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Various Modifications (various + modifications)
Selected AbstractsExpanding the usefulness of Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT) for depressed elders with co-morbid cognitive impairmentINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF GERIATRIC PSYCHIATRY, Issue 2 2007Mark D. Miller Abstract Background The utility of Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT) has been documented as a maintenance treatment for late life depression as mono-therapy or in combination with antidepressant medication. Late life depression, however, is frequently co-morbid with declining memory or other cognitive abilities such that the usefulness of one-to-one psychotherapies is called into question for this subgroup. Additionally, concerned caregivers often accompany these patients to request help and their role in the presenting symptoms and in their potential resolution must also be addressed by any successful psychotherapy in this population. Objectives To explore ways in which IPT could be modified to better serve the particular presentation and needs of depressed elders with cognitive decline along with their caregivers. Methods Various modifications of traditional IPT techniques were experimented with and refined in our collaborative late life research center using regular group supervision and feedback from patients and their caregivers. Results A key component of these modifications involves the integration of the caregiver into the treatment process in flexible ways that recognize their own role transition that is taking place simultaneously with that of the patient's role transition from a greater to a lesser functional state. Other techniques for resolving role conflicts, particularly those directly involving care issues for the patient, are also delineated. These modifications are collectively referred to as IPT-CI for cognitive impairment. A brief case vignette is presented. Conclusion The modifications outlined in this communication reflect an evolving work-in-progress and serve as a framework for the future development of a manual of guidelines to assist healthcare personnel to optimally treat this population and their caregivers. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Coronally advanced flap: a modified surgical approach for isolated recession-type defects: Three-year resultsJOURNAL OF CLINICAL PERIODONTOLOGY, Issue 3 2007M. De Sanctis Abstract Background: Various modifications of the coronally displaced flap have been proposed in the literature with the attempt of treating gingival recession with uneven predictable results. The goal of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness with respect to root coverage of a modification of the coronally advanced flap procedure for the treatment of isolated recession-type defects in the upper jaw. Methods: Forty isolated gingival recessions with at least 1 mm of keratinized tissue apical to the defects were treated with a modified approach to the coronally advanced flap. The main change in the surgical procedure consisted in the modification of flap thickness and dimension of surgical papillae during flap elevation. All recessions fall into Miller class I or II. The clinical re-evaluation was performed 1 year and 3 years after the surgery. Results: At the 1-year examination, the average root coverage was 3.72±1.0 mm (98.6% of the pre-operative recession depth) and 3.64±1.1 mm (96.7%) at 3 years. The gain in probing attachment amounted to 3.65±1.10 mm at 1 year and to 3.70±1.09 mm at 3 years. The average increase of keratinized tissue between the baseline and the 3-year follow-up amounted to 1.78±0.90 mm. All changes of keratinized tissue (difference between baseline and 1 year, baseline and 3 years, and between 1 and 3 years) were statistically significant. Conclusion: The modified coronally advanced surgical technique is effective in the treatment of isolated gingival recession in the upper jaw. [source] A well-characterised peak identification list of MALDI MS profile peaks for human blood serumPROTEINS: STRUCTURE, FUNCTION AND BIOINFORMATICS, Issue 18 2010Ali Tiss Abstract MALDI MS profiling, using easily available body fluids such as blood serum, has attracted considerable interest for its potential in clinical applications. Despite the numerous reports on MALDI MS profiling of human serum, there is only scarce information on the identity of the species making up these profiles, particularly in the mass range of larger peptides. Here, we provide a list of more than 90 entries of MALDI MS profile peak identities up to 10,kDa obtained from human blood serum. Various modifications such as phosphorylation were detected among the peptide identifications. The overlap with the few other MALDI MS peak lists published so far was found to be limited and hence our list significantly extends the number of identified peaks commonly found in MALDI MS profiling of human blood serum. [source] Heparin and Heparan Sulfate BiosynthesisIUBMB LIFE, Issue 4 2002Kazuyuki Sugahara Abstract Heparan sulfate is one of the most informationally rich biopolymers in Nature. Its simple sugar backbone is variously modified to different degrees depending on the cellular conditions. Thus, it matures to have an enormously complicated structure, which most likely exhibits a considerable number of unique overlapping sequences with peculiar sulfation profiles. Such sequences are recognized by specific complementary proteins, which form a huge group of "heparin-binding proteins," and the sugar sequences in turn support unique functions of the respective proteins through specific interactions. The heparan sulfate sequences are not directly encoded by genes, but are created by elaborate biosynthetic mechanisms, which ensure the generation of these indispensable sequences. In heparan sulfate biosynthesis, the tetrasaccharide sequence (GlcA-Gal-Gal-Xyl-), designated the protein linkage region, is first assembled on a specific Ser residue at the glycosaminoglycan attachment site of a core protein. A heparan sulfate chain is then polymerized on this fragment by alternate additions of GlcNAc and GlcA through the actions of glycosyltransferases with overlapping specificities encoded by the tumor suppressor EXT family genes. Then follow various modifications by N -deacetylation and N -sulfation of glucosamine, C5-epimerization of GlcA and multiple O -sulfations of the component sugars. Recent studies have achieved purification of several, and molecular cloning of most, of the enzymes responsible for these reactions. Some of these enzymes are bifunctional. The availability of cDNA probes has facilitated elucidation of the crystal structures for two of the biosynthetic enzymes, demonstration of their intracellular location, and their occurrence in complexes to achieve rapid and efficient synthesis of complex sugar sequences. Genomic structure and transcript analysis have shown the existence of multiple isoforms for most of the sulfotransferases. Many aspects of the heparan sulfate biosynthetic scheme are shared by the structural analog heparin, which is synthesized in mast cells and some other mammalian cells and is several-fold higher degree of polymerization and more extensive modification than heparan sulfate. [source] Molecular phylogeny of Enchytraeidae (Oligochaeta) indicates separate invasions of the terrestrial environmentJOURNAL OF ZOOLOGICAL SYSTEMATICS AND EVOLUTIONARY RESEARCH, Issue 3 2010Bent Christensen Abstract Enchytraeidae is a family of soil inhabiting small- to medium-sized oligochaete worms using degradable plant material as a food source and primarily adapted to terrestrial or semi-terrestrial environments. The molecular phylogeny based upon both mitochondrial and nuclear genes indicates early segregations of the two genera Enchytraeus and Lumbricillus leaving the remaining genera included in this study as a later segregated major monophyletic branch. Extant members of the two former genera dominate in decaying seaweed in the littoral zone along the sea although members of in particular the genus Enchytraeus have also invaded other habitats. Historically the littoral zone of the sea is undoubtedly the first terrestrial or semi-terrestrial habitat where dead plant material accumulates to any greater extent and Enchytraeus and Lumbricillus may represent early successful attempts to exploit this resource. Inland soils probably had to await the emergence of land plants in order to provide a similar food resource and here the major branch of enchytraeid genera diversified into a high number of species in the numerous decomposer networks of this varied environment. A subdivision into the genera Enchytraeus and Lumbricillus on the one hand and a branch of mainly inland genera on the other is supported by differences in two somewhat neglected morphological features. Firstly, in Enchytraeus and Lumbricillus the testes are enclosed in a testis sac within which the male cells mature, by one possible exception a unique feature among Oligochaeta, The other enchytraeid genera studied and Oligochaeta in general lack this sac and the male cells mature directly in the cavity of the testicular segment. Secondly, species of Enchytraeus and Lumbricillus generally have a higher reproductive output than species of the inland terrestrial branch and this may represent an adaptation to the unpredictable littoral zone compared to the more stable nature of inland habitats. In the older literature the genus Mesenchytraeus is considered to have a basic position within the entire family but our molecular data do not support this expectation. In Enchytraeidae the nephridia are elaborate organs of a characteristic and constant shape covering species from different genera in a pattern following the molecular phylogeny. Other much used morphological features such as shape of setae, anteclitellar origin of the dorsal vessel and various modifications of the intestine have arisen more than once. Zusammenfassung Enchytraeidae sind eine Familie kleiner bis mittelgroßer edaphischer Oligochaeten, welche abbaubares Pflanzenmaterial als Nahrungsquelle nutzen und primär an terrestrische oder semiterrestrische Lebensräume angepaßt sind. Die hier vorgestellte, auf mitochondrialen und nukleären Genen beruhende molekulare Phylogenie indiziert eine frühe Abtrennung der beiden Gattungen Enchytraeus und Lumbricillus und beläßt die übrigen der in dieser Studie untersuchten Gattungen als eine später abgezweigte monophyletische Großgruppe. Rezente Glieder der beiden erwähnten Gattungen dominieren in verrottendem Strandanwurf des Meereslitorals, obwohl Arten insbesondere der Gattung Enchytraeus auch andere Lebensräume erobert haben. Historisch gesehen ist das Meereslitoral zweifelsohne das erste terrestrische oder semiterrestrische Habitat, in dem totes Pflanzenmaterial in größerem Ausmaß akkumulierte, und Enchytraeus und Lumbricillus könnten frühe erfolgreiche Versuche der Nutzung dieser Ressource darstellen. Festlandsböden dagegen bedurften wahrscheinlich der Entwicklung von Landpflanzen, um eine vergleichbare Nahrungsquelle zur Verfügung zu stellen, und hier diversifizierte sich der Hauptzweig der Enchytraeidengattungen in viele Arten in den diversen Zersetzernetzen dieses vielgestaltigen Lebensraums. Eine Unterteilung in die Gattungen Enchytraeus und Lumbricillus auf der einen Seite und einen Zweig mit vorwiegend terrestrischen Gattungen auf der anderen wird durch zwei bislang eher vernachlässigte morphologische Merkmale gestützt. Erstens, bei Enchytraeus und Lumbricillus wird der Hoden von einem Testis-Sack, in dem die männlichen Zellen reifen, umschlossen. Dies ist mit einer möglichen Ausnahme einzigartig bei Oligochaeten. Bei den übrigen untersuchten Enchytraeidengattungen und bei Oligochaeten generell fehlt dieser Sack, und die männlichen Zellen reifen unmittelbar in der Körperhöhle des Hodensegmentes. Zweitens, die Reproduktionsrate von Enchytraeus und Lumbricillus ist generell höher als die der Arten des Festlandszweigs. Dies könnte eine Anpassung an die im Vergleich zu Festlandsböden instabileren Bedingungen des Meereslitorals bedeuten. In der älteren Literatur wird der Gattung Mesenchytraeus eine basale Position innerhalb der gesamten Familie zugewiesen, aber unsere molekularen Daten stützen diese Annahme nicht. Die Nephridien der Enchytraeiden sind komplexe Organe mit einer charakteristischen und artübergreifend konstanten Form, deren gattungsmäßige Abwandlungen der molekularen Phylogenie entsprechen. Andere oft verwendete morphologische Merkmale wie Borstenform, anteclitellarer Ursprung des Dorsalgefäßes und verschiedene Darmmodifikationen sind mehr als einmal entstanden. [source] METHODS FOR JOINT INFERENCE FROM MULTIPLE DATA SOURCES FOR IMPROVED ESTIMATES OF POPULATION SIZE AND SURVIVAL RATESMARINE MAMMAL SCIENCE, Issue 3 2004Daniel Goodman Abstract Critical conservation decisions often hinge on estimates of population size, population growth rate, and survival rates, but as a practical matter it is difficult to obtain enough data to provide precise estimates. Here we discuss Bayesian methods for simultaneously drawing on the information content from multiple sorts of data to get as much precision as possible for the estimates. The basic idea is that an underlying population model can connect the various sorts of observations, so this can be elaborated into a joint likelihood function for joint estimation of the respective parameters. The potential for improved estimates derives from the potentially greater effective sample size of the aggregate of data, even though some of the data types may only bear directly on a subset of the parameters. The achieved improvement depends on specifics of the interactions among parameters in the underlying model, and on the actual content of the data. Assuming the respective data sets are unbiased, notwithstanding the fact that they may be noisy, we may gauge the average improvement in the estimates of the parameters of interest from the reduction, if any, in the standard deviations of their posterior marginal distributions. Prospective designs may be evaluated from analysis of simulated data. Here this approach is illustrated with an assessment of the potential value in various ways of merging mark-resight and carcass-survey data for the Florida manatee, as could be made possible by various modifications in the data collection protocols in both programs. [source] COALITION FORMATION IN A GLOBAL WARMING GAME: HOW THE DESIGN OF PROTOCOLS AFFECTS THE SUCCESS OF ENVIRONMENTAL TREATY-MAKINGNATURAL RESOURCE MODELING, Issue 3 2006JOHAN EYCKMANS ABSTRACT. We combine new concepts of noncooperative coalition theory with an integrated assessment model on climate change to analyze the impact of different protocol designs on the success of coalition formation. We analyze the role of "single versus multiple coalitions,""open versus exclusive membership,""no, weak and strong consensus about membership" and "no transfers versus transfers." First, we want to find out whether and how modifications of the standard assumptions affect results that are associated with the widely applied cartel formation game in the noncooperative game theoretic analysis of international environmental agreements. Second, we discuss normative policy conclusions that emerge from the various modifications. Third, we confront our results with evidence on past international environmental treaties and derive an agenda for future research. [source] Gene transfer with modified polyethyleniminesTHE JOURNAL OF GENE MEDICINE, Issue S1 2004Antoine Kichler Abstract Branched and linear polyethylenimines (PEIs) have proven to be efficient and versatile agents for gene delivery in vitro. In addition, systemic administration of positively charged DNA/PEI complexes results in significant reporter gene expression in lungs. However, re-targeting of complexes to organs other than the lung is hampered by non-specific interactions of polyplexes with blood components and non-target cells. Thus, despite considerable transfectional activity, the properties of PEIs need to be further improved. Therefore, various modifications of PEIs have been explored in recent years. For example, to increase the circulation half-life of the DNA complexes, the surface charge of the particles was shielded by grafting hydrophilic polymers such as polyethylene glycols (PEGs) onto their surface. Alternatively, incorporation of certain ligands into the DNA complexes also resulted in charge shielding even without PEGylation. Herein, I review the most recent PEI derivatives, with a special focus on PEGylated and targeted polymers. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Cadaveric and Engineering Analysis of the Septal L-Strut,THE LARYNGOSCOPE, Issue 11 2007Ted Mau MD Abstract Objectives: To identify patterns of failure of the L-strut, to identify elements of the nasal framework that support the L-strut, and to investigate the effect of altering L-strut design on its stability. Study Design: Laboratory study with human cadaveric heads and computational modeling. Methods: Directional forces were applied to cadaveric L-struts and patterns of failure with incremental force were noted. Computational modeling using the finite element method (FEM) was employed to determine quantitatively the effect of various modifications on the stability of the L-strut. Results: The L-strut was found to respond to frontal force initially by buckling. This buckling was reversible until the force exceeded a certain threshold when the L-strut broke at the bony-cartilaginous junction. The threshold force varied depending on the length of the overlap with the bony vault. Intact mucoperichondrium provided significant stability. Modeling with FEM showed that the preservation of a triangular piece of cartilage at the dorsal anchor of a narrowed L-strut can offset some of the loss in mechanical stability. Conclusions: Intrinsic elasticity of the septal cartilage, the mucoperichondrial flap, and overlap with the bony vault all contribute to the stability of the L-strut, which is enhanced by preserving a small segment of cartilage at the bony-cartilaginous junction of the dorsal L-strut. [source] Stability of Alkali Metal Halide Polymorphs as a Function of PressureCHEMISTRY - AN ASIAN JOURNAL, Issue 3 2008arevi, eljko Abstract We investigated the regions of thermodynamic stability of possible modifications of the alkali metal halides as a function of pressure and type of alkali metal and halogen. Both Hartree,Fock and density functional calculations (for six different functionals) were performed. The results are in good agreement with experiment, and the trends in the computed quantities such as transition pressures and lattice parameters as a function of the ab,initio method are similar to those found in earlier studies of the alkali metal sulfides. We predict that in most of these systems the so-called 5,5 modification should be metastable at standard pressure and be thermodynamically stable at slightly negative pressures. The sizes of the pressure ranges over which the various modifications are stable showed characteristic trends as a function of the type of the constituent elements, thus generalizing the traditional pressure,homologue rule for transition pressures and stable phases in ionic solids. [source] Extending phylogenetic studies of coevolution: secondary Brooks parsimony analysis, parasites, and the Great ApesCLADISTICS, Issue 2 2003Daniel R Brooks Dowling recently compared the empirical properties of Brooks parsimony analysis (BPA) and the leading method for studying phylogenetic aspects of coevolution, reconciled tree analysis (using the computer program TreeMap), based on a series of simulations. Like the majority of authors who have compared BPA with other methods, however, Dowling considered only the form of BPA proposed in 1981 and did not take into account various modifications of the method proposed from 1986 to 2002. This leaves some doubt as to the robustness of his assessments of both the superiority of BPA and its shortcomings. We provide a précis of the principles of contemporary BPA, including ways to implement it algorithmically, using either Wagner algorithm-based or Hennigian argumentation-based approaches, followed by an empirical example. Our study supports Dowling's fundamental conclusions about the superiority of primary BPA relative to TreeMap. However, his conclusions about the shortcomings of BPA due to inclusive ORing (i.e., the production of ghost taxa) are incorrect, as secondary BPA eliminates inclusive ORing from the method. Secondary BPA provides a more complete account of the evolutionary associations between the parasite groups and their hosts than does primary BPA, without sacrificing any indirectly generated information about host phylogeny. Secondary BPA of two groups of nematodes inhabiting Great Apes shows that TreeMap analysis underestimated the amount of cospeciation in the evolution of the nematode genus Enterobius. [source] | ||||||||||||||||