Financial Behaviour Under Economic Strain in Different Age Groups: Predictors and Change Across 20 Years.

The present study examined the multiple micro- and macro-level factors that affect individuals' financial behaviour under economic strain. The following sociodemographic and economic factors that predict financial behaviour were analysed: age group, year of data gathering, and attitudes towards consumption (economical, deprived, and hedonistic). Subjective financial situations and demographic characteristics were controlled for. Finnish time series data that consisted of five cross-sectional nationally representative surveys were used (n = 10 043). The analyses revealed four types of financial behaviour: cutting expenses, borrowing, increasing income, and gambling. Young adults aged 18-25 reported the lowest frequency of borrowing and gambling and the highest frequency of increasing income (together with young adults aged 26-35). Participants aged 66-75 scored the lowest in cutting expenses and increasing income in comparison to all other age groups. Financial behaviour under economic strain in 2019 can be characterized by lower instances of borrowing than in 2004 and 2009 and higher frequencies in increasing income in comparison to all other years of data gathering. Finally, strong attitudes towards saving were related to lower frequency of borrowing and gambling, whereas stronger hedonistic attitudes were related to lower frequency of cutting expenses and more frequent borrowing. The research results provide tools for consumer policy, consumer education, and consumer regulation.

A preliminary neuroimaging study of preschool children with ADHD.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a developmental disorder that, by current definition, has onset prior to age 7 years. MRI studies have provided some insight into brain differences associated with ADHD, but thus far have almost exclusively focused on children ages 7 years and older. To better understand the neurobiological development of ADHD, cortical and subcortical brain development should be systematically examined in younger children presenting with symptoms of the disorder. High-resolution anatomical (MPRAGE) images, acquired on a 3.0T scanner, were analyzed in a total of 26 preschoolers, ages 4-5 years (13 with ADHD, 13 controls, matched on age and sex). The ADHD sample was diagnosed using DSM-IV criteria, and screened for language disorders. Cortical regions were delineated and measured using automated methods in Freesurfer; basal ganglia structures were manually delineated. Children with ADHD showed significantly reduced caudate volumes bilaterally; in contrast there were no significant group differences in cortical volume or thickness in this age range. After controlling for age and total cerebral volume, left caudate volume was a significant predictor of hyperactive/impulsive, but not inattentive symptom severity. Anomalous basal ganglia, particularly caudate, development appears to play an important role among children presenting with early onset symptoms of ADHD.

Quantifying excessive mirror overflow in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

OBJECTIVES: Qualitative observations have revealed that children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) show increased overflow movements, a motor sign thought to reflect impaired inhibitory control. The goal of this study was to develop and implement methods for quantifying excessive mirror overflow movements in children with ADHD. METHODS: Fifty right-handed children aged 8.2-13.3 years, 25 with ADHD (12 girls) and 25 typically developing (TD) control children (10 girls), performed a sequential finger-tapping task, completing both left-handed (LHFS) and right-handed finger sequencing (RHFS). Phasic overflow of the index and ring fingers was assessed in 34 children with video recording, and total overflow in 48 children was measured by calculating the total angular displacement of the index and ring fingers with electrogoniometer recordings. RESULTS: Phasic overflow and total overflow across both hands were greater in children with ADHD than in TD children, particularly during LHFS. Separate gender analyses revealed that boys, but not girls, with ADHD showed significantly more total phasic overflow and total overflow than did their gender-matched control children. CONCLUSIONS: The quantitative overflow measures used in this study support past qualitative findings that motor overflow persists to a greater degree in children with ADHD than in age-matched TD peers. The quantitative findings further suggest that persistence of mirror overflow is more prominent during task execution of the nondominant hand and reveal gender-based differences in developmental neural systems critical to motor control. These quantitative measures will assist future physiologic investigation of the brain basis of motor control in ADHD.

Magnetic resonance imaging of viral particle biodistribution in vivo.

We describe here a technique for the visualization of viral vector delivery by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in vivo. By conjugating avidin-coated baculoviral vectors (Baavi) with biotinylated ultra-small superparamagnetic iron oxide particles (USPIO), we are able to produce vector-related MRI contrast in the choroid plexus cells of rat brain in vivo over a period of 14 days. Ten microlitres of 2.5 x 10(10) PFU/ml nuclear-targeted LacZ-encoding Baavi with bUSPIO coating was injected into rat brain ventricles and visualized by MRI at 4.7 T. As baculoviruses exhibit restricted cell-type specificity in the rat brain, altered MRI contrast was detected in the choroid plexus of the injected ventricles. No specific signal loss was detected when wild-type baculoviruses or intact biotinylated USPIO particles were injected into the lateral ventricles. Cryosectioned brains were stained for nuclear-targeted beta-galactosidase gene expression, which was found to colocalize with MRI contrast. This study provides the first proof of principle for robust and non-invasive viral vector MRI by using avidin-displaying viruses in vivo. Considering the widespread use of MRI in current medical imaging, the approach is likely to provide numerous future applications in imaging of therapeutic gene transfer.

Factors that inform the career choice of medical students: implications for otolaryngology.

Knowledge of the factors that inform the career choice of medical students may help plan the workforce for medical specialties. To determine which factors inform the career choice of medical students we carried out a survey of medical students at the start of their educational block in Otolaryngology. Of 202 questionnaires handed out 169 were returned (84 per cent). Students were asked to rank factors according to their importance in their career choice. The single most important factor was career progression. Other factors include on-call commitment, teachers as role models, and the interest for a particular subject. At the present time progression from senior house officer grade to specialist registrar grade in Otolaryngology is delayed. If this issue is not addressed the influx of applicants into Otolaryngology training programmes will be reduced, limiting the pool from which candidates can be chosen for a career in Otolaryngology.

A paediatric otolaryngology pre-admission assessment clinic audited.

Pre-admission clinics are becoming increasingly popular for surgical specialties with a quick turnover as they aid waiting list management and reduce non-attender rates for surgery. As paediatric patients have a high rate of non-attendance, we performed a retrospective audit of otolaryngology paediatric pre-admission assessment clinic notes for June to October 1998 (n = 363). The attendance rate for the clinic was 97 per cent. Of the children who attended the clinic, 90 per cent had their operation as planned, complications occurred in 2.9 per cent. The operation date was delayed in 20 patients, in 11 patients no cause for the delay was given in the case notes. As a result of this audit, the Senior House Officer sees the patient on the day of admission rather than in the pre-admission clinic, which is staffed by nurses.

Surgical management of septal perforation: an alternative to closure of perforation.

The surgical closure of septal perforations remains a distinctive challenge to the otorhinolaryngologist. This is demonstrated by the modest success in most techniques. An alternative method, involving surgical enlargement of the perforation with posterior edge repair, is described and the outcome is investigated. Thirteen patients with perforations of up to 50 mm in size underwent this technique. A questionnaire interview was conducted and symptom scores were obtained. The length of hospitalization, follow-up period and post-operative complications were evaluated as were measures of morbidity. The results showed a significant improvement in the symptom scores for nasal crusting, epistaxis and overall discomfort. This technique is straightforward and is especially suitable for larger perforations. The successful improvement in symptoms and an associated low morbidity makes it a complement to alternative surgical closure techniques.

Cytoplasmic trafficking of the canine parvovirus capsid and its role in infection and nuclear transport.

To begin a successful infection, viruses must first cross the host cell plasma membrane, either by direct fusion with the membrane or by receptor-mediated endocytosis. After release into the cytoplasm those viruses that replicate in the nucleus must target their genome to that location. We examined the role of cytoplasmic transport of the canine parvovirus (CPV) capsid in productive infection by microinjecting two antibodies that recognize the intact CPV capsid into the cytoplasm of cells and also by using intracellular expression of variable domains of a neutralizing antibody fused to green fluorescence protein. The two antibodies tested and the expressed scFv all efficiently blocked virus infection, probably by binding to virus particles while they were in the cytoplasm and before entering the nucleus. The injected antibodies were able to block most infections even when injected 8 h after virus inoculation. In control studies, microinjected capsid antibodies did not interfere with CPV replication when they were coinjected with an infectious plasmid clone of CPV. Cytoplasmically injected full and empty capsids were able to move through the cytosol towards the nuclear membrane in a process that could be blocked by nocodazole treatment of the cells. Nuclear transport of the capsids was slow, with significant amounts being found in the nucleus only 3 to 6 h after injection.

A neutralizing antibody against human DNA polymerase epsilon inhibits cellular but not SV40 DNA replication.

The contribution of human DNA polymerase epsilon to nuclear DNA replication was studied. Antibody K18 that specifically inhibits DNA polymerase activity of human DNA polymerase epsilon in vitro significantly inhibits DNA synthesis both when microinjected into nuclei of exponentially growing human fibroblasts and in isolated HeLa cell nuclei. The capability of this neutralizing antibody to inhibit DNA synthesis in cells is comparable to that of monoclonal antibody SJK-132-20 against DNA polymerase alpha. Contrary to the antibody against DNA polymerase alpha, antibody K18 against DNA polymerase epsilon did not inhibit SV40 DNA replication in vitro. These results indicate that DNA polymerase epsilon plays a role in replicative DNA synthesis in proliferating human cells like DNA polymerase alpha, and that this role for DNA polymerase epsilon cannot be modeled by SV40 DNA replication.

Tracheal ring herniation following percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy and its resection under endoscopic control.

A 76-year-old patient had an elective percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy (PDT) under endoscopic control in the intensive care unit. Twelve days later when her general condition improved, two attempts at decannulation failed due to upper airway obstruction above the tracheostomy site. Bronchoscopy showed herniation of the anterior tracheal wall above the tracheostomy tube occluding 80 per cent of the lumen. The herniated anterior segment was elevated and partially resected under endoscopic guidance. The patient made a full recovery and was decannulated on the first post-operative day. Pitfalls and possible complications of PDT are discussed.

Intracellular route of canine parvovirus entry.

The present study was designed to investigate the endocytic pathway involved in canine parvovirus (CPV) infection. Reduced temperature (18 degrees C) or the microtubule-depolymerizing drug nocodazole was found to inhibit productive infection of canine A72 cells by CPV and caused CPV to be retained in cytoplasmic vesicles as indicated by immunofluorescence microscopy. Consistent with previously published results, these data indicate that CPV enters a host cell via an endocytic route and further suggest that microtubule-dependent delivery of CPV to late endosomes is required for productive infection. Cytoplasmic microinjection of CPV particles was used to circumvent the endocytosis and membrane fusion steps in the entry process. Microinjection experiments showed that CPV particles which were injected directly into the cytoplasm, thus avoiding the endocytic pathway, were unable to initiate progeny virus production. CPV treated at pH 5.0 prior to microinjection was unable to initiate virus production, showing that factors of the endocytic route other than low pH are necessary for the initiation of infection by CPV.

On the velocity maximization in downhill skiing.

The dynamics of a skier performing downhill are considered. The equations of motion are utilized in a dimensionless form revealing the most important physical and physiological parameters controlling the skier speed. Several analytical results for the straight hill case are derived. The optimal shape of a hill in a vertical plane to produce maximal velocity increase between two given points is sought. The effect of the four dimensionless parameters appearing in the problem, accounting for air drag and lift, air density, ski friction, skier mass, and length and steepness of the hill, on the optimal hill shape and the final optimal velocity is studied. A comparison with the corresponding straight slope is made showing that the optimal shape may typically lead to a 50% increase in the final velocity. The variational procedure employed also yields the hill shape for minimal velocity increase between two points. The results may be used in speed prediction and hill design.

Characterization of a nuclear localization signal of canine parvovirus capsid proteins.

We investigated the abilities of synthetic peptides mimicking the potential nuclear localization signal of canine parvovirus (CPV) capsid proteins to translocate a carrier protein to the nucleus following microinjection into the cytoplasm of A72 cells. Possible nuclear localization sequences were chosen for synthesis from CPV capsid protein sequences (VP1, VP2) on the basis of the presence of clustered basic residues, which is a common theme in most of the previously identified targeting peptides. Nuclear targeting activity was found within the N-terminal residues 4-13 (PAKRARRGYK) of the VP1 capsid protein. While replacement of Arg10 with glycine did not affect the activity, replacement of Lys6, Arg7, or Arg9 with glycine abolished it. The targeting activity was found to residue in a cluster of basic residues, Lys5, Arg7, and Arg9. Nuclear import was saturated by excess of unlabelled peptide conjugates (showing that it was a receptor-mediated process). Transport into the nucleus was an energy-dependent and temperature-dependent process actively mediated by the nuclear pores and inhibited by wheat germ agglutinin.

Detection of canine parvovirus antigens with antibodies to synthetic peptides.

Antibodies produced in rabbits against an 18-amino acid peptide (peptide 1, NSLPQSEGATNFGDIGVP) of capsid protein VP2/residues 292-309 of canine parvovirus (CPV) or against an 18-amino acid peptide (peptide 2, GKRNTVLFHGPASTKGKS) of nonstructural protein NS1/residues 391-409 of CPV identified, in immunofluorescence analysis, viral antigens in canine A 72 cells infected with CPV. Antibodies to peptide 2 also identified viral antigens in bovine cells infected with bovine parvovirus. In western blot analysis, antibodies to peptide 1 and peptide 2 also detected viral antigens derived from blue fox parvovirus, feline parvovirus, mink enteritis virus and raccoon dog parvovirus. The peptide antibodies could be used as convenient tools in diagnosis of infections caused by CPV or closely related viruses affecting cats, minks, blue foxes and raccoon dogs.

Characterization of antigenic epitopes of potato virus Y.

Immunochemical analysis of overlapping synthetic hexapeptides covering the entire length of the coat protein of potato virus Y (PVY) revealed immunodominant regions both at the N-terminal and at the C-terminal end of the coat protein. Immunization of rabbits with synthetic peptides representing N- and C-terminal regions of the coat protein resulted in production of antibodies that reacted with PVY. Antigenicity of PVY peptides was found to correlate with predicted beta turns, with hydrophilicity and with predicted chain flexibility. Characterization of the immunochemical properties of PVY will facilitate the development of detection methods for potyviruses.