa. In this first study to investigate psychopathology in sexual minority men in Nigeria, the prevalence rates of depression in Nigerian gay and heterosexual individuals were compared as well as the explanatory power of risk and resilience factors in both groups. Eighty-one gay and 81 heterosexual male university students were, respectively, recruited from the Obafemi Awolowo University. Both groups were assessed for depression and other clinical factors, including alcohol and other substance use, suicidal ideation, and resilience. Gay students were further assessed for sexuality-related variables, including minority stress factors such as internalized homophobia and perceived stigma. The prevalence rates of depression among gay and heterosexual students were, respectively, 16 and 4.9% (OR 3.7; 95% CI 1.15-11.82), and this increased likelihood for depression was significantly attenuated by resilience. Clinical factors correlated significantly with depression in both groups, explaining 31% of the variance in depression in gay and heterosexual students, respectively. Sexuality-related variables including internalized homophobia and perceived stigma were further associated with depression in gay students-accounting for a further 14% of the variance of depression in gay students. The findings highlight the importance of minority stress factors in understanding depression among non-heterosexual individuals in a developing country, and the need for further research to investigate the mechanisms of these relationships in such settings.

Homophobic and sexist yet uncontested: examining football fan postings on Internet message boards.

Science.gov (United States)

Kian, Edward M; Clavio, Galen; Vincent, John; Shaw, Stephanie D

2011-01-01

Although a homophobic and sexist archetype of heterosexual masculinity has been thought to permeate competitive teamsport, matters have been rapidly changing. This is evident in research on openly gay athletes, attitudes among heterosexual athletes, and recent studies on decreasing homophobia among sport media content. In this research, however, we examine how some men still adhere to a homophobic and sexist masculine deposition when discussing sport on the Internet. A textual analysis was used to analyze hegemonic masculinity from a popular American football message board. Although posts related to hegemonic masculinity did not permeate the data, we found that this traditional form of masculinity was upheld through misogyny, homophobia, and the objectification of women. Thus, whereas mainstream sport media is increasingly policed for homophobia and sexism, this research shows that the anonymity of the Internet permits hegemonic masculinity to flourish in specific locations, without contestation.

Effect of adrenal medullectomy on metabolic responses to chronic intermittent hypoxia in the frequently sampled intravenous glucose tolerance test.

Science.gov (United States)

Shin, Mi-Kyung; Han, Woobum; Joo, Hoon; Bevans-Fonti, Shannon; Shiota, Masakazu; Stefanovski, Darko; Polotsky, Vsevolod Y

2017-04-01

Obstructive sleep apnea is associated with type 2 diabetes. We have previously developed a mouse model of intermittent hypoxia (IH) mimicking oxyhemoglobin desaturations in patients with sleep apnea and have shown that IH increases fasting glucose, hepatic glucose output, and plasma catecholamines. We hypothesize that adrenal medulla modulates glucose responses to IH and that such responses can be prevented by adrenal medullectomy. We performed adrenal medullectomy or sham surgery in lean C57BL/6J mice, which were exposed to IH or intermittent air (control) for 4 wk followed by the frequently sampled intravenous glucose tolerance test (FSIVGTT) in unanesthetized unrestrained animals. IH was administered during the 12-h light phase (9 AM to 9 PM) by decreasing inspired oxygen from 21 to 6.5% 60 cycles/h. Insulin sensitivity (S I ), insulin independent glucose disposal [glucose effectiveness (S G )], and the insulin response to glucose (AIR G ) were determined using the minimal model method. In contrast to our previous data obtained in restrained mice, IH did not affect fasting blood glucose and plasma insulin levels in sham-operated mice. IH significantly decreased S G but did not affect S I and AIR G Adrenal medullectomy decreased fasting blood glucose and plasma insulin levels and increased glycogen synthesis in the liver in hypoxic mice but did not have a significant effect on the FSIVGTT metrics. We conclude that, in the absence of restraints, IH has no effect on glucose metabolism in lean mice with exception of decreased S G , whereas adrenal medullectomy decreases fasting glucose and insulin levels in the IH environment. NEW & NOTEWORTHY To our knowledge, this is the first study examining the role of adrenal catecholamines in glucose metabolism during intermittent hypoxia (IH) in unanesthetized unrestrained C57BL/6J mice. We report that IH did not affect fasting glucose and insulin levels nor insulin sensitivity and insulin secretion during, whereas glucose

Prenatal Opioid Exposure and Intermittent Hypoxemia in Preterm Infants: A Retrospective Assessment

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Elie G. Abu Jawdeh

2017-12-01

Full Text Available IntroductionIntermittent hypoxemia (IH is defined as episodic drops in oxygen saturation (SpO2. Preterm infants are at increased risk for IH due to their immature respiratory control/apnea of prematurity. The clinical relevance of IH is a relatively new observation with rising evidence linking IH to neonatal morbidities and long-term impairment. Hence, assessing factors that influence IH in preterm infants is imperative. Given the epidemic of opioid misuse in the USA, there is an urgent need to understand the impact of prenatal opioid exposure on neonatal outcomes. Hence, we wanted to assess the relationship between isolated prenatal opioid exposure and IH in preterm infants.MethodsIn order to accurately calculate IH, SpO2 data were prospectively collected using high-resolution pulse oximeters during the first 8 weeks of life in preterm infants less than 30 weeks gestational age. Data related to prenatal opioid misuse were retrospectively collected from medical charts. Infants with tobacco or poly-drug exposure were excluded. The primary outcome measure is percent time spent with SpO2 below 80% (%time-SpO2 < 80. The secondary outcome measure is the number of severe IH events/week with SpO2 less than 80% (IH-SpO2 < 80.ResultsA total of 82 infants with isolated opioid exposure (n = 14 or who were unexposed (n = 68 were included. There were no significant differences in baseline characteristics between opioid exposed and unexposed groups. There was a statistically significant increase of 0.23 (95% CI: 0.03, 0.43, p = 0.03 in mean of the square root of %time-SpO2 < 80. The number of IH-SpO2 < 80 events was higher in the opioid exposed group (mean difference = 2.95, 95% CI: −0.35, 6.25, p-value = 0.08, although statistical significance was not quite attained.ConclusionThis study shows that preterm infants prenatally exposed to opioids have increased IH measures compared to unexposed infants. Interestingly

Prenatal Opioid Exposure and Intermittent Hypoxemia in Preterm Infants: A Retrospective Assessment.

Science.gov (United States)

Abu Jawdeh, Elie G; Westgate, Philip M; Pant, Amrita; Stacy, Audra L; Mamilla, Divya; Gabrani, Aayush; Patwardhan, Abhijit; Bada, Henrietta S; Giannone, Peter

2017-01-01

Intermittent hypoxemia (IH) is defined as episodic drops in oxygen saturation (SpO 2 ). Preterm infants are at increased risk for IH due to their immature respiratory control/apnea of prematurity. The clinical relevance of IH is a relatively new observation with rising evidence linking IH to neonatal morbidities and long-term impairment. Hence, assessing factors that influence IH in preterm infants is imperative. Given the epidemic of opioid misuse in the USA, there is an urgent need to understand the impact of prenatal opioid exposure on neonatal outcomes. Hence, we wanted to assess the relationship between isolated prenatal opioid exposure and IH in preterm infants. In order to accurately calculate IH, SpO 2 data were prospectively collected using high-resolution pulse oximeters during the first 8 weeks of life in preterm infants less than 30 weeks gestational age. Data related to prenatal opioid misuse were retrospectively collected from medical charts. Infants with tobacco or poly-drug exposure were excluded. The primary outcome measure is percent time spent with SpO 2 below 80% (%time-SpO 2  < 80). The secondary outcome measure is the number of severe IH events/week with SpO 2 less than 80% (IH-SpO 2  < 80). A total of 82 infants with isolated opioid exposure ( n  = 14) or who were unexposed ( n  = 68) were included. There were no significant differences in baseline characteristics between opioid exposed and unexposed groups. There was a statistically significant increase of 0.23 (95% CI: 0.03, 0.43, p  = 0.03) in mean of the square root of %time-SpO 2  < 80. The number of IH-SpO 2  < 80 events was higher in the opioid exposed group (mean difference = 2.95, 95% CI: -0.35, 6.25, p -value = 0.08), although statistical significance was not quite attained. This study shows that preterm infants prenatally exposed to opioids have increased IH measures compared to unexposed infants. Interestingly, the increased IH in the opioid

Propranolol in Treatment of Huge and Complicated Infantile Hemangiomas in Egyptian Children

OpenAIRE

Hassan, Basheir A.; Shreef, Khalid S.

2014-01-01

Background. Infantile hemangiomas (IHs) are the most common benign tumours of infancy. Propranolol has recently been reported to be a highly effective treatment for IHs. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and side effects of propranolol for treatment of complicated cases of IHs. Patients and Methods. This prospective clinical study included 30 children with huge or complicated IHs; their ages ranged from 2 months to 1 year. They were treated by oral propranolol. Treatment outcomes were...

Safety issues related to the intermediate heat storage for the EU DEMO

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Carpignano, Andrea [NEMO group, Dipartimento Energia, Politecnico di Torino, C.so Duca degli Abruzzi 24, 10129 Torino (Italy); Pinna, Tonio [ENEA, 00044 Frascati (Italy); Savoldi, Laura; Sobrero, Giulia; Uggenti, Anna Chiara [NEMO group, Dipartimento Energia, Politecnico di Torino, C.so Duca degli Abruzzi 24, 10129 Torino (Italy); Zanino, Roberto, E-mail: roberto.zanino@polito.it [NEMO group, Dipartimento Energia, Politecnico di Torino, C.so Duca degli Abruzzi 24, 10129 Torino (Italy)

2016-11-01

Highlights: • IHS affects only the PHTS and the BoP (Balance of Plant). • PIEs list does not change but IHS influences PIEs evolution. • Additional issues to be addressed in PIEs study due to the implementation of HIS. • No safety/operational major obstacles were found for IHS concept. - Abstract: The functional deviations able to compromise system safety in the EU DEMO Primary Heat Transfer System (PHTS) with intermediate heat storage (IHS) based on molten salts are identified and compared to the deviations identified with PHTS without IHS. The resulting safety issues for the Balance of Plant (BoP) have been taken into account. Functional Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FFMEA) is used to highlight the Postulated Initiating Events (PIE) of incident/accident sequences and to provide some safety insights during the preliminary design. The architecture of the system with IHS does not introduce new PIE with respect to the case without IHS, but it modifies some of them. In particular the two Postulated Initiating Events that are affected by the presence of IHS are the LOCA in the tubes of the HX between primary and intermediate circuit and the loss of heat sink for the first wall or the breeding zone. In fact the IHS introduces some advantages concerning the stability of the secondary circuit, but some weaknesses are associated to the physical-chemical nature of molten salts, especially oxidizing power, corrosive nature and risk of solidification. These issues can be managed in the design by the introduction of new safety functions.

Intermittent Hypoxia Disrupts Glucose Homeostasis in Liver Cells in an Insulin-Dependent and Independent Manner

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Chen Juan Gu

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Background/Aims: Obstructive sleep apnea is associated with diabetes and insulin resistance, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. The purpose of the current study was to determine the molecular effects of intermittent hypoxia (IH on hepatic insulin signaling and glucose homeostasis, and whether c-Jun NH2-terminal-kinase (JNK contributed to metabolic responses to IH in liver cells. Methods: The human HepG2 cells and rat FAO cells were exposed to 10, 30, 120, 240 or 360 cycles of IH (1% O2 for 60 s followed by 21% O2 for 60s, 7.5 cycles per hour or normoxia as a control. In a subgroup, we exposed cells to 360 cycles of IH with the JNK inhibitor SP600125. After IH exposure, cell glycogen content and glucose output were measured using colorimetric assay kits. Canonical insulin signaling and gluconeogenic genes were measured by western blot and quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Results: IH decreased insulin-stimulated protein kinase B (AKT/glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β phosphorylation in a time-dependent manner, while inhibiting forkhead box protein O1 (FOXO1 expression and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK transcription independent of insulin signaling. JNK inhibitor SP600125 partially restored AKT/ GSK-3β phosphorylation and glycogen synthesis, but did not affect other IH-induced glucose metabolic changes. Conclusion: IH in vitro impaired insulin signal transduction in liver cells as assessed by inhibited AKT/GSK-3β phosphorylation via JNK activation. IH inhibited FOXO1 and gluconeogenesis in an insulin-independent manner.

Improving treatment times for patients with in-hospital stroke using a standardized protocol.

Science.gov (United States)

Koge, Junpei; Matsumoto, Shoji; Nakahara, Ichiro; Ishii, Akira; Hatano, Taketo; Sadamasa, Nobutake; Kai, Yasutoshi; Ando, Mitsushige; Saka, Makoto; Chihara, Hideo; Takita, Wataru; Tokunaga, Keisuke; Kamata, Takahiko; Nishi, Hidehisa; Hashimoto, Tetsuya; Tsujimoto, Atsushi; Kira, Jun-Ichi; Nagata, Izumi

2017-10-15

Previous reports have shown significant delays in treatment of in-hospital stroke (IHS). We developed and implemented our IHS alert protocol in April 2014. We aimed to determine the influence of implementation of our IHS alert protocol. Our implementation processes comprise the following four main steps: IHS protocol development, workshops for hospital staff to learn about the protocol, preparation of standardized IHS treatment kits, and obtaining feedback in a monthly hospital staff conference. We retrospectively compared protocol metrics and clinical outcomes of patients with IHS treated with intravenous thrombolysis and/or endovascular therapy between before (January 2008-March 2014) and after implementation (April 2014-December 2016). Fifty-five patients were included (pre, 25; post, 30). After the implementation, significant reductions occurred in the median time from stroke recognition to evaluation by a neurologist (30 vs. 13.5min, pvs. 26.5min, pvs. 16min, p=0.02). The median time from first neuroimaging to endovascular therapy had a tendency to decrease (75 vs. 53min, p=0.08). There were no differences in the favorable outcomes (modified Rankin scale score of 0-2) at discharge or the incidence of symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage between the two periods. Our IHS alert protocol implementation saved time in treating patients with IHS without compromising safety. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Epigenetic programming of autonomic functions in an experimental model of apnea of prematurity

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Jayasri Nanduri

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Intermittent hypoxia (IH is a hallmark manifestation of recurrent apneas, which is a major clinical problem in infants born preterm. Carotid body (CB chemoreflex and catecholamine (CA secretion from adrenal medullary chromaffin cells (AMCs are two major mechanisms contributing to the maintenance of cardiorespiratory homeostasis during hypoxia. The purpose of this article is to highlight recent studies showing how neonates experiencing IH affect the CB and AMC function and their consequences in adult life. To simulate apneas, rat pups were treated with IH consisting of alternating cycles of hypoxia (1.5% O2 for 15 s and room air for 5 min, 8 h/day from ages P0–P10. Rats treated neonatal IH displayed augmented CB response to hypoxia and augmented CA secretion from AMC. Rats treated for 10 days of IH in the neonatal period were allowed to grow into adulthood. Remarkably, the effects of neonatal IH on CB and AMC persisted in the adulthood. Moreover, adult rats that were exposed to IH in neonatal period exhibited hypertension, increased incidence apnea. Analysis of the underlying molecular mechanisms revealed re-programming of the redox state by epigenetic mechanisms involving suppression of transcription of antioxidant enzyme genes by DNA hypermethylation. DNA hypomethylating agents might offer a novel therapeutic intervention to prevent early onset of cardiorespiratory morbidities caused by neonatal IH.

Impact of Chronic Neonatal Intermittent Hypoxia on Severity of Retinal Damage in a Rat Model of Oxygen-Induced Retinopathy.

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Beharry, Kay D; Cai, Charles L; Ahmad, Taimur; Guzel, Sibel; Valencia, Gloria B; Aranda, Jacob V

2018-01-01

Neonatal intermittent hypoxia (IH) followed by re-oxygenation in normoxia or supplemental oxygen (IHR) increases the risk for severe retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). The exact timing for the onset of retinal damage which may guide strategic interventions during retinal development, is unknown. We tested the hypothesis that chronic exposure of the immature retina to neonatal IH induces early manifestations of retinal damage that can be utilized as key time points for strategic pharmacologic intervention. Newborn rats were exposed to IH within 2 hours of birth (P0) until P14, or allowed to recover in room air (RA) from P14 to P21 (IHR). Retinal integrity and angiogenesis biomarkers were progressively assessed before (P0), during IH, and post IH (recovery in RA), or IHR, and compared to normoxic age-matched controls. Retinal damage occurred as early as day 3 of neonatal IH, consistent with vascular abnormalities and disturbances in the astrocytic template. These abnormalities worsened during IHR. Pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic interventions to identify, prevent, or minimize neonatal IH should be implemented shortly after birth in high risk preterm newborns. This strategy may lead to a reduction in the outcome of severe ROP requiring later invasive treatments.

Intermittent hypoxia-induced changes in tumor-associated macrophages and tumor malignancy in a mouse model of sleep apnea.

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Almendros, Isaac; Wang, Yang; Becker, Lev; Lennon, Frances E; Zheng, Jiamao; Coats, Brittney R; Schoenfelt, Kelly S; Carreras, Alba; Hakim, Fahed; Zhang, Shelley X; Farré, Ramon; Gozal, David

2014-03-01

An increased cancer aggressiveness and mortality have been recently reported among patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Intermittent hypoxia (IH), a hallmark of OSA, enhances melanoma growth and metastasis in mice. To assess whether OSA-related adverse cancer outcomes occur via IH-induced changes in host immune responses, namely tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs). Lung epithelial TC1 cell tumors were 84% greater in mice subjected to IH for 28 days compared with room air (RA). In addition, TAMs in IH-exposed tumors exhibited reductions in M1 polarity with a shift toward M2 protumoral phenotype. Although TAMs from tumors harvested from RA-exposed mice increased TC1 migration and extravasation, TAMs from IH-exposed mice markedly enhanced such effects and also promoted proliferative rates and invasiveness of TC1 cells. Proliferative rates of melanoma (B16F10) and TC1 cells exposed to IH either in single culture or in coculture with macrophages (RAW 264.7) increased only when RAW 264.7 macrophages were concurrently present. Our findings support the notion that IH-induced alterations in TAMs participate in the adverse cancer outcomes reported in OSA.

Misfit of Three Different Implant-Abutment Connections Before and After Cyclic Load Application: An In Vitro Study.

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Gehrke, Sergio Alexandre; Delgado-Ruiz, Rafael Arcesio; Prados Frutos, Juan Carlos; Prados-Privado, María; Dedavid, Berenice Anina; Granero Marín, Jose Manuel; Calvo Guirado, José Luiz

This study aimed to evaluate the misfit of three different implant-abutment connections before and after cycling load. One hundred twenty dental implants and correspondent prefabricated titanium abutments were used. Three different implant-abutment connections were evaluated: Morse taper (MT group), external hexagon (EH group), and internal hexagon (IH group). Forty implants and 40 abutments were used per group. The parameters for the mechanical evaluation were set as: 360,000 cycles, load of 150 N, and frequency of 4 Hz. Samples were sectioned in their longitudinal and transversal axes, and the misfit of the implant-abutment connection was evaluated by scanning electron microscopy analysis. One-way analyses of variance, Tukey post hoc analyses (α = .05), and t test (P .05). Transversally, only the MT group showed full fitting after cycling load compared with the other groups (EH and IH) (P abutment connection in internal, external, and Morse taper connections. In the longitudinal direction, the accommodation decreases and/or eliminates the gap observed initially (before load). In the horizontal direction, Morse cone implant-abutment connections experience a complete accommodation with the elimination of the gap.

Developmental programming of O2 sensing by neonatal intermittent hypoxia via epigenetic mechanisms

Science.gov (United States)

Nanduri, Jayasri; Prabhakar, Nanduri R.

2014-01-01

Recurrent apnea with intermittent hypoxia (IH) is a major clinical problem in infants born preterm. Carotid body chemo-reflex and catecholamine secretion from adrenal medullary chromaffin cells (AMC) are important for maintenance of cardio-respiratory homeostasis during hypoxia. This article highlights studies on the effects of IH on O2 sensing by the carotid body and AMC in neonatal rodents. Neonatal IH augments hypoxia-evoked carotid body sensory excitation and catecholamine secretion from AMC which are mediated by reactive oxygen species (ROS)-dependent recruitment of endothelin-1 and Ca2+ signaling, respectively. The effects of neonatal IH persist into adulthood. Evidence is emerging that neonatal IH initiates epigenetic mechanisms involving DNA hypermethylation contributing to long-lasting increase in ROS levels. Since adult human subjects born preterm exhibit higher incidence of sleep-disordered breathing and hypertension, DNA hypomethylating agents might offer a novel therapeutic intervention to decrease long-term cardio-respiratory morbidity caused by neonatal IH. PMID:22846496

Developmental programming of O(2) sensing by neonatal intermittent hypoxia via epigenetic mechanisms.

Science.gov (United States)

Nanduri, Jayasri; Prabhakar, Nanduri R

2013-01-01

Recurrent apnea with intermittent hypoxia (IH) is a major clinical problem in infants born preterm. Carotid body chemo-reflex and catecholamine secretion from adrenal medullary chromaffin cells (AMC) are important for maintenance of cardio-respiratory homeostasis during hypoxia. This article highlights studies on the effects of IH on O(2) sensing by the carotid body and AMC in neonatal rodents. Neonatal IH augments hypoxia-evoked carotid body sensory excitation and catecholamine secretion from AMC which are mediated by reactive oxygen species (ROS)-dependent recruitment of endothelin-1 and Ca(2+) signaling, respectively. The effects of neonatal IH persist into adulthood. Evidence is emerging that neonatal IH initiates epigenetic mechanisms involving DNA hypermethylation contributing to long-lasting increase in ROS levels. Since adult human subjects born preterm exhibit higher incidence of sleep-disordered breathing and hypertension, DNA hypomethylating agents might offer a novel therapeutic intervention to decrease long-term cardio-respiratory morbidity caused by neonatal IH. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Therapy Associated Hypophysitis

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Moeber Mahzari

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Ipilimumab is a monoclonal antibody directed against CTLA4 T-lymphocyte antigen used as cancer therapy. Immune-related adverse events are common side effects and may include hypophysitis-related hypopituitarism. The clinical features of six patients with ipilimumab-induced hypophysitis (IH are described. The clinical features of IH reported in clinical trials, including the incidence of IH by gender and the likelihood of adrenal axis recovery, are summarized. Following the development of IH, most patients remain on glucocorticoid replacement despite efforts to withdraw therapy. Analysis of gender information in published clinical trials suggests that men are more prone to developing IH than women, and few patients fully recover the pituitary-adrenal axis function. Ipilimumab and other drugs within its class are likely to be used to treat many forms of cancer. Endocrinologists should anticipate a significant increase in the incidence of autoimmune hypophysitis. Strategies for early detection of IH and long-term management should be considered.

Teachers’ discourses on young lesbians in the portuguese school context

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Liliana Rodrigues

2015-05-01

Full Text Available This paper aims to analyze teachers’ discourses on young lesbians in the Portuguese schools. To that end, we carried out semi-structured interviews with 24 Portuguese teachers of middle and secondary schools. After having analyzed the retrieved data from the interviews, we identified four main themes: gender polarization; lesbian invisibility; homophobia; and measures against homophobia. Based on their discourses, we concluded that these interviewees have a small amount of knowledge about lesbian women’s sexuality. Despite the legislative progress concerning the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender People's rights in Portugal, teachers are not prepared to deal with this issue both inside and outside the school environment. Furthermore, this research includes some recommendations to deal with homophobia in the Portuguese school context. This study will hopefully contribute to a better understanding of the discourses and practices towards young lesbians in the school panorama, highlighting the importance of promoting non-discriminatory attitudes in the Portuguese schools

Comparative molecular study of Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains, in times of antimicrobial drug resistance

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G. Varela

2005-03-01

Full Text Available Strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis were compared using two DNA fingerprinting techniques: Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP and Double-Repetitive-Element-PCR (DRE-PCR. Two of these strains: IH1 (susceptible to isoniazid and IH2 (resistant to isoniazid were recovered from cases of pulmonary tuberculosis which occurred in two brothers who lived together. The first one was recognized on July 1999, and the second was diagnosed one year later. IH1 and IH2 showed the same pattern of bands with both molecular tests. These results suggest that single drug chemoprophylaxis may occasionally select resistant strains for that drug, which can eventually cause disease and be recognized through these tests. Strains IH3, IH4 and IH5 were obtained from sputum samples of 3 different patients, and intra-laboratory cross-contamination was suspected when it was realized that the 3 positive materials had been consecutively processed the same day by the same worker in the same biological safety cabinet. Again, the 3 strains revealed identical band patterns with RFLP and DRE-PCR, confirming the posed suspicion. The results with DRE-PCR were obtained after only 8 hours of work, without the need for subcultures. This procedure allows quick correction of treatment conducts, avoiding unnecessary exposure of people and bacteria to antimicrobial drugs.Se compararon cepas de Mycobacterium tuberculosis utilizando 2 procedimientos de ADN fingerprinting: polimorfismo de los fragmentos de restricción (RFLP y Double-Repetitive-Element-PCR (DRE-PCR. Dos de las cepas: IH1 (susceptible a isoniazida e IH2 (resistente a isoniazida se recuperaron a partir de casos de tuberculosis pulmonar que ocurrieron en dos hermanos convivientes. La primera fue aislada en julio de 1999 y la segunda un año después. IH1 e IH2 mostraron el mismo patrón de bandas por ambos procedimientos. Estos resultados sugieren que la quimioprofilaxis con una sola droga puede ocasionalmente

Software

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Macedo, R.; Budd, G.; Ross, E.; Wells, P.

2010-07-15

addition to a description of the software application, the name of software providers were listed along with the new features available in each product. The survey included products developed by ADP Inc.; Energy Navigator Inc.; Enersight Canada; Entero Corporation; Envirosoft Corporation; Geologic Systems Ltd.; IHS; Jedex Equipment Ltd.; MJ Systems; OpenSpirit; Petro Management Group Ltd.; P2 Energy Solutions; Risk Advisory, A division of SAS; Seisware International Inc.; Sustainet Software International Inc.; and 3ESI.

Neurotensin enhances glutamatergic EPSCs in VTA neurons by acting on different neurotensin receptors.

Science.gov (United States)

Bose, Poulomee; Rompré, Pierre-Paul; Warren, Richard A

2015-11-01

Neurotensin (NT) is an endogenous neuropeptide that modulates dopamine and glutamate neurotransmission in several limbic regions innervated by neurons located in the ventral tegmental area (VTA). While several studies showed that NT exerted a direct modulation on VTA dopamine neurons less is known about its role in the modulation of glutamatergic neurotransmission in this region. The present study was aimed at characterising the effects of NT on glutamate-mediated responses in different populations of VTA neurons. Using whole cell patch clamp recording technique in horizontal rat brain slices, we measured the amplitude of glutamatergic excitatory post-synaptic currents (EPSCs) evoked by electrical stimulation of VTA afferents before and after application of different concentrations of NT1-13 or its C-terminal fragment, NT8-13. Neurons were classified as either Ih(+) or Ih(-) based on the presence or absence of a hyperpolarisation activated cationic current (Ih). We found that NT1-13 and NT8-13 produced comparable concentration dependent increase in the amplitude of EPSCs in both Ih(+) and Ih(-) neurons. In Ih(+) neurons, the enhancement effect of NT8-13 was blocked by both antagonists, while in Ih(-) neurons it was blocked by the NTS1/NTS2 antagonist, SR142948A, but not the preferred NTS1 antagonist, SR48692. In as much as Ih(-) neurons are non-dopaminergic neurons and Ih(+) neurons represent both dopamine and non-dopamine neurons, we can conclude that NT enhances glutamatergic mediated responses in dopamine, and in a subset of non-dopamine, neurons by acting respectively on NTS1 and an NT receptor other than NTS1. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[The Classification of Headache: Important Aspects of Patient's History and Clinical Diagnostic].

Science.gov (United States)

Kamm, Katharina; Ruscheweyh, Ruth; Eren, Ozan; Straube, Andreas

2017-03-01

Headache disorders are the most occuring symptoms in human population. Basis for a successful therapy of headaches is a definite diagnosis, which needs in turn valid criteria for the graduation of headaches. Corresponding to the classification of the International Headache Society (IHS) especially relevant questions about patient's history and clinical examination lead to a diagnosis. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Physiological Responses to Two Hypoxic Conditioning Strategies in Healthy Subjects.

Science.gov (United States)

Chacaroun, Samarmar; Borowik, Anna; Morrison, Shawnda A; Baillieul, Sébastien; Flore, Patrice; Doutreleau, Stéphane; Verges, Samuel

2016-01-01

Objective: Hypoxic exposure can be used as a therapeutic tool by inducing various cardiovascular, neuromuscular, and metabolic adaptations. Hypoxic conditioning strategies have been evaluated in patients with chronic diseases using either sustained (SH) or intermittent (IH) hypoxic sessions. Whether hypoxic conditioning via SH or IH may induce different physiological responses remains to be elucidated. Methods: Fourteen healthy active subjects (7 females, age 25 ± 8 years, body mass index 21.5 ± 2.5 kg·m -2 ) performed two interventions in a single blind, randomized cross-over design, starting with either 3 x SH (48 h apart), or 3 x IH (48 h apart), separated by a 2 week washout period. SH sessions consisted of breathing a gas mixture with reduced inspiratory oxygen fraction (FiO 2 ), continuously adjusted to reach arterial oxygen saturations (SpO 2 ) of 70-80% for 1 h. IH sessions consisted of 5 min with reduced FiO 2 (SpO 2 = 70-80%), followed by 3-min normoxia, repeated seven times. During the first (S1) and third (S3) sessions of each hypoxic intervention, cardiorespiratory parameters, and muscle and pre-frontal cortex oxygenation (near infrared spectroscopy) were assessed continuously. Results : Minute ventilation increased significantly during IH sessions (+2 ± 2 L·min -1 ) while heart rate increased during both SH (+11 ± 4 bpm) and IH (+13 ± 5 bpm) sessions. Arterial blood pressure increased during all hypoxic sessions, although baseline normoxic systolic blood pressure was reduced from S1 to S3 in IH only (-8 ± 11 mmHg). Muscle oxygenation decreased significantly during S3 but not S1, for both hypoxic interventions (S3: SH -6 ± 5%, IH -3 ± 4%); pre-frontal oxygenation decreased in S1 and S3, and to a greater extent in SH vs. IH (-13 ± 3% vs. -6 ± 6%). Heart rate variability indices indicated a significantly larger increase in sympathetic activity in SH vs. IH (lower SDNN, PNN50, and RMSSD values in SH). From S1 to S3, further reduction in heart

The Convenience Benefits of the District Heating System over Individual Heating Systems in Korean Households

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Hyo-Jin Kim

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Koreans usually prefer the district heating system (DHS to the individual heating system (IHS because DHS can give them convenience and safety within their living environment. The Korean government thus plans to expand the DHS and requires information about the value that consumers place on the DHS over the IHS, which has not been dealt with in academic literature. This paper attempts to investigate Korean households’ willingness to pay (WTP for DHS over IHS, for residential heat (RH. To this end, the authors apply the dichotomous choice contingent valuation to assessing additional WTP for DHS using a survey of 1000 randomly selected households living in buildings with IHS. A mixture model is applied to deal with the zero WTP responses. The WTP distribution is specified as a mixture of two distributions, one with a point mass at zero and the other with full support on the positive half of the real line. The results show that the mean additional WTP for DHS-based RH over IHS-based RH is estimated to be KRW 5775 (USD 5.4 per Gcal. This value can be interpreted as the consumer’s convenience benefits of DHS over IHS, and amounts to approximately 6.0% of the average price: KRW 96,510 (USD 90.4 per Gcal in 2013, for IHS-based RH. This information is useful for evaluating changes to the method used for supplying RH from IHS to DHS.

Vertebral Fractures and Bone Mineral Density in Patients With Idiopathic Hypoparathyroidism on Long-Term Follow-Up.

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Chawla, Himika; Saha, Soma; Kandasamy, Devasenathipathy; Sharma, Raju; Sreenivas, Vishnubhatla; Goswami, Ravinder

2017-01-01

Bone mineral density (BMD) is increased in idiopathic hypoparathyroidism (IH). Parathyroid hormone (PTH) deficiency, hypocalcemic seizures, and anticonvulsants could compromise skeletal health in IH. We assessed vertebral fractures (VFs) and related factors in IH and change in BMD during follow-up. VFs were assessed by morphometry. BMD was assessed by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometery at the lumbar spine, hip, and forearm. Change in BMD was assessed in a subset after a 10-year follow-up. The endocrine clinic of All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India. Included were 104 patients with IH and 64 healthy controls. Hypocalcemia, hyperphosphatemia, normal kidney function, and low serum PTH levels were used to diagnose IH. VFs were seen in 18.3% of patients with IH and 4.7% of controls (odds ratio, 4.54; 95% confidence interval, 1.28 to 16.04). Use of anticonvulsants and menopause were significantly associated (P < 0.05) with VF. Mean BMD at lumbar spine and hip were higher by 21.4% and 8.6%, respectively, in IH than in controls (P < 0.001), respectively. BMD significantly increased during follow-up at all sites. Change in BMD correlated with maintenance of the serum calcium/phosphorus ratio during follow-up. Despite increased BMD, prevalence of vertebral-fractures is greater in patients with IH, especially in postmenopausal women and those on anticonvulsant therapy. Copyright © 2017 by the Endocrine Society

Reactive oxygen radicals and gaseous transmitters in carotid body activation by intermittent hypoxia.

Science.gov (United States)

Prabhakar, Nanduri R; Peng, Ying-Jie; Yuan, Guoxiang; Nanduri, Jayasri

2018-05-01

Sleep apnea is a prevalent respiratory disease characterized by periodic cessation of breathing during sleep causing intermittent hypoxia (IH). Sleep apnea patients and rodents exposed to IH exhibit elevated sympathetic nerve activity and hypertension. A heightened carotid body (CB) chemoreflex has been implicated in causing autonomic abnormalities in IH-treated rodents and in sleep apnea patients. The purpose of this article is to review the emerging evidence showing that interactions between reactive oxygen species (ROS) and gaseous transmitters as a mechanism cause hyperactive CB by IH. Rodents treated with IH exhibit markedly elevated ROS in the CB, which is due to transcriptional upregulation of pro-oxidant enzymes by hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1 and insufficient transcriptional regulation of anti-oxidant enzymes by HIF-2. ROS, in turn, increases cystathionine γ-lyase (CSE)-dependent H 2 S production in the CB. Blockade of H 2 S synthesis prevents IH-evoked CB activation. However, the effects of ROS on H 2 S production are not due to direct effects on CSE enzyme activity but rather due to inactivation of heme oxygenase-2 (HO-2), a carbon monoxide (CO) producing enzyme. CO inhibits H 2 S production through inactivation of CSE by PKG-dependent phosphorylation. During IH, reduced CO production resulting from inactivation of HO-2 by ROS releases the inhibition of CO on CSE thereby increasing H 2 S. Inhibiting H 2 S synthesis prevented IH-evoked sympathetic activation and hypertension.

The Role of Stress-Effected Subgrain Size Distribution in Anelastic Recovery: An Experimental Study on Polycrystalline Ice-Ih

Science.gov (United States)

Caswell, T. E.; Goldsby, D. L.; Cooper, R. F.; Prior, D. J.

2013-12-01

Anelasticity, or time-dependent and recoverable strain, is the source of attenuation at seismic and sub-seismic frequencies, yet the processes governing anelastic recovery are poorly resolved. Numerous experimental studies [e.g., 1-3] have demonstrated that anelasticity occurs via diffusion-effected relaxation along grain boundaries, which leads to a significant grain size sensitivity. Similar studies, however, conducted on deformed single crystals [e.g. 4], coarse-grained metals deforming in dislocation creep [e.g., 5] and polycrystalline ice deforming via a dislocation-accommodated mechanism [6] demonstrate the same frequency dependence, consistent with the grain boundary mechanism, but with no sensitivity to grain size. We postulate that it is the deformation-effected distribution of subgrains, which possesses unique diffusive properties relative to a defect-free lattice, that dominates attenuation in these situations. To test this idea we are conducting creep and stress-drop experiments on polycrystalline ice-Ih with concurrent high-resolution microstructural analysis conducted via Electron Backscatter Diffraction (EBSD) [7] to characterize the relationship between subgrain size distribution and diffusion-effected anelasticity. Our experiments establish the subgrain size distribution in steady-state creep of fine-grained ice-1h at compressional stresses between 0.1-4 MPa, which for the grain sizes and temperatures of our experiments places the rheology squarely within the regime of grain boundary sliding that is accommodated by basal dislocation slip [8]. We then explore the dynamics of the established microstructure, which includes subgrain formation [cf. 9], via stress-drop experiments [e.g. 10]. Experiments of this type allow the characterization of microstructural 'hardness,' i.e., the viscosity of the polycrystalline solid as effected by finite strain, from which we can discern the diffusive kinetics of subgrain boundaries [11, 12]. We are currently

Gonadotropin-inhibitory hormone reduces sexual motivation but not lordosis behavior in female Syrian hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Piekarski, David J; Zhao, Sheng; Jennings, Kimberly J

2013-01-01

with GnIH or saline. The effect of GnIH on sexual motivation, vaginal scent marking, and lordosis was examined. Following mating, FOS activation was quantified in brain regions implicated in the regulation of female sexual behavior. Intracerebroventricular administration of GnIH reduced sexual motivation...... and vaginal scent marking, but not lordosis behavior. GnIH administration altered FOS expression in key neural loci implicated in female reproductive behavior, including the medial preoptic area, medial amygdala and bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, independent of changes in circulating gonadal steroids...

Hunger can be taught: Hunger Recognition regulates eating and improves energy balance

Science.gov (United States)

Ciampolini, Mario; Lovell-Smith, H David; Kenealy, Timothy; Bianchi, Riccardo

2013-01-01

A set of spontaneous hunger sensations, Initial Hunger (IH), has been associated with low blood glucose concentration (BG). These sensations may arise pre-meal or can be elicited by delaying a meal. With self-measurement of BG, subjects can be trained to formally identify and remember these sensations (Hunger Recognition). Subjects can then be trained to ensure that IH is present pre-meal for most meals and that their pre-meal BG is therefore low consistently (IH Meal Pattern). IH includes the epigastric Empty Hollow Sensation (the most frequent and recognizable) as well as less specific sensations such as fatigue or light-headedness which is termed inanition. This report reviews the method for identifying IH and the effect of the IH Meal Pattern on energy balance. In adults, the IH Meal Pattern has been shown to significantly decrease energy intake by one-third, decrease preprandial BG, reduce glycosylated hemoglobin, and reduce insulin resistance and weight in those who are insulin resistant or overweight. Young children as well as adults can be trained in Hunger Recognition, giving them an elegant method for achieving energy balance without the stress of restraint-type dieting. The implications of improving insulin sensitivity through improved energy balance are as wide as improving immune activity. PMID:23825928

Isolated hypoganglionosis: systematic review of a rare intestinal innervation defect.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Dingemann, Jens

2012-02-01

PURPOSE: Isolated hypoganglionosis (IH) is rare and resembles Hirschsprung\\'s disease. The diagnosis by suction biopsy is difficult. A full-thickness biopsy is essential. Histological features of IH include sparse, small myenteric ganglia, low acetylcholinesterase activity in the lamina propria, and hypertrophy of muscularis mucosae and circular muscle. This review investigates the epidemiology, symptoms, diagnosis, and outcome of patients with IH. METHODS: A systematic review, using the keywords "isolated hypoganglionosis" and "intestinal hypoganglionosis" was performed. Publications were reviewed for epidemiology, histological methods, operative procedures, follow-up, and patient\\'s outcome. RESULTS: Eleven publications from 1978 to 2009 reported 92 patients with IH (69 males and 23 females, age 4.85 years), presenting with constipation or enterocolitis. Diagnosis of IH was made by full-thickness biopsy and AChE staining in 91% of patients with additional staining in 82%; 54 patients had bowel resection and pull-through procedures; 11 patients had ileostomy or colostomy, and 2 had sphincter myectomy. Complications reported were enterocolitis, constipation, and residual disease. Seven patients (8%) died due to enterocolitis or short-bowel complications. CONCLUSION: This review confirms that diagnosis of IH is only possible by histochemical examination of a full-thickness biopsy. Despite advanced age at diagnosis of IH, epidemiological and clinical data are similar to aganglionosis.

77 FR 21568 - Indian Health Professions Preparatory, Indian Health Professions Pregraduate and Indian Health...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-04-10

..., Tele: (218) 444-0486, 1-800-892-3079 (toll free). Billings Area IHS: Montana, Wyoming Mr. Delon Rock... Scholarship Coordinator, Navajo Area IHS, P.O. Box 9020, Wndow Rock, AZ 86515, Tele: (928) 871-1360. Oklahoma... 20852. Electronic applications are being accepted for this cycle. Go to www.scholarship.ihs.gov for more...

Protective effects of intermittent hypoxia on brain and memory in a mouse model of apnea of prematurity.

Science.gov (United States)

Bouslama, Myriam; Adla-Biassette, Homa; Ramanantsoa, Nelina; Bourgeois, Thomas; Bollen, Bieke; Brissaud, Olivier; Matrot, Boris; Gressens, Pierre; Gallego, Jorge

2015-01-01

Apnea of prematurity (AOP) is considered a risk factor for neurodevelopmental disorders in children based on epidemiological studies. This idea is supported by studies in newborn rodents in which exposure to intermittent hypoxia (IH) as a model of AOP significantly impairs development. However, the severe IH used in these studies may not fully reflect the broad spectrum of AOP severity. Considering that hypoxia appears neuroprotective under various conditions, we hypothesized that moderate IH would protect the neonatal mouse brain against behavioral stressors and brain damage. On P6, each pup in each litter was randomly assigned to one of three groups: a group exposed to IH while separated from the mother (IH group), a control group exposed to normoxia while separated from the mother (AIR group), and a group of untreated unmanipulated pups left continuously with their mother until weaning (UNT group). Exposure to moderate IH (8% O2) consisted of 20 hypoxic events/hour, 6 h per day from postnatal day 6 (P6) to P10. The stress generated by maternal separation in newborn rodents is known to impair brain development, and we expected this effect to be smaller in the IH group compared to the AIR group. In a separate experiment, we combined maternal separation with excitotoxic brain lesions mimicking those seen in preterm infants. We analyzed memory, angiogenesis, neurogenesis and brain lesion size. In non-lesioned mice, IH stimulated hippocampal angiogenesis and neurogenesis and improved short-term memory indices. In brain-lesioned mice, IH decreased lesion size and prevented memory impairments. Contrary to common perception, IH mimicking moderate apnea may offer neuroprotection, at least in part, against brain lesions and cognitive dysfunctions related to prematurity. AOP may therefore have beneficial effects in some preterm infants. These results support the need for stratification based on AOP severity in clinical trials of treatments for AOP, to determine whether in

Protective effects of intermittent hypoxia on brain and memory in a mouse model of apnea of prematurity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Myriam eBouslama

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Apnea of prematurity (AOP is considered a risk factor for neurodevelopmental disorders in children based on epidemiological studies. This idea is supported by studies in newborn rodents in which exposure to intermittent hypoxia (IH as a model of AOP significantly impairs development. However, the severe IH used in these studies may not fully reflect the broad spectrum of AOP severity. Considering that hypoxia appears neuroprotective under various conditions, we hypothesized that moderate IH would protect the neonatal mouse brain against behavioral stressors and brain damage. On P6, each pup in each litter was randomly assigned to one of three groups: a group exposed to IH while separated from the mother (IH group, a control group exposed to normoxia while separated from the mother (AIR group, and a group of untreated unmanipulated pups left continuously with their mother until weaning (UNT group. Exposure to moderate IH consisted of 20 hypoxic events/hour, 6 hours per day from postnatal day 6 (P6 to P10. The stress generated by maternal separation in newborn rodents is known to impair brain development, and we expected this effect to be smaller in the IH group compared to the AIR group. In a separate experiment, we combined maternal separation with excitotoxic brain lesions mimicking those seen in preterm infants. We analyzed memory, angiogenesis, neurogenesis and brain lesion size. In non-lesioned mice, IH stimulated hippocampal angiogenesis and neurogenesis and improved short-term memory indices. In brain-lesioned mice, IH decreased lesion size and prevented memory impairments. Contrary to common perception, IH mimicking moderate apnea may offer neuroprotection, at least in part, against brain lesions and cognitive dysfunctions related to prematurity. AOP may therefore have beneficial effects in some preterm infants. These results support the need for stratification based on AOP severity in clinical trials of treatments for AOP, to determine

The Politics of US Feminist Internationalism and Cuba: Solidarities and Fractures on the Venceremos Brigades, 1969-89

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Karen W. Tice

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Despite US travel bans to Cuba, a wide spectrum of US feminist and radical activists defied and crossed geo-political borders to participate in unique modes of solidarity activism and alliances with Cuba revolutionaries. Based on the narratives of US feminist political travellers who joined the Venceremos Brigades, an anti-imperialist radical education project, this article analyses the difficult conversations about feminism, gender politics, homophobia, racism, cultural imperialism, revolutionary priorities, social change strategies, and intersectionality as well as the productive organisational linkages that were generated by this political travel. This article highlights how political differences were both managed and/or silenced within transnational activist encounters, and concludes by suggesting the import of these debates for building and sustaining multi-issue and coalitional affinities within contemporary transnational feminist organising and solidarity delegations.

Intermittent Hypoxia Inhibits Na+-H+ Exchange-Mediated Acid Extrusion Via Intracellular Na+ Accumulation in Cardiomyocytes

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Huai-Ren Chang

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Background/Aims: Intermittent hypoxia (IH has been shown to exert preconditioning-like cardioprotective effects. It also has been reported that IH preserves intracellular pH (pHi during ischemia and protects cardiomyocytes against ischemic reperfusion injury. However, the exact mechanism is still unclear. Methods: In this study, we used proton indicator BCECF-AM to analyze the rate of pHi recovery from acidosis in the IH model of rat neonatal cardiomyocytes. Neonatal cardiomyocytes were first treated with repetitive hypoxia-normoxia cycles for 1-4 days. Cells were then acid loaded with NH4Cl, and the rate of pHi recovery from acidosis was measured. Results: We found that the pHi recovery rate from acidosis was much slower in the IH group than in the room air (RA group. When we treated cardiomyocytes with Na+-H+ exchange (NHE inhibitors (Amiloride and HOE642 or Na+-free Tyrode solution during the recovery, there was no difference between RA and IH groups. We also found intracellular Na+ concentration ([Na+]i significantly increased after IH exposure for 4 days. However, the phenomenon could be abolished by pretreatment with ROS inhibitors (SOD and phenanathroline, intracellular calcium chelator or Na+-Ca2+ exchange (NCX inhibitor. Furthermore, the pHi recovery rate from acidosis became faster in the IH group than in the RA group when inhibition of NCX activity. Conclusions: These results suggest that IH would induce the elevation of ROS production. ROS then activates Ca2+-efflux mode of NCX and results in intracellular Na+ accumulation. The rise of [Na+]i further inhibits the activity of NHE-mediated acid extrusion and retards the rate of pHi recovery from acidosis during IH.

Chronic Intermittent Hypoxia Induces Chronic Low-Grade Neuroinflammation in the Dorsal Hippocampus of Mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Sapin, Emilie; Peyron, Christelle; Roche, Frédéric; Gay, Nadine; Carcenac, Carole; Savasta, Marc; Levy, Patrick; Dematteis, Maurice

2015-10-01

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) induces cognitive impairment that involves intermittent hypoxia (IH). Because OSA is recognized as a low-grade systemic inflammatory disease and only some patients develop cognitive deficits, we investigated whether IH-related brain consequences shared similar pathophysiology and required additional factors such as systemic inflammation to develop. Nine-week-old male C57BL/6J mice were exposed to 1 day, 6 or 24 w of IH (alternating 21-5% FiO2 every 30 sec, 8 h/day) or normoxia. Microglial changes were assessed in the functionally distinct dorsal (dH) and ventral (vH) regions of the hippocampus using Iba1 immunolabeling. Then the study concerned dH, as vH only tended to be lately affected. Seven proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokine messenger RNA (mRNA) were assessed at all time points using semiquantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Similar mRNA analysis was performed after 6 w IH or normoxia associated for the past 3 w with repeated intraperitoneal low-dose lipopolysaccharide or saline. Chronic (6, 24 w) but not acute IH induced significant microglial changes in dH only, including increased density and morphological features of microglia priming. In dH, acute but not chronic IH increased IL-1β and RANTES/CCL5 mRNA, whereas the other cytokines remained unchanged. In contrast, chronic IH plus lipopolysaccharide increased interleukin (IL)-6 and IL10 mRNA whereas lipopolysaccharide alone did not affect these cytokines. The obstructive sleep apnea component intermittent hypoxia (IH) causes low-grade neuroinflammation in the dorsal hippocampus of mice, including early but transient cytokine elevations, delayed but long-term microglial changes, and cytokine response alterations to lipopolysaccharide inflammatory challenge. These changes may contribute to IH-induced cognitive impairment and pathological brain aging. © 2015 Associated Professional Sleep Societies, LLC.

Exercise attenuates intermittent hypoxia-induced cardiac fibrosis associated with sodium-hydrogen exchanger-1 in rats

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Tsung-I Chen

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Purpose: To investigate the role of sodium–hydrogen exchanger-1 (NHE-1 and exercise training on intermittent hypoxia-induced cardiac fibrosis in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA, using an animal model mimicking the intermittent hypoxia of OSA. Methods: Eight-week-old male Sprague–Dawley rats were randomly assigned to control (CON, intermittent hypoxia (IH, exercise (EXE or IH combined with exercise (IHEXE groups. These groups were randomly assigned to subgroups receiving either a vehicle or the NHE-1 inhibitor cariporide. The EXE and IHEXE rats underwent exercise training on an animal treadmill for 10 weeks (5 days/week, 60 minutes/day, 24–30 m/minute, 2–10% grade. The IH and IHEXE rats were exposed to 14 days of IH (30 seconds of hypoxia - nadir of 2-6% O2 - followed by 45 seconds of normoxia for 8 hours/day. At the end of 10 weeks, rats were sacrificed and then hearts were removed to determine the myocardial levels of fibrosis index, oxidative stress, antioxidant capacity and NHE-1 activation. Results: Compared to the CON rats, IH induced higher cardiac fibrosis, lower myocardial catalase and superoxidative dismutase activities, higher myocardial lipid and protein peroxidation and higher NHE-1 activation (p < 0.05 for each, which were all abolished by cariporide. Compared to the IH rats, lower cardiac fibrosis, higher myocardial antioxidant capacity, lower myocardial lipid and protein peroxidation and lower NHE-1 activation were found in the IHEXE rats (p < 0.05 for each. Conclusion: IH-induced cardiac fibrosis was associated with NHE-1 hyperactivity. However, exercise training and cariporide exerted an inhibitory effect to prevent myocardial NHE-1 hyperactivity, which contributed to reduced IH-induced cardiac fibrosis. Therefore, NHE-1 plays a critical role in the effect of exercise on IH-induced increased cardiac fibrosis.

Chronic intermittent hypoxia exerts CNS region-specific effects on rat microglial inflammatory and TLR4 gene expression.

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Stephanie M C Smith

Full Text Available Intermittent hypoxia (IH during sleep is a hallmark of sleep apnea, causing significant neuronal apoptosis, and cognitive and behavioral deficits in CNS regions underlying memory processing and executive functions. IH-induced neuroinflammation is thought to contribute to cognitive deficits after IH. In the present studies, we tested the hypothesis that IH would differentially induce inflammatory factor gene expression in microglia in a CNS region-dependent manner, and that the effects of IH would differ temporally. To test this hypothesis, adult rats were exposed to intermittent hypoxia (2 min intervals of 10.5% O2 for 8 hours/day during their respective sleep cycles for 1, 3 or 14 days. Cortex, medulla and spinal cord tissues were dissected, microglia were immunomagnetically isolated and mRNA levels of the inflammatory genes iNOS, COX-2, TNFα, IL-1β and IL-6 and the innate immune receptor TLR4 were compared to levels in normoxia. Inflammatory gene expression was also assessed in tissue homogenates (containing all CNS cells. We found that microglia from different CNS regions responded to IH differently. Cortical microglia had longer lasting inflammatory gene expression whereas spinal microglial gene expression was rapid and transient. We also observed that inflammatory gene expression in microglia frequently differed from that in tissue homogenates from the same region, indicating that cells other than microglia also contribute to IH-induced neuroinflammation. Lastly, microglial TLR4 mRNA levels were strongly upregulated by IH in a region- and time-dependent manner, and the increase in TLR4 expression appeared to coincide with timing of peak inflammatory gene expression, suggesting that TLR4 may play a role in IH-induced neuroinflammation. Together, these data indicate that microglial-specific neuroinflammation may play distinct roles in the effects of intermittent hypoxia in different CNS regions.

Effects of different acute hypoxic regimens on tissue oxygen profiles and metabolic outcomes.

Science.gov (United States)

Reinke, Christian; Bevans-Fonti, Shannon; Drager, Luciano F; Shin, Mi-Kyung; Polotsky, Vsevolod Y

2011-09-01

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) causes intermittent hypoxia (IH) during sleep. Both obesity and OSA are associated with insulin resistance and systemic inflammation, which may be attributable to tissue hypoxia. We hypothesized that a pattern of hypoxic exposure determines both oxygen profiles in peripheral tissues and systemic metabolic outcomes, and that obesity has a modifying effect. Lean and obese C57BL6 mice were exposed to 12 h of intermittent hypoxia 60 times/h (IH60) [inspired O₂ fraction (Fi(O₂)) 21-5%, 60/h], IH 12 times/h (Fi(O₂) 5% for 15 s, 12/h), sustained hypoxia (SH; Fi(O₂) 10%), or normoxia while fasting. Tissue oxygen partial pressure (Pti(O₂)) in liver, skeletal muscle and epididymal fat, plasma leptin, adiponectin, insulin, blood glucose, and adipose tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were measured. In lean mice, IH60 caused oxygen swings in the liver, whereas fluctuations of Pti(O₂) were attenuated in muscle and abolished in fat. In obese mice, baseline liver Pti(O₂) was lower than in lean mice, whereas muscle and fat Pti(O₂) did not differ. During IH, Pti(O₂) was similar in obese and lean mice. All hypoxic regimens caused insulin resistance. In lean mice, hypoxia significantly increased leptin, especially during SH (44-fold); IH60, but not SH, induced a 2.5- to 3-fold increase in TNF-α secretion by fat. Obesity was associated with striking increases in leptin and TNF-α, which overwhelmed effects of hypoxia. In conclusion, IH60 led to oxygen fluctuations in liver and muscle and steady hypoxia in fat. IH and SH induced insulin resistance, but inflammation was increased only by IH60 in lean mice. Obesity caused severe inflammation, which was not augmented by acute hypoxic regimens.

Intermittent hypoxia reduces microglia proliferation and induces DNA damage in vitro

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Song Liu

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Objective(s:Intermittent hypoxia (IH, caused by obstructive sleep apnea (OSA, could cause hippocampus or neuron damage through multiple signaling pathways, while the underlying mechanisms are still unclear. Thus, the present study aimed to explore the effect of IH on the biological functions of microglia cells. Materials and Methods:Cell proliferation of BV2 cells after exposure to IH were observed by MTT assay and then DNA damage was detected by comet assay. RNA-sequencing assay was performed in cells under IH condition and normal conditions to find out the differentially expressed genes, which were further confirmed by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR and Western blot assay. Results:As results, IH inhibited the proliferation of BV2 cells, as well as caused DNA damage. RNA-sequencing assay revealed 4 differentially expressed genes (p21, Cyclin D1, Cyclin E2, and Gadd45α which were associated with the network of P53 signaling pathways in BV2 cells, among which, p21 and Gadd45α were dramatically increased while Cyclin D1 and Cyclin E2 were both decreased significantly. Moreover, inflammatory factors including IL-6, TNF-α and iNOS were significantly up-regulated in microglia cells under IH conditions for 8 hr. Conclusion:Our results indicated that IH could inhibit cyclin D1 and cyclin E2 expression via initiating multiple P53 pathways, which further blocked cell cycle transition and attenuated proliferative capability of BV2 cells. Meanwhile, IH activated inflammation reactions in BV2 cells. Present study elaborate the effects of IH on biological functions of microglia and provide theoretical foundation for further study on new therapy methods for OSA.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: Is the Liver Another Target?

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Aibek eMirrakhimov

2012-10-01

Full Text Available Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA is recurrent obstruction of the upper airway during sleep leading to intermittent hypoxia (IH. OSA has been associated with all components of the metabolic syndrome as well as with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD. NAFLD is a common condition ranging in severity from uncomplicated hepatic steatosis to steatohepatitis (NASH, liver fibrosis and cirrhosis. The gold standard for the diagnosis and staging of NAFLD is liver biopsy. Obesity and insulin resistance lead to liver steatosis, but the causes of the progression to NASH are not known. Emerging evidence suggests that OSA may play a role in the progression of hepatic steatosis and the development of NASH. Several cross-sectional studies showed that the severity of IH in patients with OSA predicted the severity of NAFLD on liver biopsy. However, neither prospective nor interventional studies with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP treatment have been performed. Studies in a mouse model showed that IH causes triglyceride accumulation in the liver and liver injury as well as hepatic inflammation. The mouse model provided insight in the pathogenesis of liver injury showing that (1 IH accelerates the progression of hepatic steatosis by inducing adipose tissue lipolysis and increasing free fatty acids (FFA flux into the liver; (2 IH up-regulates lipid biosynthetic pathways in the liver; (3 IH induces oxidative stress in the liver; (4 IH up-regulates hypoxia inducible factor 1 alpha and possibly HIF-2 alpha, which may increase hepatic steatosis and induce liver inflammation and fibrosis. However, the role of FFA and different transcription factors in the pathogenesis of IH-induced NAFLD is yet to be established. Thus, multiple lines of evidence suggest that IH of OSA may contribute to the progression of NAFLD but definitive clinical studies and experiments in the mouse model have yet to be done.

Dim light at night interacts with intermittent hypoxia to alter cognitive and affective responses.

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Aubrecht, Taryn G; Weil, Zachary M; Magalang, Ulysses J; Nelson, Randy J

2013-07-01

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and dim light at night (dLAN) have both been independently associated with alterations in mood and cognition. We aimed to determine whether dLAN would interact with intermittent hypoxia (IH), a condition characteristic of OSA, to alter the behavioral, cognitive, and affective responses. Adult male mice were housed in either standard lighting conditions (14:10-h light-dark cycle; 150 lux:0 lux) or dLAN (150 lux:5 lux). Mice were then exposed to IH (15 cycles/h, 8 h/day, FiO2 nadir of 5%) for 3 wk, then tested in assays of affective and cognitive responses; brains were collected for dendritic morphology and PCR analysis. Exposure to dLAN and IH increased anxiety-like behaviors, as assessed in the open field, elevated plus maze, and the light/dark box. dLAN and IH increased depressive-like behaviors in the forced swim test. IH impaired learning and memory performance in the passive avoidance task; however, no differences were observed in spatial working memory, as assessed by y-maze or object recognition. IH combined with dLAN decreased cell body area in the CA1 and CA3 regions of the hippocampus. Overall, IH decreased apical spine density in the CA3, whereas dLAN decreased spine density in the CA1 of the hippocampus. TNF-α gene expression was not altered by IH or lighting condition, whereas VEGF expression was increased by dLAN. The combination of IH and dLAN provokes negative effects on hippocampal dendritic morphology, affect, and cognition, suggesting that limiting nighttime exposure to light in combination with other established treatments may be of benefit to patients with OSA.

Sodium and Proton Effects on Inward Proton Transport through Na/K Pumps

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Mitchell, Travis J.; Zugarramurdi, Camila; Olivera, J. Fernando; Gatto, Craig; Artigas, Pablo

2014-01-01

The Na/K pump hydrolyzes ATP to export three intracellular Na (Nai) as it imports two extracellular K (Ko) across animal plasma membranes. Within the protein, two ion-binding sites (sites I and II) can reciprocally bind Na or K, but a third site (site III) exclusively binds Na in a voltage-dependent fashion. In the absence of Nao and Ko, the pump passively imports protons, generating an inward current (IH). To elucidate the mechanisms of IH, we used voltage-clamp techniques to investigate the [H]o, [Na]o, and voltage dependence of IH in Na/K pumps from ventricular myocytes and in ouabain-resistant pumps expressed in Xenopus oocytes. Lowering pHo revealed that Ho both activates IH (in a voltage-dependent manner) and inhibits it (in a voltage-independent manner) by binding to different sites. Nao effects depend on pHo; at pHo where no Ho inhibition is observed, Nao inhibits IH at all concentrations, but when applied at pHo that inhibits pump-mediated current, low [Na]o activates IH and high [Na]o inhibits it. Our results demonstrate that IH is a property inherent to Na/K pumps, not linked to the oocyte expression environment, explains differences in the characteristics of IH previously reported in the literature, and supports a model in which 1), protons leak through site III; 2), binding of two Na or two protons to sites I and II inhibits proton transport; and 3), pumps with mixed Na/proton occupancy of sites I and II remain permeable to protons. PMID:24940773

The mechanical properties of T-111 at low to intermediate temperatures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McCoy, H.E.; DiStefano, J.R.

1997-01-01

In the design of the 60-W Isotopic Heat Source (IHS), a tantalum alloy (T-111) strength member serves as the primary containment shell for the IHS during operation (He-gas internal environment and inert gas or vacuum external environment). An outer Hastelloy S clad is used to protect the T-111 from oxidation, and both the Hastelloy S clad and the T-111 strength member are sealed by automatic gas tungsten arc (GTA) welding. The expected life of the IHS is 5 years at about 650 C preceded by up to 5 years of storage at approximately 300 C. For this application, one important concern is failure of the T-111 strength member due to capsule pressurization arising from helium generation as a fuel decay product. To provide specific data on the mechanical behavior of base and solid metal T-111 under conditions appropriate to the IHS use conditions, a testing program was formulated and carried out. Three types of mechanical tests were conducted. Tensile properties were measured over the temperature range of 25 to 1100 C on T-111 base metal and samples with either longitudinal or transverse autogenous welds. Creep tests on base metal and samples with transverse welds were run to failure over the temperature range of 1100 to 850 C. Creep tests were also run on several transverse weld samples over the temperature range of 500 to 900 C at stresses where failure did not occur, and the creep rates were measured. Two prototypical capsules of the T-111 strength member were fabricated by EG and G Mound Applied Technologies (Mound Laboratories). To verify the mechanical properties design data developed above, these were tested to failure (leak) in a vacuum chamber with the inside of the capsule pressurized by either argon or helium

Evidence for efficacy of acute treatment of episodic tension-type headache: methodological critique of randomised trials for oral treatments.

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Moore, R Andrew; Derry, Sheena; Wiffen, Philip J; Straube, Sebastian; Bendtsen, Lars

2014-11-01

The International Headache Society (IHS) provides guidance on the conduct of trials for acute treatment of episodic tension-type headache (TTH), a common disorder with considerable disability. Electronic and other searches identified randomised, double-blind trials of oral drugs treating episodic TTH with moderate or severe pain at baseline, or that tested drugs at first pain onset. The aims were to review methods, quality, and outcomes reported (in particular the IHS-recommended primary efficacy parameter pain-free after 2 hours), and to assess efficacy by meta-analysis. We identified 58 reports: 55 from previous reviews and searches, 2 unpublished reports, and 1 clinical trial report with results. We included 40 reports of 55 randomised trials involving 12,143 patients. Reporting quality was generally good, with potential risk of bias from incomplete outcome reporting and small size; the 23 largest trials involved 82% of patients. Few trials reported IHS outcomes. The number needed to treat values for being pain-free at 2 hours compared with placebo were 8.7 (95% confidence interval [CI] 6.2 to 15) for paracetamol 1000 mg, 8.9 (95% CI 5.9 to 18) for ibuprofen 400mg, and 9.8 (95% CI 5.1 to 146) for ketoprofen 25mg. Lower (better) number needed to treat values were calculated for outcomes of mild or no pain at 2 hours, and patient global assessment. These were similar to values for these drugs in migraine. No other drugs had evaluable results for these patient-centred outcomes. There was no evidence that any one outcome was better than others. The evidence available for treatment efficacy is small in comparison to the size of the clinical problem. Copyright © 2014 International Association for the Study of Pain. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Immortalization of human neural stem cells with the c-myc mutant T58A.

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Lidia De Filippis

Full Text Available Human neural stem cells (hNSC represent an essential source of renewable brain cells for both experimental studies and cell replacement therapies. Their relatively slow rate of proliferation and physiological senescence in culture make their use cumbersome under some experimental and pre-clinical settings. The immortalization of hNSC with the v-myc gene (v-IhNSC has been shown to generate stem cells endowed with enhanced proliferative capacity, which greatly facilitates the study of hNSCs, both in vitro and in vivo. Despite the excellent safety properties displayed by v-IhNSCs--which do not transform in vitro and are not tumorigenic in vivo--the v-myc gene contains several mutations and recombination elements, whose role(s and effects remains to be elucidated, yielding unresolved safety concerns. To address this issue, we used a c-myc T58A retroviral vector to establish an immortal cell line (T-IhNSC from the same hNSCs used to generate the original v-IhNSCs and compared their characteristics with the latter, with hNSC and with hNSC immortalized using c-myc wt (c-IhNSC. T-IhNSCs displayed an enhanced self-renewal ability, with their proliferative capacity and clonogenic potential being remarkably comparable to those of v-IhNSC and higher than wild type hNSCs and c-IhNSCs. Upon growth factors removal, T-IhNSC promptly gave rise to well-differentiated neurons, astrocytes and most importantly, to a heretofore undocumented high percentage of human oligodendrocytes (up to 23%. Persistent growth-factor dependence, steady functional properties, lack of ability to generate colonies in soft-agar colony-forming assay and to establish tumors upon orthotopic transplantation, point to the fact that immortalization by c-myc T58A does not bring about tumorigenicity in hNSCs. Hence, this work describes a novel and continuous cell line of immortalized human multipotent neural stem cells, in which the immortalizing agent is represented by a single gene which, in

Bax/Mcl-1 balance affects neutrophil survival in intermittent hypoxia and obstructive sleep apnea: effects of p38MAPK and ERK1/2 signaling.

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Dyugovskaya, Larissa; Polyakov, Andrey; Cohen-Kaplan, Victoria; Lavie, Peretz; Lavie, Lena

2012-10-22

Prolonged neutrophil survival is evident in various cardiovascular and respiratory morbidities, in hypoxic conditions in-vitro and in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) characterized by nightly intermittent hypoxia (IH). This may lead to persistent inflammation, tissue injury and dysfunction. We therefore investigated by a translational approach the potential contribution of the intrinsic stress-induced mitochondrial pathway in extending neutrophil survival under IH conditions. Thus, neutrophils of healthy individuals treated with IH in-vitro and neutrophils of OSA patients undergoing nightly IH episodes in-vivo were investigated. Specifically, the balance between pro-apoptotic Bax and anti-apoptotic Mcl-1 protein expression, and the potential involvement of p38MAPK and ERK1/2 signaling pathways in the control of Mcl-1 expression were investigated. Purified neutrophils were exposed to IH and compared to normoxia and to sustained hypoxia (SH) using a BioSpherix-OxyCycler C42 system. Bax and Mcl-1 levels, and p38MAPK and ERK1/2 phosphorylation were determined by western blotting. Also, Bax/Mcl-1 expression and Bax translocation to the mitochondria were assessed by confocal microscopy in pre-apoptotic neutrophils, before the appearance of apoptotic morphology. Co-localization of Bax and mitochondria was quantified by LSM 510 CarlZeiss MicroImaging using Manders Overlap Coefficient. A paired two-tailed t test, with Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons, was used for statistical analysis. Compared to normoxia, IH and SH up-regulated the anti-apoptotic Mcl-1 by about 2-fold, down-regulated the pro-apoptotic Bax by 41% and 27%, respectively, and inhibited Bax co-localization with mitochondria before visible morphological signs of apoptosis were noted. IH induced ERK1/2 and p38MAPKs phosphorylation, whereas SH induced only p38MAPK phosphorylation. Accordingly, both ERK and p38MAPK inhibitors attenuated the IH-induced Mcl-1 increase. In SH, only p38MAPK

Bax/Mcl-1 balance affects neutrophil survival in intermittent hypoxia and obstructive sleep apnea: effects of p38MAPK and ERK1/2 signaling

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Dyugovskaya Larissa

2012-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Prolonged neutrophil survival is evident in various cardiovascular and respiratory morbidities, in hypoxic conditions in-vitro and in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA characterized by nightly intermittent hypoxia (IH. This may lead to persistent inflammation, tissue injury and dysfunction. We therefore investigated by a translational approach the potential contribution of the intrinsic stress-induced mitochondrial pathway in extending neutrophil survival under IH conditions. Thus, neutrophils of healthy individuals treated with IH in-vitro and neutrophils of OSA patients undergoing nightly IH episodes in-vivo were investigated. Specifically, the balance between pro-apoptotic Bax and anti-apoptotic Mcl-1 protein expression, and the potential involvement of p38MAPK and ERK1/2 signaling pathways in the control of Mcl-1 expression were investigated. Methods Purified neutrophils were exposed to IH and compared to normoxia and to sustained hypoxia (SH using a BioSpherix-OxyCycler C42 system. Bax and Mcl-1 levels, and p38MAPK and ERK1/2 phosphorylation were determined by western blotting. Also, Bax/Mcl-1 expression and Bax translocation to the mitochondria were assessed by confocal microscopy in pre-apoptotic neutrophils, before the appearance of apoptotic morphology. Co-localization of Bax and mitochondria was quantified by LSM 510 CarlZeiss MicroImaging using Manders Overlap Coefficient. A paired two-tailed t test, with Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons, was used for statistical analysis. Results Compared to normoxia, IH and SH up-regulated the anti-apoptotic Mcl-1 by about 2-fold, down-regulated the pro-apoptotic Bax by 41% and 27%, respectively, and inhibited Bax co-localization with mitochondria before visible morphological signs of apoptosis were noted. IH induced ERK1/2 and p38MAPKs phosphorylation, whereas SH induced only p38MAPK phosphorylation. Accordingly, both ERK and p38MAPK inhibitors attenuated

Contributions of intrinsic motor neuron properties to the production of rhythmic motor output in the mammalian spinal cord

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kiehn, O; Kjaerulff, O; Tresch, M C

2000-01-01

Motor neurons are endowed with intrinsic and conditional membrane properties that may shape the final motor output. In the first half of this paper we present data on the contribution of I(h), a hyperpolarization-activated inward cation current, to phase-transition in motor neurons during rhythmic...... firing. Motor neurons were recorded intracellularly during locomotion induced with a mixture of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) and serotonin, after pharmacological blockade of I(h). I(h) was then replaced by using dynamic clamp, a computer program that allows artificial conductances to be inserted into real...... neurons. I(h) was simulated with biophysical parameters determined in voltage clamp experiments. The data showed that electronic replacement of the native I(h) caused a depolarization of the average membrane potential, a phase-advance of the locomotor drive potential, and increased motor neuron spiking...

Management of infantile hemangiomas: Current trends

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Gomathy Sethuraman

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Infantile hemangiomas (IH are common vascular tumours. IH have a characteristic natural course. They proliferate rapidly during the early infantile period followed by a period of gradual regression over several years. Most of the uncomplicated IH undergo spontaneous involution, with a small proportion of cases requiring intervention. These are children with IH in life-threatening locations, local complications like haemorrhage, ulceration and necrosis and functional or cosmetic disfigurements. Systemic corticosteroids have been the first line of treatment for many years. Recently, non-selective beta-blockers, such as oral propranalol and topical timolol, have emerged as promising and safer therapies. Other treatment options include interferon α and vincristine which are reserved for life-threatening haemangiomas that are unresponsive to conventional therapy. This review mainly focuses on the current trends and evidence-based approach in the management of IH.

Preparing LGBTQ-Allies and Combating Homophobia in a U. S. Teacher Education Program

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Clark, Caroline T.

2010-01-01

Interns in a US teacher education program were surveyed regarding their attitudes towards diversity, particularly issues of sexuality, their feelings of "cultural competence" around diversity, and the repertoires of practices and resources they feel prepared to draw on in their work with middle and high schools students (11-18 year…

Intermittent hypoxia-induced cognitive deficits are mediated by NADPH oxidase activity in a murine model of sleep apnea.

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Deepti Nair

Full Text Available In rodents, exposure to intermittent hypoxia (IH, a hallmark of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA, is associated with neurobehavioral impairments, increased apoptosis in the hippocampus and cortex, as well as increased oxidant stress and inflammation. Excessive NADPH oxidase activity may play a role in IH-induced CNS dysfunction.The effect of IH during light period on two forms of spatial learning in the water maze and well as markers of oxidative stress was assessed in mice lacking NADPH oxidase activity (gp91phox(_/Y and wild-type littermates. On a standard place training task, gp91phox(_/Y displayed normal learning, and were protected from the spatial learning deficits observed in wild-type littermates exposed to IH. Moreover, anxiety levels were increased in wild-type mice exposed to IH as compared to room air (RA controls, while no changes emerged in gp91phox(_/Y mice. Additionally, wild-type mice, but not gp91phox(_/Y mice had significantly elevated levels of NADPH oxidase expression and activity, as well as MDA and 8-OHDG in cortical and hippocampal lysates following IH exposures.The oxidative stress responses and neurobehavioral impairments induced by IH during sleep are mediated, at least in part, by excessive NADPH oxidase activity, and thus pharmacological agents targeting NADPH oxidase may provide a therapeutic strategy in sleep-disordered breathing.

Criteria for fracture initiation at hydrides in zirconium alloys. Pt. 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shi, S.Q.; Puls, M.P.

1994-01-01

A theoretical framework for the initiation of delayed hydride cracking (DHC) in zirconium is proposed for two different types of initiating sites, i.e., a sharp crack tip (considered in this part) and a shallow notch (considered in part II). In the present part I, an expression for K IH is derived which shows that K IH depends on the size and shape of the hydride precipitated at the crack tip, the yield stress and elastic moduli of the material and the fracture stress of the hydride. If the hydride at the crack tip extends in length at constant thickness, then K IH increases as the square root of the hydride thickness. Thus a microstructure favouring the formation of thicker hydrides at the crack tip would result in an increased K IH . K IH increases slightly with temperature up to a temperature at which there is a more rapid increase. The temperature at which there is a more rapid increase in K IH will increase as the yield stress increases. The model also predicts that an increase in yield stress due to irradiation will cause an overall slight decrease in K IH compared to unirradiated material. There is good agreement between the overall predictions of the theory and experimental results. It is suggested that more careful evaluations of some key parameters are required to improve on the theoretical estimates. (orig.)

Relationship between early language skills and the development of inattention/hyperactivity symptoms during the preschool period: Results of the EDEN mother-child cohort.

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Peyre, Hugo; Galera, Cedric; van der Waerden, Judith; Hoertel, Nicolas; Bernard, Jonathan Y; Melchior, Maria; Ramus, Franck

2016-11-08

This study aims to examine bidirectional relationships between children's language skills and Inattention/Hyperactivity (IH) symptoms during preschool. Children (N = 1459) from the EDEN mother-child cohort were assessed at ages 3 and 5.5 years. Language skills were evaluated using the WPPSI-III, NEPSY and ELOLA batteries. Children's behavior, including IH symptoms, was assessed using the parent-rated Strengths & Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Using a Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) approach, we examined the relationship between language skills and IH symptoms, as well as potential mediating processes. SEM analyses indicated a small negative effect of language skills at 3 years on ADHD symptoms at 5.5 years after adjusting for IH symptoms at 3 years (β =-0.12, SE = 0.04, p-value = 0.002). Interpersonal difficulties did not mediate the relationship between early language skills and later IH symptoms, nor was this association reduced after adjusting for a broad range of pre- and postnatal environmental factors and performance IQ. Among different language skills, receptive syntax at 3 years was most strongly related to IH symptoms at 5.5 years. Poor language skills at age 3 may predict IH symptoms when a child enters primary school. Implications for the understanding and the prevention of the co-occurrence of language disorders and ADHD are discussed.

Sexual minority women's gender identity and expression: challenges and supports.

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Levitt, Heidi M; Puckett, Julia A; Ippolito, Maria R; Horne, Sharon G

2012-01-01

Sexual minority women were divided into four groups to study their gender identities (butch and femme), and gender expression (traditionally gendered and non-traditionally gendered women who do not identify as butch or femme). Experiences of heterosexist events (discrimination, harassment, threats of violence, victimization, negative emotions associated with these events), mental health (self esteem, stress, depression), and supports for a sexual minority identity (social support, outness, internalized homophobia) were examined across these groups. Findings suggested that butch-identified women experienced more heterosexist events than femme women or women with non-traditional gender expressions. There were no differences in mental health variables. Copyright © Taylor & Francis Group, LLC

Poorer mental health in UK bisexual women than lesbians: evidence from the UK 2007 Stonewall Women's Health Survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Colledge, Lisa; Hickson, Ford; Reid, David; Weatherburn, Peter

2015-09-01

Bisexual- and lesbian-identified women have significantly worse mental health than heterosexual women. Less evidence exists about mental health differences between lesbian and bisexual women. Self-completion survey with community-based, opportunistic sampling recruited 937 bisexual-identified and 4769 lesbian-identified women. Associations between sexual identity and mental health indicators were assessed by logistic regression, controlling for age, income, student status and employment. As a group, bisexual women were younger, poorer, and more likely to be trans-identified, minority ethnic identified and to use marijuana, compared with lesbians. Bisexuals were more likely than lesbians to report eating problems (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 1.64, P women attended lesbian or bisexual social events, were 'out', or had experienced any sexuality-related discrimination, compared with lesbians. More bisexual women reported poor mental health or psychological distress than did lesbians. Bisexual women may be more likely to experience social stress due to the 'double discrimination' of homophobia and biphobia. This stress, experienced mainly as internalized and felt stigma, could result in greater risk for poor mental health compared with lesbians. Addressing both biphobia and homophobia within UK society has important preventative mental health implications. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Faculty of Public Health. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Imaging by multiple modalities of patients with a carotidynia syndrome

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Kosaka, Nobuyuki; Uematsu, Hidemasa; Kimura, Hirohiko; Itoh, Harumi [University of Fukui, Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Fukui (Japan); Sagoh, Tadashi; Noguchi, Masato [Fukui Red Cross Hospital, Department of Radiology, Fukui (Japan); Miyayama, Shiro [Fukuiken Saiseikai Hospital, Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Fukui (Japan)

2007-09-15

The purpose of this article is to familiarize readers with the clinical syndrome of carotidynia. In the past, the International Headache Society (IHS) described idiopathic carotidynia as a diagnostic entity consisting of a self-limiting neck pain syndrome and tenderness over the carotid bifurcation without structural abnormality and then recently removed it from its classification. Although the clinical criteria of carotidynia in the former classification of the IHS included the absence of structural abnormality, several publications have demonstrated associated radiological findings and have described the usefulness of radiological investigations in diagnosing this syndrome. In this paper, we report four additional cases with a carotidynia clinical syndrome (according to the former classification) and the presence of abnormal soft tissue infiltration surrounding the symptomatic carotid artery as demonstrated by multiple imaging modalities, without any other underlying cause for the carotid pain syndrome. Our findings support the hypothesis that carotidynia could be a distinct disease entity, possibly caused by inflammation. (orig.)

Imaging by multiple modalities of patients with a carotidynia syndrome

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kosaka, Nobuyuki; Uematsu, Hidemasa; Kimura, Hirohiko; Itoh, Harumi; Sagoh, Tadashi; Noguchi, Masato; Miyayama, Shiro

2007-01-01

The purpose of this article is to familiarize readers with the clinical syndrome of carotidynia. In the past, the International Headache Society (IHS) described idiopathic carotidynia as a diagnostic entity consisting of a self-limiting neck pain syndrome and tenderness over the carotid bifurcation without structural abnormality and then recently removed it from its classification. Although the clinical criteria of carotidynia in the former classification of the IHS included the absence of structural abnormality, several publications have demonstrated associated radiological findings and have described the usefulness of radiological investigations in diagnosing this syndrome. In this paper, we report four additional cases with a carotidynia clinical syndrome (according to the former classification) and the presence of abnormal soft tissue infiltration surrounding the symptomatic carotid artery as demonstrated by multiple imaging modalities, without any other underlying cause for the carotid pain syndrome. Our findings support the hypothesis that carotidynia could be a distinct disease entity, possibly caused by inflammation. (orig.)

Homofobia familiar: abrindo o armário 'entre quatro paredes'

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Lívia Gonsalves Toledo

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Sexuality device authorizes families to become the guardians of its members' sexuality, ensuring the exclusion of any kind of dissidence from heteronormativity by means of reinforcement of homophobia. This paper presents the analyses of female participants who are dissident of heteronormativity. They were accessed through snow-ball technique and were interviewed. After transcribing their interviews, the researcher produced narratives of their lives with were corroborated with the participants. Data were analyzed from a poststructuralist perspective. By then, we privileged the study of the manifestation of homophobia in the family, developing a genealogy of their detractors effects, but also highlighting modes of resistance to it. This locus of manifestation of homophobia, obscured by the intimacy of the private world, is still a fairly discussed topic in national studies and maximizes the damage caused by discrimination in macro social spaces. We pointed out, then, family as an important target of action for public policies which aim the protection of human and civil rights, as well as all kinds of violence and discrimination.

Blockade of Endothelin-1 Receptor Type B Ameliorates Glucose Intolerance and Insulin Resistance in a Mouse Model of Obstructive Sleep Apnea

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Jan Polak

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA is associated with insulin resistance (IR and glucose intolerance. Elevated endothelin-1 (ET-1 levels have been observed in OSA patients and in mice exposed to intermittent hypoxia (IH. We examined whether pharmacological blockade of type A and type B ET-1 receptors (ETA and ETB would ameliorate glucose intolerance and IR in mice exposed to IH. Subcutaneously implanted pumps delivered BQ-123 (ETA antagonist; 200 nmol/kg/day, BQ-788 (ETB antagonist; 200 nmol/kg/day or vehicle (saline or propyleneglycol [PG] for 14 days in C57BL6/J mice (10/group. During treatment, mice were exposed to IH (decreasing the FiO2 from 20.9% to 6%, 60/h or intermittent air (IA. After IH or IA exposure, insulin (0.5 IU/kg or glucose (1 mg/kg was injected intraperitoneally and plasma glucose determined after injection and area under glucose curve (AUC was calculated. Fourteen-day IH increased fasting glucose levels (122 ± 7 vs. 157 ± 8 mg/dL, PG: 118 ± 6 vs. 139 ± 8; both p < 0.05 and impaired glucose tolerance (AUCglucose: 19,249 ± 1105 vs. 29,124 ± 1444, PG AUCglucose: 18,066 ± 947 vs. 25,135 ± 797; both p < 0.05 in vehicle-treated animals. IH-induced impairments in glucose tolerance were partially ameliorated with BQ-788 treatment (AUCglucose: 21,969 ± 662; p < 0.05. Fourteen-day IH also induced IR (AUCglucose: 7185 ± 401 vs. 8699 ± 401; p < 0.05. Treatment with BQ-788 decreased IR under IA (AUCglucose: 5281 ± 401, p < 0.05 and reduced worsening of IR with IH (AUCglucose: 7302 ± 401, p < 0.05. There was no effect of BQ-123 on IH-induced impairments in glucose tolerance or IR. Our results suggest that ET-1 plays a role in IH-induced impairments in glucose homeostasis.

Carotid body denervation prevents fasting hyperglycemia during chronic intermittent hypoxia.

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Shin, Mi-Kyung; Yao, Qiaoling; Jun, Jonathan C; Bevans-Fonti, Shannon; Yoo, Doo-Young; Han, Woobum; Mesarwi, Omar; Richardson, Ria; Fu, Ya-Yuan; Pasricha, Pankaj J; Schwartz, Alan R; Shirahata, Machiko; Polotsky, Vsevolod Y

2014-10-01

Obstructive sleep apnea causes chronic intermittent hypoxia (IH) and is associated with impaired glucose metabolism, but mechanisms are unknown. Carotid bodies orchestrate physiological responses to hypoxemia by activating the sympathetic nervous system. Therefore, we hypothesized that carotid body denervation would abolish glucose intolerance and insulin resistance induced by chronic IH. Male C57BL/6J mice underwent carotid sinus nerve dissection (CSND) or sham surgery and then were exposed to IH or intermittent air (IA) for 4 or 6 wk. Hypoxia was administered by decreasing a fraction of inspired oxygen from 20.9% to 6.5% once per minute, during the 12-h light phase (9 a.m.-9 p.m.). As expected, denervated mice exhibited blunted hypoxic ventilatory responses. In sham-operated mice, IH increased fasting blood glucose, baseline hepatic glucose output (HGO), and expression of a rate-liming hepatic enzyme of gluconeogenesis phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK), whereas the whole body glucose flux during hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp was not changed. IH did not affect glucose tolerance after adjustment for fasting hyperglycemia in the intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test. CSND prevented IH-induced fasting hyperglycemia and increases in baseline HGO and liver PEPCK expression. CSND trended to augment the insulin-stimulated glucose flux and enhanced liver Akt phosphorylation at both hypoxic and normoxic conditions. IH increased serum epinephrine levels and liver sympathetic innervation, and both increases were abolished by CSND. We conclude that chronic IH induces fasting hyperglycemia increasing baseline HGO via the CSN sympathetic output from carotid body chemoreceptors, but does not significantly impair whole body insulin sensitivity. Copyright © 2014 the American Physiological Society.

Comparative Study of Inguinal Hernia Repair Rates After Radical Prostatectomy or External Beam Radiotherapy

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Lughezzani, Giovanni; Sun, Maxine; Perrotte, Paul; Alasker, Ahmed; Jeldres, Claudio; Isbarn, Hendrik; Budaeus, Lars; Lattouf, Jean-Baptiste; Valiquette, Luc; Benard, Francois; Saad, Fred; Graefen, Markus; Montorsi, Francesco; Karakiewicz, Pierre I.

2010-01-01

Purpose: We tested the hypothesis that patients treated for localized prostate cancer with radical prostatectomy (RP) have a higher risk of requiring an inguinal hernia (IH) repair than their counterparts treated with external beam radiotherapy (EBRT). Methods and Materials: Within the Quebec Health Plan database, we identified 6,422 men treated with RP and 4,685 men treated with EBRT for localized prostate cancer between 1990 and 2000, in addition to 6,933 control patients who underwent a prostate biopsy. From among that population, we identified patients who underwent a unilateral or bilateral hernia repair after either RP or EBRT. Kaplan-Meier plots showed IH repair-free survival rates. Univariable and multivariable Cox regression models tested the predictors of IH repair after RP or EBRT. Covariates consisted of age, year of surgery, and Charlson Comorbidity Index. Results: IH repair-free survival rates at 1, 2, 5, and 10 years were 96.8, 94.3, 90.5, and 86.2% vs. 98.9, 98.0, 95.4, and 92.2%, respectively, in RP vs. EBRT patients (log-rank test, p < 0.001). IH repair-free survival rates in the biopsy population were 98.3, 97.1, 94.9, and 90.2% at the same four time points. In multivariable Cox regression models, RP predisposed to a 2.3-fold higher risk of IH repair than EBRT (p < 0.001). Besides therapy type, patient age (p < 0.001) represented the only other independent predictor of IH repair. Conclusions: RP predisposes to a higher rate of IH repair relative to EBRT. This observation should be considered at informed consent.

Vascular and hepatic impact of short-term intermittent hypoxia in a mouse model of metabolic syndrome.

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Wojciech Trzepizur

Full Text Available Experimental models of intermittent hypoxia (IH have been developed during the last decade to investigate the consequences of obstructive sleep apnea. IH is usually associated with detrimental metabolic and vascular outcomes. However, paradoxical protective effects have also been described depending of IH patterns and durations applied in studies. We evaluated the impact of short-term IH on vascular and metabolic function in a diet-induced model of metabolic syndrome (MS.Mice were fed either a standard diet or a high fat diet (HFD for 8 weeks. During the final 14 days of each diet, animals were exposed to either IH (1 min cycle, FiO2 5% for 30s, FiO2 21% for 30s; 8 h/day or intermittent air (FiO2 21%. Ex-vivo vascular reactivity in response to acetylcholine was assessed in aorta rings by myography. Glucose, insulin and leptin levels were assessed, as well as serum lipid profile, hepatic mitochondrial activity and tissue nitric oxide (NO release.Mice fed with HFD developed moderate markers of dysmetabolism mimicking MS, including increased epididymal fat, dyslipidemia, hepatic steatosis and endothelial dysfunction. HFD decreased mitochondrial complex I, II and IV activities and increased lactate dehydrogenase (LDH activity in liver. IH applied to HFD mice induced a major increase in insulin and leptin levels and prevented endothelial dysfunction by restoring NO production. IH also restored mitochondrial complex I and IV activities, moderated the increase in LDH activity and liver triglyceride accumulation in HFD mice.In a mouse model of MS, short-term IH increases insulin and leptin levels, restores endothelial function and mitochondrial activity and limits liver lipid accumulation.

Ageing and chronic intermittent hypoxia mimicking sleep apnea do not modify local brain tissue stiffness in healthy mice.

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Jorba, Ignasi; Menal, Maria José; Torres, Marta; Gozal, David; Piñol-Ripoll, Gerard; Colell, Anna; Montserrat, Josep M; Navajas, Daniel; Farré, Ramon; Almendros, Isaac

2017-07-01

Recent evidence suggests that obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) may increase the risk of Alzheimer´s disease (AD), with the latter promoting alterations in brain tissue stiffness, a feature of ageing. Here, we assessed the effects of age and intermittent hypoxia (IH) on brain tissue stiffness in a mouse model of OSA. Two-month-old and 18-month-old mice (N=10 each) were subjected to IH (20% O 2 40s - 6% O 2 20s) for 8 weeks (6h/day). Corresponding control groups for each age were kept under normoxic conditions in room air (RA). After sacrifice, the brain was excised and 200-micron coronal slices were cut with a vibratome. Local stiffness of the cortex and hippocampus were assessed in brain slices placed in an Atomic Force Microscope. For both brain regions, the Young's modulus (E) in each animal was computed as the average values from 9 force-indentation curves. Cortex E mean (±SE) values were 442±122Pa (RA) and 455±120 (IH) for young mice and 433±44 (RA) and 405±101 (IH) for old mice. Hippocampal E values were 376±62 (RA) and 474±94 (IH) for young mice and 486±93 (RA) and 521±210 (IH) for old mice. For both cortex and hippocampus, 2-way ANOVA indicated no statistically significant effects of age or challenge (IH vs. RA) on E values. Thus, neither chronic IH mimicking OSA nor ageing up to late middle age appear to modify local brain tissue stiffness in otherwise healthy mice. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Intermittent Hypoxia Influences Alveolar Bone Proper Microstructure via Hypoxia-Inducible Factor and VEGF Expression in Periodontal Ligaments of Growing Rats

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Shuji Oishi

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Intermittent hypoxia (IH recapitulates morphological changes in the maxillofacial bones in children with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA. Recently, we found that IH increased bone mineral density (BMD in the inter-radicular alveolar bone (reflecting enhanced osteogenesis in the mandibular first molar (M1 region in the growing rats, but the underlying mechanism remains unknown. In this study, we focused on the hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF pathway to assess the effect of IH by testing the null hypothesis of no significant differences in the mRNA-expression levels of relevant factors associated with the HIF pathway, between control rats and growing rats with IH. To test the null hypothesis, we investigated how IH enhances mandibular osteogenesis in the alveolar bone proper with respect to HIF-1α and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF in periodontal ligament (PDL tissues. Seven-week-old male Sprague–Dawley rats were exposed to IH for 3 weeks. The microstructure and BMD in the alveolar bone proper of the distal root of the mandibular M1 were evaluated using micro-computed tomography (micro-CT. Expression of HIF-1α and VEGF mRNA in PDL tissues were measured, whereas osteogenesis was evaluated by measuring mRNA levels for alkaline phosphatase (ALP and bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2. The null hypothesis was rejected: we found an increase in the expression of all of these markers after IH exposure. The results provided the first indication that IH enhanced osteogenesis of the mandibular M1 region in association with PDL angiogenesis during growth via HIF-1α in an animal model.

Chronic intermittent hypoxia and obstructive sleep apnea: an experimental and clinical approach

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Sforza, Emilia; Roche, Fréderic

2016-01-01

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a prevalent sleep disorder considered as an independent risk factor for cardiovascular consequences, such as systemic arterial hypertension, ischemic heart disease, cardiac arrhythmias, metabolic disorders, and cognitive dysfunction. The pathogenesis of OSA-related consequence is assumed to be chronic intermittent hypoxia (IH) inducing alterations at the molecular level, oxidative stress, persistent systemic inflammation, oxygen sensor activation, and increase of sympathetic activity. Overall, these mechanisms have an effect on vessel permeability and are considered to be important factors for explaining vascular, metabolic, and cognitive OSA-related consequences. The present review attempts to examine together the research paradigms and clinical studies on the effect of acute and chronic IH and the potential link with OSA. We firstly describe the literature data on the mechanisms activated by acute and chronic IH at the experimental level, which are very helpful and beneficial to explaining OSA consequences. Then, we describe in detail the effect of IH in patients with OSA that we can consider “the human model” of chronic IH. In this way, we can better understand the specific pathophysiological mechanisms proposed to explain the consequences of IH in OSA. PMID:27800512

Mechanisms of sympathetic activation and blood pressure elevation by intermittent hypoxia.

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Prabhakar, Nanduri R; Kumar, Ganesh K

2010-11-30

Sleep disordered breathing with recurrent apneas is one of the most frequently encountered breathing disorder in adult humans and preterm infants. Recurrent apnea patients exhibit several co-morbidities including hypertension and persistent sympathetic activation. Intermittent hypoxia (IH) resulting from apneas appears to be the primary stimulus for evoking autonomic changes. The purpose of this article is to briefly review the effects of IH on chemo- and baro-reflexes and circulating vasoactive hormones and their contribution to sympathetic activation and blood pressures. Sleep apnea patients and IH-treated rodents exhibit exaggerated arterial chemo-reflex. Studies on rodent models demonstrated that IH leads to hyperactive carotid body response to hypoxia. On the other hand, baro-reflex function is attenuated in patients with sleep apnea and in IH-treated rodents. Circulating vasoactive hormone levels are elevated in sleep apnea patients and in rodent models of IH. Thus, persistent sympathetic activation and hypertension associated with sleep apneas seems to be due to a combination of altered chemo- and baro-reflexes resulting in sympathetic activation and action of elevated circulating levels of vasoactive hormones on vasculature. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Dicty_cDB: VFI753 [Dicty_cDB

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available y*hsi*r rynkivlithksfmenfkklkpskiali*ih*kyi Frame B: i*ifsiikiiv*cykmvpqskddvkiqlnvqeyiisndfenny...nvtisriinirykedii k*f**hikaswkilkklkpskiali*ih*kyiliiaqkk--- ---i*ifsiikiiv*cykmvpqskddvkiqlnvqeyiisndfenny

Pre-existing and Postoperative Intimal Hyperplasia and Arteriovenous Fistula Outcomes.

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Tabbara, Marwan; Duque, Juan C; Martinez, Laisel; Escobar, Luis A; Wu, Wensong; Pan, Yue; Fernandez, Natasha; Velazquez, Omaida C; Jaimes, Edgar A; Salman, Loay H; Vazquez-Padron, Roberto I

2016-09-01

The contribution of intimal hyperplasia (IH) to arteriovenous fistula (AVF) failure is uncertain. This observational study assessed the relationship between pre-existing, postoperative, and change in IH over time and AVF outcomes. Prospective cohort study with longitudinal assessment of IH at the time of AVF creation (pre-existing) and transposition (postoperative). Patients were followed up for up to 3.3 years. 96 patients from a single center who underwent AVF surgery initially planned as a 2-stage procedure. Veins and AVF samples were collected from 66 and 86 patients, respectively. Matched-pair tissues were available from 56 of these patients. Pre-existing, postoperative, and change in IH over time. Anatomic maturation failure was defined as an AVF that never reached a diameter > 6mm. Primary unassisted patency was defined as the time elapsed from the second-stage surgery to the first intervention. Maximal intimal thickness in veins and AVFs and change in intimal thickness over time. Pre-existing IH (>0.05mm) was present in 98% of patients. In this group, the median intimal thickness increased 4.40-fold (IQR, 2.17- to 4.94-fold) between AVF creation and transposition. However, this change was not associated with pre-existing thickness (r(2)=0.002; P=0.7). Ten of 96 (10%) AVFs never achieved maturation, whereas 70% of vascular accesses remained patent at the end of the observational period. Postoperative IH was not associated with anatomic maturation failure using univariate logistic regression. Pre-existing, postoperative, and change in IH over time had no effects on primary unassisted patency. The small number of patients from whom longitudinal tissue samples were available and low incidence of anatomic maturation failure, which decreased the statistical power to find associations between end points and IH. Pre-existing, postoperative, and change in IH over time were not associated with 2-stage AVF outcomes. Copyright © 2016 National Kidney Foundation, Inc

Distinct mechanisms underlying tolerance to intermittent and constant hypoxia in Drosophila melanogaster.

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Priti Azad

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Constant hypoxia (CH and intermittent hypoxia (IH occur during several pathological conditions such as asthma and obstructive sleep apnea. Our research is focused on understanding the molecular mechanisms that lead to injury or adaptation to hypoxic stress using Drosophila as a model system. Our current genome-wide study is designed to investigate gene expression changes and identify protective mechanism(s in D. melanogaster after exposure to severe (1% O(2 intermittent or constant hypoxia. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Our microarray analysis has identified multiple gene families that are up- or down-regulated in response to acute CH or IH. We observed distinct responses to IH and CH in gene expression that varied in the number of genes and type of gene families. We then studied the role of candidate genes (up-or down-regulated in hypoxia tolerance (adult survival for longer periods (CH-7 days, IH-10 days under severe CH or IH. Heat shock proteins up-regulation (specifically Hsp23 and Hsp70 led to a significant increase in adult survival (as compared to controls of P-element lines during CH. In contrast, during IH treatment the up-regulation of Mdr49 and l(208717 genes (P-element lines provided survival advantage over controls. This suggests that the increased transcript levels following treatment with either paradigm play an important role in tolerance to severe hypoxia. Furthermore, by over-expressing Hsp70 in specific tissues, we found that up-regulation of Hsp70 in heart and brain play critical role in tolerance to CH in flies. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: We observed that the gene expression response to IH or CH is specific and paradigm-dependent. We have identified several genes Hsp23, Hsp70, CG1600, l(208717 and Mdr49 that play an important role in hypoxia tolerance whether it is in CH or IH. These data provide further clues about the mechanisms by which IH or CH lead to cell injury and morbidity or adaptation and survival.

Effect of basal ganglia calcification on its glucose metabolism and dopaminergic function in idiopathic hypoparathyroidism.

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Modi, Sagar; Arora, Geetanjali; Bal, Chandra Shekhar; Sreenivas, Vishnubhatla; Kailash, Suparna; Sagar, Rajesh; Goswami, Ravinder

2015-10-01

The functional significance of basal ganglia calcification (BGC) in idiopathic hypoparathyroidism (IH) is not clear. To assess the effect of BGC on glucose metabolism and dopaminergic function in IH. (18) F-FDG and (99m) Tc-TRODAT-1 nuclear imaging were performed in 35 IH patients with (n = 26) and without (n = 9) BGC. Controls were subjects without hypoparathyroidism or BGC (nine for (18) F-FDG and 12 for (99m) Tc-TRODAT-1). Relationship of the glucose metabolism and dopaminergic function was assessed with the neuropsychological and biochemical abnormalities. (18) F-FDG uptake in IH patients with calcification at caudate and striatum was less than that of IH patients without calcification (1·06 ± 0·13 vs 1·24 ± 0·09, P = <0·0001 and 1·06 ± 0·09 vs 1·14 ± 0·08, P = 0·03, respectively). (18) F-FDG uptake did not correlate with neuropsychological dysfunctions. (18) F-FDG uptake in IH without BGC was significantly lower than that of controls. The mean (99m) Tc-TRODAT-1 uptake at basal ganglia was comparable between IH with and without BGC and between IH without BGC and controls. Serum calcium-phosphorus ratio maintained by the patients correlated with (18) F-FDG uptake at striatum (r = 0·57, P = 0·001). For every 0·1 unit reduction in calcium-phosphorus ratio, (18) F-FDG uptake decreased by 2·5 ± 0·68% (P = 0·001). BGC was associated with modest reduction (15%) in (18) F-FDG uptake at basal ganglia in IH but did not affect dopaminergic function. (18) F-FDG uptake did not correlate with neuropsychological dysfunctions. Interestingly, chronic hypocalcaemia-hyperphosphataemia also contributed to reduction in (18) F-FDG uptake which was independent of BGC. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Autophagy-associated atrophy and metabolic remodeling of the mouse diaphragm after short-term intermittent hypoxia.

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Christian Giordano

Full Text Available Short-term intermittent hypoxia (IH is common in patients with acute respiratory disorders. Although prolonged exposure to hypoxia induces atrophy and increased fatigability of skeletal muscle, the response to short-term IH is less well known. We hypothesized that the diaphragm and limb muscles would adapt differently to short-term IH given that hypoxia stimulates ventilation and triggers a superimposed exercise stimulus in the diaphragm.We determined the structural, metabolic, and contractile properties of the mouse diaphragm after 4 days of IH (8 hours per day, 30 episodes per hour to a FiO2 nadir=6%, and compared responses in the diaphragm to a commonly studied reference limb muscle, the tibialis anterior. Outcome measures included muscle fiber size, assays of muscle proteolysis (calpain, ubiquitin-proteasome, and autophagy pathways, markers of oxidative stress and mitochondrial function, quantification of intramyocellular lipid and lipid metabolism genes, type I myosin heavy chain (MyHC expression, and in vitro contractile properties.After 4 days of IH, the diaphragm alone demonstrated significant atrophy (30% decrease of myofiber size together with increased LC3B-II protein (2.4-fold and mRNA markers of the autophagy pathway (LC3B, Gabarapl1, Bnip3, whereas active calpain and E3 ubiquitin ligases (MuRF1, atrogin-1 were unaffected in both muscles. Succinate dehydrogenase activity was significantly reduced by IH in both muscles. However, only the diaphragm exhibited increased intramyocellular lipid droplets (2.5-fold after IH, along with upregulation of genes linked to activated lipid metabolism. In addition, although the diaphragm showed evidence for acute fatigue immediately following IH, it underwent an adaptive fiber type switch toward slow type I MyHC-expressing fibers, associated with greater intrinsic endurance of the muscle during repetitive stimulation in vitro.Short-term IH induces preferential atrophy in the mouse diaphragm

Role of high-fat diet in stress response of Drosophila.

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Erilynn T Heinrichsen

Full Text Available Obesity is associated with many diseases, one of the most common being obstructive sleep apnea (OSA, which in turn leads to blood gas disturbances, including intermittent hypoxia (IH. Obesity, OSA and IH are associated with metabolic changes, and while much mammalian work has been done, mechanisms underlying the response to IH, the role of obesity and the interaction of obesity and hypoxia remain unknown. As a model organism, Drosophila offers tremendous power to study a specific phenotype and, at a subsequent stage, to uncover and study fundamental mechanisms, given the conservation of molecular pathways. Herein, we characterize the phenotype of Drosophila on a high-fat diet in normoxia, IH and constant hypoxia (CH using triglyceride and glucose levels, response to stress and lifespan. We found that female flies on a high-fat diet show increased triglyceride levels (p<0.001 and a shortened lifespan in normoxia, IH and CH. Furthermore, flies on a high-fat diet in normoxia and CH show diminished tolerance to stress, with decreased survival after exposure to extreme cold or anoxia (p<0.001. Of interest, IH seems to rescue this decreased cold tolerance, as flies on a high-fat diet almost completely recovered from cold stress following IH. We conclude that the cross talk between hypoxia and a high-fat diet can be either deleterious or compensatory, depending on the nature of the hypoxic treatment.

A novel formulation of L-thyroxine (L-T4) reduces the problem of L-T4 malabsorption by coffee observed with traditional tablet formulations.

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Vita, Roberto; Saraceno, Giovanna; Trimarchi, Francesco; Benvenga, Salvatore

2013-02-01

The purpose of this work is to evaluate if the coffee-associated malabsorption of tablet levothyroxine (L-T4) is reduced by soft gel capsule. We recruited 8 patients with coffee-associated L-T4 malabsorption including one hypothyroid patient. For 6 months, the patients were switched to the capsule maintaining the L-T4 daily dose. Patients took the capsule with water, having coffee 1 h later (proper habit, PH) on days 1-90, or with coffee ≤ 5 min later (improper habit, IH) on days 91-180. After 6 months, 2 patients volunteered for an acute loading test of 600 μg L-T4 (capsule) ingested with water (PH) or with coffee (IH). In the single hypothyroid patient, the post-switch TSH ranged 0.06-0.16 mU/L (PH) versus 5.8-22.4 mU/L pre-switch (PH) and 0.025-0.29 mU/L (IH) versus 26-34 mU/L pre-switch (IH). In the other 7 patients, post-switch TSH was 0.41 ± 0.46 (PH) versus 0.28 ± 0.20 pre-switch (PH) (P = 0.61) and 0.34 ± 0.30 (IH) versus 1.23 ± 1.47 pre-switch (IH) (P coffee influenced L-T4 pharmacokinetics minimally. Soft gel capsules can be used in patients who are unable/unwilling to change their IH of taking L-T4.

Development of a paperless, Y2K compliant exposure tracking database at Los Alamos National Laboratory.

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Conwell, J L; Creek, K L; Pozzi, A R; Whyte, H M

2001-02-01

The Industrial Hygiene and Safety Group at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) developed a database application known as IH DataView, which manages industrial hygiene monitoring data. IH DataView replaces a LANL legacy system, IHSD, that restricted user access to a single point of data entry needed enhancements that support new operational requirements, and was not Year 2000 (Y2K) compliant. IH DataView features a comprehensive suite of data collection and tracking capabilities. Through the use of Oracle database management and application development tools, the system is Y2K compliant and Web enabled for easy deployment and user access via the Internet. System accessibility is particularly important because LANL operations are spread over 43 square miles, and industrial hygienists (IHs) located across the laboratory will use the system. IH DataView shows promise of being useful in the future because it eliminates these problems. It has a flexible architecture and sophisticated capability to collect, track, and analyze data in easy-to-use form.

Deletion of Metallothionein Exacerbates Intermittent Hypoxia-Induced Oxidative and Inflammatory Injury in Aorta

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Shanshan Zhou

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The present study was to explore the effect of metallothionein (MT on intermittent hypoxia (IH induced aortic pathogenic changes. Markers of oxidative damages, inflammation, and vascular remodeling were observed by immunohistochemical staining after 3 days and 1, 3, and 8 weeks after IH exposures. Endogenous MT was induced after 3 days of IH but was significantly decreased after 8 weeks of IH. Compared with the wild-type mice, MT knock-out mice exhibited earlier and more severe pathogenic changes of oxidative damages, inflammatory responses, and cellular apoptosis, as indicated by the significant accumulation of collagen, increased levels of connective tissue growth factor, transforming growth factor β1, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, vascular cell adhesion molecule 1,3-nitrotyrosine, and 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal in the aorta. These findings suggested that chronic IH may lead to aortic damages characterized by oxidative stress and inflammation, and MT may play a pivotal role in the above pathogenesis process.

Propranolol in treatment of huge and complicated infantile hemangiomas in egyptian children.

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Hassan, Basheir A; Shreef, Khalid S

2014-01-01

Background. Infantile hemangiomas (IHs) are the most common benign tumours of infancy. Propranolol has recently been reported to be a highly effective treatment for IHs. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and side effects of propranolol for treatment of complicated cases of IHs. Patients and Methods. This prospective clinical study included 30 children with huge or complicated IHs; their ages ranged from 2 months to 1 year. They were treated by oral propranolol. Treatment outcomes were clinically evaluated. Results. Superficial cutaneous hemangiomas began to respond to propranolol therapy within one to two weeks after the onset of treatment. The mean treatment period that was needed for the occurrence of complete resolution was 9.4 months. Treatment with propranolol was well tolerated and had few side effects. No rebound growth of the tumors was noted when propranolol dosing stopped except in one case. Conclusion. Propranolol is a promising treatment for IHs without obvious side effects. However, further studies with longer follow-up periods are needed.

Characterizing infantile hemangiomas with a near-infrared spectroscopic handheld wireless device

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Fong, Christopher J.; Hoi, Jennifer W.; Kim, Hyun K.; Behr, Gerald; Geller, Lauren; Antonov, Nina; Flexman, Molly; Garzon, Maria; Hielscher, Andreas H.

2015-03-01

Infantile hemangiomas (IH) are common vascular growths that occur in 5-10% of neonates and have the potential to cause disfiguring and even life-threatening complications. Currently, no objective tool exist to monitor either progression or treatment of IH. To address this unmet clinical need, we have developed a handheld wireless device (HWD) that uses diffuse optical spectroscopy for the assessment of IH. The system employs 4 wavelengths (l=780nm, 805nm, 850nm, and 905nm) and 6 source-detector pairs with distances between 0.6 and 20 mm. Placed on the skin surface, backreflection data is obtained and a multispectral evolution algorithm is used to determine total hemoglobin concentration and tissue oxygen saturation. First results of an ongoing pilot study involving 13 patients (average enrollment age = 25 months) suggest that an increase in hypoxic stress over time can lead to the proliferation of IH. Involuting IH lesions showed an increase in tissue oxygen saturation as well as a decrease in total hemoglobin.

IgE-associated food allergy alters the presentation of paediatric eosinophilic esophagitis.

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Pelz, B J; Wechsler, J B; Amsden, K; Johnson, K; Singh, A M; Wershil, B K; Kagalwalla, A F; Bryce, P J

2016-11-01

Links between food allergens and eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) have been established, but the interplay between EoE- and IgE-associated immediate hypersensitivity to foods remains unclear. We sought to determine the prevalence of IgE-associated food allergy at the time of diagnosis of EoE in children and to determine whether differences existed in presentation and disease compared to subjects with EoE alone. Eosinophilic esophagitis patients were stratified based on the diagnosis of IgE-associated immediate hypersensitivity (EoE + IH vs. EoE-IH). Clinical, histologic, pathologic, and endoscopic differences were investigated using a retrospective database. We found that 29% of the 198 EoE patients in our cohort had EoE + IH. These subjects presented at a younger age than those without IH (6.05 vs. 8.09 years, P = 0.013) and were more likely to have comorbid allergic disease. Surprisingly, the EoE + IH group presented with significantly different clinical symptoms, with increased dysphagia, gagging, cough, and poor appetite compared to their counterparts in the EoE-IH group. Male gender, allergic rhinitis, the presence of dysphagia, and younger age were independently associated with having EoE + IH. Specific IgE levels to common EoE-associated foods were higher in EoE + IH, regardless of eliciting immediate hypersensitivity symptoms. In contrast, IgE levels for specific foods triggering EoE were relatively lower in both the groups than IgE levels for immediate reactions. Immediate hypersensitivity is common in children with EoE and identifies a population of EoE patients with distinct clinical characteristics. Our study describes a subtype of EoE in which IgE-mediated food allergy may impact the presentation of paediatric EoE. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Normoxic Recovery Mimicking Treatment of Sleep Apnea Does Not Reverse Intermittent Hypoxia-Induced Bacterial Dysbiosis and Low-Grade Endotoxemia in Mice.

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Moreno-Indias, Isabel; Torres, Marta; Sanchez-Alcoholado, Lidia; Cardona, Fernando; Almendros, Isaac; Gozal, David; Montserrat, Josep M; Queipo-Ortuño, Maria I; Farré, Ramon

2016-10-01

Intermittent hypoxia (IH) mimicking obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) significantly modifies gut microbiota in mice. However, whether these IH-induced gut microbiome changes are reversible after restoring normal oxygenation (the equivalent of effective OSA therapy) is unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate gut microbiota composition and circulating endotoxemia after a post-IH normoxic period in a mouse model of OSA. Ten mice were subjected to IH (40 sec 21% O2-20 sec 5% O2) for 6 h/day for 6 w and 10 mice breathing normoxic air (NM) were used as controls. After exposures, both groups were subjected to 6 w in normoxia. Microbiome composition of fecal samples was determined by 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) pyrosequencing. Bioinformatic analysis was performed by Quantitative Insights into Microbial Ecology. Plasma lipopolysaccharide (LPS) levels were measured by endotoxin assay. After normoxic recovery, the Chao and Shannon indices of each group suggested similar bacterial richness and diversity. 16S rRNA pyrosequencing analysis showed that IH-exposed mice had a significant decrease in the abundance of Bacteroidetes and a significant increase of Firmicutes and Deferribacteres compared to the NM group. After normoxic recovery, circulating LPS concentrations were higher in the IH group (P < 0.009). Moreover, the IH group showed a negative and significant correlation between the abundance of Lactobacillus and Ruminococcus and significant positive correlations between the abundance of Mucispirillum and Desulfovibrio and plasma LPS levels, respectively. Even after prolonged normoxic recovery after IH exposures, gut microbiota and circulating endotoxemia remain negatively altered, suggesting that potential benefits of OSA treatment for reversing OSA-induced changes in gut microbiota may either require a longer period or alternative interventions. © 2016 Associated Professional Sleep Societies, LLC.

Long-term outcome of cataract surgery in patients with idiopathic hypoparathyroidism and its relationship with their calcemic status.

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Saha, Soma; Gantyala, Shiva Prasad; Aggarwal, Sameer; Sreenivas, Vishnubhatla; Tandon, Radhika; Goswami, Ravinder

2017-07-01

Cataract is a cardinal manifestation of hypoparathyroidism. Although patients with hypoparathyroidism require cataract surgery at a younger age than individuals without hypoparathyroidism, there is limited information on the outcome of this surgery. We assessed long-term complications of cataract surgery in patients with idiopathic hypoparathyroidism (IH) and its relationship with their clinical and biochemical parameters. Twenty-seven patients with IH and 25 nonhypoparathyroid controls with a minimum follow-up of 2 years after cataract surgery were assessed for visual acuity, intraocular pressure, lens centricity, Nd:YAG laser capsulotomy, and the severity of posterior capsular opacification (PCO) and anterior capsular opacification. High-resolution optical slit-lamp images were analyzed by an ophthalmologist. Patients with IH had cataract surgery at a younger age than controls (34.0 ± 16.4 years vs 58.0 ± 11.2 years, P < 0.001). A higher proportion of IH patients had dense white PCO (75.0 % vs 39.4 %, P = 0.004), Nd:YAG laser capsulotomy (44.2 % vs 10.0 %, P = 0.001), anterior capsular opacification (97.7 % vs 84.2 %, P = 0.03), and a decentric lens (28.3% vs 2.6 %, P = 0.001) at a comparable time after surgery (8.6 ± 6.1 years vs 8.7 ± 6.8 years, P = 0.85). On regression analysis, the severity of PCO in IH correlated only with male sex and not with other factors, including serum total calcium and inorganic phosphorus levels at the baseline and during follow-up. To conclude, patients with IH are likelier than individuals without IH to develop PCO and to require Nd:YAG laser capsulotomy after cataract surgery. Proper precautions should be taken during surgery to minimize this complication in IH.

Individual Heating systems vs. District Heating systems: What will consumers pay for convenience?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoon, Taeyeon; Ma, Yongsun; Rhodes, Charles

2015-01-01

For Korea's two most popular apartment heating systems – Individual Heating (IH) and District Heating (DH), – user convenience rests heavily on location of the boiler, availability of hot water, administration of the system, and user control of indoor temperature. A double-bounded dichotomous choice method estimates consumer value for convenience, in a hypothetical market. Higher-income more-educated consumers in more expensive apartments prefer DH. Cost-conscious consumers, who use more electrical heating appliances and more actively adjust separate room temperatures, prefer IH. With willingness-to-pay (WTP) defined as the price ratio between IH and DH, 800 survey respondents indicate a WTP of 4.0% for DH over IH. IH users unfamiliar with DH expect little greater convenience (0.1% WTP), whereas the WTP for DH users runs to 7.9%, demonstrating consumer loyalty. Quantified estimates of consumer preference and convenience can inform design of a full-cost-plus pricing system with a price cap. Results here indirectly predict the effect of abolishing regulations that exclusively establish district heating zones. Strategies to foster the many external benefits of DH systems should stress not their lower cost, but convenience, comfort, and safety. Higher installation costs still hamper DH expansion, so policy-makers could set policies to lower cost barriers to entry. - Highlights: • District Heating (DH) and Individual Heating (IH) systems differ in user convenience. • Difference of convenience is evaluated by a double-bounded dichotomous choice method. • Consumers are willing to pay a 4.03–12.52% higher rate to use DH rather than IH. • Consumers with high living standards prefer DH to IH, and show high consumer loyalty. • Strategies to foster DH systems should stress DH convenience over its lower cost.

Food restriction-induced changes in gonadotropin-inhibiting hormone-immunoreactive cells are associated with sexual motivation and food hoarding, but not sexual performance and food intake

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Candice M Klingerman

2011-12-01

Full Text Available We hypothesized that putative anorectic and orexigenic peptides control the motivation to engage in either ingestive or sex behaviors, and these peptides function to optimize reproductive success in environments where energy fluctuates. Here, the putative orexigenic peptide, gonadotropin-inhibiting hormone (GnIH, also known as RFamide-related peptide-3 and the putative anorectic hormones leptin, insulin and estradiol were examined during the course of food restriction. Groups of female Syrian hamsters were restricted to 75% of their ad libitum food intake or fed ad libitum for 4, 8, or 12 days. Two other groups were food restricted for 12 days and then re-fed ad libitum for 4 or 8 days. After testing for sex and ingestive behavior, blood was sampled and assayed for peripheral hormones. Brains were immunohistochemically double-labeled for GnIH and the protein product of the immediate early gene, c-fos, a marker of cellular activation. Food hoarding, the number of double-labeled cells, and the percent of GnIH-Ir cells labeled with Fos-Ir were significantly increased at 8 and 12 days after the start of food restriction. Vaginal scent marking and GnIH-Ir cell number significantly decreased after the same duration of restriction. Food hoarding, but not food intake, was significantly positively correlated with cellular activation in GnIH-Ir cells. Vaginal scent marking was significantly negatively correlated with cellular activation in GnIH-Ir cells. There were no significant effects of food restriction on plasma insulin, leptin, estradiol, or progesterone concentrations. In the dorsomedial hypothalamus (DMH of energetically-challenged females, strong projections from NPY-Ir cells were found in close apposition to GnIH-Ir cells. Together these results are consistent with the idea that metabolic signals influence sexual and ingestive motivation via NPY fibers that project to GnIH cells in the DMH.

A Robust Algorithm of Multiquadric Method Based on an Improved Huber Loss Function for Interpolating Remote-Sensing-Derived Elevation Data Sets

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Chuanfa Chen

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Remote-sensing-derived elevation data sets often suffer from noise and outliers due to various reasons, such as the physical limitations of sensors, multiple reflectance, occlusions and low contrast of texture. Outliers generally have a seriously negative effect on DEM construction. Some interpolation methods like ordinary kriging (OK are capable of smoothing noise inherent in sample points, but are sensitive to outliers. In this paper, a robust algorithm of multiquadric method (MQ based on an Improved Huber loss function (MQ-IH has been developed to decrease the impact of outliers on DEM construction. Theoretically, the improved Huber loss function is null for outliers, quadratic for small errors, and linear for others. Simulated data sets drawn from a mathematical surface with different error distributions were employed to analyze the robustness of MQ-IH. Results indicate that MQ-IH obtains a good balance between efficiency and robustness. Namely, the performance of MQ-IH is comparative to those of the classical MQ and MQ based on the Classical Huber loss function (MQ-CH when sample points follow a normal distribution, and the former outperforms the latter two when sample points are subject to outliers. For example, for the Cauchy error distribution with the location parameter of 0 and scale parameter of 1, the root mean square errors (RMSEs of MQ-CH and the classical MQ are 0.3916 and 1.4591, respectively, whereas that of MQ-IH is 0.3698. The performance of MQ-IH is further evaluated by qualitative and quantitative analysis through a real-world example of DEM construction with the stereo-images-derived elevation points. Results demonstrate that compared with the classical interpolation methods, including natural neighbor (NN, OK and ANUDEM (a program that calculates regular grid digital elevation models (DEMs with sensible shape and drainage structure from arbitrarily large topographic data sets, and two versions of MQ, including the

Characterization of headaches in the premenstrual tension syndrome Caracterização das cefaléias na síndrome da tensão pré-menstrual

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Yara Dadalti Fragoso

2009-03-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: Characterization of headaches in premenstrual syndrome (PMS. Although headache is one of the symptoms for PMS, no details on this headache are given by the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG criteria. METHOD: A group of 45 fertile age women presenting PMS were invited to complete a registration diary for headache and PMS symptoms for three consecutive months. The diary included details of each headache attack, allowing for classification according to the International Headache Society criteria (IHS-2004. RESULTS: Migraine without aura was the most common type of headache in PMS (n=27, 60%, followed by tension type headache (n=15, 30%. Only in two cases the type of headache varied among the observed months, and only in one case the diagnosis could not be concluded by the IHS-2004 criteria. CONCLUSION: Better clinical and therapeutic approach to headache in PMS can be achieved if the patient's type of headache could be properly characterized.OBJETIVO: Caracterização das cefaléias na síndrome da tensão pré-menstrual (TPM. Embora cefaléia seja um dos sintomas associados à TPM, não são fornecidos detalhes sobre esta dor pelos critérios do American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG. MÉTODO: Um grupo de 45 mulheres em idade fértil apresentando TPM foi convidado a preencher um diário de registro de cefaléia e dos sintomas de TPM por três meses consecutivos. O diário incluía detalhes de cada crise de cefaléia, permitindo classificação de acordo com os critérios da International Headache Society (IHS-2004. RESULTADOS: Enxaqueca sem aura foi a forma mais freqüente de cefaléia na TPM (n=27, 60%, seguida de cefaléia tipo tensional (n=15, 30%. Em apenas dois casos a cefaléia variou entre os meses observados e em apenas um caso o diagnóstico não pôde ser conclusivo pelos critérios da IHS-2004. CONCLUSÃO: Melhor manejo clínico e terapêutico pode ser obtido na cefaléia da TPM se o tipo de

Threshold stress intensity factor for delayed hydride cracking of a recrystallized N18 alloy plate along the rolling direction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sun Chao; Tan Jun; Ying Shihao; Peng Qian; Li Cong

2010-01-01

The objective of this study is to obtain the threshold stress intensity factor, K IH , for an initiation of delayed hydride cracking in a recrystallized N18 (Zr-Sn-Nb-Fe-Cr) alloy plate which was manufactured in China, gaseously charged with 60 ppm of hydrogen by weight. By using both the load increasing method and load drop method, the K IH 's along the rolling direction were investigated over a temperature range of 150-255 o C. The results showed that K IH along the rolling direction was found to be higher in the load increasing method than that in the load drop method. In the load increasing method, K IH 's of the N18 alloy plate appeared to be in the range of 31-32.5MPa√(m), and K IH in the load drop method appeared to be in the range of 27.5-28.6MPa√(m). This means that the N18 alloy plate has high tolerance for DHC initiation along the rolling direction. The texture of a N18 alloy plate was investigated using an X-ray diffraction and the K IH was discussed based on texture and analytically as a function of the tilting angle of hydride habit planes to the cracking plane.

Simulating sleep apnea by exposure to intermittent hypoxia induces inflammation in the lung and liver.

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da Rosa, Darlan Pase; Forgiarini, Luiz Felipe; Baronio, Diego; Feijó, Cristiano Andrade; Martinez, Dênis; Marroni, Norma Possa

2012-01-01

Sleep apnea is a breathing disorder that results from momentary and cyclic collapse of the upper airway, leading to intermittent hypoxia (IH). IH can lead to the formation of free radicals that increase oxidative stress, and this mechanism may explain the association between central sleep apnea and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. We assessed the level of inflammation in the lung and liver tissue from animals subjected to intermittent hypoxia and simulated sleep apnea. A total of 12 C57BL/6 mice were divided into two groups and then exposed to IH (n = 6) or a simulated IH (SIH) (n = 6) for 35 days. We observed an increase in oxidative damage and other changes to endogenous antioxidant enzymes in mice exposed to IH. Specifically, the expression of multiple transcription factors, including hypoxia inducible factor (HIF-1α), nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), and tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α), inducible NO synthase (iNOS), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and cleaved caspase 3 were shown to be increased in the IH group. Overall, we found that exposure to intermittent hypoxia for 35 days by simulating sleep apnea leads to oxidative stress, inflammation, and increased activity of caspase 3 in the liver and lung.

Simulating Sleep Apnea by Exposure to Intermittent Hypoxia Induces Inflammation in the Lung and Liver

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Darlan Pase da Rosa

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Sleep apnea is a breathing disorder that results from momentary and cyclic collapse of the upper airway, leading to intermittent hypoxia (IH. IH can lead to the formation of free radicals that increase oxidative stress, and this mechanism may explain the association between central sleep apnea and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. We assessed the level of inflammation in the lung and liver tissue from animals subjected to intermittent hypoxia and simulated sleep apnea. A total of 12 C57BL/6 mice were divided into two groups and then exposed to IH (n=6 or a simulated IH (SIH (n=6 for 35 days. We observed an increase in oxidative damage and other changes to endogenous antioxidant enzymes in mice exposed to IH. Specifically, the expression of multiple transcription factors, including hypoxia inducible factor (HIF-1α, nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α, inducible NO synthase (iNOS, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF, and cleaved caspase 3 were shown to be increased in the IH group. Overall, we found that exposure to intermittent hypoxia for 35 days by simulating sleep apnea leads to oxidative stress, inflammation, and increased activity of caspase 3 in the liver and lung.

Efficacy of Acute Intermittent Hypoxia on Physical Function and Health Status in Humans with Spinal Cord Injury: A Brief Review

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Todd A. Astorino

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Spinal cord injury (SCI results in a loss of motor and sensory function and is consequent with reductions in locomotion, leading to a relatively sedentary lifestyle which predisposes individuals to premature morbidity and mortality. Many exercise modalities have been employed to improve physical function and health status in SCI, yet they are typically expensive, require many trained clinicians to implement, and are thus relegated to specialized rehabilitation centers. These characteristics of traditional exercise-based rehabilitation in SCI make their application relatively impractical considering the time-intensive nature of these regimens and patients’ poor access to exercise. A promising approach to improve physical function in persons with SCI is exposure to acute intermittent hypoxia (IH in the form of a small amount of sessions of brief, repeated exposures to low oxygen gas mixtures interspersed with normoxic breathing. This review summarizes the clinical application of IH in humans with SCI, describes recommended dosing and potential side effects of IH, and reviews existing data concerning the efficacy of relatively brief exposures of IH to modify health and physical function. Potential mechanisms explaining the effects of IH are also discussed. Collectively, IH appears to be a safe, time-efficient, and robust approach to enhance physical function in chronic, incomplete SCI.

Social Impact of Facial Infantile Hemangiomas in Preteen Children.

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Costa, Victoria A; Haimowitz, Rachel; Cheng, Yao I; Wang, Jichuan; Silverman, Robert A; Bauman, Nancy M

2016-01-01

Involuted infantile facial hemangiomas (IHs) may adversely affect the social skills of children. To assess the social impact of involuted facial IHs, with or without prior treatment, in preteen children. An observational, cross-sectional study of social anxiety and skills in preteen children with facial IHs diagnosed during infancy. The study took place in an academic institution and a community dermatology practice between January 1, 2013, and July 30, 2014. Records on 236 children with IHs located in a cosmetically sensitive area were identified; of those, 144 potential participants (parents) were reached by telephone and mailed study packets. Thirty completed questionnaires were returned. Data analysis was performed from August 1, 2014, to September 7, 2015. The questionnaires included the following psychiatric scales: (1) Social Anxiety Scale for Children-Revised (SASC-R), completed by parents and children, including the domains of Fear of Negative Evaluation and Social Avoidance/Distress in New Situations (SAD-New) (higher scores indicate greater social anxiety), and (2) Social Competency Inventory (SCI), completed by parents, including the domains of Prosocial Behavior and Social Initiative (lower scores indicate poorer social competency). Demographics, clinical details, and survey responses were collected. Analysis was conducted using t tests to compare scores for each survey domain with established normative data and between sex as well as between treatment vs nontreatment groups. Of the 144 potential participants, 30 (21%) responded. The mean age of the preteen subjects was 10.0 years (range, 5.4-12.9 years) with a 2:1 female to male ratio. Twenty-five children (83%) had a single IH, and the remaining 5 participants (17%) had multiple IHs, with at least 1 IH in a cosmetically sensitive area. The periocular region was the most common site of the IH (10 [33%]), followed by the nose (6 [20%]), cheek (5 [17%]), forehead (4 [13%]), lip or perioral region (4 [13

SU-F-BRD-15: The Impact of Dose Calculation Algorithm and Hounsfield Units Conversion Tables On Plan Dosimetry for Lung SBRT

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Kuo, L; Yorke, E; Lim, S; Mechalakos, J; Rimner, A [Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, NY, NY (United States)

2014-06-15

Purpose: To assess dosimetric differences in IMRT lung stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) plans calculated with Varian AAA and Acuros (AXB) and with vendor-supplied (V) versus in-house (IH) measured Hounsfield units (HU) to mass and HU to electron density conversion tables. Methods: In-house conversion tables were measured using Gammex 472 density-plug phantom. IMRT plans (6 MV, Varian TrueBeam, 6–9 coplanar fields) meeting departmental coverage and normal tissue constraints were retrospectively generated for 10 lung SBRT cases using Eclipse Vn 10.0.28 AAA with in-house tables (AAA/IH). Using these monitor units and MLC sequences, plans were recalculated with AAA and vendor tables (AAA/V) and with AXB with both tables (AXB/IH and AXB/V). Ratios to corresponding AAA/IH values were calculated for PTV D95, D01, D99, mean-dose, total and ipsilateral lung V20 and chestwall V30. Statistical significance of differences was judged by Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test (p<0.05). Results: For HU<−400 the vendor HU-mass density table was notably below the IH table. PTV D95 ratios to AAA/IH, averaged over all patients, are 0.963±0.073 (p=0.508), 0.914±0.126 (p=0.011), and 0.998±0.001 (p=0.005) for AXB/IH, AXB/V and AAA/V respectively. Total lung V20 ratios are 1.006±0.046 (p=0.386), 0.975±0.080 (p=0.514) and 0.998±0.002 (p=0.007); ipsilateral lung V20 ratios are 1.008±0.041(p=0.284), 0.977±0.076 (p=0.443), and 0.998±0.018 (p=0.005) for AXB/IH, AXB/V and AAA/V respectively. In 7 cases, ratios to AAA/IH were within ± 5% for all indices studied. For 3 cases characterized by very low lung density and small PTV (19.99±8.09 c.c.), PTV D95 ratio for AXB/V ranged from 67.4% to 85.9%, AXB/IH D95 ratio ranged from 81.6% to 93.4%; there were large differences in other studied indices. Conclusion: For AXB users, careful attention to HU conversion tables is important, as they can significantly impact AXB (but not AAA) lung SBRT plans. Algorithm selection is also important for

The Desire of Parenthood: Intuitive Co-parental Behaviors and Quality of Couple Relationship among Italian and Belgian Same-Sex and Opposite-Sex Couples

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Miscioscia, Marina; Blavier, Adelaide; Pagone, Paolo R.; Simonelli, Alessandra

2017-01-01

Studies that focused on family issues have allowed a great understanding of the aspects related to its subsystems, such as parenting desire and its expectations, couples’ satisfaction and quality of child’s outcomes. All these aspects are greatly interconnected and contribute to the creation of specific family dynamics, such as the quality of family interactions. The present study focuses on intuitive co-parental behaviors and the quality of couple relationship observed during the decision process (intention and desire) to be (or become) parents. Our first goal was to explore these aspects in a cross-national sample made of Italian and Belgian heterosexual, lesbian and gay couples. We then aimed to evaluate if the degree of internalized homophobia affects co-parental alliance. The quality of couple relationship and co-parental behaviors have been evaluated through the recruitment of a group of 115 stable heterosexual, gay and lesbian couples (230 individuals, 20–50 years of age) without children, who wanted to become parents. We used the Prenatal Lausanne Trilogue Play to evaluate the Co-parental Alliance; the couple’s satisfaction was assessed with the Dyadic Adjustment Scale and the Internalized Homophobia with the MISS-LG. In line with the existent literature, the analysis did not find any difference between lesbian, gay and heterosexual couples in terms of co-parental alliance. High levels of couple adjustment lead to better parental performances among both Italian and Belgian couples. The results suggest also that sexual stigma differs from one country to another, and it has an impact on the capability of managing co-parenting. Clinical implications should be verified in further longitudinal studies in order to observe the impact on the inter-generational transmission of psychopathology. PMID:28261120

Developmental programming of O2 sensing by neonatal intermittent hypoxia via epigenetic mechanisms

OpenAIRE

Nanduri, Jayasri; Prabhakar, Nanduri R.

2012-01-01

Recurrent apnea with intermittent hypoxia (IH) is a major clinical problem in infants born preterm. Carotid body chemo-reflex and catecholamine secretion from adrenal medullary chromaffin cells (AMC) are important for maintenance of cardio-respiratory homeostasis during hypoxia. This article highlights studies on the effects of IH on O2 sensing by the carotid body and AMC in neonatal rodents. Neonatal IH augments hypoxia-evoked carotid body sensory excitation and catecholamine secretion from ...

Protective effects of intermittent hypoxia on brain and memory in a mouse model of apnea of prematurity

OpenAIRE

Bouslama, Myriam; Adle-Biassette, Homa; Ramanantsoa, Nelina; Bourgeois, Thomas; Bollen, Bieke; Brissaud, Olivier; Matrot, Boris; Gressens, Pierre; Gallego, Jorge

2015-01-01

Apnea of prematurity (AOP) is considered a risk factor for neurodevelopmental disorders in children based on epidemiological studies. This idea is supported by studies in newborn rodents in which exposure to intermittent hypoxia (IH) as a model of AOP significantly impairs development. However, the severe IH used in these studies may not fully reflect the broad spectrum of AOP severity. Considering that hypoxia appears neuroprotective under various conditions, we hypothesized that moderate IH...

Calpain activation by ROS mediates human ether-a-go-go-related gene protein degradation by intermittent hypoxia.

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Wang, N; Kang, H S; Ahmmed, G; Khan, S A; Makarenko, V V; Prabhakar, N R; Nanduri, J

2016-03-01

Human ether-a-go-go-related gene (hERG) channels conduct delayed rectifier K(+) current. However, little information is available on physiological situations affecting hERG channel protein and function. In the present study we examined the effects of intermittent hypoxia (IH), which is a hallmark manifestation of sleep apnea, on hERG channel protein and function. Experiments were performed on SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells, which express hERG protein. Cells were exposed to IH consisting of alternating cycles of 30 s of hypoxia (1.5% O2) and 5 min of 20% O2. IH decreased hERG protein expression in a stimulus-dependent manner. A similar reduction in hERG protein was also seen in adrenal medullary chromaffin cells from IH-exposed neonatal rats. The decreased hERG protein was associated with attenuated hERG K(+) current. IH-evoked hERG protein degradation was not due to reduced transcription or increased proteosome/lysomal degradation. Rather it was mediated by calcium-activated calpain proteases. Both COOH- and NH2-terminal sequences of the hERG protein were the targets of calpain-dependent degradation. IH increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, intracellular Ca(2+) concentration ([Ca(2+)]i), calpain enzyme activity, and hERG protein degradation, and all these effects were prevented by manganese-(111)-tetrakis-(1-methyl-4-pyridyl)-porphyrin pentachloride, a membrane-permeable ROS scavenger. These results demonstrate that activation of calpains by ROS-dependent elevation of [Ca(2+)]i mediates hERG protein degradation by IH. Copyright © 2016 the American Physiological Society.

Efficacy of Bilateral Transversus Abdominis Plane and Ilioinguinal-Iliohypogastric Nerve Blocks for Postcaesarean Delivery Pain Relief under Spinal Anesthesia

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Seid Adem Ahemed

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Background. Caesarean delivery can be associated with considerable postoperative pain. While the benefits of transversus abdominis plane (TAP and ilioinguinal-iliohypogastric (II-IH nerve blocks on pain after caesarean delivery via Pfannenstiel incision have been demonstrated, no enough investigations on the comparison of these blocks on pain after caesarean delivery have been conducted in our setup. Method. An institutional-based prospective observational cohort study was conducted to compare the analgesic efficacy of those blocks. We observed 102 postoperative parturients. The outcome measure was the severity of pain measured using a numeric rating scale. Result. Twenty-four hours after surgery, the NRS score at rest was (0.90 ± 0.80 versus (0.67 ± 0.58 and at movement (1.2 ± 1.07 versus (0.88 ± 0.76 for the TAP and II-IH groups, respectively. Twenty-four hours after surgery, the mean tramadol consumption was (55.45 ± 30.51 versus (37.27 ± 27.09 mg in TAP and II-IH groups, respectively (p = 0.009. The mean first analgesic requirement time was also prolonged in the II-IH group. Conclusion and Recommendations. There was no statically significant difference between TAP and II-IH blocks regarding postoperative pain score, but the II-IH block significantly reduced the total tramadol consumption and prolonged the time to first analgesic request than TAP. Thus, we recommend the II-IH nerve block.