Isolation contactor state control system

DOEpatents

Bissontz, Jay E.

2017-05-16

A controller area network (CAN) installed on a hybrid electric vehicle provides one node with control of high voltage power distribution system isolation contactors and the capacity to energize a secondary electro-mechanical relay device. The output of the secondary relay provides a redundant and persistent backup signal to the output of the node. The secondary relay is relatively immune to CAN message traffic interruptions and, as a result, the high voltage isolation contactor(s) are less likely to transition open in the event that the intelligent output driver should fail.

Relay exchanges in elite short track speed skating.

PubMed

Hext, Andrew; Heller, Ben; Kelley, John; Goodwill, Simon

2017-06-01

In short track speed skating, the relay exchange provides an additional strategic component to races by allowing a team to change the skater involved in the pack race. Typically executed every 1½ laps, it is the belief of skaters and coaches that during this period of the race, time can be gained or lost due to the execution of the relay exchange. As such, the aim of this study was to examine the influence of the relay exchange on a team's progression through a 5000 m relay race. Using data collected from three World Cup relay events during the 2012-2013 season, the time taken to complete the straight for the scenarios with and without the relay exchange were compared at different skating speeds for the corner exit prior to the straight. Overall, the influence of the relay exchange was found to be dependent on this corner exit speed. At slower corner exit speeds (12.01-13.5 m/s), relay exchange straight times were significantly faster than the free skating scenario (P < 0.01). While at faster corner exit speeds (14.01-15 m/s), straight times were significantly slower (P < 0.001). The findings of this study suggest that the current norm of executing relay exchanges every 1½ laps may not be optimal. Instead, varying the frequency of relay exchange execution throughout the race could allow: (1) time to be gained relative to other teams; and (2) facilitate other race strategies by providing an improved opportunity to overtake.

Research on Harmonic Characteristic of Electronic Current Transformer Based on the Rogowski Coil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shen, Diqiu; Hu, Bei; Wang, Xufeng; Zhu, Mingdong; Wang, Liang; Lu, Wenxing

2017-05-01

The nonlinear load present in the power system will cause the distortion of AC sine wave and generate the harmonic, which havea severe impact on the accuracy of energy metering and reliability of relay protection. Tosatisfy the requirements of energy metering and relay protection for the new generation of intelligent substation, based on the working principle of Rogowski coil current transformer, mathematical model and transfer characteristics of Rogowski coil sensors were studied in this paper, and frequency response characteristics of Rogowski coil current transformer system were analysed. Finally, the frequency response characteristics of the Rogowski coil current transformer at 2 to 13 harmonics was simulated and experimented. Simulation and experiments show that Rogowski coil current transformer couldmeet 0.2 accuracy requirements of harmonic power measurement of power system, and measure the harmonic components of the grid reliably.

Extreme Violation of Sleep Hygiene: Sleeping Against the Biological Clock During a Multiday Relay Event.

PubMed

van Maanen, Annette; Roest, Bas; Moen, Maarten; Oort, Frans; Vergouwen, Peter; Paul, Ingrid; Groenenboom, Petra; Smits, Marcel

2015-12-01

Sleep hygiene is important for sleep quality and optimal performance during the day. However, it is not always possible to follow sleep hygiene requirements. In multiday relay events, athletes have to sleep immediately after physical exertion and sometimes against their biological clock. In this pilot study we investigated the effect of having to sleep at an abnormal circadian time on sleep duration. Eight runners and two cyclists performing a 500 km relay race were followed. They were divided into two groups that took turns in running and resting. Each group ran four times for approximately five hours while the other group slept. As a result, sleep times varied between normal and abnormal times. All athletes wore actigraphs to record the duration and onset of sleep. Linear mixed model analyses showed that athletes slept on average 43 minutes longer when they slept during usual (night) times than during abnormal (day) times. In general, sleep duration decreased during the race with on average 18 minutes per period. This pilot study shows that, even under extreme violation of sleep hygiene rules, there still is an apparent effect of circadian rhythm on sleep duration in relay race athletes.

Scheduler software for tracking and data relay satellite system loading analysis: User manual and programmer guide

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Craft, R.; Dunn, C.; Mccord, J.; Simeone, L.

1980-01-01

A user guide and programmer documentation is provided for a system of PRIME 400 minicomputer programs. The system was designed to support loading analyses on the Tracking Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS). The system is a scheduler for various types of data relays (including tape recorder dumps and real time relays) from orbiting payloads to the TDRSS. Several model options are available to statistically generate data relay requirements. TDRSS time lines (representing resources available for scheduling) and payload/TDRSS acquisition and loss of sight time lines are input to the scheduler from disk. Tabulated output from the interactive system includes a summary of the scheduler activities over time intervals specified by the user and overall summary of scheduler input and output information. A history file, which records every event generated by the scheduler, is written to disk to allow further scheduling on remaining resources and to provide data for graphic displays or additional statistical analysis.

Experimental service of 3DTV broadcasting relay in Korea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hur, Namho; Ahn, Chung-Hyun; Ahn, Chieteuk

2002-11-01

This paper introduces 3D HDTV relay broadcasting experiments of 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea/Japan using a terrestrial and satellite network. We have developed 3D HDTV cameras, 3D HDTV video multiplexer/demultiplexer, a 3D HDTV receiver, and a 3D HDTV OB van for field productions. By using a terrestrial and satellite network, we distributed a compressed 3D HDTV signal to predetermined demonstration venues which are approved by host broadcast services (HBS), KirchMedia, and FIFA. In this case, we transmitted a 40Mbps MPEG-2 transport stream (DVB-ASI) over a DS-3 network specified in ITU-T Rec. G.703. The video/audio compression formats are MPEG-2 main-profile, high-level and Dolby Digital AC-3 respectively. Then at venues, the recovered left and right images by the 3D HDTV receiver are displayed on a screen with polarized beam projectors.

Modeling And Simulation Of Electrical Prevenion System Using Arduino Uno,Gsm Modem, And Acs712 Current Sensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khair, Ummul; Jabbar Lubis, Abdul; Agustha, Indra; Dharmawati; Zulfin, M.

2017-12-01

The current electricity needs is very primary, all objects including electronics require power, it encourages people not to be able to save electricity so the theft of electric power would be done. The use of ACS712 current sensor as the sensor with arduino uno would find out the power consumption continuously and prevent the theft of electricity because of the use of electricity which has been determined by PLN and the people fetl that it is not enough for every house, so the author made a tool for prevention of theft of electric power by using the arduino uno, buzzer, ACS712 current sensor, lcd, and relay then the power usage can be controlled according to the use to prevent the occurrence of theft of electricity so the use can be seen directly on the lcd 16x2and GSM modem to give information to employees of PLN so that it can reduceelectrical theft by the public.

A Non-canonical Reticular-Limbic Central Auditory Pathway via Medial Septum Contributes to Fear Conditioning.

PubMed

Zhang, Guang-Wei; Sun, Wen-Jian; Zingg, Brian; Shen, Li; He, Jufang; Xiong, Ying; Tao, Huizhong W; Zhang, Li I

2018-01-17

In the mammalian brain, auditory information is known to be processed along a central ascending pathway leading to auditory cortex (AC). Whether there exist any major pathways beyond this canonical auditory neuraxis remains unclear. In awake mice, we found that auditory responses in entorhinal cortex (EC) cannot be explained by a previously proposed relay from AC based on response properties. By combining anatomical tracing and optogenetic/pharmacological manipulations, we discovered that EC received auditory input primarily from the medial septum (MS), rather than AC. A previously uncharacterized auditory pathway was then revealed: it branched from the cochlear nucleus, and via caudal pontine reticular nucleus, pontine central gray, and MS, reached EC. Neurons along this non-canonical auditory pathway responded selectively to high-intensity broadband noise, but not pure tones. Disruption of the pathway resulted in an impairment of specifically noise-cued fear conditioning. This reticular-limbic pathway may thus function in processing aversive acoustic signals. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

HIGH SPEED KERR CELL FRAMING CAMERA

DOEpatents

Goss, W.C.; Gilley, L.F.

1964-01-01

The present invention relates to a high speed camera utilizing a Kerr cell shutter and a novel optical delay system having no moving parts. The camera can selectively photograph at least 6 frames within 9 x 10/sup -8/ seconds during any such time interval of an occurring event. The invention utilizes particularly an optical system which views and transmits 6 images of an event to a multi-channeled optical delay relay system. The delay relay system has optical paths of successively increased length in whole multiples of the first channel optical path length, into which optical paths the 6 images are transmitted. The successively delayed images are accepted from the exit of the delay relay system by an optical image focusing means, which in turn directs the images into a Kerr cell shutter disposed to intercept the image paths. A camera is disposed to simultaneously view and record the 6 images during a single exposure of the Kerr cell shutter. (AEC)

Extreme Violation of Sleep Hygiene: Sleeping Against the Biological Clock During a Multiday Relay Event

PubMed Central

van Maanen, Annette; Roest, Bas; Moen, Maarten; Oort, Frans; Vergouwen, Peter; Paul, Ingrid; Groenenboom, Petra; Smits, Marcel

2015-01-01

Background: Sleep hygiene is important for sleep quality and optimal performance during the day. However, it is not always possible to follow sleep hygiene requirements. In multiday relay events, athletes have to sleep immediately after physical exertion and sometimes against their biological clock. Objectives: In this pilot study we investigated the effect of having to sleep at an abnormal circadian time on sleep duration. Patients and Methods: Eight runners and two cyclists performing a 500 km relay race were followed. They were divided into two groups that took turns in running and resting. Each group ran four times for approximately five hours while the other group slept. As a result, sleep times varied between normal and abnormal times. All athletes wore actigraphs to record the duration and onset of sleep. Results: Linear mixed model analyses showed that athletes slept on average 43 minutes longer when they slept during usual (night) times than during abnormal (day) times. In general, sleep duration decreased during the race with on average 18 minutes per period. Conclusions: This pilot study shows that, even under extreme violation of sleep hygiene rules, there still is an apparent effect of circadian rhythm on sleep duration in relay race athletes. PMID:26715971

Telecommunications Relay Support of the Mars Phoenix Lander Mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Edwards, Charles D., Jr.; Erickson, James K.; Gladden, Roy E.; Guinn, Joseph R.; Ilott, Peter A.; Jai, Benhan; Johnston, Martin D.; Kornfeld, Richard P.; Martin-Mur, Tomas J.; McSmith, Gaylon W.;

Electrical safety for high voltage arrays

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Marshall, N. A.

1983-01-01

A number of key electrical safety requirements for the high voltage arrays of central station photovoltaic power systems are explored. The suitability of representative industrial DC power switchgear for control and fault protection was evaluated. Included were AC/DC circuit breakers, electromechanical contactors and relays, load interruptors, cold disconnect devices, sectionalizing switches, and high voltage DC fuses. As appropriate, steady state and transient characteristics were analyzed. Failure modes impacting upon operation and maintenance safety were also identified, as were the voltage withstand and current interruption levels.

Using Mean Orbit Period in Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Maneuver Design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chung, Min-Kun J.; Menon, Premkumar R.; Wagner, Sean V.; Williams, Jessica L.

2014-01-01

Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) has provided communication relays for a number of Mars spacecraft. In 2016 MRO is expected to support a relay for NASA's Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport (InSight) spacecraft. In addition, support may be needed by another mission, ESA's ExoMars EDL Demonstrator Module's (EDM), only 21 days after the InSight coverage. The close proximity of these two events presents a unique challenge to a conventional orbit synchronization maneuver where one deterministic maneuver is executed prior to each relay. Since the two events are close together and the difference in required phasing between InSight and EDM may be up to half an orbit (yielding a large execution error), the downtrack timing error can increase rapidly at the EDM encounter. Thus, a new maneuver strategy that does not require a deterministic maneuver in-between the two events (with only a small statistical cleanup) is proposed in the paper. This proposed strategy rests heavily on the stability of the mean orbital period. The ability to search and set the specified mean period is fundamental in the proposed maneuver design as well as in understanding the scope of the problem. The proposed strategy is explained and its result is used to understand and solve the problem in the flight operations environment.

Transmission line relay mis-operation detection based on time-synchronized field data

DOE PAGES

Esmaeilian, Ahad; Popovic, Tomo; Kezunovic, Mladen

2015-05-04

In this paper, a real-time tool to detect transmission line relay mis-operation is implemented. The tool uses time-synchronized measurements obtained from both ends of the line during disturbances. The proposed fault analysis tool comes into the picture only after the protective device has operated and tripped the line. The proposed methodology is able not only to detect, classify, and locate transmission line faults, but also to accurately confirm whether the line was tripped due to a mis-operation of protective relays. The analysis report includes either detailed description of the fault type and location or detection of relay mis-operation. As such,more » it can be a source of very useful information to support the system restoration. The focus of the paper is on the implementation requirements that allow practical application of the methodology, which is illustrated using the field data obtained the real power system. Testing and validation is done using the field data recorded by digital fault recorders and protective relays. The test data included several hundreds of event records corresponding to both relay mis-operations and actual faults. The discussion of results addresses various challenges encountered during the implementation and validation of the presented methodology.« less

Nutritional behavior of cyclists during a 24-hour team relay race: a field study report

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Information about behavior of energy intake in ultra-endurance cyclists during a 24-hour team relay race is scarce. The nutritional strategy during such an event is an important factor which athletes should plan carefully before the race. The purpose of this study was to examine and compare the nutritional intake of ultra-endurance cyclists during a 24-hour team relay race with the current nutritional guidelines for endurance events. Additionally, we analyzed the relationship among the nutritional and performance variables. Methods Using a observational design, nutritional intake of eight males (mean ± SD: 36.7 ± 4.7 years; 71.6 ± 4.9 kg; 174.6 ± 7.3 cm; BMI 23.5 ± 0.5 kg/m2) participating in a 24-hour team relay cycling race was assessed. All food and fluid intake by athletes were weighed and recorded. Additionally, distance and speed performed by each rider were also recorded. Furthermore, before to the race, all subjects carried out an incremental exercise test to determine two heart rate-VO2 regression equations which were used to estimate the energy expenditure. Results The mean ingestion of macronutrients during the event was 943 ± 245 g (13.1 ± 4.0 g/kg) of carbohydrates, 174 ± 146 g (2.4 ± 1.9 g/kg) of proteins and 107 ± 56 g (1.5 ± 0.7 g/kg) of lipids, respectively. This amount of nutrients reported an average nutrient intake of 22.8 ± 8.9 MJ which were significantly lower compared with energy expenditure 42.9 ± 6.8 MJ (P = 0.012). Average fluid consumption corresponded to 10497 ± 2654 mL. Mean caffeine ingestion was 142 ± 76 mg. Additionally, there was no relationship between the main nutritional variables (i.e. energy intake, carbohydrates, proteins, fluids and caffeine ingestion) and the main performance variables (i.e. distance and speed). Conclusions A 24-hour hours cycling competition in a team relay format elicited high energy demands which were not compensated by energy intake of the athletes despite that dietary consumption of macronutrients did not differ to the nutritional guidelines for longer events. PMID:22309475

The role of bed-parallel slip in the development of complex normal fault zones

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Delogkos, Efstratios; Childs, Conrad; Manzocchi, Tom; Walsh, John J.; Pavlides, Spyros

2017-04-01

Normal faults exposed in Kardia lignite mine, Ptolemais Basin, NW Greece formed at the same time as bed-parallel slip-surfaces, so that while the normal faults grew they were intermittently offset by bed-parallel slip. Following offset by a bed-parallel slip-surface, further fault growth is accommodated by reactivation on one or both of the offset fault segments. Where one fault is reactivated the site of bed-parallel slip is a bypassed asperity. Where both faults are reactivated, they propagate past each other to form a volume between overlapping fault segments that displays many of the characteristics of relay zones, including elevated strains and transfer of displacement between segments. Unlike conventional relay zones, however, these structures contain either a repeated or a missing section of stratigraphy which has a thickness equal to the throw of the fault at the time of the bed-parallel slip event, and the displacement profiles along the relay-bounding fault segments have discrete steps at their intersections with bed-parallel slip-surfaces. With further increase in displacement, the overlapping fault segments connect to form a fault-bound lens. Conventional relay zones form during initial fault propagation, but with coeval bed-parallel slip, relay-like structures can form later in the growth of a fault. Geometrical restoration of cross-sections through selected faults shows that repeated bed-parallel slip events during fault growth can lead to complex internal fault zone structure that masks its origin. Bed-parallel slip, in this case, is attributed to flexural-slip arising from hanging-wall rollover associated with a basin-bounding fault outside the study area.

Modeling and analysis of selected space station communications and tracking subsystems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Richmond, Elmer Raydean

1993-01-01

The Communications and Tracking System on board Space Station Freedom (SSF) provides space-to-ground, space-to-space, audio, and video communications, as well as tracking data reception and processing services. Each major category of service is provided by a communications subsystem which is controlled and monitored by software. Among these subsystems, the Assembly/Contingency Subsystem (ACS) and the Space-to-Ground Subsystem (SGS) provide communications with the ground via the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS) System. The ACS is effectively SSF's command link, while the SGS is primarily intended as the data link for SSF payloads. The research activities of this project focused on the ACS and SGS antenna management algorithms identified in the Flight System Software Requirements (FSSR) documentation, including: (1) software modeling and evaluation of antenna management (positioning) algorithms; and (2) analysis and investigation of selected variables and parameters of these antenna management algorithms i.e., descriptions and definitions of ranges, scopes, and dimensions. In a related activity, to assist those responsible for monitoring the development of this flight system software, a brief summary of software metrics concepts, terms, measures, and uses was prepared.

Fuzzy-Wavelet Based Double Line Transmission System Protection Scheme in the Presence of SVC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goli, Ravikumar; Shaik, Abdul Gafoor; Tulasi Ram, Sankara S.

2015-06-01

Increasing the power transfer capability and efficient utilization of available transmission lines, improving the power system controllability and stability, power oscillation damping and voltage compensation have made strides and created Flexible AC Transmission (FACTS) devices in recent decades. Shunt FACTS devices can have adverse effects on distance protection both in steady state and transient periods. Severe under reaching is the most important problem of relay which is caused by current injection at the point of connection to the system. Current absorption of compensator leads to overreach of relay. This work presents an efficient method based on wavelet transforms, fault detection, classification and location using Fuzzy logic technique which is almost independent of fault impedance, fault distance and fault inception angle. The proposed protection scheme is found to be fast, reliable and accurate for various types of faults on transmission lines with and without Static Var compensator at different locations and with various incidence angles.

Analytical Approaches for Identification and Representation of Critical Protection Systems in Transient Stability Studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hedman, Mojdeh Khorsand

After a major disturbance, the power system response is highly dependent on protection schemes and system dynamics. Improving power systems situational awareness requires proper and simultaneous modeling of both protection schemes and dynamic characteristics in power systems analysis tools. Historical information and ex-post analysis of blackouts reaffirm the critical role of protective devices in cascading events, thereby confirming the necessity to represent protective functions in transient stability studies. This dissertation is aimed at studying the importance of representing protective relays in power system dynamic studies. Although modeling all of the protective relays within transient stability studies may result in a better estimation of system behavior, representing, updating, and maintaining the protection system data becomes an insurmountable task. Inappropriate or outdated representation of the relays may result in incorrect assessment of the system behavior. This dissertation presents a systematic method to determine essential relays to be modeled in transient stability studies. The desired approach should identify protective relays that are critical for various operating conditions and contingencies. The results of the transient stability studies confirm that modeling only the identified critical protective relays is sufficient to capture system behavior for various operating conditions and precludes the need to model all of the protective relays. Moreover, this dissertation proposes a method that can be implemented to determine the appropriate location of out-of-step blocking relays. During unstable power swings, a generator or group of generators may accelerate or decelerate leading to voltage depression at the electrical center along with generator tripping. This voltage depression may cause protective relay mis-operation and unintentional separation of the system. In order to avoid unintentional islanding, the potentially mis-operating relays should be blocked from tripping with the use of out-of-step blocking schemes. Blocking these mis-operating relays, combined with an appropriate islanding scheme, help avoid a system wide collapse. The proposed method is tested on data from the Western Electricity Coordinating Council. A triple line outage of the California-Oregon Intertie is studied. The results show that the proposed method is able to successfully identify proper locations of out-of-step blocking scheme.

Persistent anxiety and in-hospital complications after acute coronary syndrome

PubMed Central

AbuRuz, Mohannad Eid

2018-01-01

Objectives: To investigate the effects of pre-event persistent anxiety on in-hospital complications and length of stay (LOS) in patients who experienced acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Methods: This was a prospective study with patients seeking treatment for ACS events. Anxiety was measured 2 times before the event in 600 patients with pre-existing coronary heart disease (CHD). Patients were followed for 2 years or until they developed an ACS event. 120 patients developed ACS events (rate 20%). Complications and LOS were abstracted from medical records. Results: Persistently non-anxious patients have lower anxiety scores at 3 months follow-up than baseline (mean [standard deviation (SD)], 6.1 [0.24] vs. 3.9 [0.95], P <0.01). Patients with persistent anxiety had significantly higher complication rates than non-anxious patients (mean [SD], 0.71 [0.12] vs. 0.15 [0.11], P <0.05). In a multiple logistic regression, persistent anxiety was an independent predictor of complications. Patients who were persistently anxious were at 5 times higher risk for developing complications (odds ratio = 5.0, 95% confidence interval: 1.27–38.8, P < 0.05). Conclusion: Anxiety measured up to 2 years before an ACS event was predictive of in-hospital complications. Clinicians caring for patients with CHD need to be as equally aware of the importance of assessing and treating persistent anxiety as clinicians caring for patients hospitalized for an ACS. PMID:29599695

Adrenal Crises in Children: Perspectives and Research Directions.

PubMed

Rushworth, R Louise; Torpy, David J; Stratakis, Constantine A; Falhammar, Henrik

2018-06-06

Adrenal crises (AC) are life-threatening physiological disturbances that occur at a rate of 5-10/100 patient years in patients with adrenal insufficiency (AI). Despite their seriousness, there is a paucity of information on the epidemiology of AC events in the paediatric population specifically, as most investigations have focused on AI and ACs in adults. Improved surveillance of AC-related morbidity and mortality should improve the delineation of AC risk overall and among different subgroups of paediatric patients with AI. Valid incidence measures are essential for this purpose and also for the evaluation of interventions aimed at reducing adverse health outcomes from ACs. However, the absence of an agreed AC definition limits the potential benefit of research and surveillance in this area. While approaches to the treatment and prevention of ACs have much in common across the lifespan, there are important differences between children and adults with regards to the physiological, psychological, and social milieu in which these events occur. Education is considered to be an essential element of AC prevention but studies have shown that ACs occur even among well-educated patients, suggesting that new strategies may be needed. In this review, we examine the current knowledge regarding AC events in children with AI; assess the existing definitions of an AC and offer a new definition for use in research and the clinic; and suggest areas for further investigation that are aimed at reducing the incidence and health impact of ACs in the paediatric age group. © 2018 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Principles and Practices for Championship Performances in Wheelchair Track Events.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Practical Pointers, 1979

1979-01-01

The booklet discusses training methods and approaches for wheelchair track and field. Detailed information and charts are presented on types of workouts (such as interval, distance, rhythm, speed play, and pace work) and mechanics of track events. A section on relay strategy and coaching approaches concludes the document. (CL)

Adverse cardiovascular events in acute coronary syndrome with indications for anticoagulation.

PubMed

Knight, Stacey; McCubrey, Raymond O; Yuan, Zhong; Woller, Scott C; Horne, Benjamin D; Bunch, T Jared; Le, Viet T; Mills, Roger M; Muhlestein, Joseph B

2016-08-01

Randomized acute coronary syndrome (ACS) trials testing various antithrombotic (AT) regimens have largely excluded patients with coexisting conditions and indications for anticoagulation (AC). The purpose of this study is to examine the 2-year clinical outcomes of patients with ACS with indication for AC due to venous thromboembolism (VTE) during hospitalization for the ACS event or a prior or new diagnosis of atrial fibrillation (AF) with a CHADS2 (Congestive heart failure; Hypertension; Age; Diabetes; previous ischemic Stroke) score ⩾2. ACS patients with AC indication from 2004 to 2009 were identified (n = 619). A Cox proportional hazards model was used to examine the primary efficacy outcome of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) including all-cause death, myocardial infarction (MI) or stroke. The primary explanatory variable was at-discharge antithrombotic strategy [single antiplatelet ± AC, dual antiplatelet (DAP) ± AC or AC only; referent DAP + AC]. A total of 261 (42.2%) patients had a MACE event. AT strategy was not a significant factor for MACE (all p > 0.09). The factors associated with MACE were high mortality risk score [hazard ratio (HR)=1.87, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.39- 2.52; p < 0.001), prior MI (HR = 1.44, 95% CI: 1.03-2.01; p= 0.033) and presentation of ST elevation MI (HR = 2.70, 95% CI: 1.61-4.51; p < 0.001) or non-ST elevation MI (HR = 1.70, 95% CI: 1.15-2.49; p < 0.001) compared with angina. In this real world observational study, the at-discharge AT strategy was not significantly associated with the 2-year risk of MACE. These findings do not negate the need for randomized trials to generate evidence-based approaches to management of this important population. © The Author(s), 2016.

Outcomes associated with comorbid atrial fibrillation and heart failure in Medicare beneficiaries with acute coronary syndrome.

PubMed

Chen, Shih-Yin; Crivera, Concetta; Stokes, Michael; Boulanger, Luke; Schein, Jeff

2014-02-20

Atrial fibrillation (AF) and heart failure (HF) are both common comorbid conditions of elderly patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS), but published data on their associated clinical and economic outcomes are limited. Our study included patients from the Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey with an incident hospitalization for ACS between 03/01/2002 and 12/31/2006. Applying population weights, we identified 795 incident ACS patients, representing more than 2.5 million Medicare beneficiaries. Of this population, 13.1% had comorbid AF, and 22.9% had HF, which were identified from Medicare claims during the 6 months prior to the first ACS event (index date) Subsequent cardiovascular (CV) hospitalizations and mortality were compared using Kaplan-Meier curves. Cox proportional hazards regressions were used to estimate the relative risk of AF and HF on CV events and mortality. Healthcare costs were summarized for the calendar year in which the incident ACS event occurred. HF was associated with a 41% higher risk of mortality (HR = 1.41; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.05-1.89). Both AF (HR = 1.46; 95% CI 1.14-1.87) and HF (HR = 1.61; 95% CI 1.26-2.06) were associated with higher risks of subsequent CV events. During the year of the incident ACS event, ACS patients with comorbid AF or HF had approximately $18,000 higher total healthcare costs than those without these comorbidities. Using a nationally representative sample of Medicare beneficiaries, we observed a significantly higher clinical and economic burden of patients hospitalized for ACS with comorbid AF and HF compared with those without these conditions.

What Is Uterine Sarcoma?

MedlinePlus

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Ac-immobilized, a stable source of Activator transposase that mediates sporophytic and gametophytic excision of Dissociation elements in maize.

PubMed

Conrad, Liza J; Brutnell, Thomas P

2005-12-01

We have identified and characterized a novel Activator (Ac) element that is incapable of excision yet contributes to the canonical negative dosage effect of Ac. Cloning and sequence analysis of this immobilized Ac (Ac-im) revealed that it is identical to Ac with the exception of a 10-bp deletion of sequences at the left end of the element. In screens of approximately 6800 seeds, no germinal transpositions of Ac-im were detected. Importantly, Ac-im catalyzes germinal excisions of a Ds element resident at the r1 locus resulting in the recovery of independent transposed Ds insertions in approximately 4.5% of progeny kernels. Many of these transposition events occur during gametophytic development. Furthermore, we demonstrate that Ac-im transactivates multiple Ds insertions in somatic tissues including those in reporter alleles at bronze1, anthocyaninless1, and anthocyaninless2. We propose a model for the generation of Ac-im as an aberrant transposition event that failed to generate an 8-bp target site duplication and resulted in the deletion of Ac end sequences. We also discuss the utility of Ac-im in two-component Ac/Ds gene-tagging programs in maize.

Intracranial bleeding: epidemiology and relationships with antithrombotic treatment in 241 cerebral hemorrhages in Reggio Emilia.

PubMed

Nicolini, Alberto; Ghirarduzzi, Angelo; Iorio, Alfonso; Silingardi, Mauro; Malferrari, Giovanni; Baldi, Giovanni

2002-09-01

Anticoagulant (AC) and antiplatelet (AP) drugs are effectively used in the prevention of thromboembolic events, with the trade-off of bleeding side effects, particularly intracranial. The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of intracranial bleeding in the population of Reggio Emilia and to investigate the potential effect of AC and AP drugs. We reviewed all the patients admitted for cerebral hemorrhages to our hospital between April 1998 and September 2000. Data were collected with a standardized form. All the patients were followed-up to estimate long-term mortality. Chi(2) and t-tests were used as appropriate. Logistic regression analysis was performed to test predictors of mortality. Pharmaceutical department data were employed to estimate the total number of patients receiving AC and AP drugs. We found 241 cases (107/134 female/male, mean age 61 years, 133/107 spontaneous/traumatic events, 0.32/1,000/year overall). Twenty-nine and 47 of these patients were being given AC or AP drugs, respectively (4.9/1,000/year and 3.7/1,000/year). The relative risk of intracranial bleeding was 11.5 in AP and 15.3 in AC treated patients. Two patients (one underwent neurosurgery and one thrombolytic treatment) were excluded from mortality and risk factors analysis. Six patients were lost from follow-up and excluded from mortality analysis. Overall mortality was 100/233 (42.9%); mortality in traumatic events was 25/103 (24.2%) versus 75/130 (57.7%) in spontaneous events. Mortality was 19/29 (65.5%), 26/47 (55.3%) and 55/157 (35%) in AC recipients, AP recipients, and untreated patients, respectively. This increased risk was mainly confined to traumatic events (p = 0.06), without difference between AC and AP recipients. At the time of the event, the mean duration of oral AC treatment was 26.3 months (range 1-120). Mean INR was = 3.1 (range 1.6-8.8). Mortality was significantly predicted by the Glasgow Coma Scale Score (GCS) at admission (p < 0.0001), by the type of bleeding (spontaneous versus traumatic) (p = 0.0026), and by age (p < 0.0001). Careful selection of patients and prevention of traumatic events are the main candidate mechanisms to reduce intracranial bleeding in patients being treated with AC and AP drugs.

Adverse cardiovascular events in acute coronary syndrome with indications for anticoagulation

PubMed Central

Knight, Stacey; McCubrey, Raymond O.; Yuan, Zhong; Woller, Scott C.; Horne, Benjamin D.; Bunch, T. Jared; Le, Viet T.; Mills, Roger M.; Muhlestein, Joseph B.

2016-01-01

Objectives: Randomized acute coronary syndrome (ACS) trials testing various antithrombotic (AT) regimens have largely excluded patients with coexisting conditions and indications for anticoagulation (AC). The purpose of this study is to examine the 2-year clinical outcomes of patients with ACS with indication for AC due to venous thromboembolism (VTE) during hospitalization for the ACS event or a prior or new diagnosis of atrial fibrillation (AF) with a CHADS2 (Congestive heart failure; Hypertension; Age; Diabetes; previous ischemic Stroke) score ⩾2. Methods: ACS patients with AC indication from 2004 to 2009 were identified (n = 619). A Cox proportional hazards model was used to examine the primary efficacy outcome of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) including all-cause death, myocardial infarction (MI) or stroke. The primary explanatory variable was at-discharge antithrombotic strategy [single antiplatelet ± AC, dual antiplatelet (DAP) ± AC or AC only; referent DAP + AC]. Results: A total of 261 (42.2%) patients had a MACE event. AT strategy was not a significant factor for MACE (all p > 0.09). The factors associated with MACE were high mortality risk score [hazard ratio (HR)=1.87, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.39– 2.52; p < 0.001), prior MI (HR = 1.44, 95% CI: 1.03–2.01; p= 0.033) and presentation of ST elevation MI (HR = 2.70, 95% CI: 1.61–4.51; p < 0.001) or non-ST elevation MI (HR = 1.70, 95% CI: 1.15–2.49; p < 0.001) compared with angina. Conclusions: In this real world observational study, the at-discharge AT strategy was not significantly associated with the 2-year risk of MACE. These findings do not negate the need for randomized trials to generate evidence-based approaches to management of this important population. PMID:26920371

Treating Sexual Problems for Men with Cancer

MedlinePlus

... want to think about buying a hand-held electric vibrator. A vibrator can give very intense stimulation. ... Life Events College Relay For Life Donate a Car Ways to Give Memorial Giving Planned Giving Leadership ...

New directions for pharmacotherapy in the treatment of acute coronary syndrome.

PubMed

Adamski, Piotr; Adamska, Urszula; Ostrowska, Małgorzata; Koziński, Marek; Kubica, Jacek

2016-12-01

Acute coronary syndromes (ACS) are one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Several landmark trials, followed by a widespread introduction of new agents, have significantly improved ACS outcomes in recent years. However, despite the use of contemporary therapy, a substantial number of ACS patients continue to suffer from cardiovascular events. Areas covered: The aim of this review was to summarize available data on innovative drugs and pharmacological strategies that have potential to amend the current ACS therapy. We present the results of recent large clinical trials, as well as insights from ongoing phase III and phase IV studies, exploring the value of new strategies for the improvement of outcomes in ACS. Expert opinion: More potent platelet inhibition, more profound lipid reduction and possibly anti-inflammatory action are considered to have potential to further reduce the rates of adverse cardiovascular and thrombotic events in ACS patients. 'Hit fast, hit hard' approach regarding novel antiplatelet and lipid-lowering therapy seems attractive, but it has to be considered that these strategies may be associated with increased adverse events rate. Introduction of cangrelor and ezetimibe, and potentially future recognition of proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 antibodies, are likely to alter the landscape of ACS pharmacotherapy.

Using the Dynamic Model of Affect (DMA) to examine leisure time as a stress coping resource: Taking into account stress severity and gender difference

PubMed Central

Qian, Xinyi Lisa; Yarnal, Careen M.; Almeida, David M.

2014-01-01

Affective complexity (AC) is a marker of psychological well-being. According to the Dynamic Model of Affect (DMA), stressful experiences reduce AC while positive events increase AC. One type of positive events is leisure, which was also identified as a coping resource. This study extended the DMA and leisure coping research by assessing gender difference in how daily stress severity and leisure time influence AC. Analyzing eight-day diary data, we found that females, compared to males, experienced greater decrease in AC with increase in stress severity but also bigger increase in AC with increase in leisure time. The finding highlights gender difference in affective reactivity to and coping with daily stress, the value of the DMA, and the importance of severity appraisal. PMID:25242824

The "soluble" adenylyl cyclase in sperm mediates multiple signaling events required for fertilization.

PubMed

Hess, Kenneth C; Jones, Brian H; Marquez, Becky; Chen, Yanqiu; Ord, Teri S; Kamenetsky, Margarita; Miyamoto, Catarina; Zippin, Jonathan H; Kopf, Gregory S; Suarez, Susan S; Levin, Lonny R; Williams, Carmen J; Buck, Jochen; Moss, Stuart B

2005-08-01

Mammalian fertilization is dependent upon a series of bicarbonate-induced, cAMP-dependent processes sperm undergo as they "capacitate," i.e., acquire the ability to fertilize eggs. Male mice lacking the bicarbonate- and calcium-responsive soluble adenylyl cyclase (sAC), the predominant source of cAMP in male germ cells, are infertile, as the sperm are immotile. Membrane-permeable cAMP analogs are reported to rescue the motility defect, but we now show that these "rescued" null sperm were not hyperactive, displayed flagellar angulation, and remained unable to fertilize eggs in vitro. These deficits uncover a requirement for sAC during spermatogenesis and/or epididymal maturation and reveal limitations inherent in studying sAC function using knockout mice. To circumvent this restriction, we identified a specific sAC inhibitor that allowed temporal control over sAC activity. This inhibitor revealed that capacitation is defined by separable events: induction of protein tyrosine phosphorylation and motility are sAC dependent while acrosomal exocytosis is not dependent on sAC.

47 CFR 78.101 - Power limitations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) BROADCAST RADIO SERVICES CABLE TELEVISION RELAY... communications desired. In no event shall the average transmitter power or equivalent isotropically radiated..., subject to periodic renewal. (b) LDS stations shall use for the visual signal-vestigial sideband AM...

Clinical indicators for recurrent cardiovascular events in acute coronary syndrome patients treated with statins under routine practice in Thailand: an observational study.

PubMed

Chinwong, Dujrudee; Patumanond, Jayanton; Chinwong, Surarong; Siriwattana, Khanchai; Gunaparn, Siriluck; Hall, John Joseph; Phrommintikul, Arintaya

2015-06-16

Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients are at very high cardiovascular risk and tend to have recurrent cardiovascular events. The clinical indicators for subsequent cardiovascular events are limited and need further investigation. This study aimed to explore clinical indicators that were associated with recurrent cardiovascular events following index hospitalization. The data of patients hospitalized with ACS at a tertiary care hospital in northern Thailand between January 2009 and December 2012 were retrospectively reviewed from medical charts and the electronic hospital database. The patients were classified into three groups based on the frequency of recurrent cardiovascular events (nonfatal ACS, nonfatal stroke, or all-cause death) they suffered: no recurrent events (0), single recurrent event (1), and multiple recurrent events (≥2). Ordinal logistic regression was performed to explore the clinical indicators for recurrent cardiovascular events. A total of 405 patients were included; 60 % were male; the average age was 64.9 ± 11.5 years; 40 % underwent coronary revascularization during admission. Overall, 359 (88.6 %) had no recurrent events, 36 (8.9 %) had a single recurrent event, and 10 (2.5 %) had multiple recurrent events. The significant clinical indicators associated with recurrent cardiovascular events were achieving an LDL-C goal of < 70 mg/dL (Adjusted OR = 0.43; 95 % CI = 0.27-0.69, p-value < 0.001), undergoing revascularization during admission (Adjusted OR = 0.44; 95 % CI = 0.24-0.81, p-value = 0.009), being male (Adjusted OR = 1.85; 95 % CI = 1.29-2.66, p-value = 0.001), and decrease estimated glomerular filtration rate (Adjusted OR = 2.46; 95 % CI = 2.21-2.75, p-value < 0.001). The routine clinical practice indicators assessed in ACS patients that were associated with recurrent cardiovascular events were that achieving the LDL-C goal and revascularization are protective factors, while being male and having decreased estimated glomerular filtration rate are risk factors for recurrent cardiovascular events. These clinical indicators should be used for routinely monitoring patients to prevent recurrent cardiovascular events in ACS patients.

Therapeutic strategies after coronary stenting in chronically anticoagulated patients: the MUSICA study.

PubMed

Sambola, A; Ferreira-González, I; Angel, J; Alfonso, F; Maristany, J; Rodríguez, O; Bueno, H; López-Minguez, J R; Zueco, J; Fernández-Avilés, F; San Román, A; Prendergast, B; Mainar, V; García-Dorado, D; Tornos, P

2009-09-01

To identify the therapeutic regimens used at discharge in patients receiving oral anticoagulant therapy (OAT) who undergo stenting percutaneous coronary intervention and stent implantation (PCI-S), and to assess the safety and efficacy associated with different therapeutic regimens according to thromboembolic risk. A prospective multicentre registry. In hospital, after discharge and follow-up by telephone call. 405 patients (328 male/77 female; mean (SD) age 71 (9) years) receiving OAT who underwent PCI-S between November 2003 and June 2006 from nine catheterisation laboratories of tertiary care teaching hospitals in Spain and one in the United Kingdom were included. Three therapeutic regimens were identified at discharge: triple therapy (TT) -- that is, any anticoagulant (AC) plus double antiplatelet therapy (DAT; 278 patients (68.6%); AC and a single antiplatelet (AC+AT; 46 (11.4%)) and DAT only (81 (20%)). At 6 months, patients receiving TT showed the greatest rate of bleeding events. No patients receiving DAT at low thromboembolic risk presented a bleeding event (14.8% receiving TT, 11.8% receiving AC+AT and 0% receiving DAT, p = 0.033) or cardiovascular event (6.7% receiving TT, 0% receiving AC+AT and 0% receiving DAT, p = 0.126). The combination of AC+AT showed the worst rate of adverse events in the whole cohort, especially in patients at moderate-high thromboembolic risk. In patients receiving OAT, TT was the most commonly used regimen after PCI-S. DAT was associated with the lowest rate of bleeding events and a similar efficacy to TT in patients at low thromboembolic risk. TT should probably be restricted to patients at moderate-high thromboembolic risk.

Long-term major adverse cardiovascular events and quality of life after coronary angiography in elderly patients with acute coronary syndrome.

PubMed

Sigurjonsdottir, R; Barywani, S; Albertsson, P; Fu, M

2016-11-01

Although the elderly comprise the majority of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients, limited data exist on major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) and quality of life (QoL). To study MACEs and QoL prospectively in ACS patients >70years referred for coronary angiography. A prospective observational study that included ACS patients >70years undergoing coronary angiography. The outcomes were MACEs and QoL 3years after inclusion. MACEs were defined as death, recurrent ACS, new-onset of heart failure and repeated revascularization by coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) or percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). A QoL questionnaire was completed by the patients along with a physical examination and a personal interview at the 3-year follow-up. Multivariate analysis was performed to identify the predictors for MACEs. In total, 138 patients (mean age 78.8±3.8years) with ACS were included in the study. Mean follow-up was 1196±296days. In all, 42% of the patients had MACEs and 25% had post-ACS heart failure. The mortality rate was 11%. After adjusting for significant cardiovascular risk factors, the following factors were significantly associated with MACEs: Age, high-sensitive troponin T (hsTNT), use of diuretics and reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). Furthermore, the QoL evaluated with SF-36 in survivors from ACS at the end of study was similar to the QoL in an age-matched healthy Swedish population. In this prospective study on elderly ACS patients MACEs still occurred in 42% of the cases (despite low mortality and good QoL), with post-ACS heart failure as the most important event. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Transgenic pigeonpea events expressing Cry1Ac and Cry2Aa exhibit resistance to Helicoverpa armigera.

PubMed

Ghosh, Gourab; Ganguly, Shreeparna; Purohit, Arnab; Chaudhuri, Rituparna Kundu; Das, Sampa; Chakraborti, Dipankar

2017-07-01

Independent transgenic pigeonpea events were developed using two cry genes. Transgenic Cry2Aa-pigeonpea was established for the first time. Selected transgenic events demonstrated 100% mortality of Helicoverpa armigera in successive generations. Lepidopteran insect Helicoverpa armigera is the major yield constraint of food legume pigeonpea. The present study was aimed to develop H. armigera-resistant transgenic pigeonpea, selected on the basis of transgene expression and phenotyping. Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation of embryonic axis explants of pigeonpea cv UPAS 120 was performed using two separate binary vectors carrying synthetic Bacillus thuringiensis insecticidal crystal protein genes, cry1Ac and cry2Aa. T 0 transformants were selected on the basis of PCR and protein expression profile. T 1 events were exclusively selected on the basis of expression and monogenic character for cry, validated through Western and Southern blot analyses, respectively. Independently transformed 12 Cry1Ac and 11 Cry2Aa single-copy events were developed. The level of Cry-protein expression in T 1 transgenic events was 0.140-0.175% of total soluble protein. Expressed Cry1Ac and Cry2Aa proteins in transgenic pigeonpea exhibited significant weight loss of second-fourth instar larvae of H. armigera and ultimately 80-100% mortality in detached leaf bioassay. Selected Cry-transgenic pigeonpea events, established at T 2 generation, inherited insect-resistant phenotype. Immunohistofluorescence localization in T 3 plants demonstrated constitutive accumulation of Cry1Ac and Cry2Aa in leaf tissues of respective transgenic events. This study is the first report of transgenic pigeonpea development, where stable integration, effective expression and biological activity of two Cry proteins were demonstrated in subsequent three generations (T 0 , T 1, and T 2 ). These studies will contribute to biotechnological breeding programmes of pigeonpea for its genetic improvement.

Feedforward inhibitory control of sensory information in higher-order thalamic nuclei.

PubMed

Lavallée, Philippe; Urbain, Nadia; Dufresne, Caroline; Bokor, Hajnalka; Acsády, László; Deschênes, Martin

2005-08-17

Sensory stimuli evoke strong responses in thalamic relay cells, which ensure a faithful relay of information to the neocortex. However, relay cells of the posterior thalamic nuclear group in rodents, despite receiving significant trigeminal input, respond poorly to vibrissa deflection. Here we show that sensory transmission in this nucleus is impeded by fast feedforward inhibition mediated by GABAergic neurons of the zona incerta. Intracellular recordings of posterior group neurons revealed that the first synaptic event after whisker deflection is a prominent inhibition. Whisker-evoked EPSPs with fast rise time and longer onset latency are unveiled only after lesioning the zona incerta. Excitation survives barrel cortex lesion, demonstrating its peripheral origin. Electron microscopic data confirm that trigeminal axons make large synaptic terminals on the proximal dendrites of posterior group cells and on the somata of incertal neurons. Thus, the connectivity of the system allows an unusual situation in which inhibition precedes ascending excitation resulting in efficient shunting of the responses. The dominance of inhibition over excitation strongly suggests that the paralemniscal pathway is not designed to relay inputs triggered by passive whisker deflection. Instead, we propose that this pathway operates through disinhibition, and that the posterior group forwards to the cerebral cortex sensory information that is contingent on motor instructions.

Smad2 and Smad3 have differential sensitivity in relaying TGFβ signaling and inversely regulate early lineage specification

PubMed Central

Liu, Ling; Liu, Xu; Ren, Xudong; Tian, Yue; Chen, Zhenyu; Xu, Xiangjie; Du, Yanhua; Jiang, Cizhong; Fang, Yujiang; Liu, Zhongliang; Fan, Beibei; Zhang, Quanbin; Jin, Guohua; Yang, Xiao; Zhang, Xiaoqing

2016-01-01

The transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ) related signaling is one of the most important signaling pathways regulating early developmental events. Smad2 and Smad3 are structurally similar and it is mostly considered that they are equally important in mediating TGFβ signals. Here, we show that Smad3 is an insensitive TGFβ transducer as compared with Smad2. Smad3 preferentially localizes within the nucleus and is thus sequestered from membrane signaling. The ability of Smad3 in oligomerization with Smad4 upon agonist stimulation is also impaired given its unique linker region. Smad2 mediated TGFβ signaling plays a crucial role in epiblast development and patterning of three germ layers. However, signaling unrelated nuclear localized Smad3 is dispensable for TGFβ signaling-mediated epiblast specification, but important for early neural development, an event blocked by TGFβ/Smad2 signaling. Both Smad2 and Smad3 bind to the conserved Smads binding element (SBE), but they show nonoverlapped target gene binding specificity and differential transcriptional activity. We conclude that Smad2 and Smad3 possess differential sensitivities in relaying TGFβ signaling and have distinct roles in regulating early developmental events. PMID:26905010

Smad2 and Smad3 have differential sensitivity in relaying TGFβ signaling and inversely regulate early lineage specification.

PubMed

Liu, Ling; Liu, Xu; Ren, Xudong; Tian, Yue; Chen, Zhenyu; Xu, Xiangjie; Du, Yanhua; Jiang, Cizhong; Fang, Yujiang; Liu, Zhongliang; Fan, Beibei; Zhang, Quanbin; Jin, Guohua; Yang, Xiao; Zhang, Xiaoqing

2016-02-24

The transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ) related signaling is one of the most important signaling pathways regulating early developmental events. Smad2 and Smad3 are structurally similar and it is mostly considered that they are equally important in mediating TGFβ signals. Here, we show that Smad3 is an insensitive TGFβ transducer as compared with Smad2. Smad3 preferentially localizes within the nucleus and is thus sequestered from membrane signaling. The ability of Smad3 in oligomerization with Smad4 upon agonist stimulation is also impaired given its unique linker region. Smad2 mediated TGFβ signaling plays a crucial role in epiblast development and patterning of three germ layers. However, signaling unrelated nuclear localized Smad3 is dispensable for TGFβ signaling-mediated epiblast specification, but important for early neural development, an event blocked by TGFβ/Smad2 signaling. Both Smad2 and Smad3 bind to the conserved Smads binding element (SBE), but they show nonoverlapped target gene binding specificity and differential transcriptional activity. We conclude that Smad2 and Smad3 possess differential sensitivities in relaying TGFβ signaling and have distinct roles in regulating early developmental events.

Event Compression Using Recursive Least Squares Signal Processing.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-07-01

decimation of the Burstl signal with and without all-pole prefiltering to reduce aliasing . Figures 3.32a-c and 3.33a-c show the same examples but with 4/1...to reduce aliasing , w~t found that it did not improve the quality of the event compressed signals . If filtering must be performed, all-pole filtering...A-AO89 785 MASSACHUSETTS IN T OF TECH CAMBRIDGE RESEARCH LAB OF--ETC F/B 17/9 EVENT COMPRESSION USING RECURSIVE LEAST SQUARES SIGNAL PROCESSI-ETC(t

Utilization of Genomic Signatures to Direct Use of Primary Chemotherapy in Early Stage Breast Cancer

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-07-01

those seen with standard dose AC and TC  By chemotherapy:  AC: 11 of 19 with grade 3 or 4 adverse events (all neutropenia except one treatment...unrelated PE)  TC: 8 of 20 with grade 3 or 4 adverse events (all neutropenia except one docetaxel reaction)  By arm:  Genomically-guided: 14

Sudden Cardiac Death After Non-ST-Segment Elevation Acute Coronary Syndrome.

PubMed

Hess, Paul L; Wojdyla, Daniel M; Al-Khatib, Sana M; Lokhnygina, Yuliya; Wallentin, Lars; Armstrong, Paul W; Roe, Matthew T; Ohman, E Magnus; Harrington, Robert A; Alexander, John H; White, Harvey D; Van de Werf, Frans; Piccini, Jonathan P; Held, Claes; Aylward, Philip E; Moliterno, David J; Mahaffey, Kenneth W; Tricoci, Pierluigi

2016-04-01

In the current therapeutic era, the risk for sudden cardiac death (SCD) after non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE ACS) has not been characterized completely. To determine the cumulative incidence of SCD during long-term follow-up after NSTE ACS, to develop a risk model and risk score for SCD after NSTE ACS, and to assess the association between recurrent events after the initial ACS presentation and the risk for SCD. This pooled cohort analysis merged individual data from 48 286 participants in 4 trials: the Apixaban for Prevention of Acute Ischemic Events 2 (APPRAISE-2), Study of Platelet Inhibition and Patient Outcomes (PLATO), Thrombin Receptor Antagonist for Clinical Event Reduction in Acute Coronary Syndrome (TRACER), and Targeted Platelet Inhibition to Clarify the Optimal Strategy to Medically Manage Acute Coronary Syndromes (TRILOGY ACS) trials. The cumulative incidence of SCD and cardiovascular death was examined according to time after NSTE ACS. Using competing risk and Cox proportional hazards models, clinical factors at baseline and after the index event that were associated with SCD after NSTE ACS were identified. Baseline factors were used to develop a risk model. Data were analyzed from January 2, 2014, to December 11, 2015. Sudden cardiac death. Of the initial 48 286 patients, 37 555 patients were enrolled after NSTE ACS (67.4% men; 32.6% women; median [interquartile range] age, 65 [57-72] years). Among these, 2109 deaths occurred after a median follow-up of 12.1 months. Of 1640 cardiovascular deaths, 513 (31.3%) were SCD. At 6, 18, and 30 months, the cumulative incidence estimates of SCD were 0.79%, 1.65%, and 2.37%, respectively. Reduced left ventricular ejection fraction, older age, diabetes mellitus, lower estimated glomerular filtration rate, higher heart rate, prior myocardial infarction, peripheral artery disease, Asian race, male sex, and high Killip class were significantly associated with SCD. A model developed to calculate the risk for SCD in trials with systematic collection of left ventricular ejection fraction had a C index of 0.77. An integer-based score was developed from this model and yielded a calculated SCD probability ranging from 0.1% to 56.7% (C statistic, 0.75). In a multivariable model that included time-dependent clinical events occurring after the index hospitalization for ACS, SCD was associated with recurrent myocardial infarction (hazard ratio [HR], 2.95; 95% CI, 2.29-3.80; P < .001) and any hospitalization (HR, 2.45; 95% CI, 1.98-3.03; P < .001), whereas coronary revascularization had a negative relationship with SCD (HR, 0.75; 95% CI, 0.58-0.98; P = .03). In the current therapeutic era, SCD accounts for about one-third of cardiovascular deaths after NSTE ACS. Risk stratification can be performed with good accuracy using commonly collected clinical variables. Clinical events occurring after the index hospitalization are underappreciated but important risk factors.

Infrequent transposition of Ac in lettuce, Lactuca sativa.

PubMed

Yang, C H; Ellis, J G; Michelmore, R W

1993-08-01

The maize transposable element Activator (Ac) is being used to develop a transposon mutagenesis system in lettuce, Lactuca sativa. Two constructs containing the complete Ac from the waxy-m7 locus of maize were introduced into lettuce and monitored for activity using Southern analysis and PCR amplification of the excision site. No transposition of Ac was detected in over 32 transgenic R1 plants, although these constructs were known to provide frequent transposition in other species. Also, no transposition was observed in later generations. In subsequent experiments, transposition was detected in lettuce calli using constructs that allowed selection for excision events. In these constructs, the neomycin phosphotransferase II gene was interrupted by either Ac or Ds. Excision was detected as the ability of callus to grow on kanamycin. Synthesis of the transposase from the cDNA of Ac expressed from the T-DNA 2' promoter resulted in more frequent excision of Ds than was observed with the wild-type Ac. No excision was observed with Ds in the absence of the transposase. The excision events were confirmed by amplification of the excision site by PCR followed by DNA sequencing. Excision and reintegration were also confirmed by Southern analysis. Ac/Ds is therefore capable of transposition in at least calli of lettuce.

New technological developments provide deep-sea sediment density flow insights: the Monterey Coordinated Canyon Experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'Reilly, T. C.; Kieft, B.; Chaffey, M. R.; Wolfson-Schwehr, M.; Herlien, R.; Bird, L.; Klimov, D.; Paull, C. K.; Gwiazda, R.; Lundsten, E. M.; Anderson, K.; Caress, D. W.; Sumner, E. J.; Simmons, S.; Parsons, D. R.; Talling, P.; Rosenberger, K. J.; Xu, J.; Maier, K. L.; Gales, J. A.

2017-12-01

The Monterey Coordinated Canyon Experiment (CCE) deployed an array of instruments along the Monterey Canyon floor to characterize the structure, velocity and frequency of sediment flows. CCE utilized novel technologies developed at MBARI to capture sediment flow data in unprecedented detail. 1. The Seafloor Instrument Node (SIN) at 1850 meters depth housed 3 ADCPs at 3 different frequencies, CTD, current meter, oxygen optode, fluorometer/backscatter sensor, and logged data at 10 second intervals or faster. The SIN included an acoustic modem for communication with shore through a Wave Glider relay, and provided high-resolution measurements of three flow events during three successive deployments over 1.5 years. 2. Beachball-sized Benthic Event Detectors (BEDs) were deployed on or under the seafloor to measure the characteristics of sediment density flows. Each BED recorded data from a pressure sensor and a 3-axis accelerometer and gyro to characterize motions during transport events (e.g. tumble vs rotation). An acoustic modem capable of operating through more than a meter of sediment enabled communications with a ship or autonomous surface vehicle. Multiple BEDs were deployed at various depths in the canyon during CCE, detecting and measuring many transport events; one BED moved 9 km down canyon in 50 minutes during one event. 3. Wave Glider Hot Spot (HS), equipped with acoustic and RF modems, acted as data relay between SIN, BEDs and shore, and acoustically located BEDs after sediment density flows.. In some cases HS relayed BED motion data to shore within a few hours of the event. HS provided an acoustic console to the SIN, allowing shore-based users to check SIN health and status, perform maintenance, etc. 4. Mapping operations were conducted 4 times at the SIN site to quantify depositional and erosional patterns, utilizing a prototype ultra-high-resolution mapping system on the ROV Doc Ricketts. The system consists of a 400-kHz Reson 7125 multibeam sonar, a 3DatDepth SL1 subsea LiIDAR, two stereo color cameras, and a Kearfott SeaDevil INS. At a survey altitude of 3 m above the bed, the mapping system provides 5-cm resolution multibeam bathymetry, 1-cm resolution lidar bathymetry, and 2-mm resolution photomosaics. We will describe the design and full capabilities of these novel systems.

Optimism and recovery after acute coronary syndrome: a clinical cohort study.

PubMed

Ronaldson, Amy; Molloy, Gerard J; Wikman, Anna; Poole, Lydia; Kaski, Juan-Carlos; Steptoe, Andrew

2015-04-01

Optimism is associated with reduced cardiovascular mortality, but its impact on recovery after acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is poorly understood. We hypothesized that greater optimism would lead to more effective physical and emotional adaptation after ACS and would buffer the impact of persistent depressive symptoms on clinical outcomes. This prospective observational clinical study took place in an urban general hospital and involved 369 patients admitted with a documented ACS. Optimism was assessed with a standardized questionnaire. The main outcomes were physical health status, depressive symptoms, smoking, physical activity, and fruit and vegetable consumption measured 12 months after ACS, and composite major adverse cardiac events (cardiovascular death, readmission with reinfarction or unstable angina, and coronary artery bypass graft surgery) assessed over an average of 45.7 months. We found that optimism predicted better physical health status 12 months after ACS independently of baseline physical health, age, sex, ethnicity, social deprivation, and clinical risk factors (B = 0.65, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.10-1.20). Greater optimism also predicted reduced risk of depressive symptoms (odds ratio = 0.82, 95% CI = 0.74-0.90), more smoking cessation, and more fruit and vegetable consumption at 12 months. Persistent depressive symptoms 12 months after ACS predicted major adverse cardiac events over subsequent years (odds ratio = 2.56, 95% CI = 1.16-5.67), but only among individuals low in optimism (optimism × depression interaction; p = .014). Optimism predicts better physical and emotional health after ACS. Measuring optimism may help identify individuals at risk. Pessimistic outlooks can be modified, potentially leading to improved recovery after major cardiac events.

GABAB receptor-mediated responses in GABAergic projection neurones of rat nucleus reticularis thalami in vitro.

PubMed

Ulrich, D; Huguenard, J R

1996-06-15

1. Whole-cell voltage-clamp recordings were obtained from GABAergic neurones of rat nucleus reticularis thalami (NRT) in vitro to assess pre- and postsynaptic GABAB receptor-mediated responses. Presynaptic inhibition of GABA release was studied at terminals on local axon collaterals within NRT as well as on projection fibres in the somatosensory relay nuclei. 2. The GABAB receptor agonist (R)-baclofen (10 microM) reduced monosynaptically evoked GABAA-mediated inhibitory postsynaptic currents (IPSCs) in NRT and somatosensory relay cells to 11 and 12% of control, respectively. 3. Action potential-independent miniature IPSCs (mIPSCs) were observed in both cell types. Mean mIPSC amplitude was 20 pA in both NRT and relay cells at a holding potential of 0 mV. The mean mIPSC frequencies were 0.83 and 2.2 Hz in NRT and relay cells, respectively. Baclofen decreased mIPSP frequency by about half in each cell type without affecting amplitude. 4. Paired-burst inhibition of evoked IPSCs was studied in relay and NRT cells by applying pairs of 100 Hz stimulus bursts separated by 600 ms. The mean ratio of second to first peak IPSC amplitudes was 0.77. 5. In NRT cells baclofen induced a linear postsynaptic conductance increase of 0.82 nS with an associated reversal potential of -121 mV. A small (0.14 nS) GABAB component of the evoked IPSC was detected in only a minority of NRT cells (3 of 18). 6. All pre- and postsynaptic effects of baclofen, as well as PBI, were largely reversed by the specific GABAB receptor antagonist CGP 35348 (0.5 mM). 7. We conclude that activation of GABAB receptors in NRT leads to presynaptic autoinhibition of IPSCs in both NRT and relay cells, and to direct activation of a small linear K+ conductance. In addition our experiments suggest that reciprocal connectivity within NRT can be partially mediated by a small GABAB inhibitory event.

CCR5+ CD8 T-cell levels and monocyte activation precede the onset of acute coronary syndrome in HIV-infected patients on antiretroviral therapy.

PubMed

Tarancon-Diez, Laura; De Pablo-Bernal, Rebeca S; Álvarez-Rios, Ana I; Rosado-Sánchez, Isaac; Dominguez-Molina, Beatriz; Genebat, Miguel; Pacheco, Yolanda M; Jiménez, José Luis; Muñoz-Fernández, M Ángeles; Ruiz-Mateos, Ezequiel; Leal, Manuel

2017-06-02

Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is nowadays one of the leading causes of morbid-mortality in HIV-infected population, but innate and adaptive immune mechanisms preceding this event are unknown. In this work we comprehensively and longitudinally observed, by multiparametric flow cytometry and following a case-control design, increased CCR5 + CD8 + T-cells levels and monocytes expressing activation and adhesion markers in HIV-infected patients who are going to suffer ACS. In addition, we found direct associations between activated CD8 + T-cells and myeloid cells that were only statistically significant in the group of patients with ACS and in the follow up time point just before the ACS. Our data highlight the important role of CCR5 in the onset of ACS and suggest this receptor as a marker of cardiovascular risk and potential therapeutic target to prevent the development of such non-AIDS-related event in HIV-infected patients.

Modeling and Simulation of a Novel Relay Node Based Secure Routing Protocol Using Multiple Mobile Sink for Wireless Sensor Networks.

PubMed

Perumal, Madhumathy; Dhandapani, Sivakumar

2015-01-01

Data gathering and optimal path selection for wireless sensor networks (WSN) using existing protocols result in collision. Increase in collision further increases the possibility of packet drop. Thus there is a necessity to eliminate collision during data aggregation. Increasing the efficiency is the need of the hour with maximum security. This paper is an effort to come up with a reliable and energy efficient WSN routing and secure protocol with minimum delay. This technique is named as relay node based secure routing protocol for multiple mobile sink (RSRPMS). This protocol finds the rendezvous point for optimal transmission of data using a "splitting tree" technique in tree-shaped network topology and then to determine all the subsequent positions of a sink the "Biased Random Walk" model is used. In case of an event, the sink gathers the data from all sources, when they are in the sensing range of rendezvous point. Otherwise relay node is selected from its neighbor to transfer packets from rendezvous point to sink. A symmetric key cryptography is used for secure transmission. The proposed relay node based secure routing protocol for multiple mobile sink (RSRPMS) is experimented and simulation results are compared with Intelligent Agent-Based Routing (IAR) protocol to prove that there is increase in the network lifetime compared with other routing protocols.

Progressive Motor Neuron Pathology and the Role of Astrocytes in a Human Stem Cell Model of VCP-Related ALS.

PubMed

Hall, Claire E; Yao, Zhi; Choi, Minee; Tyzack, Giulia E; Serio, Andrea; Luisier, Raphaelle; Harley, Jasmine; Preza, Elisavet; Arber, Charlie; Crisp, Sarah J; Watson, P Marc D; Kullmann, Dimitri M; Abramov, Andrey Y; Wray, Selina; Burley, Russell; Loh, Samantha H Y; Martins, L Miguel; Stevens, Molly M; Luscombe, Nicholas M; Sibley, Christopher R; Lakatos, Andras; Ule, Jernej; Gandhi, Sonia; Patani, Rickie

2017-05-30

Motor neurons (MNs) and astrocytes (ACs) are implicated in the pathogenesis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), but their interaction and the sequence of molecular events leading to MN death remain unresolved. Here, we optimized directed differentiation of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) into highly enriched (> 85%) functional populations of spinal cord MNs and ACs. We identify significantly increased cytoplasmic TDP-43 and ER stress as primary pathogenic events in patient-specific valosin-containing protein (VCP)-mutant MNs, with secondary mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress. Cumulatively, these cellular stresses result in synaptic pathology and cell death in VCP-mutant MNs. We additionally identify a cell-autonomous VCP-mutant AC survival phenotype, which is not attributable to the same molecular pathology occurring in VCP-mutant MNs. Finally, through iterative co-culture experiments, we uncover non-cell-autonomous effects of VCP-mutant ACs on both control and mutant MNs. This work elucidates molecular events and cellular interplay that could guide future therapeutic strategies in ALS. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

STS-26 crewmembers participate in contingency EVA exercise in JSC's WETF

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1988-01-01

STS-26 Discovery, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 103, mission specialists George D. Nelson and John M. Lounge, wearing extravehicular mobility units (EMUs), participate in contingency extravehicular activity (EVA) exercise in JSC's Weightless Environment Training Facility (WETF) Bldg 29. Overall view of WETF underwater activity shows Nelson (foreground) working with EVA wrench as Lounge looks on and SCUBA-equipped divers monitor procedures. A mockup of the tracking and data relay satellite C (TDRS-C) appears behind astronauts in payload bay (PLB). In the event of in-cabin remote control failure, the procedure Nelson is conducting would upright the tracking and data relay satellite C (TDRS-C) from its stowed position to its deployment position. Photograph was taken by Keith Meyers of the NEW YORK TIMES.

High Expression of Cry1Ac Protein in Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) by Combining Independent Transgenic Events that Target the Protein to Cytoplasm and Plastids.

PubMed

Singh, Amarjeet Kumar; Paritosh, Kumar; Kant, Uma; Burma, Pradeep Kumar; Pental, Deepak

2016-01-01

Transgenic cotton was developed using two constructs containing a truncated and codon-modified cry1Ac gene (1,848 bp), which was originally characterized from Bacillus thuringiensis subspecies kurstaki strain HD73 that encodes a toxin highly effective against many lepidopteran pests. In Construct I, the cry1Ac gene was cloned under FMVde, a strong constitutively expressing promoter, to express the encoded protein in the cytoplasm. In Construct II, the encoded protein was directed to the plastids using a transit peptide taken from the cotton rbcSIb gene. Genetic transformation experiments with Construct I resulted in a single copy insertion event in which the Cry1Ac protein expression level was 2-2.5 times greater than in the Bacillus thuringiensis cotton event Mon 531, which is currently used in varieties and hybrids grown extensively in India and elsewhere. Another high expression event was selected from transgenics developed with Construct II. The Cry protein expression resulting from this event was observed only in the green plant parts. No transgenic protein expression was observed in the non-green parts, including roots, seeds and non-green floral tissues. Thus, leucoplasts may lack the mechanism to allow entry of a protein tagged with the transit peptide from a protein that is only synthesized in tissues containing mature plastids. Combining the two events through sexual crossing led to near additive levels of the toxin at 4-5 times the level currently used in the field. The two high expression events and their combination will allow for effective resistance management against lepidopteran insect pests, particularly Helicoverpa armigera, using a high dosage strategy.

Optimism and Recovery After Acute Coronary Syndrome: A Clinical Cohort Study

PubMed Central

Ronaldson, Amy; Molloy, Gerard J.; Wikman, Anna; Poole, Lydia; Kaski, Juan-Carlos; Steptoe, Andrew

2015-01-01

ABSTRACT Objective Optimism is associated with reduced cardiovascular mortality, but its impact on recovery after acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is poorly understood. We hypothesized that greater optimism would lead to more effective physical and emotional adaptation after ACS and would buffer the impact of persistent depressive symptoms on clinical outcomes. Methods This prospective observational clinical study took place in an urban general hospital and involved 369 patients admitted with a documented ACS. Optimism was assessed with a standardized questionnaire. The main outcomes were physical health status, depressive symptoms, smoking, physical activity, and fruit and vegetable consumption measured 12 months after ACS, and composite major adverse cardiac events (cardiovascular death, readmission with reinfarction or unstable angina, and coronary artery bypass graft surgery) assessed over an average of 45.7 months. Results We found that optimism predicted better physical health status 12 months after ACS independently of baseline physical health, age, sex, ethnicity, social deprivation, and clinical risk factors (B = 0.65, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.10–1.20). Greater optimism also predicted reduced risk of depressive symptoms (odds ratio = 0.82, 95% CI = 0.74–0.90), more smoking cessation, and more fruit and vegetable consumption at 12 months. Persistent depressive symptoms 12 months after ACS predicted major adverse cardiac events over subsequent years (odds ratio = 2.56, 95% CI = 1.16–5.67), but only among individuals low in optimism (optimism × depression interaction; p = .014). Conclusions Optimism predicts better physical and emotional health after ACS. Measuring optimism may help identify individuals at risk. Pessimistic outlooks can be modified, potentially leading to improved recovery after major cardiac events. PMID:25738438

Detrimental effect of expression of Bt endotoxin Cry1Ac on in vitro regeneration, in vivo growth and development of tobacco and cotton transgenics.

PubMed

Rawat, Preeti; Singh, Amarjeet Kumar; Ray, Krishna; Chaudhary, Bhupendra; Kumar, Sanjeev; Gautam, Taru; Kanoria, Shaveta; Kaur, Gurpreet; Kumar, Paritosh; Pental, Deepak; Burma, Pradeep Kumar

2011-06-01

High levels of expression of the cry1Ac gene from Bacillus thuringiensis cannot be routinely achieved in transgenic plants despite modifications made in the gene to improve its expression. This has been attributed to the instability of the transcript in a few reports. In the present study, based on the genetic transformation of cotton and tobacco, we show that the expression of the Cry1Ac endotoxin has detrimental effects on both the in vitro and in vivo growth and development of transgenic plants. A number of experiments on developing transgenics in cotton with different versions of cry1Ac gene showed that the majority of the plants did not express any Cry1Ac protein. Based on Southern blot analysis, it was also observed that a substantial number of lines did not contain the cry1Ac gene cassette although they contained the marker gene nptII. More significantly, all the lines that showed appreciable levels of expression were found to be phenotypically abnormal. Experiments on transformation of tobacco with different constructs expressing the cry1Ac gene showed that in vitro regeneration was inhibited by the encoded protein. Further, out of a total of 145 independent events generated with the different cry1Ac gene constructs in tobacco, only 21 showed expression of the Cry1Ac protein, confirming observations made in cotton that regenerants that express high levels of the Cry1Ac protein are selected against during regeneration of transformed events. This problem was circumvented by targeting the Cry1Ac protein to the chloroplast, which also significantly improved the expression of the protein.

Nonurgent commercial air travel after acute coronary syndrome: a review of 288 patient events.

PubMed

Pearce, Emily; Haffner, Faith; Brady, Lauren B; Sochor, Mark; Duchateau, Francois X; O'Connor, Robert E; Verner, Laurent; Brady, William J

2014-01-01

We studied a population of individuals who experienced an acute coronary syndrome (ACS) event while traveling abroad and required nonurgent commercial air travel to the home region. This retrospective study gathered data from 288 patients enrolled in a travel-based medical assistance program. Interventions, complications, and travel home were assessed for trends. Descriptive and comparison statistical analyses were performed. Two hundred eighty-eight patients were identified and entered into the review. Of the patients in this study, 77.1% were male with an average age of 67.7 years. One hundred sixteen (40.3%) patients were diagnosed with unstable angina pectoris (USAP), whereas the remaining 172 (59.7%) patients experienced acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Regarding inpatient complications during the initial admission, 121 (42.0%) patients experienced 1 or more adverse event. The average number of days after an ACS event that a patient began to travel home was 10.5 days for the entire patient population (USAP patients = 8.8 days, AMI patients = 11.8 days). Two hundred twenty (76.4%) patients traveled with a medical escort, and 48 (16.7%) patients received supplemental oxygen during air travel. Four (1.4%) in-flight adverse events occurred in the following ACS diagnostic groups: 2 in the complicated AMI group, 1 in the uncomplicated USAP group, and 1 in the uncomplicated AMI group. No in-flight deaths occurred. Nine (3.1%) deaths were noted within 2 weeks after returning to the home region. The deaths after returning to the home region occurred in the following ACS diagnostic groups: 2 in the complicated USAP group, 1 in the uncomplicated USAP group, and 6 in the complicated AMI group. None of the patients who experienced in-flight events died after returning to their home region. Upon discharge, the vast majority of ACS patients who travel to their home region via commercial air do not experience adverse events in-flight; when such adverse events occur in-flight, these events do not result in a poor outcome. No in-flight deaths occurred; death occurred in a minority of patients after returning to their home region, particularly in the complicated USAP and AMI groups, who were planned readmissions to the hospital. Copyright © 2014 Air Medical Journal Associates. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A is a stronger predictor for adverse cardiovascular outcomes after acute coronary syndrome in type-2 diabetes mellitus.

PubMed

Li, Wei-Ping; Neradilek, Moni B; Gu, Fu-Sheng; Isquith, Daniel A; Sun, Zhi-Jun; Wu, Xing; Li, Hong-Wei; Zhao, Xue-Qiao

2017-04-05

The risk prediction of pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A) for future cardiovascular (CV) events post acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in patients with type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) was investigated in comparison to other risk factors. PAPP-A was measured at hospital admission in 320 consecutive ACS patients (136 with T2DM and 184 without). All patients were followed for 2 years for occurrence of CV death, non-fatal MI or stroke. Effect of PAPP-A on the CV event risk was estimated using Cox regression models. Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curves were generated to demonstrate the sensitivity and specificity of PAPP-A in predicting CV events. ACS patients with T2DM had higher PAPP-A (19.29 ± 16.36 vs. 13.29 ± 13.90 ng/ml, p < 0.001) and higher rate of CV events 2 years post ACS (27.2 vs. 13.6%, p = 0.002) than those without. Higher levels of PAPP-A were significantly associated with increased risk of CV events during 2-year follow-up [HR = 2.97 for 1 SD increase in log 10 (PAPP-A), 95% CI 2.11-4.18, p < 0.001] in T2DM and (HR = 3.16, 95% CI 2.27-4.39, p < 0.001) in non-T2DM. Among patients with T2DM, PAPP-A showed a larger area under the curve (AUC 0.79) that was significantly more predictive than hsCRP (AUC 0.64), eGFR (AUC 0.66) and LVEF < 50% (AUC 0.52); predictive ability did not improve significantly by including those factors into the model. Patients with T2DM had higher levels of PAPP-A and increased risk of CV events. Elevated PAPP-A compared to other risk factors was a stronger predictor for future CV events 2 years post ACS in patients with T2DM. Trial registration ISRCTN10805074. Registered on 20 January 2017, retrospectively registered.

In-Hospital Outcomes of Dual Loading Antiplatelet Therapy in Patients 75 Years and Older With Acute Coronary Syndrome Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: Findings From the CCC-ACS (Improving Care for Cardiovascular Disease in China-Acute Coronary Syndrome) Project.

PubMed

Zhao, Guanqi; Zhou, Mengge; Ma, Changsheng; Huo, Yong; Smith, Sidney C; Fonarow, Gregg C; Ge, Junbo; Han, Yaling; Liu, Jing; Hao, Yongchen; Liu, Jun; Wang, Xiao; Taubert, Kathryn A; Morgan, Louise; Zhao, Dong; Nie, Shaoping

2018-03-30

Elderly patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) are at high risk for ischemic and bleeding events. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical effectiveness and safety of dual loading antiplatelet therapy for patients 75 years and older undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention for ACS. The Improving Care for Cardiovascular Disease in China-ACS project was a collaborative study of the American Heart Association and Chinese Society of Cardiology. A total of 5887 patients 75 years and older with ACS who had percutaneous coronary intervention and received dual antiplatelet therapy with aspirin and P2Y 12 inhibitors (clopidogrel or ticagrelor) between November 2014 and June 2017 were enrolled. The primary effectiveness and safety outcomes were in-hospital major adverse cardiovascular events and major bleeding. Hazard ratios (HRs) of in-hospital outcomes with different loading statuses of antiplatelet therapy were estimated using Cox proportional hazard models with multivariate adjustment. A propensity score-matched analysis was also conducted. Compared with patients receiving a dual nonloading dose, patients taking a dual loading dose had increased risks of both major adverse cardiovascular events (HR, 1.66, 95% confidence interval, 1.13-2.44; [ P =0.010]) and major bleeding (HR, 2.34, 95% confidence interval, 1.75-3.13; [ P <0.001]). Among 3284 propensity score-matched patients, a dual loading dose was associated with a 1.36-fold risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (HR, 1.36; 95% confidence interval, 0.88-2.11 [ P =0.168]) and a 2.08-fold risk of major bleeding (HR, 2.08; 95% confidence interval, 1.47-2.93 [ P <0.001]). A dual loading dose of antiplatelet therapy was associated with increased major bleeding risk but not with decreased major adverse cardiovascular events risk among patients 75 years and older undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention for ACS in China. URL: http://www.ClinicalTrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT02306616. © 2018 The Authors. Published on behalf of the American Heart Association, Inc., by Wiley.

''Smart'' watchdog safety switch

DOEpatents

Kronberg, J.W.

1991-10-01

A method and apparatus for monitoring a process having a periodic output so that the process equipment is not damaged in the event of a controller failure, comprising a low-pass and peak clipping filter, an event detector that generates an event pulse for each valid change in magnitude of the filtered periodic output, a timing pulse generator, a counter that increments upon receipt of any timing pulse and resets to zero on receipt of any event pulse, an alarm that alerts when the count reaches some preselected total count, and a set of relays that opens to stop power to process equipment. An interface module can be added to allow the switch to accept a variety of periodic output signals. 21 figures.

"Smart" watchdog safety switch

DOEpatents

Kronberg, James W.

1991-01-01

A method and apparatus for monitoring a process having a periodic output so that the process equipment is not damaged in the event of a controller failure, comprising a low-pass and peak clipping filter, an event detector that generates an event pulse for each valid change in magnitude of the filtered periodic output, a timing pulse generator, a counter that increments upon receipt of any timing pulse and resets to zero on receipt of any event pulse, an alarm that alerts when the count reaches some preselected total count, and a set of relays that opens to stop power to process equipment. An interface module can be added to allow the switch to accept a variety of periodic output signals.

Cohort profile of BIOMArCS: the BIOMarker study to identify the Acute risk of a Coronary Syndrome—a prospective multicentre biomarker study conducted in the Netherlands

PubMed Central

Oemrawsingh, Rohit M; Akkerhuis, K Martijn; Umans, Victor A; Kietselaer, Bas; Schotborgh, Carl; Ronner, Eelko; Lenderink, Timo; Liem, Anho; Haitsma, David; van der Harst, Pim; Asselbergs, Folkert W; Maas, Arthur; Oude Ophuis, Anton J; Ilmer, Ben; Dijkgraaf, Rene; de Winter, Robbert-Jan; The, S Hong Kie; Wardeh, Alexander J; Hermans, Walter; Cramer, Etienne; van Schaik, Ron H; Hoefer, Imo E; Doevendans, Pieter A; Simoons, Maarten L; Boersma, Eric

2016-01-01

Purpose Progression of stable coronary artery disease (CAD) towards acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is a dynamic and heterogeneous process with many intertwined constituents, in which a plaque destabilising sequence could lead to ACS within short time frames. Current CAD risk assessment models, however, are not designed to identify increased vulnerability for the occurrence of coronary events within a precise, short time frame at the individual patient level. The BIOMarker study to identify the Acute risk of a Coronary Syndrome (BIOMArCS) was designed to evaluate whether repeated measurements of multiple biomarkers can predict such ‘vulnerable periods’. Participants BIOMArCS is a multicentre, prospective, observational study of 844 patients presenting with ACS, either with or without ST-elevation and at least one additional cardiovascular risk factor. Methods and analysis We hypothesised that patterns of circulating biomarkers that reflect the various pathophysiological components of CAD, such as distorted lipid metabolism, vascular inflammation, endothelial dysfunction, increased thrombogenicity and ischaemia, diverge in the days to weeks before a coronary event. Divergent biomarker patterns, identified by serial biomarker measurements during 1-year follow-up might then indicate ‘vulnerable periods’ during which patients with CAD are at high short-term risk of developing an ACS. Venepuncture was performed every fortnight during the first half-year and monthly thereafter. As prespecified, patient enrolment was terminated after the primary end point of cardiovascular death or hospital admission for non-fatal ACS had occurred in 50 patients. A case–cohort design will explore differences in temporal patterns of circulating biomarkers prior to the repeat ACS. Future plans and dissemination Follow-up and event adjudication have been completed. Prespecified biomarker analyses are currently being performed and dissemination through peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations is expected from the third quarter of 2016. Should identification of a ‘vulnerable period’ prove to be feasible, then future research could focus on event reduction through pharmacological or mechanical intervention during such periods of high risk for ACS. Trial registration number NTR1698 and NTR1106. PMID:28011810

Economic burden of illness of acute coronary syndromes: medical and productivity costs

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background The significant economic burden associated with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) provides a need to evaluate both medical costs and productivity costs, according to evolving guideline-driven ACS treatment strategies, medical management (MM), percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), or coronary artery bypass graft (CABG). Methods Commercially insured individuals, aged 18-64, with an emergency room (ER) visit or hospitalization accompanied by an ACS diagnosis (index event) were identified from a large claims database between 01/2004 and 12/2005 with a 1-year follow-up period. Patients who had an ACS diagnosis in the 12 months prior to their index event were excluded. Patients were divided into 3 groups according to treatment strategies during the index event: MM, PCI, or CABG. A subset of patients was identified for the productivity cost analysis exploring short-term disability and absenteeism costs. Multivariate generalized linear models were performed to examine the ACS costs by 3 different treatment strategies. Results A total of 10,487 patients were identified for the medical cost analysis. The total 1-year medical costs (index event costs plus the 1-year follow-up costs) were lowest for MM patients ($34,087), followed by PCI patients ($52,673) and CABG patients ($86,914). Of the 3,080 patients in the productivity costs analysis, 2,454 patients were identified in the short-term disability cohort and 626 patients were identified in the absenteeism cohort. Both the estimated mean total 1-year short-term disability and absenteeism costs were highest for CABG patients ($17,335, $14,960, respectively) compared to MM patients ($6,048, $9,826, respectively) and PCI patients ($9,221, $9,460, respectively). Conclusions Both total 1-year medical costs and 1-year productivity costs are substantial for working-aged individuals with ACS. These costs differ according to the type of treatment strategy, with CABG having higher costs compared to either PCI or MM. PMID:21314995

β-Blocker Therapy Prior to Admission for Acute Coronary Syndrome in Patients Without Heart Failure or Left Ventricular Dysfunction Improves In-Hospital and 12-Month Outcome: Results From the GULF-RACE 2 (Gulf Registry of Acute Coronary Events-2).

PubMed

Abi Khalil, Charbel; AlHabib, Khalid F; Singh, Rajvir; Asaad, Nidal; Alfaleh, Hussam; Alsheikh-Ali, Alawi A; Sulaiman, Kadhim; Alshamiri, Mostafa; Alshaer, Fayez; AlMahmeed, Wael; Al Suwaidi, Jassim

2017-12-20

The prognostic impact of β-blockers (BB) in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients without heart failure (HF) or left ventricular dysfunction is controversial, especially in the postreperfusion era. We sought to determine whether a BB therapy before admission for ACS has a favorable in-hospital outcome in patients without HF, and whether they also reduce 12-month mortality if still prescribed on discharge. The GULF-RACE 2 (Gulf Registry of Acute Coronary Events-2) is a prospective multicenter study of ACS in 6 Middle Eastern countries. We studied in-hospital cardiovascular events in patients hospitalized for ACS without HF in relation to BB on admission, and 1-year mortality in relation to BB on discharge. Among the 7903 participants, 7407 did not have HF, of whom 5937 (80.15%) patients were on BB. Patients on BB tended to be older and have more comorbidities. However, they had a lower risk of in-hospital mortality, mitral regurgitation, HF, cardiogenic shock, and ventricular tachycardia/ventricular fibrillation. Furthermore, 4208 patients were discharged alive and had an ejection fraction ≥40%. Among those, 84.1% had a BB prescription. At 12 months, they also had a reduced risk of mortality as compared with the non-BB group. Even after correcting for confounding factors in 2 different models, in-hospital and 12-month mortality risk was still lower in the BB group. In this cohort of ACS, BB therapy before admission for ACS is associated with decreased in-hospital mortality and major cardiovascular events, and 1-year mortality in patients without HF or left ventricular dysfunction if still prescribed on discharge. © 2017 The Authors. Published on behalf of the American Heart Association, Inc., by Wiley.

Maternal Mental State Language and Preschool Children's Attachment Security: Relation to Children's Mental State Language and Expressions of Emotional Understanding

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mcquaid, Nancy; Bigelow, Ann E.; McLaughlin, Jessica; MacLean, Kim

2008-01-01

Mothers' mental state language in conversation with their preschool children, and children's preschool attachment security were examined for their effects on children's mental state language and expressions of emotional understanding in their conversation. Children discussed an emotionally salient event with their mothers and then relayed the…

From Depiction to Notation: How Children Use Symbols to Represent Objects and Events

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eskritt, Michelle; Olson, David

2012-01-01

The purpose of the present study was to explore children's understanding of external symbols by examining the relationship between children's production and comprehension of graphic notations and verbal messages. Fifty-six children between the ages of 5 and 7 years were asked to produce both notations and a spoken message relaying to their…

78 FR 40407 - Structure and Practices of the Video Relay Service Program: Telecommunications Relay Services and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-07-05

...] Structure and Practices of the Video Relay Service Program: Telecommunications Relay Services and Speech-to... telecommunications relay services (TRS) program continues to offer functional equivalence to all eligible users and... Practices of the Video Relay Service Program; Telecommunications Relay Services and Speech-to-Speech...

Are you ready for Mars? - Main media events surrounding the arrival of ESA's Mars Express at Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2003-11-01

Launched on 2 June 2003 from Baikonur (Kazakhstan) on board a Russian Soyuz launcher operated by Starsem, the European probe -built for ESA by a European team of industrial companies led by Astrium - carries seven scientific instruments that will perform a series of remote-sensing experiments designed to shed new light on the Martian atmosphere, the planet’s structure and its geology. In particular, the British-made Beagle 2 lander, named after the ship on which Charles Darwin explored uncharted areas of the Earth in 1830, will contribute to the search for traces of life on Mars through exobiology experiments and geochemistry research. On Christmas Eve the Mars Express orbiter will be steered on a course taking it into an elliptical orbit, where it will safely circle the planet for a minimum of almost 2 Earth years. The Beagle 2 lander - which will have been released from the mother craft a few days earlier (on 19 December) - instead will stay on a collision course with the planet. It too should also be safe, being designed for atmospheric entry and geared for a final soft landing due to a sophisticated system of parachutes and airbags. On arrival, the Mars Express mission control team will report on the outcome of the spacecraft's delicate orbital insertion manoeuvre. It will take some time for Mars Express to manouvre into position to pick communications from Beagle 2. Hence, initially, other means will be used to check that Beagle 2 has landed: first signals from the Beagle 2 landing are expected to be available throughout Christmas Day, either through pick-up and relay of Beagle 2 radio signals by NASA’s Mars Odyssey, or by direct pick-up by the Jodrell Bank radio telescope in the UK. Mars Express will then pass over Beagle 2 in early January 2004, relaying data and images back to Earth. The first images from the cameras of Beagle 2 and Mars Express are expected to be available between the end of the year and the beginning of January 2004. The key dates relating to the arrival of Mars Express at its destination will be marked by several media events not to be missed. Pencil them into your diaries so as not to miss one of the most exciting events of the year. Tuesday 11 November Mars Express/Beagle 2 Media briefing Royal Society- 6-9 Carlton House Terrace, London 10:00 - 13:00 -Status report on the mission -Technical details on forthcoming Mars Express/Beagle 2 operations -News handling arrangements around Christmas Speakers: Prof. David Southwood, ESA Director of Science; Prof. Colin Pillinger, Beagle 2 Lander Lead Scientist; John Reddy, ESA Mars Express Principal Electrical Systems Engineer. Contact: Peter Barratt, PPARC Tel. + 44 (0) 1793 44 20 25 e-mail: Beagle2@pparc.ac.uk Wednesday 3 December ESA Media briefing ESA/ ESOC, Darmstadt, Germany 10:30 - 12:30 -Scientific outlook and expected results -Status report on the mission -Presentation of upcoming events Speakers: Rudolf Schmidt, ESA Mars Express Project Manager; Augustin Chicarro, ESA Mars Express Project Scientist. In addition, Mars Express scientists and Mission Control Managers will highlight their contribution to the Mars Express mission. In videoconference with ESA/Headquarters, Paris (F); ESA/ESTEC, Noordwijk (NL), ESA/ESRIN, Frascati (I). Contact: Jocelyne Landeau Constantin, ESA/ESOC Tel. + 49 6151 90 26 96 e-mail: Jocelyne.Landeau-Constantin@esa.int Friday 19 December Mars Express Orbiter/ Beagle 2 separation Mission Control Managers announce results of Beagle 2 separation from the mother craft. a.Event at ESA/ESOC, Darmstadt , Germany 08:30 - 14:00 Speakers: Prof. David Southwood, ESA Director of Science; Rudolf Schmidt, ESA Mars Express Project Manager Contact: Jocelyne Landeau Constantin, ESA/ESOC Tel. + 49 6151 90 26 96 e-mail: Jocelyne.Landeau-Constantin@esa.int b.Event in London -location and time t.b.c. Speaker: Prof. Colin Pillinger, Beagle 2 Lander Lead Scientist. Contact: Peter Barratt, PPARC Tel. + 44 (0) 1793 44 20 25 e-mail: Beagle2@pparc.ac.uk Thursday 25 December Christmas on Mars a.Media event at ESA/ ESOC, Darmstadt, Germany 03:00 - 07:00 Mars Express orbit insertion follow-up and Beagle 2 landing- Experience the accomplishment of one of the most exciting phases of the Mars Express mission in real time in the presence of Mission Control Managers and Scientists. 08:30 - 10:00 Christmas media brunch- Announcement of Mars orbit insertion results and Beagle 2 landing, with the participation of Prof. David Sourthwood, ESA Director of Science. Contact: Jocelyne Landeau Constantin, ESA/ESOC Tel. + 49 6151 90 26 96 e-mail: Jocelyne.Landeau-Constantin@esa.int b.Event in central London - location and time t.b.c. Contact: Peter Barratt, PPARC Tel. + 44 (0) 1793 44 20 25 e-mail: Beagle2@pparc.ac.uk Note to Editors: Timeline of expected main mission events 16 December All day Fine targeting of Mars Express to point at landing site - ranging 19 December 06:51 GMT/07:51 CET Decision to release Beagle 2 08:41 GMT/09:41 CET Eject command sent to Mars Express 10:15 GMT/11:15 CET First results of release available 20 December Re-targeting of Mars Express on an orbital insertion course 23 December Update on Mars Express Orbital Insertion Sequence 24 December Night Final decision to steer Mars Express into a Martian orbit 25 December 02:45 GMT/03:45 CET Beagle 2 landing on Mars 03:00 GMT/04:00 CET Mars Express Orbital Insertion 05:15 GMT/06:15 CET Mars Odyssey orbiter flight over Beagle 2 07:00 GMT/08:00 CET First evaluation of Mars Express orbital insertion 22:45 GMT/23:45 CET Possible direct capture of Beagle 2 signals at Jodrell Bank (UK)

Significance of prior percutaneous revascularisation in patients with acute coronary syndromes: insights from the prospective PROSPECT registry.

PubMed

Iñiguez, Andrés; Brener, Sorin J; Jiménez, Victor A; Maehara, Akiko; Mintz, Gary S; Xu, Ke; Weisz, Giora; Lansky, Alexandra J; De Bruyne, Bernard; Serruys, Patrick W; Stone, Gregg W

2016-04-20

Prior percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is increasingly encountered in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients, with uncertain significance. We sought to evaluate the impact of prior PCI in ACS patients. Patients with ACS enrolled in the prospective PROSPECT registry underwent three-vessel intravascular ultrasound and virtual histology evaluation after successful PCI of the culprit lesion(s). We identified patients with prior PCI (>6 months before index ACS) and compared their outcomes to those without prior PCI. Time-to-event for major adverse cardiac events (MACE) was estimated up to three years, and the independent association between prior PCI and MACE was evaluated in a multivariable model. Among 696 patients enrolled, 77 (11.1%) had prior PCI. They were older and more likely to have prior myocardial infarction, chronic kidney disease, and congestive heart failure. At three years, patients with prior PCI had significantly higher rates of cardiac death, rehospitalisation for worsening angina, and MACE (adjusted HR=1.73 [95% CI: 1.09, 2.75], p=0.02), independent of other comorbidities and intravascular ultrasound findings. Prior PCI was noted in over 10% of patients with ACS and was associated with higher mortality and morbidity, independent of other comorbidities. Prior PCI should be considered a high-risk feature when evaluating ACS patients.

A field-based community assessment of intoxication levels across college football weekends: does it matter who's playing?

PubMed

Barry, Adam E; Howell, Steve; Bopp, Trevor; Stellefson, Michael; Chaney, Elizabeth; Piazza-Gardner, Anna; Payne-Purvis, Caroline

2014-12-01

While alcohol consumption has been consistently linked to college football games in the United States, this literature lacks (a) field-based event-level analyses; (b) assessments of the context of drinking, such as days leading to an event, that occurs in conjunction with a contest; (c) investigations of non-student drinking; and (d) objective assessments of opponent rating. Therefore, the present study: (1) examines the extent to which breath alcohol concentrations (BrAC) among restaurant and bar district patrons differ for low- and high-profile games and (2) explores the relationship between an objective rating of a team's opponent and BrAC levels. Data were collected throughout the fall 2011 football season via six anonymous field studies in a bar district within a southeastern college community. During low-profile game weekends, respondents recorded significantly lower BrAC levels than those during high-profile game weekends. Additionally, there was a positive correlation between opponent rating and BrAC levels, such that mean BrAC readings were highest prior to the game featuring the highest rated opponent. Overall, participants exhibited significantly higher BrACs when a higher-rated opponent was playing that weekend. When resources (money, manpower) are limited, community-based prevention and enforcement efforts should occur during the weekends surrounding higher-profile games.

Family history does not predict angiographic localization or severity of coronary artery disease.

PubMed

Banerjee, Amitava; Lim, Chris C S; Silver, Louise E; Heneghan, Carl; Welch, Sarah J V; Mehta, Ziyah; Banning, Adrian P; Rothwell, Peter M

2012-04-01

Family history of MI is an established risk factor for coronary artery disease and subclinical atherosclerosis. Maternal MI and maternal stroke are more common in females than males presenting with acute coronary syndromes (ACS), suggesting sex-specific heritability, but the effects of family history on location and extent of coronary artery disease are unknown. In a prospective, population-based study (Oxford Vascular Study) of all patients with ACS, family history data for stroke and MI were analysed by sex of proband and affected first degree relatives (FDRs), and coronary angiograms were reviewed, where available. Of 835 probands with one or more ACS, 623 (420 males) had incident events and complete family history data. 351 patients with incident events (56.3%; 266 males) underwent coronary angiography. Neither angiographic disease localization nor severity were associated with sex-of-parent/sex-of-offspring in men or women. Sex-specific family history data do not predict angiographic localization of coronary disease in patients presenting with ACS. Maternal stroke and maternal MI probably affect ACS in females by a mechanism unrelated to atherosclerosis or coronary anatomy. However, family history data may still be useful in risk prediction and prognosis of ACS. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Study of Photon Emission with the Fission Event Generator FREYA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vogt, Ramona; Randrup, Jorgen

2017-09-01

The event-by-event fission model FREYA is employed to study photon observables. The model has been expanded beyond the simple statistical photon emission reported previously to include the discrete RIPL-3 lines. We update these prior results and discuss the sensitivity of the results to the FREYA input parameters sensitive to photon observables. The work of R.V. was performed under the auspices of the U.S. DOE by LLNL Contract DE-AC52-07NA27344, that of J.R. by LBNL Contract DE-AC02-05CH11231. The authors thank NNSA Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation R&D for support.

Clinical and economic outcomes among hospitalized patients with acute coronary syndrome: an analysis of a national representative Medicare population.

PubMed

Chen, Shih-Yin; Crivera, Concetta; Stokes, Michael; Boulanger, Luke; Schein, Jeffrey

2013-01-01

To evaluate the clinical and economic burden of acute coronary syndrome (ACS), a common cardiovascular illness, in the Medicare population. Data from the Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey were analyzed. Patients with incident hospitalization for ACS without similar events during the 6 months prior were included. Outcomes evaluated included inpatient mortality, 30-day mortality and readmission, subsequent hospitalization events, and total direct health care costs. Sample population weights were applied, accounting for multistage sampling design to obtain nationally representative estimates for the US Medicare population. Between March 1, 2002 and December 31, 2006, we identified 795 incident ACS patients (mean age 76 years; 49% male) representing 2,542,211 Medicare beneficiaries. The inpatient mortality rate was 9.71% and the 30-day mortality ranged from 10.96% to 13.93%. The 30-day readmission rate for surviving patients was 18.56% for all causes and 17.90% for cardiovascular disease (CVD)-related diagnoses. The incidence of death since admission was 309 cases per 1000 person-years. Among patients discharged alive, the incidence was 197 for death, 847 for CVD-related admission, and 906 for all-cause admission. During the year when the ACS event occurred, mean annual total direct health care costs per person were US$50,458, with more than half attributable to inpatient hospitalization ($27,609). In this national representative Medicare population, we found a substantial clinical and economic burden for ACS. These findings suggest a continuing unmet medical need for more effective management of patients with ACS. The continuous burden underscores the importance of development of new interventions and/or strategies to improve long-term outcomes.

Comparison of Doxorubicin and Cyclophosphamide Versus Single-Agent Paclitaxel As Adjuvant Therapy for Breast Cancer in Women With 0 to 3 Positive Axillary Nodes: CALGB 40101 (Alliance)

PubMed Central

Shulman, Lawrence N.; Berry, Donald A.; Cirrincione, Constance T.; Becker, Heather P.; Perez, Edith A.; O'Regan, Ruth; Martino, Silvana; Shapiro, Charles L.; Schneider, Charles J.; Kimmick, Gretchen; Burstein, Harold J.; Norton, Larry; Muss, Hyman; Hudis, Clifford A.; Winer, Eric P.

2014-01-01

Purpose Optimal adjuvant chemotherapy for early-stage breast cancer balances efficacy and toxicity. We sought to determine whether single-agent paclitaxel (T) was inferior to doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide (AC), when each was administered for four or six cycles of therapy, and whether it offered less toxicity. Patients and Methods Patients with operable breast cancer with 0 to 3 positive nodes were enrolled onto the study to address the noninferiority of single-agent T to AC, defined as the one-sided 95% upper-bound CI (UCB) of hazard ratio (HR) of T versus AC less than 1.30 for the primary end point of relapse-free survival (RFS). As a 2 × 2 factorial design, duration of therapy was also addressed and was previously reported. Results With 3,871 patients enrolled onto the trial, a median follow-up period of 6.1 years, and 437 RFS events, we achieved an HR of 1.26 (one sided 95% UCB, 1.48; favoring AC does not allow a conclusion of noninferiority of T with AC; UCB > 1.3). With 266 patient deaths, the HR for overall survival (OS) was 1.27 favoring AC (UCB, 1.56). The estimated absolute advantage of AC at 5 years is 3% for RFS (91 v 88%) and 1% for OS (95 v 94%). All nine treatment-related deaths were patients receiving AC and are included in the analyses of both RFS and OS. Hematologic toxicity was more common in patients treated with AC, and neuropathy was more common in patients treated with T. Conclusion This trial did not show noninferiority of T to AC, a conclusion that is unlikely to change with additional events and follow-up. T was less toxic than AC. PMID:24934787

Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation (tACS) Enhances Mental Rotation Performance during and after Stimulation

PubMed Central

Kasten, Florian H.; Herrmann, Christoph S.

2017-01-01

Transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) has been repeatedly demonstrated to modulate endogenous brain oscillations in a frequency specific manner. Thus, it is a promising tool to uncover causal relationships between brain oscillations and behavior or perception. While tACS has been shown to elicit a physiological aftereffect for up to 70 min, it remains unclear whether the effect can still be elicited if subjects perform a complex task interacting with the stimulated frequency band. In addition, it has not yet been investigated whether the aftereffect is behaviorally relevant. In the current experiment, participants performed a Shepard-like mental rotation task for 80 min. After 10 min of baseline measurement, participants received either 20 min of tACS at their individual alpha frequency (IAF) or sham stimulation (30 s tACS in the beginning of the stimulation period). Afterwards another 50 min of post-stimulation EEG were recorded. Task performance and EEG were acquired during the whole experiment. While there were no effects of tACS on reaction times or event-related-potentials (ERPs), results revealed an increase in mental rotation performance in the stimulation group as compared to sham both during and after stimulation. This was accompanied by increased ongoing alpha power and coherence as well as event-related-desynchronization (ERD) in the alpha band in the stimulation group. The current study demonstrates a behavioral and physiological aftereffect of tACS in parallel. This indicates that it is possible to elicit aftereffects of tACS during tasks interacting with the alpha band. Therefore, the tACS aftereffect is suitable to achieve an experimental manipulation. PMID:28197084

Should fee-for-service be for all guideline-advocated acute coronary syndrome (ACS) care? Observations from the Snapshot ACS study.

PubMed

Briffa, Thomas G; Hammett, Christopher J; Cross, David B; Macisaac, Andrew I; Rankin, James M; Board, Neville; Carr, Bridie; Hyun, Karice K; French, John; Brieger, David B; Chew, Derek P

2015-09-01

The aim of the present study was to explore the association of health insurance status on the provision of guideline-advocated acute coronary syndrome (ACS) care in Australia. Consecutive hospitalisations of suspected ACS from 14 to 27 May 2012 enrolled in the Snapshot study of Australian and New Zealand patients were evaluated. Descriptive and logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate the association of patient risk and insurance status with the receipt of care. In all, 3391 patients with suspected ACS from 247 hospitals (23 private) were enrolled in the present study. One-third of patients declared private insurance coverage; of these, 27.9% (304/1088) presented to private facilities. Compared with public patients, privately insured patients were more likely to undergo in-patient echocardiography and receive early angiography; furthermore, in those with a discharge diagnosis of ACS, there was a higher rate of revascularisation (P < 0.001). Each of these attracts potential fee-for-service. In contrast, proportionately fewer privately insured ACS patients were discharged on selected guideline therapies and were referred to a secondary prevention program (P = 0.056), neither of which directly attracts a fee. Typically, as GRACE (the Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events) risk score rose, so did the level of ACS care; however, propensity-adjusted analyses showed lower in-hospital adverse events among the insured group (odds ratio 0.68; 95% confidence interval 0.52-0.88; P = 0.004). Fee-for-service reimbursement may explain differences in the provision of selected guideline-advocated components of ACS care between privately insured and public patients.

Longitudinal modelling of theory-based depressive vulnerabilities, depression trajectories and poor outcomes post-ACS.

PubMed

Keegan, Conor; Conroy, Ronán; Doyle, Frank

2016-02-01

Depression is associated with increased mortality in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). However, little is known about the theoretical causes of depression trajectories post-ACS, and whether these trajectories predict subsequent morbidity/mortality. We tested a longitudinal model of depressive vulnerabilities, trajectories and mortality. A prospective observational study of 374 ACS patients was conducted. Participants completed questionnaires on theoretical vulnerabilities (interpersonal life events, reinforcing events, cognitive distortions, and Type D personality) during hospitalisation and depression at baseline and 3, 6 and 12 months post-hospitalisation. Latent class analysis determined trajectories of depression. Path analysis was used to test relationships among vulnerabilities, depression trajectories and outcomes (combination of 1-year morbidity and 7-year mortality). Vulnerabilities independently predicted persistent and subthreshold depression trajectory categories, with effect sizes significantly highest for persistent depression. Both subthreshold and persistent depression trajectories were significant predictors of morbidity/mortality (e.g. persistent depression OR=2.4, 95% CI=1.8-3.1, relative to never depressed). Causality cannot be inferred from these associations. We had no measures of history of depression or treatments, which may affect associations. Theoretical vulnerabilities predicted depression trajectories, which in turn predicted increased morbidity/mortality, demonstrating for the first time a potential longitudinal chain of events post-ACS. This longitudinal model has important practical implications as clinicians can use vulnerability measures to identify those at most risk of poor outcomes. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Clinical outcomes and medication adherence in acute coronary syndrome patients with and without type 2 diabetes mellitus: a longitudinal analysis 2006-2011.

PubMed

Cziraky, Mark J; Reddy, Vanessa S; Luthra, Rakesh; Xu, Yaping; Wilhelm, Kenneth; Power, Thomas P; Fisher, Maxine D

2015-06-01

The presence of type 2 diabetes mellitus magnifies the risks associated with acute coronary syndrome (ACS), increasing the risk of recurrent cardiovascular events (CVEs) and doubling the risk of death. Managing cardiovascular risk factors has little effect on lowering the mortality risk in patients with type 2 diabetes. To evaluate the relationship between type 2 diabetes mellitus and subsequent CVEs and medication adherence following ACS hospitalization. Patients with ACS were identified using ICD-9-CM codes for acute myocardial infarction or unstable angina. The risk of subsequent CVEs was assessed at 1 and 3 years after the index ACS event based on type 2 diabetes status, adjusting for baseline demographic characteristics, comorbidities, medication use, and index ACS characteristics. Of 140,903 patients with ACS (mean age 66.8 years, 58.6% male), 27.4% had type 2 diabetes. During follow-up, 22.0% had subsequent CVEs (26.2% type 2 diabetes, 19.0% nondiabetes). After adjusting for other covariates, type 2 diabetes was associated with increased risk of subsequent CVEs by 9.7% at 1 year and 10.2% at 3 years (both P < 0.001). Most patients were not revascularized at first recurrence after index ACS discharge (79.2% type 2 diabetes, 77.5% nondiabetes). Patients with type 2 diabetes had statistically significant higher adherence rates for antiplatelet agents at 1 year and antihypertensives at 1 and 3 years versus nondiabetes patients. Persistence was higher in the type 2 diabetes group for antihypertensives and in the nondiabetes group for antiplatelet agents and statins. This analysis demonstrates that patients with type 2 diabetes have a higher risk of subsequent CVEs following an initial event versus those without diabetes, despite evidence of higher treatment persistence for certain medications. Adherence rates remained suboptimal, suggesting a continuing need for patient education.

Alfvén cascades in JET discharges with NBI-heating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharapov, S. E.; Alper, B.; Baranov, Yu. F.; Berk, H. L.; Borba, D.; Boswell, C.; Breizman, B. N.; Challis, C. D.; de Baar, M.; DeLa Luna, E.; Evangelidis, E. A.; Hacquin, S.; Hawkes, N. C.; Kiptily, V. G.; Pinches, S. D.; Sandquist, P.; Voitsekhovich, I.; Young, N. P.; Contributors, JET-EFDA

2006-10-01

Alfvén cascade (AC) eigenmodes excited by energetic ions accelerated with ion-cyclotron resonance heating in JET reversed-shear discharges are studied experimentally in high-density plasmas fuelled by neutral beam injection (NBI) and by deuterium pellets. The recently developed O-mode interferometry technique and Mirnov coils are employed for detecting ACs. The spontaneous improvements in plasma confinement (internal transport barrier (ITB) triggering events) and grand ACs are found to correlate within 0.2 s in JET plasmas with densities up to ~5 × 1019 m-3. Measurements with high time resolution show that ITB triggering events happen before 'grand' ACs in the majority of JET discharges, indicating that this improvement in confinement is likely to be associated with the decrease in the density of rational magnetic surfaces just before qmin(t) passes an integer value. Experimentally observed ACs excited by sub-Alfvénic NBI-produced ions with parallel velocities as low as V||NBI ap 0.2 · VA are found to be most likely associated with the geodesic acoustic effect that significantly modifies the shear-Alfvén dispersion relation at low frequency. Experiments were performed with a tritium NBI-blip (short time pulse) into JET plasmas with NBI-driven ACs. Although considerable NBI-driven AC activity was present, good agreement was found both in the radial profile and in the time evolution of DT neutrons between the neutron measurements and the TRANSP code modelling based on the Coulomb collision model, indicating the ACs have at most a small effect on fast particle confinement in this case.

Management of acute coronary syndromes in developing countries: acute coronary events-a multinational survey of current management strategies.

PubMed

2011-11-01

The burden of cardiovascular diseases is predicted to escalate in developing countries. We investigated the descriptive epidemiology, practice patterns, and outcomes of patients hospitalized with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) in African, Latin American, and Middle Eastern countries. In this prospective observational registry, 12,068 adults hospitalized with a diagnosis of ACS were enrolled between January 2007 and January 2008 at 134 sites in 19 countries in Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East. Data on patient characteristics, treatment, and outcomes were collected. A total of 11,731 patients with confirmed ACS were enrolled (46% with ST-elevation myocardial infarction [STEMI], 54% with non-ST elevation-ACS). During hospitalization, most patients received aspirin (93%) and a lipid-lowering medication (94%), 78% received a β-blocker, and 68% received an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor. Among patients with STEMI, 39% did not receive fibrinolysis or undergo percutaneous coronary intervention. All-cause death at 12 months was 7.3% and was higher in patients with STEMI versus non-ST elevation-ACS (8.4% vs 6.3%, P < .0001). Clinical factors associated with higher risk of death at 12 months included cardiac arrest, antithrombin treatment, cardiogenic shock, and age >70 years. In this observational study of patients with ACS, the use of evidence-based pharmacologic therapies for ACS was quite high, yet 39% of eligible patients with STEMI received no reperfusion therapy. These findings suggest opportunities to further reduce the risk of long-term ischemic events in patients with ACS in developing countries. Copyright © 2011 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

STBC AF relay for unmanned aircraft system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adachi, Fumiyuki; Miyazaki, Hiroyuki; Endo, Chikara

2015-01-01

If a large scale disaster similar to the Great East Japan Earthquake 2011 happens, some areas may be isolated from the communications network. Recently, unmanned aircraft system (UAS) based wireless relay communication has been attracting much attention since it is able to quickly re-establish the connection between isolated areas and the network. However, the channel between ground station (GS) and unmanned aircraft (UA) is unreliable due to UA's swing motion and as consequence, the relay communication quality degrades. In this paper, we introduce space-time block coded (STBC) amplify-and-forward (AF) relay for UAS based wireless relay communication to improve relay communication quality. A group of UAs forms single frequency network (SFN) to perform STBC-AF cooperative relay. In STBC-AF relay, only conjugate operation, block exchange and amplifying are required at UAs. Therefore, STBC-AF relay improves the relay communication quality while alleviating the complexity problem at UAs. It is shown by computer simulation that STBC-AF relay can achieve better throughput performance than conventional AF relay.

78 FR 49717 - Speech-to-Speech and Internet Protocol (IP) Speech-to-Speech Telecommunications Relay Services...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-15

...] Speech-to-Speech and Internet Protocol (IP) Speech-to-Speech Telecommunications Relay Services... Internet Protocol (IP) Speech-to-Speech Telecommunications Relay Services; Telecommunications Relay... (IP Relay) and video relay service (VRS), the Commission should bundle national STS outreach efforts...

ON THE FERMI -GBM EVENT 0.4 s AFTER GW150914

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Greiner, J.; Yu, H.-F.; Burgess, J. M.

In view of the recent report by Connaughton et al., we analyze continuous time-tagged event (TTE) data of Fermi -gamma-ray burst monitor (GBM) around the time of the gravitational-wave event GW 150914. We find that after proper accounting for low-count statistics, the GBM transient event at 0.4 s after GW 150914 is likely not due to an astrophysical source, but consistent with a background fluctuation, removing the tension between the INTEGRAL /ACS non-detection and GBM. Additionally, reanalysis of other short GRBs shows that without proper statistical modeling the fluence of faint events is over-predicted, as verified for some joint GBM–ACSmore » detections of short GRBs. We detail the statistical procedure to correct these biases. As a result, faint short GRBs, verified by ACS detections, with significances in the broadband light curve even smaller than that of the GBM–GW150914 event are recovered as proper non-zero source, while the GBM–GW150914 event is consistent with zero fluence.« less

Dosimetric Predictors of Symptomatic Cardiac Events after Conventional-Dose Chemoradiation Therapy for Inoperable Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

PubMed

Yegya-Raman, Nikhil; Wang, Kyle; Kim, Sinae; Reyhan, Meral; Deek, Matthew P; Sayan, Mutlay; Li, Diana; Patel, Malini; Malhotra, Jyoti; Aisner, Joseph; Marks, Lawrence B; Jabbour, Salma K

2018-06-05

We hypothesized that higher cardiac doses correlates with clinically significant cardiotoxicity after standard-dose chemoradiation therapy (CRT) (∼60 Gy) for inoperable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We retrospectively reviewed the records of 140 patients with inoperable NSCLC treated with concurrent CRT from 2007-2015. Extracted data included baseline cardiac status, dosimetric parameters to the whole heart (WH) and cardiac substructures, and the development of post-CRT symptomatic cardiac events (acute coronary syndrome [ACS], arrhythmia, pericardial effusion, pericarditis, and congestive heart failure [CHF]). Competing risks analysis was used to estimate time to cardiac events. Median follow-up was 47.4 months. Median radiation therapy dose was 61.2 Gy (interquartile range, 60-66 Gy). Forty patients (28.6%) developed 47 symptomatic cardiac events at a median of 15.3 months to first event. On multivariate analysis, higher WH doses and baseline cardiac status were associated with an increased risk of symptomatic cardiac events. The 4-year cumulative incidence of symptomatic cardiac events was 48.6% versus 18.5% for mean WH dose ≥ 20 Gy versus < 20 Gy, respectively (p = 0.0002). Doses to the WH, ventricles, and left anterior descending artery were associated with ACS/CHF, whereas doses to the WH and atria were not associated with supraventricular arrhythmias. Symptomatic cardiac events (p = 0.0001) were independently associated with death. Incidental cardiac irradiation was associated with subsequent symptomatic cardiac events, particularly ACS/CHF, and symptomatic cardiac events were associated with inferior survival. These results support the minimization of cardiac doses among patients with inoperable NSCLC receiving standard-dose CRT. Copyright © 2018 International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Kigali and Phoenix: Historical Similarities between Pre-Genocide Rwanda and Arizona's Anti-Immigrant Wave

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dwyer, Eric

2018-01-01

Historical events in Arizona, including very recent ones, are eerily similar to those of Rwanda. In this article, stories of Arizona's political history are relayed while recalling those leading to Rwanda's genocide. The stories include references to key roles education policy has played in the oppression of students labeled Tutsi and students…

Utilization of Supercapacitors in Adaptive Protection Applications for Resiliency against Communication Failures: A Size and Cost Optimization Case Study

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Habib, Hany F; El Hariri, Mohamad; Elsayed, Ahmed

Microgrids’ adaptive protection techniques rely on communication signals from the point of common coupling to ad- just the corresponding relays’ settings for either grid-connected or islanded modes of operation. However, during communication out- ages or in the event of a cyberattack, relays settings are not changed. Thus adaptive protection schemes are rendered unsuc- cessful. Due to their fast response, supercapacitors, which are pre- sent in the microgrid to feed pulse loads, could also be utilized to enhance the resiliency of adaptive protection schemes to communi- cation outages. Proper sizing of the supercapacitors is therefore im- portant in order to maintainmore » a stable system operation and also reg- ulate the protection scheme’s cost. This paper presents a two-level optimization scheme for minimizing the supercapacitor size along with optimizing its controllers’ parameters. The latter will lead to a reduction of the supercapacitor fault current contribution and an increase in that of other AC resources in the microgrid in the ex- treme case of having a fault occurring simultaneously with a pulse load. It was also shown that the size of the supercapacitor can be reduced if the pulse load is temporary disconnected during the transient fault period. Simulations showed that the resulting super- capacitor size and the optimized controller parameters from the proposed two-level optimization scheme were feeding enough fault currents for different types of faults and minimizing the cost of the protection scheme.« less

MOORE: A prototype expert system for diagnosing spacecraft problems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Howlin, Katherine; Weissert, Jerry; Krantz, Kerry

1988-01-01

MOORE is a rule-based, prototype expert system that assists in diagnosing operational Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS) problems. It is intended to assist spacecraft engineers at the TDRS ground terminal in trouble shooting problems that are not readily solved with routine procedures, and without expert counsel. An additional goal of the prototype system is to develop in-house expert system and knowledge engineering skills. The prototype system diagnoses antenna pointing and earth pointing problems that may occur within the TDRS Attitude Control System (ACS). Plans include expansion to fault isolation of problems in the most critical subsystems of the TDRS spacecraft. Long term benefits are anticipated with use of an expert system during future TDRS programs with increased mission support time, reduced problem solving time, and retained expert knowledge and experience. Phase 2 of the project is intended to provide NASA the necessary expertise and capability to define requirements, evaluate proposals, and monitor the development progress of a highly competent expert system for NASA's Tracking Data Relay Satellite. Phase 2 also envisions addressing two unexplored applications for expert systems, spacecraft integration and tests (I and T) and support to launch activities. The concept, goals, domain, tools, knowledge acquisition, developmental approach, and design of the expert system. It will explain how NASA obtained the knowledge and capability to develop the system in-house without assistance from outside consultants. Future plans will also be presented.

Prognosis of Patients With Familial Hypercholesterolemia After Acute Coronary Syndromes.

PubMed

Nanchen, David; Gencer, Baris; Muller, Olivier; Auer, Reto; Aghlmandi, Soheila; Heg, Dik; Klingenberg, Roland; Räber, Lorenz; Carballo, David; Carballo, Sebastian; Matter, Christian M; Lüscher, Thomas F; Windecker, Stephan; Mach, François; Rodondi, Nicolas

2016-09-06

Patients with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) and coronary heart disease have high mortality rates. However, in an era of high-dose statin prescription after acute coronary syndrome (ACS), the risk of recurrent coronary and cardiovascular events associated with FH might be mitigated. We compared coronary event rates between patients with and without FH after ACS. We studied 4534 patients with ACS enrolled in a multicenter, prospective cohort study in Switzerland between 2009 and 2013 who were individually screened for FH on the basis of clinical criteria according to 3 definitions: the American Heart Association definition, the Simon Broome definition, and the Dutch Lipid Clinic definition. We used Cox proportional models to assess the 1-year risk of first recurrent coronary events defined as coronary death or myocardial infarction and adjusted for age, sex, body mass index, smoking, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, existing cardiovascular disease, high-dose statin at discharge, attendance at cardiac rehabilitation, and the GRACE (Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events) risk score for severity of ACS. At the 1-year follow-up, 153 patients (3.4%) had died, including 104 (2.3%) of fatal myocardial infarction. A further 113 patients (2.5%) experienced nonfatal myocardial infarction. The prevalence of FH was 2.5% with the American Heart Association definition, 5.5% with the Simon Broome definition, and 1.6% with the Dutch Lipid Clinic definition. Compared with patients without FH, the risk of coronary event recurrence after ACS was similar in patients with FH in unadjusted analyses, although patients with FH were >10 years younger. However, after multivariable adjustment including age, the risk was greater in patients with FH than without, with an adjusted hazard ratio of 2.46 (95% confidence interval, 1.07-5.65; P=0.034) for the American Heart Association definition, 2.73 (95% confidence interval, 1.46-5.11; P=0.002) for the Simon Broome definition, and 3.53 (95% confidence interval, 1.26-9.94; P=0.017) for the Dutch Lipid Clinic definition. Depending on which clinical definition of FH was used, between 94.5% and 99.1% of patients with FH were discharged on statins and between 74.0% and 82.3% on high-dose statins. Patients with FH and ACS have a >2-fold adjusted risk of coronary event recurrence within the first year after discharge than patients without FH despite the widespread use of high-intensity statins. © 2016 American Heart Association, Inc.

78 FR 40581 - Structure and Practices of the Video Relay Service Program; Telecommunications Relay Services and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-07-05

... Relay Service (IP Relay) providers; Adopts rules to protect the privacy of customer information relating... Structure and Practices of the Video Relay Service Program; Telecommunications Relay Services and Speech-to-Speech Services for Individuals With Hearing and Speech Disabilities; Final Rule #0;#0;Federal Register...

Depressive vulnerabilities predict depression status and trajectories of depression over 1 year in persons with acute coronary syndrome.

PubMed

Doyle, Frank; McGee, Hannah; Delaney, Mary; Motterlini, Nicola; Conroy, Ronán

2011-01-01

Depression is prevalent in patients hospitalized with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). We determined whether theoretical vulnerabilities for depression (interpersonal life events, reinforcing events, cognitive distortions, Type D personality) predicted depression, or depression trajectories, post-hospitalization. We followed 375 ACS patients who completed depression scales during hospital admission and at least once during three follow-up intervals over 1 year (949 observations). Questionnaires assessing vulnerabilities were completed at baseline. Logistic regression for panel/longitudinal data predicted depression status during follow-up. Latent class analysis determined depression trajectories. Multinomial logistic regression modeled the relationship between vulnerabilities and trajectories. Vulnerabilities predicted depression status over time in univariate and multivariate analysis, even when controlling for baseline depression. Proportions in each depression trajectory category were as follows: persistent (15%), subthreshold (37%), never depressed (48%). Vulnerabilities independently predicted each of these trajectories, with effect sizes significantly highest for the persistent depression group. Self-reported vulnerabilities - stressful life events, reduced reinforcing events, cognitive distortions, personality - measured during hospitalization can identify those at risk for depression post-ACS and especially those with persistent depressive episodes. Interventions should focus on these vulnerabilities. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

THE EFFECT OF INTERACTION BETWEEN CLOPIDOGREL AND PROTON PUMP INHIBITORS ON ADVERSE CARDIOVASCULAR EVENTS IN PATIENTS WITH ACUTE CORONARY SYNDROME

PubMed Central

Bhurke, Sharvari M.; Martin, Bradley C.; Li, Chenghui; Franks, Amy M.; Bursac, Zoran; Said, Qayyim

2012-01-01

Study Objective This study examined the effect of clopidogrel and proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) interaction on subsequent acute coronary syndrome (ACS)-related inpatient and emergency room (ER) visits. Design Population based, retrospective cohort study. Data Source IMS LifeLink Health Plan administrative claims database containing a large nationally dispersed group of commercially insured subjects between 2001 and 2008. Patients Subjects age ≥18 years with a diagnosis of ACS and at least one clopidogrel prescription within 90 days after the diagnosis were included. Exposed group was defined as having overlapping clopidogrel-PPI prescriptions. Subjects were followed from their first clopidogrel prescription until they experienced an adverse cardiovascular event (re-hospitalization or errors visit due to ACS), were disenrolled or reached the end of study period. Measurements and Main Results The clopidogrel plus PPIs group was matched 1:1 with the clopidogrel alone group using the propensity scoring method. Exposure to overlapping clopidogrel-PPI prescriptions was modeled as a time dependent covariate. Cox hazards regression was used to estimate the risk of an adverse cardiovascular event for those having overlapping clopidogrel-PPI prescriptions versus those having clopidogrel alone. Propensity score matching resulted in 2,674 patient pairs. The mean age was 61.30 years with a mean follow-up of 268 days and 70.04% were male. Clopidogrel use co-medicated with PPIs was associated with a significantly increased risk of cardiovascular adverse events (HR=1.438; 95% CI, 1.237-1.671), as compared to clopidogrel use not co-medicated with PPIs. Conclusion Concurrent use of clopidogrel plus PPIs was associated with a significant increase in risk of adverse cardiovascular events for ACS patients. PMID:22744772

Cohort profile of BIOMArCS: the BIOMarker study to identify the Acute risk of a Coronary Syndrome-a prospective multicentre biomarker study conducted in the Netherlands.

PubMed

Oemrawsingh, Rohit M; Akkerhuis, K Martijn; Umans, Victor A; Kietselaer, Bas; Schotborgh, Carl; Ronner, Eelko; Lenderink, Timo; Liem, Anho; Haitsma, David; van der Harst, Pim; Asselbergs, Folkert W; Maas, Arthur; Oude Ophuis, Anton J; Ilmer, Ben; Dijkgraaf, Rene; de Winter, Robbert-Jan; The, S Hong Kie; Wardeh, Alexander J; Hermans, Walter; Cramer, Etienne; van Schaik, Ron H; Hoefer, Imo E; Doevendans, Pieter A; Simoons, Maarten L; Boersma, Eric

2016-12-23

Progression of stable coronary artery disease (CAD) towards acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is a dynamic and heterogeneous process with many intertwined constituents, in which a plaque destabilising sequence could lead to ACS within short time frames. Current CAD risk assessment models, however, are not designed to identify increased vulnerability for the occurrence of coronary events within a precise, short time frame at the individual patient level. The BIOMarker study to identify the Acute risk of a Coronary Syndrome (BIOMArCS) was designed to evaluate whether repeated measurements of multiple biomarkers can predict such 'vulnerable periods'. BIOMArCS is a multicentre, prospective, observational study of 844 patients presenting with ACS, either with or without ST-elevation and at least one additional cardiovascular risk factor. We hypothesised that patterns of circulating biomarkers that reflect the various pathophysiological components of CAD, such as distorted lipid metabolism, vascular inflammation, endothelial dysfunction, increased thrombogenicity and ischaemia, diverge in the days to weeks before a coronary event. Divergent biomarker patterns, identified by serial biomarker measurements during 1-year follow-up might then indicate 'vulnerable periods' during which patients with CAD are at high short-term risk of developing an ACS. Venepuncture was performed every fortnight during the first half-year and monthly thereafter. As prespecified, patient enrolment was terminated after the primary end point of cardiovascular death or hospital admission for non-fatal ACS had occurred in 50 patients. A case-cohort design will explore differences in temporal patterns of circulating biomarkers prior to the repeat ACS. Follow-up and event adjudication have been completed. Prespecified biomarker analyses are currently being performed and dissemination through peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations is expected from the third quarter of 2016. Should identification of a 'vulnerable period' prove to be feasible, then future research could focus on event reduction through pharmacological or mechanical intervention during such periods of high risk for ACS. NTR1698 and NTR1106. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Short-term effects of air pollution, markers of endothelial activation, and coagulation to predict major adverse cardiovascular events in patients with acute coronary syndrome: insights from AIRACOS study.

PubMed

Dominguez-Rodriguez, Alberto; Abreu-Gonzalez, Pedro; Rodríguez, Sergio; Avanzas, Pablo; Juarez-Prera, Ruben A

2017-07-01

The aim of this study was to determine whether markers of inflammation and coagulation are associated with short-term particulate matter exposure and predict major adverse cardiovascular events at 360 d in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). We included 307 consecutive patients, and assessed the average concentrations of data on atmospheric pollution in ambient air and meteorological variables from 1 d up to 7 d prior to admission. In patients with ACS, the markers of endothelial activation and coagulation, but not black carbon exposure, are associated with major adverse cardiovascular events at one-year follow-up.

Diabetes and mortality following acute coronary syndromes.

PubMed

Donahoe, Sean M; Stewart, Garrick C; McCabe, Carolyn H; Mohanavelu, Satishkumar; Murphy, Sabina A; Cannon, Christopher P; Antman, Elliott M

2007-08-15

The worldwide epidemic of diabetes mellitus is increasing the burden of cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death among persons with diabetes. The independent effect of diabetes on mortality following acute coronary syndromes (ACS) is uncertain. To evaluate the influence of diabetes on mortality following ACS using a large database spanning the full spectrum of ACS. A subgroup analysis of patients with diabetes enrolled in randomized clinical trials that evaluated ACS therapies. Patients with ACS in 11 independent Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) Study Group clinical trials from 1997 to 2006 were pooled, including 62,036 patients (46,577 with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction [STEMI] and 15,459 with unstable angina/non-STEMI [UA/NSTEMI]), of whom 10 613 (17.1%) had diabetes. A multivariable model was constructed to adjust for baseline characteristics, aspects of ACS presentation, and treatments for the ACS event. Mortality at 30 days and 1 year following ACS among patients with diabetes vs patients without diabetes. Mortality at 30 days was significantly higher among patients with diabetes than without diabetes presenting with UA/NSTEMI (2.1% vs 1.1%, P < .001) and STEMI (8.5% vs 5.4%, P < .001). After adjusting for baseline characteristics and features and management of the ACS event, diabetes was independently associated with higher 30-day mortality after UA/NSTEMI (odds ratio [OR], 1.78; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.24-2.56) or STEMI (OR, 1.40; 95% CI, 1.24-1.57). Diabetes at presentation with ACS was associated with significantly higher mortality 1 year after UA/NSTEMI (hazard ratio [HR], 1.65; 95% CI, 1.30-2.10) or STEMI (HR, 1.22; 95% CI, 1.08-1.38). By 1 year following ACS, patients with diabetes presenting with UA/NSTEMI had a risk of death that approached patients without diabetes presenting with STEMI (7.2% vs 8.1%). Despite modern therapies for ACS, diabetes confers a significant adverse prognosis, which highlights the importance of aggressive strategies to manage this high-risk population with unstable ischemic heart disease.

Circulating Myeloid‐Related Protein–8/14 is Related to Thromboxane‐Dependent Platelet Activation in Patients With Acute Coronary Syndrome, With and Without Ongoing Low‐Dose Aspirin Treatment

PubMed Central

Santilli, Francesca; Paloscia, Leonardo; Liani, Rossella; Di Nicola, Marta; Di Marco, Massimo; Lattanzio, Stefano; La Barba, Sara; Pascale, Silvia; Mascellanti, Marco; Davì, Giovanni

2014-01-01

Background Platelet activation is involved in acute coronary syndromes (ACS). Incomplete suppression by low‐dose aspirin treatment of thromboxane (TX) metabolite excretion (urinary 11‐dehydro‐TXB2) is predictive of vascular events in high‐risk patients. Myeloid‐related protein (MRP)‐8/14 is a heterodimer secreted on activation of platelets, monocytes, and neutrophils, regulating inflammation and predicting cardiovascular events. Among platelet transcripts, MRP‐14 has emerged as a powerful predictor of ACS. Methods and Results We enrolled 68 stable ischemic heart disease (IHD) and 63 ACS patients, undergoing coronary angiography, to evaluate whether MRP‐8/14 release in the circulation is related to TX‐dependent platelet activation in ACS and IHD patients and to residual TX biosynthesis in low‐dose aspirin–treated ACS patients. In ACS patients, plasma MRP‐8/14 and urinary 11‐dehydro‐TXB2 levels were linearly correlated (r=0.651, P<0.001) but significantly higher than those in IHD patients (P=0.012, P=0.044) only among subjects not receiving aspirin. In aspirin‐treated ACS patients, MRP‐8/14 and 11‐dehydro‐TXB2 were lower versus those not receiving aspirin (P<0.001) and still significantly correlated (r=0.528, P<0.001). Higher 11‐dehydro‐TXB2 significantly predicted higher MRP‐8/14 in both all ACS patients and ACS receiving aspirin (P<0.001, adj R2=0.463 and adj R2=0.497) after multivariable adjustment. Conversely, plasma MRP‐8/14 (P<0.001) and higher urinary 8‐iso‐prostaglandin F2α (P=0.050) levels were significant predictors of residual, on‐aspirin, TX biosynthesis in ACS (adjusted R2=0.384). Conclusions Circulating MRP‐8/14 is associated with TX‐dependent platelet activation in ACS, even during low‐dose aspirin treatment, suggesting a contribution of residual TX to MRP‐8/14 shedding, which may further amplify platelet activation. Circulating MRP‐8/14 may be a target to test different antiplatelet strategies in ACS. PMID:25037196

Synaptic and membrane mechanisms underlying synchronized oscillations in the ferret lateral geniculate nucleus in vitro.

PubMed Central

Bal, T; von Krosigk, M; McCormick, D A

1995-01-01

1. The cellular basis for generation of spindle waves and a slower synchronized oscillation resembling absence seizures was investigated with extracellular and intracellular recording techniques in slices of ferret dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (LGNd) maintained in vitro. 2. Intracellular recording from LGNd relay cells in vitro revealed that spindle waves occurred once every 3-30 s and were associated with barrages of inhibitory postsynaptic potentials (IPSPs) occurring at a frequency of 6-10 Hz. These IPSPs resulted in the generation of rebound low threshold Ca2+ spikes at 2-4 Hz, owing to the intrinsic propensity of LGNd relay cells to generate oscillatory burst firing in this frequency range. These rebound bursts of action potentials were highly synchronized with local multiunit and single unit activity. 3. The spindle wave-associated IPSPs in LGNd relay cells exhibited a mean reversal potential of -86 mV. This reversal potential was shifted to more depolarized membrane potentials with the intracellular injection of Cl- through the use of KCl-filled microelectrodes. Simultaneous recording from the perigeniculate nucleus (PGN) and LGNd revealed the IPSPs to be synchronous with the occurrence of burst firing in the PGN. Excitation of PGN neurons with local electrical stimulation after pharmacological block of excitatory amino acid transmission resulted in bicuculline-sensitive IPSPs in relay neurons similar in amplitude and time course to those occurring during spindle waves. 4. Application of (-)-bicuculline methiodide resulted in the abolition of spindle wave-associated IPSPs or in the slowing of the rate of rise, an increase in amplitude and a prolongation of these IPSPs; this resulted in a synchronized 2-4 Hz oscillation, in which each relay cell strongly burst on nearly every cycle, thus forming a paroxysmal event. Bath application of the GABAB receptor antagonist 2-OH-saclofen blocked these slowed oscillations, indicating that they are mediated by the activation of GABAB receptors. In contrast, pharmacological antagonism of GABAB receptors did not block the generation of normal spindle waves. 5. These and other results indicate that spindle waves are generated in the ferret LGNd in vitro as a network phenomenon occurring through an interaction between the relay cells of the LGNd and the GABAergic neurons of the PGN. We propose that burst firing in PGN cells hyperpolarizes relay neurons through activation of GABAA receptors. These IPSPs result in rebound burst firing in LGNd cells, which then excite PGN neurons.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS) PMID:7776249

Performance Analysis of MIMO Relay Network via Propagation Measurement in L-Shaped Corridor Environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lertwiram, Namzilp; Tran, Gia Khanh; Mizutani, Keiichi; Sakaguchi, Kei; Araki, Kiyomichi

Setting relays can address the shadowing problem between a transmitter (Tx) and a receiver (Rx). Moreover, the Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO) technique has been introduced to improve wireless link capacity. The MIMO technique can be applied in relay network to enhance system performance. However, the efficiency of relaying schemes and relay placement have not been well investigated with experiment-based study. This paper provides a propagation measurement campaign of a MIMO two-hop relay network in 5GHz band in an L-shaped corridor environment with various relay locations. Furthermore, this paper proposes a Relay Placement Estimation (RPE) scheme to identify the optimum relay location, i.e. the point at which the network performance is highest. Analysis results of channel capacity show that relaying technique is beneficial over direct transmission in strong shadowing environment while it is ineffective in non-shadowing environment. In addition, the optimum relay location estimated with the RPE scheme also agrees with the location where the network achieves the highest performance as identified by network capacity. Finally, the capacity analysis shows that two-way MIMO relay employing network coding has the best performance while cooperative relaying scheme is not effective due to shadowing effect weakening the signal strength of the direct link.

Interleukin-6 and the Risk of Adverse Outcomes in Patients After an Acute Coronary Syndrome: Observations From the SOLID-TIMI 52 (Stabilization of Plaque Using Darapladib-Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction 52) Trial.

PubMed

Fanola, Christina L; Morrow, David A; Cannon, Christopher P; Jarolim, Petr; Lukas, Mary Ann; Bode, Christoph; Hochman, Judith S; Goodrich, Erica L; Braunwald, Eugene; O'Donoghue, Michelle L

2017-10-24

Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is an inflammatory cytokine implicated in plaque instability in acute coronary syndrome (ACS). We aimed to evaluate the prognostic implications of IL-6 post-ACS. IL-6 concentration was assessed at baseline in 4939 subjects in SOLID-TIMI 52 (Stabilization of Plaque Using Darapladib-Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction 52), a randomized trial of darapladib in patients ≤30 days from ACS. Patients were followed for a median of 2.5 years for major adverse cardiovascular events; cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, or stroke) and cardiovascular death or heart failure hospitalization. Primary analyses were adjusted first for baseline characteristics, days from index ACS, ACS type, and randomized treatment arm. For every SD increase in IL-6, there was a 10% higher risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (adjusted hazard ratio [adj HR] 1.10, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.01-1.19) and a 22% higher risk of cardiovascular death or heart failure (adj HR 1.22, 95% CI 1.11-1.34). Patients in the highest IL-6 quartile had a higher risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (adj HR Q4:Q1 1.57, 95% CI 1.22-2.03) and cardiovascular death or heart failure (adj HR 2.29, 95% CI 1.6-3.29). After further adjustment for biomarkers (high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A 2 activity, high-sensitivity troponin I, and B-type natriuretic peptide), IL-6 remained significantly associated with the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (adj HR Q4:Q1 1.43, 95% CI 1.09-1.88) and cardiovascular death or heart failure (adj HR 1.79, 95% CI 1.22-2.63). In patients after ACS, IL-6 concentration is associated with adverse cardiovascular outcomes independent of established risk predictors and biomarkers. These findings lend support to the concept of IL-6 as a potential therapeutic target in patients with unstable ischemic heart disease. © 2017 The Authors. Published on behalf of the American Heart Association, Inc., by Wiley.

Remaking the Professional Teacher: Authority and Curriculum Reform

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gerrard, Jessica; Farrell, Lesley

2014-01-01

Globally, national curriculum policies are up for renegotiation. These negotiations are shaped by international and national top-down accountability regimes, and an increasing turn towards curriculum centralization and standardization. The new Australian Curriculum (AC) is no exception. The AC is an important educational policy event, one in which…

Longitudinal AddiQoL scores may identify higher risk for adrenal crises in Addison's disease.

PubMed

Meyer, Gesine; Koch, Maike; Herrmann, Eva; Bojunga, Jörg; Badenhoop, Klaus

2018-05-01

Several studies have shown a reduced quality of life (QoL) in patients with Addison's disease (AD), but investigations of QoL over a long-term course are lacking. Adrenal crises (AC) are life-threatening complications in AD. The purpose of this prospective study was to test whether the repeated use of QoL-questionnaires can detect prodromal periods of an AC. 110 patients with AD were asked to complete the disease specific-QoL questionnaire AddiQoL and a short questionnaire about adverse events once monthly over a period of ten months. AC was defined if at least two of the following symptoms were reported: (a) hypotension, (b) nausea or vomiting, (c) severe fatigue, (d) documented hyponatremia, hyperkalemia, or hypoglycemia, and subsequent parenteral glucocorticoid administration was carried out. Prevalence of AC was 10.9/100 patient years. AddiQoL scores in patients with AC showed a trend (p = 0,08) to a wider fluctuation over time. Subjective precrises not meeting the criteria for AC were reported by 31 patients who had significantly lower AddiQoL scores (p = 0,018). These are the first data showing the course of QoL during a period of ten months in patients with AD. Incidence of AC exceeds previous data. Our data show, that subjective precrises in AD associate with lower QoL. AC, as well as precrises affect intraindividual AddiQol-scores over time with a trend to a stronger fluctuation. Longitudinal AddiQol scores and self-reporting of precrises via patient diaries are additional clinical tools to identify higher risk for critical events.

Prospective randomized controlled study on the effects of Saccharomyces boulardii CNCM I-745 and amoxicillin-clavulanate or the combination on the gut microbiota of healthy volunteers.

PubMed

Kabbani, Toufic A; Pallav, Kumar; Dowd, Scot E; Villafuerte-Galvez, Javier; Vanga, Rohini R; Castillo, Natalia E; Hansen, Joshua; Dennis, Melinda; Leffler, Daniel A; Kelly, Ciarán P

2017-01-02

Probiotics are believed to be beneficial in maintaining a healthy gut microbiota whereas antibiotics are known to induce dysbiosis. This study aimed to examine the effects of the probiotic Saccharomyces boulardii CNCM I-745 (SB), the antibiotic Amoxicillin-Clavulanate (AC) and the combination on the microbiota and symptoms of healthy humans. Healthy subjects were randomized to one of 4 study groups: SB for 14 days, AC for 7 days, SB plus AC, Control (no treatment). Participants gave stool samples and completed gastro-intestinal symptom questionnaires. Microbiota changes in stool specimens were analyzed using 16s rRNA gene pyrosequencing (bTEFAP). Only one subject withdrew prematurely due to adverse events. Subjects treated by S boulardii + AC had fewer adverse events and tolerated the study regimen better than those receiving the AC alone. Control subjects had a stable microbiota throughout the study period. Significant microbiota changes were noted in the AC alone group during antibiotic treatment. AC associated changes included reduced prevalence of the genus Roseburia and increases in Escherichia, Parabacteroides, and Enterobacter. Microbiota alterations reverted toward baseline, but were not yet completely restored 2 weeks after antibiotherapy. No significant shifts in bacterial genera were noted in the SB alone group. Adding SB to AC led to less pronounced microbiota shifts including less overgrowth of Escherichia and to a reduction in antibiotic-associated diarrhea scores. Antibiotic treatment is associated with marked microbiota changes with both reductions and increases in different genera. S. boulardii treatment can mitigate some antibiotic-induced microbiota changes (dysbiosis) and can also reduce antibiotic-associated diarrhea.

Management of acute coronary syndromes in Maghreb countries: The ACCESS (ACute Coronary Events - a multinational Survey of current management Strategies) registry.

PubMed

Moustaghfir, Abdelhamid; Haddak, Mohand; Mechmeche, Rachid

2012-11-01

The burden of cardiovascular diseases is anticipated to rise in developing countries. We sought to describe the epidemiology, management, and clinical outcomes of patients hospitalized with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) in three countries in western North Africa. Adult patients hospitalized with a diagnosis of ACS were enrolled in the prospective ACute Coronary Events - a multinational Survey of current management Strategies (ACCESS) registry over a 13-month period (January 2007 to January 2008). We report on patients enrolled at sites in Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia. A standardized form was used to collect data on patient characteristics, treatments and outcomes. A total of 1687 patients with confirmed ACS were enrolled (median age 59 [interquartile range 52, 68] years; 76% men), 59% with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and 41% with non-ST-elevation ACS (NSTE-ACS). During hospitalization, most patients received aspirin (96%) and a statin (90%), 83% received a beta-blocker and 74% an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor. Among eligible STEMI patients, 42% (419/989) did not receive fibrinolysis or undergo percutaneous coronary intervention. All-cause death at 12 months was 8.1% and did not differ significantly between patients with STEMI or NSTE-ACS (8.3% vs 7.7%, respectively; Log-rank test P=0.82). Clinical factors associated with higher risk of death at 12 months included cardiac arrest, cardiogenic shock, bleeding episodes and diabetes, while percutaneous coronary intervention and male sex were associated with lower risk. In this observational study of ACS patients from three Maghreb countries, the use of evidence-based pharmacological therapies for ACS was quite high; however, 42% of the patients with STEMI were not given any form of reperfusion therapy. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Prospective randomized controlled study on the effects of Saccharomyces boulardii CNCM I-745 and amoxicillin-clavulanate or the combination on the gut microbiota of healthy volunteers

PubMed Central

Kabbani, Toufic A.; Pallav, Kumar; Dowd, Scot E.; Villafuerte-Galvez, Javier; Vanga, Rohini R.; Castillo, Natalia E.; Hansen, Joshua; Dennis, Melinda; Leffler, Daniel A.; Kelly, Ciarán P.

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Probiotics are believed to be beneficial in maintaining a healthy gut microbiota whereas antibiotics are known to induce dysbiosis. This study aimed to examine the effects of the probiotic Saccharomyces boulardii CNCM I-745 (SB), the antibiotic Amoxicillin-Clavulanate (AC) and the combination on the microbiota and symptoms of healthy humans. Healthy subjects were randomized to one of 4 study groups: SB for 14 days, AC for 7 days, SB plus AC, Control (no treatment). Participants gave stool samples and completed gastro-intestinal symptom questionnaires. Microbiota changes in stool specimens were analyzed using 16s rRNA gene pyrosequencing (bTEFAP). Only one subject withdrew prematurely due to adverse events. Subjects treated by S boulardii + AC had fewer adverse events and tolerated the study regimen better than those receiving the AC alone. Control subjects had a stable microbiota throughout the study period. Significant microbiota changes were noted in the AC alone group during antibiotic treatment. AC associated changes included reduced prevalence of the genus Roseburia and increases in Escherichia, Parabacteroides, and Enterobacter. Microbiota alterations reverted toward baseline, but were not yet completely restored 2 weeks after antibiotherapy. No significant shifts in bacterial genera were noted in the SB alone group. Adding SB to AC led to less pronounced microbiota shifts including less overgrowth of Escherichia and to a reduction in antibiotic-associated diarrhea scores. Antibiotic treatment is associated with marked microbiota changes with both reductions and increases in different genera. S. boulardii treatment can mitigate some antibiotic-induced microbiota changes (dysbiosis) and can also reduce antibiotic-associated diarrhea. PMID:27973989

Is ankylosing spondylitis a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, and how do these risks compare with those in rheumatoid arthritis?

PubMed

Eriksson, Jonas K; Jacobsson, Lennart; Bengtsson, Karin; Askling, Johan

2017-02-01

To assess and compare the incidence of cardiovascular (CV) events, by CV phenotype, between patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS), rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and the general population. Using linkages of national and population-based registers, we identified one cohort of prevalent patients with AS (n=5358), one with RA (n=37 245) and one with matched general population subjects (n=25 006). These cohorts were identified in 2006 through 2011 and were followed in 31 December 2012, for first ever occurrence of acute coronary syndromes (ACS), deep venous thromboembolism, pulmonary embolism and stroke, respectively. For each outcome, we calculated incidence rates standardised to the age and sex distribution of the AS cohort, as well as relative risks using Cox proportional hazards models. Based on 69 ACS events during 20 251 person-years of follow-up of the patients with AS, and 966 events during 127 014 person-years in the RA cohort, the age/sex-adjusted relative risks for ACS compared with the general population was 1.3 (95% CI 1.0 to 1.7) for AS and 1.7 (1.4 to 2.0) for RA. For thromboembolic events, the corresponding risks were 1.4 (1.1 to 1.9) in AS and 1.8 (1.5 to 2.1) in RA. Finally, for stroke, the relative risks were 1.5 (1.1 to 2.0) in AS and 1.5 (1.2 to 1.8) in RA, compared with the general population. Prevalent patients with AS are at a 30%-50% increased risk of incident CV events. When compared with patients with RA, this level of increase was similar for stroke, but only half as high for ACS and thrombotic events. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Diversity Order Analysis of Dual-Hop Relaying with Partial Relay Selection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bao, Vo Nguyen Quoc; Kong, Hyung Yun

In this paper, we study the performance of dual hop relaying in which the best relay selected by partial relay selection will help the source-destination link to overcome the channel impairment. Specifically, closed-form expressions for outage probability, symbol error probability and achievable diversity gain are derived using the statistical characteristic of the signal-to-noise ratio. Numerical investigation shows that the system achieves diversity of two regardless of relay number and also confirms the correctness of the analytical results. Furthermore, the performance loss due to partial relay selection is investigated.

The Scary Thing Is the Existence of Only Two Voices: The Internet Surges of Extreme Nationalism and National Nihilism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Handing, Liu

2011-01-01

Many earthshaking events took place in China in 2008: the ice and snow in South China, the Lhasa riots, the hindrances to the Olympic torch relay, the Wenchuan earthquake, anticorruption in Taiwan, the Beijing Olympics, and many more. Many of these incidents triggered acute Internet altercations. In conformity with the pattern of Internet…

KSC-99pp1292

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-11-09

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Rodney Wilson, with United Space Alliance, inspects the range safety cable between the external tank and solid rocket boosters (SRB) on Space Shuttle Discovery. The cable, which relays a redundant emergency destruction signal between the SRBs in the unlikely event of a contingency, was damaged during close-out operations and is being replaced. Discovery's processing schedule leads to a target launch date of Dec. 6

A systematic review of the quality of economic models comparing thrombosis inhibitors in patients with acute coronary syndrome undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention.

PubMed

Hatz, Maximilian H M; Leidl, Reiner; Yates, Nichola A; Stollenwerk, Björn

2014-04-01

Thrombosis inhibitors can be used to treat acute coronary syndromes (ACS). However, there are various alternative treatment strategies, of which some have been compared using health economic decision models. To assess the quality of health economic decision models comparing thrombosis inhibitors in patients with ACS undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention, and to identify areas for quality improvement. The literature databases MEDLINE, EMBASE, EconLit, National Health Service Economic Evaluation Database (NHS EED), Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects (DARE) and Health Technology Assessment (HTA). A review of the quality of health economic decision models was conducted by two independent reviewers, using the Philips checklist. Twenty-one relevant studies were identified. Differences were apparent regarding the model type (six decision trees, four Markov models, eight combinations, three undefined models), the model structure (types of events, Markov states) and the incorporation of data (efficacy, cost and utility data). Critical issues were the absence of particular events (e.g. thrombocytopenia, stroke) and questionable usage of utility values within some studies. As we restricted our search to health economic decision models comparing thrombosis inhibitors, interesting aspects related to the quality of studies of adjacent medical areas that compared stents or procedures could have been missed. This review identified areas where recommendations are indicated regarding the quality of future ACS decision models. For example, all critical events and relevant treatment options should be included. Models also need to allow for changing event probabilities to correctly reflect ACS and to incorporate appropriate, age-specific utility values and decrements when conducting cost-utility analyses.

Pediatric American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program: feasibility of a novel, prospective assessment of surgical outcomes.

PubMed

Raval, Mehul V; Dillon, Peter W; Bruny, Jennifer L; Ko, Clifford Y; Hall, Bruce L; Moss, R Lawrence; Oldham, Keith T; Richards, Karen E; Vinocur, Charles D; Ziegler, Moritz M

2011-01-01

The American College of Surgeons (ACS) National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) provides validated assessment of surgical outcomes. This study reports initiation of an ACS NSQIP Pediatric at 4 children's hospitals. From October 2008 to June 2009, 121 data variables were prospectively collected for 3315 patients, including 30-day outcomes and tailoring the ACS NSQIP methodology to children's surgical specialties. Three hundred seven postoperative complications/occurrences were detected in 231 patients representing 7.0% of the study population. Of the patients with complications, 175 (75.7%) had 1, 39 (16.9%) had 2, and 17 (7.4%) had 3 or more complications. There were 13 deaths (0.39%) and 14 intraoperative occurrences (0.42%) detected. The most common complications were infection, 105 (34%) (SSI, 54; sepsis, 31; pneumonia, 13; urinary tract infection, 7); airway/respiratory events, 27 (9%); wound disruption, 18 (6%); neurologic events, 8 (3%) (nerve injury, 4; stroke/vascular event, 2; hemorrhage, 2); deep vein thrombosis, 3 (<1%); renal failure, 3 (<1%); and cardiac events, 3 (<1%). Current sampling captures 17.5% of cases across institutions with unadjusted complication rates ranging from 6.8% to 10.2%. Completeness of data collection for all variables exceeded 95% with 98% interrater reliability and 87% of patients having full 30-day follow-up. These data represent the first multiinstitutional prospective assessment of specialty-specific surgical outcomes in children. The ACS NSQIP Pediatric is poised for institutional expansion and future development of risk-adjusted models. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Impact of gender, co-morbidity and social factors on labour market affiliation after first admission for acute coronary syndrome. A cohort study of Danish patients 2001-2009.

PubMed

Osler, Merete; Mårtensson, Solvej; Prescott, Eva; Carlsen, Kathrine

2014-01-01

Over the last decades survival after acute coronary syndrome (ACS) has improved, leading to an increasing number of patients returning to work, but little is known about factors that may influence their labour market affiliation. This study examines the impact of gender, co-morbidity and socio-economic position on subsequent labour market affiliation and transition between various social services in patients admitted for the first time with ACS. From 2001 to 2009 all first-time hospitalisations for ACS were identified in the Danish National Patient Registry (n = 79,714). For this population, data on sick leave, unemployment and retirement were obtained from an administrative register covering all citizens. The 21,926 patients, aged 18-63 years, who had survived 30 days and were part of the workforce at the time of diagnosis were included in the analyses where subsequent transition between the above labour market states was examined using Kaplan-Meier estimates and Cox proportional hazards models. A total of 37% of patients were in work 30 days after first ACS diagnosis, while 55% were on sick leave and 8% were unemployed. Seventy-nine per cent returned to work once during follow-up. This probability was highest among males, those below 50 years, living with a partner, the highest educated, with higher occupations, having specific events (NSTEMI, and percutaneous coronary intervention) and with no co-morbidity. During five years follow-up, 43% retired due to disability or voluntary early pension. Female gender, low education, basic occupation, co-morbidity and having a severer event (invasive procedures) and receiving sickness benefits or being unemployed 30 days after admission were associated with increased probability of early retirement. About half of patients with first-time ACS stay in or return to work shortly after the event. Women, the socially disadvantaged, those with presumed severer events and co-morbidity have lower rates of return.

Risk of acute coronary events associated with glyburide compared with gliclazide use in patients with type 2 diabetes: a nested case-control study.

PubMed

Abdelmoneim, A S; Eurich, D T; Gamble, J M; Johnson, J A; Seubert, J M; Qiu, W; Simpson, S H

2014-01-01

Sulfonylureas might increase the risk of adverse cardiovascular events; however, emerging evidence suggests there may be important differences amongst these drugs. Some, like glyburide, inhibit KATP channels in the heart and pancreas, while others, like gliclazide, are more likely to selectively inhibit KATP channels in the pancreas. We hypothesized that the risk of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) events would be higher in patients using glyburide compared with gliclazide. This nested case-control study used administrative health data from Alberta, Canada. New users of glyburide or gliclazide aged ≥66 years between 1998 and 2010 were included. Cases were individuals with an ACS-related hospitalization or death. Up to four controls were matched based on birth year, sex, cohort-entry year and follow-up time. Multivariable conditional logistic regression was used to estimate adjusted odds ratios (OR), controlling for baseline drug use and co-morbidities. Our cohort included 7441 gliclazide and 13 884 glyburide users; 51.4% men, mean (s.d.) age 75.5 (6.6) years and mean (s.d.) duration of follow-up 5.5 (4.0) years. A total of 4239 patients had an ACS-related hospitalization or death and were matched to 16 723 controls. Compared with gliclazide use, glyburide use was associated with a higher risk (adjusted OR 1.14; 95% CI 1.06-1.23) of ACS-related hospitalization or death over 5.5 years (number needed to harm: 50). In this observational study, glyburide use was associated with a 14% higher risk of ACS events compared with gliclazide use. Although the difference is small and probably to have implications at the population level rather than the individual patient or clinician, any causal inferences regarding sulfonylurea use and adverse cardiovascular risk should be tested in a large-scale randomized controlled trial. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

47 CFR 74.635 - Unattended operation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... Stations § 74.635 Unattended operation. (a) TV relay stations, TV translator relay stations, TV STL... persons; (3) TV relay stations, TV STL stations, TV translator relay stations, and TV microwave booster... control point. Additionally, a TV translator relay station (and any associated TV microwave booster...

Memory Reactivation Predicts Resistance to Retroactive Interference: Evidence from Multivariate Classification and Pattern Similarity Analyses

PubMed Central

Rugg, Michael D.

2016-01-01

Memory reactivation—the reinstatement of processes and representations engaged when an event is initially experienced—is believed to play an important role in strengthening and updating episodic memory. The present study examines how memory reactivation during a potentially interfering event influences memory for a previously experienced event. Participants underwent fMRI during the encoding phase of an AB/AC interference task in which some words were presented twice in association with two different encoding tasks (AB and AC trials) and other words were presented once (DE trials). The later memory test required retrieval of the encoding tasks associated with each of the study words. Retroactive interference was evident for the AB encoding task and was particularly strong when the AC encoding task was remembered rather than forgotten. We used multivariate classification and pattern similarity analysis (PSA) to measure reactivation of the AB encoding task during AC trials. The results demonstrated that reactivation of generic task information measured with multivariate classification predicted subsequent memory for the AB encoding task regardless of whether interference was strong and weak (trials for which the AC encoding task was remembered or forgotten, respectively). In contrast, reactivation of neural patterns idiosyncratic to a given AB trial measured with PSA only predicted memory when the strength of interference was low. These results suggest that reactivation of features of an initial experience shared across numerous events in the same category, but not features idiosyncratic to a particular event, are important in resisting retroactive interference caused by new learning. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Reactivating a previously encoded memory is believed to provide an opportunity to strengthen the memory, but also to return the memory to a labile state, making it susceptible to interference. However, there is debate as to how memory reactivation elicited by a potentially interfering event influences subsequent retrieval of the memory. The findings of the current study indicate that reactivating features idiosyncratic to a particular experience during interference only influences subsequent memory when interference is relatively weak. Critically, reactivation of generic contextual information predicts subsequent source memory when retroactive interference is either strong and weak. The results indicate that reactivation of generic information about a prior episode mitigates forgetting due to retroactive interference. PMID:27076433

An intercept study to measure the extent to which New Zealand university students pre-game.

PubMed

Riordan, Benjamin C; Conner, Tamlin S; Flett, Jayde A M; Droste, Nic; Cody, Louise; Brookie, Kate L; Riordan, Jessica K; Scarf, Damian

2018-02-01

We aimed to quantify the degree to which students pre-gamed in New Zealand, using self-report and breathalysers. A total of 569 New Zealand undergraduate students were interviewed (men = 45.2%; first year = 81.4%) entering three university-run concerts. We asked participants to report how many drinks they had consumed, their self-reported intoxication and the duration of their pre-gaming session. We then recorded participants' Breath Alcohol Concentration (BrAC; µg/L) and the time they arrived at the event. The number of participants who reported consuming alcohol before the event was 504 (88.6%) and the number of standard drinks consumed was high (M=6.9; median=6.0). A total of 237 (41.7%) participants could not have their BrAC recorded due to having consumed alcohol ≤10 minutes before the interview. The remaining 332 participants (57.3%) recorded a mean BrAC of 288.8µg/L (median=280.0 µg/L). Gender, off-campus accommodation, length of pre-gaming drinking session, and time of arrival at the event were all associated with increased pre-gaming. Conclusion and implications for public health: Pre-gaming was the norm for students. Universities must take pre-gaming into account; policy implications include earlier start times of events and limiting students' access to alcohol prior to events. © 2017 The Authors.

Design and architecture of the Mars relay network planning and analysis framework

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cheung, K. M.; Lee, C. H.

2002-01-01

In this paper we describe the design and architecture of the Mars Network planning and analysis framework that supports generation and validation of efficient planning and scheduling strategy. The goals are to minimize the transmitting time, minimize the delaying time, and/or maximize the network throughputs. The proposed framework would require (1) a client-server architecture to support interactive, batch, WEB, and distributed analysis and planning applications for the relay network analysis scheme, (2) a high-fidelity modeling and simulation environment that expresses link capabilities between spacecraft to spacecraft and spacecraft to Earth stations as time-varying resources, and spacecraft activities, link priority, Solar System dynamic events, the laws of orbital mechanics, and other limiting factors as spacecraft power and thermal constraints, (3) an optimization methodology that casts the resource and constraint models into a standard linear and nonlinear constrained optimization problem that lends itself to commercial off-the-shelf (COTS)planning and scheduling algorithms.

Slow-onset and fast-onset symptom presentations in acute coronary syndrome (ACS): new perspectives on prehospital delay in patients with ACS.

PubMed

O'Donnell, Sharon; McKee, Gabrielle; Mooney, Mary; O'Brien, Frances; Moser, Debra K

2014-04-01

Patient decision delay is the main reason why many patients fail to receive timely medical intervention for symptoms of acute coronary syndrome (ACS). This study examines the validity of slow-onset and fast-onset ACS presentations and their influence on ACS prehospital delay times. A fast-onset ACS presentation is characterized by sudden, continuous, and severe chest pain, and slow-onset ACS pertains to all other ACS presentations. Baseline data pertaining to medical profiles, prehospital delay times, and ACS symptoms were recorded for all ACS patients who participated in a large multisite randomized control trial (RCT) in Dublin, Ireland. Patients were interviewed 2-4 days after their ACS event, and data were gathered using the ACS Response to Symptom Index. Only baseline data from the RCT, N = 893 patients, were analyzed. A total of 65% (n = 577) of patients experienced slow-onset ACS presentation, whereas 35% (n = 316) experienced fast-onset ACS. Patients who experienced slow-onset ACS were significantly more likely to have longer prehospital delays than patients with fast-onset ACS (3.5 h vs. 2.0 h, respectively, t = -5.63, df 890, p < 0.001). A multivariate analysis of delay revealed that, in the presence of other known delay factors, the only independent predictors of delay were slow-onset and fast-onset ACS (β = -.096, p < 0.002) and other factors associated with patient behavior. Slow-onset ACS and fast-onset ACS presentations are associated with distinct behavioral patterns that significantly influence prehospital time frames. As such, slow-onset ACS and fast-onset ACS are legitimate ACS presentation phenomena that should be seriously considered when examining the factors associated with prehospital delay. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Mars Express Forward Link Capabilities for the Mars Relay Operations Service (MaROS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Allard, Daniel A.; Wallick, Michael N.; Gladden, Roy E.; Wang, Paul

2012-01-01

This software provides a new capability for landed Mars assets to perform forward link relay through the Mars Express (MEX) European Union orbital spacecraft. It solves the problem of standardizing the relay interface between lander missions and MEX. The Mars Operations Relay Service (MaROS) is intended as a central point for relay planning and post-pass analysis for all Mars landed and orbital assets. Through the first two phases of implementation, MaROS supports relay coordination through the Odyssey orbiter and the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO). With this new software, MaROS now fully integrates the Mars Express spacecraft into the relay picture. This new software generates and manages a new set of file formats that allows for relay request to MEX for forward and return link relay, including the parameters specific to MEX. Existing MEX relay planning interactions were performed via email exchanges and point-to-point file transfers. By integrating MEX into MaROS, all transactions are managed by a centralized service for tracking and analysis. Additionally, all lander missions have a single, shared interface with MEX and do not have to integrate on a mission-by mission basis. Relay is a critical element of Mars lander data management. Landed assets depend largely upon orbital relay for data delivery, which can be impacted by the availability and health of each orbiter in the network. At any time, an issue may occur to prevent relay. For this reason, it is imperative that all possible orbital assets be integrated into the overall relay picture.

Cooperative Lander-Surface/Aerial Microflyer Missions for Mars Exploration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thakoor, Sarita; Lay, Norman; Hine, Butler; Zornetzer, Steven

2004-01-01

Concepts are being investigated for exploratory missions to Mars based on Bioinspired Engineering of Exploration Systems (BEES), which is a guiding principle of this effort to develop biomorphic explorers. The novelty lies in the use of a robust telecom architecture for mission data return, utilizing multiple local relays (including the lander itself as a local relay and the explorers in the dual role of a local relay) to enable ranges 10 to 1,000 km and downlink of color imagery. As illustrated in Figure 1, multiple microflyers that can be both surface or aerially launched are envisioned in shepherding, metamorphic, and imaging roles. These microflyers imbibe key bio-inspired principles in their flight control, navigation, and visual search operations. Honey-bee inspired algorithms utilizing visual cues to perform autonomous navigation operations such as terrain following will be utilized. The instrument suite will consist of a panoramic imager and polarization imager specifically optimized to detect ice and water. For microflyers, particularly at small sizes, bio-inspired solutions appear to offer better alternate solutions than conventional engineered approaches. This investigation addresses a wide range of interrelated issues, including desired scientific data, sizes, rates, and communication ranges that can be accomplished in alternative mission scenarios. The mission illustrated in Figure 1 offers the most robust telecom architecture and the longest range for exploration with two landers being available as main local relays in addition to an ephemeral aerial probe local relay. The shepherding or metamorphic plane are in their dual role as local relays and image data collection/storage nodes. Appropriate placement of the landing site for the scout lander with respect to the main mission lander can allow coverage of extremely large ranges and enable exhaustive survey of the area of interest. In particular, this mission could help with the path planning and risk mitigation in the traverse of the long-distance surface explorer/rover. The basic requirements of design and operation of BEES to implement the scenarios are discussed. Terrestrial applications of such concepts include distributed aerial/surface measurements of meteorological events, i.e., storm watch, seismic monitoring, reconnaissance, biological chemical sensing, search and rescue, surveillance, autonomous security/ protection agents, and/or delivery and lateral distribution of agents (sensors, surface/subsurface crawlers, clean-up agents). Figure 2 illustrates an Earth demonstration that is in development, and its implementation will illustrate the value of these biomorphic mission concepts.

Electroconvulsive therapy for depression following acute coronary syndromes: a concern for the anesthesiologist.

PubMed

Pourafkari, Nosratollah; Pourafkari, Leili; Nader, Nader D

2016-06-01

The prevalence of depression in patients with cardiovascular disease is higher than general population and especially following an acute coronary syndrome (ACS), a significant number of patients report a wide spectrum of behavioral and mood changes attributable to clinical depression. Treatment of depression following ACS event is particularly challenging since most of the therapeutic modalities are associated with increasing the systemic sympathetic tone from neurogenic or pharmacologic sources. Increased activity of the adrenergic and catecholamine activity may further deter the myocardial oxygen supply and demand therefore treating depression should be carefully evaluated for its risk benefit ratio. Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is recommended for patients with severe depression, in whom behavioral and pharmacologic treatments have failed. Patients who refuse to take medications or present with any psychological emergency such as harming self or others, are also candidates for ECT. ECT is also associated with sudden surges of catecholamines and may cause recurrent myocardial ischemia and fatal dysrhythmias in patients convalescing from an ACS event. Herein, we provide an overview and practical guidelines for management of patients presented for ECT following ACS. Published by Elsevier Inc.

The effect of solar-geomagnetic activity during hospital admission on coronary events within 1 year in patients with acute coronary syndromes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vencloviene, J.; Babarskiene, R.; Milvidaite, I.; Kubilius, R.; Stasionyte, J.

2013-12-01

Some evidence indicates the deterioration of the cardiovascular system during space storms. It is plausible that the space weather conditions during and after hospital admission may affect the risk of coronary events in patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS). We analyzed the data of 1400 ACS patients who were admitted to the Hospital Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, and who survived for more than 4 days. We evaluated the associations between geomagnetic storms (GS), solar proton events (SPE), and solar flares (SF) that occurred 0-3 days before and after hospital admission and the risk of cardiovascular death (CAD), non-fatal ACS, and coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) during a period of 1 year; the evaluation was based on the multivariate logistic model, controlling for clinical data. After adjustment for clinical variables, GS occurring in conjunction with SF 1 day before admission increased the risk of CAD by over 2.5 times. GS 2 days after SPE occurred 1 day after admission increased the risk of CAD and CABG by over 2.8 times. The risk of CABG increased by over 2 times in patients admitted during the day of GS and 1 day after SPE. The risk of ACS was by over 1.63 times higher for patients admitted 1 day before or after solar flares.

Secure relay selection based on learning with negative externality in wireless networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Caidan; Xiao, Liang; Kang, Shan; Chen, Guiquan; Li, Yunzhou; Huang, Lianfen

2013-12-01

In this paper, we formulate relay selection into a Chinese restaurant game. A secure relay selection strategy is proposed for a wireless network, where multiple source nodes send messages to their destination nodes via several relay nodes, which have different processing and transmission capabilities as well as security properties. The relay selection utilizes a learning-based algorithm for the source nodes to reach their best responses in the Chinese restaurant game. In particular, the relay selection takes into account the negative externality of relay sharing among the source nodes, which learn the capabilities and security properties of relay nodes according to the current signals and the signal history. Simulation results show that this strategy improves the user utility and the overall security performance in wireless networks. In addition, the relay strategy is robust against the signal errors and deviations of some user from the desired actions.

Three phase AC motor controller

DOEpatents

Vuckovich, Michael; Wright, Maynard K.; Burkett, John P.

1984-03-20

A motor controller for a three phase AC motor (10) which is adapted to operate bidirectionally from signals received either from a computer (30) or a manual control (32). The controller is comprised of digital logic circuit means which implement a forward and reverse command signal channel (27, 29) for the application of power through the forward and reverse power switching relays (16, 18, 20, 22). The digital logic elements are cross coupled to prevent activation of both channels simultaneously and each includes a plugging circuit (65, 67) for stopping the motor upon the removal of control signal applied to one of the two channels (27, 29) for a direction of rotation desired. Each plugging circuit (65, 67) includes a one-shot pulse signal generator (88, 102) which outputs a single pulse signal of predetermined pulsewidth which is adapted to inhibit further operation of the application of power in the channel which is being activated and to apply a reversal command signal to the other channel which provides a reversed phase application of power to the motor for a period defined by the pulse-width output of the one-shot signal generator to plug the motor (10) which will then be inoperative until another rotational command signal is applied to either of the two channels.

Transposition of the maize transposable element Ac in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.).

PubMed

Scholz, S; Lörz, H; Lütticke, S

2001-01-01

Transposition of the maize autonomous element Ac (Activator) was investigated in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) with the aim of developing a transposon tagging system for the latter. The Ac element was introduced into meristematic tissue of barley by microprojectile bombardment. Transposon activity was then examined in the resulting transgenic plants. Multiple excision events were detected in leaf tissue of all plant lines. The mobile elements generated empty donor sites with small DNA sequence alterations, similar to those found in maize. Reintegration of Ac at independent genomic loci in somatic tissue was demonstrated by isolation of new element-flanking regions by AIMS-PCR (amplification of insertion-mutagenized sites). In addition, transmission of transposed Ac elements to progeny plants was confirmed. The results indicate that the introduced Ac element is able to transpose in barley. This is a first step towards the establishment of a transposon tagging system in this economically important crop.

Rationale and design of the dal-OUTCOMES trial: efficacy and safety of dalcetrapib in patients with recent acute coronary syndrome.

PubMed

Schwartz, Gregory G; Olsson, Anders G; Ballantyne, Christie M; Barter, Phillip J; Holme, Ingar M; Kallend, David; Leiter, Lawrence A; Leitersdorf, Eran; McMurray, John J V; Shah, Prediman K; Tardif, Jean-Claude; Chaitman, Bernard R; Duttlinger-Maddux, Regina; Mathieson, John

2009-12-01

Despite contemporary therapies for acute coronary syndrome (ACS), morbidity and mortality remain high. Low levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol are common among patients with ACS and may contribute to ongoing risk. Strategies that raise levels of HDL cholesterol, such as inhibition of cholesterol ester transfer protein (CETP), might reduce risk after ACS. Dal-OUTCOMES is a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial designed to test the hypothesis that CETP inhibition with dalcetrapib reduces cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in patients with recent ACS. The study will randomize approximately 15,600 patients to receive daily doses of dalcetrapib 600 mg or matching placebo, beginning 4 to 12 weeks after an index ACS event. There are no prespecified boundaries for HDL cholesterol levels at entry. Other elements of care, including management of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, are to follow best evidence-based practice. The primary efficacy measure is time to first occurrence of coronary heart disease death, nonfatal acute myocardial infarction, unstable angina requiring hospital admission, resuscitated cardiac arrest, or atherothrombotic stroke. The trial will continue until 1,600 primary end point events have occurred, all evaluable subjects have been followed for at least 2 years, and 80% of evaluable subjects have been followed for at least 2.5 years. Dal-OUTCOMES will determine whether CETP inhibition with dalcetrapib, added to current evidence-based care, reduces cardiovascular morbidity and mortality after ACS.

49 CFR 236.52 - Relayed cut-section.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 49 Transportation 4 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Relayed cut-section. 236.52 Section 236.52...: All Systems Track Circuits § 236.52 Relayed cut-section. Where relayed cut-section is used in... shall be open and the track circuit shunted when the track relay at such cut-section is in deenergized...

49 CFR 236.52 - Relayed cut-section.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 49 Transportation 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Relayed cut-section. 236.52 Section 236.52...: All Systems Track Circuits § 236.52 Relayed cut-section. Where relayed cut-section is used in... shall be open and the track circuit shunted when the track relay at such cut-section is in deenergized...

47 CFR 64.601 - Definitions and provisions of general applicability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... obtained by a VRS or IP Relay provider that identifies the physical location of an end user. (18... not use such a device, speech-to-speech services, video relay services and non-English relay services.... (26) Video relay service (VRS). A telecommunications relay service that allows people with hearing or...

47 CFR 64.601 - Definitions and provisions of general applicability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... obtained by a VRS or IP Relay provider that identifies the physical location of an end user. (18... not use such a device, speech-to-speech services, video relay services and non-English relay services.... (26) Video relay service (VRS). A telecommunications relay service that allows people with hearing or...

47 CFR 64.601 - Definitions and provisions of general applicability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... vocabulary. (18) Registered Location. The most recent information obtained by a VRS or IP Relay provider that... services, video relay services and non-English relay services. TRS supersedes the terms “dual party relay... TRS User's NANP telephone number to his or her end device. (27) Video relay service (VRS). A...

Environment induced anomalies on the TDRS and the role of spacecraft charging

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Garrett, H. B.; Whittlesey, A.; Daughtridge, S.

1990-01-01

The NASA Tracking and Data Relay Satellites (TDRS) have experienced several classes of anomalies that appear to be related to the natural environment. The most serious of these have been anomalies in the Attitude Control System control processor electronics which resulted in check sum errors that were ultimately traced to high-energy, particle-induced single event upsets in the RAM memory. Three other types of anomalies on TDRS have also been correlated with environmental effects. This paper briefly documents the occurrences of these anomalies and describes the nature of each. These events are correlated with various environmental factors. For all cases, there appears to be a causal relationship between spacecraft charging events and the engineering anomalies.

Circulating FABP4 is a prognostic biomarker in patients with acute coronary syndrome but not in asymptomatic individuals.

PubMed

Reiser, Hans; Klingenberg, Roland; Hof, Danielle; Cooksley-Decasper, Seraina; Fuchs, Nina; Akhmedov, Alexander; Zoller, Stefan; Marques-Vidal, Pedro; Marti Soler, Helena; Heg, Dik; Landmesser, Ulf; Rodondi, Nicolas; Mach, Francois; Windecker, Stephan; Vollenweider, Peter; Matter, Christian M; Lüscher, Thomas F; von Eckardstein, Arnold; Gawinecka, Joanna

2015-08-01

Blood-borne biomarkers reflecting atherosclerotic plaque burden have great potential to improve clinical management of atherosclerotic coronary artery disease and acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Using data integration from gene expression profiling of coronary thrombi versus peripheral blood mononuclear cells and proteomic analysis of atherosclerotic plaque-derived secretomes versus healthy tissue secretomes, we identified fatty acid-binding protein 4 (FABP4) as a biomarker candidate for coronary artery disease. Its diagnostic and prognostic performance was validated in 3 different clinical settings: (1) in a cross-sectional cohort of patients with stable coronary artery disease, ACS, and healthy individuals (n=820), (2) in a nested case-control cohort of patients with ACS with 30-day follow-up (n=200), and (3) in a population-based nested case-control cohort of asymptomatic individuals with 5-year follow-up (n=414). Circulating FABP4 was marginally higher in patients with ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction (24.9 ng/mL) compared with controls (23.4 ng/mL; P=0.01). However, elevated FABP4 was associated with adverse secondary cerebrovascular or cardiovascular events during 30-day follow-up after index ACS, independent of age, sex, renal function, and body mass index (odds ratio, 1.7; 95% confidence interval, 1.1-2.5; P=0.02). Circulating FABP4 predicted adverse events with similar prognostic performance as the GRACE in-hospital risk score or N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide. Finally, no significant difference between baseline FABP4 was found in asymptomatic individuals with or without coronary events during 5-year follow-up. Circulating FABP4 may prove useful as a prognostic biomarker in risk stratification of patients with ACS. © 2015 American Heart Association, Inc.

Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome are at High Risk Prior to the Event and Lipid Management is Underachieved Pre- and Post- Hospitalization.

PubMed

Vlachopoulos, C; Andrikopoulos, G; Terentes-Printzios, D; Tzeis, S; Iliodromitis, E K; Richter, D; Mantas, I; Kartalis, A; Vasilikos, V; Stakos, D; Patsilinakos, S; Lampropoulos, S; Symeonidis, D; Kyrpizidis, C; Marinakis, N; Nikas, N; Lekakis, J; Tousoulis, D; Vardas, P

2018-01-01

Current European Guidelines suggest the use of cardiovascular risk categories and also recommend using high-intensity statins for patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS). We examined the risk of ACS patients prior to the event, as well as the overall use and intensity of statins. We enrolled 687 ACS patients (mean age 63 years, 78% males). Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels upon admission were used to assess attainment of LDL-C targets. Patients were categorized as very high, high, moderate and low risk based on their prior to admission cardiovascular (CV) risk. We examined statin use and dosage intensity among patients discharged from the hospital. Patients were followed for a median period of 189 days. The majority of the patients (n=371, 54%) were at very high CV risk prior to admission, while 101 patients were at high risk (15%), 147 (21%) moderate risk and 68 (10%) low risk. Interestingly, LDL-C target attainment decreased as the risk increased (p<0.001). The majority (96%) of patients received statins at discharge; however, most of them (60.4%) received low/moderate intensity statins and just 35.9% received the suggested by the Guidelines high-intensity dose of statins. At follow-up, the rate of patients at high-intensity dose of statins remained similar (34.8%); 6% received no statins at all at follow-up. According to our study, the majority of ACS patients are already at high risk prior to their admission. Further, LDL-C targets are underachieved prior to the event and high-intensity statins are underutilized in ACS patients at, and post-discharge. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

The prevalence and outcome of excess body weight among Middle Eastern patients presenting with acute coronary syndrome.

PubMed

Hadi, Hadi A R; Zubaid, Mohammad; Al Mahmeed, Wael; El-Menyar, Ayman A; Alsheikh-Ali, Alawi A; Singh, Rajivir; Al-Nabti, Abdulrahman; Assad, Nidal; Sulaiman, Kadhim; Al-Mallah, Mouaz H; Amin, Haitham; Al-Motarreb, Ahmed; Mahmoud, Hisham; Al Suwaidi, Jassim

2010-07-01

We evaluated the effect of body weight on the outcome of Middle Eastern patients presenting with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Analysis of the Gulf Registry of Acute Coronary Events (Gulf RACE) survey that included 7843 consecutive patients hospitalized with ACS was made. Patients were categorized as normal weight, overweight, or obese based on their body mass index (BMI). Overall, 67% of patients were overweight or obese; obese and overweight patients were more likely to be female and have diabetes mellitus, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and less likely to be smokers. In-hospital mortality, congestive heart failure, cardiogenic shock, and strokes were comparable between the groups, although patients with obesity were more likely to have recurrent ischemia and major bleeding complication in the ST-elevation myocardial infarction group. Excess body weight with ACS is associated with higher risk profile characteristics without an increase in hospital mortality or cardiovascular events.

The Laser Communications Relay and the Path to the Next Generation Near Earth Relay

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Israel, David J.

2015-01-01

NASA Goddard Space Flight Center is currently developing the Laser Communications Relay Demonstration (LCRD) as a Path to the Next Generation Near Earth Space Communication Network. The current NASA Space Network or Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System is comprised of a constellation of Tracking and Data Relay Satellites (TDRS) in geosynchronous orbit and associated ground stations and operation centers. NASA is currently targeting a next generation of relay capability on orbit in the 2025 timeframe.

Life review based on remembering specific positive events in active aging.

PubMed

Latorre, José M; Serrano, Juan P; Ricarte, Jorge; Bonete, Beatriz; Ros, Laura; Sitges, Esther

2015-02-01

The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of life review (LR) based on specific positive events in non-depressed older adults taking part in an active aging program. Fifty-five older adults were randomly assigned to an experimental group or an active control (AC) group. A six-session individual training of LR based on specific positive events was carried out with the experimental group. The AC group undertook a "media workshop" of six sessions focused on learning journalistic techniques. Pre-test and post-test measures included life satisfaction, depressive symptoms, experiencing the environment as rewarding, and autobiographical memory (AM) scales. LR intervention decreased depressive symptomatology, improved life satisfaction, and increased specific memories. The findings suggest that practice in AM for specific events is an effective component of LR that could be a useful tool in enhancing emotional well-being in active aging programs, thus reducing depressive symptoms. © The Author(s) 2014.

KSC-99pp1290

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-11-09

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Terry Kent (left), United Space Alliance, and James Silviano (right), NASA, inspect the range safety cable between the external tank and solid rocket boosters (SRB) on Space Shuttle Discovery. The cable, which relays a redundant emergency destruction signal between the SRBs in the unlikely event of a contingency, was damaged during close-out operations and is being replaced. Discovery's processing schedule leads to a target launch date of Dec. 6

Telecommunications Relay Services

MedlinePlus

... Home » Health Info » Hearing, Ear Infections, and Deafness Telecommunications Relay Services On this page: What are telecommunication ... additional information about telecommunication relay services? What are telecommunication relay services? Title IV of the Americans with ...

MaROS Strategic Relay Planning and Coordination Interfaces

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Allard, Daniel A.

2010-01-01

The Mars Relay Operations Service (MaROS) is designed to provide planning and analysis tools in support of ongoing Mars Network relay operations. Strategic relay planning requires coordination between lander and orbiter mission ground data system (GDS) teams to schedule and execute relay communications passes. MaROS centralizes this process, correlating all data relevant to relay coordination to provide a cohesive picture of the relay state. Service users interact with the system through thin-layer command line and web user interface client applications. Users provide and utilize data such as lander view periods of orbiters, Deep Space Network (DSN) antenna tracks, and reports of relay pass performance. Users upload and download relevant relay data via formally defined and documented file structures including some described in Extensible Markup Language (XML). Clients interface with the system via an http-based Representational State Transfer (ReST) pattern using Javascript Object Notation (JSON) formats. This paper will provide a general overview of the service architecture and detail the software interfaces and considerations for interface design.

Predictability of the 2012 Great Arctic Cyclone on medium-range timescales

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamagami, Akio; Matsueda, Mio; Tanaka, Hiroshi L.

2018-03-01

Arctic Cyclones (ACs) can have a significant impact on the Arctic region. Therefore, the accurate prediction of ACs is important in anticipating their associated environmental and societal costs. This study investigates the predictability of the 2012 Great Arctic Cyclone (AC12) that exhibited a minimum central pressure of 964 hPa on 6 August 2012, using five medium-range ensemble forecasts. We show that the development and position of AC12 were better predicted in forecasts initialized on and after 4 August 2012. In addition, the position of AC12 was more predictable than its development. A comparison of ensemble members, classified by the error in predictability of the development and position of AC12, revealed that an accurate prediction of upper-level fields, particularly temperature, was important for the prediction of this event. The predicted position of AC12 was influenced mainly by the prediction of the polar vortex, whereas the predicted development of AC12 was dependent primarily on the prediction of the merging of upper-level warm cores. Consequently, an accurate prediction of the polar vortex position and the development of the warm core through merging resulted in better prediction of AC12.

Contemporary sex differences among patients with acute coronary syndrome treated by emergency percutaneous coronary intervention.

PubMed

Wada, Hideki; Ogita, Manabu; Miyauchi, Katsumi; Tsuboi, Shuta; Konishi, Hirokazu; Shitara, Jun; Kunimoto, Mitsuhiro; Sonoda, Taketo; Iso, Takashi; Ebina, Hideki; Aoki, Eriko; Kitamura, Kenichi; Tamura, Hiroshi; Suwa, Satoru; Daida, Hiroyuki

2017-10-01

Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is an important cause of mortality and morbidity in the general population. Recent advances in percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and optimal medical treatment have helped to improve the prognosis of patients with ACS. The previous reports indicated that women with ACS have a higher risk of adverse outcomes. However, sex differences in clinical outcomes with contemporary coronary revascularization and medical therapy for ACS have not been elucidated. We analyzed data from 676 consecutive patients with ACS (female, n = 166; male, n = 510) who were treated by emergency PCI between 2011 and 2014 at Juntendo Shizuoka Hospital. The patients were grouped according to sex. We defined major adverse cardiovascular events as a composite of all-cause death and ACS recurrence at 1 year and compared rates of major adverse cardiac events (MACE) between the groups. Women were older (75.4 ± 11.0 vs. 66.2 ± 12.2 years) and had a higher rate of multi-vessel disease, chronic kidney disease, and Killip IV at presentation. The cumulative rate of MACE at 1 year was significantly higher among women than men (17.5 vs. 10.2 %, p = 0.02, log-rank test). However, the association between women and a higher risk of MACE was attenuated after adjusting for age (HR 1.25, 95 % CI 0.77-2.00, p = 0.36) and other variables (HR 0.93, 95 % CI 0.36-2.44, p = 0.88). Adjustment for age and other risk factors attenuated sex differences in mid-term clinical outcomes among patients with ACS after emergency PCI.

Incidence and Prognostic Implications of Late Bleeding After Myocardial Infarction or Unstable Angina According to Treatment Strategy.

PubMed

Brinkert, Miriam; Southern, Danielle A; James, Matthew T; Knudtson, Merrill L; Anderson, Todd J; Charbonneau, François

2017-08-01

Bleeding complications accompanying coronary revascularization are associated with increased mortality; however, few data are available on subsequent bleeding risk. We used administrative data to assess the incidence of late bleeding events in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) according to treatment allocation. The cohort and bleeding events were identified through the Canadian Institute for Health Information discharge abstract database. Crude and adjusted odds ratios (ORs) were calculated for index and postindex admission bleeding up to 1 year after discharge. Of 31,941 patients hospitalized with ACS, 7681 (32.4%) patients were treated with medication alone, 3728 (15.2%) underwent angiography without intervention, and 13,075 (53.4%) underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) or coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). The overall incidence of readmission with bleeding based on administrative codes was low (3.8% for medically treated patients, 2.8% for patients who underwent angiography alone, 2.6% for patients who underwent CABG, and 1.8% for patients who underwent PCI; P < 0.0001). Bleeding codes were mainly gastrointestinal bleeding (52%), but 7.8% were intracranial episodes of bleeding. Patients who received PCI had significantly lower odds of late bleeding compared with medically treated patients (OR, 0.76; 95% CI, 0.62-0.94). Late bleeding during the first year after ACS was associated with mortality (OR, 4.96; 95% CI, 2.47-9.93). Patients who underwent revascularization procedures had a relatively low risk for late bleeding events after a hospitalization for ACS. Late bleeding events were associated with an increased risk of death. Copyright © 2017 Canadian Cardiovascular Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Exact outage analysis of the effect of co-channel interference on secured multi-hop relaying networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Quang Nguyen, Sang; Kong, Hyung Yun

2016-11-01

In this article, the presence of multi-hop relaying, eavesdropper and co-channel interference (CCI) in the same system model is investigated. Specifically, the effect of CCI on a secured multi-hop relaying network is studied, in which the source communicates with the destination via multi-relay-hopping under the presence of an eavesdropper and CCI at each node. The optimal relay at each cluster is selected to help forward the message from the source to the destination. We apply two relay selection approaches to such a system model, i.e. the optimal relay is chosen based on (1) the maximum channel gain from the transmitter to all relays in the desired cluster and (2) the minimum channel gain from the eavesdropper to all relays in each cluster. For the performance evaluation and comparison, we derived the exact closed form of the secrecy outage probability of the two approaches. That analysis is verified by Monte Carlo simulation. Finally, the effects of the number of hops, the transmit power at the source, relays and the external sources, the distance between the external sources and each node in the system, and the location of the eavesdropper are presented and discussed.

G. Marconi: A Data Relay Satellite for Mars Communications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dionisio, C.; Marcozzi, M.; Landriani, C.

2002-01-01

Mars has always been a source of intrigue and fascination. Recent scientific discoveries have stimulated this longstanding interest, leading to a renaissance in Mars exploration. Future missions to Mars will be capable of long-distance surface mobility, hyperspectral imaging, subsurface exploration, and even life-detection. Manned missions and, eventually, colonies may follow. No mission to the Red Planet stands alone. New scientific and technological knowledge is passed on from one mission to the next, not only improving the journey into space, but also providing benefits here on Earth. The Mars Relay Network, an international constellation of Mars orbiters with relay radios, directly supports other Mars missions by relaying communications between robotic vehicles at Mars and ground stations on Earth. The ability of robotic visitors from Earth to explore Mars will take a gigantic leap forward in 2007 with the launch of the Guglielmo Marconi Orbiter (GMO), the first spacecraft primarily dedicated to providing communication relay, navigation and timing services at Mars. GMO will be the preeminent node of the Mars Relay Network. GMO will relay communications between Earth and robotic vehicles near Mars. GMO will also provide navigation services to spacecraft approaching Mars. GMO will receive transmissions from ground stations on Earth at X-band and will transmit to ground stations on Earth at X- and Ka-bands. GMO will transmit to robotic vehicles at Mars at UHF and receive from these vehicles at UHF and X-band. GMO's baseline 4450 km circular orbit provides complete coverage of the planet for telecommunication and navigation support. GMO will arrive at Mars in mid-2008, just before the NetLander and Mars Scout missions that will be its first users. GMO is designed for a nominal operating lifetime of 10 years and will support nominal commanding and data acquisition, as well as mission critical events such as Mars Orbit Insertion, Entry, Descent and Landing, and Mars Ascent Vehicle launch and Orbiting Sample Canister detection for the Mars Sample Return mission. The GMO mission is a close collaboration between the Italian and American national space agencies and two implementing organizations: Alenia Spazio in Italy and JPL in the United States. As the Italian prime contractor, Alenia Spazio is to design and fabricate the spacecraft bus, integrate the Italian and JPL payloads, support integration of the spacecraft with the launch vehicle, support launch, and conduct mission operations. GMO will use Alenia' s PRIMA spacecraft bus in a deep space configuration. The PRIMA bus is a new design concept, developed under ASI funding, that combines flexibility, low cost and high efficiency. Its modular design makes it adaptable for several classes of missions, including interplanetary.

Energy efficient circuit design using nanoelectromechanical relays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Venkatasubramanian, Ramakrishnan

Nano-electromechanical (NEM) relays are a promising class of emerging devices that offer zero off-state leakage and behave like an ideal switch. Recent advances in planar fabrication technology have demonstrated that microelectromechanical (MEMS) scale miniature relays could be manufactured reliably and could be used to build fully functional, complex integrated circuits. The zero leakage operation of relays has renewed the interest in relay based low power logic design. This dissertation explores circuit architectures using NEM relays and NEMS-CMOS heterogeneous integration. Novel circuit topologies for sequential logic, memory, and power management circuits have been proposed taking into consideration the NEM relay device properties and optimizing for energy efficiency and area. In nanoscale electromechanical devices, dispersion forces like Van der Waals' force (vdW) affect the pull-in stability of the relay devices significantly. Verilog-A electromechanical model of the suspended gate relay operating at 1V with a nominal air gap of 5 - 10nm has been developed taking into account all the electrical, mechanical and dispersion effects. This dissertation explores different relay based latch and flip-flop topologies. It has been shown that as few as 4 relay cells could be used to build flip-flops. An integrated voltage doubler based flip flop that improves the performance by 2X by overdriving Vgb has been proposed. Three NEM relay based parallel readout memory bitcell architectures have been proposed that have faster access time, and remove the reliability issues associated with previously reported serial readout architectures. A paradigm shift in design of power switches using NEM relays is proposed. An interesting property of the relay device is that the ON state resistance (Ron) of the NEM relay switch is constant and is insensitive to the gate slew rate. This coupled with infinite OFF state resistance (Roff ) offers significant area and power advantages over CMOS. This dissertation demonstrates NEM relay based charge pump and NEM-CMOS heterogeneous discontinuous conduction mode (DCM) buck regulator and the results are compared against a standard commercial 0.35μm CMOS implementation. It is shown that NEM-CMOS heterogeneous DC-DC converter has an area savings of 60% over CMOS and achieves an overall higher efficiency over CMOS, with a peak efficiency of 94.3% at 100mA. NEM relays offers unprecedented 10X-30X energy efficiency improvement in logic design for low frequency operation and has the potential to break the CMOS efficiency barrier in power electronic circuits as well. The practical aspects of NEM Relay integration are evaluated and algorithms for synthesis and development of large NEM relay based logic circuits are explored.

Exploring Data Sharing Between Geographically Distributed Mobile and Fixed Nodes Supporting Extended Maritime Interdiction Operations (EMIO)

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-06-01

Diablo and LLNL o ITT Mesh, OPAREA TWO: between BP RHIB and BV, and between Sea Fox (USV) and BV o Sky Pilot, OPAREA THREE: between Tachyon ...between Sea Fox (USV) and BV o Sky Pilot, OPAREA THREE: between Tachyon Satellite and Sky Pilot Relay and between Sky Pilot Relay and BV o Wave Relay...between Tachyon Satellite and Sky Pilot Relay and between Sky Pilot Relay and BV o Wave Relay, OPAREA THREE: between BV and Balloon and between

Failure analysis of blistered gold plating on spot welded electrical relays

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sokolowski, Witold; O'Donnell, Tim

1989-01-01

Gold-plated stainless-steel sideplates, part of a JPL Galileo spacecraft electronic-relay assembly, exhibited blistering after resistance spot welding. Unacceptable relays had heavy nonuniform gold electrodeposited layers with thicknesses 4.5-11.5 microns. SEM and metallographic investigations indicated much higher heat input generated during the resistance spot welding in unacceptable relays. The attributes of acceptable welded relays are contrasted with unacceptable relays; the possible mechanism of laminar formation of polymeric material in the gold plating is discussed; and some recommendations are provided to prevent similar problems.

Prasugrel vs. clopidogrel in contemporary Western European patients with acute coronary syndromes receiving drug-eluting stents: Comparative cost-effectiveness analysis from the BASKET-PROVE cohorts.

PubMed

Wein, Bastian; Coslovsky, Michael; Jabbari, Reza; Galatius, Søren; Pfisterer, Matthias; Kaiser, Christoph

2017-12-01

Clinical and cost-effectiveness of prasugrel vs. clopidogrel in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) was only evaluated using TRITON-TIMI 38 event rates. A comparative analysis of both drugs in contemporary European ACS patients is lacking. To address this issue, cardiac and bleeding events of 2 "sister" multicenter stent trials, BASKET-PROVE (BP) I with clopidogrel and BPII with prasugrel (for 12months each) were used in a hybrid analysis. Medication costs were 2015 sales prices, event costs modelled for Denmark (DNK), Germany (GER) and Switzerland (SUI) and quality adjusted life years (QALY) by EQ-5D-3L questionnaire. In BPI and II, 1012 and 985 ACS-patients received drug eluting stents, respectively, followed-up for 2years. Compared to clopidogrel, prasugrel-treated patients had no more major cardiac events (5.2% vs. 6.4%, p=0.422) nor cardiac deaths (1.6% vs. 1.0%, p=0.255), but more major bleedings (4.0% vs. 1.7%, p<0.001) and altogether no difference in QALYs (-0.027 (95%CI: -0.064/0.011)). Prasugrel caused higher total expenditures per patient: 1116.3 (DNK), 1063.5 (GER) and 880.8 (SUI) EURO, respectively. Accordingly, incremental cost-effectiveness was negative for prasugrel vs. clopidogrel with ratios of -45,907 (DNK), -39,909 (GER) and -33,435 (SUI) EURO/QALY gained, making clopidogrel an economically dominant strategy, even after accounting for the non-randomized comparison. Findings of this contemporary European ACS-cohort showed markedly lower cardiac event rates than TRITON-TIMI 38 and no significant difference in 2-year QALYs between prasugrel and clopidogrel-treated patients. At current drug prices, clopidogrel use resulted in an economically dominant treatment strategy in Western European patients. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

75 FR 26701 - Telecommunications Relay Services and Speech-to-Speech Services for Individuals With Hearing and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-05-12

... Services (CTS), Internet Protocol (IP) CTS, IP Relay, and Video Relay Services (VRS), for the 2010-2011... comment on NECA's proposed compensation rates for TRS, STS, CTS, IP CTS, IP Relay, and VRS, for the 2010... interstate traditional TRS; $3.1566 for STS; $1.6951 for CTS and IP CTS; $1.2985 for IP Relay. Based on these...

Galileo Jupiter approach orbit determination

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miller, J. K.; Nicholson, F. T.

1984-01-01

Orbit determination characteristics of the Jupiter approach phase of the Galileo mission are described. Predicted orbit determination performance is given for the various mission events that occur during Jupiter approach. These mission events include delivery of an atmospheric entry probe, acquisition of probe science data by the Galileo orbiter for relay to earth, delivery of an orbiter to a close encounter of the Galilean satellite Io, and insertion of the orbiter into orbit about Jupiter. The orbit determination strategy and resulting accuracies are discussed for the data types which include Doppler, range, optical imaging of Io, and a new Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) data type called Differential One-Way Range (DOR).

Relay selection in energy harvesting cooperative networks with rateless codes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Kaiyan; Wang, Fei

2018-04-01

This paper investigates the relay selection in energy harvesting cooperative networks, where the relays harvests energy from the radio frequency (RF) signals transmitted by a source, and the optimal relay is selected and uses the harvested energy to assist the information transmission from the source to its destination. Both source and the selected relay transmit information using rateless code, which allows the destination recover original information after collecting codes bits marginally surpass the entropy of original information. In order to improve transmission performance and efficiently utilize the harvested power, the optimal relay is selected. The optimization problem are formulated to maximize the achievable information rates of the system. Simulation results demonstrate that our proposed relay selection scheme outperform other strategies.

Adaptive transmission based on multi-relay selection and rate-compatible LDPC codes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Su, Hualing; He, Yucheng; Zhou, Lin

2017-08-01

In order to adapt to the dynamical changeable channel condition and improve the transmissive reliability of the system, a cooperation system of rate-compatible low density parity check (RC-LDPC) codes combining with multi-relay selection protocol is proposed. In traditional relay selection protocol, only the channel state information (CSI) of source-relay and the CSI of relay-destination has been considered. The multi-relay selection protocol proposed by this paper takes the CSI between relays into extra account in order to obtain more chances of collabration. Additionally, the idea of hybrid automatic request retransmission (HARQ) and rate-compatible are introduced. Simulation results show that the transmissive reliability of the system can be significantly improved by the proposed protocol.

Proteomic Analysis of Apis cerana and Apis mellifera Larvae Fed with Heterospecific Royal Jelly and by CSBV Challenge

PubMed Central

Huang, Xiu; Han, Richou

2014-01-01

Chinese honeybee Apis cerana (Ac) is one of the major Asian honeybee species for local apiculture. However, Ac is frequently damaged by Chinese sacbrood virus (CSBV), whereas Apis mellifera (Am) is usually resistant to it. Heterospecific royal jelly (RJ) breeding in two honeybee species may result in morphological and genetic modification. Nevertheless, knowledge on the resistant mechanism of Am to this deadly disease is still unknown. In the present study, heterospecific RJ breeding was conducted to determine the effects of food change on the larval mortality after CSBV infection at early larval stage. 2-DE and MALDI-TOF/TOF MS proteomic technology was employed to unravel the molecular event of the bees under heterospecific RJ breeding and CSBV challenge. The change of Ac larval food from RJC to RJM could enhance the bee resistance to CSBV. The mortality rate of Ac larvae after CSBV infection was much higher when the larvae were fed with RJC compared with the larvae fed with RJM. There were 101 proteins with altered expressions after heterospecific RJ breeding and viral infection. In Ac larvae, 6 differential expression proteins were identified from heterospecific RJ breeding only, 21 differential expression proteins from CSBV challenge only and 7 differential expression proteins from heterospecific RJ breeding plus CSBV challenge. In Am larvae, 17 differential expression proteins were identified from heterospecific RJ breeding only, 26 differential expression proteins from CSBV challenge only and 24 differential expression proteins from heterospecific RJ breeding plus CSBV challenge. The RJM may protect Ac larvae from CSBV infection, probably by activating the genes in energy metabolism pathways, antioxidation and ubiquitin-proteasome system. The present results, for the first time, comprehensively descript the molecular events of the viral infection of Ac and Am after heterospecific RJ breeding and are potentially useful for establishing CSBV resistant populations of Ac for apiculture. PMID:25102167

Clinical presentation and outcomes of coronary in-stent restenosis across 3-stent generations.

PubMed

Magalhaes, Marco A; Minha, Sa'ar; Chen, Fang; Torguson, Rebecca; Omar, Al Fazir; Loh, Joshua P; Escarcega, Ricardo O; Lipinski, Michael J; Baker, Nevin C; Kitabata, Hironori; Ota, Hideaki; Suddath, William O; Satler, Lowell F; Pichard, Augusto D; Waksman, Ron

2014-12-01

Clinical presentation of bare metal stent in-stent restenosis (ISR) in patients undergoing target lesion revascularization is well characterized and negatively affects on outcomes, whereas the presentation and outcomes of first- and second-generation drug-eluting stents (DESs) remains under-reported. The study included 909 patients (1077 ISR lesions) distributed as follows: bare metal stent (n=388), first-generation DES (n=425), and second-generation DES (n=96), categorized into acute coronary syndrome (ACS) or non-ACS presentation mode at the time of first target lesion revascularization. ACS was further classified as myocardial infarction (MI) and unstable angina. For bare metal stent, first-generation DES and second-generation DES, ACS was the clinical presentation in 67.8%, 71.0%, and 66.7% of patients, respectively (P=0.470), whereas MI occurred in 10.6%, 10.1%, and 5.2% of patients, respectively (P=0.273). The correlates for MI as ISR presentation were current smokers (odds ratio, 3.02; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.78-5.13; P<0.001), and chronic renal failure (odds ratio, 2.73; 95% CI, 1.60-4.70; P<0.001), with a protective trend for the second-generation DES ISR (odds ratio, 0.35; 95% CI, 0.12-1.03; P=0.060). ACS presentations had an independent effect on major adverse cardiac events (death, MI, and re-target lesion revascularization) at 6 months (MI versus non-ACS: adjusted hazard ratio, 4.06; 95% CI, 1.84-8.94; P<0.001; unstable angina versus non-ACS: adjusted hazard ratio, 1.98; 95% CI, 1.01-3.87; P=0.046). ISR clinical presentation is similar irrespective of stent type. MI as ISR presentation seems to be associated with patient and not device-related factors. ACS as ISR presentation has an independent effect on major adverse cardiac events, suggesting that ISR remains a hazard and should be minimized. © 2014 American Heart Association, Inc.

Considerations for an Earth Relay Satellite with RF and Optical Trunklines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Israel, David J.

2016-01-01

Support for user platforms through the use of optical links to geosynchronous relay spacecraft are expected to be part of the future space communications architecture. The European Data Relay Satellite System (EDRS) has its first node, EDRS-A, in orbit. The EDRS architecture includes space-to-space optical links with a Ka-Band feeder link or trunkline. NASA's Laser Communications Relay Demonstration (LCRD) mission, originally baselined to support a space-to-space optical link relayed with an optical trunkline, has added an Radio Frequency (RF) trunkline. The use of an RF trunkline avoids the outages suffered by an optical trunkline due to clouds, but an RF trunkline will be bandwidth limited. A space relay architecture with both RF and optical trunklines could relay critical realtime data, while also providing a high data volume capacity. This paper considers the relay user scenarios that could be supported, and the implications to the space relay system and operations. System trades such as the amount of onboard processing and storage required, the use of link layer switching vs. network layer routing, and the use of Delay/Disruption Tolerant Networking (DTN) are discussed.

Comparative performance of modified full-length and truncated Bacillus thuringiensis-cry1Ac genes in transgenic tomato.

PubMed

Koul, Bhupendra; Yadav, Reena; Sanyal, Indraneel; Amla, Devindra Vijay

2015-01-01

Bt-cry1Ac gene has been reputedly effective against Helicoverpa armigera a notorious lepidopteran pest. Reports on the expression of full-length and truncated cry1Ac genes in plants for effective resistance against Helicoverpa sp. have been documented however, their performance is still ambiguous. Moreover, the question remains to be addressed that truncation of 3' end of the native gene was documented and suggested for active insecticidal toxin production while the most successful transgenic event(s) of commercialized-cotton are based on full-length of the cry gene. Therefore, we performed a comparative study on the efficacy of the two versions of cry1Ac genes (full-length: 3,510 bp and truncated: 1,845 bp) in T0 and T1 transgenic tomato plants and analyzed the extent of protection against H. armigera and also compared the results with our previous findings related to a successful transgenic tomato line Ab25E, expressing cry1Ab gene. The integration of cry1Ac gene(s) in T0 transgenic plants and its inheritance in T1 progeny was observed by PCR, RT-PCR and Southern blot hybridization analysis while, the toxin integrity, expression and toxicity was monitored by Western immunoassay, DAS-ELISA and insect bioassay respectively. An average transformation frequency and Bt-Cry protein content of 16.93 ± 2.10 and 0.0020-0.0128% of total soluble protein (TSP) was obtained with pRD400 vector (Trcry1Ac) while, a much lower value of 9.30 ± 2.041 and 0.0001 - 0.0026% of TSP was observed with pNBRI-1 vector (Flcry1Ac), respectively. The promising Trcry1Ac T0 transgenic plants and their T1 progeny gave full protection from H. armigera. Although Flcry1Ac gene showed lower transformation frequency and lower expression, it showed higher toxicity to H. armigera when compared with truncated Trcry1Ac gene. The full-length cry1Ac gene can be redesigned for higher expression and performance in dicots or a hybrid gene could be designed having a blend of strong receptor binding and stable expression characteristics for enhanced efficacy and toxicity to the susceptible insects.

Amygdala activity at encoding correlated with long-term, free recall of emotional information.

PubMed

Cahill, L; Haier, R J; Fallon, J; Alkire, M T; Tang, C; Keator, D; Wu, J; McGaugh, J L

1996-07-23

Positron emission tomography of cerebral glucose metabolism in adult human subjects was used to investigate amygdaloid complex (AC) activity associated with the storage of long-term memory for emotionally arousing events. Subjects viewed two videos (one in each of two separate positron emission tomography sessions, separated by 3-7 days) consisting either of 12 emotionally arousing film clips ("E" film session) or of 12 relatively emotionally neutral film clips ("N" film session), and rated their emotional reaction to each film clip immediately after viewing it. Three weeks after the second session, memory for the videos was assessed in a free recall test. As expected, the subjects' average emotional reaction to the E films was higher than that for the N films. In addition, the subjects recalled significantly more E films than N films. Glucose metabolic rate of the right AC while viewing the E films was highly correlated with the number of E films recalled. AC activity was not significantly correlated with the number of N films recalled. The findings support the view derived from both animal and human investigations that the AC is selectively involved with the formation of enhanced long-term memory associated with emotionally arousing events.

Using a micromachined magnetostatic relay in commutating a DC motor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tai, Yu-Chong (Inventor); Wright, John A. (Inventor); Lilienthal, Gerald (Inventor)

2004-01-01

A DC motor is commutated by rotating a magnetic rotor to induce a magnetic field in at least one magnetostatic relay in the motor. Each relay is activated in response to the magnetic field to deliver power to at least one corresponding winding connected to the relay. In some cases, each relay delivers power first through a corresponding primary winding and then through a corresponding secondary winding to a common node. Specific examples include a four-pole, three-phase motor in which each relay is activated four times during one rotation of the magnetic rotor.

Performance Analysis of Relay Subset Selection for Amplify-and-Forward Cognitive Relay Networks

PubMed Central

Qureshi, Ijaz Mansoor; Malik, Aqdas Naveed; Zubair, Muhammad

2014-01-01

Cooperative communication is regarded as a key technology in wireless networks, including cognitive radio networks (CRNs), which increases the diversity order of the signal to combat the unfavorable effects of the fading channels, by allowing distributed terminals to collaborate through sophisticated signal processing. Underlay CRNs have strict interference constraints towards the secondary users (SUs) active in the frequency band of the primary users (PUs), which limits their transmit power and their coverage area. Relay selection offers a potential solution to the challenges faced by underlay networks, by selecting either single best relay or a subset of potential relay set under different design requirements and assumptions. The best relay selection schemes proposed in the literature for amplify-and-forward (AF) based underlay cognitive relay networks have been very well studied in terms of outage probability (OP) and bit error rate (BER), which is deficient in multiple relay selection schemes. The novelty of this work is to study the outage behavior of multiple relay selection in the underlay CRN and derive the closed-form expressions for the OP and BER through cumulative distribution function (CDF) of the SNR received at the destination. The effectiveness of relay subset selection is shown through simulation results. PMID:24737980

Role of the gut endoderm in relaying left-right patterning in mice.

PubMed

Viotti, Manuel; Niu, Lei; Shi, Song-Hai; Hadjantonakis, Anna-Katerina

2012-01-01

Establishment of left-right (LR) asymmetry occurs after gastrulation commences and utilizes a conserved cascade of events. In the mouse, LR symmetry is broken at a midline structure, the node, and involves signal relay to the lateral plate, where it results in asymmetric organ morphogenesis. How information transmits from the node to the distantly situated lateral plate remains unclear. Noting that embryos lacking Sox17 exhibit defects in both gut endoderm formation and LR patterning, we investigated a potential connection between these two processes. We observed an endoderm-specific absence of the critical gap junction component, Connexin43 (Cx43), in Sox17 mutants. Iontophoretic dye injection experiments revealed planar gap junction coupling across the gut endoderm in wild-type but not Sox17 mutant embryos. They also revealed uncoupling of left and right sides of the gut endoderm in an isolated domain of gap junction intercellular communication at the midline, which in principle could function as a barrier to communication between the left and right sides of the embryo. The role for gap junction communication in LR patterning was confirmed by pharmacological inhibition, which molecularly recapitulated the mutant phenotype. Collectively, our data demonstrate that Cx43-mediated communication across gap junctions within the gut endoderm serves as a mechanism for information relay between node and lateral plate in a process that is critical for the establishment of LR asymmetry in mice.

Impact of divalent metal ions on regulation of adenylyl cyclase isoforms by forskolin analogs.

PubMed

Erdorf, Miriam; Mou, Tung-Chung; Seifert, Roland

2011-12-01

Mammalian membranous adenylyl cyclases (mACs) play an important role in transmembrane signalling events in almost every cell and represent an interesting drug target. Forskolin (FS) is an invaluable research tool, activating AC isoforms 1-8. However, there is a paucity of AC isoform-selective FS analogs. Therefore, we examined the effects of FS and six FS derivatives on recombinant ACs 1, 2 and 5, representing members of different mAC families. Correlations of the pharmacological properties of the different AC isoforms revealed pronounced differences between ACs 1, 2 and 5. Additionally, potencies and efficacies of FS derivatives changed for any given AC isoform, depending on the metal ion, Mg(2+) or Mn(2+). The most striking effects of Mg(2+) and Mn(2+) on the diterpene profile were observed for AC2 where the large inhibitory effect of BODIPY-FS in the presence of Mg(2+) was considerably reduced in the presence of Mn(2+). Sequence alignment and docking experiments confirmed an exceptional position of AC2 compared to ACs 1 and 5 with respect to the structural environment of the catalytic core and cation-dependent diterpene effects. In conclusion, mAC isoforms 1, 2 and 5 exhibit a distinct pharmacological diterpene profile, depending on the divalent cation present. mAC crystal structures and modelling/docking studies provided an explanation for the pharmacological differences between the AC isoforms. Our study constitutes an important step towards the development of isoform-specific diterpenes exhibiting stimulatory or inhibitory effects. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

KSC-00pp0586

NASA Image and Video Library

2000-04-25

Astronaut Andy Thomas holds a facsimile of the Olympic torch that is being carried on Space Shuttle Atlantis during mission STS-101. Thomas is from Australia, which is the site of the 2000 Olympics. He coordinated the effort to have the torch added to the manifest so that it would truly circle the Earth in the spirit of the worldwide sporting event. The Sydney Olympic Torch Relay will arrive in Australia on June 8. The games begin Sept. 1

KSC-99pp1291

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-11-09

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- James Silviano (bottom), NASA, examines the range safety cable between the external tank and solid rocket boosters (SRB) on Space Shuttle Discovery, while Terry Kent (above), United Space Alliance, looks on. The cable, which relays a redundant emergency destruction signal between the SRBs in the unlikely event of a contingency, was damaged during close-out operations and is being replaced. Discovery's processing schedule leads to a target launch date of Dec. 6

Workers inspect the range safety cable between the ET and SRBs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1999-01-01

Terry Kent (left), United Space Alliance, and James Silviano (right), NASA, inspect the range safety cable between the external tank and solid rocket boosters (SRB) on Space Shuttle Discovery. The cable, which relays a redundant emergency destruction signal between the SRBs in the unlikely event of a contingency, was damaged during close-out operations and is being replaced. Discovery's processing schedule leads to a target launch date of Dec. 6.

Anticoagulants for secondary prevention after acute myocardial infarction: lessons from the past decade

PubMed Central

Atar, Dan; Bode, Christoph; Stuerzenbecher, André; Verheugt, Freek W A

2014-01-01

The impact of an acute coronary syndrome (ACS) event, such as an acute myocardial infarction (MI), is not limited to the acute management phase; patients face an elevated risk of residual atherothrombotic events that commonly requires chronic management for months or even years. Significant advances have been made in both the acute and chronic management of patients with acute MI over the past decade, resulting in improved prognoses. One of the hallmarks of modern treatment strategies is more aggressive antiplatelet treatment regimens. However, the risks of further ACS events, stroke and premature death remain elevated in these patients, and addressing this residual risk is challenging owing to interpatient variability, differences in management strategies between centres and countries, incomplete understanding of the specific pathophysiology of post-ACS thrombosis and limitations of current therapeutic approaches. The recent approval in Europe of the direct oral anticoagulant rivaroxaban for use in this setting in combination with clopidogrel and acetylsalicylic acid offers another strategy to consider in the management of these patients, and clinical strategies in this area continue to evolve. In this review, we chart the progress made over the past decade in reducing the burden of secondary thromboembolic events after acute MI and discuss the current position of and future perspectives on the inclusion of oral anticoagulants into care pathways in this setting. PMID:24494730

A performance analysis in AF full duplex relay selection network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ngoc, Long Nguyen; Hong, Nhu Nguyen; Loan, Nguyen Thi Phuong; Kieu, Tam Nguyen; Voznak, Miroslav; Zdralek, Jaroslav

2018-04-01

This paper studies on the relaying selective matter in amplify-and-forward (AF) cooperation communication with full-duplex (FD) activity. Various relay choice models supposing the present of different instant information are investigated. We examine a maximal relaying choice that optimizes the instant FD channel capacity and asks for global channel state information (CSI) as well as partial CSI learning. To make comparison easy, accurate outage probability clauses and asymptote form of these strategies that give a diversity rank are extracted. From that, we can see clearly that the number of relays, noise factor, the transmittance coefficient as well as the information transfer power had impacted on their performance. Besides, the optimal relay selection (ORS) model can promote than that of the partial relay selection (PRS) model.

Relay discovery and selection for large-scale P2P streaming

PubMed Central

Zhang, Chengwei; Wang, Angela Yunxian

2017-01-01

In peer-to-peer networks, application relays have been commonly used to provide various networking services. The service performance often improves significantly if a relay is selected appropriately based on its network location. In this paper, we studied the location-aware relay discovery and selection problem for large-scale P2P streaming networks. In these large-scale and dynamic overlays, it incurs significant communication and computation cost to discover a sufficiently large relay candidate set and further to select one relay with good performance. The network location can be measured directly or indirectly with the tradeoffs between timeliness, overhead and accuracy. Based on a measurement study and the associated error analysis, we demonstrate that indirect measurements, such as King and Internet Coordinate Systems (ICS), can only achieve a coarse estimation of peers’ network location and those methods based on pure indirect measurements cannot lead to a good relay selection. We also demonstrate that there exists significant error amplification of the commonly used “best-out-of-K” selection methodology using three RTT data sets publicly available. We propose a two-phase approach to achieve efficient relay discovery and accurate relay selection. Indirect measurements are used to narrow down a small number of high-quality relay candidates and the final relay selection is refined based on direct probing. This two-phase approach enjoys an efficient implementation using the Distributed-Hash-Table (DHT). When the DHT is constructed, the node keys carry the location information and they are generated scalably using indirect measurements, such as the ICS coordinates. The relay discovery is achieved efficiently utilizing the DHT-based search. We evaluated various aspects of this DHT-based approach, including the DHT indexing procedure, key generation under peer churn and message costs. PMID:28410384

Relay discovery and selection for large-scale P2P streaming.

PubMed

Zhang, Chengwei; Wang, Angela Yunxian; Hei, Xiaojun

2017-01-01

In peer-to-peer networks, application relays have been commonly used to provide various networking services. The service performance often improves significantly if a relay is selected appropriately based on its network location. In this paper, we studied the location-aware relay discovery and selection problem for large-scale P2P streaming networks. In these large-scale and dynamic overlays, it incurs significant communication and computation cost to discover a sufficiently large relay candidate set and further to select one relay with good performance. The network location can be measured directly or indirectly with the tradeoffs between timeliness, overhead and accuracy. Based on a measurement study and the associated error analysis, we demonstrate that indirect measurements, such as King and Internet Coordinate Systems (ICS), can only achieve a coarse estimation of peers' network location and those methods based on pure indirect measurements cannot lead to a good relay selection. We also demonstrate that there exists significant error amplification of the commonly used "best-out-of-K" selection methodology using three RTT data sets publicly available. We propose a two-phase approach to achieve efficient relay discovery and accurate relay selection. Indirect measurements are used to narrow down a small number of high-quality relay candidates and the final relay selection is refined based on direct probing. This two-phase approach enjoys an efficient implementation using the Distributed-Hash-Table (DHT). When the DHT is constructed, the node keys carry the location information and they are generated scalably using indirect measurements, such as the ICS coordinates. The relay discovery is achieved efficiently utilizing the DHT-based search. We evaluated various aspects of this DHT-based approach, including the DHT indexing procedure, key generation under peer churn and message costs.

Launch and Commissioning of the Deep Space Climate Observatory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Frey, Nicholas P.; Davis, Edward P.

2016-01-01

The Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR), formerly known as Triana, successfully launched on February 11th, 2015. To date, each of the five space-craft attitude control system (ACS) modes have been operating as expected and meeting all guidance, navigation, and control (GN&C) requirements, although since launch, several anomalies were encountered. While unplanned, these anomalies have proven to be invaluable in developing a deeper understanding of the ACS, and drove the design of three alterations to the ACS task of the flight software (FSW). An overview of the GN&C subsystem hardware, including re-furbishment, and ACS architecture are introduced, followed by a chronological discussion of key events, flight performance, as well as anomalies encountered by the GN&C team.

Relay protection features of frequency-adjustable electric drive

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuprienko, V. V.

2018-03-01

The features of relay protection of high-voltage electric motors in composition of the frequency-adjustable electric drive are considered in the article. The influence of frequency converters on the stability of the operation of various types of relay protection used on electric motors is noted. Variants of circuits for connecting relay protection devices are suggested. The need to develop special relay protection devices for a frequency-adjustable electric drive is substantiated.

Development of a Relay Performance Web Tool for the Mars Network

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Allard, Daniel A.; Edwards, Charles D.

2009-01-01

Modern Mars surface missions rely upon orbiting spacecraft to relay communications to and from Earth systems. An important component of this multi-mission relay process is the collection of relay performance statistics supporting strategic trend analysis and tactical anomaly identification and tracking.

Modified Dynamic Decode-and-Forward Relaying Protocol for Type II Relay in LTE-Advanced and Beyond

PubMed Central

Nam, Sung Sik; Alouini, Mohamed-Slim; Choi, Seyeong

2016-01-01

In this paper, we propose a modified dynamic decode-and-forward (MoDDF) relaying protocol to meet the critical requirements for user equipment (UE) relays in next-generation cellular systems (e.g., LTE-Advanced and beyond). The proposed MoDDF realizes the fast jump-in relaying and the sequential decoding with an application of random codeset to encoding and re-encoding process at the source and the multiple UE relays, respectively. A subframe-by-subframe decoding based on the accumulated (or buffered) messages is employed to achieve energy, information, or mixed combining. Finally, possible early termination of decoding at the end user can lead to the higher spectral efficiency and more energy saving by reducing the frequency of redundant subframe transmission and decoding. These attractive features eliminate the need of directly exchanging control messages between multiple UE relays and the end user, which is an important prerequisite for the practical UE relay deployment. PMID:27898712

Modified Dynamic Decode-and-Forward Relaying Protocol for Type II Relay in LTE-Advanced and Beyond.

PubMed

Nam, Sung Sik; Alouini, Mohamed-Slim; Choi, Seyeong

2016-01-01

In this paper, we propose a modified dynamic decode-and-forward (MoDDF) relaying protocol to meet the critical requirements for user equipment (UE) relays in next-generation cellular systems (e.g., LTE-Advanced and beyond). The proposed MoDDF realizes the fast jump-in relaying and the sequential decoding with an application of random codeset to encoding and re-encoding process at the source and the multiple UE relays, respectively. A subframe-by-subframe decoding based on the accumulated (or buffered) messages is employed to achieve energy, information, or mixed combining. Finally, possible early termination of decoding at the end user can lead to the higher spectral efficiency and more energy saving by reducing the frequency of redundant subframe transmission and decoding. These attractive features eliminate the need of directly exchanging control messages between multiple UE relays and the end user, which is an important prerequisite for the practical UE relay deployment.

Advanced Strategic and Tactical Relay Request Management for the Mars Relay Operations Service

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Allard, Daniel A.; Wallick, Michael N.; Gladden, Roy E.; Wang, Paul; Hy, Franklin H.

2013-01-01

This software provides a new set of capabilities for the Mars Relay Operations Service (MaROS) in support of Strategic and Tactical relay, including a highly interactive relay request Web user interface, mission control over relay planning time periods, and mission management of allowed strategic vs. tactical request parameters. Together, these new capabilities expand the scope of the system to include all elements critical for Tactical relay operations. Planning of replay activities spans a time period that is split into two distinct phases. The first phase is called Strategic, which begins at the time that relay opportunities are identified, and concludes at the point that the orbiter generates the flight sequences for on board execution. Any relay request changes from this point on are called Tactical. Tactical requests, otherwise called Orbit - er Relay State Changes (ORSC), are highly restricted in terms of what types of changes can be made, and the types of parameters that can be changed may differ from one orbiter to the next. For example, one orbiter may be able to delay the start of a relay request, while another may not. The legacy approach to ORSC management involves exchanges of e-mail with "requests for change" and "acknowledgement of approval," with no other tracking of changes outside of e-mail folders. MaROS Phases 1 and 2 provided the infrastructure for strategic relay for all supported missions. This new version, 3.0, introduces several capabilities that fully expand the scope of the system to include tactical relay. One new feature allows orbiter users to manage and "lock" Planning Periods, which allows the orbiter team to formalize the changeover from Strategic to Tactical operations. Another major feature allows users to interactively submit tactical request changes via a Web user interface. A third new feature allows orbiter missions to specify allowed tactical updates, which are automatically incorporated into the tactical change process. This software update is significant in that it provides the only centralized service for tactical request management available for relay missions.

VizieR Online Data Catalog: OGLE-III Galactic bulge microlensing events (Wyrzykowski+, 2015)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wyrzykowski, L.; Rynkiewicz, A. E.; Skowron, J.; Kozlowski, S.; Udalski, A.; Szymanski, M. K.; Kubiak, M.; Soszynski, I.; Pietrzynski, G.; Poleski, R.; Pietrukowicz, P.; Pawlak, M.

2015-02-01

The data used in this work were photometry of 150 million objects toward more than 31deg2 of the Galactic bulge observed in almost 74000 frames, i.e., about 11000 billion data points. We selected 91 fields out of all 177 ever observed by the Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment (OGLE) Udalski et al. (2008AcA....58...69U) in its third phase from 2001 July until 2009 May, which had at least 250 observations. We use the re-reduced data obtained after the end of OGLE-III. For the final sample of microlensing events, we additionally produced new photometry which took into account the exact position of each event on the difference imaging technique (DIA, Wozniak 2000, J/AcA/50/421) image (see section 2). (4 data files).

Relay Selection for Cooperative Relaying in Wireless Energy Harvesting Networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Kaiyan; Wang, Fei; Li, Songsong; Jiang, Fengjiao; Cao, Lijie

2018-01-01

Energy harvesting from the surroundings is a promising solution to provide energy supply and extend the life of wireless sensor networks. Recently, energy harvesting has been shown as an attractive solution to prolong the operation of cooperative networks. In this paper, we propose a relay selection scheme to optimize the amplify-and-forward (AF) cooperative transmission in wireless energy harvesting cooperative networks. The harvesting energy and channel conditions are considered to select the optimal relay as cooperative relay to minimize the outage probability of the system. Simulation results show that our proposed relay selection scheme achieves better outage performance than other strategies.

Sparsity-aware multiple relay selection in large multi-hop decode-and-forward relay networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gouissem, A.; Hamila, R.; Al-Dhahir, N.; Foufou, S.

2016-12-01

In this paper, we propose and investigate two novel techniques to perform multiple relay selection in large multi-hop decode-and-forward relay networks. The two proposed techniques exploit sparse signal recovery theory to select multiple relays using the orthogonal matching pursuit algorithm and outperform state-of-the-art techniques in terms of outage probability and computation complexity. To reduce the amount of collected channel state information (CSI), we propose a limited-feedback scheme where only a limited number of relays feedback their CSI. Furthermore, a detailed performance-complexity tradeoff investigation is conducted for the different studied techniques and verified by Monte Carlo simulations.

A microcomputer-based testing station for dynamic and static testing of protective relay systems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lee, W.J.; Li, R.J.; Gu, J.C.

1995-12-31

Dynamic and static relay performance testing before installation in the field is a subject of great interest to utility relay engineers. The common practice in utility testing of new relays is to put the new unit to be tested in parallel with an existing functioning relay in the system, wait until an actual transient occurs and then observe and analyze the performance of new relay. It is impossible to have a thorough test of the protective relay system through this procedure. An equipment, Microcomputer-Based Testing Station (or PC-Based Testing Station), that can perform both static and dynamic testing of themore » relay is described in this paper. The Power System Simulation Laboratory at the University of Texas at Arlington is a scaled-down, three-phase, physical power system which correlates well with the important components for a real power system and is an ideal facility for the dynamic and static testing of protective relay systems. A brief introduction to the configuration of this laboratory is presented. Test results of several protective functions by using this laboratory illustrate the usefulness of this test set-up.« less

AKAP-Lbc enhances cyclic AMP control of the ERK1/2 cascade.

PubMed

Smith, F Donelson; Langeberg, Lorene K; Cellurale, Cristina; Pawson, Tony; Morrison, Deborah K; Davis, Roger J; Scott, John D

2010-12-01

Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascades propagate a variety of cellular activities. Processive relay of signals through RAF-MEK-ERK modulates cell growth and proliferation. Signalling through this ERK cascade is frequently amplified in cancers, and drugs such as sorafenib (which is prescribed to treat renal and hepatic carcinomas) and PLX4720 (which targets melanomas) inhibit RAF kinases. Natural factors that influence ERK1/2 signalling include the second messenger cyclic AMP. However, the mechanisms underlying this cascade have been difficult to elucidate. We demonstrate that the A-kinase-anchoring protein AKAP-Lbc and the scaffolding protein kinase suppressor of Ras (KSR-1) form the core of a signalling network that efficiently relay signals from RAF, through MEK, and on to ERK1/2. AKAP-Lbc functions as an enhancer of ERK signalling by securing RAF in the vicinity of MEK1 and synchronizing protein kinase A (PKA)-mediated phosphorylation of Ser 838 on KSR-1. This offers mechanistic insight into cAMP-responsive control of ERK signalling events.

47 CFR 90.243 - Mobile relay stations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Mobile relay stations. 90.243 Section 90.243... MOBILE RADIO SERVICES Non-Voice and Other Specialized Operations § 90.243 Mobile relay stations. (a) Mobile relay operations will be authorized on frequencies below 512 MHz, except in the Radiolocation...

49 CFR 236.589 - Relays.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... OF SIGNAL AND TRAIN CONTROL SYSTEMS, DEVICES, AND APPLIANCES Automatic Train Stop, Train Control and Cab Signal Systems Inspection and Tests; Locomotive § 236.589 Relays. (a) Each relay shall be removed... train stop or train control system, at least once every two years; and (2) All other relays, at least...

49 CFR 236.589 - Relays.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... OF SIGNAL AND TRAIN CONTROL SYSTEMS, DEVICES, AND APPLIANCES Automatic Train Stop, Train Control and Cab Signal Systems Inspection and Tests; Locomotive § 236.589 Relays. (a) Each relay shall be removed... train stop or train control system, at least once every two years; and (2) All other relays, at least...

76 FR 59551 - Internet-Based Telecommunications Relay Service Numbering

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-09-27

..., and IP Relay, which allows these individuals to communicate in text using a computer. The final rules... hearing and speech disabilities to communicate using sign language through video equipment, and IP Relay... language through video equipment, and IP Relay, which allows these individuals to communicate in text using...

78 FR 55249 - Transmission Relay Loadability Reliability Standard; Notice of Compliance Filing

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-09-10

...; RM11-16-000] Transmission Relay Loadability Reliability Standard; Notice of Compliance Filing Take.... \\1\\ Transmission Relay Loadability Reliability Standard, Order No. 733, 130 FERC ] 61, 221 (2010..., Order No. 733-B, 136 FERC ] 61,185 (2011). \\2\\ Transmission Relay Loadability Reliability Standard, 138...

78 FR 21929 - Transmission Relay Loadability Reliability Standard; Notice of Compliance Filing

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-04-12

... Relay Loadability Reliability Standard; Notice of Compliance Filing Take notice that on February 19... Relay Loadability Reliability Standard, Order No. 733, 130 FERC ] 61,221 (2010) (Order No. 733); order..., 136 FERC ] 61,185 (2011). \\2\\ Transmission Relay Loadability Reliability Standard, 138 FERC ] 61,197...

76 FR 44326 - Telecommunications Relay Services and Speech-to-Speech Services for Individuals With Hearing and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-07-25

... Relay Services and Speech-to-Speech Services for Individuals With Hearing and Speech Disabilities; Structure and Practices of the Video Relay Service Program AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission. ACTION...-minute video relay service (``VRS'') compensation rates, and adopts per-minute compensation rates for the...

How to Use Telecommunications Relay Service. NETAC Teacher Tipsheet

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mothersell, Mary Beth, Comp.

1999-01-01

Telecommunications Relay Service provides full telephone accessibility to people who are deaf, hard of hearing, deaf-blind, or speech-disabled. Specially trained Communication Assistants (CAs) serve as intermediaries, relaying conversations between hearing persons and persons using a text telephone device (TTY). Relay Service is available 24 hours…

75 FR 41863 - Structure and Practices of the Video Relay Service Program

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-07-19

... Video Relay Service Program AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: In this document, the Commission takes a fresh look at its video relay service (VRS) rules so that the Commission.... SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a summary of the Commission's Structure and Practices of the Video Relay...

76 FR 68642 - Structure and Practices of the Video Relay Service Program

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-11-07

... Practices of the Video Relay Service Program AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission. ACTION: Final rule... with the Commission's Structure and Practices of the Video Relay Service Program, Memorandum Opinion... effective date of these rule sections. See, In the Matter of Structure and Practices of the Video Relay...

76 FR 68328 - Structure and Practices of the Video Relay Service Program

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-11-04

... Practices of the Video Relay Service Program AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission. ACTION: Final rule... with the Commission's Structure and Practices of the Video Relay Service Program, Second Report and... effective date of these rule sections. See, In the Matter of Structure and Practices of the Video Relay...

76 FR 8659 - Structure and Practices of the Video Relay Service Program

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-02-15

... Practices of the Video Relay Service Program AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission. ACTION: Final rule... with the Commission's Structure and Practices of the Video Relay Service Program, Declaratory Ruling... Practices of the Video Relay Service Program, CG Docket No. 10-51. Form Number: N/A. Respondents: Business...

75 FR 51735 - Structure and Practices of the Video Relay Service Program

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-08-23

... Practices of the Video Relay Service Program AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission. [[Page 51736... to detect and prevent fraud and misuse in the provision of Video Relay Service (VRS). Because the VRS... is a summary of the Commission's Structure and Practices of the Video Relay Service Program, Notice...

76 FR 58424 - Transmission Relay Loadability Reliability Standard

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-09-21

... Protection Systems 2. Protective relays are devices that detect and initiate the removal of faults [[Page... protective relay detects a fault on an element of the system under its protection, it sends a signal to an... distribution providers to set load-responsive phase protection relays according to specific criteria to ensure...

76 FR 24442 - Structure and Practices of the Video Relay Service Program; Telecommunications Relay Services and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-05-02

...] Structure and Practices of the Video Relay Service Program; Telecommunications Relay Services and Speech-to-Speech Services for Individuals With Hearing and Speech Disabilities AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission. ACTION: Proposed rule. SUMMARY: In this document, the Commission tentatively concludes that it...

In-Hospital Implementation of Evidence-Based Medications is Associated with Improved Survival in Diabetic Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome - Data from TSOC ACS-DM Registry.

PubMed

Chen, Kuan-Chun; Yin, Wei-Hsian; Wu, Chih-Cheng; Chan, Shih-Hung; Wu, Yen-Wen; Yang Wang, Kuo; Chang, Kuan-Cheng; Hwang, Juey-Jen; Voon, Wen-Chol; Hsieh, I-Chang; Chong, Jun-Ted; Lin, Wei-Shiang; Hsu, Chih-Neng; Ueng, Kwo-Chang; Hsia, Chih-Ping; Liu, Ju-Chi; Yeh, Jong-Shiuan; Mar, Guang-Yuan; Shih, Jhih-Yuan; Kuo, Jen-Yuan; Tsao, Hsuan-Ming; Tseng, Wei-Kung; Yang, Cheng-Hsu; Chang, Chao-Chien; Chiang, Chern-En; Lei, Meng-Heng; Lin, Jeng-Feng; Shyu, Kou-Gi

2018-05-01

Patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and diabetes mellitus (DM) receive less aggressive treatment and have worse outcomes in Taiwan. We sought to explore whether the current practices of prescribing guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) for ACS and clinical outcomes have improved over time. A total of 1534 consecutive diabetic patients with ACS were enrolled between 2013 and 2015 from 27 hospitals in the nationwide registry initiated by the Taiwan Society of Cardiology (the TSOC ACS-DM Registry). Baseline and clinical demographics, treatment, and clinical outcomes were compared to those of 1000 ACS patients with DM recruited in the Taiwan ACS-full spectrum (ACS-FS) Registry, which was performed between 2008 and 2010. Compared to the DM patients in the Taiwan ACS-FS Registry, even though reperfusion therapy was carried out in significantly fewer patients, the primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) rate for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and the prescription rates of GDMT for ACS including P2Y12 inhibitors, renin-angiotensin blockers, beta-blockers, and statins were significantly higher in those in the TSOC ACS-DM Registry. Moreover, significant reductions in 1-year mortality, recurrent nonfatal MI and stroke were observed compared to those of the DM patients in the Taiwan ACS-FS Registry. Multivariate analysis identified reperfusion therapy in combination with GDMT as a strong predictor of better 1-year outcomes [hazard ratio (95% confidence interval) = 0.54 (0.33-0.89)]. Marked improvements in performing primary PCI for STEMI and prescribing GDMT for ACS were observed over time in Taiwan. This was associated with improved 1-year event-free survival in the diabetic patients with ACS.

Effect of Prior Aspirin Treatment on Patients With Acute Coronary Syndromes: Insights From the PROSPECT Study.

PubMed

Brener, Sorin J; Maehara, Akiko; Mintz, Gary S; Weisz, Giora; de Bruyne, Bernard; Serruys, Patrick W; Stone, Gregg W

2015-12-01

Prior aspirin treatment is considered a risk factor for adverse outcomes in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients. The relationships between aspirin pretreatment and findings on quantitative coronary angiography (QCA) and intravascular ultrasound (IVUS), as well as clinical outcomes, are not well understood. In the PROSPECT trial, QCA and triple-vessel IVUS imaging were performed after successful percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) of the culprit lesion(s) in ACS patients. We compared patients receiving aspirin within 7 days of enrollment to those naive to aspirin. Propensity score matching was performed to adjust for differences in baseline characteristics. Aspirin-pretreated patients (n = 236; 35%) were older and more likely to have known coronary disease than those without pretreatment (P≤.01 for all). Pretreated patients had more untreated non-culprit lesions with angiographic and IVUS characteristics predictive of future events (53.1% vs 38.6%; P<.001). There were no significant differences in overall major adverse cardiac event (MACE) rates at 3 years between the aspirin and no-aspirin groups (23.6% vs 18.8%, respectively; P=.17) in unadjusted or propensity-adjusted analyses. Prior aspirin use was not an independent predictor of MACE at 3 years (hazard ratio, 1.21; 95% confidence interval, 0.73-2.01; P=.45). In the PROSPECT trial, aspirin pretreatment identifies an older population with more advanced coronary disease. Aspirin pretreatment was not an independent predictor of MACE in ACS patients treated with an early invasive strategy. The extent to which aspirin pretreatment is a risk factor for adverse events after PCI in ACS should be revisited.

Anesthesia in per-oral endoscopic myotomy: A large tertiary care centre experience.

PubMed

Darisetty, Santosh; Nabi, Zaheer; Ramchandani, Mohan; Chavan, Radhika; Kotla, Rama; Nageshwar Reddy, D

2017-07-01

Per-oral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) is safe and efficacious for the management of achalasia cardia (AC). POEM is usually performed under general anesthesia in an endoscopy suite or operating theatre. The current study was conducted with the aim to analyse anesthetic management of patients with AC who underwent POEM at our institution. We retrospectively analysed the data of patients with AC who underwent POEM at our institution from January 2013 to September 2016. All cases were performed in an endoscopy suite under supervision of an anesthesia management team. Pre-procedure endoscopic evacuation of esophagogastric contents was done in all cases. Management strategies used for gas-related adverse events and outcomes were assessed. Four hundred and eighty patients (median age 40 years, range 4-77 years) underwent POEM during the study period. The sub-types of AC were type I (163), type II (297), and type III (20). POEM was successfully completed in 97.5% patients. Gas-related events were noted in 30.6% cases including-capno-thorax in 1%, capno-peritoneum in 12.3%, retroperitoneal air in 16.5%, capno-mediastinum in 0.2%, and capno-pericardium in 0.4% patients. Significant rise in end tidal CO2 (> 45) and peak airway pressure were observed in 8.1% and 5.4% cases, respectively. Drainage was required in 12.3% patients. There was no occurrence of aspiration during or after POEM. POEM could be safely performed in an endoscopy suite under supervision of an expert anesthesia management team. Gas-related adverse events were common during POEM and could be managed with a standardized approach.

78 FR 49693 - Speech-to-Speech and Internet Protocol (IP) Speech-to-Speech Telecommunications Relay Services...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-15

...] Speech-to-Speech and Internet Protocol (IP) Speech-to-Speech Telecommunications Relay Services...: This is a summary of the Commission's Speech-to-Speech and Internet Protocol (IP) Speech-to-Speech...), Internet Protocol Relay (IP Relay), and IP captioned telephone service (IP CTS) as compensable forms of TRS...

The History and Development of the California Relay Service.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schultz, Stephen

1990-01-01

The California Relay Services (CRS) is a statewide 24-hour dual-party relay system which is designed to bridge the communication gap between the hearing-impaired and the normal-hearing community by using communication assistants to relay calls between those without Telecommunication Devices for the Deaf (TDDs) and TDD-users. (DB)

78 FR 63152 - Telecommunications Relay Services and Speech-to-Speech Services for Individuals With Hearing and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-10-23

...] Telecommunications Relay Services and Speech-to-Speech Services for Individuals With Hearing and Speech Disabilities... for telecommunications relay services (TRS) by eliminating standards for Internet-based relay services... comments, identified by CG Docket No. 03-123, by any of the following methods: Electronic Filers: Comments...

Versatile solid-state relay

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fox, D. A.

1977-01-01

Solid-state relay (SSR), containing multinode control logic, is operated as normally open, normally closed, or latched. Moreover several can be paralleled to form two-pole or double-throw relays. Versatile unit ends need to design custom control circuit for every relay application. Technique can be extended to incorporate selectable time delay, on operation or release, or pulsed output.

77 FR 43538 - Misuse of Internet Protocol (IP) Relay Service; Telecommunications Relay Services and Speech-to...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-07-25

... the Internet, this service has become subject to abuse. Among other things, persons have been using IP...] Misuse of Internet Protocol (IP) Relay Service; Telecommunications Relay Services and Speech-to-Speech.... ACTION: Final rule. SUMMARY: In this document, the Commission adopts a measure that prohibits Internet...

Cross-layer Joint Relay Selection and Power Allocation Scheme for Cooperative Relaying System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhi, Hui; He, Mengmeng; Wang, Feiyue; Huang, Ziju

2018-03-01

A novel cross-layer joint relay selection and power allocation (CL-JRSPA) scheme over physical layer and data-link layer is proposed for cooperative relaying system in this paper. Our goal is finding the optimal relay selection and power allocation scheme to maximize system achievable rate when satisfying total transmit power constraint in physical layer and statistical delay quality-of-service (QoS) demand in data-link layer. Using the concept of effective capacity (EC), our goal can be formulated into an optimal joint relay selection and power allocation (JRSPA) problem to maximize the EC when satisfying total transmit power limitation. We first solving optimal power allocation (PA) problem with Lagrange multiplier approach, and then solving optimal relay selection (RS) problem. Simulation results demonstrate that CL-JRSPA scheme gets larger EC than other schemes when satisfying delay QoS demand. In addition, the proposed CL-JRSPA scheme achieves the maximal EC when relay located approximately halfway between source and destination, and EC becomes smaller when the QoS exponent becomes larger.

Wireless Energy Harvesting Two-Way Relay Networks with Hardware Impairments.

PubMed

Peng, Chunling; Li, Fangwei; Liu, Huaping

2017-11-13

This paper considers a wireless energy harvesting two-way relay (TWR) network where the relay has energy-harvesting abilities and the effects of practical hardware impairments are taken into consideration. In particular, power splitting (PS) receiver is adopted at relay to harvests the power it needs for relaying the information between the source nodes from the signals transmitted by the source nodes, and hardware impairments is assumed suffered by each node. We analyze the effect of hardware impairments [-20]on both decode-and-forward (DF) relaying and amplify-and-forward (AF) relaying networks. By utilizing the obtained new expressions of signal-to-noise-plus-distortion ratios, the exact analytical expressions of the achievable sum rate and ergodic capacities for both DF and AF relaying protocols are derived. Additionally, the optimal power splitting (OPS) ratio that maximizes the instantaneous achievable sum rate is formulated and solved for both protocols. The performances of DF and AF protocols are evaluated via numerical results, which also show the effects of various network parameters on the system performance and on the OPS ratio design.

Design and baseline data from the Gratitude Research in Acute Coronary Events (GRACE) study

PubMed Central

Huffman, Jeff C.; Beale, Eleanor E.; Beach, Scott R.; Celano, Christopher M.; Belcher, Arianna M.; Moore, Shannon V.; Suarez, Laura; Gandhi, Parul U.; Motiwala, Shweta R.; Gaggin, Hanna; Januzzi, James L.

2015-01-01

Background Positive psychological constructs, especially optimism, have been linked with superior cardiovascular health. However, there has been minimal study of positive constructs in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS), despite the prevalence and importance of this condition. Furthermore, few studies have examined multiple positive psychological constructs and multiple cardiac-related outcomes within the same cohort to determine specifically which positive construct may affect a particular cardiac outcome. Materials and methods The Gratitude Research in Acute Coronary Events (GRACE) study examines the association between optimism/gratitude 2 weeks post-ACS and subsequent clinical outcomes. The primary outcome measure is physical activity at 6 months, measured via accelerometer, and key secondary outcome measures include levels of prognostic biomarkers and rates of nonelective cardiac rehospitalization at 6 months. These relationships will be analyzed using multivariate linear regression, controlling for sociodemographic, medical, and negative psychological factors; associations between baseline positive constructs and subsequent rehospitalizations will be assessed via Cox regression. Results Overall, 164 participants enrolled and completed the baseline 2-week assessment; the cohort had a mean age of 61.5 +/− 10.5 years and was 84% men; this was the first ACS for 58% of participants. Conclusion The GRACE study will determine whether optimism and gratitude are prospectively and independently associated with physical activity and other critical outcomes in the 6 months following an ACS. If these constructs are associated with superior outcomes, this may highlight the importance of these constructs as independent prognostic factors post-ACS. PMID:26166171

Design and baseline data from the Gratitude Research in Acute Coronary Events (GRACE) study.

PubMed

Huffman, Jeff C; Beale, Eleanor E; Beach, Scott R; Celano, Christopher M; Belcher, Arianna M; Moore, Shannon V; Suarez, Laura; Gandhi, Parul U; Motiwala, Shweta R; Gaggin, Hanna; Januzzi, James L

2015-09-01

Positive psychological constructs, especially optimism, have been linked with superior cardiovascular health. However, there has been minimal study of positive constructs in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS), despite the prevalence and importance of this condition. Furthermore, few studies have examined multiple positive psychological constructs and multiple cardiac-related outcomes within the same cohort to determine specifically which positive construct may affect a particular cardiac outcome. The Gratitude Research in Acute Coronary Events (GRACE) study examines the association between optimism/gratitude 2weeks post-ACS and subsequent clinical outcomes. The primary outcome measure is physical activity at 6months, measured via accelerometer, and key secondary outcome measures include levels of prognostic biomarkers and rates of nonelective cardiac rehospitalization at 6months. These relationships will be analyzed using multivariable linear regression, controlling for sociodemographic, medical, and negative psychological factors; associations between baseline positive constructs and subsequent rehospitalizations will be assessed via Cox regression. Overall, 164 participants enrolled and completed the baseline 2-week assessment; the cohort had a mean age of 61.5+/?10.5years and was 84% men; this was the first ACS for 58% of participants. The GRACE study will determine whether optimism and gratitude are prospectively and independently associated with physical activity and other critical outcomes in the 6months following an ACS. If these constructs are associated with superior outcomes, this may highlight the importance of these constructs as independent prognostic factors post-ACS. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Prevalence and prognostic influence of peripheral arterial disease in patients >or=40 years old admitted into hospital following an acute coronary event.

PubMed

Bertomeu, V; Morillas, P; Gonzalez-Juanatey, J R; Quiles, J; Guindo, J; Soria, F; Llacer, A; Lekuona, I; Mazón, P; Martín-Luengo, C; Rodriguez-Padial, L

2008-08-01

A significant proportion of patients with ischemic heart disease have associated peripheral arterial disease (PAD), but many are asymptomatic and this condition remains underdiagnosed. We aimed to study the prevalence of PAD in patients with an acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and to evaluate its influence in hospital clinical outcomes. The PAMISCA register is a prospective, multicenter study involving patients >or=40 years old with ACS admitted to selected Spanish hospitals. All patients had their ankle-brachial index (ABI) measured between days 3 and 7 after the ischemic event. 1410 ACS patients (71.4% male) were included. PAD determined by ABI was documented in 561 patients (39.8%). Factors independently related to PAD were age (OR: 1.04; 95% CI: 1.03-1.06; p<0.001), smoking (OR: 1.88; 95% CI: 1.41-2.49; p<0.0001), diabetes (OR: 1.30; 95% CI: 1.02-1.65; p<0.05), previous cardiac disease (OR: 1.54; 95% CI: 1.22-1.95; p<0.001) and previous cerebrovascular disease (OR: 1.90; 95% CI: 1.28-2.80; p<0.001). Following the ACS, an ABIor=40 years presenting with ACS is high and it is associated with increased cardiovascular risk.

24-h urine metabolic profile: is it necessary in all kidney stone formers?

PubMed

Abu-Ghanem, Yasmin; Shvero, Asaf; Kleinmann, Nir; Winkler, Harry Z; Zilberman, Dorit E

2018-06-06

A 24-h urine metabolic profile (24-UMP) is an integral part of nephrolithiasis work-up. We aimed to explore whether it can be waived under certain circumstances. We reviewed our prospective registry database of patients seen at our outpatient clinic for nephrolithiasis between the years 2010 and 2017. Data included: gender, age at first stone, body mass index (BMI), self-reported comorbidities and family history of nephrolithiasis. A 24-UMP was obtained from each patient under random diet. The following were recorded: urine volume, urinary levels of sodium, calcium, uric acid, oxalate and citrate. Presence of at least one comorbidity (i.e., hypertension/diabetes/hyperlipidemia) was defined as "associated comorbidities" (AC). Their absence was defined as "no comorbidities" (NC). Subjects were divided into two subgroups: first-time and recurrent stone formers, which were further divided into two subgroups: 1st + AC; 1st + NC; recurrent + AC; recurrent + NC. 24-UMPs have been compared between the four groups. Four hundred and fifty-seven patients were included in the study. In the AC groups, patients demonstrated higher BMI levels (p = 0.001), and were statistically significantly obese (BMI > 30, p = 0.001) and older at first stone event (p = 0.001). First formers, either with AC or NC were more likely to have low urine volume (LUV) compared with recurrent formers (72.5 vs. 59.5%, p = 0.005). In the remaining metabolic abnormalities, no such differences were observed. First-time stone formers, either with or without AC are likely to demonstrate LUV as their primary metabolic abnormality in 24-UMP. Therefore, 24-UMP may be postponed until recurrent stone event.

Clinical Features and Outcomes of Acute Coronary Syndrome in Women With Previous Pregnancy Complications.

PubMed

Grand'Maison, Sophie; Pilote, Louise; Schlosser, Kenny; Stewart, Duncan J; Okano, Marisa; Dayan, Natalie

2017-12-01

Women with previous cardiometabolic complications of pregnancy experience double the risk of cardiovascular disease. However, few data exist on the clinical effect of these complications at the time of an acute coronary syndrome (ACS). The objective of this work was to compare risk factors, clinical features, and outcomes among women with premature ACS with or without previous pregnancy complications (gestational diabetes and/or hypertensive disorders of pregnancy). Data were obtained from a multicentre cohort of individuals hospitalized with premature ACS. A total of 251 parous women were included and provided obstetric history and blood samples. They were followed for the development of major adverse cardiac events at 12 months. At presentation with ACS, women with a previous pregnancy complication (38%) were slightly younger than were women without such complications (47.4 ± 6.2 vs 49.1 ± 5.6 years; P = 0.002). They also had more traditional atherosclerotic risk factors. Specifically, women with previous preeclampsia were more likely to have chronic hypertension and an elevated ratio of soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase:placental growth factor. There was no between-group difference in Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events (GRACE) score or troponin tertile but there was a trend toward higher risk of ST-elevation myocardial infarction in women who had a previous pregnancy complication (odds ratio, 1.80; 95% confidence interval, 1.00-3.23; P = 0.05). There was also an increased risk of recurrent ACS at 12 months in women with previous preeclampsia (hazard ratio, 6.79; 95% confidence interval, 1.37-33.63; P = 0.02). Among a cohort of women with ACS, previous pregnancy complications were associated with more severe disease and poorer outcome. Copyright © 2017 Canadian Cardiovascular Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Smoking cessation interventions following acute coronary syndrome: a missed opportunity?

PubMed

Boggon, Rachael; Timmis, Adam; Hemingway, Harry; Raju, Sunil; Malvestiti, Franco Mondello; Van Staa, Tjeerd P

2014-06-01

It is recommended that general practitioners (GPs) offer cessation advice and pharmacological interventions to smokers with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). The study objective was to describe the extent to which this is done, and to describe outcomes by smoking status. Patients aged 30+ hospitalised for troponin-positive ACS from 2002 to 2009, discharged home alive, were identified in the Myocardial Ischaemia National Audit Project registry. Patient data were linked to the General Practice Research Database, Hospital Episode Statistics, and Office of National Statistics mortality data, enabling a unique perspective of longitudinal smoking data. Patients who smoked prior to the hospitalisation had GP interventions and quitting status established in the 3 months following discharge, and were followed up for major clinical outcomes. The outcomes evaluated included death, repeat ACS, stroke, heart failure, and major adverse cardiac events (MACE). Of the 4834 patients included, 965 (20%) were smokers at the time of their ACS. After the ACS event, only 225 (24%) received any GP smoking intervention within 3 months, with 82 (9%) receiving advice only, and 143 (15%) receiving a pharmacological intervention. Patients who quit (320; 33%) were at a decreased risk of mortality (relative risk (RR) 0.49; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.35-0.69) and MACE (RR 0.61; 0.46-0.80) compared with patients who did not. Whilst a high proportion of patients with ACS are smokers, there is a low level of GP cessation intervention following hospital discharge. This missed opportunity of patient care is important given the decreased risk of mortality and MACE found amongst those who quit. © The European Society of Cardiology 2012 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

The Impact of Educational Status on 10-Year (2004-2014) Cardiovascular Disease Prognosis and All-cause Mortality Among Acute Coronary Syndrome Patients in the Greek Acute Coronary Syndrome (GREECS) Longitudinal Study.

PubMed

Notara, Venetia; Panagiotakos, Demosthenes B; Kogias, Yannis; Stravopodis, Petros; Antonoulas, Antonis; Zombolos, Spyros; Mantas, Yannis; Pitsavos, Christos

2016-07-01

The association between educational status and 10-year risk for acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and all-cause mortality was evaluated. From October 2003 to September 2004, 2172 consecutive ACS patients from six Greek hospitals were enrolled. In 2013 to 2014, a 10-year follow-up (2004-2014) assessment was performed for 1918 participants (participation rate, 88%). Each patient's educational status was classified as low (<9 years of school), intermediate (9 to 14 years), or high (>14 years). Overall all-cause mortality was almost twofold higher in the low-education group than in the intermediate-education and high-education groups (40% vs. 22% and 19%, respectively, p<0.001). Additionally, 10-year recurrent ACS events (fatal and non-fatal) were more common in the low-education group than in the intermediate-education and high-education groups (42% vs. 30% and 35%, p<0.001), and no interactions between sex and education on the investigated outcomes were observed. Moreover, patients in the high-education group were more physically active, had a better financial status, and were less likely to have hypertension, diabetes, or ACS than the participants with the least education (p<0.001); however, when those characteristics and lifestyle habits were accounted for, no moderating effects regarding the relationship of educational status with all-cause mortality and ACS events were observed. A U-shaped association may be proposed for the relationship between ACS prognosis and educational status, with participants in the low-education and high-education groups being negatively affected by other factors (e.g., job stress, depression, or loneliness). Public health policies should be aimed at specific social groups to reduce the overall burden of cardiovascular disease morbidity.

Association between mediterranean diet and non-fatal cardiovascular events, in the context of anxiety and depression disorders: a case/case-control study.

PubMed

Georgousopoulou, Ekavi N; Kastorini, Christina-Maria; Milionis, Haralampos J; Ntziou, Evangelia; Kostapanos, Michael S; Nikolaou, Vassilios; Vemmos, Konstantinos N; Goudevenos, John A; Panagiotakos, Demosthenes B

2014-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the Mediterranean diet on the likelihood of having a non-fatal cardiovascular outcome, taking into account anxiety and depression status. This was a case-control study with individual matching by age and sex. During 2009-2010, 1000 participants were enrolled; 250 were consecutive patients with a first acute coronary syndrome (ACS), 250 were consecutive patients with a first ischemic stroke, and 500 were population-based control subjects, one-for-one matched to the patients by age and sex. Among other characteristics, adherence to the Mediterranean diet was assessed by the MedDietScore, anxiety was assessed with the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory form Y-2, while depressive symptomatology was evaluated by the Zung Depression Rating Scale. Higher adherence to the Mediterranean diet was associated with a lower likelihood of ACS and ischemic stroke, even after adjusting for anxiety or depression (ACS: OR=0.92, 95%CI 0.87-0.98 and 0.93, 0.88-0.98, respectively; ischemic stroke: 0.91, 0.84-0.98 and 0.90, 0.83-0.97, respectively). For both ACS and stroke patients, anxiety and depression were associated with a higher likelihood of ACS and stroke. When stratifying for depression or anxiety status, the Mediterranean diet remained a significantly protective factor only for people with low levels of depression and anxiety for ACS, and only for people with low levels of anxiety, as far as stroke was concerned. Anxiety and depression seem to play a mediating role in the protective relationship between adherence to the Mediterranean diet and the likelihood of developing cardiovascular events.

β-blocker dosage and outcomes after acute coronary syndrome.

PubMed

Allen, Jason E; Knight, Stacey; McCubrey, Raymond O; Bair, Tami; Muhlestein, Joseph Brent; Goldberger, Jeffrey J; Anderson, Jeffrey L

2017-02-01

Although β-blockers increase survival in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients, the doses used in trials were higher than doses used in practice, and recent data do not support an advantage of higher doses. We hypothesized that rates of major adverse cardiac events (MACE), all-cause death, myocardial infarction, and stroke are equivalent for patients on low-dose and high-dose β-blocker. Patients admitted to Intermountain Healthcare with ACS and diagnosed with ≥70% coronary stenosis between 1994 and 2013 were studied (N = 7,834). We classified low dose as ≤25% and high dose as ≥50% of an equivalent daily dose of 200 mg of metoprolol. Multivariate analyses were used to test association between low-dose versus high-dose β-blocker dosage and MACE at 0-6 months and 6-24 months. A total of 5,287 ACS subjects were discharged on β-blockers (87% low dose, 12% high dose, and 1% intermediate dose). The 6-month MACE outcomes rates for the β-blocker dosage (low versus high) were not equivalent (P = .18) (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.76; 95% CI, 0.52-1.10). However, subjects on low-dose β-blocker therapy did have a significantly decreased risk of myocardial infarction for 0-6 months (HR = 0.53; 95% CI, 0.33-0.86). The rates of MACE events during the 6-24 months after presentation with ACS were equivalent for the 2 doses (P = .009; HR = 1.03 [95% CI, 0.70-1.50]). In ACS patients, rates of MACE for high-dose and low-dose β-blocker doses are similar. These findings question the importance of achieving a high dose of β-blocker in ACS patients and highlight the need for further investigation of this clinical question. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Smoking cessation interventions following acute coronary syndrome: a missed opportunity?

PubMed Central

Boggon, Rachael; Timmis, Adam; Hemingway, Harry; Raju, Sunil; Malvestiti, Franco Mondello; Van Staa, Tjeerd P

2015-01-01

Background It is recommended that general practitioners (GPs) offer cessation advice and pharmacological interventions to smokers with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). The study objective was to describe the extent to which this is done, and to describe outcomes by smoking status. Design Patients aged 30+ hospitalised for troponin-positive ACS from 2002 to 2009, discharged home alive, were identified in the Myocardial Ischaemia National Audit Project registry. Patient data were linked to the General Practice Research Database, Hospital Episode Statistics, and Office of National Statistics mortality data, enabling a unique perspective of longitudinal smoking data. Patients who smoked prior to the hospitalisation had GP interventions and quitting status established in the 3 months following discharge, and were followed up for major clinical outcomes. Methods The outcomes evaluated included death, repeat ACS, stroke, heart failure, and major adverse cardiac events (MACE). Results Of the 4834 patients included, 965 (20%) were smokers at the time of their ACS. After the ACS event, only 225 (24%) received any GP smoking intervention within 3 months, with 82 (9%) receiving advice only, and 143 (15%) receiving a pharmacological intervention. Patients who quit (320; 33%) were at a decreased risk of mortality (relative risk (RR) 0.49; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.35–0.69) and MACE (RR 0.61; 0.46–0.80) compared with patients who did not. Conclusions Whilst a high proportion of patients with ACS are smokers, there is a low level of GP cessation intervention following hospital discharge. This missed opportunity of patient care is important given the decreased risk of mortality and MACE found amongst those who quit. PMID:22952289

At the heart of the problem - A person-centred, developmental perspective on the link between alcohol consumption and cardio-vascular events.

PubMed

Lima Passos, Valéria; Klijn, Sven; van Zandvoort, Kevin; Abidi, Latifa; Lemmens, Paul

2017-04-01

The cardio-protective effect of alcohol has been the subject of a long-standing scientific controversy. Emerging evidence remains equivocal, as the validity of the dose-dependent J-shape association is tainted by conceptual, theoretical and methodological problems. A major impediment for a resolution on the matter is the lack of a life-long developmental approach to pinpoint alcohol's specific impact on the risk for cardio-vascular events (CVE). Using retrospective and prospective individual-level data of alcohol consumption (AC) we applied a model-based clustering technique to uncover life-course trajectories of AC and explored their links to CVE. Data stemmed from a random sub-cohort of a large-scale, longitudinal study conducted in the Netherlands (N=2288). Group Based Trajectory Model (GBTM) was applied to extract distinct progressions of AC over time. Stratified by sex, the association between the developmental trajectories and CVE was examined with multiple logistic regression models, with adjustment for traditional risk factors. GBTM analysis laid bare the heterogeneity of AC dynamics over the life-course, reiterating sex differences in drinking habits and CVE risk. AC temporal behaviors during adolescence and adulthood were diverse, but showed relative stability in in middle-age and elderly years. For males, adjusted odds for CVE differed among the uncovered developmental classes. The findings elicited supportive evidence for a J-shape, but with a new twist. Besides moderation the results indicate that onset, timing, duration and stability of AC over the life-course are major aspects to be accounted for when attempting to elucidate alcohol's cardio-vascular role. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Prior chronic clopidogrel therapy is associated with increased adverse events and early stent thrombosis.

PubMed

Asher, Elad; Fefer, Paul; Sabbag, Avi; Herscovici, Romana; Regev, Ehud; Mazin, Israel; Shlomo, Nir; Zahger, Doron; Atar, Shaul; Hammerman, Haim; Polak, Arthur; Beigel, Roy; Matetzky, Shlomi

2016-01-01

Despite the growing use of clopidogrel, limited data exist regarding the prognostic significance of chronic clopidogrel therapy in patients sustaining acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Our aim was to determine whether patients sustaining ACS while on chronic clopidogrel therapy have a worse prognosis than clopidogrel-naïve patients. A total of 5,386 consecutive ACS patients were prospectively characterised and followed-up for 30 days. Of them, 680 (13%) were treated with clopidogrel prior to the index ACS. Major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) were defined as death, recurrent ACS, stroke and/or stent thrombosis. Compared with clopidogrel-naïve, chronic clopidogrel-treated patients were older (66 ± 12 vs 63 ± 13, respectively; p<0.01), suffered more from diabetes mellitus, hypertension, dyslipidaemia, prior cardiovascular history, including prior myocardial infarction, revascularisation, coronary artery bypass graft and stroke (p<0.01 for all), and were less likely to present with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (21% vs 45%; respectively; p < 0.001). Prior clopidogrel therapy was associated with a two-fold increase in in-hospital (1.6% vs 0.6%, respectively; p =0.006) as well as 30-day stent thrombosis (2.2% vs 1.0%, respectively; p=0.007). MACE at 30 days was also higher among chronic clopidogrel-treated compared with clopidogrel-naïve patients [12.3% vs 9.4%, respectively; p<0.01]. In multivariate log regression analysis chronic clopidogrel treatment was an independent predictor of stent thrombosis [OR=2.6 (95%CI 1.2-5.6), p=0.001]. Patients sustaining ACS while on chronic clopidogrel treatment are at higher risk for in-hospital and 30-day adverse outcomes, including stent thrombosis.

Rationale, Design, and Baseline Characteristics of the EPICOR Asia Study (Long-tErm follow-uP of antithrombotic management patterns In Acute CORonary Syndrome patients in Asia).

PubMed

Huo, Yong; Lee, Stephen W-L; Sawhney, Jitendra P S; Kim, Hyo-Soo; Krittayaphong, Rungroj; Nhan, Vo T; Alonso-Garcia, Angeles; Han, Ya Ling; Ge, Junbo; Chin, Chee Tang; Ong, Tiong K; Jan, Stephen; Itoh, Yohji; Vega, Ana Maria; Pocock, Stuart

2015-09-01

In-hospital and postdischarge mortality for acute coronary syndromes (ACS) vary across Asia and remain generally poorer than globally. The relationship between real-life antithrombotic management patterns (AMPs) and ACS-related outcomes in Asia is unclear. EPICOR Asia (Long-tErm follow-uP of antithrombotic management patterns In acute CORonary syndrome patients in Asia) (NCT01361386) is a prospective, multinational, observational study of patients discharged after hospitalization for an ACS, with 2-year follow-up. The aim is to describe short- and long-term (up to 2 years post-index event) AMPs in patients hospitalized for ACS and to record clinical outcomes, healthcare resource use, and self-reported health status. Pre- and in-hospital management, AMPs, and associated outcomes, with particular focus on ischemic and bleeding events, will be recorded during the 2-year follow up. Between June 2011 and May 2012, 13 005 patients were enrolled. From these, 12 922 patients surviving an ACS (6616 with STEMI, 2570 with NSTEMI, and 3736 with UA) were eligible for inclusion from 219 hospitals across 8 countries and regions in Asia: China (n = 8214), Hong Kong (n = 177), India (n = 2468), Malaysia (n = 100), Singapore (n = 93), South Korea (n = 705), Thailand (n = 957), and Vietnam (n = 208). EPICOR Asia will provide information regarding clinical management and AMPs for ACS patients in Asia. Impact of AMPs on clinical outcomes, healthcare resource use, and self-reported health status both during hospitalization and up to 2 years after discharge will also be described. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Commercial grade item (CGI) dedication of MDR relays for nuclear safety related applications

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Das, R.K.; Julka, A.; Modi, G.

1994-08-01

MDR relays manufactured by Potter and Brumfield (P and B) have been used in various safety related applications in commercial nuclear power plants. These include emergency safety features (ESF) actuation systems, emergency core cooling systems (ECCS) actuation, and reactor protection systems. The MDR relays manufactured prior to May 1990 showed signs of generic failure due to corrosion and outgassing of coil varnish. P and B has made design changes to correct these problems in relays manufactured after May 1990. However, P and B does not manufacture the relays under any 10CFR50 Appendix B quality assurance (QA) program. They manufacture themore » relays under their commercial QA program and supply these as commercial grade items. This necessitates CGI Dedication of these relays for use in nuclear-safety-related applications. This paper presents a CGI dedication program that has been used to dedicate the MDR relays manufactured after May 1990. The program is in compliance with current Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) guidelines and applicable industry standards; it specifies the critical characteristics of the relays, provides the tests and analysis required to verify the critical characteristics, the acceptance criteria for the test results, performs source verification to qualify P and B for its control of the critical characteristics, and provides documentation. The program provides reasonable assurance that the new MDR relays will perform their intended safety functions.« less

Novel Material Integration for Reliable and Energy-Efficient NEM Relay Technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, I.-Ru

Energy-efficient switching devices have become ever more important with the emergence of ubiquitous computing. NEM relays are promising to complement CMOS transistors as circuit building blocks for future ultra-low-power information processing, and as such have recently attracted significant attention from the semiconductor industry and researchers. Relay technology potentially can overcome the energy efficiency limit for conventional CMOS technology due to several key characteristics, including zero OFF-state leakage, abrupt switching behavior, and potentially very low active energy consumption. However, two key issues must be addressed for relay technology to reach its full potential: surface oxide formation at the contacting surfaces leading to increased ON-state resistance after switching, and high switching voltages due to strain gradient present within the relay structure. This dissertation advances NEM relay technology by investigating solutions to both of these pressing issues. Ruthenium, whose native oxide is conductive, is proposed as the contacting material to improve relay ON-state resistance stability. Ruthenium-contact relays are fabricated after overcoming several process integration challenges, and show superior ON-state resistance stability in electrical measurements and extended device lifetime. The relay structural film is optimized via stress matching among all layers within the structure, to provide lower strain gradient (below 10E-3/microm -1) and hence lower switching voltage. These advancements in relay technology, along with the integration of a metallic interconnect layer, enable complex relay-based circuit demonstration. In addition to the experimental efforts, this dissertation theoretically analyzes the energy efficiency limit of a NEM switch, which is generally believed to be limited by the surface adhesion energy. New compact (<1 microm2 footprint), low-voltage (<0.1 V) switch designs are proposed to overcome this limit. The results pave a pathway to scaled energy-efficient electronic device technology.

Changing beliefs about past public events with believable and unbelievable doctored photographs.

PubMed

Nash, Robert A

2018-04-01

Doctored photographs can shape what people believe and remember about prominent public events, perhaps due to their apparent credibility. In three studies, subjects completed surveys about the 2012 London Olympic torch relay (Experiment 1) or the 2011 Royal Wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton (Experiments 2-3). Some were shown a genuine photo of the event; others saw a doctored photo that depicted protesters and unrest. A third group of subjects saw a doctored photo whose inauthenticity had been made explicit, either by adding a written disclaimer (Experiment 1) or by making the digital manipulation deliberately poor (Experiments 2-3). In all three studies, doctored photos had small effects on a subset of subjects' beliefs about the events. Of central interest though, comparable effects also emerged when the photos were overtly inauthentic. These findings suggest that cognitive mechanisms other than credibility - such as familiarity misattribution and mental imagery - can rapidly influence beliefs about past events even when the low credibility of a source is overt.

Three 1-Aminocyclopropane-1-Carboxylate Synthase Genes Regulated by Primary and Secondary Pollination Signals in Orchid Flowers1

PubMed Central

Bui, Anhthu Q.; Neill, Sharman D. O'

1998-01-01

The temporal and spatial expression patterns of three 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) synthase genes were investigated in pollinated orchid (Phalaenopsis spp.) flowers. Pollination signals initiate a cascade of development events in multiple floral organs, including the induction of ethylene biosynthesis, which coordinates several postpollination developmental responses. The initiation and propagation of ethylene biosynthesis is regulated by the coordinated expression of three distinct ACC synthase genes in orchid flowers. One ACC synthase gene (Phal-ACS1) is regulated by ethylene and participates in amplification and interorgan transmission of the pollination signal, as we have previously described in a related orchid genus. Two additional ACC synthase genes (Phal-ACS2 and Phal-ACS3) are expressed primarily in the stigma and ovary of pollinated orchid flowers. Phal-ACS2 mRNA accumulated in the stigma within 1 h after pollination, whereas Phal-ACS1 mRNA was not detected until 6 h after pollination. Similar to the expression of Phal-ACS2, the Phal-ACS3 gene was expressed within 2 h after pollination in the ovary. Exogenous application of auxin, but not ACC, mimicked pollination by stimulating a rapid increase in ACC synthase activity in the stigma and ovary and inducing Phal-ACS2 and Phal-ACS3 mRNA accumulation in the stigma and ovary, respectively. These results provide the basis for an expanded model of interorgan regulation of three ACC synthase genes that respond to both primary (Phal-ACS2 and Phal-ACS3) and secondary (Phal-ACS1) pollination signals. PMID:9449850

High salinity relay as a post-harvest processing method for reducing Vibrio vulnificus levels in oysters (Crassostrea virginica).

PubMed

Audemard, Corinne; Kator, Howard I; Reece, Kimberly S

2018-08-20

High salinity relay of Eastern oysters (Crassostrea virginica) was evaluated as a post-harvest processing (PHP) method for reducing Vibrio vulnificus. This approach relies on the exposure of oysters to natural high salinity waters and preserves a live product compared to previously approved PHPs. Although results of prior studies evaluating high salinity relay as a means to decrease V. vulnificus levels were promising, validation of this method as a PHP following approved guidelines is required. This study was designed to provide data for validation of this method following Food and Drug Administration (FDA) PHP validation guidelines. During each of 3 relay experiments, oysters cultured from 3 different Chesapeake Bay sites of contrasting salinities (10-21 psu) were relayed without acclimation to high salinity waters (31-33 psu) for up to 28 days. Densities of V. vulnificus and densities of total and pathogenic Vibrio parahaemolyticus (as tdh positive strains) were measured using an MPN-quantitative PCR approach. Overall, 9 lots of oysters were relayed with 6 exhibiting initial V. vulnificus >10,000/g. As recommended by the FDA PHP validation guidelines, these lots reached both the 3.52 log reduction and the <30 MPN/g densities requirements for V. vulnificus after 14 to 28 days of relay. Densities of total and pathogenic V. parahaemolyticus in relayed oysters were significantly lower than densities at the sites of origin suggesting an additional benefit associated with high salinity relay. While relay did not have a detrimental effect on oyster condition, oyster mortality levels ranged from 2 to 61% after 28 days of relay. Although the identification of the factors implicated in oyster mortality will require further examination, this study strongly supports the validation of high salinity relay as an effective PHP method to reduce levels of V. vulnificus in oysters to endpoint levels approved for human consumption. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Varying Success of Relaying To Reduce Vibrio parahaemolyticus Levels in Oysters ( Crassostrea virginica).

PubMed

Taylor, Michael A; Yu, Jong W; Howell, Thomas L; Jones, Stephen H

2018-04-01

Vibrio parahaemolyticus is the leading cause of seafood-borne human infections in the United States, and many of these illnesses are associated with consumption of raw molluscan shellfish. V. parahaemolyticus levels in shellfish vary temporally and spatially with environmental conditions in and around production areas. The objective of this study was to study the potential for reducing levels of V. parahaemolyticus in live oysters by relaying them during higher-risk warm weather to a site with elevated salinity and consistently low V. parahaemolyticus levels. The effectiveness of relaying was assessed by analyzing oyster samples collected on days 0, 2, 7, 10, and 14 for V. parahaemolyticus levels using a three-tube most-probable-number enrichment method in conjunction with genetic marker-based quantitative PCR. The salinity at the relay site was always higher than the salinity at the harvest site, with the difference between the two sites ranging from 3.4 to 19.1 ppt (average, 12 ppt) during 2011 to 2014. Oysters relayed during June, July, and August in 2011 and 2012 showed consistently reduced V. parahaemolyticus levels after 14 days, whereas relaying was less successful and V. parahaemolyticus populations changed to include trh-positive strains during 2013. When effective, relay required at least 10 days to reduce V. parahaemolyticus levels. A sample of oysters collected in August 2012, which was temperature abused to increase initial V. parahaemolyticus levels, showed a 4.5-log decrease in V. parahaemolyticus levels after 14 days of relay. These results suggest that relaying oysters to reduce V. parahaemolyticus levels holds promise, but that both microbial community and environmental conditions at relay sites can affect relay success. Further investigation to discover key factors that affect V. parahaemolyticus levels in relayed oysters may aid in developing a consistent approach for reducing V. parahaemolyticus in oysters to eliminate the risk of illness for oyster consumers.

Impact of TCFA on Unanticipated Ischemic Events in Medically Treated Diabetes Mellitus: Insights From the PROSPECT Study.

PubMed

Kedhi, Elvin; Kennedy, Mark W; Maehara, Akiko; Lansky, Alexandra J; McAndrew, Thomas C; Marso, Steven P; De Bruyne, Bernard; Serruys, Patrick W; Stone, Gregg W

2017-04-01

This study sought to investigate the relationship between thin-cap fibroatheromas (TCFAs) on major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) arising from medically treated nonculprit lesions (NCLs) in patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) with and without diabetes mellitus (DM). MACEs occur frequently in patients with DM and ACS. The impact of plaque composition on subsequent MACEs in DM patients with ACS is unknown. In the PROSPECT (Providing Regional Observations Study Predictors of Events in the Coronary Tree) study, using 3-vessel radiofrequency intravascular ultrasound, we analyzed the incidence of NCL-MACE in 2 propensity-matched groups according to the presence of DM and TCFA. Among 697 patients, 119 (17.7%) had DM. The 3-year total MACE rate (29.4% vs. 18.8%; p = 0.01) was significantly higher in patients with versus without DM, driven by a higher rate of NCL-MACE in DM (18.7% vs. 10.4%; p = 0.02). Propensity score matching generated 2 balanced groups with and without DM of 82 patients each. Among DM patients, the presence of ≥1 TCFA was associated with higher NCL-MACE at 3 years (27.8% vs. 8.9% in patients without a TCFA, hazard ratio: 3.56; 95% confidence interval: 0.98 to 12.96; p = 0.04). DM patients without a TCFA had a similar 3-year rate of NCL-MACE as patients without DM (8.9% vs. 8.9%; hazard ratio: 1.09; 95% confidence interval: 0.27 to 4.41; p = 0.90). ACS patients with DM and ≥1 TCFA have a high rate of NCL-MACE at 3 years. In contrast, the prognosis of ACS patients with DM but no TCFAs is favorable and similar to patients without DM. Copyright © 2017 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Implications of behavioral pharmacology research for applied behavior analyses: JEAB's special issue celebrating the contributions of Joseph V. Brady (March 1994).

PubMed Central

Kirby, K C; Bickel, W K

1995-01-01

We review four articles from JEAB's March 1994 issue celebrating the contributions of Joseph V. Brady. These articles have implications for studying private events and for studying multiple operants. We suggest that regularly including self-reports about private events in behavioral pharmacological research has resulted in an accumulated knowledge that has facilitated examination of interesting relations among self-reports, environmental factors, and other observable behaviors. Methodological lessons that behavioral pharmacologists have learned regarding the study of multiple operants are also relayed. We provide examples of how these lessons could be useful to applied behavior analysts studying nonpharmacological issues. PMID:7706145

75 FR 54040 - Telecommunications Relay Services and Speech-to-Speech Services for Individuals With Hearing and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-09-03

... Services (TRS) mandatory minimum standards for Video Relay Service (VRS) and Internet Protocol Relay (IP... waivers for one year because the record demonstrates that it is technologically infeasible for VRS and IP... standards for VRS and IP Relay will expire on July 1, 2011, or until the Commission addresses pending...

47 CFR 64.606 - VRS and IP Relay provider and TRS program certification.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false VRS and IP Relay provider and TRS program... Services and Related Customer Premises Equipment for Persons With Disabilities § 64.606 VRS and IP Relay... including notification in the Federal Register. (2) VRS and IP Relay provider. Any entity desiring to...

49 CFR 236.206 - Battery or power supply with respect to relay; location.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 49 Transportation 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Battery or power supply with respect to relay..., AND APPLIANCES Automatic Block Signal Systems Standards § 236.206 Battery or power supply with respect to relay; location. The battery or power supply for each signal control relay circuit, where an open...

49 CFR 236.206 - Battery or power supply with respect to relay; location.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 49 Transportation 4 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Battery or power supply with respect to relay..., AND APPLIANCES Automatic Block Signal Systems Standards § 236.206 Battery or power supply with respect to relay; location. The battery or power supply for each signal control relay circuit, where an open...

49 CFR 236.206 - Battery or power supply with respect to relay; location.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 49 Transportation 4 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Battery or power supply with respect to relay..., AND APPLIANCES Automatic Block Signal Systems Standards § 236.206 Battery or power supply with respect to relay; location. The battery or power supply for each signal control relay circuit, where an open...

49 CFR 236.206 - Battery or power supply with respect to relay; location.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 49 Transportation 4 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Battery or power supply with respect to relay..., AND APPLIANCES Automatic Block Signal Systems Standards § 236.206 Battery or power supply with respect to relay; location. The battery or power supply for each signal control relay circuit, where an open...

49 CFR 236.206 - Battery or power supply with respect to relay; location.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 49 Transportation 4 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Battery or power supply with respect to relay..., AND APPLIANCES Automatic Block Signal Systems Standards § 236.206 Battery or power supply with respect to relay; location. The battery or power supply for each signal control relay circuit, where an open...

Relay Sequence Generation Software

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gladden, Roy E.; Khanampompan, Teerapat

2009-01-01

Due to thermal and electromagnetic interactivity between the UHF (ultrahigh frequency) radio onboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO), which performs relay sessions with the Martian landers, and the remainder of the MRO payloads, it is required to integrate and de-conflict relay sessions with the MRO science plan. The MRO relay SASF/PTF (spacecraft activity sequence file/ payload target file) generation software facilitates this process by generating a PTF that is needed to integrate the periods of time during which MRO supports relay activities with the rest of the MRO science plans. The software also generates the needed command products that initiate the relay sessions, some features of which are provided by the lander team, some are managed by MRO internally, and some being derived.

Consensus Document ANMCO/ANCE/ARCA/GICR-IACPR/GISE/SICOA: Long-term Antiplatelet Therapy in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease

PubMed Central

Gulizia, Michele Massimo; Colivicchi, Furio; Abrignani, Maurizio Giuseppe; Ambrosetti, Marco; Aspromonte, Nadia; Barile, Gabriella; Caporale, Roberto; Casolo, Giancarlo; Chiuini, Emilia; Di Lenarda, Andrea; Faggiano, Pompilio; Gabrielli, Domenico; Geraci, Giovanna; La Manna, Alessio Gaetano; Maggioni, Aldo Pietro; Marchese, Alfredo; Massari, Ferdinando Maria; Mureddu, Gian Francesco; Musumeci, Giuseppe; Nardi, Federico; Panno, Antonio Vittorio; Pedretti, Roberto Franco Enrico; Piredda, Massimo; Pusineri, Enrico; Riccio, Carmine; Rossini, Roberta; di Uccio, Fortunato Scotto; Urbinati, Stefano; Varbella, Ferdinando; Zito, Giovanni Battista; De Luca, Leonardo; Cappelletti, Alberto Maria; Casu, Gavino; Di Pasquale, Giuseppe; Di Tano, Giuseppe; Domenicucci, Stefano; Francese, Giuseppina Maura; Fresco, Claudio; Gensini, Gian Franco; Rovere, Maria Teresa La; Lucà, Fabiana; Mauro, Ciro; Murrone, Adriano; Rubboli, Andrea; Russo, Maria Giovanna; Santomauro, Maurizio; Tamburino, Corrado; Tarantini, Giuseppe; Vairo, Ugo; Zuin, Guerrino; Abrignani, Maurizio Giuseppe; Ambrosetti, Marco; Amico, Antonio Francesco; Aspromonte, Nadia; Aulitto, Vincenzo; Barile, Gabriella; Calculli, Giacinto; Caldarola, Pasquale; Caporale, Roberto; Cappelletti, Alberto Maria; Carbonaro, Alessandro; Casolo, Giancarlo; Casu, Gavino; Cavallini, Claudio; Chiuini, Emilia; Colivicchi, Furio; De Luca, Leonardo; Di Lenarda, Andrea; Di Pasquale, Giuseppe; Di Tano, Giuseppe; Domenicucci, Stefano; Faggiano, Pompilio; Francese, Giuseppina Maura; Fresco, Claudio; Gabrielli, Domenico; Gensini, Gian Franco; Geraci, Giovanna; Gesualdo, Loreto; Giubilato, Simona; Gulizia, Michele Massimo; La Manna, Alessio Gaetano; La Rovere, Maria Teresa; Lucà, Fabiana; Maggioni, Aldo Pietro; Marchese, Alfredo; Massari, Ferdinando Maria; Mauro, Ciro; Menozzi, Alberto; Mureddu, Gian Francesco; Murrone, Adriano; Musumeci, Giuseppe; Nardi, Federico; Noussan, Patrizia; Panno, Antonio Vittorio; Parodi, Guido; Pedretti, Roberto Franco Enrico; Perna, Gian Piero; Piredda, Massimo; Pusineri, Enrico; Riccio, Carmine; Rossini, Roberta; Rubboli, Andrea; Russo, Maria Giovanna; Saia, F; Santomauro, Maurizio; Scherillo, Marino; Scorcu, Giampaolo; di Uccio, Fortunato Scotto; Tamburino, Corrado; Tarantini, Giuseppe; Urbinati, Stefano; Vairo, Ugo; Varbella, Ferdinando; Zito, Giovanni Battista; Zuin, Guerrino

2018-01-01

Abstract Dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) with aspirin and a P2Y12 receptor inhibitor is the cornerstone of pharmacologic management of patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and/or those receiving coronary stents. Long-term (>1 year) DAPT may further reduce the risk of stent thrombosis after a percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and may decrease the occurrence of non-stent-related ischaemic events in patients with ACS. Nevertheless, compared with aspirin alone, extended use of aspirin plus a P2Y12 receptor inhibitor may increase the risk of bleeding events that have been strongly linked to adverse outcomes including recurrent ischaemia, repeat hospitalisation and death. In the past years, multiple randomised trials have been published comparing the duration of DAPT after PCI and in ACS patients, investigating either a shorter or prolonged DAPT regimen. Although the current European Society of Cardiology guidelines provide a backup to individualised treatment, it appears to be difficult to identify the ideal patient profile which could safely reduce or prolong the DAPT duration in daily clinical practice. The aim of this consensus document is to review contemporary literature on optimal DAPT duration, and to guide clinicians in tailoring antiplatelet strategies in patients undergoing PCI or presenting with ACS. PMID:29867293

Long-term prognostic impact of the attenuated plaque in patients with acute coronary syndrome.

PubMed

Okura, Hiroyuki; Kataoka, Toru; Yoshiyama, Minoru; Yoshikawa, Junichi; Yoshida, Kiyoshi

2016-01-01

Several intravascular ultrasound studies have reported that culprit lesion-attenuated plaque (AP) is related to slow flow/no reflow after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Long-term prognostic impact of the AP is unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate acute and long-term clinical impact of the AP in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). A total of 110 ACS patients who underwent successful PCI were enrolled. Acute and long-term clinical outcomes were compared between patients with AP (AP group: n = 73) and those without AP (non-AP group: n = 37). Long-term cardiac event was defined as a composite of death and ACS. Baseline characteristics in 2 groups were similar. AP was associated with higher TIMI frame count immediately after the first balloon inflation. After thrombectomy and intracoronary drug administration, final TIMI frame count became similar between AP and non-AP group. Although AP was associated with higher incidence of fatal arrhythmia during hospitalization, in-hospital mortality did not differ between the 2 groups. During follow-up (median 6.2 years), cardiac event-free survival did not differ between the 2 groups. Despite the initial unfavorable effect on coronary reflow, presence of AP did not affect acute as well as long-term clinical outcome in patients with ACS.

Effect of thrombocytopenia on outcomes following treatment with either enoxaparin or unfractionated heparin in patients presenting with acute coronary syndromes.

PubMed

Yeh, Robert W; Wiviott, Stephen D; Giugliano, Robert P; Morrow, David A; Shui, Amy; Qin, Jie; Scirica, Benjamin; Bradner, James E; Jang, Ik-Kyung; Gibson, C Michael; Antman, Elliott M

2007-12-15

Thrombocytopenia is associated with an increased risk for adverse cardiac events and bleeding in patients presenting with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) treated with unfractionated heparin (UFH). Enoxaparin has been shown to improve outcomes in ACS; however, its effect on the development of thrombocytopenia in this population is not well documented. This study was conducted to examine the incidence and clinical importance of thrombocytopenia in patients presenting with non-ST-elevation ACS randomized to treatment with enoxaparin or UFH. Thrombocytopenia was defined as a platelet count <100 x 10(9)/L or a >50% decrease from baseline. Thrombocytopenia developed in a total of 93 of 3,910 patients during the follow-up period of 14 days; the incidence was similar between study arms. The development of thrombocytopenia was associated with more frequent death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, and urgent revascularization during the study period (odds ratio 2.96, p = 0.001). This association was independent of assignment to treatment with enoxaparin or UFH (p for interaction = 0.47). Major bleeding was also more common in patients with thrombocytopenia regardless of treatment. In conclusion, thrombocytopenia is a significant correlate of adverse events in patients presenting with non-ST-elevation ACS treated with either enoxaparin or UFH.

[Effect of drug interaction between clopidogrel and omeprazole in hospital readmision of patients by a recurrent acute coronary syndrome: a case-control study].

PubMed

Amariles, Pedro; Holguín, Héctor; Angulo, Nancy Yaneth; Betancourth, Piedad Maria; Ceballos, Mauricio

2014-10-01

To evaluate the effect of drug interaction between omeprazol and clopidogrel in hospital readmission of patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Case-control study. University Clinic LeonXIII, Medellin, Colombia. We selected from a prevalent population, between 2009-2010, use of clopidogrel patients on an outpatient basis (less than one year and more than 30days), and hospital stay for ACS or the presence of a previous ACS. A case-patient was defined as one who had a recurrence of ACS and a patient-control is defined as one that no recurrence of ACS. Both groups used ambulatory prior clopidogrel due to ACS. As defined risk factor the joint use of omeprazole and clopidogrel outpatients. During the study, 1680patients clopidogrel formulated. This group identified 50cases readmitted with ACS and 76controls. No statistically significant association was found between use of clopidogrel-omeprazole and increased risk of hospital readmission for ACS (OR: 1.05; 95%CI: 0.516-2.152; P=.8851). In this small group of patients with previous SCA, the simultaneous use of clopidogrel with omeprazole does not increase the risk of a readmission by recurrence of this type of coronary event. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Longitudinal Impact of the Smoking Ban Legislation in Acute Coronary Syndrome Admissions.

PubMed

Abreu, D; Sousa, P; Matias-Dias, C; Pinto, F J

2017-01-01

Background and Purpose . The association between smoking and CV has been proved; however smoking is still the first preventable cause of death in the EU. We aim to evaluate the potential impact of the smoke ban on the number of ACS events in the Portuguese population. In addition, we evaluate the longitudinal effects of the smoking ban several years after its implementation. Methods . We analyzed the admission rate for ACS before and after the ban using data from hospital admission. Monthly crude rate was computed, using the Portuguese population as the denominator. Data concerning the proportion of smokers among ACS patients were obtained from the NRACS. Interrupted time series were used to assess changes over time. Results . A decline of -5.8% was found for ACS crude rate after the smoking ban. The decreasing trend was observed even after years since the law. The effect of the ban was higher in men and for people over 65 years. The most significant reduction of ACS rate was found in Lisbon. Conclusions . Our results suggest that smoking ban is related to a decline in ACS admissions, supporting the importance of smoke legislation as a public health measure, contributing to the reduction of ACS rate.

Anticoagulants for secondary prevention after acute myocardial infarction: lessons from the past decade.

PubMed

Atar, Dan; Bode, Christoph; Stuerzenbecher, André; Verheugt, Freek W A

2014-08-01

The impact of an acute coronary syndrome (ACS) event, such as an acute myocardial infarction (MI), is not limited to the acute management phase; patients face an elevated risk of residual atherothrombotic events that commonly requires chronic management for months or even years. Significant advances have been made in both the acute and chronic management of patients with acute MI over the past decade, resulting in improved prognoses. One of the hallmarks of modern treatment strategies is more aggressive antiplatelet treatment regimens. However, the risks of further ACS events, stroke and premature death remain elevated in these patients, and addressing this residual risk is challenging owing to interpatient variability, differences in management strategies between centres and countries, incomplete understanding of the specific pathophysiology of post-ACS thrombosis and limitations of current therapeutic approaches. The recent approval in Europe of the direct oral anticoagulant rivaroxaban for use in this setting in combination with clopidogrel and acetylsalicylic acid offers another strategy to consider in the management of these patients, and clinical strategies in this area continue to evolve. In this review, we chart the progress made over the past decade in reducing the burden of secondary thromboembolic events after acute MI and discuss the current position of and future perspectives on the inclusion of oral anticoagulants into care pathways in this setting. © 2014 The Authors. Fundamental & Clinical Pharmacology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Société Française de Pharmacologie et de Thérapeutique.

A radio counterpart to a neutron star merger

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hallinan, G.; Corsi, A.; Mooley, K. P.; Hotokezaka, K.; Nakar, E.; Kasliwal, M. M.; Kaplan, D. L.; Frail, D. A.; Myers, S. T.; Murphy, T.; De, K.; Dobie, D.; Allison, J. R.; Bannister, K. W.; Bhalerao, V.; Chandra, P.; Clarke, T. E.; Giacintucci, S.; Ho, A. Y. Q.; Horesh, A.; Kassim, N. E.; Kulkarni, S. R.; Lenc, E.; Lockman, F. J.; Lynch, C.; Nichols, D.; Nissanke, S.; Palliyaguru, N.; Peters, W. M.; Piran, T.; Rana, J.; Sadler, E. M.; Singer, L. P.

2017-12-01

The gravitational wave event GW170817 was caused by the merger of two neutron stars (see the Introduction by Smith). In three papers, teams associated with the GROWTH (Global Relay of Observatories Watching Transients Happen) project present their observations of the event at wavelengths from x-rays to radio waves. Evans et al. used space telescopes to detect GW170817 in the ultraviolet and place limits on its x-ray flux, showing that the merger generated a hot explosion known as a blue kilonova. Hallinan et al. describe radio emissions generated as the explosion slammed into the surrounding gas within the host galaxy. Kasliwal et al. present additional observations in the optical and infrared and formulate a model for the event involving a cocoon of material expanding at close to the speed of light, matching the data at all observed wavelengths.

Availability of highly sensitive troponin assays and acute coronary syndrome care: insights from the SNAPSHOT registry.

PubMed

Cullen, Louise; French, John K; Briffa, Tom G; Redfern, Julie; Hammett, Christopher J K; Brieger, David B; Parsonage, William A; Lefkovits, Jeffrey; Ellis, Chris; Astley, Carolyn; Howell, Tegwen Eleanor; Elliott, John M; Chew, Derek P B

2015-01-19

To examine differences in care and inhospital course of patients with possible acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in Australia and New Zealand based on whether a highly sensitive (hs) troponin assay was used at the hospital to which they presented. A snapshot study of consecutive patients presenting to hospitals in Australia and New Zealand from 14 to 27 May 2012 with possible ACS. Rates of major adverse cardiac events (inhospital death, new or recurrent myocardial infarction, stroke, cardiac arrest or worsening heart failure); association between assay type and outcome (via propensity score matching and a generalised estimating equation [GEE]; averages of the predicted outcomes among patients who were treated with and without the availability of an hs assay (via inverse probability-weighting [IPW] with regression-adjusted estimators). 4371 patients with possible ACS were admitted to 283 hospitals. Over half of the hospitals (156 [55%]) reported using the hs assay and most patients (2624 [60%]) had hs tests (P = 0.004). Use of the hs assay was independent of hospital coronary revascularisation capability. Patients tested with the hs assay had more non-invasive investigations (exercise tests, stress echocardiography, stress nuclear scans, and computed tomography coronary angiography) than those tested with the sensitive assay. However, there were no differences between the groups in rates of angiography or revascularisation. All adjusted analyses showed a consistently lower rate of inhospital events, including recurrent heart failure in patients for whom the hs assay was used (GEE odds ratio, 0.75; 95% CI, 0.60-0.94; P = 0.014); IPW analysis showed a 2.3% absolute reduction in these events with the use of the hs assay (P = 0.018). Use of hs troponin testing of patients hospitalised with possible ACS was associated with an increased rate of non-invasive cardiac investigations and fewer inhospital adverse events.

Gastrointestinal bleeding and subsequent risk of thromboembolic events during support with a left ventricular assist device.

PubMed

Stulak, John M; Lee, Dustin; Haft, Jonathon W; Romano, Matthew A; Cowger, Jennifer A; Park, Soon J; Aaronson, Keith D; Pagani, Francis D

2014-01-01

Modern left ventricular assist devices (LVAD) require anti-coagulation (AC) with warfarin and anti-platelet therapy to prevent thromboembolic complications in patients. Gastrointestinal bleeding (GI) is a significant adverse event in these patients and treatment typically requires reduction or elimination of AC or anti-platelet therapy. It is not known whether alterations in AC to treat GI bleeding influence subsequent risk of thromboembolic (TE) events during LVAD support. Between July 2003 and September 2011, 389 patients (308 male) underwent implantation of a continuous-flow LVAD at the University of Michigan Health System and the Mayo Clinic. Median age at implant was 60 years (range 18 to 79 years). Outcomes were analyzed for the association of GI bleeding events and subsequent TE events, defined as stroke, transient ischemic attack, hemolysis or suspected or confirmed pump thrombosis. Median survival was 10 months (maximum 7.2 years, total 439 patient-years). TE events occurring within the first 30 days were not counted. Overall survival and freedom from an outcome event were assessed using the Kaplan-Meier method. Associations between GI bleeding and subsequent TE events and survival impact were analyzed as time-dependent covariates. One hundred ninety-nine GI bleeding episodes occurred in 116 of 389 patients (30%) for an event rate of 0.45 GI bleed/patient-year of support. One hundred thirty-eight TE events occurred in 97 of 389 patients (25%) for an event rate of 0.31 TE event/patient-year of support. Median time from LVAD implant to first GI bleed was 5 months (range 1 to 116 months) and to first TE event was 6 months (range 1 to 29 months). For patients who had a TE event after GI bleed, the median interval was 5 months (range 0.5 to 25 months). TE events were 7.4-fold more likely in patients who had a prior GI bleed (range 4.9- to 11.1-fold) (p < 0.001); however, neither the presence of GI bleeding (0.7 to 1.2) nor a TE event (0.8 to 2.0) portended a lower overall survival. Patients who had GI bleeding were at significantly higher risk for a subsequent TE event. Although the exact cause of this relationship is unknown, it suggests that a reduction in anti-coagulation and anti-platelet management to treat GI bleeds may contribute to this risk. Copyright © 2014 International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Protection of Renewable-dominated Microgrids: Challenges and Potential Solutions.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Elkhatib, Mohamed; Ellis, Abraham; Milan Biswal

keywords : Microgrid Protection, Impedance Relay, Signal Processing-based Fault Detec- tion, Networked Microgrids, Communication-Assisted Protection In this report we address the challenge of designing efficient protection system for inverter- dominated microgrids. These microgrids are characterised with limited fault current capacity as a result of current-limiting protection functions of inverters. Typically, inverters limit their fault contribution in sub-cycle time frame to as low as 1.1 per unit. As a result, overcurrent protection could fail completely to detect faults in inverter-dominated microgrids. As part of this project a detailed literature survey of existing and proposed microgrid protection schemes were conducted. The surveymore » concluded that there is a gap in the available microgrid protection methods. The only credible protection solution available in literature for low- fault inverter-dominated microgrids is the differential protection scheme which represents a robust transmission-grade protection solution but at a very high cost. Two non-overcurrent protection schemes were investigated as part of this project; impedance-based protection and transient-based protection. Impedance-based protection depends on monitoring impedance trajectories at feeder relays to detect faults. Two communication-based impedance-based protection schemes were developed. the first scheme utilizes directional elements and pilot signals to locate the fault. The second scheme depends on a Central Protection Unit that communicates with all feeder relays to locate the fault based on directional flags received from feeder relays. The later approach could potentially be adapted to protect networked microgrids and dynamic topology microgrids. Transient-based protection relies on analyzing high frequency transients to detect and locate faults. This approach is very promising but its implementation in the filed faces several challenges. For example, high frequency transients due to faults can be confused with transients due to other events such as capacitor switching. Additionally, while detecting faults by analyzing transients could be doable, locating faults based on analyzing transients is still an open question.« less

Deaths Due to Accidental Air Conditioner Compressor Explosion: A Case Series.

PubMed

Behera, Chittaranjan; Bodwal, Jatin; Sikary, Asit K; Chauhan, Mohit Singh; Bijarnia, Manjul

2017-01-01

In an air-conditioning system, the compressor is a large electric pump that pressurizes the refrigerant gas as part of the process of turning it back into a liquid. The explosion of an air conditioner (AC) compressor is an uncommon event, and immediate death resulted from the blast effect is not reported in forensic literature. We report three such cases in which young AC mechanics were killed on the spot due to compressor blast, while repairing the domestic split AC unit. The autopsy findings, the circumstances leading to the explosion of the compressor, are discussed in this study. © 2016 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Multiantenna Relay Beamforming Design for QoS Discrimination in Two-Way Relay Networks

PubMed Central

Xiong, Ke; Zhang, Yu; Li, Dandan; Zhong, Zhangdui

2013-01-01

This paper investigates the relay beamforming design for quality of service (QoS) discrimination in two-way relay networks. The purpose is to keep legitimate two-way relay users exchange their information via a helping multiantenna relay with QoS guarantee while avoiding the exchanged information overhearing by unauthorized receiver. To this end, we propose a physical layer method, where the relay beamforming is jointly designed with artificial noise (AN) which is used to interfere in the unauthorized user's reception. We formulate the joint beamforming and AN (BFA) design into an optimization problem such that the received signal-to-interference-ratio (SINR) at the two legitimate users is over a predefined QoS threshold while limiting the received SINR at the unauthorized user which is under a certain secure threshold. The objective of the optimization problem is to seek the optimal AN and beamforming vectors to minimize the total power consumed by the relay node. Since the optimization problem is nonconvex, we solve it by using semidefinite program (SDP) relaxation. For comparison, we also study the optimal relay beamforming without using AN (BFO) under the same QoS discrimination constraints. Simulation results show that both the proposed BFA and BFO can achieve the QoS discrimination of the two-way transmission. However, the proposed BFA yields significant power savings and lower infeasible rates compared with the BFO method. PMID:24391459

Implementation of a Relay Coordination System for the Mars Network

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Allard, Daniel A.

2010-01-01

Mars network relay operations involve the coordination of lander and orbiter teams through long-term and short-term planning, tactical changes and post-pass analysis. Much of this coordination is managed through email traffic and point-to-point file data exchanges. It is often difficult to construct a complete and accurate picture of the relay situation at any given moment, as there is no centralized store of correlated relay data. The Mars Relay Operations Service (MaROS) is being implemented to address the problem of relay coordination for current and next-generation relay missions. The service is provided for the purpose of coordinating communications sessions between landed spacecraft assets and orbiting spacecraft assets at Mars. The service centralizes a set of functions previously distributed across multiple spacecraft operations teams, and as such greatly improves visibility into the end-to-end strategic coordination process. Most of the process revolves around the scheduling of communications sessions between the spacecraft during periods of time when a landed asset on Mars is geometrically visible by an orbiting spacecraft. These "relay" sessions are used to transfer data both to and from the landed asset via the orbiting asset on behalf of Earth-based spacecraft operators. This paper will discuss the relay coordination problem space, overview the architecture and design selected to meet system requirements, and describe the first phase of system implementation

Neighborhood matters: the impact of Hispanic ethnic density on future depressive symptoms 1-year following an ACS event among Hispanic patients.

PubMed

Denton, Ellen-Ge D; Shaffer, Jonathan A; Alcantara, Carmela; Cadermil, Esteban

2016-02-01

The Ethnic Density hypothesis posits that living around others from similar ethnic backgrounds reduces the risk of adverse mental health outcomes such as depression. Contrary to this hypothesis, previous work has shown that Hispanic ethnic density is cross-sectionally associated with increased depressive symptom severity among patients hospitalized with an acute coronary syndrome (ACS; myocardial infarction or unstable angina pectoris). To date, no study has examined the prospective association of Hispanic ethnic density on long-term depressive symptom severity following an acute medical event. We prospectively assessed the impact of Hispanic ethnic density on depressive symptoms, 1-year following an ACS event, among Hispanic adult patients. We tested the non-linear association between ethnic density and depressive symptoms to account for inconsistent findings on the ethnic density hypothesis. At the time of an index ACS event (i.e., baseline, N = 326) and 1-year later (N = 252), Hispanic patients from the Prescription Usage, Lifestyle, and Stress Evaluation prospective cohort study completed the Beck Depression Inventory as a measure of depressive symptom severity. Hispanic ethnic density was defined by the percentage of Hispanic residents within each patient's census tract using data extracted from the American Community Survey Census (2010-2013). Covariates included baseline demographic factors (age, gender, English fluency, education, nativity status), cardiovascular factors (Charlson comorbidity index, left ventricular ejection fraction, Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events 6-month prognostic risk score), and neighborhood factors (residential density, income, and percentage of households receiving public assistance). In an adjusted multivariable linear regression analysis there was a significant curvilinear association between Hispanic ethnic density and depressive symptom severity at 1 year. As Hispanic ethnic density increased from low to moderate density, there was an increase in depressive symptoms, but depressive symptoms slightly declined in census tracts with the highest density of Hispanics. Furthermore, gender significantly moderated the relation between Hispanic ethnic density and 1-year depressive symptom severity, such that Hispanic ethnic density was significantly associated with increased depressive symptom severity for female Hispanic patients with ACS, but not for male Hispanic patients. Previous research suggests that ethnic density may be protective against depression in Hispanic enclaves; however, our findings suggest a non-linear ethnic density effect and an overall more complex association between ethnic density and depression. These data add to a growing body of literature on the effects of sociodemographic and contextual factors on health.

Neighborhood matters: the impact of Hispanic ethnic density on future depressive symptoms 1-year following an ACS event among Hispanic patients

PubMed Central

Denton, Ellen-ge D.; Shaffer, Jonathan A.; Alcantara, Carmela; Cadermil, Esteban

2015-01-01

The Ethnic Density hypothesis posits that living around others from similar ethnic backgrounds reduces the risk of adverse mental health outcomes such as depression. Contrary to this hypothesis, previous work has shown that Hispanic ethnic density is cross-sectionally associated with increased depressive symptom severity among patients hospitalized with an acute coronary syndrome (ACS; myocardial infarction or unstable angina pectoris). To date, no study has examined the prospective association of Hispanic ethnic density on long-term depressive symptom severity following an acute medical event. We prospectively assessed the impact of Hispanic ethnic density on depressive symptoms, 1-year following an ACS event, among Hispanic adult patients. We tested the non-linear association between ethnic density and depressive symptoms to account for inconsistent findings on the ethnic density hypothesis. At the time of an index ACS event (i.e., baseline, N = 326) and 1-year later (N = 252), Hispanic patients from the Prescription Usage, Lifestyle, and Stress Evaluation prospective cohort study completed the Beck Depression Inventory as a measure of depressive symptom severity. Hispanic ethnic density was defined by the percentage of Hispanic residents within each patient's census tract using data extracted from the American Community Survey Census (2010–2013). Covariates included baseline demographic factors (age, gender, English fluency, education, nativity status), cardiovascular factors (Charlson comorbidity index, left ventricular ejection fraction, Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events 6-month prognostic risk score), and neighborhood factors (residential density, income, and percentage of households receiving public assistance). In an adjusted multivariable linear regression analysis there was a significant curvilinear association between Hispanic ethnic density and depressive symptom severity at 1 year. As Hispanic ethnic density increased from low to moderate density, there was an increase in depressive symptoms, but depressive symptoms slightly declined in census tracts with the highest density of Hispanics. Furthermore, gender significantly moderated the relation between Hispanic ethnic density and 1-year depressive symptom severity, such that Hispanic ethnic density was significantly associated with increased depressive symptom severity for female Hispanic patients with ACS, but not for male Hispanic patients. Previous research suggests that ethnic density may be protective against depression in Hispanic enclaves; however, our findings suggest a non-linear ethnic density effect and an overall more complex association between ethnic density and depression. These data add to a growing body of literature on the effects of sociodemographic and contextual factors on health. PMID:26407692

Identification of opportunities for quality improvement and outcome measurement in pediatric otolaryngology.

PubMed

Shah, Rahul K; Stey, Anne M; Jatana, Kris R; Rangel, Shawn J; Boss, Emily F

2014-11-01

Despite increased emphasis on measuring safety outcomes and quality indicators for surgical care, little is known regarding which operative procedures should be prioritized for quality-improvement initiatives in pediatric otolaryngology. To describe the 30-day adverse event rates and relative contributions to morbidity for procedures in pediatric otolaryngology surgery using data from the American College of Surgeons' National Surgical Quality Improvement Program Pediatric database (ACS-NSQIP-P). Analysis of records contained in the ACS-NSQIP-P 2011-2012 clinical database. The ACS-NSQIP-P is a nationwide risk-adjusted, clinical outcomes-based program aimed at measuring and improving pediatric surgical care. Fifty hospitals participated in the 2011-2012 ACS-NSQIP-P program. Medical records of patients who underwent tracked otolaryngologic procedures were accrued in the ACS-NSQIP-P database. These were inclusive of specific otolaryngologic surgical procedures and do not represent the entire spectrum of pediatric otolaryngology surgical procedures. Individual 30-day adverse events, composite morbidity, composite serious adverse events, and composite hospital-acquired infections were compiled. Clinically related procedure groups were used to broadly evaluate outcomes. Procedures and groups were evaluated according to their relative contribution to otolaryngologic morbidity and their incidence of major complications. A total of 8361 patients underwent 1 of 40 selected otolaryngology procedures; 90% were elective; 76% were performed on an outpatient or ambulatory basis; and 46% were American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) class 2 cases. Individual 30-day adverse event rates were highest for return to the operating room (4%), surgical site infection (2%), pneumonia (1%), sepsis (1%), and reintubation (1%). The highest rates of composite morbidity were seen for tracheostomy in patients younger than 2 years (23%), airway reconstruction (19%), and tympanoplasty with mastoidectomy (2%). Airway reconstruction procedures had the highest rates of composite serious adverse events (16%), followed by tracheostomy (13%) and abscess drainage (5%). Tracheostomy (31%) and airway reconstruction (16%) made the largest relative contributions to composite morbidity rate of the procedures studied. Tracheostomy in patients younger than 2 years had the highest composite hospital-acquired infection rate (14%), followed by airway reconstruction procedures (11%) and tympanoplasty with mastoidectomy (2%). While the overall rate of major postoperative morbidity in pediatric otolaryngology is low, areas for targeted quality-improvement interventions include tracheostomy, airway reconstruction, mastoidectomy, and abscess drainage. Measurement of outcomes specific to otolaryngologic procedures will be necessary to further identify and measure the impact of quality-improvement initiatives in pediatric otolaryngology.

ESBWR response to an extended station blackout/loss of all AC power

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Barrett, A. J.; Marquino, W.

2012-07-01

U.S. federal regulations require light water cooled nuclear power plants to cope with Station Blackouts for a predetermined amount of time based on design factors for the plant. U.S. regulations define Station Blackout (SBO) as a loss of the offsite electric power system concurrent with turbine trip and unavailability of the onsite emergency AC power system. According to U.S. regulations, typically the coping period for an SBO is 4 hours and can be as long as 16 hours for currently operating BWR plants. Being able to cope with an SBO and loss of all AC power is required by internationalmore » regulators as well. The U.S. licensing basis for the ESBWR is a coping period of 72 hours for an SBO based on U.S. NRC requirements for passive safety plants. In the event of an extended SBO (viz., greater than 72 hours), the ESBWR response shows that the design is able to cope with the event for at least 7 days without AC electrical power or operator action. ESBWR is a Generation III+ reactor design with an array of passive safety systems. The ESBWR primary success path for mitigation of an SBO event is the Isolation Condenser System (ICS). The ICS is a passive, closed loop, safety system that initiates automatically on a loss of power. Upon Station Blackout or loss of all AC power, the ICS begins removing decay heat from the Reactor Pressure Vessel (RPV) by (i) condensing the steam into water in heat exchangers located in pools of water above the containment, and (ii) transferring the decay heat to the atmosphere. The condensed water is then returned by gravity to cool the reactor again. The ICS alone is capable of maintaining the ESBWR in a safe shutdown condition after an SBO for an extended period. The fuel remains covered throughout the SBO event. The ICS is able to remove decay heat from the RPV for at least 7 days and maintains the reactor in a safe shutdown condition. The water level in the RPV remains well above the top of active fuel for the duration of the SBO event. Beyond 7 days, only a few simple actions are needed to cope with the SBO for an indefinite amount of time. The operation of the ICS as the primary success path for mitigation of an SBO, allows for near immediate plant restart once power is restored. (authors)« less

49 CFR 236.101 - Purpose of inspection and tests; removal from service of relay or device failing to meet test...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

.../or equipment is maintained in condition to perform its intended function. Electronic device, relay... service of relay or device failing to meet test requirements. 236.101 Section 236.101 Transportation Other... Inspections and Tests; All Systems § 236.101 Purpose of inspection and tests; removal from service of relay or...

49 CFR 234.247 - Purpose of inspections and tests; removal from service of relay or device failing to meet test...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... operations over the grade crossing resume. (c) Any electronic device, relay, or other electromagnetic device... service of relay or device failing to meet test requirements. 234.247 Section 234.247 Transportation Other... Inspections and Tests § 234.247 Purpose of inspections and tests; removal from service of relay or device...

Mobile User Connectivity in Relay-Assisted Visible Light Communications.

PubMed

Pešek, Petr; Zvanovec, Stanislav; Chvojka, Petr; Bhatnagar, Manav R; Ghassemlooy, Zabih; Saxena, Prakriti

2018-04-07

In this paper, we investigate relay-assisted visible light communications (VLC) where a mobile user acts as a relay and forwards data from a transmitter to the end mobile user. We analyse the utilization of the amplify-and-forward (AF) and decode-and-forward (DF) relaying schemes. The focus of the paper is on analysis of the behavior of the mobile user acting as a relay while considering a realistic locations of the receivers and transmitters on a standard mobile phone, more specifically with two photodetectors on both sides of a mobile phone and a transmitting LED array located upright. We also investigate dependency of the bit error rate (BER) performance on the azimuth and elevation angles of the mobile relay device within a typical office environment. We provide a new analytical description of BER for AF and DF-based relays in VLC. In addition we compare AF and DF-based systems and show that DF offers a marginal improvement in the coverage area with a BER < 10 -3 and a data rate of 100 Mb/s. Numerical results also illustrate that relay-based systems offer a significant improvement in terms of the coverage compared to direct non-line of sight VLC links.

Mobile User Connectivity in Relay-Assisted Visible Light Communications

PubMed Central

Pešek, Petr; Zvanovec, Stanislav; Chvojka, Petr; Bhatnagar, Manav R.; Ghassemlooy, Zabih; Saxena, Prakriti

2018-01-01

In this paper, we investigate relay-assisted visible light communications (VLC) where a mobile user acts as a relay and forwards data from a transmitter to the end mobile user. We analyse the utilization of the amplify-and-forward (AF) and decode-and-forward (DF) relaying schemes. The focus of the paper is on analysis of the behavior of the mobile user acting as a relay while considering a realistic locations of the receivers and transmitters on a standard mobile phone, more specifically with two photodetectors on both sides of a mobile phone and a transmitting LED array located upright. We also investigate dependency of the bit error rate (BER) performance on the azimuth and elevation angles of the mobile relay device within a typical office environment. We provide a new analytical description of BER for AF and DF-based relays in VLC. In addition we compare AF and DF-based systems and show that DF offers a marginal improvement in the coverage area with a BER < 10–3 and a data rate of 100 Mb/s. Numerical results also illustrate that relay-based systems offer a significant improvement in terms of the coverage compared to direct non-line of sight VLC links. PMID:29642432

CHED Events: New Orleans

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wink, Donald J.

2008-03-01

These Division of Chemical Education (CHED) Committee meetings and events are planned for the Spring 2008 ACS Meeting in New Orleans. Most will take place in the Hilton Riverside Hotel, 2 Poydras Street; this includes the Sunday evening Reception and Social Event; there will be no CHED Banquet. Exceptions are the Sunday evening Poster Session and the Undergraduate Poster Sessions, which will be in Hall A of the Morial Convention Center.

75 FR 51043 - Pesticide Experimental Use Permit; Receipt of Application; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-08-18

... (vector pCOT1) in event COT102 cotton, Bt Cry1Ac protein and the genetic material necessary for its production (vector PV-GHBK04) in event MON 15985 cotton, and Bt Cry2Ab2 protein and the genetic material necessary for its production (vector PV-GHBK11) in event MON 15985 cotton. The Agency has determined that...

Performance Analysis of Amplify-and-Forward Systems with Single Relay Selection in Correlated Environments.

PubMed

Van Nguyen, Binh; Kim, Kiseon

2016-09-11

In this paper, we consider amplify-and-forward (AnF) cooperative systems under correlated fading environments. We first present a brief overview of existing works on the effect of channel correlations on the system performance. We then focus on our main contribution which is analyzing the outage probability of a multi-AnF-relay system with the best relay selection (BRS) scheme under a condition that two channels of each relay, source-relay and relay-destination channels, are correlated. Using lower and upper bounds on the end-to-end received signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) at the destination, we derive corresponding upper and lower bounds on the system outage probability. We prove that the system can achieve a diversity order (DO) equal to the number of relays. In addition, and importantly, we show that the considered correlation form has a constructive effect on the system performance. In other words, the larger the correlation coefficient, the better system performance. Our analytic results are corroborated by extensive Monte-Carlo simulations.

Performance Evaluation of Relay Selection Schemes in Beacon-Assisted Dual-Hop Cognitive Radio Wireless Sensor Networks under Impact of Hardware Noises.

PubMed

Hieu, Tran Dinh; Duy, Tran Trung; Dung, Le The; Choi, Seong Gon

2018-06-05

To solve the problem of energy constraints and spectrum scarcity for cognitive radio wireless sensor networks (CR-WSNs), an underlay decode-and-forward relaying scheme is considered, where the energy constrained secondary source and relay nodes are capable of harvesting energy from a multi-antenna power beacon (PB) and using that harvested energy to forward the source information to the destination. Based on the time switching receiver architecture, three relaying protocols, namely, hybrid partial relay selection (H-PRS), conventional opportunistic relay selection (C-ORS), and best opportunistic relay selection (B-ORS) protocols are considered to enhance the end-to-end performance under the joint impact of maximal interference constraint and transceiver hardware impairments. For performance evaluation and comparison, we derive the exact and asymptotic closed-form expressions of outage probability (OP) and throughput (TP) to provide significant insights into the impact of our proposed protocols on the system performance over Rayleigh fading channel. Finally, simulation results validate the theoretical results.

Optimum satellite relay positions with application to a TDRS-1 Indian Ocean relay

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jackson, A. H.; Christopher, P.

1994-01-01

An Indian Ocean satellite relay is examined. The relay satellite position is optimized by minimizing the sum of downlink and satellite to satellite link losses. Osculating orbital elements are used for fast intensive orbital computation. Integrated Van Vleck gaseous attenuation and a Crane rain model are used for downlink attenuation. Circular polarization losses on the satellite to satellite link are found dynamically. Space to ground link antenna pointing losses are included as a function of yaw ans spacecraft limits. Relay satellite positions between 90 to 100 degrees East are found attractive for further study.

Telecommunications Relay Services

MedlinePlus

... services? Title IV of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 (which took full effect on July 26, 1993) requires all U.S. telephone companies to provide telecommunications relay services. A telecommunications relay ...

Next-Generation NASA Earth-Orbiting Relay Satellites: Fusing Optical and Microwave Communications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Israel, David J.; Shaw, Harry

2018-01-01

NASA is currently considering architectures and concepts for the generation of relay satellites that will replace the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS) constellation, which has been flying since 1983. TDRS-M, the last of the second TDRS generation, launched in August 2017, extending the life of the TDRS constellation beyond 2030. However, opportunities exist to re-engineer the concepts of geosynchronous Earth relay satellites. The needs of the relay satellite customers have changed dramatically over the last 34 years since the first TDRS launch. There is a demand for greater bandwidth as the availability of the traditional RF spectrum for space communications diminishes and the demand for ground station access grows. The next generation of NASA relay satellites will provide for operations that have factored in these new constraints. In this paper, we describe a heterogeneous constellation of geosynchronous relay satellites employing optical and RF communications. The new constellation will enable new optical communications services formed by user-to-space relay, space relay-to-space relay and space relay-to-ground links. It will build upon the experience from the Lunar Laser Communications Demonstration from 2013 and the Laser Communications Relay Demonstration to be launched in 2019.Simultaneous to establishment of the optical communications space segment, spacecraft in the TDRS constellation will be replaced with RF relay satellites with targeted subsets of the TDRS capabilities. This disaggregation of the TDRS service model will allow for flexibility in replenishing the needs of legacy users as well as addition of new capabilities for future users. It will also permit the U.S. government access to launch capabilities such as rideshare and to hosted payloads that were not previously available.In this paper, we also explore how the next generation of Earth relay satellites provides a significant boost in the opportunities for commercial providers to the communications space segment. For optical communications, the backbone of this effort is adoption of commercial technologies from the terrestrial high-bandwidth telecommunications industry into optical payloads. For RF communications, the explosion of software-defined radio, high-speed digital signal processing technologies and networking from areas such as 5G multicarrier will be important. Future commercial providers will not be limited to a small set of large aerospace companies. Ultimately, entirely government-owned and -operated satellite communications will phase out and make way for commercial business models that satisfy NASA's satellite communications requirements. The competition being provided by new entrants in the space communications business may result in a future in which all NASA communications needs can be satisfied commercially.

Next-Generation NASA Earth-Orbiting Relay Satellites: Fusing Microwave and Optical Communications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Israel, David J.

2018-01-01

NASA is currently considering architectures and concepts for the generation of relay satellites that will replace the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS) constellation, which has been flying since 1983. TDRS-M, the last of the second TDRS generation, launched in August 2017, extending the life of the TDRS constellation beyond 2030. However, opportunities exist to re-engineer the concepts of geosynchronous Earth relay satellites. The needs of the relay satellite customers have changed dramatically over the last 34 years since the first TDRS launch. There is a demand for greater bandwidth as the availability of the traditional RF spectrum for space communications diminishes and the demand for ground station access grows. The next generation of NASA relay satellites will provide for operations that have factored in these new constraints. In this paper, we describe a heterogeneous constellation of geosynchronous relay satellites employing optical and RF communications. The new constellation will enable new optical communications services formed by user-to-space relay, space relay-to-space relay and space relay-to-ground links. It will build upon the experience from the Lunar Laser Communications Demonstration from 2013 and the Laser Communications Relay Demonstration to be launched in 2019.Simultaneous to establishment of the optical communications space segment, spacecraft in the TDRS constellation will be replaced with RF relay satellites with targeted subsets of the TDRS capabilities. This disaggregation of the TDRS service model will allow for flexibility in replenishing the needs of legacy users as well as addition of new capabilities for future users. It will also permit the U.S. government access to launch capabilities such as rideshare and to hosted payloads that were not previously available. In this paper, we also explore how the next generation of Earth relay satellites provides a significant boost in the opportunities for commercial providers to the communications space segment. For optical communications, the backbone of this effort is adoption of commercial technologies from the terrestrial high-bandwidth telecommunications industry into optical payloads. For RF communications, the explosion of software-defined radio, high-speed digital signal processing technologies and networking from areas such as 5G multicarrier will be important. Future commercial providers will not be limited to a small set of large aerospace companies. Ultimately, entirely government-owned and -operated satellite communications will phase out and make way for commercial business models that satisfy NASAs satellite communications requirements. The competition being provided by new entrants in the space communications business may result in a future in which all NASA communications needs can be satisfied commercially.

2007 Solar Decathlon: Powered by the Sun (Competition Program)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

2007-09-01

The 2007 Solar Decathlon Competition Program is distributed to Solar Decathlon visitors, media, sponsors, and the student competitors. It contains basic facts about the Solar Decathlon: what, where, when, who, and how. It is a guide for visitors to the events and workshops. It describes the 10 contests and the technologies used in the houses. It celebrates the accomplishments of the competitors and provides an opportunity for the major sponsors to describe their roles and relay their commitment to the ideals of the Solar Decathlon.

Rationale, design, and baseline characteristics in Evaluation of LIXisenatide in Acute Coronary Syndrome, a long-term cardiovascular end point trial of lixisenatide versus placebo.

PubMed

Bentley-Lewis, Rhonda; Aguilar, David; Riddle, Matthew C; Claggett, Brian; Diaz, Rafael; Dickstein, Kenneth; Gerstein, Hertzel C; Johnston, Peter; Køber, Lars V; Lawson, Francesca; Lewis, Eldrin F; Maggioni, Aldo P; McMurray, John J V; Ping, Lin; Probstfield, Jeffrey L; Solomon, Scott D; Tardif, Jean-Claude; Wu, Yujun; Pfeffer, Marc A

2015-05-01

Cardiovascular (CV) disease is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Furthermore, patients with T2DM and acute coronary syndrome (ACS) have a particularly high risk of CV events. The glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonist, lixisenatide, improves glycemia, but its effects on CV events have not been thoroughly evaluated. ELIXA (www.clinicaltrials.gov no. NCT01147250) is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, multicenter study of lixisenatide in patients with T2DM and a recent ACS event. The primary aim is to evaluate the effects of lixisenatide on CV morbidity and mortality in a population at high CV risk. The primary efficacy end point is a composite of time to CV death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke, or hospitalization for unstable angina. Data are systematically collected for safety outcomes, including hypoglycemia, pancreatitis, and malignancy. Enrollment began in July 2010 and ended in August 2013; 6,068 patients from 49 countries were randomized. Of these, 69% are men and 75% are white; at baseline, the mean ± SD age was 60.3 ± 9.7 years, body mass index was 30.2 ± 5.7 kg/m(2), and duration of T2DM was 9.3 ± 8.2 years. The qualifying ACS was a myocardial infarction in 83% and unstable angina in 17%. The study will continue until the positive adjudication of the protocol-specified number of primary CV events. ELIXA will be the first trial to report the safety and efficacy of a glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonist in people with T2DM and high CV event risk. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Alpha Power Increase After Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation at Alpha Frequency (α-tACS) Reflects Plastic Changes Rather Than Entrainment

PubMed Central

Vossen, Alexandra; Gross, Joachim; Thut, Gregor

2015-01-01

Background Periodic stimulation of occipital areas using transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) at alpha (α) frequency (8–12 Hz) enhances electroencephalographic (EEG) α-oscillation long after tACS-offset. Two mechanisms have been suggested to underlie these changes in oscillatory EEG activity: tACS-induced entrainment of brain oscillations and/or tACS-induced changes in oscillatory circuits by spike-timing dependent plasticity. Objective We tested to what extent plasticity can account for tACS-aftereffects when controlling for entrainment “echoes.” To this end, we used a novel, intermittent tACS protocol and investigated the strength of the aftereffect as a function of phase continuity between successive tACS episodes, as well as the match between stimulation frequency and endogenous α-frequency. Methods 12 healthy participants were stimulated at around individual α-frequency for 11–15 min in four sessions using intermittent tACS or sham. Successive tACS events were either phase-continuous or phase-discontinuous, and either 3 or 8 s long. EEG α-phase and power changes were compared after and between episodes of α-tACS across conditions and against sham. Results α-aftereffects were successfully replicated after intermittent stimulation using 8-s but not 3-s trains. These aftereffects did not reveal any of the characteristics of entrainment echoes in that they were independent of tACS phase-continuity and showed neither prolonged phase alignment nor frequency synchronization to the exact stimulation frequency. Conclusion Our results indicate that plasticity mechanisms are sufficient to explain α-aftereffects in response to α-tACS, and inform models of tACS-induced plasticity in oscillatory circuits. Modifying brain oscillations with tACS holds promise for clinical applications in disorders involving abnormal neural synchrony. PMID:25648377

Alpha Power Increase After Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation at Alpha Frequency (α-tACS) Reflects Plastic Changes Rather Than Entrainment.

PubMed

Vossen, Alexandra; Gross, Joachim; Thut, Gregor

2015-01-01

Periodic stimulation of occipital areas using transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) at alpha (α) frequency (8-12 Hz) enhances electroencephalographic (EEG) α-oscillation long after tACS-offset. Two mechanisms have been suggested to underlie these changes in oscillatory EEG activity: tACS-induced entrainment of brain oscillations and/or tACS-induced changes in oscillatory circuits by spike-timing dependent plasticity. We tested to what extent plasticity can account for tACS-aftereffects when controlling for entrainment "echoes." To this end, we used a novel, intermittent tACS protocol and investigated the strength of the aftereffect as a function of phase continuity between successive tACS episodes, as well as the match between stimulation frequency and endogenous α-frequency. 12 healthy participants were stimulated at around individual α-frequency for 11-15 min in four sessions using intermittent tACS or sham. Successive tACS events were either phase-continuous or phase-discontinuous, and either 3 or 8 s long. EEG α-phase and power changes were compared after and between episodes of α-tACS across conditions and against sham. α-aftereffects were successfully replicated after intermittent stimulation using 8-s but not 3-s trains. These aftereffects did not reveal any of the characteristics of entrainment echoes in that they were independent of tACS phase-continuity and showed neither prolonged phase alignment nor frequency synchronization to the exact stimulation frequency. Our results indicate that plasticity mechanisms are sufficient to explain α-aftereffects in response to α-tACS, and inform models of tACS-induced plasticity in oscillatory circuits. Modifying brain oscillations with tACS holds promise for clinical applications in disorders involving abnormal neural synchrony. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Validation of the Canada Acute Coronary Syndrome Risk Score for Hospital Mortality in the Gulf Registry of Acute Coronary Events-2.

PubMed

AlFaleh, Hussam F; Alsheikh-Ali, Alawi A; Ullah, Anhar; AlHabib, Khalid F; Hersi, Ahmad; Suwaidi, Jassim Al; Sulaiman, Kadhim; Saif, Shukri Al; Almahmeed, Wael; Asaad, Nidal; Amin, Haitham; Al-Motarreb, Ahmed; Kashour, Tarek

2015-09-01

Several risk scores have been developed for acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients, but their use is limited by their complexity. The new Canada Acute Coronary Syndrome (C-ACS) risk score is a simple risk-assessment tool for ACS patients. This study assessed the performance of the C-ACS risk score in predicting hospital mortality in a contemporary Middle Eastern ACS cohort. The C-ACS score accurately predicts hospital mortality in ACS patients. The baseline risk of 7929 patients from 6 Arab countries who were enrolled in the Gulf RACE-2 registry was assessed using the C-ACS risk score. The score ranged from 0 to 4, with 1 point assigned for the presence of each of the following variables: age ≥75 years, Killip class >1, systolic blood pressure <100 mm Hg, and heart rate >100 bpm. The discriminative ability and calibration of the score were assessed using C statistics and goodness-of-fit tests, respectively. The C-ACS score demonstrated good predictive values for hospital mortality in all ACS patients with a C statistic of 0.77 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.74-0.80) and in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction and non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome patients (C statistic: 0.76, 95% CI: 0.73-0.79; and C statistic: 0.80, 95% CI: 0.75-0.84, respectively). The discriminative ability of the score was moderate regardless of age category, nationality, and diabetic status. Overall, calibration was optimal in all subgroups. The new C-ACS score performed well in predicting hospital mortality in a contemporary ACS population outside North America. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

High incidence of adrenal crisis in educated patients with chronic adrenal insufficiency: a prospective study.

PubMed

Hahner, Stefanie; Spinnler, Christina; Fassnacht, Martin; Burger-Stritt, Stephanie; Lang, Katharina; Milovanovic, Danijela; Beuschlein, Felix; Willenberg, Holger S; Quinkler, Marcus; Allolio, Bruno

2015-02-01

Adrenal crisis (AC) is a life-threatening complication of adrenal insufficiency (AI), which according to retrospective data represents a significant clinical complication. Here we aimed to prospectively assess incidence of AC and mortality associated with AC in patients with chronic AI. A total of 423 patients with AI (primary AI, n = 221; secondary AI, n = 202) were prospectively followed up for 2 years. Baseline assessment included a general questionnaire and detailed written instructions on glucocorticoid dose adaptation during stress. Patients received follow-up questionnaires every 6 months and were contacted by phone in case of reported adrenal crisis. A total of 423 data sets were available for baseline analysis, and 364 patients (86%) completed the whole study. Sixy-four AC in 767.5 patient-years were documented (8.3 crises per 100 patient-years). Precipitating causes were mainly gastrointestinal infection, fever, and emotional stress (20%, respectively) but also other stressful events (eg, major pain, surgery, strenuous physical activity, heat, pregnancy) or unexplained sudden onset of AC (7%) were documented. Patients with a previous AC were at higher risk of crisis (odds ratio 2.85, 95% confidence interval 1.5-5.5, P < .01). However, no further risk factors could be identified. Ten patients died during follow-up; in four cases death was associated with AC (0.5 AC related deaths per 100 patient-years). Even in educated patients with chronic adrenal insufficiency, AC occurs in a substantial proportion of cases. Furthermore, we identified AC-associated mortality in approximately 6% of AC. Our findings further emphasize the need for improved management of AC in patients with chronic AI.

Acute Coronary Syndrome Pain and Anxiety in a Rural Emergency Department: Patient and Nurse Perspectives.

PubMed

O'Keefe-McCarthy, Sheila; McGillion, Michael; Nelson, Sioban; Clarke, Sean P; Jones, Jeremy; Rizza, Sheila; McFetridge-Durdle, Judith

2014-03-01

Rural patients can wait up to 32 hours for transfer to cardiac catheterization (CATH) for events related to acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Pain arising from myocardial ischemia can be severe and anxiety-provoking. Pain management during this time should be optimized in order to preserve vulnerable myocardial muscle. This qualitative focus group study solicited the perspectives of ACS patients and emergency staff nurses on the rural patient experience of cardiac pain and anxiety and priorities and barriers to optimal assessment and management of ACS pain. Patients described ACS pain as moderate to severe, with pain in the chest, arms, back, shoulders, and jaw. Pain was well assessed and managed upon arrival in the emergency department but anxiety was not routinely assessed or treated. Barriers identified were poor management of patients with different acuity levels, high patient volumes, and assumptions regarding patients' communication about pain. Research related to ACS pain and anxiety management in the rural context is recommended. Copyright© by Ingram School of Nursing, McGill University.

Reliability Analysis of Differential Relay as Main Protection Transformer Using Fuzzy Logic Algorithm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mulyadi, Y.; Sucita, T.; Sumarto; Alpani, M.

2018-02-01

Electricity supply demand is increasing every year. It makes PT. PLN (Persero) is required to provide optimal customer service and satisfaction. Optimal service depends on the performance of the equipment of the power system owned, especially the transformer. Power transformer is an electrical equipment that transforms electricity from high voltage to low voltage or vice versa. However, in the electrical power system, is inseparable from interference included in the transformer. But, the disturbance can be minimized by the protection system. The main protection transformer is differential relays. Differential relays working system using Kirchoff law where inflows equal outflows. If there are excessive currents that interfere then the relays will work. But, the relay can also experience decreased performance. Therefore, this final project aims to analyze the reliability of the differential relay on the transformer in three different substations. Referring to the standard applied by the transmission line protection officer, the differential relay shall have slope characteristics of 30% in the first slope and 80% in the second slope when using two slopes and 80% when using one slope with an instant time and the corresponding ratio. So, the results obtained on the Siemens differential release have a reliable slope characteristic with a value of 30 on the fuzzy logic system. In a while, ABB a differential relay is only 80% reliable because two experiments are not reliable. For the time, all the differential relays are instant with a value of 0.06 on the fuzzy logic system. For ratios, the differential relays ABB have a better value than others brand with a value of 151 on the fuzzy logic system.

Local rhBMP-12 on an Absorbable Collagen Sponge as an Adjuvant Therapy for Rotator Cuff Repair - A Phase 1, Randomized, Standard of Care Control, Multicenter Study: Safety and Feasibility.

PubMed

Greiner, Stefan; Ide, Junji; Van Noort, Arthur; Mochizuki, Yu; Ochi, Hiroshi; Marraffino, Shannon; Sridharan, Sudhakar; Rudicel, Sally; Itoi, Eiji

2015-08-01

Recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-12 (rhBMP-12) has been shown to induce tendon and ligament formation in rats and to improve tendon healing; however, the safety and feasibility of implanting rhBMP-12/absorbable collagen sponge (ACS) in humans are not known. To investigate the safety and feasibility of rhBMP-12 on an ACS as an adjuvant therapy in open rotator cuff repair. Randomized controlled trial; Level of evidence, 2. This study consisted of 20 patients with full-thickness rotator cuff tears. Patients were randomized either to standard of care (SOC) treatment (open rotator cuff repair) or to receive 0.015 mg/mL rhBMP-12/ACS and SOC treatment during their open rotator cuff repair (rhBMP-12/ACS group) at a rate of 1/4 SOC/rhBMP-12/ACS. The feasibility of implanting the product and the safety of the product were evaluated during the 1-year follow-up period. The evaluation involved up to 10 postoperative visits, which included physical examinations, radiographs, computed tomography (CT) scans, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans with an emphasis on heterotopic ossification (HO), pharmacokinetics, immunogenicity, laboratory evaluations, and local and systemic adverse events at specified time points. Small amounts of HO were seen on follow-up CT scans in 10 of 16 patients in the rhBMP-12/ACS group and in 2 of 3 patients in the SOC group. HO did not increase at 26 weeks and was not associated with any adverse events or unsatisfactory clinical outcomes. Pharmacokinetics demonstrated that circulating levels of rhBMP-12 were not detectable after administration. Five of 16 patients showed a postoperative immunogenic response but did not show any correlating adverse events. Complete healing of the rotator cuff was observed in 14 of 16 patients; 2 of 16 imaging results could not be analyzed because of artifacts in the rhBMP-12 group on MRI scans. In the SOC group, 1 of 4 patients showed a retear at 12 weeks after surgery. The use of rhBMP-12/ACS has been shown to be feasible and safe in a concentration of 0.015 mg/mL when used in open rotator cuff repair. Higher dose concentrations of rhBMP-12 should be evaluated in the future to evaluate their safety and potential to increase rotator cuff healing after open surgical repair. © 2015 The Author(s).

Risk Stratification and in Hospital Morality in Patients Presenting with Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) in Bahrain

PubMed Central

Garadah, Taysir S; Thani, Khalid Bin; Sulibech, Leena; Jaradat, Ahmed A; Al Alawi, Mohamed E; Amin, Haytham

2018-01-01

Background: Risk factors and short-term mortality in patients presented with Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) in Bahrain has not been evaluated before. Aim: In this prospective observational study, we aim to determine the clinical risk profiles of patients with ACS in Bahrain and describe the incidence, pattern of presentation and predictors of in-hospital clinical outcomes after admission. Methods: Patients with ACS were prospectively enrolled over a 12 month period. The rate of incidence of risk factors in patients was compared with 635 non-cardiac patient admissions that matched for age and gender. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to predict poor outcomes in patients with ACS. The variables were ages >65 years, body mass index (BMI) >28 kg/m2, GRACE (Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events) score >170, history of diabetes mellitus (DM), systolic hypertension >180 mmHg, level of creatinine >160 μmol/l and Heart Rate (HR) on admission >90 bpm, serum troponin rise and ST segment elevation on the ECG. Results: Patients with ACS (n=635) were enrolled consecutively. Mean age was 61.3 ± 13.2 years, with 417 (65.6%) male. Mean age for patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI, n=156) compared with non-STEMI (NSTEMI, n=158) and unstable angina (UA, n=321) was 56.5± 12.8 vs 62.5±14.0 years respectively. In-hospital mortality was 5.1%, 3.1% and 2.5% for patients with STEMI, NSTEMI, and UA, respectively. In STEMI patients, thrombolytic therapy was performed in 88 (56.5%) patients and 68 (43.5%) had primary coronary angioplasty (PCI). The predictive value of different clinical variables for in-hospital mortality and cardiac events in the study were: 2.8 for GRACE score >170, 3.1 for DM, 2.2 for SBP >180 mmHg, 1.4 for age >65 years, 1.8 for BMI >28, 1.7 for creatinine >160 μmol/L, 2.1 for HR >90 bpm, 2.2 for positive serum troponin and 2.3 for ST elevation. Conclusion: Patients with STEMI compared with NSTEMI and UA were of younger age. There was higher in-hospital mortality in STEMI compared with NSTEMI and UA patients. The most significant predictors of death or cardiac events on admission in ACS were DM, GRACE Score >170, systolic hypertension >180 mmHg, positive serum troponin and HR >90 bpm. PMID:29541260

Community Pharmacy-Based Inducement Programs Associated With Better Medication Adherence: A Cohort Study.

PubMed

Simpson, Scot H; Lin, Mu; Eurich, Dean T

2017-08-01

Inducement programs can promote customer loyalty; however, the clinical effects of these programs are unknown. To examine relationships among inducement program use, medication adherence, and health outcomes. Alberta residents with ≥ 1 physician visit for diabetes or hypertension between April 2008 and March 2014 were eligible for this study and included if they were new statin users and alive at least 455 days after the first statin dispensation. Group assignment was based on whether all statin dispensations in the first year were obtained from pharmacies with or without inducement programs. Discontinuation was defined as no statin dispensations between 275 and 455 days after the first statin dispensation. Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) hospitalizations or deaths were identified between 456 days and 3 years after the first statin dispensation. Multivariable regression analyses were conducted to examine relationships among inducement program use, discontinuation, and ACS events. Among the 159 998 new statin users, mean age was 60.2 (±13.7) years and 67 534 (42%) were women. Statin discontinuation occurred in 22 455 (28.9%) of 77 803 inducement group participants and 25 816 (31.4%) of 82 195 noninducement group participants (adjusted odds ratio = 0.88; 95% CI = 0.86-0.90). Risk of an ACS event was similar between groups (adjusted hazard ratio = 1.00; 95% CI 0.92-1.08); however, discontinuing statin therapy was associated with a higher risk of an ACS event (adjusted hazard ratio = 1.27; 95% CI = 1.16-1.39). Inducement programs are associated with better adherence and not directly associated with risk of health outcomes.

Bupropion for smoking cessation in patients with acute coronary syndrome.

PubMed

Planer, David; Lev, Ishay; Elitzur, Yair; Sharon, Nir; Ouzan, Elisha; Pugatsch, Thea; Chasid, Michal; Rom, Miri; Lotan, Chaim

2011-06-27

Smokers hospitalized with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) are at high risk for subsequent ischemic events. Nevertheless, over two-thirds of patients continue to smoke after an acute myocardial infarction. Bupropion hydrochloride has proven efficacy as a smoking cessation aid, but data regarding its safety and efficacy in ACS patients are limited. In a double-blind, randomized controlled trial, we compared the safety and efficacy of 8 weeks of treatment with bupropion slow-release (SR) or placebo for smokers hospitalized with ACS as an adjunct to nurse-led hospital- and telephone-based support. Primary efficacy outcome was smoking abstinence at 1 year. Primary safety outcome was clinical events at 1 year. A total of 151 patients were enrolled; all but 2 completed follow-up. Abstinence rates at 3 months were 45% and 44% in the bupropion SR and placebo groups, respectively (P = .99); 37% vs 42% (P = .61) at 6 months; and 31% vs 33% (P = .86) at 1 year. On multivariate analysis, an invasive procedure performed during index hospitalization was an independent predictor for smoking abstinence at 1 year (odds ratio [OR], 4.2; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.22-14.19). Presence of adverse effects attributed to treatment was a negative predictor for smoking cessation (OR, 0.23; 95% CI, 0.07-0.78). Treatment with bupropion SR was not associated with an increase in clinical events or change in blood pressure or body mass index, but dizziness was more common compared with placebo (14% vs 1.4%; P = .005). In hospitalized patients with ACS who received continuous, intensive nurse counseling about smoking cessation, bupropion did not increase the rates of smoking abstinence.

Contemporary management of acute coronary syndromes: does the practice match the evidence? The global registry of acute coronary events (GRACE).

PubMed

Carruthers, K F; Dabbous, O H; Flather, M D; Starkey, I; Jacob, A; Macleod, D; Fox, K A A

2005-03-01

To determine to what extent evidence based guidelines are followed in the management of acute coronary syndromes (ACS) in the UK, elsewhere in Europe, and multinationally, and what the outcomes are. Multinational, prospective, observational registry (GRACE, global registry of acute coronary events) with six months' follow up. Patients presenting to a cluster of hospitals. The study was designed to collect data representative of the full spectrum of ACS in specific geographic populations. Patients admitted with a working diagnosis of unstable angina or suspected myocardial infarction (MI). Death during hospitalisation and at six months' follow up (adjusted for baseline risks). In ST elevation MI, reperfusion was applied more often in the UK (71%) than in Europe (65%) and multinationally (59%) (p < 0.01). However, this was almost entirely by lytic treatment, in contrast with elsewhere (primary percutaneous coronary intervention 1%, 29%, 16%, respectively). Statins were applied more frequently in the UK for all classes of patients with ACS (p < 0.0001). In contrast there was lower use of revascularisation procedures in non-ST MI (20% v 37% v 28%, respectively) and glycoprotein IIb/IIIa antagonists (6% v 25% v 26%, respectively). In-hospital death rates, adjusted for baseline risk, were not significantly different but six month death rates were higher in the UK for ST elevation MI (7.2% UK, 4.3% Europe, 5.3% multinationally; p < 0.0001) and non-ST elevation MI (7.5%, 6.2%, and 6.7%, respectively; p = 0.012, UK v Europe). Current management of ACS in the UK more closely follows the recommendations of the National Service Framework than British or European guidelines. Differences in practice may account for the observed higher event rates in the UK after hospital discharge.

Risk adjustment in the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program: a comparison of logistic versus hierarchical modeling.

PubMed

Cohen, Mark E; Dimick, Justin B; Bilimoria, Karl Y; Ko, Clifford Y; Richards, Karen; Hall, Bruce Lee

2009-12-01

Although logistic regression has commonly been used to adjust for risk differences in patient and case mix to permit quality comparisons across hospitals, hierarchical modeling has been advocated as the preferred methodology, because it accounts for clustering of patients within hospitals. It is unclear whether hierarchical models would yield important differences in quality assessments compared with logistic models when applied to American College of Surgeons (ACS) National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) data. Our objective was to evaluate differences in logistic versus hierarchical modeling for identifying hospitals with outlying outcomes in the ACS-NSQIP. Data from ACS-NSQIP patients who underwent colorectal operations in 2008 at hospitals that reported at least 100 operations were used to generate logistic and hierarchical prediction models for 30-day morbidity and mortality. Differences in risk-adjusted performance (ratio of observed-to-expected events) and outlier detections from the two models were compared. Logistic and hierarchical models identified the same 25 hospitals as morbidity outliers (14 low and 11 high outliers), but the hierarchical model identified 2 additional high outliers. Both models identified the same eight hospitals as mortality outliers (five low and three high outliers). The values of observed-to-expected events ratios and p values from the two models were highly correlated. Results were similar when data were permitted from hospitals providing < 100 patients. When applied to ACS-NSQIP data, logistic and hierarchical models provided nearly identical results with respect to identification of hospitals' observed-to-expected events ratio outliers. As hierarchical models are prone to implementation problems, logistic regression will remain an accurate and efficient method for performing risk adjustment of hospital quality comparisons.

Relay communications strategies for Mars exploration through 2020

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Edwards, Charles D., Jr.; Arnold, B.; DePaula, R.; Kazz, G.; Lee, C.; Noreen, G.

2005-01-01

In this paper we will examine NASA's strategy for relay communications support of missions planned for this decade, and discuss options for longer-term relay network evolution in support of second-decade missions.

The consequence of biologic graft processing on blood interface biocompatibility and mechanics.

PubMed

Van de Walle, Aurore B; Uzarski, Joseph S; McFetridge, Peter S

2015-09-01

Processing ex vivo derived tissues to reduce immunogenicity is an effective approach to create biologically complex materials for vascular reconstruction. Due to the sensitivity of small diameter vascular grafts to occlusive events, the effect of graft processing on critical parameters for graft patency, such as peripheral cell adhesion and wall mechanics, requires detailed analysis. Isolated human umbilical vein sections were used as model allogenic vascular scaffolds that were processed with either: 1. sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), 2. ethanol/acetone (EtAc), or 3. glutaraldehyde (Glu). Changes in material mechanics were assessed via uniaxial tensile testing. Peripheral cell adhesion to the opaque grafting material was evaluated using an innovative flow chamber that allows direct observation of the blood-graft interface under physiological shear conditions. All treatments modified the grafts tensile strain and stiffness properties, with physiological modulus values decreasing from Glu 240±12 kPa to SDS 210±6 kPa and EtAc 140±3 kPa, P<.001. Relative to glutaraldehyde treatments, neutrophil adhesion to the decellularized grafts increased, with no statistical difference observed between SDS or EtAc treatments. Early platelet adhesion (% surface coverage) showed no statistical difference between the three treatments; however, quantification of platelet aggregates was significantly higher on SDS scaffolds compared to EtAc or Glu. Tissue processing strategies applied to the umbilical vein scaffold were shown to modify structural mechanics and cell adhesion properties, with the EtAc treatment reducing thrombotic events relative to SDS treated samples. This approach allows time and cost effective prescreening of clinically relevant grafting materials to assess initial cell reactivity.

Anticoagulant therapy and outcomes in patients with prior or acute heart failure and acute coronary syndromes: Insights from the APixaban for PRevention of Acute ISchemic Events 2 trial.

PubMed

Cornel, Jan H; Lopes, Renato D; James, Stefan; Stevens, Susanna R; Neely, Megan L; Liaw, Danny; Miller, Julie; Mohan, Puneet; Amerena, John; Raev, Dimitar; Huo, Yong; Urina-Triana, Miguel; Gallegos Cazorla, Alex; Vinereanu, Dragos; Fridrich, Viliam; Harrington, Robert A; Wallentin, Lars; Alexander, John H

2015-04-01

Clinical outcomes and the effects of oral anticoagulants among patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and either a history of or acute heart failure (HF) are largely unknown. We aimed to assess the relationship between prior HF or acute HF complicating an index ACS event and subsequent clinical outcomes and the efficacy and safety of apixaban compared with placebo in these populations. High-risk patients were randomly assigned post-ACS to apixaban 5.0 mg or placebo twice daily. Median follow-up was 8 (4-12) months. The primary outcome was cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, or stroke. The main safety outcome was thrombolysis in myocardial infarction major bleeding. Heart failure was reported in 2,995 patients (41%), either as prior HF (2,076 [28%]) or acute HF (2,028 [27%]). Patients with HF had a very high baseline risk and were more often managed medically. Heart failure was associated with a higher rate of the primary outcome (prior HF: adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 1.73, 95% CI 1.42-2.10, P < .0001, acute HF: adjusted HR 1.65, 95% CI 1.35-2.01, P < .0001) and cardiovascular death (prior HF: HR 2.54, 95% CI 1.82-3.54, acute HF: adjusted HR 2.52, 95% CI 1.82-3.50). Patients with acute HF also had significantly higher rates of thrombolysis in myocardial infarction major bleeding (prior HF: adjusted HR 1.22, 95% CI 0.65-2.27, P = .54, acute HF: adjusted HR 1.78, 95% CI 1.03-3.08, P = .04). There was no statistical evidence of a differential effect of apixaban on clinical events or bleeding in patients with or without prior HF; however, among patients with acute HF, there were numerically fewer events with apixaban than placebo (14.8 vs 19.3, HR 0.76, 95% CI 0.57-1.01, interaction P = .13), a trend that was not seen in patients with prior HF or no HF. In high-risk patients post-ACS, both prior and acute HFs are associated with an increased risk of subsequent clinical events. Apixaban did not significantly reduce clinical events and increased bleeding in patients with and without HF; however, there was a tendency toward fewer clinical events with apixaban in patients with acute HF. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Noncoherent Physical-Layer Network Coding with FSK Modulation: Relay Receiver Design Issues

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-03-01

222 IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON COMMUNICATIONS, VOL. 59, NO. 9, SEPTEMBER 2011 2595 Noncoherent Physical-Layer Network Coding with FSK Modulation: Relay... noncoherent reception, channel estima- tion. I. INTRODUCTION IN the two-way relay channel (TWRC), a pair of sourceterminals exchange information...2011 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Noncoherent Physical-Layer Network Coding with FSK Modulation:Relay Receiver Design Issues 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b

Simultaneous energy harvesting and information processing in wireless multiple relays with multiple antennas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Albaaj, Azhar; Makki, S. Vahab A.; Alabkhat, Qassem; Zahedi, Abdulhamid

2017-07-01

Wireless networks suffer from battery discharging specially in cooperative communications when multiple relays have an important role but they are energy constrained. To overcome this problem, energy harvesting from radio frequency signals is applied to charge the node battery. These intermediate nodes have the ability to harvest energy from the source signal and use the energy harvested to transmit information to the destination. In fact, the node tries to harvest energy and then transmit the data to destination. Division of energy harvesting and data transmission can be done in two algorithms: time-switching-based relaying protocol and power-splitting-based relaying protocol. These two algorithms also can be applied in delay-limited and delay-tolerant transmission systems. The previous works have assumed a single relay for energy harvesting, but in this article, the proposed method is concentrated on improving the outage probability and throughput by using multiple antennas in each relay node instead of using single antenna. According to our simulation results, when using multi-antenna relays, ability of energy harvesting is increased and thus system performance will be improved to great extent. Maximum ratio combining scheme has been used when the destination chooses the best signal of relays and antennas satisfying the required signal-to-noise ratio.

Multiple-access relaying with network coding: iterative network/channel decoding with imperfect CSI

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vu, Xuan-Thang; Renzo, Marco Di; Duhamel, Pierre

2013-12-01

In this paper, we study the performance of the four-node multiple-access relay channel with binary Network Coding (NC) in various Rayleigh fading scenarios. In particular, two relay protocols, decode-and-forward (DF) and demodulate-and-forward (DMF) are considered. In the first case, channel decoding is performed at the relay before NC and forwarding. In the second case, only demodulation is performed at the relay. The contributions of the paper are as follows: (1) two joint network/channel decoding (JNCD) algorithms, which take into account possible decoding error at the relay, are developed in both DF and DMF relay protocols; (2) both perfect channel state information (CSI) and imperfect CSI at receivers are studied. In addition, we propose a practical method to forward the relays error characterization to the destination (quantization of the BER). This results in a fully practical scheme. (3) We show by simulation that the number of pilot symbols only affects the coding gain but not the diversity order, and that quantization accuracy affects both coding gain and diversity order. Moreover, when compared with the recent results using DMF protocol, our proposed DF protocol algorithm shows an improvement of 4 dB in fully interleaved Rayleigh fading channels and 0.7 dB in block Rayleigh fading channels.

The Physical Layer Security Experiments of Cooperative Communication System with Different Relay Behaviors.

PubMed

Su, Yishan; Han, Guangyao; Fu, Xiaomei; Xu, Naishen; Jin, Zhigang

2017-04-06

Physical layer security is an attractive security mechanism, which exploits the randomness characteristics of wireless transmission channel to achieve security. However, it is hampered by the limitation of the channel condition that the main channel must be better than the eavesdropper channel. To alleviate the limitation, cooperative communication is introduced. Few studies have investigated the physical layer security of the relay transmission model. In this paper, we performed some experiments to evaluate the physical layer security of a cooperative communication system, with a relay operating in decode-and-forward (DF) cooperative mode, selfish and malicious behavior in real non-ideal transmission environment. Security performance is evaluated in terms of the probability of non-zero secrecy capacity. Experiments showed some different results compared to theoretical simulation: (1) to achieve the maximum secrecy capacity, the optimal relay power according to the experiments result is larger than that of ideal theoretical results under both cooperative and selfish behavior relay; (2) the relay in malicious behavior who forwards noise to deteriorate the main channel may deteriorate the eavesdropper channel more seriously than the main channel; (3) the optimal relay positions under cooperative and selfish behavior relay cases are both located near the destination because of non-ideal transmission.

The SEPnet Coil Demonstrates Electricity Generation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harvey, Clare; Hare, Jonathan

2009-01-01

The South East Physics Network (SEPnet) (www.sepnet.ac.uk/gcse.php) is exploring various ways to enhance physics learning and A-level uptake, including a series of interactive GCSE revision events. The first event, which includes talks and various physics exhibits by leading teachers and educators, is on energy and the exhibition--called "Who…

The broadcast classical-quantum capacity region of a two-phase bidirectional relaying channel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boche, Holger; Cai, Minglai; Deppe, Christian

2015-10-01

We studied a three-node quantum network that enables bidirectional communication between two nodes with a half-duplex relay node for transmitting classical messages. A decode-and-forward protocol is used to perform the communication in two phases. In the first phase, the messages of two nodes are transmitted to the relay node. The capacity of the first phase is well known by previous works. In the second phase, the relay node broadcasts a re-encoded composition to the two nodes. We determine the capacity region of the broadcast phase. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first paper analyzing quantum bidirectional relay networks.

Pharmacological and clinical profile of bivalirudin in the treatment of patients with acute coronary syndrome.

PubMed

White, Harvey D

2009-05-01

Bivalirudin is a direct thrombin inhibitor with several pharmacological advantages over heparin. It has been studied extensively in non-ST elevation acute 60 coronary syndromes (NSTE-ACS) and in percutaneous coronary intervention. Bivalirudin has also recently been investigated in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) treated with primary angioplasty and stenting. More than 27,000 patients were randomized in these trials. To provide an overview of the pharmacological properties of bivalirudin and its efficacy and safety profile in patients across the spectrum of acute coronary syndromes (ACS). All published, peer-reviewed clinical trials were reviewed and as relevant were included. Bivalirudin with provisional IIb/IIIa antagonists provides consistent results across the full spectrum of ACS, with similar or non-inferior protection from ischemic events and significantly reduces bleeding complications compared with heparin and IIb/IIIa antagonists. In STEMI, mortality at 30 days and 1 year is significantly reduced. The unique pharmacokinetic profile of bivalirudin allows for simultaneous reductions in both ischemic and hemorrhagic events and makes it an appropriate alternative to heparin.

Outage Performance Analysis of Relay Selection Schemes in Wireless Energy Harvesting Cooperative Networks over Non-Identical Rayleigh Fading Channels †

PubMed Central

Do, Nhu Tri; Bao, Vo Nguyen Quoc; An, Beongku

2016-01-01

In this paper, we study relay selection in decode-and-forward wireless energy harvesting cooperative networks. In contrast to conventional cooperative networks, the relays harvest energy from the source’s radio-frequency radiation and then use that energy to forward the source information. Considering power splitting receiver architecture used at relays to harvest energy, we are concerned with the performance of two popular relay selection schemes, namely, partial relay selection (PRS) scheme and optimal relay selection (ORS) scheme. In particular, we analyze the system performance in terms of outage probability (OP) over independent and non-identical (i.n.i.d.) Rayleigh fading channels. We derive the closed-form approximations for the system outage probabilities of both schemes and validate the analysis by the Monte-Carlo simulation. The numerical results provide comprehensive performance comparison between the PRS and ORS schemes and reveal the effect of wireless energy harvesting on the outage performances of both schemes. Additionally, we also show the advantages and drawbacks of the wireless energy harvesting cooperative networks and compare to the conventional cooperative networks. PMID:26927119

Outage Performance Analysis of Relay Selection Schemes in Wireless Energy Harvesting Cooperative Networks over Non-Identical Rayleigh Fading Channels.

PubMed

Do, Nhu Tri; Bao, Vo Nguyen Quoc; An, Beongku

2016-02-26

In this paper, we study relay selection in decode-and-forward wireless energy harvesting cooperative networks. In contrast to conventional cooperative networks, the relays harvest energy from the source's radio-frequency radiation and then use that energy to forward the source information. Considering power splitting receiver architecture used at relays to harvest energy, we are concerned with the performance of two popular relay selection schemes, namely, partial relay selection (PRS) scheme and optimal relay selection (ORS) scheme. In particular, we analyze the system performance in terms of outage probability (OP) over independent and non-identical (i.n.i.d.) Rayleigh fading channels. We derive the closed-form approximations for the system outage probabilities of both schemes and validate the analysis by the Monte-Carlo simulation. The numerical results provide comprehensive performance comparison between the PRS and ORS schemes and reveal the effect of wireless energy harvesting on the outage performances of both schemes. Additionally, we also show the advantages and drawbacks of the wireless energy harvesting cooperative networks and compare to the conventional cooperative networks.

Performance Analysis of Amplify-and-Forward Systems with Single Relay Selection in Correlated Environments

PubMed Central

Nguyen, Binh Van; Kim, Kiseon

2016-01-01

In this paper, we consider amplify-and-forward (AnF) cooperative systems under correlated fading environments. We first present a brief overview of existing works on the effect of channel correlations on the system performance. We then focus on our main contribution which is analyzing the outage probability of a multi-AnF-relay system with the best relay selection (BRS) scheme under a condition that two channels of each relay, source-relay and relay-destination channels, are correlated. Using lower and upper bounds on the end-to-end received signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) at the destination, we derive corresponding upper and lower bounds on the system outage probability. We prove that the system can achieve a diversity order (DO) equal to the number of relays. In addition, and importantly, we show that the considered correlation form has a constructive effect on the system performance. In other words, the larger the correlation coefficient, the better system performance. Our analytic results are corroborated by extensive Monte-Carlo simulations. PMID:27626426

Genome-wide identification of WRKY transcription factors in kiwifruit (Actinidia spp.) and analysis of WRKY expression in responses to biotic and abiotic stresses.

PubMed

Jing, Zhaobin; Liu, Zhande

2018-04-01

As one of the largest transcriptional factor families in plants, WRKY transcription factors play important roles in various biotic and abiotic stress responses. To date, WRKY genes in kiwifruit (Actinidia spp.) remain poorly understood. In our study, o total of 97 AcWRKY genes have been identified in the kiwifruit genome. An overview of these AcWRKY genes is analyzed, including the phylogenetic relationships, exon-intron structures, synteny and expression profiles. The 97 AcWRKY genes were divided into three groups based on the conserved WRKY domain. Synteny analysis indicated that segmental duplication events contributed to the expansion of the kiwifruit AcWRKY family. In addition, the synteny analysis between kiwifruit and Arabidopsis suggested that some of the AcWRKY genes were derived from common ancestors before the divergence of these two species. Conserved motifs outside the AcWRKY domain may reflect their functional conservation. Genome-wide segmental and tandem duplication were found, which may contribute to the expansion of AcWRKY genes. Furthermore, the analysis of selected AcWRKY genes showed a variety of expression patterns in five different organs as well as during biotic and abiotic stresses. The genome-wide identification and characterization of kiwifruit WRKY transcription factors provides insight into the evolutionary history and is a useful resource for further functional analyses of kiwifruit.

Greater Collagen‐Induced Platelet Aggregation Following Cyclooxygenase 1 Inhibition Predicts Incident Acute Coronary Syndromes

PubMed Central

Becker, Diane M.; Yanek, Lisa R.; Faraday, Nauder; Vaidya, Dhananjay; Mathias, Rasika; Kral, Brian G.; Becker, Lewis C.

2014-01-01

Abstract Greater ex vivo platelet aggregation to agonists may identify individuals at risk of acute coronary syndromes (ACS). However, increased aggregation to a specific agonist may be masked by inherent variability in other activation pathways. In this study, we inhibited the cyclooxygenase‐1 (COX1) pathway with 2‐week aspirin therapy and measured residual aggregation to collagen and ADP to determine whether increased aggregation in a non‐COX1 pathway is associated with incident ACS. We assessed ex vivo whole blood platelet aggregation in 1,699 healthy individuals with a family history of early‐onset coronary artery disease followed for 6±1.2 years. Incident ACS events were observed in 22 subjects. Baseline aggregation was not associated with ACS. After COX1 pathway inhibition, collagen‐induced aggregation was significantly greater in participants with ACS compared with those without (29.0 vs. 23.6 ohms, p < 0.001). In Cox proportional hazards models, this association remained significant after adjusting for traditional cardiovascular risk factors (HR = 1.10, 95%CI = 1.06–1.15; p < 0.001). In contrast, ADP‐induced aggregation after COX1 inhibition was not associated with ACS. After COX1 pathway inhibition, subjects with greater collagen‐induced platelet aggregation demonstrated a significant excess risk of incident ACS. These data suggest that platelet activation related to collagen may play an important role in the risk of ACS. PMID:25066685

Lithospheric Models of the Middle East to Improve Seismic Source Parameter Determination/Event Location Accuracy

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-09-01

State Award Nos. DE-AC52-07NA27344/24.2.3.2 and DOS_SIAA-11-AVC/NMA-1 ABSTRACT The Middle East is a tectonically complex and seismically...active region. The ability to accurately locate earthquakes and other seismic events in this region is complicated by tectonics , the uneven...and seismic source parameters show that this activity comes from tectonic events. This work is informed by continuous or event-based regional

Type 1 Adenylyl Cyclase is Essential for Maintenance of Remote Contextual Fear Memory

PubMed Central

Shan, Qiang; Chan, Guy C.-K.; Storm, Daniel R.

2008-01-01

Although molecular mechanisms for hippocampus-dependent memory have been extensively studied, much less is known about signaling events important for remote memory. Here we report that mice lacking type 1 adenylyl cyclase (AC1) are able to establish and retrieve remote contextual memory but unable to sustain it as long as wild type mice. Interestingly, mice over-expressing AC1 show superior remote contextual memory even though they exhibit normal hippocampus-dependent contextual memory. These data illustrate that calcium coupling to cAMP contributes to the stability of remote memory and identifies AC1 as a potential drug target site to improve long-term remote memory. PMID:19036980

47 CFR 64.606 - Internet-based TRS provider and TRS program certification.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... of Internet-based TRS to be provided (i.e., VRS, IP Relay, and/or IP captioned telephone relay... IP Relay providers certified under this section must notify the Commission of substantive changes in...

Reputation-Based Trust for a Cooperative, Agent-Based Backup Protection Scheme for Power Networks

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-03-01

85 Appendix B . Performance Charts for Data by Scenario...protection for that line. For example Relay 3 provides zone 1 coverage for line B and zone 3 coverage for line C. Relay 4 would also provide zone 1...coverage for line B but zone 3 coverage for line A instead since it is directional. Relay 1 and relay 6 would provide zone 3 coverage for line B . A

Differential correction capability of the GTDS using TDRSS data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liu, S. Y.; Soskey, D. G.; Jacintho, J.

1980-01-01

A differential correction (DC) capability was implemented in the Goddard Trajectory Determination System (GTDS) to process satellite tracking data acquired via the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TRDRSS). Configuration of the TDRSS is reviewed, observation modeling is presented, and major features of the capability are discussed. The following types of TDRSS data can be processed by GTDS: two way relay range and Doppler measurements, hybrid relay range and Doppler measurements, one way relay Doppler measurements, and differenced one way relay Doppler measurements. These data may be combined with conventional ground based direct tracking data. By using Bayesian weighted least squares techniques, the software allows the simultaneous determination of the trajectories of up to four different satellites - one user satellite and three relay satellites. In addition to satellite trajectories, the following parameters can be optionally solved: for drag coefficient, reflectivity of a satellite for solar radiation pressure, transponder delay, station position, and biases.

Analysis of the cost-effectiveness of using vonoprazan-amoxicillin-clarithromycin triple therapy for first-line Helicobacter pylori eradication.

PubMed

Kajihara, Yusaku; Shimoyama, Tadashi; Mizuki, Ichiro

2017-02-01

Vonoprazan (VPZ)-based triple therapy has been reported to have greater efficacy than a proton pump inhibitor (PPI)-based triple therapy for Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) eradication. However, because VPZ is more expensive than PPIs such as rabeprazole (RPZ), economic evaluation is essential. We performed a retrospective study on 209 patients who underwent first-line eradication of H. pylori infection in Fuyoukai Murakami Hospital from 1 March 2015 to 31 March 2016. Patients who received VPZ, amoxicillin (AMPC) and clarithromycin (CAM) were assigned to the VPZ/AC group (n = 111) and patients who received RPZ, AMPC and CAM to the RPZ/AC group (n = 98). We compared the patients' backgrounds, including age, gender, use of high-dose CAM, past history of peptic ulcer, smoking and drug-related adverse events between the two groups. We defined cost as direct medical costs per patient and effectiveness as the first-line eradication rate in the intention-to-treat (ITT) analysis and analyzed the cost-effectiveness using the cost-effectiveness ratio (CER) and incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER). There was no significant difference in the patients' backgrounds. The ITT analysis revealed an eradication rate of 94.6% for VPZ/AC and 86.7% for RPZ/AC. VPZ/AC cost 1155.4 Japanese yen (JPY) higher than RPZ/AC (34063.4 vs. 32908.0, JPY). CER of VPZ/AC was less than that of RPZ/AC (360.1 vs. 379.4, JPY per percent) and ICER of VPZ/AC was 147.0 JPY (1.28 Euro (EUR), 1 EUR =115 JPY) per percent. VPZ/AC was more cost-effective than RPZ/AC as first-line therapy for H. pylori eradication.

Clustering of ABCB1 and CYP2C19 Genetic Variants Predicts Risk of Major Bleeding and Thrombotic Events in Elderly Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome Receiving Dual Antiplatelet Therapy with Aspirin and Clopidogrel.

PubMed

Galeazzi, Roberta; Olivieri, Fabiola; Spazzafumo, Liana; Rose, Giuseppina; Montesanto, Alberto; Giovagnetti, Simona; Cecchini, Sara; Malatesta, Gelsomina; Di Pillo, Raffaele; Antonicelli, Roberto

2018-06-23

The clinical efficacy of clopidogrel in secondary prevention of vascular events is hampered by marked inter-patient variability in drug response, which partially depends on genetic make-up. The aim of this pilot prospective study was to evaluate 12-month cardiovascular outcomes in elderly patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) receiving dual antiplatelet therapy (aspirin and clopidogrel) according to the clustering of CYP2C19 and ABCB1 genetic variants. Participants were 100 consecutive ACS patients who were genotyped for CYP2C19 (G681A and C-806T) and ABCB1 (C3435T) polymorphisms, which affect clopidogrel metabolism and bioavailability, using PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism. They were then grouped as poor, extensive and ultra-rapid metabolisers based on the combination of CYP2C19 loss-of-function (CYP2C19*2) and gain-of-function (CYP2C19*17) alleles and ABCB1 alleles. The predictive value of each phenotype for acute vascular events was estimated based on 12-month cardiovascular outcomes. The poor metabolisers were at an increased risk of thrombotic events (OR 1.26; 95% CI 1.099-1.45; χ 2  = 5.676; p = 0.027), whereas the ultra-rapid metabolisers had a 1.31-fold increased risk of bleeding events compared with the poor and extensive metabolisers (OR 1.31; 95% CI 1.033-1.67; χ 2  = 5.676; p = 0.048). Logistic regression model, including age, sex, BMI and smoking habit, confirmed the differential risk of major events in low and ultra-rapid metabolisers. Our findings suggest that ACS patients classified as 'poor or ultra-rapid' metabolisers based on CYP2C19 and ABCB1 genotypes should receive alternative antiplatelet therapies to clopidogrel.

Event Coverage Detection and Event Source Determination in Underwater Wireless Sensor Networks.

PubMed

Zhou, Zhangbing; Xing, Riliang; Duan, Yucong; Zhu, Yueqin; Xiang, Jianming

2015-12-15

With the advent of the Internet of Underwater Things, smart things are deployed in the ocean space and establish underwater wireless sensor networks for the monitoring of vast and dynamic underwater environments. When events are found to have possibly occurred, accurate event coverage should be detected, and potential event sources should be determined for the enactment of prompt and proper responses. To address this challenge, a technique that detects event coverage and determines event sources is developed in this article. Specifically, the occurrence of possible events corresponds to a set of neighboring sensor nodes whose sensory data may deviate from a normal sensing range in a collective fashion. An appropriate sensor node is selected as the relay node for gathering and routing sensory data to sink node(s). When sensory data are collected at sink node(s), the event coverage is detected and represented as a weighted graph, where the vertices in this graph correspond to sensor nodes and the weight specified upon the edges reflects the extent of sensory data deviating from a normal sensing range. Event sources are determined, which correspond to the barycenters in this graph. The results of the experiments show that our technique is more energy efficient, especially when the network topology is relatively steady.

Event Coverage Detection and Event Source Determination in Underwater Wireless Sensor Networks

PubMed Central

Zhou, Zhangbing; Xing, Riliang; Duan, Yucong; Zhu, Yueqin; Xiang, Jianming

2015-01-01

With the advent of the Internet of Underwater Things, smart things are deployed in the ocean space and establish underwater wireless sensor networks for the monitoring of vast and dynamic underwater environments. When events are found to have possibly occurred, accurate event coverage should be detected, and potential event sources should be determined for the enactment of prompt and proper responses. To address this challenge, a technique that detects event coverage and determines event sources is developed in this article. Specifically, the occurrence of possible events corresponds to a set of neighboring sensor nodes whose sensory data may deviate from a normal sensing range in a collective fashion. An appropriate sensor node is selected as the relay node for gathering and routing sensory data to sink node(s). When sensory data are collected at sink node(s), the event coverage is detected and represented as a weighted graph, where the vertices in this graph correspond to sensor nodes and the weight specified upon the edges reflects the extent of sensory data deviating from a normal sensing range. Event sources are determined, which correspond to the barycenters in this graph. The results of the experiments show that our technique is more energy efficient, especially when the network topology is relatively steady. PMID:26694394

Evaluating resilience of DNP3-controlled SCADA systems against event buffer flooding

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yan, Guanhua; Nicol, David M; Jin, Dong

2010-12-16

The DNP3 protocol is widely used in SCADA systems (particularly electrical power) as a means of communicating observed sensor state information back to a control center. Typical architectures using DNP3 have a two level hierarchy, where a specialized data aggregator device receives observed state from devices within a local region, and the control center collects the aggregated state from the data aggregator. The DNP3 communication between control center and data aggregator is asynchronous with the DNP3 communication between data aggregator and relays; this leads to the possibility of completely filling a data aggregator's buffer of pending events, when a relaymore » is compromised or spoofed and sends overly many (false) events to the data aggregator. This paper investigates how a real-world SCADA device responds to event buffer flooding. A Discrete-Time Markov Chain (DTMC) model is developed for understanding this. The DTMC model is validated by a Moebius simulation model and data collected on real SCADA testbed.« less

Swift and NuSTAR observations of GW170817: Detection of a blue kilonova

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Evans, P. A.; Cenko, S. B.; Kennea, J. A.; Emery, S. W. K.; Kuin, N. P. M.; Korobkin, O.; Wollaeger, R. T.; Fryer, C. L.; Madsen, K. K.; Harrison, F. A.; Xu, Y.; Nakar, E.; Hotokezaka, K.; Lien, A.; Campana, S.; Oates, S. R.; Troja, E.; Breeveld, A. A.; Marshall, F. E.; Barthelmy, S. D.; Beardmore, A. P.; Burrows, D. N.; Cusumano, G.; D’Aì, A.; D’Avanzo, P.; D’Elia, V.; de Pasquale, M.; Even, W. P.; Fontes, C. J.; Forster, K.; Garcia, J.; Giommi, P.; Grefenstette, B.; Gronwall, C.; Hartmann, D. H.; Heida, M.; Hungerford, A. L.; Kasliwal, M. M.; Krimm, H. A.; Levan, A. J.; Malesani, D.; Melandri, A.; Miyasaka, H.; Nousek, J. A.; O’Brien, P. T.; Osborne, J. P.; Pagani, C.; Page, K. L.; Palmer, D. M.; Perri, M.; Pike, S.; Racusin, J. L.; Rosswog, S.; Siegel, M. H.; Sakamoto, T.; Sbarufatti, B.; Tagliaferri, G.; Tanvir, N. R.; Tohuvavohu, A.

2017-12-01

The gravitational wave event GW170817 was caused by the merger of two neutron stars (see the Introduction by Smith). In three papers, teams associated with the GROWTH (Global Relay of Observatories Watching Transients Happen) project present their observations of the event at wavelengths from x-rays to radio waves. Evans et al. used space telescopes to detect GW170817 in the ultraviolet and place limits on its x-ray flux, showing that the merger generated a hot explosion known as a blue kilonova. Hallinan et al. describe radio emissions generated as the explosion slammed into the surrounding gas within the host galaxy. Kasliwal et al. present additional observations in the optical and infrared and formulate a model for the event involving a cocoon of material expanding at close to the speed of light, matching the data at all observed wavelengths.

Mathematical logic as a mean of solving the problems of power supply for buildings and constructions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pryadko, Igor; Nozdrina, Ekaterina; Boltaevsky, Andrey

2017-10-01

The article analyzes the questions of application of mathematical logic in engineering design associated with machinery and construction. The aim of the work is to study the logical working-out of Russian electrical engineer V.I. Shestakov. These elaborations are considered in connection with the problem of analysis and synthesis of relay contact circuits of the degenerate (A) class which the scientist solved. The article proposes to use Shestakov’s elaborations for optimization of buildings and constructions of modern high-tech. In the second part of the article the events are actualized in association with the development of problems of application of mathematical logic in the analysis and synthesis of electric circuits, relay and bridging. The arguments in favor of the priority of the authorship of the elaborations of Russian electrical engineer V. I. Shestakov, K. Shannon - one of the founders of computer science, and Japanese engineer A. Nakashima are discussed. The issue of contradiction between V. I. Shestakov and representatives of the school of M. A. Gavrilov is touched on.

32 CFR 321.13 - Exemptions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... investigations and relay law enforcement information without compromise of the information, protection of... investigations and relay law enforcement information without compromise of the information, protection of... subsection (c)(3) because it will enable DSS to conduct certain investigations and relay law enforcement...

Early augmented language intervention for children with developmental delays: potential secondary motor outcomes.

PubMed

Whitmore, Ani S; Romski, Mary Ann; Sevcik, Rose A

2014-09-01

This exploratory study examined the potential secondary outcome of an early augmented language intervention that incorporates speech-generating devices (SGD) on motor skill use for children with developmental delays. The data presented are from a longitudinal study by Romski and colleagues. Toddlers in the augmented language interventions were either required (Augmented Communication-Output; AC-O) or not required (Augmented Communication-Input; AC-I) to use the SGD to produce an augmented word. Three standardized assessments and five event-based coding schemes measured the participants' language abilities and motor skills. Toddlers in the AC-O intervention used more developmentally appropriate motor movements and became more accurate when using the SGD to communicate than toddlers in the AC-I intervention. AAC strategies, interventionist/parent support, motor learning opportunities, and physical feedback may all contribute to this secondary benefit of AAC interventions that use devices.

Management of actinic cheilitis using ingenol mebutate gel: A report of seven cases.

PubMed

Flórez, Ángeles; Batalla, Ana; de la Torre, Carlos

2017-03-01

Actinic cheilitis (AC) can precede the development of squamous cell carcinoma of the lip, a location with high risk of invasiveness and metastasis. We communicate the good results that we obtained when treating seven patients suffering from AC with ingenol mebutate (IM) 0,015% concentration gel on three consecutive days. Three patients achieved complete clearance and four significant improvement. IM is a topical field treatment approved for actinic keratosis. To our knowledge, reported experience in the management of AC with IM is very limited. Local skin responses grade 3 were the main adverse event observed and they resolved in all patients without specific therapy within 1 to 2 weeks. IM is characterized by its rapid clinical effect, its favorable safety profile and its dosing period of only 3 days, shorter than with other field therapies. All these facts make it an attractive new therapy for AC, with need for further study.

Correlation between cell cycle proteins and hMSH2 in actinic cheilitis and lip cancer.

PubMed

Lopes, Maria Luiza Diniz de Sousa; de Oliveira, Denise Hélen Imaculada Pereira; Sarmento, Dmitry José de Santana; Queiroz, Lélia Maria Guedes; Miguel, Márcia Cristina da Costa; da Silveira, Éricka Janine Dantas

2016-04-01

This study aims to evaluate and verify the relationship between the immunoexpression of hMSH2, p53 and p21 in actinic cheilitis (AC) and lower lip squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) cases. Forty AC and 40 SCC cases were submitted to immunoperoxidase method and quantitatively analyzed. Expression was compared by Mann-Whitney test, Student t test or one-way ANOVA. To correlate the variables, Pearson's correlation coefficient was calculated. The expression of p53 and p21 showed no significant differences between histopathological grades of AC or lower lip SCC (p > 0.05). Immunoexpression of p53 was higher in SCC than in AC (p < 0.001), while p21 expression was more observed in AC when compared to SCC group (p = 0.006). The AC group revealed an inverse correlation between p53 and hMSH2 expression (r = -0.30, p = 0.006). Alterations in p53 and p21 expression suggest that these proteins are involved in lower lip carcinogenesis. Moreover, p53 and hMSH2 seem to be interrelated in early events of this process.

Spreading Sequence System for Full Connectivity Relay Network

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kwon, Hyuck M. (Inventor); Pham, Khanh D. (Inventor); Yang, Jie (Inventor)

2018-01-01

Fully connected uplink and downlink fully connected relay network systems using pseudo-noise spreading and despreading sequences subjected to maximizing the signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio. The relay network systems comprise one or more transmitting units, relays, and receiving units connected via a communication network. The transmitting units, relays, and receiving units each may include a computer for performing the methods and steps described herein and transceivers for transmitting and/or receiving signals. The computer encodes and/or decodes communication signals via optimum adaptive PN sequences found by employing Cholesky decompositions and singular value decompositions (SVD). The PN sequences employ channel state information (CSI) to more effectively and more securely computing the optimal sequences.

Evolution of a radio communication relay system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nguyen, Hoa G.; Pezeshkian, Narek; Hart, Abraham; Burmeister, Aaron; Holz, Kevin; Neff, Joseph; Roth, Leif

2013-05-01

Providing long-distance non-line-of-sight control for unmanned ground robots has long been recognized as a problem, considering the nature of the required high-bandwidth radio links. In the early 2000s, the DARPA Mobile Autonomous Robot Software (MARS) program funded the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center (SSC) Pacific to demonstrate a capability for autonomous mobile communication relaying on a number of Pioneer laboratory robots. This effort also resulted in the development of ad hoc networking radios and software that were later leveraged in the development of a more practical and logistically simpler system, the Automatically Deployed Communication Relays (ADCR). Funded by the Joint Ground Robotics Enterprise and internally by SSC Pacific, several generations of ADCR systems introduced increasingly more capable hardware and software for automatic maintenance of communication links through deployment of static relay nodes from mobile robots. This capability was finally tapped in 2010 to fulfill an urgent need from theater. 243 kits of ruggedized, robot-deployable communication relays were produced and sent to Afghanistan to extend the range of EOD and tactical ground robots in 2012. This paper provides a summary of the evolution of the radio relay technology at SSC Pacific, and then focuses on the latest two stages, the Manually-Deployed Communication Relays and the latest effort to automate the deployment of these ruggedized and fielded relay nodes.

The Relay/Converter Interface Influences Hydrolysis of ATP by Skeletal Muscle Myosin II*

PubMed Central

Bloemink, Marieke J.; Melkani, Girish C.; Bernstein, Sanford I.; Geeves, Michael A.

2016-01-01

The interface between relay and converter domain of muscle myosin is critical for optimal myosin performance. Using Drosophila melanogaster indirect flight muscle S1, we performed a kinetic analysis of the effect of mutations in the converter and relay domain. Introduction of a mutation (R759E) in the converter domain inhibits the steady-state ATPase of myosin S1, whereas an additional mutation in the relay domain (N509K) is able to restore the ATPase toward wild-type values. The R759E S1 construct showed little effect on most steps of the actomyosin ATPase cycle. The exception was a 25–30% reduction in the rate constant of the hydrolysis step, the step coupled to the cross-bridge recovery stroke that involves a change in conformation at the relay/converter domain interface. Significantly, the double mutant restored the hydrolysis step to values similar to the wild-type myosin. Modeling the relay/converter interface suggests a possible interaction between converter residue 759 and relay residue 509 in the actin-detached conformation, which is lost in R759E but is restored in N509K/R759E. This detailed kinetic analysis of Drosophila myosin carrying the R759E mutation shows that the interface between the relay loop and converter domain is important for fine-tuning myosin kinetics, in particular ATP binding and hydrolysis. PMID:26586917

14 CFR 1215.102 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Aeronautics and Space NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION TRACKING AND DATA RELAY SATELLITE SYSTEM.... The Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System including Tracking and Data Relay Satellites (TDRS), the... user ground system/TDRSS interface. (c) Bit stream. The digital electronic signals acquired by TDRSS...

Phosphate-Catalyzed Succinimide Formation from Asp Residues: A Computational Study of the Mechanism.

PubMed

Kirikoshi, Ryota; Manabe, Noriyoshi; Takahashi, Ohgi

2018-02-24

Aspartic acid (Asp) residues in proteins and peptides are prone to the non-enzymatic reactions that give biologically uncommon l-β-Asp, d-Asp, and d-β-Asp residues via the cyclic succinimide intermediate (aminosuccinyl residue, Suc). These abnormal Asp residues are known to have relevance to aging and pathologies. Despite being non-enzymatic, the Suc formation is thought to require a catalyst under physiological conditions. In this study, we computationally investigated the mechanism of the Suc formation from Asp residues that were catalyzed by the dihydrogen phosphate ion, H₂PO₄ - . We used Ac-l-Asp-NHMe (Ac = acetyl, NHMe = methylamino) as a model compound. The H₂PO₄ - ion (as a catalyst) and two explicit water molecules (as solvent molecules stabilizing the negative charge) were included in the calculations. All of the calculations were performed by density functional theory with the B3LYP functional. We revealed a phosphate-catalyzed two-step mechanism (cyclization-dehydration) of the Suc formation, where the first step is predicted to be rate-determining. In both steps, the reaction involved a proton relay mediated by the H₂PO₄ - ion. The calculated activation barrier for this mechanism (100.3 kJ mol -1 ) is in reasonable agreement with an experimental activation energy (107 kJ mol -1 ) for the Suc formation from an Asp-containing peptide in a phosphate buffer, supporting the catalytic mechanism of the H₂PO₄ - ion that is revealed in this study.

Drosophila C-terminal binding protein, dCtBP is required for sensory organ prepattern and sharpens proneural transcriptional activity of the GATA factor Pnr.

PubMed

Biryukova, Inna; Heitzler, Pascal

2008-11-01

The peripheral nervous system is required for animals to detect and to relay environmental stimuli to central nervous system for the information processing. In Drosophila, the precise spatial and temporal expression of two proneural genes achaete (ac) and scute (sc), is necessary for development of the sensory organs. Here we present an evidence that the transcription co-repressor, dCtBP acts as a negative regulator of sensory organ prepattern. Loss of dCtBP function mutant exhibits ectopic sensory organs, while overexpression of dCtBP results in a dramatic loss of sensory organs. These phenotypes are correlated with mis-emerging of sensory organ precursors and perturbated expression of proneural transcription activator Ac. Mammalian CtBP-1 was identified via interaction with the consensus motif PXDLSX(K/R) of adenovirus E1A oncoprotein. We demonstrated that dCtBP binds directly to PLDLS motif of Drosophila Friend of GATA-1 protein, U-shaped and sharpens the adult sensory organ development. Moreover, we found that dCtBP mediates multivalent interaction with the GATA transcriptional activator Pannier and acts as a direct co-repressor of the Pannier-mediated activation of proneural genes. We demonstrated that Pannier genetically interacts with dCtBP-interacting protein HDAC1, suggesting that the dCtBP-dependent regulation of Pannier activity could utilize a repressive mechanism involving alteration of local chromatine structure.

An entangled-light-emitting diode.

PubMed

Salter, C L; Stevenson, R M; Farrer, I; Nicoll, C A; Ritchie, D A; Shields, A J

2010-06-03

An optical quantum computer, powerful enough to solve problems so far intractable using conventional digital logic, requires a large number of entangled photons. At present, entangled-light sources are optically driven with lasers, which are impractical for quantum computing owing to the bulk and complexity of the optics required for large-scale applications. Parametric down-conversion is the most widely used source of entangled light, and has been used to implement non-destructive quantum logic gates. However, these sources are Poissonian and probabilistically emit zero or multiple entangled photon pairs in most cycles, fundamentally limiting the success probability of quantum computational operations. These complications can be overcome by using an electrically driven on-demand source of entangled photon pairs, but so far such a source has not been produced. Here we report the realization of an electrically driven source of entangled photon pairs, consisting of a quantum dot embedded in a semiconductor light-emitting diode (LED) structure. We show that the device emits entangled photon pairs under d.c. and a.c. injection, the latter achieving an entanglement fidelity of up to 0.82. Entangled light with such high fidelity is sufficient for application in quantum relays, in core components of quantum computing such as teleportation, and in entanglement swapping. The a.c. operation of the entangled-light-emitting diode (ELED) indicates its potential function as an on-demand source without the need for a complicated laser driving system; consequently, the ELED is at present the best source on which to base future scalable quantum information applications.

The Impact of Educational Status on 10-Year (2004-2014) Cardiovascular Disease Prognosis and All-cause Mortality Among Acute Coronary Syndrome Patients in the Greek Acute Coronary Syndrome (GREECS) Longitudinal Study

PubMed Central

Notara, Venetia; Kogias, Yannis; Stravopodis, Petros; Antonoulas, Antonis; Zombolos, Spyros; Mantas, Yannis; Pitsavos, Christos

2016-01-01

Objectives: The association between educational status and 10-year risk for acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and all-cause mortality was evaluated. Methods: From October 2003 to September 2004, 2172 consecutive ACS patients from six Greek hospitals were enrolled. In 2013 to 2014, a 10-year follow-up (2004-2014) assessment was performed for 1918 participants (participation rate, 88%). Each patient’s educational status was classified as low (<9 years of school), intermediate (9 to 14 years), or high (>14 years). Results: Overall all-cause mortality was almost twofold higher in the low-education group than in the intermediate-education and high-education groups (40% vs. 22% and 19%, respectively, p<0.001). Additionally, 10-year recurrent ACS events (fatal and non-fatal) were more common in the low-education group than in the intermediate-education and high-education groups (42% vs. 30% and 35%, p<0.001), and no interactions between sex and education on the investigated outcomes were observed. Moreover, patients in the high-education group were more physically active, had a better financial status, and were less likely to have hypertension, diabetes, or ACS than the participants with the least education (p<0.001); however, when those characteristics and lifestyle habits were accounted for, no moderating effects regarding the relationship of educational status with all-cause mortality and ACS events were observed. Conclusions: A U-shaped association may be proposed for the relationship between ACS prognosis and educational status, with participants in the low-education and high-education groups being negatively affected by other factors (e.g., job stress, depression, or loneliness). Public health policies should be aimed at specific social groups to reduce the overall burden of cardiovascular disease morbidity. PMID:27499164

A combination of increased Rho kinase activity and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide predicts worse cardiovascular outcome in patients with acute coronary syndrome

PubMed Central

Dong, Ming; Liao, James K.; Yan, Bryan; Li, Ruijie; Zhang, Mang; Yu, Cheuk-Man

2013-01-01

Background Recent experimental evidence suggests that the Rho/Rho-kinase (ROCK) system may play an important role in the pathogenesis of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) but there are little clinical data. This study examined if ROCK activity is increased in patients with acute coronary syndrome and if ROCK activity predicts long-term cardiovascular event. Method Blood samples were collected from 188 patients within 12 h after admission for ACS (53% men; aged 70±13) and from 61 control subject. The main outcome measures were all cause mortality, readmission with ACS or congestive heart failure (CHF) from presentation within around 2 years (mean:14.4±7.2 months; range: 0.5 to 26 months). Results ROCK activity increased in ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI, n=90) (3.33±0.93), non-STEMI (NSTEMI, n=68) (3.37±1.04) and unstable angina (UA, n=30) (2.53±0.59) groups when compared with disease controls (n=31) (2.06±0.38, all p<0.001) and healthy controls (n=30) (1.54±0.43, all p<0.001). There were 24 deaths, 34 readmissions with ACS and 15 admissions with CHF within 2 years. Patients with a high N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and high ROCK activity on admission had a five-fold risk of a cardiovascular event (RR: 5.156; 95% CI: 2.180–12.191) when compared to those with low NT-proBNP and low ROCK activity. Conclusion ROCK activity was increased in patients with ACS, particularly in those with myocardial infarction. The combined usage of both ROCK activity and NT-proBNP might identify a subset of ACS patients at particularly high risk. PMID:22921817

Field Performance of Bt Eggplants (Solanum melongena L.) in the Philippines: Cry1Ac Expression and Control of the Eggplant Fruit and Shoot Borer (Leucinodes orbonalis Guenée)

PubMed Central

Hautea, Desiree M.; Taylo, Lourdes D.; Masanga, Anna Pauleen L.; Sison, Maria Luz J.; Narciso, Josefina O.; Quilloy, Reynaldo B.; Hautea, Randy A.; Shotkoski, Frank A.; Shelton, Anthony M.

2016-01-01

Plants expressing Cry proteins from the bacterium, Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), have become a major tactic for controlling insect pests in maize and cotton globally. However, there are few Bt vegetable crops. Eggplant (Solanum melongena) is a popular vegetable grown throughout Asia that is heavily treated with insecticides to control the eggplant fruit and shoot borer, Leucinodes orbonalis (EFSB). Herein we provide the first publicly available data on field performance in Asia of eggplant engineered to produce the Cry1Ac protein. Replicated field trials with five Bt eggplant open-pollinated (OP) lines from transformation event EE-1 and their non-Bt comparators were conducted over three cropping seasons in the Philippines from 2010–2012. Field trials documented levels of Cry1Ac protein expressed in plants and evaluated their efficacy against the primary target pest, EFSB. Cry1Ac concentrations ranged from 0.75–24.7 ppm dry weight with the highest in the terminal leaves (or shoots) and the lowest in the roots. Cry1Ac levels significantly increased from the vegetative to the reproductive stage. Bt eggplant lines demonstrated excellent control of EFSB. Pairwise analysis of means detected highly significant differences between Bt eggplant lines and their non-Bt comparators for all field efficacy parameters tested. Bt eggplant lines demonstrated high levels of control of EFSB shoot damage (98.6–100%) and fruit damage (98.1–99.7%) and reduced EFSB larval infestation (95.8–99.3%) under the most severe pest pressure during trial 2. Moths that emerged from larvae collected from Bt plants in the field and reared in their Bt eggplant hosts did not produce viable eggs or offspring. These results demonstrate that Bt eggplant lines containing Cry1Ac event EE-1 provide outstanding control of EFSB and can dramatically reduce the need for conventional insecticides. PMID:27322533

Achievable rate maximization for decode-and-forward MIMO-OFDM networks with an energy harvesting relay.

PubMed

Du, Guanyao; Yu, Jianjun

2016-01-01

This paper investigates the system achievable rate for the multiple-input multiple-output orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (MIMO-OFDM) system with an energy harvesting (EH) relay. Firstly we propose two protocols, time switching-based decode-and-forward relaying (TSDFR) and a flexible power splitting-based DF relaying (PSDFR) protocol by considering two practical receiver architectures, to enable the simultaneous information processing and energy harvesting at the relay. In PSDFR protocol, we introduce a temporal parameter to describe the time division pattern between the two phases which makes the protocol more flexible and general. In order to explore the system performance limit, we discuss the system achievable rate theoretically and formulate two optimization problems for the proposed protocols to maximize the system achievable rate. Since the problems are non-convex and difficult to solve, we first analyze them theoretically and get some explicit results, then design an augmented Lagrangian penalty function (ALPF) based algorithm for them. Numerical results are provided to validate the accuracy of our analytical results and the effectiveness of the proposed ALPF algorithm. It is shown that, PSDFR outperforms TSDFR to achieve higher achievable rate in such a MIMO-OFDM relaying system. Besides, we also investigate the impacts of the relay location, the number of antennas and the number of subcarriers on the system performance. Specifically, it is shown that, the relay position greatly affects the system performance of both protocols, and relatively worse achievable rate is achieved when the relay is placed in the middle of the source and the destination. This is different from the MIMO-OFDM DF relaying system without EH. Moreover, the optimal factor which indicates the time division pattern between the two phases in the PSDFR protocol is always above 0.8, which means that, the common division of the total transmission time into two equal phases in previous work applying PS-based receiver is not optimal.

Airborne relay-based regional positioning system.

PubMed

Lee, Kyuman; Noh, Hongjun; Lim, Jaesung

2015-05-28

Ground-based pseudolite systems have some limitations, such as low vertical accuracy, multipath effects and near-far problems. These problems are not significant in airborne-based pseudolite systems. However, the monitoring of pseudolite positions is required because of the mobility of the platforms on which the pseudolites are mounted, and this causes performance degradation. To address these pseudolite system limitations, we propose an airborne relay-based regional positioning system that consists of a master station, reference stations, airborne relays and a user. In the proposed system, navigation signals are generated from the reference stations located on the ground and are relayed via the airborne relays. Unlike in conventional airborne-based systems, the user in the proposed system sequentially estimates both the locations of airborne relays and his/her own position. Therefore, a delay due to monitoring does not occur, and the accuracy is not affected by the movement of airborne relays. We conducted several simulations to evaluate the performance of the proposed system. Based on the simulation results, we demonstrated that the proposed system guarantees a higher accuracy than airborne-based pseudolite systems, and it is feasible despite the existence of clock offsets among reference stations.

Airborne Relay-Based Regional Positioning System

PubMed Central

Lee, Kyuman; Noh, Hongjun; Lim, Jaesung

2015-01-01

Ground-based pseudolite systems have some limitations, such as low vertical accuracy, multipath effects and near-far problems. These problems are not significant in airborne-based pseudolite systems. However, the monitoring of pseudolite positions is required because of the mobility of the platforms on which the pseudolites are mounted, and this causes performance degradation. To address these pseudolite system limitations, we propose an airborne relay-based regional positioning system that consists of a master station, reference stations, airborne relays and a user. In the proposed system, navigation signals are generated from the reference stations located on the ground and are relayed via the airborne relays. Unlike in conventional airborne-based systems, the user in the proposed system sequentially estimates both the locations of airborne relays and his/her own position. Therefore, a delay due to monitoring does not occur, and the accuracy is not affected by the movement of airborne relays. We conducted several simulations to evaluate the performance of the proposed system. Based on the simulation results, we demonstrated that the proposed system guarantees a higher accuracy than airborne-based pseudolite systems, and it is feasible despite the existence of clock offsets among reference stations. PMID:26029953

Exploiting Outage and Error Probability of Cooperative Incremental Relaying in Underwater Wireless Sensor Networks

PubMed Central

Nasir, Hina; Javaid, Nadeem; Sher, Muhammad; Qasim, Umar; Khan, Zahoor Ali; Alrajeh, Nabil; Niaz, Iftikhar Azim

2016-01-01

This paper embeds a bi-fold contribution for Underwater Wireless Sensor Networks (UWSNs); performance analysis of incremental relaying in terms of outage and error probability, and based on the analysis proposition of two new cooperative routing protocols. Subject to the first contribution, a three step procedure is carried out; a system model is presented, the number of available relays are determined, and based on cooperative incremental retransmission methodology, closed-form expressions for outage and error probability are derived. Subject to the second contribution, Adaptive Cooperation in Energy (ACE) efficient depth based routing and Enhanced-ACE (E-ACE) are presented. In the proposed model, feedback mechanism indicates success or failure of data transmission. If direct transmission is successful, there is no need for relaying by cooperative relay nodes. In case of failure, all the available relays retransmit the data one by one till the desired signal quality is achieved at destination. Simulation results show that the ACE and E-ACE significantly improves network performance, i.e., throughput, when compared with other incremental relaying protocols like Cooperative Automatic Repeat reQuest (CARQ). E-ACE and ACE achieve 69% and 63% more throughput respectively as compared to CARQ in hard underwater environment. PMID:27420061

Relay Support for the Mars Science Laboratory and the Coming Decade of Mars Relay Network Evolution

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Edwards, Charles D., Jr.; Arnold, Bradford W.; Bell, David J.; Bruvold, Kristoffer N.; Gladden, Roy E.; Ilott, Peter A.; Lee, Charles H.

2012-01-01

In the past decade, an evolving network of Mars relay orbiters has provided telecommunication relay services to the Mars Exploration Rovers, Spirit and Opportunity, and to the Mars Phoenix Lander, enabling high-bandwidth, energy-efficient data transfer and greatly increasing the volume of science data that can be returned from the Martian surface, compared to conventional direct-to-Earth links. The current relay network, consisting of NASA's Odyssey and Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and augmented by ESA's Mars Express Orbiter, stands ready to support the Mars Science Laboratory, scheduled to arrive at Mars on Aug 6, 2012, with new capabilities enabled by the Electra and Electra-Lite transceivers carried by MRO and MSL, respectively. The MAVEN orbiter, planned for launch in 2013, and the ExoMars/Trace Gas Orbiter, planned for launch in 2016, will replenish the on-orbit relay network as the current orbiter approach their end of life. Currently planned support scenarios for this future relay network include an ESA EDL Demonstrator Module deployed by the 2016 ExoMars/TGO orbiter, and the 2018 NASA/ESA Joint Rover, representing the first step in a multimission Mars Sample Return campaign.

Rack protection monitor

DOEpatents

Orr, Stanley G.

2000-01-01

A hardwired, fail-safe rack protection monitor utilizes electromechanical relays to respond to the detection by condition sensors of abnormal or alarm conditions (such as smoke, temperature, wind or water) that might adversely affect or damage equipment being protected. When the monitor is reset, the monitor is in a detection mode with first and second alarm relay coils energized. If one of the condition sensors detects an abnormal condition, the first alarm relay coil will be de-energized, but the second alarm relay coil will remain energized. This results in both a visual and an audible alarm being activated. If a second alarm condition is detected by another one of the condition sensors while the first condition sensor is still detecting the first alarm condition, both the first alarm relay coil and the second alarm relay coil will be de-energized. With both the first and second alarm relay coils de-energized, both a visual and an audible alarm will be activated. In addition, power to the protected equipment will be terminated and an alarm signal will be transmitted to an alarm central control. The monitor can be housed in a separate enclosure so as to provide an interface between a power supply for the protected equipment and the protected equipment.

Relay cropping as a sustainable approach: problems and opportunities for sustainable crop production.

PubMed

Tanveer, Mohsin; Anjum, Shakeel Ahmad; Hussain, Saddam; Cerdà, Artemi; Ashraf, Umair

2017-03-01

Climate change, soil degradation, and depletion of natural resources are becoming the most prominent challenges for crop productivity and environmental sustainability in modern agriculture. In the scenario of conventional farming system, limited chances are available to cope with these issues. Relay cropping is a method of multiple cropping where one crop is seeded into standing second crop well before harvesting of second crop. Relay cropping may solve a number of conflicts such as inefficient use of available resources, controversies in sowing time, fertilizer application, and soil degradation. Relay cropping is a complex suite of different resource-efficient technologies, which possesses the capability to improve soil quality, to increase net return, to increase land equivalent ratio, and to control the weeds and pest infestation. The current review emphasized relay cropping as a tool for crop diversification and environmental sustainability with special focus on soil. Briefly, benefits, constraints, and opportunities of relay cropping keeping the goals of higher crop productivity and sustainability have also been discussed in this review. The research and knowledge gap in relay cropping was also highlighted in order to guide the further studies in future.

Developmental Changes in Short-Term Plasticity at the Rat Calyx of Held Synapse

PubMed Central

Crins, Tom T. H.; Rusu, Silviu I.; Rodríguez-Contreras, Adrian; Borst, J. Gerard G.

2015-01-01

The calyx of Held synapse of the medial nucleus of the trapezoid body functions as a relay synapse in the auditory brainstem. In vivo recordings have shown that this synapse displays low release probability and that the average size of synaptic potentials does not depend on recent history. We used a ventral approach to make in vivo extracellular recordings from the calyx of Held synapse in rats aged postnatal day 4 (P4) to P29 to study the developmental changes that allow this synapse to function as a relay. Between P4 and P8, we observed evidence for the presence of large short-term depression, which was counteracted by short-term facilitation at short intervals. Major changes occurred in the last few days before the onset of hearing for air-borne sounds, which happened at P13. The bursting pattern changed into a primary-like pattern, the amount of depression and facilitation decreased strongly, and the decay of facilitation became much faster. Whereas short-term plasticity was the most important cause of variability in the size of the synaptic potentials in immature animals, its role became minor around hearing onset and afterward. Similar developmental changes were observed during stimulation experiments both in brain slices and in vivo following cochlear ablation. Our data suggest that the strong reduction in release probability and the speedup of the decay of synaptic facilitation that happen just before hearing onset are important events in the transformation of the calyx of Held synapse into an auditory relay synapse. PMID:21832200

Tracking and data relay satellite system configuration and tradeoff study, part 1. Volume 3: Telecommunications service system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1972-01-01

The results of the telecommunications subsystem analysis are presented. The relay system requirements and constraints, interference analysis, frequency selection, modulation and coding analysis, and the performance analysis of the relay system are included.

76 FR 72124 - Internet-Based Telecommunications Relay Service Numbering

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-11-22

... Docket No. 10-191; FCC 11-123] Internet-Based Telecommunications Relay Service Numbering AGENCY: Federal..., the information collection associated with the Commission's Internet- Based Telecommunications Relay... this notice as an announcement of the effective date of the rules. See Internet-Based...

77 FR 1039 - Internet-Based Telecommunications Relay Service Numbering

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-01-09

... FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION 47 CFR Part 64 [WC Docket No. 10-191; Report No. 2939] Internet... toll-free numbers by users of Internet- based Telecommunications Relay Services (iTRS). DATES... any rules of particular applicability. Subject: Internet-Based Telecommunications Relay Service...

47 CFR 64.603 - Provision of services.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... telephone voice transmission services shall provide, not later than July 26, 1993, in compliance with the regulations prescribed herein, throughout the area in which it offers services, telecommunications relay... other carriers. Speech-to-speech relay service and interstate Spanish language relay service shall be...

A TorPath to TorCoin: Proof-of-Bandwidth Altcoins for Compensating Relays

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-07-18

incentive scheme for Tor relying on two novel concepts. We introduce TorCoin, an “altcoin” that uses the Bitcoin protocol to re- ward relays for...or altcoin, based on the Bitcoin protocol [8]. Unlike Bitcoin , its proof-of-work scheme is based on bandwidth rather than computation. To “mine” a...concepts. We introduce TorCoin, an altcoin" that uses the Bitcoin protocol to re- ward relays for contributing bandwidth. Relays mine" TorCoins, then

Benefits of smart pumps for automated changeovers of vasoactive drug infusion pumps: a quasi-experimental study.

PubMed

Cour, M; Hernu, R; Bénet, T; Robert, J M; Regad, D; Chabert, B; Malatray, A; Conrozier, S; Serra, P; Lassaigne, M; Vanhems, P; Argaud, L

2013-11-01

Manual changeover of vasoactive drug infusion pumps (CVIP) frequently lead to haemodynamic instability. Some of the newest smart pumps allow automated CVIP. The aim of this study was to compare automated CVIP with manual 'Quick Change' relays. We performed a prospective, quasi-experimental study, in a university-affiliated intensive care unit (ICU). All adult patients receiving continuous i.v. infusion of vasoactive drugs were included. CVIP were successively performed manually (Phase 1) and automatically (Phase 2) during two 6-month periods. The primary endpoint was the frequency of haemodynamic incidents related to the relays, which were defined as variations of mean arterial pressure >15 mm Hg or heart rate >15 bpm. The secondary endpoints were the nursing time dedicated to relays and the number of interruptions in care because of CVIP. A multivariate mixed effects logistic regression was fitted for analytic analysis. We studied 1329 relays (Phase 1: 681, Phase 2: 648) from 133 patients (Phase 1: 63, Phase 2: 70). Incidents related to CVIP decreased from 137 (20%) in Phase 1 to 73 (11%) in Phase 2 (P<0.001). Automated relays were independently associated with a 49% risk reduction of CVIP-induced incidents (adjusted OR=0.51, 95% confidence interval 0.34-0.77, P=0.001). Time dedicated to the relays and the number of interruptions in care to manage CVIP were also significantly reduced with automated relays vs manual relays (P=0.001). These results demonstrate the benefits of automated CVIP using smart pumps in limiting the frequency of haemodynamic incidents related to relays and in reducing the nursing workload.

Section 7 reactor incident file general information from 1945

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1969-01-10

At 0308 on January 10, 1966, both B and C Reactors ``scrammed`` due to an electrical fault on Line C2-L8 caused by a raccoon coming in contact with the 13-8 KV line on top of transformer No. 2 at 182-B Building. Line C2-L8 relayed out at the 151-B Building. Details of the occurrence at 151-B are covered in the attachment. C-Reactor scrammed due to reduced voltage on the pressure monitor system. The reduction in voltage caused the auxiliary relays of the pressure monitor ground detector to open, de-energizing the end result relays PSR and PSRA. The safety circuit trip identificationmore » system displayed ``Pressure Monitor`` and ``Ground Detector.`` B-Reactor scrammed by a power failure signal from 190-B Building. The power failure relays for pump numbers 1 and 3 opened due to these pumps contributing power to the fault. The power failure relays at 190-B remained open long enough for the end result relays PF and PFA to open. Since these relays are timed delayed, 0.26 seconds, the power failure relays must have remained open at least that long. At the 190-B Building the steam turbines started due to the power failure relays for pump numbers 1 and 3 opening. The main process pumps remained stable and continued to supply normal flow to the reactor. Pumps were tripped from the line at 182-B and 183-B Buildings. The surge suppressors cycled normally and the turbine export pumps started as a result of low export line pressure. No power equipment was affected in C Area.« less

26 CFR 1.1503(d)-8 - Effective dates.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... loss that was incurred in 2004, and a triggering event described in § 1.1503-2(g)(2)(iv)(B)(1)(ii... agreements filed under §§ 1.1503-2A(c)(3), 1.1503-2A(d)(3), 1.1503-2(g)(2)(i), or 1.1503-2T(g)(i). If an agreement is filed in accordance with §§ 1.1503-2A(c)(3), 1.1503-2A(d)(3), 1.1503-2(g)(2)(i), or 1.1503-2T(g...

26 CFR 1.1503(d)-8 - Effective dates.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... loss that was incurred in 2004, and a triggering event described in § 1.1503-2(g)(2)(iv)(B)(1)(ii... agreements filed under §§ 1.1503-2A(c)(3), 1.1503-2A(d)(3), 1.1503-2(g)(2)(i), or 1.1503-2T(g)(i). If an agreement is filed in accordance with §§ 1.1503-2A(c)(3), 1.1503-2A(d)(3), 1.1503-2(g)(2)(i), or 1.1503-2T(g...

26 CFR 1.1503(d)-8 - Effective dates.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... loss that was incurred in 2004, and a triggering event described in § 1.1503-2(g)(2)(iv)(B)(1)(ii... agreements filed under §§ 1.1503-2A(c)(3), 1.1503-2A(d)(3), 1.1503-2(g)(2)(i), or 1.1503-2T(g)(i). If an agreement is filed in accordance with §§ 1.1503-2A(c)(3), 1.1503-2A(d)(3), 1.1503-2(g)(2)(i), or 1.1503-2T(g...

26 CFR 1.1503(d)-8 - Effective dates.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... loss that was incurred in 2004, and a triggering event described in § 1.1503-2(g)(2)(iv)(B)(1)(ii...-2A(c)(3), 1.1503-2A(d)(3), 1.1503-2(g)(2)(i), or 1.1503-2T(g)(i). If an agreement is filed in accordance with §§ 1.1503-2A(c)(3), 1.1503-2A(d)(3), 1.1503-2(g)(2)(i), or 1.1503-2T(g)(2)(i) with respect to...

26 CFR 1.1503(d)-8 - Effective dates.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... loss that was incurred in 2004, and a triggering event described in § 1.1503-2(g)(2)(iv)(B)(1)(ii... agreements filed under §§ 1.1503-2A(c)(3), 1.1503-2A(d)(3), 1.1503-2(g)(2)(i), or 1.1503-2T(g)(i). If an agreement is filed in accordance with §§ 1.1503-2A(c)(3), 1.1503-2A(d)(3), 1.1503-2(g)(2)(i), or 1.1503-2T(g...

Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Major Cardiovascular Outcomes for Radial Versus Femoral Access in Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome

PubMed Central

Ruiz-Rodriguez, Ernesto; Asfour, Ahmed; Lolay, Georges; Ziada, Khaled M.; Abdel-Latif, Ahmed K.

2016-01-01

Objectives Radial artery access (RA) for left heart catheterization and percutaneous coronary interventions (PCIs) has been demonstrated to be safe and effective. Despite consistent data showing less bleeding complications compared with femoral artery access (FA), it continues to be underused in the United States, particularly in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in whom aggressive anticoagulation and platelet inhibition regimens are needed. This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to compare major cardiovascular outcomes and safety endpoints in patients with ACS managed with PCI using radial versus femoral access. Methods Randomized controlled trials and cohort studies comparing RA versus FA in patients with ACS were analyzed. Our primary outcomes were mortality, major adverse cardiac event, major bleeding, and access-related complications. A fixed-effects model was used for the primary analyses. Results Fifteen randomized controlled trials and 17 cohort studies involving 44,854 patients with ACS were identified. Compared with FA, RA was associated with a reduction in major bleeding (odds ratio [OR] 0.45, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.33–0.61; P < 0.001), access-related complications (OR 0.27, 95% CI 0.18–0.39; P < 0.001), mortality (OR 0.64, 95% CI 0.54–0.75; P < 0.001), and major adverse cardiac event (OR 0.70, 95% CI 0.57–0.85; P < 0.001). These significant reductions were consistent across different study designs and clinical presentations. Conclusions Based on this large meta-analysis, RA for primary PCI in the setting of ACS is associated with reduction in cardiac and safety endpoints when compared with FA in both urgent and elective procedures. This should encourage a wider adoption of this technique among centers and interventional cardiologists. PMID:26741877

Comparison of the low-density lipoprotein cholesterol target value and the preventive effect of statins in elderly patients and younger patients.

PubMed

Endo, Akihiro; Okada, Taiji; Pak, Misun; Kagawa, Yuzo; Ito, Shimpei; Sato, Hirotomo; Kageshima, Kenji; Yoshida, Yasuyuki; Tanabe, Kazuaki

2017-06-01

To assess whether the low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) target value and preventive effect of statins are different between elderly and younger patients. We investigated 304 patients with previous percutaneous coronary intervention who underwent coronary angiography from January 2007 to December 2016 for examination of recurrent ischemia beyond the early restenosis. Patients were classified into two groups: age ≥ 75 years (elderly group: n = 140) and < 75 years (younger group: n = 164). Relationships between the achieved LDL-C level, incidence of late coronary events, and the effectiveness of statins were evaluated. During follow-up, 179 patients underwent late coronary revascularization. Recurrent ischemia presenting as acute coronary syndrome (ACS) occurred in 83 cases. Kaplan-Meier curve analysis revealed that in the younger group, recurrent ACS was significantly lower in patients with LDL-C < 70 mg/dL than in those with LDL-C ranging from 70 to < 100 mg/dL ( P = 0.035); however, there was no difference between these in the elderly group ( P = 0.863). Instead, recurrent ACS was less frequent in patients with LDL-C ranging from 70 mg/dL to < 100 mg/dL than in those with LDL-C ≥ 100 mg/dL in the elderly group ( P = 0.033). Statin use was associated with decreased recurrent ACS ( P = 0.005); moreover, only using statins was an independent predictor in the elderly group (HR: 0.375; P = 0.007). Strict control of LDL-C to < 70 mg/dL was effective for reducing the incidence of recurrent ACS in younger patients. However, LDL-C < 100 mg/dL might be sufficient as the target value of LDL-C-lowering therapy for secondary prevention of ischemic events in Japanese elderly patients.

Association between gender, process of care measures, and outcomes in ACS in India: results from the detection and management of coronary heart disease (DEMAT) registry.

PubMed

Pagidipati, Neha J; Huffman, Mark D; Jeemon, Panniyammakal; Gupta, Rajeev; Negi, Prakash; Jaison, Thannikot M; Sharma, Satyavan; Sinha, Nakul; Mohanan, Padinhare; Muralidhara, B G; Bijulal, Sasidharan; Sivasankaran, Sivasubramonian; Puri, Vijay K; Jose, Jacob; Reddy, K Srinath; Prabhakaran, Dorairaj

2013-01-01

Studies from high-income countries have shown that women receive less aggressive diagnostics and treatment than men in acute coronary syndromes (ACS), though their short-term mortality does not appear to differ from men. Data on gender differences in ACS presentation, management, and outcomes are sparse in India. The Detection and Management of Coronary Heart Disease (DEMAT) Registry collected data from 1,565 suspected ACS patients (334 women; 1,231 men) from ten tertiary care centers throughout India between 2007-2008. We evaluated gender differences in presentation, in-hospital and discharge management, and 30-day death and major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE; death, re-hospitalization, and cardiac arrest) rates. Women were less likely to present with STEMI than men (38% vs. 55%, p<0.001). Overall inpatient diagnostics and treatment patterns were similar between men and women after adjustment for potential confounders. Optimal discharge management with aspirin, clopidogrel, beta-blockers, and statin therapy was lower for women than men, (58% vs. 65%, p = 0.03), but these differences were attenuated after adjustment (OR = 0.86 (0.62, 1.19)). Neither the outcome of 30-day mortality (OR = 1.40 (0.62, 3.16)) nor MACE (OR = 1.00 (0.67, 1.48)) differed significantly between men and women after adjustment. ACS in-hospital management, discharge management, and 30-day outcomes did not significantly differ between genders in the DEMAT registry, though consistently higher treatment rates and lower event rates in men compared to women were seen. These findings underscore the importance of further investigation of gender differences in cardiovascular care in India.

Randomized clinical trial: pharmacokinetics and safety of multimatrix mesalamine for treatment of pediatric ulcerative colitis.

PubMed

Cuffari, Carmen; Pierce, David; Korczowski, Bartosz; Fyderek, Krzysztof; Van Heusen, Heather; Hossack, Stuart; Wan, Hong; Edwards, Alena Y Z; Martin, Patrick

2016-01-01

Limited data are available on mesalamine (5-aminosalicylic acid; 5-ASA) use in pediatric ulcerative colitis (UC). To evaluate pharmacokinetic and safety profiles of 5-ASA and metabolite acetyl-5-ASA (Ac-5-ASA) after once-daily, oral administration of multimatrix mesalamine to children and adolescents with UC. Participants (5-17 years of age; 18-82 kg, stratified by weight) with UC received multi-matrix mesalamine 30, 60, or 100 mg/kg/day once daily (to 4,800 mg/day) for 7 days. Blood samples were collected pre-dose on days 5 and 6. On days 7 and 8, blood and urine samples were collected and safety was evaluated. 5-ASA and Ac-5-ASA plasma and urine concentrations were analyzed by non-compartmental methods and used to develop a population pharmacokinetic model. Fifty-two subjects (21 [30 mg/kg]; 22 [60 mg/kg]; 9 [100 mg/kg]) were randomized. On day 7, systemic exposures of 5-ASA and Ac-5-ASA exhibited a dose-proportional increase between 30 and 60 mg/kg/day cohorts. For 30, 60, and 100 mg/kg/day doses, mean percentages of 5-ASA absorbed were 29.4%, 27.0%, and 22.1%, respectively. Simulated steady-state exposures and variabilities for 5-ASA and Ac-5-ASA (coefficient of variation approximately 50% and 40%-45%, respectively) were similar to those observed previously in adults at comparable doses. Treatment-emergent adverse events were reported by ten subjects. Events were similar among different doses and age groups with no new safety signals identified. Children and adolescents with UC receiving multimatrix mesalamine demonstrated 5-ASA and Ac-5-ASA pharmacokinetic profiles similar to historical adult data. Multimatrix mesalamine was well tolerated across all dose and age groups. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01130844.

Moving multiple sinks through wireless sensor networks for lifetime maximization.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Petrioli, Chiara; Carosi, Alessio; Basagni, Stefano

2008-01-01

Unattended sensor networks typically watch for some phenomena such as volcanic events, forest fires, pollution, or movements in animal populations. Sensors report to a collection point periodically or when they observe reportable events. When sensors are too far from the collection point to communicate directly, other sensors relay messages for them. If the collection point location is static, sensor nodes that are closer to the collection point relay far more messages than those on the periphery. Assuming all sensor nodes have roughly the same capabilities, those with high relay burden experience battery failure much faster than the rest of themore » network. However, since their death disconnects the live nodes from the collection point, the whole network is then dead. We consider the problem of moving a set of collectors (sinks) through a wireless sensor network to balance the energy used for relaying messages, maximizing the lifetime of the network. We show how to compute an upper bound on the lifetime for any instance using linear and integer programming. We present a centralized heuristic that produces sink movement schedules that produce network lifetimes within 1.4% of the upper bound for realistic settings. We also present a distributed heuristic that produces lifetimes at most 25:3% below the upper bound. More specifically, we formulate a linear program (LP) that is a relaxation of the scheduling problem. The variables are naturally continuous, but the LP relaxes some constraints. The LP has an exponential number of constraints, but we can satisfy them all by enforcing only a polynomial number using a separation algorithm. This separation algorithm is a p-median facility location problem, which we can solve efficiently in practice for huge instances using integer programming technology. This LP selects a set of good sensor configurations. Given the solution to the LP, we can find a feasible schedule by selecting a subset of these configurations, ordering them via a traveling salesman heuristic, and computing feasible transitions using matching algorithms. This algorithm assumes sinks can get a schedule from a central server or a leader sink. If the network owner prefers the sinks make independent decisions, they can use our distributed heuristic. In this heuristic, sinks maintain estimates of the energy distribution in the network and move greedily (with some coordination) based on local search. This application uses the new SUCASA (Solver Utility for Customization with Automatic Symbol Access) facility within the PICO (Parallel Integer and Combinatorial Optimizer) integer programming solver system. SUCASA allows rapid development of customized math programming (search-based) solvers using a problem's natural multidimensional representation. In this case, SUCASA also significantly improves runtime compared to implementations in the ampl math programming language or in perl.« less

The sequence relay selection strategy based on stochastic dynamic programming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Rui; Chen, Xihao; Huang, Yangchao

2017-07-01

Relay-assisted (RA) network with relay node selection is a kind of effective method to improve the channel capacity and convergence performance. However, most of the existing researches about the relay selection did not consider the statically channel state information and the selection cost. This shortage limited the performance and application of RA network in practical scenarios. In order to overcome this drawback, a sequence relay selection strategy (SRSS) was proposed. And the performance upper bound of SRSS was also analyzed in this paper. Furthermore, in order to make SRSS more practical, a novel threshold determination algorithm based on the stochastic dynamic program (SDP) was given to work with SRSS. Numerical results are also presented to exhibit the performance of SRSS with SDP.

Modeling of Protection in Dynamic Simulation Using Generic Relay Models and Settings

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Samaan, Nader A.; Dagle, Jeffery E.; Makarov, Yuri V.

This paper shows how generic protection relay models available in planning tools can be augmented with settings that are based on NERC standards or best engineering practice. Selected generic relay models in Siemens PSS®E have been used in dynamic simulations in the proposed approach. Undervoltage, overvoltage, underfrequency, and overfrequency relays have been modeled for each generating unit. Distance-relay protection was modeled for transmission system protection. Two types of load-shedding schemes were modeled: underfrequency (frequency-responsive non-firm load shedding) and underfrequency and undervoltage firm load shedding. Several case studies are given to show the impact of protection devices on dynamic simulations. Thismore » is useful for simulating cascading outages.« less

Modeling study of the ABS relay valve

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lei, Ming; Lin, Min; Guo, Bin; Luo, Zai; Xu, Weidong

2011-05-01

The ABS (anti-lock braking system) relay valve is the key component of anti-lock braking system in most commercial vehicles such as trucks, tractor-trailers, etc. In this paper, structure of ABS relay valve and its work theory were analyzed. Then a mathematical model of ABS relay valve, which was investigated by dividing into electronic part, magnetic part, pneumatic part and mechanical part, was set up. The displacement of spools and the response of pressure increasing, holding, releasing of ABS relay valve were simulated and analyzed under conditions of control pressure 500 KPa, braking pressure 600 KPa, atmospheric pressure 100 KPa and air temperature 310 K. Thisarticle provides reliable theory for improving the performance and efficiency of anti-lock braking system of vehicles.

Outage Analysis of Dual-hop Cognitive Networks with Relay Selection over Nakagami-m Fading Environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Zongsheng; Pi, Xurong

2014-09-01

In this paper, we investigate the outage performance of decode-and-forward cognitive relay networks for Nakagami-m fading channels, with considering both best relay selection and interference constraints. Focusing on the relay selection and making use of the underlay cognitive approach, an exact closed-form outage probability expression is derived in an independent, non-identical distributed Nakagami-m environment. The closed-form outage probability provides an efficient means to evaluate the effects of the maximum allowable interference power, number of cognitive relays, and channel conditions between the primary user and cognitive users. Finally, we present numerical results to validate the theory analysis. Moreover, from the simulation results, we obtain that the system can obtain the full diversity.

Quantum cryptography with an ideal local relay

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spedalieri, Gaetana; Ottaviani, Carlo; Braunstein, Samuel L.; Gehring, Tobias; Jacobsen, Christian S.; Andersen, Ulrik L.; Pirandola, Stefano

2015-10-01

We consider two remote parties connected to a relay by two quantum channels. To generate a secret key, they transmit coherent states to the relay, where the states are subject to a continuous-variable (CV) Bell detection. We study the ideal case where Alice's channel is lossless, i.e., the relay is locally in her lab and the Bell detection is perfomed with unit efficiency. This configuration allows us to explore the optimal performances achievable by CV measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution. This corresponds to the limit of a trusted local relay, where the detection loss can be re-scaled. Our theoretical analysis is confirmed by an experimental simulation where 10-4 secret bits per use can potentially be distributed at 170km assuming ideal reconciliation.

Improved BDF Relaying Scheme Using Time Diversity over Atmospheric Turbulence and Misalignment Fading Channels

PubMed Central

García-Zambrana, Antonio; Castillo-Vázquez, Carmen; Castillo-Vázquez, Beatriz

2014-01-01

A novel bit-detect-and-forward (BDF) relaying scheme based on repetition coding with the relay is proposed, significantly improving the robustness to impairments proper to free-space optical (FSO) communications such as unsuitable alignment between transmitter and receiver as well as fluctuations in the irradiance of the transmitted optical beam due to the atmospheric turbulence. Closed-form asymptotic bit-error-rate (BER) expressions are derived for a 3-way FSO communication setup. Fully exploiting the potential time-diversity available in the relay turbulent channel, a relevant better performance is achieved, showing a greater robustness to the relay location since a high diversity gain is provided regardless of the source-destination link distance. PMID:24587711

Signal relay during the life cycle of Dictyostelium.

PubMed

Mahadeo, Dana C; Parent, Carole A

2006-01-01

A fundamental property of multicellular organisms is signal relay, the process by which information is transmitted from one cell to another. The integration of external information, such as nutritional status or developmental cues, is critical to the function of organisms. In addition, the spatial organizations of multicellular organisms require intricate signal relay mechanisms. Signal relay is remarkably exhibited during the life cycle of the social amoebae Dictyostelium discoideum, a eukaryote that retains a simple way of life, yet it has greatly contributed to our knowledge of the mechanisms cells use to communicate and integrate information. This chapter focuses on the molecules and mechanisms that Dictyostelium employs during its life cycle to relay temporal and spatial cues that are required for survival.

Effects of laser fluence non-uniformity on ambient-temperature soot measurements using the auto-compensating laser-induced incandescence technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Fengshan; Rogak, Steven; Snelling, David R.; Saffaripour, Meghdad; Thomson, Kevin A.; Smallwood, Gregory J.

2016-11-01

Multimode pulsed Nd:YAG lasers are commonly used in auto-compensating laser-induced incandescence (AC-LII) measurements of soot in flames and engine exhaust as well as black carbon in the atmosphere. Such lasers possess a certain degree of fluence non-uniformity across the laser beam even with the use of beam shaping optics. Recent research showed that the measured volume fraction of ambient-temperature soot using AC-LII increases significantly, by about a factor of 5-8, with increasing the laser fluence in the low-fluence regime from a very low fluence to a relatively high fluence of near sublimation. The causes of this so-called soot volume fraction anomaly are currently not understood. The effects of laser fluence non-uniformity on the measured soot volume fraction using AC-LII were investigated. Three sets of LII experiments were conducted in the exhaust of a MiniCAST soot generator under conditions of high elemental carbon using Nd:YAG lasers operated at 1064 nm. The laser beams were shaped and relay imaged to achieve a relatively uniform fluence distribution in the measurement volume. To further homogenize the laser fluence, one set of LII experiments was conducted by using a diffractive optical element. The measured soot volume fractions in all three sets of LII experiments increase strongly with increasing the laser fluence before a peak value is reached and then start to decrease at higher fluences. Numerical calculations were conducted using the experimental laser fluence histograms. Laser fluence non-uniformity is found partially responsible for the soot volume fraction anomaly, but is insufficient to explain the degree of soot volume fraction anomaly observed experimentally. Representing the laser fluence variations by a histogram derived from high-resolution images of the laser beam energy profile gives a more accurate definition of inhomogeneity than a simple averaged linear profile across the laser beam.

Effectiveness of a combination of ezetimibe and statins in patients with acute coronary syndrome and multiple comorbidities: A 6-year population-based cohort study.

PubMed

Lin Wu, Fe-Lin; Wang, Jui; Ho, Wei; Chou, Chia-Hung; Wu, Yi-Jung; Choo, Dan-Wei; Wang, Yu-Wen; Chen, Po-Yu; Chien, Kuo-Liong; Lin, Zhen-Fang

2017-04-15

The clinical benefits of a combination of statins and ezetimibe in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) were observed in a clinical trial. However, little is known regarding the effectiveness of using statins with or without ezetimibe in patients with ACS and multiple comorbidities in real-world clinical practice. This is a nationwide population-based cohort study using Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database. A total of 212,110 patients with ACS who had been discharged after their first ACS events between 2006 and 2010 were enrolled. A propensity score matching approach was used to create matched cohorts for adjusting potential confounders. Cox proportional hazards regressions were performed to estimate the risk of re-hospitalization for ACS and revascularization. Patients in the statins-plus-ezetimibe group had a significantly lower risk of re-hospitalization for ACS (adjusted hazard ratio [HR]=0.64, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.60-0.69) and revascularization (HR=0.69, 95% CI: 0.63-0.76) than those in the statins-alone group. In the statins-plus-ezetimibe group, female patients had a lower risk of re-hospitalization for ACS than male patients did, and patients without diabetes mellitus had a lower risk of re-hospitalization for ACS than did patients with diabetes mellitus. Patients with ACS and multiple comorbidities receiving a combination therapy of statins and ezetimibe had a lower risk of re-hospitalization for ACS and revascularization than those receiving statins alone. Significant interaction effects were observed between combination with ezetimibe, sex, and diabetes mellitus. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Inter-rater reliability of direct observations of the physical and psychosocial working conditions in eldercare: An evaluation in the DOSES project.

PubMed

Karstad, Kristina; Rugulies, Reiner; Skotte, Jørgen; Munch, Pernille Kold; Greiner, Birgit A; Burdorf, Alex; Søgaard, Karen; Holtermann, Andreas

2018-05-01

The aim of the study was to develop and evaluate the reliability of the "Danish observational study of eldercare work and musculoskeletal disorders" (DOSES) observation instrument to assess physical and psychosocial risk factors for musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) in eldercare work. During 1.5 years, sixteen raters conducted 117 inter-rater observations from 11 nursing homes. Reliability was evaluated using percent agreement and Gwet's AC1 coefficient. Of the 18 examined items, inter-rater reliability was excellent for 7 items (AC1>0.75) fair to good for 7 items (AC1 0.40-0.75) and poor for 2 items (AC1 0-0.40). For 2 items there was no agreement between the raters (AC1 <0). The reliability did not differ between the first and second half of the data collection period and the inter-rater observations were representative regarding occurrence of events in eldercare work. The instrument is appropriate for assessing physical and psychosocial risk factors for MSD among eldercare workers. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Association of adiponectin gene polymorphism (+T45G) with acute coronary syndrome and circulating adiponectin levels.

PubMed

Rizk, Nasser M; El-Menyar, Ayman; Marei, Isra; Sameer, Maha; Musad, Tasneem; Younis, Dima; Farag, Fathi; Basem, Nora; Al-Ali, Khalid; Al Suwaidi, Jassim

2013-05-01

We investigated the association of adiponectin gene polymorphisms (+T45G and +G276T) and adiponectin levels with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) among Arabs in Qatar. A case-control study was performed in 142 Arab patients with ACS and 122 controls. Genotypes were determined using TaqMan real-time polymerase chain reaction assay. The TT, TG, and GG genotype frequencies of the T45G variant were significantly different among cases and controls (P = .023) but not significant for G276T genotypic frequencies. It was found that only the +45G allele was significantly associated with 3-fold increased risk of ACS (odds ratio = 2.77; 1.03-6.96; P = .043) among patients, using the genetic recessive model. Carriers of GG alleles had significantly lower adiponectin levels compared to TT/TG carriers of T45G in patients with ACS. The present study suggests that only T45G single-nucleotide polymorphism in the adiponectin gene is associated with higher odds for ACS events and has an effect on serum adiponectin levels among Arab populations.

47 CFR 11.20 - State Relay Network.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 1 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false State Relay Network. 11.20 Section 11.20... Network. This network is composed of State Relay (SR) sources, leased common carrier communications facilities or any other available communication facilities. The network distributes State EAS messages...

47 CFR 11.20 - State Relay Network.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false State Relay Network. 11.20 Section 11.20... Network. This network is composed of State Relay (SR) sources, leased common carrier communications facilities or any other available communication facilities. The network distributes State EAS messages...

That Article: Frame Relay.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schuyler, Michael

1994-01-01

Compares Frame Relay with digital and analog alternatives for connecting sites on a Wide Area Network. Cost considerations, the concepts on which the technology is based, its carrying capacity, the use of CD-ROM and Graphical User Interface (GUI) on Frame Relay, and engineering bandwidth limitations are covered. (KRN)

76 FR 67118 - Structure and Practices of the Video Relay Service Program

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-10-31

... Practices of the Video Relay Service Program AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission. ACTION: Proposed... Commission's Structure and Practices of the Video Relay Service Program, Further Notice of Proposed..., and video using wired telecommunications networks. Transmission facilities may be based on a single...

Quantum network with trusted and untrusted relays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, Xiongfeng; Annabestani, Razieh; Fung, Chi-Hang Fred; Lo, Hoi-Kwong; Lütkenhaus, Norbert; PitkäNen, David; Razavi, Mohsen

2012-02-01

Quantum key distribution offers two distant users to establish a random secure key by exploiting properties of quantum mechanics, whose security has proven in theory. In practice, many lab and field demonstrations have been performed in the last 20 years. Nowadays, quantum network with quantum key distribution systems are tested around the world, such as in China, Europe, Japan and US. In this talk, I will give a brief introduction of recent development for quantum network. For the untrusted relay part, I will introduce the measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution scheme and a quantum relay with linear optics. The security of such scheme is proven without assumptions on the detection devices, where most of quantum hacking strategies are launched. This scheme can be realized with current technology. For the trusted relay part, I will introduce so-called delayed privacy amplification, with which no error correction and privacy amplification is necessarily to be performed between users and the relay. In this way, classical communications and computational power requirement on the relay site will be reduced.

Proximity Link Design and Performance Options for a Mars Areostationary Relay Satellite

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Edwards, Charles D.; Bell, David J.; Biswas, Abhijit; Cheung, Kar-Ming; Lock, Robert E.

2016-01-01

Current and near-term Mars relay telecommunications services are provided by a set of NASA and ESA Mars science orbiters equipped with UHF relay communication payloads employing operationally simple low-gain antennas. These have been extremely successful in supporting a series of landed Mars mission, greatly increasing data return relative to direct-to-Earth lander links. Yet their relay services are fundamentally constrained by the short contact times available from the selected science orbits. Future Mars areostationary orbiters, flying in circular, equatorial, 1- sol orbits, offer the potential for continuous coverage of Mars landers and rovers, radically changing the relay support paradigm. Achieving high rates on the longer slant ranges to areostationary altitude will require steered, high-gain links. Both RF and optical options exist for achieving data rates in excess of 100 Mb/s. Several point designs offer a measure of potential user burden, in terms of mass, volume, power, and pointing requirements for user relay payloads, as a function of desired proximity link performance.

Modeling Zone-3 Protection with Generic Relay Models for Dynamic Contingency Analysis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Huang, Qiuhua; Vyakaranam, Bharat GNVSR; Diao, Ruisheng

This paper presents a cohesive approach for calculating and coordinating the settings of multiple zone-3 protections for dynamic contingency analysis. The zone-3 protections are represented by generic distance relay models. A two-step approach for determining zone-3 relay settings is proposed. The first step is to calculate settings, particularly, the reach, of each zone-3 relay individually by iteratively running line open-end fault short circuit analysis; the blinder is also employed and properly set to meet the industry standard under extreme loading conditions. The second step is to systematically coordinate the protection settings of the zone-3 relays. The main objective of thismore » coordination step is to address the over-reaching issues. We have developed a tool to automate the proposed approach and generate the settings of all distance relays in a PSS/E dyr format file. The calculated zone-3 settings have been tested on a modified IEEE 300 system using a dynamic contingency analysis tool (DCAT).« less

Performance of an optical relay satellite using Reed-Solomon coding over a cascaded optical PPM and BPSK channel

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Divsalar, D.; Naderi, F.

1982-01-01

The nature of the optical/microwave interface aboard the relay satellite is considered. To allow for the maximum system flexibility, without overburdening either the optical or RF channel, demodulating the optical on board the relay satellite but leaving the optical channel decoding to be performed at the ground station is examined. The occurrence of erasures in the optical channel is treated. A hard decision on the erasure (i.e., the relay selecting a symbol at random in case of erasure occurrence) seriously degrades the performance of the overall system. Coding the erasure occurrences at the relay and transmitting this information via an extra bit to the ground station where it can be used by the decoder is suggested. Many examples with varying bit/photon energy efficiency and for the noisy and noiseless optical channel are considered. It is shown that coding the erasure occurrences dramatically improves the performance of the cascaded channel relative to the case of hard decision on the erasure by the relay.

Clinician assessment for acute chest syndrome in febrile patients with sickle cell disease: is it accurate enough?

PubMed

Morris, C; Vichinsky, E; Styles, L

1999-07-01

To determine whether the use of empiric chest radiography (CXR) is of significant value in detecting clinically unsuspected acute chest syndrome (ACS) in febrile patients with sickle cell disease (SCD). Patients with SCD presenting to the emergency department and hematology clinic with temperature greater than or equal to 38 degrees C were prospectively evaluated using a physician-completed questionnaire. The questionnaire included inquiries into the patient's physical signs and symptoms and the physician's clinical impression for the presence of ACS. The questionnaire was completed before obtaining CXR results in all patients. Seventy-three patients with SCD with 96 febrile events were evaluated over a 1-year period. Twenty-four percent (23/96) of the patients had CXR evidence of ACS. On the basis of the questionnaire data, 61% (14/23) of ACS cases were not clinically suspected by the evaluating physician before obtaining CXR. Comparing the patients with and without ACS revealed that, with the exception of splinting (4/23 [17%] versus 0/73 [0%]), no symptom or physical examination finding helped to identify which patients had ACS. Fifty-seven percent of patients with ACS had completely normal findings on physical examination. The presentation of patients with clinically detected versus clinically unsuspected ACS also did not differ significantly. Length of hospitalization, oxygen use, and need for transfusion were the same in both the unsuspected and detected ACS groups. Overall physician sensitivity for predicting ACS was only 39%, and diagnostic accuracy did not improve significantly with increasing levels of pediatric training. ACS is common in patients with SCD who present with fever and was grossly underestimated by evaluating physicians. History and physical examination appear to be of little value in defining which febrile patients require CXR. In view of the mortality and morbidity associated with ACS, empiric CXR should be considered when evaluating a febrile patient with SCD.

Wireless Relay Selection in Pocket Switched Networks Based on Spatial Regularity of Human Mobility †

PubMed Central

Huang, Jianhui; Cheng, Xiuzhen; Bi, Jingping; Chen, Biao

2016-01-01

Pocket switched networks (PSNs) take advantage of human mobility to deliver data. Investigations on real-world trace data indicate that human mobility shows an obvious spatial regularity: a human being usually visits a few places at high frequencies. These most frequently visited places form the home of a node, which is exploited in this paper to design two HomE based Relay selectiOn (HERO) algorithms. Both algorithms input single data copy into the network at any time. In the basic HERO, only the first node encountered by the source and whose home overlaps a destination’s home is selected as a relay while the enhanced HERO keeps finding more optimal relay that visits the destination’s home with higher probability. The two proposed algorithms only require the relays to exchange the information of their home and/or the visiting frequencies to their home when two nodes meet. As a result, the information update is reduced and there is no global status information that needs to be maintained. This causes light loads on relays because of the low communication cost and storage requirements. Additionally, only simple operations are needed in the two proposed algorithms, resulting in little computation overhead at relays. At last, a theoretical analysis is performed on some key metrics and then the real-world based simulations indicate that the two HERO algorithms are efficient and effective through employing only one or a few relays. PMID:26797609

Interactions between relay helix and Src homology 1 domain helix (SH1) drive the converter domain rotation during the recovery stroke of myosin II

PubMed Central

Baumketner, Andrij

2012-01-01

Myosin motor protein exists in two alternative conformations, pre-recovery state M* and post-recovery state M**, upon ATP binding. The details of the M*-to-M** transition, known as the recovery stroke to reflect its role as the functional opposite of the force-generating power stroke, remain elusive. The defining feature of the post-recovery state is a kink in the relay helix, a key part of the protein involved in force generation. In this paper we determine the interactions that are responsible for the appearance of the kink. We design a series of computational models that contain three other segments, relay loop, converter domain and Src homology 1 domain helix (SH1), with which relay helix interacts, and determine their structure in accurate replica exchange molecular dynamics simulations in explicit solvent. By conducting an exhaustive combinatorial search among different models we find that: 1) the converter domain must be attached to the relay helix during the transition, so it does not interfere with other parts of the protein, 2) the structure of the relay helix is controlled by SH1 helix. The kink is strongly coupled to the position of SH1 helix. It arises as a result of direct interactions between SH1 and the relay helix and leads to a rotation of the C-terminal part of the relay helix which is subsequently transmitted to the converter domain. PMID:22411190

The Relay/Converter Interface Influences Hydrolysis of ATP by Skeletal Muscle Myosin II.

PubMed

Bloemink, Marieke J; Melkani, Girish C; Bernstein, Sanford I; Geeves, Michael A

2016-01-22

The interface between relay and converter domain of muscle myosin is critical for optimal myosin performance. Using Drosophila melanogaster indirect flight muscle S1, we performed a kinetic analysis of the effect of mutations in the converter and relay domain. Introduction of a mutation (R759E) in the converter domain inhibits the steady-state ATPase of myosin S1, whereas an additional mutation in the relay domain (N509K) is able to restore the ATPase toward wild-type values. The R759E S1 construct showed little effect on most steps of the actomyosin ATPase cycle. The exception was a 25-30% reduction in the rate constant of the hydrolysis step, the step coupled to the cross-bridge recovery stroke that involves a change in conformation at the relay/converter domain interface. Significantly, the double mutant restored the hydrolysis step to values similar to the wild-type myosin. Modeling the relay/converter interface suggests a possible interaction between converter residue 759 and relay residue 509 in the actin-detached conformation, which is lost in R759E but is restored in N509K/R759E. This detailed kinetic analysis of Drosophila myosin carrying the R759E mutation shows that the interface between the relay loop and converter domain is important for fine-tuning myosin kinetics, in particular ATP binding and hydrolysis. © 2016 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

Elevated leukocyte count and adverse hospital events in patients with acute coronary syndromes: findings from the Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events (GRACE).

PubMed

Furman, Mark I; Gore, Joel M; Anderson, Fredrick A; Budaj, Andrzej; Goodman, Shaun G; Avezum, Avaro; López-Sendón, José; Klein, Werner; Mukherjee, Debabrata; Eagle, Kim A; Dabbous, Omar H; Goldberg, Robert J

2004-01-01

To examine the association between elevated leukocyte count and hospital mortality and heart failure in patients enrolled in the multinational, observational Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events (GRACE). Elevated leukocyte count is associated with adverse hospital outcomes in patients presenting with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). The association of this prognostic factor with hospital mortality and heart failure in patients with other acute coronary syndromes (ACS) is unclear. We examined the association between admission leukocyte count and hospital mortality and heart failure in 8269 patients presenting with an ACS. This association was examined separately in patients with ST-segment elevation AMI, non-ST-segment elevation AMI, and unstable angina. Leukocyte count was divided into 4 mutually exclusive groups (Q): Q1 <6000, Q2 = 6000-9999, Q3 = 10,000-11,999, Q4 >12,000. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to examine the association between elevated leukocyte count and hospital events while accounting for the simultaneous effect of several potentially confounding variables. Increasing leukocyte count was significantly associated with hospital death (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 2.8, 95% CI 2.1-3.6 for Q4 compared to Q2 [normal range]) and heart failure (OR 2.7, 95% CI 2.2-3.4) for patients presenting with ACS. This association was seen in patients with ST-segment elevation AMI (OR for hospital death 3.2, 95% CI 2.1-4.7; OR for heart failure 2.4, 95% CI 1.8-3.3), non-ST-segment elevation AMI (OR for hospital death 1.9, 95% CI 1.2-3.0; OR for heart failure 1.7, 95% CI 1.1-2.5), or unstable angina (OR for hospital death 2.8, 95% CI 1.4-5.5; OR for heart failure 2.0, 95% CI 0.9-4.4). In men and women of all ages with the spectrum of ACS, initial leukocyte count is an independent predictor of hospital death and the development of heart failure.

Prognostic Significance of Bleeding Location and Severity Among Patients With Acute Coronary Syndromes

PubMed Central

Vavalle, John P.; Clare, Robert; Chiswell, Karen; Rao, Sunil V.; Petersen, John L.; Kleiman, Neal S.; Mahaffey, Kenneth W.; Wang, Tracy Y.

2013-01-01

Objectives This study sought to determine if there is an association between bleed location and clinical outcomes in acute coronary syndromes (ACS) patients. Background The prognostic significance of bleeding location among ACS patients undergoing cardiac catheterization is not well known. Methods We analyzed in-hospital bleeding events among 9,978 patients randomized in the SYNERGY (Superior Yield of the New Strategy of Enoxaparin, Revascularization, and Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa Inhibitors) study. Bleeding events were categorized by location as access site, systemic, surgical, or superficial, and severity was graded using the GUSTO (Global Use of Strategies to Open Occluded Coronary Arteries) definition. We assessed the association of each bleeding location and severity with 6-month risk of death or myocardial infarction using a multicovariate-adjusted Cox proportional hazard model. Results A total of 4,900 bleeding events were identified among 3,694 ACS patients with in-hospital bleeding. Among 4,679 GUSTO mild/moderate bleeding events, only surgical and systemic bleeds were associated with an increased risk of 6-month death or myocardial infarction (adjusted hazard ratio [HR]: 2.52 [95% confidence interval (CI): 2.16 to 2.94, and 1.40 [95% CI: 1.16 to 1.69], respectively). Mild/moderate superficial and access-site bleeds were not associated with downstream risk (adjusted HR: 1.17 [95% CI: 0.97 to 1.40], and 0.96 [95% CI: 0.82 to 1.12], respectively). Among 221 GUSTO severe bleeds, surgical bleeds were associated with the highest risk (HR: 5.27 [95% CI: 3.80 to 7.29]), followed by systemic (HR: 4.48 [95% CI: 2.98 to 6.72]), and finally access-site bleeds (HR: 3.57 [95% CI: 2.35 to 5.40]). Conclusions Among ACS patients who develop in-hospital bleeding, systemic and surgical bleeding are associated with the highest risks of adverse outcomes regardless of bleeding severity. Although the most frequent among bleeds, GUSTO mild/moderate access-site bleeding is not associated with increased risk. These data underscore the importance of strategies to minimize overall bleeding risk beyond vascular access site management. PMID:23866183

Economic evaluation of bivalirudin with or without glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibition versus heparin with routine glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibition for early invasive management of acute coronary syndromes.

PubMed

Pinto, Duane S; Stone, Gregg W; Shi, Chunxue; Dunn, Elizabeth S; Reynolds, Matthew R; York, Meghan; Walczak, Joshua; Berezin, Ronna H; Mehran, Roxana; McLaurin, Brent T; Cox, David A; Ohman, E Magnus; Lincoff, A Michael; Cohen, David J

2008-11-25

The aim of this study was to determine the economic impact of several anticoagulation strategies for moderate- and high-risk non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS) patients managed invasively. The ACUITY (Acute Catheterization and Urgent Intervention Triage Strategy) trial demonstrated that bivalirudin monotherapy yields similar rates of ischemic complications and less bleeding than regimens incorporating glycoprotein IIb/IIIa receptor inhibitors (GPI) for moderate- and high-risk NSTE-ACS. In ACUITY, 7,851 U.S. patients were randomized to: 1) heparin (unfractionated or enoxaparin) + GPI; 2) bivalirudin + GPI; or 3) bivalirudin monotherapy. Patients assigned to GPI were also randomized to upstream GPI before catheterization or selective GPI only with percutaneous coronary intervention. Resource use data were collected prospectively through 30-day follow-up. Costs were estimated with standard methods including resource-based accounting, hospital billing data, and the Medicare fee schedule. At 30 days, ischemic events were similar for all groups. Major bleeding was reduced with bivalirudin monotherapy compared with heparin + GPI or bivalirudin + GPI (p < 0.001). Length of stay was lowest with bivalirudin monotherapy or bivalirudin + catheterization laboratory GPI (p = 0.02). Despite higher drug costs, aggregate hospital stay costs were lowest with bivalirudin monotherapy (mean difference range: $184 to $1,081, p < 0.001 for overall comparison) and at 30 days (mean difference range: $123 to $938, p = 0.005). Regression modeling demonstrated that hospital savings were primarily due to less major and minor bleeding with bivalirudin ($8,658/event and $2,282/event, respectively). Among U.S. patients in the ACUITY trial, bivalirudin monotherapy compared with heparin + GPI resulted in similar protection from ischemic events, reduced bleeding, and shorter length of stay. Despite higher drug costs, aggregate hospital and 30-day costs were lowest with bivalirudin monotherapy. Thus bivalirudin monotherapy seems to be an economically attractive alternative to heparin + GPI for patients with moderate- and high-risk NSTE-ACS. (Comparison of Angiomax Versus Heparin in Acute Coronary Syndromes [ACS]; NCT00093158).

Feasibility of NASA TT&C via Commercial Satellite Services

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mitchell, Carl W.; Weiss, Roland

1997-01-01

This report presents the results of a study to identify impact and driving requirements by implementing commercial satellite communications service into traditional National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) space-ground communications. The NASA communication system is used to relay spacecraft and instrument commands, telemetry and science data. NASA's goal is to lower the cost of operation and increase the flexibility of spacecraft operations. Use of a commercial network offers the opportunity to contact a spacecraft on a nearly "on-demand" basis with ordinary phone calls to enable real time interaction with science events.

Applications of satellite data relay to problems of field seismology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Webster, W. J., Jr.; Miller, W. H.; Whitley, R.; Allenby, R. J.; Dennison, R. T.

1980-01-01

A seismic signal processor was developed and tested for use with the NOAA-GOES satellite data collection system. Performance tests on recorded, as well as real time, short period signals indicate that the event recognition technique used is nearly perfect in its rejection of cultural signals and that data can be acquired in many swarm situations with the use of solid state buffer memories. Detailed circuit diagrams are provided. The design of a complete field data collection platform is discussed and the employment of data collection platforms in seismic network is reviewed.

47 CFR 64.6040 - Rates for Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS) calling.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 3 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Rates for Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS) calling. 64.6040 Section 64.6040 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) COMMON....6040 Rates for Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS) calling. No Provider shall levy or collect any...

76 FR 59557 - Structure and Practices of the Video Relay Service Program

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-09-27

...] Structure and Practices of the Video Relay Service Program AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission. ACTION... Structure and Practices of the Video Relay Service Program, Second Report and Order and Order in CG Docket... replies. In light of impending deadlines for initial and [[Page 59558

47 CFR Alphabetical Index - Part 74

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

..., Directional (Aural STL/Relays) 74.536 Antenna location— LPTV/TV Translator 74.737 FM Translators/Boosters 74... Automatic relay stations (Remote pickup) 74.436 Avoidance of interference (TV Auxiliaries) 74.604 BP='02... (Aural STL/Relays) 74.536 E Emergency information Broadcasting (All Services) 74.21 Emission authorized...

Estimating the Uncertainty and Predictive Capabilities of Three-Dimensional Earth Models (Postprint)

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-03-22

www.isc.ac.uk). This global database includes more than 7,000 events whose epicentral location accuracy is known to at least 5 km. GT events with...region, which illustrates the difficulty of validating a model with travel times alone. However, the IASPEI REL database is currently the highest...S (right) paths in the IASPEI REL ground-truth database . Stations are represented by purple triangles and events by gray circles. Note the sparse

Germinal and Somatic Activity of the Maize Element Activator (Ac) in Arabidopsis

PubMed Central

Keller, J.; Lim, E.; James-Jr., D. W.; Dooner, H. K.

1992-01-01

We have investigated the germinal and somatic activity of the maize Activator (Ac) element in Arabidopsis with the objective of developing an efficient transposon-based system for gene isolation in that plant. Transposition activity was assayed with a chimeric marker that consists of the cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter and a bacterial streptomycin phosphotransferase gene (SPT). Somatic activity was detected in seedlings germinated on plates containing streptomycin as green-resistant sectors against a background of white-sensitive cells. Germinal excisions resulted in fully green seedlings. The transposition frequency was extremely low when a single copy of the transposon was present, but appeared to increase with an increase in Ac copy number. Plants that were selected as variegated produced an increased number of green progeny. The methylation state of the Ac elements in lines with either low or high levels of excision was assessed by restriction analysis. No difference was found between these lines, indicating that the degree of methylation did not contribute to the level of Ac activity. Germinal excision events were analyzed molecularly and shown to carry reinserted transposons in about 50% of the cases. In several instances, streptomycin-resistant siblings carried the same transposed Ac element, indicating that excision had occurred prior to meiosis in the parent. We discuss parameters that need to be considered to optimize the use of Ac as a transposon tag in Arabidopsis. PMID:1322854

Role of central obesity in risk stratification after an acute coronary event: does central obesity add prognostic value to the Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events (GRACE) risk score in patients with acute coronary syndrome?

PubMed

Martins, Albino; Ribeiro, Sílvia; Gonçalves, Pierre; Correia, Adelino

2013-10-01

Accurate risk stratification is an important step in the initial management of acute coronary syndrome (ACS), and current guidelines recommend the use of risk scores, such as the Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events risk score (GRACE RS). Recent studies have suggested that abdominal obesity is associated with cardiovascular events in patients with ACS. However, little is known about the additional value of abdominal obesity beyond risk scores. The aim of our study was thus to assess whether waist circumference, a surrogate of abdominal adiposity, adds prognostic information to the GRACE RS. This was a retrospective cohort study of ACS patients admitted consecutively to a cardiac care unit between June 2009 and July 2010. The composite of all-cause mortality or myocardial reinfarction within six months of index hospitalization was used as the endpoint for the analysis. A total of 285 patients were studied, 96.1% admitted for myocardial infarction (with or without ST elevation) and 3.9% for unstable angina. At the end of the follow-up period, 10 patients had died and the composite endpoint had been reached in 27 patients (9.5%). More than 70% of the study population were obese or overweight, and abdominal obesity was present in 44.6%. The GRACE RS showed poor predictive accuracy (area under the curve 0.60), and most of the GRACE variables did not reach statistical significance in multivariate analysis. The addition of waist circumference to the GRACE RS did not improve its discriminatory performance. Abdominal obesity does not add prognostic information to the GRACE RS to predict six-month mortality or myocardial reinfarction.

Design and rationale of the ANALYZE ST study: a prospective, nonrandomized, multicenter ST monitoring study to detect acute coronary syndrome events in implantable cardioverter-defibrillator patients.

PubMed

Gibson, C Michael; Krucoff, Mitchell; Kirtane, Ajay J; Rao, Sunil V; Mackall, Judith A; Matthews, Ray; Saba, Samir; Waksman, Ron; Holmes, David

2014-10-01

In the setting of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, timely restoration of normal blood flow is associated with improved myocardial salvage and survival. Despite improvements in door-to-needle and door-to-balloon times, there remains an unmet need with respect to improved symptom-to-door times. A prior report of an implanted device to monitor ST-segment deviation demonstrated very short times to reperfusion among patients with an acute coronary syndrome (ACS) with documented thrombotic occlusion. The goal of the ANALYZE ST study is to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of a novel ST-segment monitoring feature using an existing implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) among patients with known coronary artery disease. The ANALYZE ST study is a prospective, nonrandomized, multicenter, pivotal Investigational Device Exemption study enrolling 5,228 patients with newly implanted ICD systems for standard clinical indications who also have a documented history of coronary artery disease. Patients will be monitored for 48 months, during which effectiveness of the device for the purpose of early detection of cardiac injury will be evaluated by analyzing the sensitivity of the ST monitoring feature to identify clinical ACS events. In addition, the safety of the ST monitoring feature will be evaluated through the assessment of the percentage of patients for which monitoring produces a false-positive event over the course of 12 months. The ANALYZE ST trial is testing the hypothesis that the ST monitoring feature in the Fortify ST ICD system (St. Jude Medical, Inc., St. Paul, MN) (or other ICD systems with the ST monitoring feature) will accurately identify patients with clinical ACS events. Copyright © 2014 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

A cost analysis in patients with acute coronary syndrome using clopidogrel in addition to aspirin in a Hong Kong public hospital.

PubMed

Lee, Vivian W Y; Chan, Wai Kwong; Lee, Kenneth K C

2006-09-01

Results from the Clopidogrel in Unstable Angina to Prevent Recurrent Events (CURE) study showed that clopidogrel plus aspirin, compared to aspirin alone, reduced cardiovascular events (death, myocardial infarction, and stroke) in patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS). Yet the acquisition cost of clopidogrel is much higher. It would therefore be worthwhile to compare the long-term cost impact of these 2 regimens. Until recently, only very few patients with ACS received clopidogrel-aspirin combination therapy in Hong Kong. Therefore, a hypothetical cohort was formed and compared to a real group of patients treated with aspirin alone. For the aspirin group, medical history was reviewed and cardiovascular and gastrointestinal events occurring in a period of 12 months after initiation of therapy were recorded. The target cost items included hospitalisation, emergency room visits, outpatient clinic visits, related medications, diagnostic tests, procedures, and surgery. For the hypothetical cohort, the probabilities/relative risks for clinical events were adopted from the CURE study. Fifty-four consecutive patients with ACS receiving aspirin therapy were identified and studied between January 1, 2001 and December 31, 2001 from a major public hospital in Hong Kong. The average cost of management per patient over the 12 month period for the aspirin group was HK$85,324 (US$10,940, HK$7.8 = 1 US$) versus the hypothetical cohort HK$83,903 (US$10,757). Hospitalisation represented the major cost item (64.6%), followed by the cost of investigational tests (14.5%) and procedural cost (11.6%). According to our analytical model, the overall cost impact between clopidogrel plus aspirin versus aspirin alone in the 2 groups of patients was similar.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of 30-month vs 12-month dual antiplatelet therapy with clopidogrel and aspirin after drug-eluting stents in patients with acute coronary syndrome.

PubMed

Jiang, Minghuan; You, Joyce H S

2017-10-01

Continuation of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) beyond 1 year reduces late stent thrombosis and ischemic events after drug-eluting stents (DES) but increases risk of bleeding. We hypothesized that extending DAPT from 12 months to 30 months in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) after DES is cost-effective. A lifelong decision-analytic model was designed to simulate 2 antiplatelet strategies in event-free ACS patients who had completed 12-month DAPT after DES: aspirin monotherapy (75-162 mg daily) and continuation of DAPT (clopidogrel 75 mg daily plus aspirin 75-162 mg daily) for 18 months. Clinical event rates, direct medical costs, and quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) gained were the primary outcomes from the US healthcare provider perspective. Base-case results showed DAPT continuation gained higher QALYs (8.1769 vs 8.1582 QALYs) at lower cost (USD42 982 vs USD44 063). One-way sensitivity analysis found that base-case QALYs were sensitive to odds ratio (OR) of cardiovascular death with DAPT continuation and base-case cost was sensitive to OR of nonfatal stroke with DAPT continuation. DAPT continuation remained cost-effective when the ORs of nonfatal stroke and cardiovascular death were below 1.241 and 1.188, respectively. In probabilistic sensitivity analysis, DAPT continuation was the preferred strategy in 74.75% of 10 000 Monte Carlo simulations at willingness-to-pay threshold of 50 000 USD/QALYs. Continuation of DAPT appears to be cost-effective in ACS patients who were event-free for 12-month DAPT after DES. The cost-effectiveness of DAPT for 30 months was highly subject to the OR of nonfatal stroke and OR of death with DAPT continuation. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

49 CFR 236.737 - Cut-section, relayed.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 49 Transportation 4 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Cut-section, relayed. 236.737 Section 236.737..., MAINTENANCE, AND REPAIR OF SIGNAL AND TRAIN CONTROL SYSTEMS, DEVICES, AND APPLIANCES Definitions § 236.737 Cut-section, relayed. A cut-section where the energy for one track circuit is supplied through front contacts...

78 FR 54201 - Misuse of Internet Protocol (IP) Captioned Telephone Service; Telecommunications Relay Services...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-09-03

...] Misuse of Internet Protocol (IP) Captioned Telephone Service; Telecommunications Relay Services and... further possible actions necessary to improve internet protocol captioned telephone relay service (IP CTS... for calculating the compensation rate paid to IP CTS providers. This action is necessary to ensure...

77 FR 16486 - Airworthiness Directives; Fokker Services B.V. Airplanes

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-03-21

... values of nuts on circuit breakers, contactors and terminal blocks of the EPC and battery relay panel... battery relay panel]. The required actions include doing a general visual inspection to determine if... and circuit breakers, contactors, and terminal blocks of the EPC and battery relay panel, as...

49 CFR 236.737 - Cut-section, relayed.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 49 Transportation 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Cut-section, relayed. 236.737 Section 236.737..., MAINTENANCE, AND REPAIR OF SIGNAL AND TRAIN CONTROL SYSTEMS, DEVICES, AND APPLIANCES Definitions § 236.737 Cut-section, relayed. A cut-section where the energy for one track circuit is supplied through front contacts...

47 CFR 90.243 - Mobile relay stations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... Service. (b) Special provisions for mobile relay operations: (1) In the Public Safety Pool, systems... authorized to operate on any frequency available for assignment to base stations. (5) A mobile station associated with mobile relay station(s) may not be authorized to operate on a frequency below 25 MHz. (c...

Potential Means of Cost Reduction in Grade Crossing Motorist-Warning Control Equipment : Volume 2. Comparison of Solid State and Relay Devices and Techniques

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1977-12-01

Consideration is given to the properties of solid-state circuits, miniature relays and large gravity-operated relays when applied to control systems for grade crossings equipped with train-activated motorist warnings. Factors discussed include origin...

76 FR 67070 - Structure and Practices of the Video Relay Service Program

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-10-31

... Practices of the Video Relay Service Program AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission. ACTION: Final rule.... SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a summary of the Commission's Structure and Practices of the Video Relay... supervision should be deemed to be employees of the provider, in satisfaction of the requirement that video...

75 FR 39945 - Structure and Practices of the Video Relay Service Program

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-07-13

... FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION [CG Docket No. 10-51; FCC 10-88] Structure and Practices of the Video Relay Service Program AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: In this... Practices of the Video Relay Service Program, Declaratory Ruling, document FCC 10-88, adopted May 24, 2010...

75 FR 39859 - Structure and Practices of the Video Relay Service Program

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-07-13

... FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION 47 CFR Part 64 [CG Docket No. 10-51; FCC 10-88] Structure and Practices of the Video Relay Service Program AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission. ACTION: Interim rule... a summary of the Commission's Structure and Practices of the Video Relay Service Program, Order...

76 FR 47476 - Structure and Practices of the Video Relay Service Program

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-08-05

... FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION 47 CFR Part 64 [CG Docket No. 10-51; FCC 11-118] Structure and Practices of the Video Relay Service Program AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission. ACTION: Interim rule... summary of the Commission's Structure and Practices of the Video Relay Service Program, Order (Order...

77 FR 60630 - Structure and Practices of the Video Relay Service Program

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-10-04

... FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION 47 CFR Part 64 [CG Docket No. 10-51; FCC 11-54] Structure and Practices of the Video Relay Service Program AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission. ACTION: Correcting... address fraud, waste, and abuse in the Video Relay Service (VRS) industry. DATES: Effective October 4...

77 FR 11997 - Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau Seeks To Refresh the Record Regarding Misuse of Internet...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-28

... legitimate relay calls, however, are not entitled to these transparency and confidentiality protections... Relay Service AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission. ACTION: Proposed rule. SUMMARY: In this... refresh the record regarding misuse of Internet Protocol relay service. Further comments are requested to...

77 FR 20505 - Airworthiness Directives; The Boeing Company Airplanes

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-04-05

... Company Model 757 airplanes. This AD requires replacing the power control relays for the fuel boost pumps and override pumps with new relays having a ground fault interrupter (GFI) feature. This AD also requires an electrical bonding resistance measurement for certain GFI relays to verify that certain bonding...

78 FR 73859 - Information Collections Being Reviewed by the Federal Communications Commission Under Delegated...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-12-09

...: Telecommunications Relay Services and Speech-to-Speech Services for Individuals with Hearing and Speech Disabilities... enable the Commission to collect waiver reports from Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS) providers... Report and Order and Order on Reconsideration in Telecommunications Relay Services and Speech-to- Speech...

Radio Relays Improve Wireless Products

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2009-01-01

Signal Hill, California-based XCOM Wireless Inc. developed radio frequency micromachine (RF MEMS) relays with a Phase II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract through NASA?s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. In order to improve satellite communication systems, XCOM produced wireless RF MEMS relays and tunable capacitors that use metal-to-metal contact and have the potential to outperform most semiconductor technologies while using less power. These relays are used in high-frequency test equipment and instrumentation, where increased speed can mean significant cost savings. Applications now also include mainstream wireless applications and greatly improved tactical radios.

Finite-SNR analysis for partial relaying cooperation with channel coding and opportunistic relay selection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vu, Thang X.; Duhamel, Pierre; Chatzinotas, Symeon; Ottersten, Bjorn

2017-12-01

This work studies the performance of a cooperative network which consists of two channel-coded sources, multiple relays, and one destination. To achieve high spectral efficiency, we assume that a single time slot is dedicated to relaying. Conventional network-coded-based cooperation (NCC) selects the best relay which uses network coding to serve the two sources simultaneously. The bit error rate (BER) performance of NCC with channel coding, however, is still unknown. In this paper, we firstly study the BER of NCC via a closed-form expression and analytically show that NCC only achieves diversity of order two regardless of the number of available relays and the channel code. Secondly, we propose a novel partial relaying-based cooperation (PARC) scheme to improve the system diversity in the finite signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) regime. In particular, closed-form expressions for the system BER and diversity order of PARC are derived as a function of the operating SNR value and the minimum distance of the channel code. We analytically show that the proposed PARC achieves full (instantaneous) diversity order in the finite SNR regime, given that an appropriate channel code is used. Finally, numerical results verify our analysis and demonstrate a large SNR gain of PARC over NCC in the SNR region of interest.

Development and Testing of a Two-UAV Communication Relay System.

PubMed

Li, Boyang; Jiang, Yifan; Sun, Jingxuan; Cai, Lingfeng; Wen, Chih-Yung

2016-10-13

In the development of beyond-line-of-sight (BLOS) Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) systems, communication between the UAVs and the ground control station (GCS) is of critical importance. The commonly used economical wireless modules are restricted by the short communication range and are easily blocked by obstacles. The use of a communication relay system provides a practical way to solve these problems, improving the performance of UAV communication in BLOS and cross-obstacle operations. In this study, a communication relay system, in which a quadrotor was used to relay radio communication for another quadrotor was developed and tested. First, the UAVs used as the airborne platform were constructed, and the hardware for the communication relay system was selected and built up. Second, a set of software programs and protocol for autonomous mission control, communication relay control, and ground control were developed. Finally, the system was fully integrated into the airborne platform and tested both indoor and in-flight. The Received Signal Strength Indication (RSSI) and noise value in two typical application scenarios were recorded. The test results demonstrated the ability of this system to extend the communication range and build communication over obstacles. This system also shows the feasibility to coordinate multiple UAVs' communication with the same relay structure.

Development and Testing of a Two-UAV Communication Relay System

PubMed Central

Li, Boyang; Jiang, Yifan; Sun, Jingxuan; Cai, Lingfeng; Wen, Chih-Yung

2016-01-01

In the development of beyond-line-of-sight (BLOS) Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) systems, communication between the UAVs and the ground control station (GCS) is of critical importance. The commonly used economical wireless modules are restricted by the short communication range and are easily blocked by obstacles. The use of a communication relay system provides a practical way to solve these problems, improving the performance of UAV communication in BLOS and cross-obstacle operations. In this study, a communication relay system, in which a quadrotor was used to relay radio communication for another quadrotor was developed and tested. First, the UAVs used as the airborne platform were constructed, and the hardware for the communication relay system was selected and built up. Second, a set of software programs and protocol for autonomous mission control, communication relay control, and ground control were developed. Finally, the system was fully integrated into the airborne platform and tested both indoor and in-flight. The Received Signal Strength Indication (RSSI) and noise value in two typical application scenarios were recorded. The test results demonstrated the ability of this system to extend the communication range and build communication over obstacles. This system also shows the feasibility to coordinate multiple UAVs’ communication with the same relay structure. PMID:27754369

Prasugrel (Efient®) with percutaneous coronary intervention for treating acute coronary syndromes (review of TA182): systematic review and economic analysis.

PubMed

Greenhalgh, Janette; Bagust, Adrian; Boland, Angela; Dwan, Kerry; Beale, Sophie; Fleeman, Nigel; McEntee, Joanne; Dundar, Yenal; Richardson, Marty; Fisher, Michael

2015-04-01

Acute coronary syndromes (ACSs) are life-threatening conditions associated with acute myocardial ischaemia. There are three main types of ACS: ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) and unstable angina (UA). One treatment for ACS is percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) plus adjunctive treatment with antiplatelet drugs. Dual therapy antiplatelet treatment [aspirin plus either prasugrel (Efient(®), Daiichi Sankyo Company Ltd UK/Eli Lilly and Company Ltd), clopidogrel or ticagrelor (Brilique(®), AstraZeneca)] is standard in UK clinical practice. Prasugrel is the focus of this review. The remit is to appraise the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of prasugrel within its licensed indication for the treatment of ACS with PCI and is a review of National Institute for Health and Care Excellence technology appraisal TA182. Four electronic databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, The Cochrane Library, PubMed) were searched from database inception to June 2013 for randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and to August 2013 for economic evaluations comparing prasugrel with clopidogrel or ticagrelor in ACS patients undergoing PCI. Clinical outcomes included non-fatal and fatal cardiovascular (CV) events, adverse effects of treatment and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Cost-effectiveness outcomes included incremental cost per life-year gained and incremental cost per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) gained. An independent economic model assessed four mutually exclusive subgroups: ACS patients treated with PCI for STEMI and with and without diabetes mellitus and ACS patients treated with PCI for UA or NSTEMI and with and without diabetes mellitus. No new RCTs were identified beyond that reported in TA182. TRITON-TIMI 38 (Trial to Assess Improvement in Therapeutic Outcomes by Optimizing Platelet Inhibition with Prasugrel Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction 38) compared prasugrel with clopidogrel in ACS patients scheduled for PCI. No relevant economic evaluations were identified. Our analyses focused on a key subgroup of patients: those aged < 75 years who weighed > 60 kg (no previous stroke or transient ischaemic attack). For the primary composite end point (death from CV causes, non-fatal myocardial infarction or non-fatal stroke) statistically significantly fewer events occurred in the prasugrel arm (8.3%) than in the clopidogrel arm (11%). No statistically significant difference in major bleeding events was noted. However, there was a significant difference in favour of clopidogrel when major and minor bleeding events were combined (3.0 vs. 3.9%). No conclusions could be drawn regarding HRQoL. The results of sensitivity analyses confirmed that it is likely that, for all four ACS subgroups, within 5-10 years prasugrel is a cost-effective treatment option compared with clopidogrel at a willingness-to-pay threshold of £20,000 to £30,000 per QALY gained. At the full 40-year time horizon, all estimates are < £10,000 per QALY gained. Lack of data precluded a clinical comparison of prasugrel with ticagrelor; the comparative effectiveness of prasugrel compared with ticagrelor therefore remains unknown. The long-term modelling exercise is vulnerable to major assumptions about the continuation of early health outcome gains. A key strength of the review is that it demonstrates the cost-effectiveness of prasugrel compared with clopidogrel using the generic price of clopidogrel. Although the report demonstrates the cost-effectiveness of prasugrel compared with clopidogrel at a threshold of £20,000 to £30,000 per QALY gained, the long-term modelling is vulnerable to major assumptions regarding long-term gains. Lack of data precluded a clinical comparison of prasugrel with ticagrelor; the comparative effectiveness of prasugrel compared with ticagrelor therefore remains unknown. Well-audited data are needed from a long-term UK clinical registry on defined ACS patient groups treated with PCI who receive prasugrel, ticagrelor and clopidogrel. This study is registered as PROSPERO CRD42013005047. The National Institute for Health Research Health Technology Assessment programme.

Post-polypectomy bleeding and thromboembolism risks associated with warfarin vs direct oral anticoagulants.

PubMed

Yanagisawa, Naohiro; Nagata, Naoyoshi; Watanabe, Kazuhiro; Iida, Tatsuhiro; Hamada, Mariko; Kobayashi, Sakurako; Shimbo, Takuro; Akiyama, Junichi; Uemura, Naomi

2018-04-14

To verify the validity of the endoscopy guidelines for patients taking warfarin or direct oral anticoagulants (DOAC). We collected data from 218 patients receiving oral anticoagulants (73 DOAC users, 145 warfarin users) and 218 patients not receiving any antithrombotics (age- and sex-matched controls) who underwent polypectomy. (1) We evaluated post-polypectomy bleeding (PPB) risk in patients receiving warfarin or DOAC compared with controls; (2) we assessed the risks of PPB and thromboembolism between three AC management methods: Discontinuing AC with heparin bridge (HPB) (endoscopy guideline recommendation), continuing AC, and discontinuing AC without HPB. PPB rate was significantly higher in warfarin users and DOAC users compared with controls (13.7% and 13.7% vs 0.9%, P < 0.001), but was not significantly different between rivaroxaban (13.2%), dabigatran (11.1%), and apixaban (13.3%) users. Two thromboembolic events occurred in warfarin users, but none in DOAC users. Compared with the continuing anticoagulant group, the discontinuing anticoagulant with HPB group (guideline recommendation) had a higher PPB rate (10.8% vs 19.6%, P = 0.087). These findings were significantly evident in warfarin but not DOAC users. One thrombotic event occurred in the discontinuing anticoagulant with HPB group and the discontinuing anticoagulant without HPB group; none occurred in the continuing anticoagulant group. PPB risk was similar between patients taking warfarin and DOAC. Thromboembolism was observed in warfarin users only. The guideline recommendations for HPB should be re-considered.

The prognostic impact of in-hospital worsening of renal function in patients with acute coronary syndrome.

PubMed

AlFaleh, Hussam F; Alsuwaida, Abdulkareem O; Ullah, Anhar; Hersi, Ahmad; AlHabib, Khalid F; AlNemer, Khalid; AlSaif, Shukri; Taraben, Amir; Kashour, Tarek; Balghith, Mohammed A; Ahmed, Waqar H

2013-08-10

Renal impairment is strongly linked to adverse cardiovascular (CV) events. Baseline renal dysfunction is a strong predictor of CV mortality and morbidity in patients admitted with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). However, the prognostic importance of worsening renal function (WRF) in these patients is not well characterized. ACS patients enrolled in the SPACE (Saudi Project for Assessment of Coronary Events) registry who had baseline and pre-discharge serum creatinine data available were eligible for this study. WRF was defined as a 25% reduction from admission estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) within 7 days of hospitalization. Baseline demographics, clinical presentation, therapies, and in-hospital outcomes were compared. Of the 3583 ACS patients, WRF occurred in 225 patients (6.3%), who were older, had more cardiovascular risk factors, were more likely to be female, have past vascular disease, and presented with more non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction than patients without WRF (39.5% vs. 32.8%; p=0.042). WRF was associated with an increased risk of in-hospital death, heart failure, cardiogenic shock, and stroke. After adjusting for potential confounders, WRF was an independent predictor of in-hospital death (adjusted odd ratio 28.02, 95% CI 13.2-60.28, p<0.0001). WRF was more predictive of mortality than baseline eGFR. These results indicate that WRF is a powerful predictor for in-hospital mortality and CV complications in ACS patients. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sertraline treatment for depression associated with acute coronary syndromes: a cost analysis from the viewpoint of the Italian Healthcare System.

PubMed

Lattanzio, Fabrizia; Cherubini, Antonio; Furneri, Gianluca; Di Bari, Mauro; Marchionni, Niccolò

2008-02-01

Depressive disorders (DD) are independent risk factors for rehospitalization after acute coronary syndromes (ACS) and, hence, for increased healthcare costs. A placebo-controlled safety trial of 24 weeks of treatment with sertraline after ACS (Sertraline Anti-Depressant Heart Attack Randomized Trial, SADHART) suggested that active treatment was associated with reduced rehospitalization due to coronary and non-coronary events. With the SADHART database, a cost analysis was carried out to determine the economic consequences of treating DD after ACS in the perspective of the Italian Healthcare System. Clinical information on medical events and rehospitalizations recorded over the study period was drawn from the original SADHART database, which did not contain information necessary for estimating indirect costs. Analysis was therefore limited to direct medical costs due to rehospitalizations, emergency room visits and hospital procedures, and the average Italian Diagnosis-Related Group (DRG) tariffs were applied. With the exclusion of the cost of sertraline treatment, the average direct cost per patient over the study period was 3,418+/-8,290 euro in the active treatment group and 4,409+/-9,439 euro in the placebo group (p=0.3). After including the cost of 24 weeks of sertraline treatment, the average cost in sertraline-treated patients was only modestly increased, to 3,524+/-8,290 euro. Treatment of major DD in patients with recent ACS can improve patient care without additional costs, and possibly with some savings, to the healthcare system.

Field application of activated carbon amendment for in-situ stabilization of polychlorinated biphenyls in marine sediment.

PubMed

Cho, Yeo-Myoung; Ghosh, Upal; Kennedy, Alan J; Grossman, Adam; Ray, Gary; Tomaszewski, Jeanne E; Smithenry, Dennis W; Bridges, Todd S; Luthy, Richard G

2009-05-15

We report results on the first field-scale application of activated carbon (AC) amendment to contaminated sediment for in-situ stabilization of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). The test was performed on a tidal mud flat at South Basin, adjacent to the former Hunters Point Naval Shipyard, San Francisco Bay, CA. The major goals of the field study were to (1) assess scale up of the AC mixing technology using two available, large-scale devices, (2) validate the effectiveness of the AC amendment at the field scale, and (3) identify possible adverse effects of the remediation technology. Also, the test allowed comparison among monitoring tools, evaluation of longer-term effectiveness of AC amendment, and identification of field-related factors that confound the performance of in-situ biological assessments. Following background pretreatment measurements, we successfully incorporated AC into sediment to a nominal 30 cm depth during a single mixing event, as confirmed by total organic carbon and black carbon contents in the designated test plots. The measured AC dose averaged 2.0-3.2 wt% and varied depending on sampling locations and mixing equipment. AC amendment did not impact sediment resuspension or PCB release into the water column over the treatment plots, nor adversely impactthe existing macro benthic community composition, richness, or diversity. The PCB bioaccumulation in marine clams was reduced when exposed to sediment treated with 2% AC in comparison to the control plot Field-deployed semi permeable membrane devices and polyethylene devices showed about 50% reduction in PCB uptake in AC-treated sediment and similar reduction in estimated pore-water PCB concentration. This reduction was evident even after 13-month post-treatment with then 7 months of continuous exposure, indicating AC treatment efficacy was retained for an extended period. Aqueous equilibrium PCB concentrations and PCB desorption showed an AC-dose response. Field-exposed AC after 18 months retained a strong stabilization capability to reduce aqueous equilibrium PCB concentrations by about 90%, which also supports the long-term effectiveness of AC in the field. Additional mixing during or after AC deployment, increasing AC dose, reducing AC-particle size, and sequential deployment of AC dose will likely improve AC-sediment contact and overall effectiveness. The reductions in PCB availability observed with slow mass transfer under field conditions calls for predictive models to assess the long-term trends in pore-water PCB concentrations and the benefits of alternative in-situ AC application and mixing strategies.

Assessing summertime urban air conditioning consumption in a semiarid environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salamanca, F.; Georgescu, M.; Mahalov, A.; Moustaoui, M.; Wang, M.; Svoma, B. M.

2013-09-01

Evaluation of built environment energy demand is necessary in light of global projections of urban expansion. Of particular concern are rapidly expanding urban areas in environments where consumption requirements for cooling are excessive. Here, we simulate urban air conditioning (AC) electric consumption for several extreme heat events during summertime over a semiarid metropolitan area with the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model coupled to a multilayer building energy scheme. Observed total load values obtained from an electric utility company were split into two parts, one linked to meteorology (i.e., AC consumption) which was compared to WRF simulations, and another to human behavior. WRF-simulated non-dimensional AC consumption profiles compared favorably to diurnal observations in terms of both amplitude and timing. The hourly ratio of AC to total electricity consumption accounted for ˜53% of diurnally averaged total electric demand, ranging from ˜35% during early morning to ˜65% during evening hours. Our work highlights the importance of modeling AC electricity consumption and its role for the sustainable planning of future urban energy needs. Finally, the methodology presented in this article establishes a new energy consumption-modeling framework that can be applied to any urban environment where the use of AC systems is prevalent.

Populations of the Minor α-Conformation in AcGXGNH2 and the α-Helical Nucleation Propensities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Yanjun; He, Liu; Zhang, Wenwen; Hu, Jingjing; Shi, Zhengshuang

2016-06-01

Intrinsic backbone conformational preferences of different amino acids are important for understanding the local structure of unfolded protein chains. Recent evidence suggests α-structure is relatively minor among three major backbone conformations for unfolded proteins. The α-helices are the dominant structures in many proteins. For these proteins, how could the α-structures occur from the least in unfolded to the most in folded states? Populations of the minor α-conformation in model peptides provide vital information. Reliable determination of populations of the α-conformers in these peptides that exist in multiple equilibriums of different conformations remains a challenge. Combined analyses on data from AcGXPNH2 and AcGXGNH2 peptides allow us to derive the populations of PII, β and α in AcGXGNH2. Our results show that on average residue X in AcGXGNH2 adopt PII, β, and α 44.7%, 44.5% and 10.8% of time, respectively. The contents of α-conformations for different amino acids define an α-helix nucleation propensity scale. With derived PII, β and α-contents, we can construct a free energy-conformation diagram on each AcGXGNH2 in aqueous solution for the three major backbone conformations. Our results would have broad implications on early-stage events of protein folding.

IEEE 802.16J-Relay Fortified Aeromacs Networks; Benefits and Challenges

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kamali, Behnam; Apaza, Rafael D.

2014-01-01

Aeronautical Mobile Airport Communications System (AeroMACS) is an IEEE 802.16 standard-based (WiMAX) broadband aviation transmission technology, developed to provide safety critical communications coverage for airport surface in support of fixed and mobile ground to ground applications and services. We have previously demonstrated that IEEE 802.16j-amendment-based WiMAX is most feasible for AeroMACS applications. The principal argument in favor of application of IEEE 802.16j technology is the flexible and cost effective extension of radio coverage that is afforded by relay fortified WiMAX networks, with virtually no increase in the power requirements. In this article, following introductory remarks on airport surface communications, WiMAX and AeroMACS; the IEEE 802.16j-based WiMAX technology and multihop relay systems are briefly described. The two modes of relay operation supported by IEEE 802.16j amendment; i.e., transparent (TRS) and non-transparent (NTRS) modes, are discussed in some detail. Advantages and disadvantages of using TRS and NTRS in AeroMACS networks are summarized in a table. Practical issues vis--vis the inclusion of relays in AeroMACS networks are addressed. It is argued that the selection of relay type may affect a number of network parameters. A discussion on specific benefits and challenges of inclusion of relays in AeroMACS networks is provided. The article concludes that in case it is desired or necessary to exclusively employ one type of relay mode for all applications throughout an AeroMACS network, the proper selection would be the non-transparent mode.

47 CFR 64.611 - Internet-based TRS registration.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

...) Default provider registration. Every provider of VRS or IP Relay must, no later than December 31, 2008, provide users with the capability to register with that VRS or IP Relay provider as a “default provider.” Upon a user's registration, the VRS or IP Relay provider shall: (1) Either: (i) Facilitate the user's...

47 CFR 64.611 - Internet-based TRS registration.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

...) Default provider registration. Every provider of VRS or IP Relay must, no later than December 31, 2008, provide users with the capability to register with that VRS or IP Relay provider as a “default provider.” Upon a user's registration, the VRS or IP Relay provider shall: (1) Either: (i) Facilitate the user's...

78 FR 56601 - Airworthiness Directives; Fokker Services B.V. Airplanes

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-09-13

... torque values of nuts on circuit breakers, contactors, and terminal blocks of the EPC and battery relay... blocks of the EPC and battery relay panel, as applicable; and do all applicable adjustments of the torque... contacts and nuts on circuit breakers, contactors, and terminal blocks of the EPC and battery relay panel...

76 FR 3856 - Airworthiness Directives; The Boeing Company Model 737-100, -200, -200C, -300, -400, and -500...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-01-21

... new relays having a GFI feature, performing certain bonding resistance measurements, and modifying... with new relays having a GFI feature, Doing certain bonding resistance measurements to verify certain... relay module assemblies and bond resistance measurements. In addition, we have reviewed Section 9 of...

78 FR 4055 - Airworthiness Directives; The Boeing Company Airplanes

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-01-18

...) Installation of New Relay and Wiring Bundle Change Within 24 months after the effective date of this AD: Change... requires installing a new relay and doing certain wiring changes of the entertainment control switch. We... proposed to require installing a new relay and doing certain wiring changes of the entertainment control...

76 FR 30841 - Structure and Practices of the Video Relay Service Program; Correction

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-05-27

... FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION 47 CFR Part 64 [CG Docket No. 10-51; FCC 11-54] Structure and Practices of the Video Relay Service Program; Correction AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission. ACTION... address fraud, waste, and abuse in the Video Relay Service (VRS) industry. DATES: Effective June 1, 2011...

77 FR 18106 - Structure and Practices of the Video Relay Service Program

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-03-27

... FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION 47 CFR Part 64 [CG Docket No. 10-51; FCC 11-54] Structure and Practices of the Video Relay Service Program AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission. ACTION: Final rule... adopted by the FCC to prevent fraud, waste, and abuse in the Video Relay Service (VRS) industry. DATES...

76 FR 68116 - Structure and Practices of the Video Relay Service Program

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-11-03

... Practices of the Video Relay Service Program AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission. ACTION: Interim rule... with the Commission's Structure and Practices of the Video Relay Service Program, Second Report and... announcement of the effective date of the rules. See, In the Matter of Structure and Practices of the Video...

75 FR 25255 - Structure and Practices of the Video Relay Service Program

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-05-07

... Video Relay Service Program AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: In this... compensability from the Interstate TRS Fund (Fund) of certain types of calls made through Video Relay Service... CA, after the VRS user has initiated the video call to the CA, call back the VRS user on a voice...

Cultivar and planting date selection for relay-cropping soybean with winter oilseeds

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Double- and relay-cropping soybean with winter camelina (Camelina sativa L. Crantz) and pennycress (Thlaspi arvense L.) have been shown to be viable cropping systems for the Upper Midwest. Relaying soybean with these winter oilseeds can result in greater total seed yield (i.e., both combined) and ec...

47 CFR 74.1290 - FM translator and booster station information available on the Internet.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... Additional orders by FCC (All Services) 74.28 Antenna, Directional (Aural STL/Relays) 74.536 Antenna location... frequencies (remote broadcast pickup) 74.402 Automatic relay stations (Remote pickup) 74.436 Avoidance of....1201 Directional antenna required (Aural STL/Relays) 74.536 E Emergency information Broadcasting (All...

30 CFR 75.800-2 - Approved circuit schemes.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... necessary protection to the circuits required by § 75.800: (a) Ground check relays may be used for undervoltage protection if the relay coils are designed to trip the circuit breaker when line voltage decreases to 40 percent to 60 percent of the nominal line voltage; (b) Ground trip relays on resistance...

30 CFR 75.800-2 - Approved circuit schemes.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... necessary protection to the circuits required by § 75.800: (a) Ground check relays may be used for undervoltage protection if the relay coils are designed to trip the circuit breaker when line voltage decreases to 40 percent to 60 percent of the nominal line voltage; (b) Ground trip relays on resistance...

47 CFR 74.601 - Classes of TV broadcast auxiliary stations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... or other purposes as authorized in § 74.631. (d) TV translator relay station. A fixed station used... translator, and to other communications facilities that the Commission may authorize or for other purposes as..., TV STL, TV relay, or TV translator relay station and retransmits them on the same frequency. [65 FR...

Energy Efficiency Optimization in Relay-Assisted MIMO Systems With Perfect and Statistical CSI

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zappone, Alessio; Cao, Pan; Jorswieck, Eduard A.

2014-01-01

A framework for energy-efficient resource allocation in a single-user, amplify-and-forward relay-assisted MIMO system is devised in this paper. Previous results in this area have focused on rate maximization or sum power minimization problems, whereas fewer results are available when bits/Joule energy efficiency (EE) optimization is the goal. The performance metric to optimize is the ratio between the system's achievable rate and the total consumed power. The optimization is carried out with respect to the source and relay precoding matrices, subject to QoS and power constraints. Such a challenging non-convex problem is tackled by means of fractional programming and and alternating maximization algorithms, for various CSI assumptions at the source and relay. In particular the scenarios of perfect CSI and those of statistical CSI for either the source-relay or the relay-destination channel are addressed. Moreover, sufficient conditions for beamforming optimality are derived, which is useful in simplifying the system design. Numerical results are provided to corroborate the validity of the theoretical findings.

Multi-pair two-way massive MIMO AF relaying with ZFR/ZFT beamforming and imperfect CSI over ricean fading channels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Kui; Sun, Xiaoli; Zhang, Dongmei

2016-10-01

This paper investigates the spectral and energy efficiencies of a multi-pair two-way amplify-and-forward (AF) relay system over Ricean fading channels, where multiple user-pairs exchange information within pair through a relay with very large number of antennas, while each user equipped with a single antenna. Firstly, beamforming matrixe of zero-forcing reception/zero-forcing transmission (ZFR/ZFT) with imperfect channel state information (CSI) at the relay is given. Then, the unified asymptotic signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR) expressions with imperfect CSI are obtained analytically. Finally, two power scaling schemes are proposed and the asymptotic spectral and energy efficiencies based on the proposed power scaling schemes are derived and verified by the Monte-Carlo simulations. Theoretical analyses and simulation results show that with imperfect CSI, if the number of relay antennas grows asymptotically large, we need cut down the transmit power of each user and relay to different proportion when the Ricean K-factor is non-zero and zero (Rayleigh fading) in order to maintain a desirable rate.

Mapping Interactions between Myosin Relay and Converter Domains That Power Muscle Function*

PubMed Central

Kronert, William A.; Melkani, Girish C.; Melkani, Anju; Bernstein, Sanford I.

2014-01-01

Intramolecular communication within myosin is essential for its function as motor, but the specific amino acid residue interactions required are unexplored within muscle cells. Using Drosophila melanogaster skeletal muscle myosin, we performed a novel in vivo molecular suppression analysis to define the importance of three relay loop amino acid residues (Ile508, Asn509, and Asp511) in communicating with converter domain residue Arg759. We found that the N509K relay mutation suppressed defects in myosin ATPase, in vitro motility, myofibril stability, and muscle function associated with the R759E converter mutation. Through molecular modeling, we define a mechanism for this interaction and suggest why the I508K and D511K relay mutations fail to suppress R759E. Interestingly, I508K disabled motor function and myofibril assembly, suggesting that productive relay-converter interaction is essential for both processes. We conclude that the putative relay-converter interaction mediated by myosin residues 509 and 759 is critical for the biochemical and biophysical function of skeletal muscle myosin and the normal ultrastructural and mechanical properties of muscle. PMID:24627474

EAGLE: relay mirror technology development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hartman, Mary; Restaino, Sergio R.; Baker, Jeffrey T.; Payne, Don M.; Bukley, Jerry W.

2002-06-01

EAGLE (Evolutionary Air & Space Global Laser Engagement) is the proposed high power weapon system with a high power laser source, a relay mirror constellation, and the necessary ground and communications links. The relay mirror itself will be a satellite composed of two optically-coupled telescopes/mirrors used to redirect laser energy from ground, air, or space based laser sources to distant points on the earth or space. The receiver telescope captures the incoming energy, relays it through an optical system that cleans up the beam, then a separate transmitter telescope/mirror redirects the laser energy at the desired target. Not only is it a key component in extending the range of DoD's current laser weapon systems, it also enables ancillary missions. Furthermore, if the vacuum of space is utilized, then the atmospheric effects on the laser beam propagation will be greatly attenuated. Finally, several critical technologies are being developed to make the EAGLE/Relay Mirror concept a reality, and the Relay Mirror Technology Development Program was set up to address them. This paper will discuss each critical technology, the current state of the work, and the future implications of this program.

Sex Differences in the Risk of Developing Acute Coronary Syndrome in Patients With Sleep Disorders: A Population-Based Cohort Study.

PubMed

Chung, Wei-Sheng; Lin, Hsuan-Hung

2017-09-01

Studies that focus on the relationship between sex and the risk of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) are scant. The current study investigated the effects of sex differences in the risk of developing ACS in patients with sleep disorders (SDs). This longitudinal population-based cohort study evaluated the incidence and risk of ACS development in 40,232 men and 65,519 women newly diagnosed with SDs between 2002 and 2008 from the Longitudinal Health Insurance Database. The follow-up period began from the entry date and ended on the date of an ACS event or December 31, 2010. Univariable and multivariable Cox proportional hazard regression models were conducted to estimate the sex differences in the risk of ACS. Men with SDs exhibited an increased incidence of ACS compared with women with SDs in all age- and comorbidity-specific subgroups. After covariates were adjusted, the men with SDs exhibited a 1.48-fold adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) of ACS compared with the women with SDs (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.36-1.60). After age group stratification, the men with SDs in the young adult group exhibited the highest risk of subsequent ACS development compared with the women with SDs (aHR = 2.07, 95% CI = 1.69-2.55), followed by those in middle-aged adults (aHR = 1.52, 95% CI = 1.32-1.76) and older adults groups (aHR = 1.24, 95% CI = 1.11-1.39). This study determined that men with SDs, particularly young men, are at a higher risk of subsequent ACS development compared with women with SDs.

Adiponectin-resistin index and its strong association with acute coronary syndrome in South Indian men.

PubMed

Singh, Prerna; Sridhar, M G; Rajappa, Medha; Balachander, J; Kadhiravan, Tamilarasu

2014-11-01

India has the highest burden of acute coronary syndromes worldwide. Apart from certain lipid alterations that have been established to be definite risk factors, low level of adiponectin, high levels of resistin, and IL-6 have been shown to be risk factors for cardiovascular events. Insulin resistance is also a significant predictor of poor outcome in patients admitted with ACS. 69 male patients with ACS and 70 age-matched healthy males were recruited in the study. Insulin, total adiponectin, resistin, and IL-6 levels were assayed in all study subjects. Indices of insulin resistance and novel adipokine indices were calculated using standard formulae. Multiple logistic regression analysis was done to find out the best predictor of ACS. Resistin, IL-6, insulin resistance indices, AR index, and IRAR index were found to be significantly higher, while insulin sensitivity indices and total adiponectin were found to be lower in cases, as compared with controls (p < 0.001). Insulin resistance was found to be higher in the admission sample, when compared to the fasting sample in patients with ACS (p = 0.01). On multivariate logistic regression analysis, HOMA-IR and AR index were found to be significantly associated with ACS. AR index was the best independent predictor of ACS, with the highest odds ratio (AR index: adjusted OR 17.528, p < 0.0001 versus HOMA-IR: adjusted OR 1.146, p = 0.001). The present results implicate that adipokines are significantly associated with pathogenesis of ACS, warranting adequate and early appropriate treatment to reverse this metabolic dysregulation. In our study, AR index was the best predictor of ACS. Hence, the novel AR index might be useful in routine clinical practice for screening persons with increased risk of future development of ACS.

Assessing and predicting drug-induced anticholinergic risks: an integrated computational approach.

PubMed

Xu, Dong; Anderson, Heather D; Tao, Aoxiang; Hannah, Katia L; Linnebur, Sunny A; Valuck, Robert J; Culbertson, Vaughn L

2017-11-01

Anticholinergic (AC) adverse drug events (ADEs) are caused by inhibition of muscarinic receptors as a result of designated or off-target drug-receptor interactions. In practice, AC toxicity is assessed primarily based on clinician experience. The goal of this study was to evaluate a novel concept of integrating big pharmacological and healthcare data to assess clinical AC toxicity risks. AC toxicity scores (ATSs) were computed using drug-receptor inhibitions identified through pharmacological data screening. A longitudinal retrospective cohort study using medical claims data was performed to quantify AC clinical risks. ATS was compared with two previously reported toxicity measures. A quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) model was established for rapid assessment and prediction of AC clinical risks. A total of 25 common medications, and 575,228 exposed and unexposed patients were analyzed. Our data indicated that ATS is more consistent with the trend of AC outcomes than other toxicity methods. Incorporating drug pharmacokinetic parameters to ATS yielded a QSAR model with excellent correlation to AC incident rate ( R 2 = 0.83) and predictive performance (cross validation Q 2 = 0.64). Good correlation and predictive performance ( R 2 = 0.68/ Q 2 = 0.29) were also obtained for an M2 receptor-specific QSAR model and tachycardia, an M2 receptor-specific ADE. Albeit using a small medication sample size, our pilot data demonstrated the potential and feasibility of a new computational AC toxicity scoring approach driven by underlying pharmacology and big data analytics. Follow-up work is under way to further develop the ATS scoring approach and clinical toxicity predictive model using a large number of medications and clinical parameters.

The solid-state fermentation of Artemisia capillaris leaves with Ganoderma lucidum enhances the anti-inflammatory effects in a model of atopic dermatitis

PubMed Central

Son, Hyeong-U; Lee, Seul; Heo, Jin-Chul; Lee, Sang-Han

2017-01-01

Artemisia capillaris, which belongs to the Asteraceae family and the genus Artemisia, has been reported to exert inhibitory effects on diabetes, cancer and inflammation. In this study, in order to enhance the bioactivity potential of the leaves of Artemisia by Ganoderma lucidum mycelium, we prepared aqueous samples of Artemisia capillaris (Ac) leaves, Ganoderma lucidum (Gl) and aqueous fractions produced by the solid fermentation of Ganoderma lucidum on Artemisia capillaris leaves (afAc/Gl). Thereafter, we evaluated whether these samples have potential to attenuate inflammation-related symptoms in an amimal model of 2,4-dinitrofluorobenzene (DNFB)-induced atopic dermatitis. We found that afAc/Gl exhibited enhanced anti-inflamamatory activity following the solid fermentation process when compared with Ac or Gl on ear thickness, ear epidermal thickness and eosinophil infiltration in the skin tissues. The expression of nitric oxide (NO) synthases (NOSs) was measured by immunohistochemical staining. The results revealed that afAc/Gl decreased endothelial NOS and inducible NOS expression compared with the DNFB group, while neuronal NOS expression was not altered. By comparing NO production, we found that as opposed to Ac, afAc/Gl has potential to inhibit atopic dermatitis-related symptoms during the inflammatory event. As regards matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) expression patterns, afAc/Gl exerted potent inhibitory activity on the mRNA expression of MMP-2, -7, -9, -12, -14 and -19. Taken together, these results suggest that the solid state fermentation of Ac by Gl is an effective strategy to obtaining useful ingredients which are converted into valuable compounds during an atopic inflammatory insult. PMID:28393198

The solid-state fermentation of Artemisia capillaris leaves with Ganoderma lucidum enhances the anti-inflammatory effects in a model of atopic dermatitis.

PubMed

Son, Hyeong-U; Lee, Seul; Heo, Jin-Chul; Lee, Sang-Han

2017-05-01

Artemisia capillaris, which belongs to the Asteraceae family and the genus Artemisia, has been reported to exert inhibitory effects on diabetes, cancer and inflammation. In this study, in order to enhance the bioactivity potential of the leaves of Artemisia by Ganoderma lucidum mycelium, we prepared aqueous samples of Artemisia capillaris (Ac) leaves, Ganoderma lucidum (Gl) and aqueous fractions produced by the solid fermentation of Ganoderma lucidum on Artemisia capillaris leaves (afAc/Gl). Thereafter, we evaluated whether these samples have potential to attenuate inflammation-related symptoms in an amimal model of 2,4-dinitrofluorobenzene (DNFB)-induced atopic dermatitis. We found that afAc/Gl exhibited enhanced anti-inflamamatory activity following the solid fermentation process when compared with Ac or Gl on ear thickness, ear epidermal thickness and eosinophil infiltration in the skin tissues. The expression of nitric oxide (NO) synthases (NOSs) was measured by immunohistochemical staining. The results revealed that afAc/Gl decreased endothelial NOS and inducible NOS expression compared with the DNFB group, while neuronal NOS expression was not altered. By comparing NO production, we found that as opposed to Ac, afAc/Gl has potential to inhibit atopic dermatitis-related symptoms during the inflammatory event. As regards matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) expression patterns, afAc/Gl exerted potent inhibitory activity on the mRNA expression of MMP-2, -7, -9, -12, -14 and -19. Taken together, these results suggest that the solid state fermentation of Ac by Gl is an effective strategy to obtaining useful ingredients which are converted into valuable compounds during an atopic inflammatory insult.

Enhanced Positioning Algorithm of ARPS for Improving Accuracy and Expanding Service Coverage

PubMed Central

Lee, Kyuman; Baek, Hoki; Lim, Jaesung

2016-01-01

The airborne relay-based positioning system (ARPS), which employs the relaying of navigation signals, was proposed as an alternative positioning system. However, the ARPS has limitations, such as relatively large vertical error and service restrictions, because firstly, the user position is estimated based on airborne relays that are located in one direction, and secondly, the positioning is processed using only relayed navigation signals. In this paper, we propose an enhanced positioning algorithm to improve the performance of the ARPS. The main idea of the enhanced algorithm is the adaptable use of either virtual or direct measurements of reference stations in the calculation process based on the structural features of the ARPS. Unlike the existing two-step algorithm for airborne relay and user positioning, the enhanced algorithm is divided into two cases based on whether the required number of navigation signals for user positioning is met. In the first case, where the number of signals is greater than four, the user first estimates the positions of the airborne relays and its own initial position. Then, the user position is re-estimated by integrating a virtual measurement of a reference station that is calculated using the initial estimated user position and known reference positions. To prevent performance degradation, the re-estimation is performed after determining its requirement through comparing the expected position errors. If the navigation signals are insufficient, such as when the user is outside of airborne relay coverage, the user position is estimated by additionally using direct signal measurements of the reference stations in place of absent relayed signals. The simulation results demonstrate that a higher accuracy level can be achieved because the user position is estimated based on the measurements of airborne relays and a ground station. Furthermore, the service coverage is expanded by using direct measurements of reference stations for user positioning. PMID:27529252

Enhanced Positioning Algorithm of ARPS for Improving Accuracy and Expanding Service Coverage.

PubMed

Lee, Kyuman; Baek, Hoki; Lim, Jaesung

2016-08-12

The airborne relay-based positioning system (ARPS), which employs the relaying of navigation signals, was proposed as an alternative positioning system. However, the ARPS has limitations, such as relatively large vertical error and service restrictions, because firstly, the user position is estimated based on airborne relays that are located in one direction, and secondly, the positioning is processed using only relayed navigation signals. In this paper, we propose an enhanced positioning algorithm to improve the performance of the ARPS. The main idea of the enhanced algorithm is the adaptable use of either virtual or direct measurements of reference stations in the calculation process based on the structural features of the ARPS. Unlike the existing two-step algorithm for airborne relay and user positioning, the enhanced algorithm is divided into two cases based on whether the required number of navigation signals for user positioning is met. In the first case, where the number of signals is greater than four, the user first estimates the positions of the airborne relays and its own initial position. Then, the user position is re-estimated by integrating a virtual measurement of a reference station that is calculated using the initial estimated user position and known reference positions. To prevent performance degradation, the re-estimation is performed after determining its requirement through comparing the expected position errors. If the navigation signals are insufficient, such as when the user is outside of airborne relay coverage, the user position is estimated by additionally using direct signal measurements of the reference stations in place of absent relayed signals. The simulation results demonstrate that a higher accuracy level can be achieved because the user position is estimated based on the measurements of airborne relays and a ground station. Furthermore, the service coverage is expanded by using direct measurements of reference stations for user positioning.

High salinity relay as a postharvest processing strategy to reduce vibrio vulnificus levels in Chesapeake Bay oysters (Crassostrea virginica).

PubMed

Audemard, Corinne; Kator, Howard I; Rhodes, Martha W; Gallivan, Thomas; Erskine, A J; Leggett, A Thomas; Reece, Kimberly S

2011-11-01

In 2009 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced its intention to implement postharvest processing (PHP) methods to eliminate Vibrio vulnificus from oysters intended for the raw, half-shell market that are harvested from the Gulf of Mexico during warmer months. FDA-approved PHP methods can be expensive and may be associated with unfavorable responses from some consumers. A relatively unexplored PHP method that uses relaying to high salinity waters could be an alternative strategy, considering that high salinities appear to negatively affect the survival of V. vulnificus. During relay, however, oysters may be exposed to rapid and large salinity increases that could cause increased mortality. In this study, the effectiveness of high salinity relay to reduce V. vulnificus to <30 most probable number (MPN) per g and the impact on oyster mortality were assessed in the lower Chesapeake Bay. Two relay experiments were performed during the summer and fall of 2010. Oysters collected from three grow-out sites, a low salinity site (14 to 15 practical salinity units [psu]) and two moderate salinity sites (22 to 25 psu), were relayed directly to a high salinity site (≥30 psu) on Virginia's Eastern Shore. Oysters were assayed for V. vulnificus and Vibrio parahaemolyticus (another Vibrio species of concern) densities at time 0 prior to relay and after 7 and 14 days of relay, using the FDA MPN enrichment method combined with detection by real-time PCR. After 14 days, both V. vulnificus and V. parahaemolyticus densities were ≤0.8 MPN/g, and decreases of 2 to 3 log in V. vulnificus densities were observed. Oyster mortalities were low (≤4%) even for oysters from the low salinity harvest site, which experienced a salinity increase of approximately 15 psu. Results, although preliminary and requiring formal validation and economic analysis, suggest that high salinity relay could be an effective PHP method.

Bubbling in delay-coupled lasers.

PubMed

Flunkert, V; D'Huys, O; Danckaert, J; Fischer, I; Schöll, E

2009-06-01

We theoretically study chaos synchronization of two lasers which are delay coupled via an active or a passive relay. While the lasers are synchronized, their dynamics is identical to a single laser with delayed feedback for a passive relay and identical to two delay-coupled lasers for an active relay. Depending on the coupling parameters the system exhibits bubbling, i.e., noise-induced desynchronization, or on-off intermittency. We associate the desynchronization dynamics in the coherence collapse and low-frequency fluctuation regimes with the transverse instability of some of the compound cavity's antimodes. Finally, we demonstrate how, by using an active relay, bubbling can be suppressed.

Lessons Learned from Coordinating Relay Activities at Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gladden, Roy E.; Hwang, Pauline; Waggoner, Bruce; McLaughlin, Bruce; Fieseler, Paul; Thomas, Reid; Bigwood, Maria; Herrera, Paul

2005-01-01

The Mission Management Office at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory was tasked with coordinating the relay of data between multiple spacecraft at Mars in support of the Mars Exploration Rover Missions in early 2004. The confluence of three orbiters (Mars Global Surveyor, Mars Odyssey, and Mars Express), two rovers (Spirit and Opportunity), and one lander (Beagle 2) has provided a challenging operational scenario that required careful coordination between missions to provide the necessary support and to avoid potential interference during simultaneous relay sessions. As these coordination efforts progressed, several important lessons were learned that should be applied to future Mars relay activities.

Innovation Relay: Empowering School Nurses to Find New Solutions for Old Problems.

PubMed

Maughan, Erin D; Galemore, Cynthia; Mattey, Beth

2016-09-01

NASN's 48th Annual School Nurse Conference-Learning, Linking, Leading-included the first ever innovation relay contest. The relay was based on a design developed by the Institute of Healthcare Improvement's Innovation Relay. Participation included 43 contestants from 16 states and one foreign country. Teams were given 24 hours to develop a solution. This article describes the process utilized, the problem introduced, and a brief synopsis of each team's solution. The ongoing purpose of the exercise is to encourage innovation by school nurses as they experience student health-related barriers in the academic setting. © 2016 The Author(s).

Heat analysis of thermal overload relays using 3-D finite element method

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kawase, Yoshihiro; Ichihashi, Takayuki; Ito, Shokichi

1999-05-01

In designing a thermal overload relay, it is necessary to analyze thermal characteristics of several trial models. Up to now, this has been done by measuring the temperatures on a number of positions in the trial models. This experimental method is undoubtedly expensive. In this paper, the temperature distribution of a thermal overload relay is obtained by using 3-D finite element analysis taking into account the current distribution in current-carrying conductors. It is shown that the 3-D analysis is capable of evaluating a new design of thermal overload relays.

Outage probability of a relay strategy allowing intra-link errors utilizing Slepian-Wolf theorem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Meng; Anwar, Khoirul; Matsumoto, Tad

2013-12-01

In conventional decode-and-forward (DF) one-way relay systems, a data block received at the relay node is discarded, if the information part is found to have errors after decoding. Such errors are referred to as intra-link errors in this article. However, in a setup where the relay forwards data blocks despite possible intra-link errors, the two data blocks, one from the source node and the other from the relay node, are highly correlated because they were transmitted from the same source. In this article, we focus on the outage probability analysis of such a relay transmission system, where source-destination and relay-destination links, Link 1 and Link 2, respectively, are assumed to suffer from the correlated fading variation due to block Rayleigh fading. The intra-link is assumed to be represented by a simple bit-flipping model, where some of the information bits recovered at the relay node are the flipped version of their corresponding original information bits at the source. The correlated bit streams are encoded separately by the source and relay nodes, and transmitted block-by-block to a common destination using different time slots, where the information sequence transmitted over Link 2 may be a noise-corrupted interleaved version of the original sequence. The joint decoding takes place at the destination by exploiting the correlation knowledge of the intra-link (source-relay link). It is shown that the outage probability of the proposed transmission technique can be expressed by a set of double integrals over the admissible rate range, given by the Slepian-Wolf theorem, with respect to the probability density function ( pdf) of the instantaneous signal-to-noise power ratios (SNR) of Link 1 and Link 2. It is found that, with the Slepian-Wolf relay technique, so far as the correlation ρ of the complex fading variation is | ρ|<1, the 2nd order diversity can be achieved only if the two bit streams are fully correlated. This indicates that the diversity order exhibited in the outage curve converges to 1 when the bit streams are not fully correlated. Moreover, the Slepian-Wolf outage probability is proved to be smaller than that of the 2nd order maximum ratio combining (MRC) diversity, if the average SNRs of the two independent links are the same. Exact as well as asymptotic expressions of the outage probability are theoretically derived in the article. In addition, the theoretical outage results are compared with the frame-error-rate (FER) curves, obtained by a series of simulations for the Slepian-Wolf relay system based on bit-interleaved coded modulation with iterative detection (BICM-ID). It is shown that the FER curves exhibit the same tendency as the theoretical results.

Use of emergency medical services in the second gulf registry of acute coronary events.

PubMed

AlHabib, Khalid F; Alfaleh, Hussam; Hersi, Ahmad; Kashour, Tarek; Alsheikh-Ali, Alawi A; Suwaidi, Jassim Al; Sulaiman, Kadhim; Saif, Shukri Al; Almahmeed, Wael; Asaad, Nidal; Amin, Haitham; Al-Motarreb, Ahmed; Thalib, Lukman

2014-09-01

Data are scarce regarding emergency medical service (EMS) usage by patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in the Arabian Gulf region. This 9-month in-hospital prospective ACS registry was conducted in Arabian Gulf countries, with 30-day and 1-year follow-up mortality rates. Of 5184 patients with ACS, 1293 (25%) arrived at the hospital by EMS. The EMS group (vs non-EMS) was more likely to be male, have cardiac arrest on presentation, be current or exsmokers, and have moderate or severe left ventricular dysfunction and ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). The EMS group had higher crude mortality rates during hospitalization and after hospital discharge but not after adjustment for clinical factors and treatments. The EMSs are underused in the Arabian Gulf region. Short- and long-term mortality rates in patients with ACS are similar between those who used and did not use EMS. Quality improvement in the EMS infrastructure and establishment of integrated STEMI networks are urgently needed. © The Author(s) 2013.

A pilot study examining experiential learning vs didactic education of abdominal compartment syndrome.

PubMed

Saraswat, Anju; Bach, John; Watson, William D; Elliott, John O; Dominguez, Edward P

2017-08-01

Current surgical education relies on simulated educational experiences or didactic sessions to teach low-frequency clinical events such as abdominal compartment syndrome (ACS). The purpose of this pilot study was to evaluate if simulation would improve performance and knowledge retention of ACS better than a didactic lecture. Nineteen general surgery residents were block randomized by postgraduate year level to a didactic or a simulation session. After 3 months, all residents completed a knowledge assessment before participating in an additional simulation. Two independent reviewers assessed resident performance via audio-video recordings. No baseline differences in ACS experience were noted between groups. The observational evaluation demonstrated a significant difference in performance between the didactic and simulation groups: 9.9 vs 12.5, P = .037 (effect size = 1.15). Knowledge retention was equivalent between groups. This pilot study suggests that simulation-based education may be more effective for teaching the basic concepts of ACS. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Methyl-aminolevulinate photodynamic therapy for the treatment of actinic cheilitis: a retrospective evaluation of 29 patients.

PubMed

Fai, D; Romano, I; Cassano, N; Vena, G A

2012-02-01

Multiple treatment modalities have been proposed for actinic cheilitis (AC), and topical photodynamic therapy (PDT) has recently been included among these modalities. We report our experience with PDT using methyl-aminolevulinate (MAL) in AC. We performed a retrospective analysis of 29 patients who had undergone MAL-PDT for treatment of AC: 4 patients received one single session and 25 patients two consecutive weekly sessions. At 3 months, 21 patients (72%) obtained a complete clinical response, which was sustained over a follow-up period of 6-36 months (mean, 20 months) in 20 patients. Cosmetic outcome was generally rated as good or very good. Transient local adverse events related to the procedure were common and mild to moderate in the majority of cases. Our preliminary experience suggests that MAL-PDT may be considered a valid modality for the treatment of AC, although long-term follow-up studies in large patient series are required to obtain precise data about clinical and histological recurrences.

Identification and analysis of o-acetylated sialoglycoproteins.

PubMed

Mandal, Chandan; Mandal, Chitra

2013-01-01

5-N-acetylneuraminic acid, commonly known as sialic acid (Sia), constitutes a family of N- and O-substituted 9-carbon monosaccharides. Frequent modification of O-acetylations at positions C-7, C-8, or C-9 of Sias generates a family of O-acetylated sialic acid (O-AcSia) and plays crucial roles in many cellular events like cell-cell adhesion, proliferation, migration, etc. Therefore, identification and analysis of O-acetylated sialoglycoproteins (O-AcSGPs) are important. In this chapter, we describe several approaches for successful identification of O-AcSGPs. We broadly divide them into two categories, i.e., invasive and noninvasive methods. Several O-AcSias-binding probes are used for this purpose. Detailed methodologies for step-by-step identification using these probes have been discussed. We have also included a few invasive analytical methods for identification and quantitation of O-AcSias. Several indirect methods are also elaborated for such purpose, in which O-acetyl group from sialic acids is initially removed followed by detection of Sias by several approaches. For molecular identification, we have described methods for affinity purification of O-AcSGPs using an O-AcSias-binding lectin as an affinity matrix followed by sequencing using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight (MALDI-TOF-TOF) mass spectroscopy (MS). In spite of special attention, loss of O-acetyl groups due to its sensitivity towards alkaline pH and high temperature along with migration of labile O-acetyl groups from C7-C8-C9 during sample preparation is difficult to avoid. Therefore there is always a risk for underestimation of O-AcSias.

Reduction in recurrent cardiovascular events with prasugrel compared with clopidogrel in patients with acute coronary syndromes from the TRITON-TIMI 38 trial

PubMed Central

Murphy, Sabina A.; Antman, Elliott M.; Wiviott, Stephen D.; Weerakkody, Govinda; Morocutti, Giorgio; Huber, Kurt; Lopez-Sendon, Jose; McCabe, Carolyn H.; Braunwald, Eugene

2008-01-01

Aims In the TRITON-TIMI 38 trial, greater platelet inhibition with prasugrel reduced the first occurrence of the primary endpoint (cardiovascular death, MI, or stroke) compared with clopidogrel in patients with an acute coronary syndrome (ACS) undergoing planned percutaneous coronary intervention. We hypothesized that prasugrel would reduce not only first events but also recurrent primary endpoint events and therefore total events compared with clopidogrel. Methods and results Poisson regression analysis was performed to compare the number of occurrences of the primary endpoint between prasugrel and clopidogrel in TRITON-TIMI 38. Landmark analytic methods were used to evaluate the risk of a recurrent primary endpoint event following an initial non-fatal endpoint event. Among patients with an initial non-fatal event, second events were significantly reduced with prasugrel compared to clopidogrel (10.8 vs. 15.4%, HR 0.65, 95% CI 0.46–0.92; P = 0.016), as was CV death following the non-fatal event (3.7 vs. 7.1%, HR 0.46, 95% CI 0.25–0.82; P = 0.008). Overall there was a reduction of 195 total primary efficacy events with prasugrel vs. clopidogrel (rate ratio 0.79, 95% CI 0.71–0.87; P < 0.001). Recurrent bleeding events occurred infrequently (TIMI major non-CABG bleeds: four with prasugrel and two with clopidogrel). Study drug discontinuation was frequent following the initial major bleeding event (42% of patients discontinued study drug). Conclusion While standard statistical analytic techniques for clinical trials censor patients who experience a component of the primary composite endpoint, total cardiovascular events remain important to both patients and clinicians. Prasugrel, a more potent anti-platelet agent, reduced both first and subsequent cardiovascular events compared with clopidogrel in patients with ACS. PMID:18682445

Connectivity Restoration in Wireless Sensor Networks via Space Network Coding.

PubMed

Uwitonze, Alfred; Huang, Jiaqing; Ye, Yuanqing; Cheng, Wenqing

2017-04-20

The problem of finding the number and optimal positions of relay nodes for restoring the network connectivity in partitioned Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) is Non-deterministic Polynomial-time hard (NP-hard) and thus heuristic methods are preferred to solve it. This paper proposes a novel polynomial time heuristic algorithm, namely, Relay Placement using Space Network Coding (RPSNC), to solve this problem, where Space Network Coding, also called Space Information Flow (SIF), is a new research paradigm that studies network coding in Euclidean space, in which extra relay nodes can be introduced to reduce the cost of communication. Unlike contemporary schemes that are often based on Minimum Spanning Tree (MST), Euclidean Steiner Minimal Tree (ESMT) or a combination of MST with ESMT, RPSNC is a new min-cost multicast space network coding approach that combines Delaunay triangulation and non-uniform partitioning techniques for generating a number of candidate relay nodes, and then linear programming is applied for choosing the optimal relay nodes and computing their connection links with terminals. Subsequently, an equilibrium method is used to refine the locations of the optimal relay nodes, by moving them to balanced positions. RPSNC can adapt to any density distribution of relay nodes and terminals, as well as any density distribution of terminals. The performance and complexity of RPSNC are analyzed and its performance is validated through simulation experiments.

Real time testing of intelligent relays for synchronous distributed generation islanding detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhuang, Davy

As electric power systems continue to grow to meet ever-increasing energy demand, their security, reliability, and sustainability requirements also become more stringent. The deployment of distributed energy resources (DER), including generation and storage, in conventional passive distribution feeders, gives rise to integration problems involving protection and unintentional islanding. Distributed generators need to be islanded for safety reasons when disconnected or isolated from the main feeder as distributed generator islanding may create hazards to utility and third-party personnel, and possibly damage the distribution system infrastructure, including the distributed generators. This thesis compares several key performance indicators of a newly developed intelligent islanding detection relay, against islanding detection devices currently used by the industry. The intelligent relay employs multivariable analysis and data mining methods to arrive at decision trees that contain both the protection handles and the settings. A test methodology is developed to assess the performance of these intelligent relays on a real time simulation environment using a generic model based on a real-life distribution feeder. The methodology demonstrates the applicability and potential advantages of the intelligent relay, by running a large number of tests, reflecting a multitude of system operating conditions. The testing indicates that the intelligent relay often outperforms frequency, voltage and rate of change of frequency relays currently used for islanding detection, while respecting the islanding detection time constraints imposed by standing distributed generator interconnection guidelines.

Coding, modulation, and relays for deep space communication Mars Rovers Case Study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Statman, Joseph I.; Edwards, Charles D.

2004-01-01

This paper presents the communications challenges for the MER mission, the use of DSN and MER tools to maximize the science return, and the application of standards-based relays to the problem. To date, more than 90% of the data returned from MER has been returned via relays, not direct-to-Earath (DTE).

76 FR 47424 - Airworthiness Directives; Dassault Aviation Model FALCON 7X Airplanes

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-08-05

... (HSTA) electric motors reversion relays (installed with M1235 and M1236), has been developed and must be... operational test of the HSTA electric motors reversion relays. For aeroplanes equipped with HSECU P/N 051244... operational test of the HSTA electric motors reversion relays is 1,850 flight hours after accomplishment of...

Torque control for electric motors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bernard, C. A.

1980-01-01

Method for adjusting electric-motor torque output to accomodate various loads utilizes phase-lock loop to control relay connected to starting circuit. As load is imposed, motor slows down, and phase lock is lost. Phase-lock signal triggers relay to power starting coil and generate additional torque. Once phase lock is recoverd, relay restores starting circuit to its normal operating mode.

76 FR 52899 - Airworthiness Directives; The Boeing Company Model 767-200, -300, and -300F Series Airplanes

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-08-24

... the compliance times specified, unless already done. Installation of New Relay and Wiring Bundle (g... certain wiring changes, installing a new relay and necessary wiring in the cabin air conditioning and... for changing the wire bundle route and wiring, installing a new relay and applicable wiring in the...

76 FR 11462 - Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau Seeks Comment on Application of New and Emerging...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-02

... Affairs Bureau Seeks Comment on Application of New and Emerging Technologies for Video Relay Service Use... seeks comment regarding new and emerging technologies that may be used to access Video Relay Service... Video Relay Service Use, Public Notice, document DA 11-317, released on February 17, 2011, in CG Docket...

Rationale and design of a multicenter randomized clinical trial with memantine and dextromethorphan in ketamine-responder patients.

PubMed

Pickering, Gisèle; Pereira, Bruno; Morel, Véronique; Tiberghien, Florence; Martin, Elodie; Marcaillou, Fabienne; Picard, Pascale; Delage, Noémie; de Montgazon, Géraldine; Sorel, Marc; Roux, Delphine; Dubray, Claude

2014-07-01

The N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor plays an important role in central sensitization of neuropathic pain and N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonists, such as ketamine, memantine and dextromethorphan may be used for persistent pain. However, ketamine cannot be repeated too often because of its adverse events. A drug relay would be helpful in the outpatient to postpone or even cancel the next ketamine infusion. This clinical trial evaluates if memantine and/or dextromethorphan given as a relay to ketamine responders may maintain or induce a decrease of pain intensity and have a beneficial impact on cognition and quality of life. This trial is a multi-center, randomized, controlled and single-blind clinical study (NCT01602185). It includes 60 ketamine responder patients suffering from neuropathic pain. They are randomly allocated to memantine, dextromethorphan or placebo. After ketamine infusion, 60 patients received either memantine (maximal dose 20 mg/day), or dextromethorphan (maximal dose 90 mg/day), or placebo for 12 weeks. The primary endpoint is pain measured on a (0-10) Numeric Rating Scale 1 month after inclusion. Secondary outcomes include assessment of neuropathic pain, sleep, quality of life, anxiety/depression and cognitive function at 2 and 3 months. Data analysis is performed using mixed models and the tests are two-sided, with a type I error set at α=0.05. This study will explore if oral memantine and/or dextromethorphan may be a beneficial relay in ketamine responders and may diminish ketamine infusion frequency. Preservation of cognitive function and quality of life is also a central issue that will be analyzed in these vulnerable patients. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Cell-Free circulating DNA: a new biomarker for the acute coronary syndrome.

PubMed

Cui, Ming; Fan, Mengkang; Jing, Rongrong; Wang, Huimin; Qin, Jingfeng; Sheng, Hongzhuan; Wang, Yueguo; Wu, Xinhua; Zhang, Lurong; Zhu, Jianhua; Ju, Shaoqing

2013-01-01

In recent studies, concentrations of cell-free circulating DNA (cf-DNA) have been correlated with clinical characteristics and prognosis in several diseases. The relationship between cf-DNA concentrations and the acute coronary syndrome (ACS) remains unknown. Moreover, no data are available for the detection cf-DNA in ACS by a branched DNA (bDNA)-based Alu assay. The aim of the present study was to investigate cf-DNA concentrations in ACS and their relationship with clinical features. Plasma cf-DNA concentrations of 137 ACS patients at diagnosis, of 60 healthy individuals and of 13 patients with stable angina (SA) were determined using a bDNA-based Alu assay. ACS patients (median 2,285.0, interquartile range 916.4-4,857.3 ng/ml), especially in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction patients (median 5,745.4, interquartile range 4,013.5-8,643.9 ng/ml), showed a significant increase in plasma cf-DNA concentrations compared with controls (healthy controls: median 118.3, interquartile range 81.1-221.1 ng/ml; SA patients: median 202.3, interquartile range 112.7-256.1 ng/ml) using a bDNA-based Alu assay. Moreover, we found positive correlations between cf-DNA and Gensini scoring and GRACE (Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events) scoring in ACS. cf-DNA may be a valuable marker for diagnosing and predicting the severity of coronary artery lesions and risk stratification in ACS. Copyright © 2013 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Cardiac damage associated with stress hyperglycaemia and acute coronary syndrome changes according to level of presenting blood glucose.

PubMed

Al Jumaily, Talib; Rose'Meyer, Roselyn B; Sweeny, Amy; Jayasinghe, Rohan

2015-10-01

To determine the prevalence of stress hyperglycaemia in people presenting with acute coronary syndrome (ACS), and the relationships between admission glucose and cardiac damage, cardiovascular mortality and morbidity. In a prospective observational study people presenting with ACS at the Gold Coast Hospital had their admission glucose (AG) level tested to determine stress hyperglycaemia. A range of measurements supplemented this data including troponin levels, category of ACS and major adverse coronary events (MACEs) were obtained through hospital records and patient follow-up post-discharge. One hundred eighty-eight participants were recruited. The prevalence of stress hyperglycaemia in ACS was 44% with 31% having a previous diagnosis of type 2 diabetes and 7.7% had undiagnosed diabetes. The stress hyperglycaemic group had a significantly higher median troponin levels compared to participants with normal blood glucose levels on admission (p<0.05) however the highest presenting glucose group (>15 mmol/L) had troponin levels similar to people presenting with normal blood glucose levels and ACS (p>0.05). Cardiac necrosis as measured by troponin levels is significantly increased in people with ACS and stress hyperglycaemia. This study found that one in four participants presenting with ACS and an admission glucose of >7.0 had no previous diagnosis for diabetes. Consistently ordering HbA1C testing on patients with high AG can enable earlier diagnosis and treatment of diabetes. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

Effects of Distributed Generation on Overcurrent Relay Coordination and an Adaptive Protection Scheme

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ilik, Semih C.; Arsoy, Aysen B.

2017-07-01

Integration of distributed generation (DG) such as renewable energy sources to electrical network becomes more prevalent in recent years. Grid connection of DG has effects on load flow directions, voltage profile, short circuit power and especially protection selectivity. Applying traditional overcurrent protection scheme is inconvenient when system reliability and sustainability are considered. If a fault happens in DG connected network, short circuit contribution of DG, creates additional branch element feeding the fault current; compels to consider directional overcurrent (OC) protection scheme. Protection coordination might get lost for changing working conditions when DG sources are connected. Directional overcurrent relay parameters are determined for downstream and upstream relays when different combinations of DG connected singular or plural, on radial test system. With the help of proposed flow chart, relay parameters are updated and coordination between relays kept sustained for different working conditions in DigSILENT PowerFactory program.

Offshore suspension relaying to reduce levels of Vibrio vulnificus in oysters (Crassostrea virginica).

PubMed

Motes, M L; DePaola, A

1996-10-01

Oysters naturally contaminated with 10(3) to 10(4) most probable numbers (MPN) of Vibrio vulnificus per g were relayed to offshore waters (salinity, 30 to 34 ppt), where they were suspended in racks at a depth of 7.6 m. V. vulnificus counts in oysters were reduced to < 10 MPN/g within 7 to 17 days in five of the six studies. At the end of the studies (17 to 49 days), V. vulnificus levels were reduced further and ranged from a mean of 0.23 to 2.6 MPN/g. Oyster mortalities during relaying were < 6%. The reduction of V. vulnificus in relayed oysters is associated with exposure to high-salinity environments essentially devoid of V. vulnificus. Offshore suspension relaying may be a method that industry can employ to reduce V. vulnificus levels in raw Gulf Coast oysters.

Relay kidney transplantation in Korea--legal, ethical and medical aspects.

PubMed

Park, Jong-Hyun; Park, Joong-Won; Koo, Young-Mo; Kim, Jang Han

2004-07-01

Living kidney transplantations constitute the majority of kidney transplantations in Korea. Recently, relay kidney transplantation, which is a modified form of both 'exchange transplantation' and 'living anonymous donation', has become at issue. After a living anonymous donor makes the initial donation, the next donor, who is related to the first recipient, makes the second donation; the third donor, who is related to the second recipient, makes the third donation; and so on. In relay kidney transplantation, organ trafficking, coercion of donation, assessment order, breach of agreement, and recipient burden should be evaluated with respect to ethical, legal and medical considerations. Despite these problems, a non-governmental body, the Korean Organ and Tissue Donor Program, has been promoting relay kidney transplantations to address the shortage of cadaveric kidney donations. Acceptance of the method of relay kidney transplantation requires the institution of supplementary measures to minimize the related problems.

GPS/REFSAT definition study report for low-cost terminals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1980-01-01

A relay transponder, located either on a satellite in geostationary orbit or on a local tower to relay acquisition-aiding data, ephemerides, etc, from a ground-based remote control station to a GPS civil user terminal located on a ship or land-transportation vehicle is described. Termed REFSAT (Reference Satellite), this concept reduces the circuit complexity and cost of user terminals. The various systems needed to implement the REFSAT concept for low-cost, GPS civil terminals are defined. The GPS/REFSAT system compatible with the NAVSTAR GPS system consists of a geostationary relay satellite, civil user terminals, and the central facility which performs operations common to all users for relay via the space segment. A GPS/REFSAT system utilizing a local tower for the relay transponder is described, results of a study of civil user requirements are presented, and specifications for the GPS/REFSAT system and its individual segments are included.

Development of an adaptive optics test-bed for relay mirror applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mansell, Justin D.; Jacobs, Arturo A.; Maynard, Morris

2005-08-01

The relay mirror concept involves deploying a passive optical station at a high altitude for relaying a beam from a laser weapon to a target. Relay mirrors have been proposed as a method of increasing the range of laser weapons that is less costly than deploying a larger number of laser weapons. Relay mirrors will only be effective if the beam spreading and beam quality degradation induced by atmospheric aberrations and thermal blooming can be mitigated. In this paper we present the first phase of a multi-year effort to develop a theoretical and experimental capability at Boeing-SVS to study these problems. A team from MZA and Boeing-SVS has developed a laboratory test-bed consisting of a distributed atmospheric path simulated by three liquid crystal phase screens, a Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor, and a MEMS membrane deformable mirror. We present results of AO component calibration and evaluation, the system construction, and the system performance.

Synaptic plasticity in a cerebellum-like structure depends on temporal order

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bell, Curtis C.; Han, Victor Z.; Sugawara, Yoshiko; Grant, Kirsty

1997-05-01

Cerebellum-like structures in fish appear to act as adaptive sensory processors, in which learned predictions about sensory input are generated and subtracted from actual sensory input, allowing unpredicted inputs to stand out1-3. Pairing sensory input with centrally originating predictive signals, such as corollary discharge signals linked to motor commands, results in neural responses to the predictive signals alone that are Negative images' of the previously paired sensory responses. Adding these 'negative images' to actual sensory inputs minimizes the neural response to predictable sensory features. At the cellular level, sensory input is relayed to the basal region of Purkinje-like cells, whereas predictive signals are relayed by parallel fibres to the apical dendrites of the same cells4. The generation of negative images could be explained by plasticity at parallel fibre synapses5-7. We show here that such plasticity exists in the electrosensory lobe of mormyrid electric fish and that it has the necessary properties for such a model: it is reversible, anti-hebbian (excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs) are depressed after pairing with a postsynaptic spike) and tightly dependent on the sequence of pre- and postsynaptic events, with depression occurring only if the postsynaptic spike follows EPSP onset within 60 ms.

Event and Pulse Node Hardware Design for Nuclear Fusion Experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fortunato, J. C.; Batista, A.; Sousa, J.; Fernandes, H.; Varandas, C. A. F.

2008-04-01

This article presents an event and pulse node hardware module (EPN) developed for use in control and data acquisition (CODAC) in current and upcoming long discharges nuclear fusion experiments. Its purpose is to allow real time event management and trigger distribution. The use of a mixture of digital signal processing and field programmable gate arrays, with fiber optic channels for event broadcast between CODAC nodes, and short length paths between the EPN and CODAC hardware, allows an effective and low latency communication path. This hardware will be integrated in the ISTTOK CODAC to allow long AC plasma discharges.

ICare-ACS (Improving Care Processes for Patients With Suspected Acute Coronary Syndrome): A Study of Cross-System Implementation of a National Clinical Pathway.

PubMed

Than, Martin P; Pickering, John W; Dryden, Jeremy M; Lord, Sally J; Aitken, S Andrew; Aldous, Sally J; Allan, Kate E; Ardagh, Michael W; Bonning, John W N; Callender, Rosie; Chapman, Laura R E; Christiansen, Jonathan P; Cromhout, Andre P J; Cullen, Louise; Deely, Joanne M; Devlin, Gerard P; Ferrier, Katherine A; Florkowski, Christopher M; Frampton, Christopher M A; George, Peter M; Hamilton, Gregory J; Jaffe, Allan S; Kerr, Andrew J; Larkin, G Luke; Makower, Richard M; Matthews, Timothy J E; Parsonage, William A; Peacock, W Frank; Peckler, Bradley F; van Pelt, Niels C; Poynton, Louise; Richards, A Mark; Scott, Anthony G; Simmonds, Mark B; Smyth, David; Thomas, Oliver P; To, Andrew C Y; Du Toit, Stephen A; Troughton, Richard W; Yates, Kim M

2018-01-23

Efforts to safely reduce length of stay for emergency department patients with symptoms suggestive of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) have had mixed success. Few system-wide efforts affecting multiple hospital emergency departments have ever been evaluated. We evaluated the effectiveness of a nationwide implementation of clinical pathways for potential ACS in disparate hospitals. This was a multicenter pragmatic stepped-wedge before-and-after trial in 7 New Zealand acute care hospitals with 31 332 patients investigated for suspected ACS with serial troponin measurements. The implementation was a clinical pathway for the assessment of patients with suspected ACS that included a clinical pathway document in paper or electronic format, structured risk stratification, specified time points for electrocardiographic and serial troponin testing within 3 hours of arrival, and directions for combining risk stratification and electrocardiographic and troponin testing in an accelerated diagnostic protocol. Implementation was monitored for >4 months and compared with usual care over the preceding 6 months. The main outcome measure was the odds of discharge within 6 hours of presentation RESULTS: There were 11 529 participants in the preimplementation phase (range, 284-3465) and 19 803 in the postimplementation phase (range, 395-5039). Overall, the mean 6-hour discharge rate increased from 8.3% (range, 2.7%-37.7%) to 18.4% (6.8%-43.8%). The odds of being discharged within 6 hours increased after clinical pathway implementation. The odds ratio was 2.4 (95% confidence interval, 2.3-2.6). In patients without ACS, the median length of hospital stays decreased by 2.9 hours (95% confidence interval, 2.4-3.4). For patients discharged within 6 hours, there was no change in 30-day major adverse cardiac event rates (0.52% versus 0.44%; P =0.96). In these patients, no adverse event occurred when clinical pathways were correctly followed. Implementation of clinical pathways for suspected ACS reduced the length of stay and increased the proportions of patients safely discharged within 6 hours. URL: https://www.anzctr.org.au/ (Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry). Unique identifier: ACTRN12617000381381. © 2017 American Heart Association, Inc.

The faulty Master Events Controller is removed from STS-99 Endeavour

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2000-01-01

Technicians remove a faulty Enhanced Main Events Controller (E- MEC) from Shuttle Endeavour at Launch Pad 39A. The E-MEC became suspect during the Jan. 31 launch countdown and mission STS-99 was delayed when NASA managers decided to replace it. Each Shuttle carries two enhanced master events controllers (E-MECs), which provide relays for onboard flight computers to send signals to arm and fire pyrotechnics that separate the solid rockets and external tank during assent. Both E-MECs are needed for the Shuttle to be cleared for flight. Currently Endeavour and Columbia are the only two orbiters with the E-MECs. Built by Rockwell's Satellite Space Electronics Division, Anaheim, Calif., each unit weighs 65 pounds and is approximately 20 inches long, 13 inches wide and 8 inches tall. Previously, three Shuttle flights have been scrubbed or delayed due to faulty MECs: STS-73, STS-49 and STS-41-D. The next scheduled date for launch of STS-99 is Feb. 11 at 12:30 p.m. EST.

The faulty Master Events Controller is carried away from STS-99 Endeavour

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2000-01-01

Workers carry away the faulty Enhanced Main Events Controller (E- MEC) from Shuttle Endeavour at Launch Pad 39A. The E-MEC became suspect during the Jan. 31 launch countdown and mission STS-99 was delayed when NASA managers decided to replace it. Each Shuttle carries two enhanced master events controllers (E-MECs), which provide relays for onboard flight computers to send signals to arm and fire pyrotechnics that separate the solid rockets and external tank during assent. Both E-MECs are needed for the Shuttle to be cleared for flight. Currently Endeavour and Columbia are the only two orbiters with the E-MECs. Built by Rockwell's Satellite Space Electronics Division, Anaheim, Calif., each unit weighs 65 pounds and is approximately 20 inches long, 13 inches wide and 8 inches tall. Previously, three Shuttle flights have been scrubbed or delayed due to faulty MECs: STS-73, STS-49 and STS-41-D. The next scheduled date for launch of STS-99 is Feb. 11 at 12:30 p.m. EST.

Who uses foodbanks and why? Exploring the impact of financial strain and adverse life events on food insecurity.

PubMed

Prayogo, E; Chater, A; Chapman, S; Barker, M; Rahmawati, N; Waterfall, T; Grimble, G

2017-11-14

Rising use of foodbanks highlights food insecurity in the UK. Adverse life events (e.g. unemployment, benefit delays or sanctions) and financial strains are thought to be the drivers of foodbank use. This research aimed to explore who uses foodbanks, and factors associated with increased food insecurity. We surveyed those seeking help from front line crisis providers from foodbanks (N = 270) and a comparison group from Advice Centres (ACs) (N = 245) in relation to demographics, adverse life events, financial strain and household food security. About 55.9% of foodbank users were women and the majority were in receipt of benefits (64.8%). Benefit delays (31.9%), changes (11.1%) and low income (19.6%) were the most common reasons given for referral. Compared to AC users, there were more foodbank users who were single men without children, unemployed, currently homeless, experiencing more financial strain and adverse life events (P = 0.001). Food insecurity was high in both populations, and more severe if they also reported financial strain and adverse life events. Benefit-related problems appear to be a key reason for foodbank referral. By comparison with other disadvantaged groups, foodbank users experienced more financial strain, adverse life events, both increased the severity of food insecurity. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Faculty of Public Health. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com

Bilayer Protograph Codes for Half-Duplex Relay Channels

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Divsalar, Dariush; VanNguyen, Thuy; Nosratinia, Aria

2013-01-01

Direct to Earth return links are limited by the size and power of lander devices. A standard alternative is provided by a two-hops return link: a proximity link (from lander to orbiter relay) and a deep-space link (from orbiter relay to Earth). Although direct to Earth return links are limited by the size and power of lander devices, using an additional link and a proposed coding for relay channels, one can obtain a more reliable signal. Although significant progress has been made in the relay coding problem, existing codes must be painstakingly optimized to match to a single set of channel conditions, many of them do not offer easy encoding, and most of them do not have structured design. A high-performing LDPC (low-density parity-check) code for the relay channel addresses simultaneously two important issues: a code structure that allows low encoding complexity, and a flexible rate-compatible code that allows matching to various channel conditions. Most of the previous high-performance LDPC codes for the relay channel are tightly optimized for a given channel quality, and are not easily adapted without extensive re-optimization for various channel conditions. This code for the relay channel combines structured design and easy encoding with rate compatibility to allow adaptation to the three links involved in the relay channel, and furthermore offers very good performance. The proposed code is constructed by synthesizing a bilayer structure with a pro to graph. In addition to the contribution to relay encoding, an improved family of protograph codes was produced for the point-to-point AWGN (additive white Gaussian noise) channel whose high-rate members enjoy thresholds that are within 0.07 dB of capacity. These LDPC relay codes address three important issues in an integrative manner: low encoding complexity, modular structure allowing for easy design, and rate compatibility so that the code can be easily matched to a variety of channel conditions without extensive re-optimization. The main problem of half-duplex relay coding can be reduced to the simultaneous design of two codes at two rates and two SNRs (signal-to-noise ratios), such that one is a subset of the other. This problem can be addressed by forceful optimization, but a clever method of addressing this problem is via the bilayer lengthened (BL) LDPC structure. This method uses a bilayer Tanner graph to make the two codes while using a concept of "parity forwarding" with subsequent successive decoding that removes the need to directly address the issue of uneven SNRs among the symbols of a given codeword. This method is attractive in that it addresses some of the main issues in the design of relay codes, but it does not by itself give rise to highly structured codes with simple encoding, nor does it give rate-compatible codes. The main contribution of this work is to construct a class of codes that simultaneously possess a bilayer parity- forwarding mechanism, while also benefiting from the properties of protograph codes having an easy encoding, a modular design, and being a rate-compatible code.

Sedimentary record of relay zone evolution, Central Corinth Rift (Greece): Role of fault propagation and structural inheritance.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hemelsdaël, Romain; Ford, Mary; Meyer, Nicolas

2013-04-01

Relay zones along rift border fault systems form topographic lows that are considered to allow the transfer of sediment from the footwall into hanging wall depocentres. Present knowledge focuses on the modifications of drainage patterns and sediment pathways across relay zones, however their vertical motion during growth and interaction of faults segments is not well documented. 3D models of fault growth and linkage are also under debate. The Corinth rift (Greece) is an ideal natural laboratory for the study of fault system evolution. Fault activity and rift depocentres migrated northward during Pliocene to Recent N-S extension. We report on the evolution of a relay zone in the currently active southern rift margin fault system from Pleistocene to present-day. The relay zone lies between the E-W East Helike (EHF) and Derveni faults (DF) that lie just offshore and around the town of Akrata. During its evolution the relay zone captured the antecedent Krathis river which continued to deposit Gilbert-type deltas across the relay zone during fault interaction, breaching and post linkage phases. Moreover our work underlines the role that pre-existing structure in the location of the transfer zone. Offshore fault geometry and kinematics, and sediment distribution were defined by interpretation and depth conversion of high resolution seismic profiles (from Maurice Ewing 2001 geophysical survey). Early lateral propagation of the EHF is recorded by synsedimentary fault propagation folds while the DF records tilted block geometries since initiation. Within the relay zone beds are gradually tilted toward the basin before breaching. These different styles of deformation highlight mechanical contrasts and upper crustal partition associated with the development of the Akrata relay zone. Onshore detailed lithostratigraphy, structure and geomorphological features record sedimentation across the subsiding relay ramp and subsequent footwall uplift after breaching. The area is characterised by the successive deposition of the northward prograding Platanos Gilbert-type delta (Middle group; deposited in hangingwall of the Pirgaki-Mamoussia fault) and the NE to E prograding Akrata Gilbert-type delta (Upper group). The Akrata Gilbert-type delta records progressive rotation and lengthening of the relay ramp as the East Helike fault and Derveni fault propagated laterally (from around 0.8 Ma) and started to overlap. The relay ramp was then breached by the Krathis fault (around 0.45 Ma) and the latter reactivated a NW-SE oriented inherited structure. Onshore-offshore correlation and profile restoration of the Upper group demonstrate the presence of this pre-existing structure (detachment fault?) below the Akrata relay zone that was responsible for significant eastward thickening in early rift sediments (Lower to Middle group). Our evolution model is consistent with the 'isolated fault' model where a fault array initially develops from growth of kinematically independent fault segments and fault displacement gradually accumulates during pre- and post-linkage stages. Despite the prominent control of pre-existing fabrics on the location of the transfer zone, lateral fault propagation and interaction can be well documented.

Libration Point Navigation Concepts Supporting the Vision for Space Exploration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carpenter, J. Russell; Folta, David C.; Moreau, Michael C.; Quinn, David A.

2004-01-01

This work examines the autonomous navigation accuracy achievable for a lunar exploration trajectory from a translunar libration point lunar navigation relay satellite, augmented by signals from the Global Positioning System (GPS). We also provide a brief analysis comparing the libration point relay to lunar orbit relay architectures, and discuss some issues of GPS usage for cis-lunar trajectories.

Teach for America, Relay Graduate School, and the Charter School Networks: The Making of a Parallel Education Structure

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mungal, Angus Shiva

2016-01-01

In New York City, a partnership between Teach For America (TFA), the New York City Department of Education (NYCDOE), the Relay Graduate School of Education (Relay), and three charter school networks produced a "parallel education structure" within the public school system. Driving the partnership and the parallel education structure are…

78 FR 64976 - Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement and Public Scoping Meetings for the...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-10-30

... telecommunications device for the deaf may call the Federal Relay Service (FedRelay) at 1-800-877- 8339 TTY/ASCII to contact the above individual during normal business hours. The FedRelay is available 24 hours a day, 7.... Groundwater Storage; 5. Habitat/Watershed Protection and Enhancement; 6. Enhanced Water Conservation; and 7...

78 FR 64975 - Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement and Public Scoping Meetings for the...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-10-30

... the deaf may call the Federal Relay Service (FedRelay) at 1-800-877- 8339 TTY/ASCII to contact the above individual during normal business hours. The FedRelay is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week...; 5. Habitat/Watershed Protection and Enhancement; 6. Enhanced Water Conservation; and 7. Market...

Laser Communications Relay Demonstration (LCRD) Update and the Path Towards Optical Relay Operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Israel, David J.; Edwards, Bernard L.; Staren, John W.

2017-01-01

This paper provides a concept for an evolution of NASA's optical communications near Earth relay architecture. NASA's Laser Communications Relay Demonstration (LCRD), a joint project between NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), the Jet Propulsion Laboratory - California Institute of Technology (JPL), and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Lincoln Laboratory (MIT LL). LCRD will provide a minimum of two years of high data rate optical communications service experiments in geosynchronous orbit (GEO), following launch in 2019. This paper will provide an update of the LCRD mission status and planned capabilities and experiments, followed by a discussion of the path from LCRD to operational network capabilities.

Simultaneous Wireless Power Transfer and Secure Multicasting in Cooperative Decode-and-Forward Relay Networks.

PubMed

Lee, Jong-Ho; Sohn, Illsoo; Kim, Yong-Hwa

2017-05-16

In this paper, we investigate simultaneous wireless power transfer and secure multicasting via cooperative decode-and-forward (DF) relays in the presence of multiple energy receivers and eavesdroppers. Two scenarios are considered under a total power budget: maximizing the minimum harvested energy among the energy receivers under a multicast secrecy rate constraint; and maximizing the multicast secrecy rate under a minimum harvested energy constraint. For both scenarios, we solve the transmit power allocation and relay beamformer design problems by using semidefinite relaxation and bisection technique. We present numerical results to analyze the energy harvesting and secure multicasting performances in cooperative DF relay networks.

Simultaneous Wireless Power Transfer and Secure Multicasting in Cooperative Decode-and-Forward Relay Networks

PubMed Central

Lee, Jong-Ho; Sohn, Illsoo; Kim, Yong-Hwa

2017-01-01

In this paper, we investigate simultaneous wireless power transfer and secure multicasting via cooperative decode-and-forward (DF) relays in the presence of multiple energy receivers and eavesdroppers. Two scenarios are considered under a total power budget: maximizing the minimum harvested energy among the energy receivers under a multicast secrecy rate constraint; and maximizing the multicast secrecy rate under a minimum harvested energy constraint. For both scenarios, we solve the transmit power allocation and relay beamformer design problems by using semidefinite relaxation and bisection technique. We present numerical results to analyze the energy harvesting and secure multicasting performances in cooperative DF relay networks. PMID:28509841

Development of a hybrid microelectronics solid state relay for 2500 volts isolation and minus 120 C to 80 C thermal cycling range

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sater, B. L.; Riley, T. J.; Janssen, W.

1973-01-01

A hybrid microelectronics solid state relay was developed in a TO-116 package for the MINX project. The relay provides 2500 Vdc input to output isolation and operated from a MHTL logic signal to switch a load of 400 Vdc at 2 mA. The relay is designed to operate in space and survive 1000 thermal cycles of 120 C to 80 C. The use of X-rays for failure analysis in small hybrid circuits proved valuable and the applications of vacuum deposited Parylene as a dielectric coating proved extremely valuable.

Laser Communications Relay Demonstration (LCRD) Update and the Path Towards Optical Relay Operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Israel, David J.; Edwards, Bernard L.; Staren, John W.

2017-01-01

This Presentation provides a concept for an evolution of NASAs optical communications near Earth relay architecture. NASA's Laser Communications Relay Demonstration (LCRD), a joint project between NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), the Jet Propulsion Laboratory - California Institute of Technology (JPL), and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Lincoln Laboratory (MIT LL). LCRD will provide a minimum of two years of high data rate optical communications service experiments in geosynchronous orbit (GEO), following launch in 2019. This paper will provide an update of the LCRD mission status and planned capabilities and experiments, followed by a discussion of the path from LCRD to operational network capabilities.

Downlink Cooperative Broadcast Transmission Based on Superposition Coding in a Relaying System for Future Wireless Sensor Networks.

PubMed

Liu, Yang; Han, Guangjie; Shi, Sulong; Li, Zhengquan

2018-06-20

This study investigates the superiority of cooperative broadcast transmission over traditional orthogonal schemes when applied in a downlink relaying broadcast channel (RBC). Two proposed cooperative broadcast transmission protocols, one with an amplify-and-forward (AF) relay, and the other with a repetition-based decode-and-forward (DF) relay, are investigated. By utilizing superposition coding (SupC), the source and the relay transmit the private user messages simultaneously instead of sequentially as in traditional orthogonal schemes, which means the channel resources are reused and an increased channel degree of freedom is available to each user, hence the half-duplex penalty of relaying is alleviated. To facilitate a performance evaluation, theoretical outage probability expressions of the two broadcast transmission schemes are developed, based on which, we investigate the minimum total power consumption of each scheme for a given traffic requirement by numerical simulation. The results provide details on the overall system performance and fruitful insights on the essential characteristics of cooperative broadcast transmission in RBCs. It is observed that better overall outage performances and considerable power gains can be obtained by utilizing cooperative broadcast transmissions compared to traditional orthogonal schemes.

RoCoMAR: robots' controllable mobility aided routing and relay architecture for mobile sensor networks.

PubMed

Le, Duc Van; Oh, Hoon; Yoon, Seokhoon

2013-07-05

In a practical deployment, mobile sensor network (MSN) suffers from a low performance due to high node mobility, time-varying wireless channel properties, and obstacles between communicating nodes. In order to tackle the problem of low network performance and provide a desired end-to-end data transfer quality, in this paper we propose a novel ad hoc routing and relaying architecture, namely RoCoMAR (Robots' Controllable Mobility Aided Routing) that uses robotic nodes' controllable mobility. RoCoMAR repeatedly performs link reinforcement process with the objective of maximizing the network throughput, in which the link with the lowest quality on the path is identified and replaced with high quality links by placing a robotic node as a relay at an optimal position. The robotic node resigns as a relay if the objective is achieved or no more gain can be obtained with a new relay. Once placed as a relay, the robotic node performs adaptive link maintenance by adjusting its position according to the movements of regular nodes. The simulation results show that RoCoMAR outperforms existing ad hoc routing protocols for MSN in terms of network throughput and end-to-end delay.

Implementation of Pass Through PPTP Relay System with Authentication at Each Gateway and Its Performance Evaluations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saito, Shoichi; Uehara, Tetsutaro; Izumi, Yutaka; Kunieda, Yoshitoshi

The VPN (Virtual Private Network) technique becomes more and more popular to protect contents of messages and to achieve secure communication from incidents, such as tapping. However, it grow in usage that a VPN server is used on a sub-network in part of an office-wide network. But, a PPTP system included in Windows operating systems cannot establish nested VPN links. Moreover encrypted communication by VPN hides a user of the VPN connection. Consequently, any administrators of network systems can’t find out the users of the VPN connection via firewall, moreover can’t decide whether if the user is legal or not. In order to solve this problem, we developed a multi step PPTP relay system on a firewall. This system solves all the problems of our previously developed PPTP relay system(1). The new relay system improves security by encrypting through the whole end-to-end communication and abolishing of prior registration of passwords for the next step. Furthermore, transport speed is accelerated, and the restriction of the number of steps on relay is also abolished. By these features the multi step PPTP relay system expands usability.

Topological Interference Management for K-User Downlink Massive MIMO Relay Network Channel.

PubMed

Selvaprabhu, Poongundran; Chinnadurai, Sunil; Li, Jun; Lee, Moon Ho

2017-08-17

In this paper, we study the emergence of topological interference alignment and the characterizing features of a multi-user broadcast interference relay channel. We propose an alternative transmission strategy named the relay space-time interference alignment (R-STIA) technique, in which a K -user multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) interference channel has massive antennas at the transmitter and relay. Severe interference from unknown transmitters affects the downlink relay network channel and degrades the system performance. An additional (unintended) receiver is introduced in the proposed R-STIA technique to overcome the above problem, since it has the ability to decode the desired signals for the intended receiver by considering cooperation between the receivers. The additional receiver also helps in recovering and reconstructing the interference signals with limited channel state information at the relay (CSIR). The Alamouti space-time transmission technique and minimum mean square error (MMSE) linear precoder are also used in the proposed scheme to detect the presence of interference signals. Numerical results show that the proposed R-STIA technique achieves a better performance in terms of the bit error rate (BER) and sum-rate compared to the existing broadcast channel schemes.

Implementing Strategic Planning Capabilities Within the Mars Relay Operations Service

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hy, Franklin; Gladden, Roy; Allard, Dan; Wallick, Michael

2011-01-01

Since the Mars Exploration Rovers (MER), Spirit and Opportunity, began their travels across the Martian surface in January of 2004, orbiting spacecraft such as the Mars 2001 Odyssey orbiter have relayed the majority of their collected scientific and operational data to and from Earth. From the beginning of those missions, it was evident that using orbiters to relay data to and from the surface of Mars was a vastly more efficient communications strategy in terms of power consumption and bandwidth compared to direct-to-Earth means. However, the coordination between the various spacecraft, which are largely managed independently and on differing commanding timelines, has always proven to be a challenge. Until recently, the ground operators of all these spacecraft have coordinated the movement of data through this network using a collection of ad hoc human interfaces and various, independent software tools. The Mars Relay Operations Service (MaROS) has been developed to manage the evolving needs of the Mars relay network, and specifically to standardize and integrate the relay planning and coordination data into a centralized infrastructure. This paper explores the journey of developing the MaROS system, from inception to delivery and acceptance by the Mars mission users.

Topological Interference Management for K-User Downlink Massive MIMO Relay Network Channel

PubMed Central

Li, Jun; Lee, Moon Ho

2017-01-01

In this paper, we study the emergence of topological interference alignment and the characterizing features of a multi-user broadcast interference relay channel. We propose an alternative transmission strategy named the relay space-time interference alignment (R-STIA) technique, in which a K-user multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) interference channel has massive antennas at the transmitter and relay. Severe interference from unknown transmitters affects the downlink relay network channel and degrades the system performance. An additional (unintended) receiver is introduced in the proposed R-STIA technique to overcome the above problem, since it has the ability to decode the desired signals for the intended receiver by considering cooperation between the receivers. The additional receiver also helps in recovering and reconstructing the interference signals with limited channel state information at the relay (CSIR). The Alamouti space-time transmission technique and minimum mean square error (MMSE) linear precoder are also used in the proposed scheme to detect the presence of interference signals. Numerical results show that the proposed R-STIA technique achieves a better performance in terms of the bit error rate (BER) and sum-rate compared to the existing broadcast channel schemes. PMID:28817071

RoCoMAR: Robots' Controllable Mobility Aided Routing and Relay Architecture for Mobile Sensor Networks

PubMed Central

Van Le, Duc; Oh, Hoon; Yoon, Seokhoon

2013-01-01

In a practical deployment, mobile sensor network (MSN) suffers from a low performance due to high node mobility, time-varying wireless channel properties, and obstacles between communicating nodes. In order to tackle the problem of low network performance and provide a desired end-to-end data transfer quality, in this paper we propose a novel ad hoc routing and relaying architecture, namely RoCoMAR (Robots' Controllable Mobility Aided Routing) that uses robotic nodes' controllable mobility. RoCoMAR repeatedly performs link reinforcement process with the objective of maximizing the network throughput, in which the link with the lowest quality on the path is identified and replaced with high quality links by placing a robotic node as a relay at an optimal position. The robotic node resigns as a relay if the objective is achieved or no more gain can be obtained with a new relay. Once placed as a relay, the robotic node performs adaptive link maintenance by adjusting its position according to the movements of regular nodes. The simulation results show that RoCoMAR outperforms existing ad hoc routing protocols for MSN in terms of network throughput and end-to-end delay. PMID:23881134

Resting heart rate associates with one-year risk of major adverse cardiovascular events in patients with acute coronary syndrome after percutaneous coronary intervention.

PubMed

Wang, Shao-Li; Wang, Cheng-Long; Wang, Pei-Li; Xu, Hao; Du, Jian-Peng; Zhang, Da-Wu; Gao, Zhu-Ye; Zhang, Lei; Fu, Chang-Geng; Chen, Ke-Ji; Shi, Da-Zhuo

2016-03-01

The study was to access the association between resting heart rate (RHR) and one-year risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Patients with ACS after PCI (n = 808) were prospectively followed-up for MACE. RHR was obtained from electrocardiogram. MACE was defined as a composite of cardiac death, nonfatal recurrent myocardial infarction, ischemic-driven revascularization, and ischemic stroke. The association between RHR and one-year risk of MACE was assessed using Cox proportional hazards regression model. Compared with patients with RHR >76 bpm, the adjusted hazard ratio (AHR) was 0.51 (95% confidence intervals [CI]: 0.23-1.14; P = 0.100) for patients with RHR < 61 bpm, and 0.44 (95%CI: 0.23-0.85; P = 0.014) for those with RHR 61-76 bpm. For patients with RHR ≥ 61 bpm, an increase of 10 bpm in RHR was associated with an increase by 38.0% in the risk of MACE (AHR: 1.38; 95% CI: 1.04-1.83; P = 0.026). ACS patients after PCI with RHR >76 bpm were at higher risk of MACE during one-year follow-up compared with patients with RHR 61-76 bpm. An elevated RHR ≥ 61 bpm was associated with increased risk of one-year MACE in ACS patients. © 2015 by the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine.

Resting heart rate associates with one-year risk of major adverse cardiovascular events in patients with acute coronary syndrome after percutaneous coronary intervention

PubMed Central

Wang, Shao-Li; Wang, Cheng-Long; Wang, Pei-Li; Xu, Hao; Du, Jian-Peng; Zhang, Da-Wu; Gao, Zhu-Ye; Zhang, Lei; Fu, Chang-Geng; Chen, Ke-Ji

2015-01-01

The study was to access the association between resting heart rate (RHR) and one-year risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Patients with ACS after PCI (n = 808) were prospectively followed-up for MACE. RHR was obtained from electrocardiogram. MACE was defined as a composite of cardiac death, nonfatal recurrent myocardial infarction, ischemic-driven revascularization, and ischemic stroke. The association between RHR and one-year risk of MACE was assessed using Cox proportional hazards regression model. Compared with patients with RHR >76 bpm, the adjusted hazard ratio (AHR) was 0.51 (95% confidence intervals [CI]: 0.23–1.14; P = 0.100) for patients with RHR < 61 bpm, and 0.44 (95%CI: 0.23–0.85; P = 0.014) for those with RHR 61–76 bpm. For patients with RHR ≥ 61 bpm, an increase of 10 bpm in RHR was associated with an increase by 38.0% in the risk of MACE (AHR: 1.38; 95% CI: 1.04–1.83; P = 0.026). ACS patients after PCI with RHR >76 bpm were at higher risk of MACE during one-year follow-up compared with patients with RHR 61–76 bpm. An elevated RHR ≥ 61 bpm was associated with increased risk of one-year MACE in ACS patients. PMID:26585407

Ticagrelor - toward more efficient platelet inhibition and beyond.

PubMed

Kubisa, Michał J; Jezewski, Mateusz P; Gasecka, Aleksandra; Siller-Matula, Jolanta M; Postuła, Marek

2018-01-01

Novel antiplatelet drugs, including ticagrelor, are being successively introduced into the therapy of atherothrombotic conditions due to their superiority over a standard combination of clopidogrel with acetylsalicylic acid in patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS). A P2Y12 receptor antagonist, ticagrelor, is unique among antiplatelet drugs, because ticagrelor inhibits the platelet P2Y12 receptor in a reversible manner, and because it demonstrates a wide palette of advantageous pleiotropic effects associated with the increased concentration of adenosine. The pleiotropic effects of ticagrelor comprise cardioprotection, restoration of the myocardium after an ischemic event, promotion of the release of anticoagulative factors and, eventually, anti-inflammatory effects. Beyond the advantageous effects, the increased concentration of adenosine is responsible for some of ticagrelor's adverse effects, including dyspnea and bradycardia. Large-scale clinical trials demonstrated that both standard 12-month therapy and long-term use of ticagrelor reduce the risk of cardiovascular events in patients with ACS, but at the expense of a higher risk of major bleeding. Further trials focused on the use of ticagrelor in conditions other than ACS, including ischemic stroke, peripheral artery disease and status after coronary artery bypass grafting. The results of these trials suggest comparable efficacy and safety of ticagrelor and clopidogrel in extra-coronary indications, but firm conclusions are anticipated from currently ongoing studies. Here, we summarize current evidence on the superiority of ticagrelor over other P2Y12 antagonists in ACS, discuss the mechanism underlying the drug-drug interactions and pleiotropic effects of ticagrelor, and present future perspectives of non-coronary indications for ticagrelor.