Sample records for acute massive pe

  1. Gastric Necrosis due to Acute Massive Gastric Dilatation.

    PubMed

    Aydin, Ibrahim; Pergel, Ahmet; Yucel, Ahmet Fikret; Sahin, Dursun Ali; Ozer, Ender

    2013-01-01

    Gastric necrosis due to acute massive gastric dilatation is relatively rare. Vascular reasons, herniation, volvulus, acute gastric dilatation, anorexia, and bulimia nervosa play a role in the etiology of the disease. Early diagnosis and treatment are highly important as the associated morbidity and mortality rates are high. In this case report, we present a case of gastric necrosis due to acute gastric dilatation accompanied with the relevant literature.

  2. Gastric Necrosis due to Acute Massive Gastric Dilatation

    PubMed Central

    Pergel, Ahmet; Yucel, Ahmet Fikret; Sahin, Dursun Ali; Ozer, Ender

    2013-01-01

    Gastric necrosis due to acute massive gastric dilatation is relatively rare. Vascular reasons, herniation, volvulus, acute gastric dilatation, anorexia, and bulimia nervosa play a role in the etiology of the disease. Early diagnosis and treatment are highly important as the associated morbidity and mortality rates are high. In this case report, we present a case of gastric necrosis due to acute gastric dilatation accompanied with the relevant literature. PMID:23983714

  3. Thrombus resolution and hemodynamic recovery using ultrasound-accelerated thrombolysis in acute pulmonary embolism.

    PubMed

    Kennedy, Robert J; Kenney, Hai H; Dunfee, Brian L

    2013-06-01

    To evaluate retrospectively the safety profile and clinical success of ultrasound-accelerated thrombolysis for acute pulmonary embolism (PE) with a standard lytic infusion protocol. A retrospective study was performed at a single center treating patients with acute PE between October 2009 and April 2012. On diagnosis of submassive or massive PE by pulmonary computed tomography angiography or ventilation/perfusion scan, all patients received anticoagulation and treatment using the EkoSonic endovascular system (EKOS Corporation, Bothell, Washington). The ultrasound-accelerated thrombolytic infusion catheters were placed into the affected pulmonary arteries to facilitate administration of recombinant tissue plasminogen activator at 0.5-1.0mg/h/catheter. Treatment of 60 patients (35 men, 25 women; age 61 y±16; 53 bilateral PE; 48 submassive PE) resulted in complete thrombus clearance (≥90%) in 57% and near-complete (50%-90%) clearance in 41% of patients after infusion of 35.1 mg±11.1 of recombinant tissue plasminogen activator over 19.6 hours±6.0. Measurements before and after treatment showed a decrease in pulmonary artery pressure (47 mm Hg±15 to 38 mm Hg±12 [systolic], P<.001) and Miller score (25±3 to 17±6, P<.001). There were 57 patients who survived to discharge. All three patients who died in the hospital presented with massive PE. On 90-day follow-up, 56 patients (93%) were alive. The current study demonstrates effectiveness and safety of ultrasound-accelerated thrombolysis in patients with acute PE with a large thrombus burden. Copyright © 2013 SIR. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Two sides of one coin: massive hepatic necrosis and progenitor cell-mediated regeneration in acute liver failure

    PubMed Central

    Weng, Hong-Lei; Cai, Xiaobo; Yuan, Xiaodong; Liebe, Roman; Dooley, Steven; Li, Hai; Wang, Tai-Ling

    2015-01-01

    Massive hepatic necrosis is a key event underlying acute liver failure, a serious clinical syndrome with high mortality. Massive hepatic necrosis in acute liver failure has unique pathophysiological characteristics including extremely rapid parenchymal cell death and removal. On the other hand, massive necrosis rapidly induces the activation of liver progenitor cells, the so-called “second pathway of liver regeneration.” The final clinical outcome of acute liver failure depends on whether liver progenitor cell-mediated regeneration can efficiently restore parenchymal mass and function within a short time. This review summarizes the current knowledge regarding massive hepatic necrosis and liver progenitor cell-mediated regeneration in patients with acute liver failure, the two sides of one coin. PMID:26136687

  5. Two sides of one coin: massive hepatic necrosis and progenitor cell-mediated regeneration in acute liver failure.

    PubMed

    Weng, Hong-Lei; Cai, Xiaobo; Yuan, Xiaodong; Liebe, Roman; Dooley, Steven; Li, Hai; Wang, Tai-Ling

    2015-01-01

    Massive hepatic necrosis is a key event underlying acute liver failure, a serious clinical syndrome with high mortality. Massive hepatic necrosis in acute liver failure has unique pathophysiological characteristics including extremely rapid parenchymal cell death and removal. On the other hand, massive necrosis rapidly induces the activation of liver progenitor cells, the so-called "second pathway of liver regeneration." The final clinical outcome of acute liver failure depends on whether liver progenitor cell-mediated regeneration can efficiently restore parenchymal mass and function within a short time. This review summarizes the current knowledge regarding massive hepatic necrosis and liver progenitor cell-mediated regeneration in patients with acute liver failure, the two sides of one coin.

  6. [RS3PE syndrome: presentation of two cases].

    PubMed

    Parra Ródenas, J V; Calvo Catalá, J; González-Cruz Cervellera, M I; Cervera Moscardó, J; Valero Prieto, I

    1996-12-01

    Recently, the syndrome of remitting seronegative symmetrical synovitis with pitting edema (RS3PE), has been proposed. The RS3PE syndrome has an acute onset, does not produce bony erosions, with a predilection for elderly patients and an excellent prognosis. This condition distinguishing if from rheumatoid arthritis and polymyalgia rheumatica. The purpose is to call attention to a benign forms of arthritis in aging patients. We report two cases of RS3PE syndrome.

  7. Amyloid arthropathy revealed by RS3PE syndrome.

    PubMed

    Magy, N; Michel, F; Auge, B; Toussirot, E; Wendling, D

    2000-01-01

    Amyloid arthropathy is a form of primary AL amyloidosis with a monoclonal component in the blood and/or urine, and RS3PE syndrome is acute edematous polysynovitis in subjects older than 60 years. A 74-year-old man was diagnosed with both disorders. He was admitted for benign acute polyarthritis of the hands and feet and reported carpal tunnel symptoms predominating on the right. A synovial biopsy at the right wrist disclosed deposits that stained with Congo red even after potassium permanganate treatment (positive Wright's test). Articular AL amyloidosis was diagnosed. The symptoms resolved under glucocorticoid therapy alone, casting some doubt on their relationship with the amyloidosis. Roentgenograms showed geodes, a feature not present in RS3PE. Whether RS3PE may be among the possible presentations of articular amyloidosis is discussed.

  8. Spontaneous hemothorax following thrombolytic and anticoagulant therapy for massive pulmonary embolism.

    PubMed

    Wang, Chung-Cheng; Ng, Chip-Jin; Seak, Chen-Ken; Seak, Chen-June

    2013-06-01

    Massive spontaneous hemothorax following combined thrombolytic and anticoagulant therapy for pulmonary embolism(PE) is a rare event that is little documented in the literature. Here, we describe a rare case of spontaneous hemothorax in a 23-year-old woman with underlying systemic lupus erythematosus following combined administration of tissue plasminogen activator and low-molecular-weight heparin for massive PE. This report of our successful treatment of this case by video-assisted thoracoscopic thoracotomy demonstrates that although the occurrence is rare, massive hemothorax following anticoagulant and/or thrombolytic therapy for PE should be suspected if patients experience chest pain, dyspnea, or signs of anemia, and follow-up physical examination and hemogram should be performed to facilitate diagnosis of this life-threatening complication.

  9. Reduction in membrane component of diffusing capacity is associated with the extent of acute pulmonary embolism.

    PubMed

    Piirilä, Päivi; Laiho, Mia; Mustonen, Pirjo; Graner, Marit; Piilonen, Anneli; Raade, Merja; Sarna, Seppo; Harjola, Veli-Pekka; Sovijärvi, Anssi

    2011-05-01

    Acute pulmonary embolism (PE) often decreases pulmonary diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (DL,CO), but data on the mechanisms involved are inconsistent. We wanted to investigate whether reduction in diffusing capacity of alveolo-capillary membrane (DM) and pulmonary capillary blood volume (Vc) is associated with the extent of PE or the presence and severity of right ventricular dysfunction (RVD) induced by PE and how the possible changes are corrected after 7-month follow-up. Forty-seven patients with acute non-massive PE in spiral computed tomography (CT) were included. The extent of PE was assessed by scoring mass of embolism. DL,CO, Vc, DM and alveolar volume (VA) were measured by using a single breath method with carbon monoxide and oxygen both at the acute phase and 7 months later. RVD was evaluated with transthoracic echocardiography and electrocardiogram. Fifteen healthy subjects were included as controls. DL,CO, DL, CO/VA, DM, vital capacity (VC) and VA were significantly lower in the patients with acute PE than in healthy controls (P < 0.001). DM/Vc relation was significantly lower in patients with RVD than in healthy controls (P = 0.004). DM correlated inversely with central mass of embolism (r = -0.312; P = 0.047) whereas Vc did not. DM, DL,CO, VC and VA improved significantly within 7 months. In all patients (P = 0.001, P = 0.001) and persistent RVD (P = 0.020, P = 0.012), DM and DL,CO remained significantly lower than in healthy controls in the follow-up. DM was inversely related to central mass of embolism. Reduction in DM mainly explains the sustained decrease in DL,CO in PE after 7 months despite modern treatment of PE. © 2010 The Authors. Clinical Physiology and Functional Imaging © 2010 Scandinavian Society of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine.

  10. Reduction in membrane component of diffusing capacity is associated with the extent of acute pulmonary embolism

    PubMed Central

    Piirilä, Päivi; Laiho, Mia; Mustonen, Pirjo; Graner, Marit; Piilonen, Anneli; Raade, Merja; Sarna, Seppo; Harjola, Veli-Pekka; Sovijärvi, Anssi

    2011-01-01

    Acute pulmonary embolism (PE) often decreases pulmonary diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (DL,CO), but data on the mechanisms involved are inconsistent. We wanted to investigate whether reduction in diffusing capacity of alveolo-capillary membrane (DM) and pulmonary capillary blood volume (Vc) is associated with the extent of PE or the presence and severity of right ventricular dysfunction (RVD) induced by PE and how the possible changes are corrected after 7-month follow-up. Forty-seven patients with acute non-massive PE in spiral computed tomography (CT) were included. The extent of PE was assessed by scoring mass of embolism. DL,CO, Vc, DM and alveolar volume (VA) were measured by using a single breath method with carbon monoxide and oxygen both at the acute phase and 7 months later. RVD was evaluated with transthoracic echocardiography and electrocardiogram. Fifteen healthy subjects were included as controls. DL,CO, DL, CO/VA, DM, vital capacity (VC) and VA were significantly lower in the patients with acute PE than in healthy controls (P<0·001). DM/Vc relation was significantly lower in patients with RVD than in healthy controls (P = 0·004). DM correlated inversely with central mass of embolism (r = −0·312; P = 0·047) whereas Vc did not. DM, DL,CO, VC and VA improved significantly within 7 months. In all patients (P = 0·001, P = 0·001) and persistent RVD (P = 0·020, P = 0·012), DM and DL,CO remained significantly lower than in healthy controls in the follow-up. DM was inversely related to central mass of embolism. Reduction in DM mainly explains the sustained decrease in DL,CO in PE after 7 months despite modern treatment of PE. PMID:21143754

  11. Acute and massive bleeding from placenta previa and infants' brain damage.

    PubMed

    Furuta, Ken; Tokunaga, Shuichi; Furukawa, Seishi; Sameshima, Hiroshi

    2014-09-01

    Among the causes of third trimester bleeding, the impact of placenta previa on cerebral palsy is not well known. To clarify the effect of maternal bleeding from placenta previa on cerebral palsy, and in particular when and how it occurs. A descriptive study. Sixty infants born to mothers with placenta previa in our regional population-based study of 160,000 deliveries from 1998 to 2012. Premature deliveries occurring at<26 weeks of gestation and placenta accreta were excluded. Prevalence of cystic periventricular leukomalacia (PVL) and cerebral palsy (CP). Five infants had PVL and 4 of these infants developed CP (1/40,000 deliveries). Acute and massive bleeding (>500g within 8h) occurred at around 30-31 weeks of gestation, and was severe enough to deliver the fetus. None of the 5 infants with PVL underwent antenatal corticosteroid treatment, and 1 infant had mild neonatal hypocapnia with a PaCO2 <25mmHg. However, none of the 5 PVL infants showed umbilical arterial acidemia with pH<7.2, an abnormal fetal heart rate monitoring pattern, or neonatal hypotension. Our descriptive study showed that acute and massive bleeding from placenta previa at around 30 weeks of gestation may be a risk factor for CP, and requires careful neonatal follow-up. The underlying process connecting massive placental bleeding and PVL requires further investigation. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. [Acute massive pulmonary embolism in a patient using clavis panax].

    PubMed

    Yüksel, Isa Oner; Arslan, Sakir; Cağırcı, Göksel; Yılmaz, Akar

    2013-06-01

    In recent years, the use of herbal combinations, plant extracts or food supplements has increased in our country and all over the world. However, there is not enough data to determine the effective doses of these substances in the composition of herbal preparations, or their effects on metabolism and drug interactions. With the widespread use of herbal combinations, life-threatening side effects and clinical manifestations that arise from them have been reported. Herein we present a case with acute massive pulmonary embolism while using an herbal combination in the context of Tribulus terrestris, Avena sativa and Panax ginseng. A 41-year-old man was admitted to the emergency department with the complaint of sudden onset of dyspnea and syncope. As a result of investigations (blood gases, echocardiography, ventilation-perfusion scintigraphy) he was diagnosed with an acute massive pulmonary embolism. The patient's use of panax did not pose as a risk factor for the pulmonary embolism. He was given thrombolytic therapy and shortness of breath improved. At the pre-discharge the patient was informed of the risks associated with the herbal combination, especially panax. Coumadin was started and he was discharged for the INR checks to come.

  13. Triage and optimization: A new paradigm in the treatment of massive pulmonary embolism.

    PubMed

    Pasrija, Chetan; Shah, Aakash; George, Praveen; Kronfli, Anthony; Raithel, Maxwell; Boulos, Francesca; Ghoreishi, Mehrdad; Bittle, Gregory J; Mazzeffi, Michael A; Rubinson, Lewis; Gammie, James S; Griffith, Bartley P; Kon, Zachary N

    2018-04-07

    Massive pulmonary embolism (PE) remains a highly fatal condition. Although venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) and surgical pulmonary embolectomy in the management of massive PE have been reported previously, the outcomes remain less than ideal. We hypothesized that the institution of a protocolized approach of triage and optimization using VA-ECMO would result in improved outcomes compared with historical surgical management. All patients with a massive PE referred to the cardiac surgery service between 2010 and 2017 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were stratified by treatment strategy: historical control versus the protocolized approach. In the historical control group, the primary intervention was surgical pulmonary embolectomy. In the protocol approach group, patients were treated based on an algorithmic approach using VA-ECMO. The primary outcome was 1-year survival. A total of 56 patients (control, n = 27; protocol, n = 29) were identified. All 27 patients in the historical control group underwent surgical pulmonary embolectomy, whereas 2 of 29 patients in the protocol approach group were deemed appropriate for direct surgical pulmonary embolectomy. The remaining 27 patients were placed on VA-ECMO. In the protocol approach group, 15 of 29 patients were treated with anticoagulation alone and 14 patients ultimately required surgical pulmonary embolectomy. One-year survival was significantly lower in the historical control group compared with the protocol approach group (73% vs 96%; P = .02), with no deaths occurring after surgical pulmonary embolectomy in the protocol approach group. A protocolized strategy involving the aggressive institution of VA-ECMO appears to be an effective method to triage and optimize patients with massive PE to recovery or intervention. Implementation of this strategy rather than an aggressive surgical approach may reduce the mortality associated with massive PE. Copyright © 2018 The American

  14. Thrombus resolution and right ventricular functional recovery using ultrasound-accelerated thrombolysis in acute massive and submassive pulmonary embolism.

    PubMed

    Ozcinar, Evren; Cakici, Mehmet; Dikmen Yaman, Nur; Baran, Cagdas; Aliyev, Anar; Inan, Bahadir; Durdu, Serkan; Akar, Ahmet R; Sirlak, Mustafa

    2017-10-01

    This study aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of ultrasound-accelerated catheter-directed thrombolysis (UACDT) in the treatment of massive and submassive pulmonary embolism (PE). We conducted a prospective, observational cohort study of consequtive patients with massive or submassive PE treated with low-dose UACDT using EKOS EkoSonic® system at single center from May 2014 until April 2015. Overall, thirty-eight patients (median age, 64.5 years) were included. The primary safety outcomes were change in right ventricular (RV) to left ventricular (LV) diameter ratio within 24 hours of procedure initiation, at 1- and 6-month follow-up and major bleeding within 96 hours of the procedure initiation. BNP, troponin and D-dimer levels were also measured. The ultrasound-accelerated thrombolytic catheters were bilaterally placed in 25 (65.8%) patients. The median tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) dose for all patients in our study was 21.0 mg and the median infusion time was 15 hours. Measurements before and after treatment showed a decrease in pulmonary artery pressure. The median value of RV/LV diameter ratio decreased from 0.9 (0.7-1.1) at baseline to 0.7 (0-0.97) at 6-month follow-up (P=0.001) and pulmonary artery pressure from 61.4 ±16.7 to 37.2±9.1 mmHg (P=0.001). The median BNP level at baseline was 169 (29-721) pg/mL and 45.5 (0-328) pg/mL at 6 month follow-up (P=0.001). Of 38 patients with PE, one had intracranial hemorrage, one gastrointestinal bleeding and two developed puncture site bleeding. This prospective study provides alternative treatment option and an addition to the treatment algorithm for the management of pulmonary embolism.

  15. Percutaneous Pulmonary Embolism Thrombectomy and Thrombolysis: Technical Tips and Tricks.

    PubMed

    Devcic, Zlatko; Kuo, William T

    2018-06-01

    Catheter-directed therapy (CDT) is now acknowledged as a treatment option for select patients with acute massive or submassive pulmonary embolism (PE), and more patients are being considered for CDT if there is available expertise. Therefore, interventionalists should be aware of the variety of catheter-based treatment options, specific pitfalls to avoid during therapy, and the appropriate treatment endpoints. This article reviews currently available techniques and protocols for treating acute massive and submassive PE, with tips to safely and successfully perform percutaneous PE interventions.

  16. Massive periosteal reaction a presenting feature of acute megakaryocytic leukemia.

    PubMed

    Ueda, Takahiro; Ito, Yasuhiko; Maeda, Miho; Fukunaga, Yoshitaka

    2007-12-01

    Acute megakaryoblastic leukemia (AML M7) is a biologically heterogeneous form of acute myeloid leukemia accounting for 14.6% of cases. In many instances in the past, AML M7 has been classified as undifferentiated leukemia, myelodysplasia, myelofibrosis or some other disease because of its complex clinical presentation or the difficulty of obtaining and interpreting bone marrow samples. However, with currently available morphological, cytochemical, cytogenetic and immunophenotypic methods, AML M7 can now be reliably diagnosed. Although the radiographic spectrum of bony changes in leukemia have been well characterized, skeletal X-ray abnormalities in the setting of AML M7 in pediatric patients have been described in few reports that were associated with bone marrow fibrosis. Here we report on a 14-month-old girl who presented with a massive periosteal reaction of the extremities and clavicles associated with myelofibrosis, a presenting feature of AML M7. The bone changes were very unusual in this case.

  17. [RS3PE syndrome: an acute edematous polyarthritis of the elderly with variable prognosis].

    PubMed

    Beyne-Rauzy, O; Revel, V; Desfossez, V; Bousquet, E; Nourhashemi, F; Adoue, D

    2001-06-01

    The RS3PE syndrome or subacute edematous polyarthritis of the elderly remains a doubtful entity. We report three cases that exhibited different courses: complete recovery, definite rheumatoid polyarthritis, and chronicity as a sign of myelodysplasic disease. These three different courses raise the question of whether RS3PE is a disease or a syndrome. Actually, the use of the term RS3PE syndrome should be restricted to cases with a favorable outcome. Definitive diagnosis thus cannot be reached before complete recovery.

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

    Popovic, Peter, E-mail: peter.popovic@kclj.s; Bunc, Matjaz

    Massive pulmonary embolism (PE) is a life-threatening condition with a high early mortality rate caused by acute right ventricular failure and cardiogenic shock. A 51-year-old woman with a massive PE and contraindication for thrombolytic therapy was treated with percutaneous mechanical thrombectomy using an Aspirex 11F catheter (Straub Medical AG, Wangs, Switzerland). The procedure was successfully performed and showed a good immediate angiographic result. The patient made a full recovery from the acute episode and was discharged on heparin treatment. Our case report indicates that in patients with contraindications to systemic thrombolysis, catheter thrombectomy may constitute a life-saving intervention for massivemore » PE.« less

  19. Therapeutic management of acute pulmonary embolism.

    PubMed

    Tromeur, Cécile; Van Der Pol, Liselotte M; Couturaud, Francis; Klok, Frederikus A; Huisman, Menno V

    2017-08-01

    Acute pulmonary embolism (PE) is a potentially fatal manifestation of venous thromboembolism. Prompt anticoagulant treatment is crucial for PE patients, which can decrease morbidity and mortality. Risk assessment is the cornerstone of the therapeutic management of PE. It guides physicians to the most appropriate treatment and selects patients for early discharge or home treatment. Areas covered: Here, we review the current treatments of acute PE according to contemporary risk stratification strategies, highlighting each step of PE therapeutic management. Expert commentary: Currently, direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) represent the first-line therapy of patients presenting with non-high risk PE with a better risk-benefit ratios than vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) due to lower risk of major bleeding. Only high-risk patients with PE who present in shock should be treated with systematic thrombolysis, while surgical thrombectomy or catheter direct thrombolysis (CDT) should only be considered when thrombolysis is contraindicated because of too high bleeding risk.

  20. [RS3PE-syndrome].

    PubMed

    Segerer, S; Dietz-Laukemann, P; Schattenkirchner, M

    1999-02-01

    The RS3PE syndrome (Remitting Seronegative Symmetrical Synovitis with Pitting Edema) is a manifestation of rheumatoid arthritis in the elderly with a good prognosis. It usually presents as an acute, symmetric polysynovitis with edema of the dorsum of the hands and feet. Anti-inflammatory treatment with corticosteroids leads to prompt improvement. We describe the case of an 81 year old man with a primarily unilateral manifestation involving the right hand. A thrombosis of the axillary vein was suspected. Within a few days he developed a pitting edema of the dorsum of the other hand. Movement of both shoulders and wrists was painful. Low-dose corticosteroid therapy resulted in a rapid improvement of the edema and the inflammatory symptoms.

  1. Acute intoxication and recovery following massive turpentine ingestion: clinical and toxicological data.

    PubMed

    Troulakis, G; Tsatsakis, A M; Tzatzarakis, M; Astrakianakis, A; Dolapsakis, G; Kostas, R

    1997-06-01

    Reports of acute turpentine intoxication, particularly containing toxicological data, are poorly verified in the literature. This report regards the intentional massive ingestion of turpentine solution in an elderly woman who developed mainly central nervous system manifestations, then had an impressive and quick total recovery although the initial prognosis was very bad. Blood and urine levels of turpentine were monitored using gas chromatography and at the early toxicogenic stage were 28 micrograms/mL and 15 micrograms/mL respectively. Gastric fluid analysis on admission to the hospital revealed the presence of approximately 200 mL turpentine in the intestine. A review of earlier reports is given.

  2. Imaging of acute and chronic thromboembolic disease: state of the art.

    PubMed

    Ruggiero, A; Screaton, N J

    2017-05-01

    Acute pulmonary embolism (PE) is a life-threatening condition that requires prompt diagnosis and treatment. Recent advances in imaging allow acute and rapid recognition even by the non-specialist radiologist. Most acute emboli resolve on anticoagulation without sequelae; however, some emboli fail to fully resolve becoming endothelialised with the development of chronic thromboembolic disease (CTED). Increased pulmonary vascular resistance arising from CTED may lead to chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) a debilitating disease affecting up to 5% of survivors of acute PE. Diagnostic evaluation is more complex in CTEPH/CTED than acute PE with subtle imaging features often being overlooked or misinterpreted. Differentiation of acute from chronic PE and from other forms of pulmonary hypertension has profound therapeutic implications. Diverse imaging techniques are available to diagnose and monitor PEs both in the acute and chronic setting. Broadly they include techniques that provide data on lung parenchymal perfusion (ventilation-perfusion [VQ] scintigraphy), angiographic techniques (computed tomography [CT], magnetic resonance imaging [MRI], and invasive angiography) or a combination of both (MR angiography and time-resolved angiography or dual-energy CT angiography). This review aims to describe state of the art imaging highlighting the strength and weaknesses of individual techniques in the diagnosis of acute and chronic PE. Crown Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Treatment of Acute Massive Pulmonary Embolism by Streptokinase during Labour and Delivery

    PubMed Central

    Hall, R. J. C.; Young, C.; Sutton, G. C.; Cambell, S.

    1972-01-01

    A 29-year-old woman sustained an acute massive pulmonary embolism in the 32nd week of pregnancy. Rapid clinical improvement followed the use of streptokinase. Treatment was continued for 41 hours, including labour and the first three hours after delivery. There was slow but severe postpartum haemorrhage. Partial uterine atony occurred, and may have been due, at least in part, to fibrin degradation products arising from thrombolysis. No adverse effects were noted in the baby. Our experience suggests that streptokinase may be given during labour but that an oxytocic agent may be needed; and that reversal of fibrinolysis before delivery is best achieved by the use of aprotinin (Trasylol) rather than aminocaproic acid. Imagesp647-a PMID:4539533

  4. Treatment of acute massive pulmonary embolism by streptokinase during labour and delivery.

    PubMed

    Hall, R J; Young, C; Sutton, G C; Cambell, S

    1972-12-16

    A 29-year-old woman sustained an acute massive pulmonary embolism in the 32nd week of pregnancy. Rapid clinical improvement followed the use of streptokinase. Treatment was continued for 41 hours, including labour and the first three hours after delivery. There was slow but severe postpartum haemorrhage. Partial uterine atony occurred, and may have been due, at least in part, to fibrin degradation products arising from thrombolysis. No adverse effects were noted in the baby.Our experience suggests that streptokinase may be given during labour but that an oxytocic agent may be needed; and that reversal of fibrinolysis before delivery is best achieved by the use of aprotinin (Trasylol) rather than aminocaproic acid.

  5. Home treatment of patients with low-risk pulmonary embolism with the oral factor Xa inhibitor rivaroxaban. Rationale and design of the HoT-PE Trial.

    PubMed

    Barco, Stefano; Lankeit, Mareike; Binder, Harald; Schellong, Sebastian; Christ, Michael; Beyer-Westendorf, Jan; Duerschmied, Daniel; Bauersachs, Rupert; Empen, Klaus; Held, Matthias; Schwaiblmair, Martin; Fonseca, Cândida; Jiménez, David; Becattini, Cecilia; Quitzau, Kurt; Konstantinides, Stavros

    2016-07-04

    Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a potentially life-threatening acute cardiovascular syndrome. However, more than 95 % of patients are haemodynamically stable at presentation, and among them are patients at truly low risk who may qualify for immediate or early discharge. The Home Treatment of Pulmonary Embolism (HoT-PE) study is a prospective international multicentre single-arm phase 4 management (cohort) trial aiming to determine whether home treatment of acute low-risk PE with the oral factor Xa inhibitor rivaroxaban is feasible, effective, and safe. Patients with confirmed PE, who have no right ventricular dysfunction or free floating thrombi in the right atrium or ventricle, are eligible if they meet none of the exclusion criteria indicating haemodynamic instability, serious comorbidity or any condition mandating hospitalisation, or a familial/social environment unable to support home treatment. The first dose of rivaroxaban is given in hospital, and patients are discharged within 48 hours of presentation. Rivaroxaban is taken for at least three months. The primary outcome is symptomatic recurrent venous thromboembolism or PE-related death within three months of enrolment. Secondary outcomes include quality of life and patient satisfaction, and health care resource utilisation compared to existing data on standard-duration hospital treatment. HoT-PE is planned to analyse 1,050 enrolled patients, providing 80 % power to reject the null hypothesis that the recurrence rate of venous thromboembolism is >3 % with α≤0.05. If the hypothesis of HoT-PE is confirmed, early discharge and out-of-hospital treatment may become an attractive, potentially cost-saving option for a significant proportion of patients with acute PE.

  6. Patent foramen ovale increases the risk of acute ischemic stroke in patients with acute pulmonary embolism leading to right ventricular dysfunction.

    PubMed

    Goliszek, Sylwia; Wiśniewska, Małgorzata; Kurnicka, Katarzyna; Lichodziejewska, Barbara; Ciurzyński, Michał; Kostrubiec, Maciej; Gołębiowski, Marek; Babiuch, Marek; Paczynska, Marzanna; Koć, Marcin; Palczewski, Piotr; Wyzgał, Anna; Pruszczyk, Piotr

    2014-11-01

    Patent foramen ovale (PFO) is an established risk factor for ischemic stroke. Since acute right ventricular dysfunction (RVD) observed in patients with PE can lead to right-to-left inter-atrial shunt via PFO, we hypothesized that PFO is a risk factor for ischemic stroke in PE with significant right ventricular dysfunction. 55 patients (31 F, 24M), median age 49 years (range 19-83 years) with confirmed PE underwent echocardiography for RVD and PFO assessment. High risk acute PE was diagnosed in 3 (5.5%) patients, while 16 (29%) hemodynamically stable with RVD patients formed a group with intermediate-risk PE. PFO was diagnosed in 19 patients (34.5%). Diffusion-weighted MRI of the brain for acute ischemic stroke (AIS) was performed in all patients 4.91 ± 4.1 days after admission. AIS was detected by MRI in 4 patients (7.3%). Only one stroke was clinically overt and resulted in hemiplegia. All 4 AIS occurred in the PFO positive group (4 of 19 patients), and none in subjects without PFO (21.0% vs 0%, p=0.02). Moreover, all AIS occurred in patients with RVD and PFO, and none in patients with PFO without RVD (50% vs 0%, p=0.038). Our data suggest that acute pulmonary embolism resulting in right ventricular dysfunction may lead to acute ischemic stroke in patients with patent foramen ovale. However, the clinical significance of such lesions remains to be determined. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Sjogren's syndrome presenting as remitting seronegative symmetric synovitis with pitting edema (RS3PE).

    PubMed Central

    Choi, Young Mi; Sheen, Dong Hyuk; Lee, Yun Jong; Lee, Eun Bong; Song, Yeong Wook

    2003-01-01

    Remitting seronegative symmetric synovitis with pitting edema (RS3PE) syndrome is characterized by symmetrical and acute synovitis, pitting edema, the absence of rheumatoid factor, increased acute phase reactants, lack of bony erosions on radiography, and benign and short clinical course. Half of all patients with Sjogren's syndrome experience arthritis during the disease course. We here describe the first case of Sjogren's syndrome presenting as RS3PE. She had swelling in knees, ankles, and wrists. After then the swelling spread to her lower legs, feet, face, and both hands. She was admitted to another hospital and was suspected of lupus or rheumatoid arthritis. Three months later, she had dry mouth and had lower lip biopsy. She was admitted to this hospital due to development of swelling in face and lower legs for 3 days. On physical examination, she had pitting edema in both hands and feet dorsum. Laboratory test showed elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate, positivity of rheumatoid factor, anti-nuclear antibody, and anti-Ro antibody. There was no erosion in the hands radiography. Schirmer's test and lip biopsy was compatible with Sjogren's syndrome. She was diagnosed RS3PE and Sjogren's syndrome. She was begun with prednisolone and her symptoms improved gradually. PMID:12923344

  8. Sjogren's syndrome presenting as remitting seronegative symmetric synovitis with pitting edema (RS3PE).

    PubMed

    Choi, Young Mi; Sheen, Dong Hyuk; Lee, Yun Jong; Lee, Eun Bong; Song, Yeong Wook

    2003-08-01

    Remitting seronegative symmetric synovitis with pitting edema (RS3PE) syndrome is characterized by symmetrical and acute synovitis, pitting edema, the absence of rheumatoid factor, increased acute phase reactants, lack of bony erosions on radiography, and benign and short clinical course. Half of all patients with Sjogren's syndrome experience arthritis during the disease course. We here describe the first case of Sjogren's syndrome presenting as RS3PE. She had swelling in knees, ankles, and wrists. After then the swelling spread to her lower legs, feet, face, and both hands. She was admitted to another hospital and was suspected of lupus or rheumatoid arthritis. Three months later, she had dry mouth and had lower lip biopsy. She was admitted to this hospital due to development of swelling in face and lower legs for 3 days. On physical examination, she had pitting edema in both hands and feet dorsum. Laboratory test showed elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate, positivity of rheumatoid factor, anti-nuclear antibody, and anti-Ro antibody. There was no erosion in the hands radiography. Schirmer's test and lip biopsy was compatible with Sjogren's syndrome. She was diagnosed RS3PE and Sjogren's syndrome. She was begun with prednisolone and her symptoms improved gradually.

  9. [Seven cases of remitting seronegative symmetrical synovitis with pitting edema (RS3PE) syndrome].

    PubMed

    Takahashi, Kozo; Fujinaga, Hiroshi; Kobayashi, Motoo; Naito, Takero; Iida, Hiroyuki; Aoki, Shuichi

    2002-11-01

    Among the elderly patients with seronegative polyarthritis, McCarty et al. (1985) proposed a disease entity of "remitting seronegative symmetrical synovitis with pitting edema (RS3PE) syndrome", but only a few cases have been reported in Japan. Here we report 7 cases suspicious of RS3PE syndrome, 2 men and 5 women with an average age of 75.9 years, ranging from 67-82 years. Their common findings were (1) relatively acute onset, (2) polyarthritis, (3) pitting edema of the dorsum of both hands and both feet, and (4) negative rheumatoid factor and antinuclear antibody. McCarty et al. found that RS3 PE syndrome was more prevalent in men; however, in our experience, the opposite was observed. The clinical courses of all patients were good, and they were effectively treated either by small dosages of oral prednisolone, nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs, or Chinese herbal (Kampo) medicines. Since this syndrome might not be rare in Japan, it seems necessary to evaluate elderly patients with seronegative polyarthritis with pitting edema as RS3PE syndrome in their routine medical examinations.

  10. Functional Dissection of the PE Domain Responsible for Translocation of PE_PGRS33 across the Mycobacterial Cell Wall

    PubMed Central

    Cascioferro, Alessandro; Donà, Valentina; Delogu, Giovanni; Palù, Giorgio; Bitter, Wilbert; Manganelli, Riccardo

    2011-01-01

    PE are peculiar exported mycobacterial proteins over-represented in pathogenic mycobacterial species. They are characterized by an N-terminal domain of about 110 amino acids (PE domain) which has been demonstrated to be responsible for their export and localization. In this paper, we characterize the PE domain of PE_PGRS33 (PERv1818c), one of the best characterized PE proteins. We constructed several mutated proteins in which portions of the PE domain were deleted or subjected to defined mutations. These proteins were expressed in different mycobacterial species and their localization was characterized. We confirmed that the PE domain is essential for PE_PGRS33 surface localization, and demonstrated that a PE domain lacking its first 30 amino acids loses its function. However, single amino acid substitutions in two regions extremely well conserved within the N-terminal domain of all PE proteins had some effect on the stability of PE_PGRS33, but not on its localization. Using Mycobacterium marinum we could show that the type VII secretion system ESX-5 is essential for PE_PGRS33 export. Moreover, in M. marinum, but not in Mycobacterium bovis BCG and in Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the PE domain of PE_PGRS33 is processed and secreted into the culture medium when expressed in the absence of the PGRS domain. Finally, using chimeric proteins in which different portions of the PERv1818c domain were fused to the N-terminus of the green fluorescent protein, we could hypothesize that the first 30 amino acids of the PE domain contain a sequence that allows protein translocation. PMID:22110736

  11. AuNP-PE interface/phase and its effects on the tensile behaviour of AuNP-PE composites

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Yue; Wang, Ruijie; Wang, Chengyuan; Yu, Xiaozhu

    2018-06-01

    A comprehensive study was conducted for a gold nanoparticle (AuNP)-polyethylene (PE) composite. Molecular dynamic (MD) simulations were employed to construct the AuNP-PE systems, achieve their constitutive relations, and measure their tensile properties. Specifically, the AuNP-PE interface/phase was studied via the mass density profile, and its effect was evaluated by comparing the composite with a pure PE matrix. These research studies were followed by the study of the fracture mechanisms and the size and volume fraction effects of AuNPs. Efforts were also made to reveal the underlying physics of the MD simulations. In the present work, an AuNP-PE interface and a densified PE interphase were achieved due to the AuNP-PE van der Waals interaction. Such an interface/phase is found to enhance the Young's modulus and yield stress but decrease the fracture strength and strain.

  12. Successful retreatment with osimertinib after osimertinib-induced acute pulmonary embolism in a patient with lung adenocarcinoma: A case report.

    PubMed

    Shiroyama, Takayuki; Hayama, Manabu; Satoh, Shingo; Nasu, Shingo; Tanaka, Ayako; Morita, Satomu; Morishita, Naoko; Suzuki, Hidekazu; Okamoto, Norio; Hirashima, Tomonori

    2017-01-01

    Pulmonary embolism (PE) can be life-threatening, and it is challenging to diagnose because of its nonspecific signs and symptoms. PE is also an important potential risk of osimertinib treatment, however, clinical courses regarding retreatment after osimertinib-induced acute pulmonary embolism remain unclear. We described a 77-year-old woman with postoperative recurrent lung adenocarcinoma who developed osimertinib-induced acute PE. She received apixaban and was later successfully retreated with osimertinib. This case suggests that retreatment with osimertinib after osimertinib-induced acute PE may be a treatment option when alternative therapeutic options are limited.

  13. RS3PE: Clinical and Research Development.

    PubMed

    Li, Hongbin; Altman, Roy D; Yao, Qingping

    2015-08-01

    Remitting seronegative symmetrical synovitis with pitting edema or RS3PE is a rare elderly-onset rheumatic syndrome. Although there are overlapping clinical manifestations between RS3PE, elderly-onset rheumatoid arthritis, and polymyalgia rheumatica, RS3PE has distinct characteristics. RS3PE can be associated with neoplasia and various rheumatic conditions, suggesting that it may be heterogeneous, and is considered as a paraneoplastic rheumatic disease. The pathogenesis of RS3PE may involve vascular endothelial growth factor and infection in RS3PE based upon limited data. Patients with RS3PE without concomitant malignancy respond well to small doses of glucocorticoids and carry good prognosis.

  14. Proxy-equation paradigm: A strategy for massively parallel asynchronous computations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mittal, Ankita; Girimaji, Sharath

    2017-09-01

    Massively parallel simulations of transport equation systems call for a paradigm change in algorithm development to achieve efficient scalability. Traditional approaches require time synchronization of processing elements (PEs), which severely restricts scalability. Relaxing synchronization requirement introduces error and slows down convergence. In this paper, we propose and develop a novel "proxy equation" concept for a general transport equation that (i) tolerates asynchrony with minimal added error, (ii) preserves convergence order and thus, (iii) expected to scale efficiently on massively parallel machines. The central idea is to modify a priori the transport equation at the PE boundaries to offset asynchrony errors. Proof-of-concept computations are performed using a one-dimensional advection (convection) diffusion equation. The results demonstrate the promise and advantages of the present strategy.

  15. Prognostic impact of pleural effusion in acute pulmonary embolism.

    PubMed

    Kiris, Tuncay; Yazıcı, Selçuk; Koc, Ali; Köprülü, Cinar; Ilke Akyildiz, Zehra; Karaca, Mustafa; Nazli, Cem; Dogan, Abdullah

    2017-07-01

    Background Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a common and life-threatening condition associated with considerable morbidity and mortality. Pleural effusion occurs in about one in three cases; however, data on its prognostic value are scarce. Purpose To investigate the association between pleural effusion and both 30-day and long-term mortality in patients with acute PE. Material and Methods We retrospectively evaluated 463 patients diagnosed with acute PE using computed tomography pulmonary angiography (CTPA). Echocardiographic, demographic, and laboratory data were collected. The study population was divided into two groups: patients with and without pleural effusions. Pleural effusion detected on CT was graded as small, moderate, and large according to the amount of effusion. The predictors of 30-day and long-term total mortality were analyzed. Results Pleural effusions were found in 120 patients (25.9%). After the 30-day follow-up, all-cause mortality was higher in acute PE patients with pleural effusions than in those without (23% versus 9%, P < 0.001). Also, patients with pleural effusions had significantly higher incidence of long-term total mortality than those without pleural effusions (55% versus 23%, P < 0.001). In a multivariate analysis, pleural effusion was an independent predictor of 30-day and long-term mortality (odds ratio [OR], 2.154; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.186-3.913; P = 0.012 and OR, 1.591; 95% CI, 1.129-2.243; P = 0.008, respectively). Conclusion Pleural effusion can be independently associated with both 30-day and long-term mortality in patients with acute PE.

  16. [Anesthetic management for a patient with remitting seronegative symmetrical synovitis with pitting edema (RS3PE) syndrome].

    PubMed

    Terada, Tadanori; Ishimura, Hiroshi; Iwagaki, Tamao; Aoyama, Kazuyoshi; Takenaka, Ichiro; Kadoya, Tatsuo

    2004-09-01

    Remitting seronegative symmetrical synovitis with pitting edema (RS3PE) syndrome, described by McCarty et al., is a form of "seronegative rheumatoid arthritis" characterized by an acute-onset polyarthritis with pitting edema of the dorsum of both hands and/or both feet. The syndrome is prevalent in elderly men, completely remitted with a small dose of steroid over a relatively short period, and has a benign clinical course. We describe a case of RS3PE syndrome in a 61-year-old man undergoing a lobectomy of the lung and discuss anesthetic management for the syndrome.

  17. Determinants of PE Teachers Career Intentions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mäkelä, Kasper; Hirvensalo, Mirja; Whipp, Peter R.

    2015-01-01

    One of the cause's célèbre in the field of education has been teacher attrition; Physical education (PE) is no different. Some PE teachers are leaving the profession because they encounter stress and dissatisfaction in their profession. The purpose of this study is to determine the aspects that keep PE teachers happy and remaining in the…

  18. Massive ovarian oedema: a misleading clinical entity.

    PubMed

    Machairiotis, Nikolaos; Stylianaki, Aikaterini; Kouroutou, Paraskevi; Sarli, Polixeni; Alexiou, Nikolaos Konstantinos; Efthymiou, Elias; Maras, Athanasios; Alexiou, Nikolaos Georgios; Nikolaou, Spyridon Evaggelos; Courcoutsakis, Nikolaos; Papakonstantinou, Eleni; Zarogoulidis, Paul; Barbetakis, Nikolaos; Paliouras, Dimitrios; Gogakos, Apostolos; Machairiotis, Christodoulos

    2016-02-03

    Massive ovarian oedema is a rare non-neoplastic clinicopathologic entity has a higher incidence in women during their second and third life decade. The oedema can be presented in one or both ovaries as a result of partial intermittent torsion of the ovarian pedicle that interferes to the venal and lymphatic drainage of the ovary. We present a clinical case of a 16 year old with massive ovarian oedema and we performed a review of the literature. The pathophysiology of this entity is very complex. We tried to perform a complete review of the literature and focus on the complexity of this entity as far as its pathophysiological backround is concerned and as far as its clinical presentation is concerned. In conclusion, massive ovarian oedema is a rare, multi disease mimicking clinical entity, with an acute or progressive clinical presentation. It has also to be a part of our differential diagnosis in cases of acute abdominal pain and we have to try to treat her conservatively, in order to preserve fertility.

  19. Non-Specialist Teachers' Confidence to Teach PE: The Nature and Influence of Personal School Experiences in PE

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Morgan, Philip; Bourke, Sid

    2008-01-01

    Background: Over the past 20 years, a number of researchers have expressed concern over the lack of confidence and qualifications of primary school teachers to teach PE. Evidently, the influence of personal school PE experiences may play an important role in the development of teachers' confidence to appropriately teach PE. Most research that has…

  20. A prospective validation of the Bova score in normotensive patients with acute pulmonary embolism.

    PubMed

    Bova, Carlo; Vanni, Simone; Prandoni, Paolo; Morello, Fulvio; Dentali, Francesco; Bernardi, Enrico; Mumoli, Nicola; Bucherini, Eugenio; Barbar, Sofia; Picariello, Claudio; Enea, Iolanda; Pesavento, Raffaele; Bottino, Fabrizio; Jiménez, David

    2018-05-01

    The Bova score has shown usefulness in the identification of intermediate-high risk patients with acute pulmonary embolism (PE), but lacks prospective validation. The aim of this study was to prospectively validate the Bova score in different settings from the original derivation cohort. Consecutive, normotensive patients with acute PE recruited at 13 academic or general hospitals were stratified, using their baseline data, into the three Bova risk stages (I-III). The primary outcome was the 30-day composite of PE-related mortality, hemodynamic collapse and non-fatal PE recurrences in the three risk categories. In the study period, 639 patients were enrolled. The primary end point occurred in 45 patients (7.0%; 95% Confidence Intervals, 5.2%-9.3%). Risk stage correlated with the PE-related complication rate (stage I, 2.9%; stage II, 17%; stage III, 27%). Patients classified as stage III by the Bova score had a 6.5-fold increased risk for adverse outcomes (3.1-13.5, p < 0.001) compared with stages I and II combined. Rescue thrombolysis increased from stage I to stage III (0.6%, 12% and 15% respectively). All-cause mortality (5.3%) did not substantially differ among the stages. The Bova score accurately stratifies normotensive patients with acute PE into stages of increasing risk of 30-day PE-related complications. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. JROTC as a Substitute for PE: Really?

    PubMed Central

    Lounsbery, Monica A. F.; Holt, Kathryn A.; Monnat, Shannon A.; McKenzie, Thomas L.; Funk, Brian

    2014-01-01

    Purpose Even though physical education (PE) is an evidence-based strategy for providing and promoting physical activity, alternative programs such as Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) are commonly substituted for PE in many states. The purpose of this study was to compare student physical activity and lesson contexts during high school PE and JROTC sessions. Method SOFIT (System for Observing Fitness Instruction Time) was used to assess PE and JROTC sessions (N=38 each) in 4 high schools that provided both programs. Data were analyzed using t-tests, negative binomial regression, and logistic regression. Results Students engaged in significantly more moderate to vigorous physical activity during PE than JROTC sessions and they were significantly less sedentary. Significant differences between the two program types were also found among lesson contexts. Conclusions PE and JROTC provide substantially different content and contexts and students in them engage in substantially different amounts of moderate to vigorous physical activity. Students in JROTC, and perhaps other alternative programs, are less likely to accrue health-supporting physical activity and engage in fewer opportunities to be physically fit and motorically skilled. Policies and practices for providing substitutions for PE should be carefully examined. PMID:25141093

  2. Adjunctive Inferior Vena Cava Filter Placement for Acute Pulmonary Embolism

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

    Jha, V. M., E-mail: vjha@mfa.gwu.ed; Lee-Llacer, J.; Williams, J.

    Inferior vena cava (IVC) filters are sometimes placed as an adjunct to full anticoagulation in patients with significant pulmonary embolism (PE). We aimed to determine the prevalence of adjunctive IVC filter placement in individuals diagnosed with PE, as well as the effect of adjunctive filter placement on mortality in patients with right heart strain associated with PE. This was a retrospective study of patients with acute PE treated with full anticoagulation admitted to a single academic medical center. Information abstracted from patient charts included presence or absence of right heart strain and of deep-vein thrombosis, and whether or not anmore » IVC filter was placed. The endpoint was in-hospital mortality. Over 2.75 years, we found that 248 patients were diagnosed with acute PE, with an in-hospital mortality rate of 4.4%. The prevalence of adjunctive IVC filter placement was 13.3% (33 of 248), and the prevalence of documented right heart strain was 27.0% (67 of 248). In-hospital mortality was 10.2% in the non-filter-treated group (5 of 49), whereas there were no deaths in the filter-treated group (0 of 18); however, the difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.37). Both the presence of deep-vein thrombosis and of right heart strain increased the likelihood that an adjunctive IVC filter was placed (P < 0.0001 and P < 0.001, respectively). At our institution, patients were treated with IVC filters in addition to anticoagulation in 13.3% of cases of acute PE. Prospective studies or large clinical registries should be conducted to clarify whether this practice improves outcomes.« less

  3. No, Really: P.E. Online

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stover, Del

    2005-01-01

    Because some students need to drop some extracurricular activities in order to enroll in a PE class, public schools have developed PE courses that can be fitted into students' tight schedules. These programs are popular because of convenience. Not only can workouts be scheduled as desired, but students can sweat it out almost anywhere: the local…

  4. Right ventricular dysfunction in acute pulmonary embolism: NT-proBNP vs. troponin T.

    PubMed

    Cotugno, Marilena; Orgaz-Molina, Jacinto; Rosa-Salazar, Vladimir; Guirado-Torrecillas, Leticia; García-Pérez, Bartolomé

    2017-04-21

    Dysfunction of the right ventricle (RV) is a parameter of severity in acute pulmonary embolism (PE). Echocardiographic assessment is not always possible in accident and emergency, hence the need to predict the presence of RV dysfunction using easily measurable parameters. To analyse the value of NT-proBNP and troponin T as markers of RV dysfunction in patients with acute PE. Secondarily, to assess the relationship between RV failure and clinical parameters related to PE. Analytical, observational, cross-sectional and retrospective study comparing the values NT-proBNP, troponin T and presenting symptoms of PE among patients with and without RV dysfunction. One hundred seventy-two patients (52 with RV failure,120 without) were included. All symptoms occurred with similar frequency between the 2groups except dyspnea and syncope (more common in the group with RV failure). Both NT-proBNP and troponin T had significantly higher values in the group of patients with RV dysfunction. However, in the multivariate analysis, NT-proBNP had a higher explanatory value for RV failure than troponin T. NT-proBNP is a diagnostic parameter of RV dysfunction with higher sensitivity in the context of acute PE. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  5. Acute Pulmonary Embolism in Emergency Department Patients Despite Therapeutic Anticoagulation.

    PubMed

    Liu, Michelle Y; Ballard, Dustin W; Huang, Jie; Rauchwerger, Adina S; Reed, Mary E; Bouvet, Sean C; Vinson, David R

    2018-05-01

    Emergency department (ED) patients with acute pulmonary embolism (PE) despite therapeutic anticoagulation at the time of diagnosis are uncommonly encountered and present a diagnostic and management challenge. Their characterization and outcomes are poorly described. We sought to describe the prevalence and characteristics of therapeutically anticoagulated patients among a population of patients with acute PE in a community setting and to describe treatment changes and 30-day outcomes. From a large retrospective cohort of adults with acute, objectively-confirmed PE across 21 EDs between 01/2013 and 04/2015, we identified patients who arrived on direct oral or injectable anticoagulants, or warfarin with an initial ED international normalized ratio (INR) value ≥2.0. Patients were excluded from the larger cohort if they had received a diagnosis of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in the prior 30 days. We gathered demographic and clinical variables from electronic health records and structured manual chart review. We report discharge anticoagulation regimens and major 30-day adverse outcomes. Among 2,996 PE patients, 36 (1.2%) met study criteria. Mean age was 63 years. Eleven patients (31%) had active cancer and 25 (69%) were high risk on the PE Severity Index (Classes III-V), comparable to the larger cohort (p>0.1). Reasons for pre-arrival anticoagulation were VTE treatment or prevention (n=21), and atrial fibrillation or flutter (n=15). All patients arrived on warfarin and one was also on enoxaparin: 32 had a therapeutic INR (2.0-3.0) and four had a supratherapeutic INR (>3.0). Fifteen patients (42%) had at least one subtherapeutic INR (<2.0) in the 14 days preceding their diagnostic visit. Two patients died during hospitalization. Of the 34 ultimately discharged, 22 underwent a change in anticoagulation drug or dosing, 19 of whom received injectables, either to replace or to supplement warfarin. Four patients also received inferior vena cava filters. Thirty

  6. The relation between international normalized ratio and mortality in acute pulmonary embolism: A retrospective study.

    PubMed

    Kırış, Tuncay; Yazıcı, Selcuk; Durmuş, Gündüz; Çanga, Yiğit; Karaca, Mustafa; Nazlı, Cem; Dogan, Abdullah

    2018-01-01

    Acute pulmonary embolism (PE) is a serious clinical disease characterized by a high mortality rate. The aim of this study was to assess the prognostic value of international normalized ratio (INR) in acute PE patients not on anticoagulant therapy. The study included 244 hospitalized acute PE patients who were not receiving previous anticoagulant therapy. Based on their 30-day mortality, patients were categorized as survivors or non-survivors. INR was measured during the patients' admission, on the same day as the diagnosis of PE but before anticoagulation started. Thirty-day mortality occurred in 39 patients (16%). INR was higher in non-survivors than in survivors (1.3±0.4 vs 1.1±0.3, P=.003). In multivariate analysis, INR (HR: 3.303, 95% CI: 1.210-9.016, P=.020) was independently associated with 30-day mortality from PE. Inclusion of INR in a model with simplified pulmonary embolism severity index (sPESI) score improved the area under the receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve from 0.736 (95% CI: 0.659-0.814) to 0.775 (95% CI: 0.701-0.849) (P=.028). Also, the addition of INR to sPESI score enhanced the net reclassification improvement (NRI=8.8%, P<.001) and integrated discrimination improvement (IDI=0.043, P=.027). Elevated INR may have prognostic value for 30-day mortality in acute PE patients not on anticoagulation. Combining INR with sPESI score improved the predictive value for all-cause mortality. However, further large-scale studies are needed to confirm it's prognostic role. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  7. Comparison study of PE epitaxy on carbon nanotubes and graphene oxide and PE/graphene oxide as amphiphilic molecular structure for solvent separation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    He, Linghao; Zheng, Xiaoli; Xu, Qun; Chen, Zhimin; Fu, Jianwei

    2012-03-01

    Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and graphene nanosheets, as one-dimensional and two-dimensional carbon-based nanomaterials respectively, have different abilities to induce the polymer crystallization. In this study, hybrid materials, polyethylene (PE) decorating on CNTs and graphene oxide (GO), were prepared by a facile and efficient method using supercritical carbon dioxide (SC CO2) as anti-solvent. And the morphology and crystallization behavior of PE on CNTs and GO were investigated by transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectra, wide angle X-ray diffraction, and differential scanning calorimetry. Although both CNTs and GO could act as nucleating agents to induce PE epitaxial growth, CNTs were decorated by PE lamellar crystals forming nanohybrid "shish-kebab" (NHSK) structure, whereas GO sheets were only decorated with petal-like PE crystals. The varying morphologies of the nanohybrids depend on the PE epitaxy and the interactions between polymer chains and substrates. High surface curvature and the perfect ordered crystal structure of CNTs make PE crystals periodically grow on CNTs. While PE crystals grow and form multiple orientation-lamellae on GO due to the lattice matching and complex interactions between PE chains and GO. In addition, our experimental results show an interesting and evident stratification phenomenon for the PE/GO hybrid material, implying that GO decorated by PE have a screening function for the solvents. We anticipate that this work can widen the area of functionalization of carbon-based nanomaterials with a controlled means by an environmentally benign method, which are important for the functional design in nanodevice applications.

  8. Passive PE Sampling in Support of In Situ Remediation of Contaminated Sediments: Standard Operating Procedure for PE Analysis

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2012-12-01

    4.5 Food-grade aluminum foil 4.6 Stainless steel forceps 4.7 Single-edge razor blades 4.8 Teflon (or similar non-contaminating material) cutting...handling PE to avoid cross-contaminating the PE. 6.3 Methylene chloride (pesticide grade) rinsed, stainless steel forceps and scissors are used...3.1 PE is susceptible to contamination from atmospheric and surfaces, and so it must be handled using clean techniques. 3.2 While the formation of

  9. Functional analyses of Populus euphratica brassinosteroid biosynthesis enzyme genes DWF4 (PeDWF4) and CPD (PeCPD) in the regulation of growth and development of Arabidopsis thaliana.

    PubMed

    Si, Jianping; Sun, Yan; Wang, L U; Qin, Ying; Wang, Chongying; Wang, Xinyu

    2016-12-01

    DWF4 and CPD are key brassinosteroids (BRs) biosynthesis enzyme genes. To explore the function of Populus euphratica DWF4 (PeDWF4) and CPD (PeCPD), Arabidopsis thaliana transgenic lines (TLs) expressing PeDWF4, PeCPD or PeDWF4 plus PeCPD, namely PeDWF4-TL, PeCPD-TL and PeCP/DW-TL, were characterized. Compared with wild type (WT), the changes of both PeDWF4-TL and PeCPD-TL in plant heights, silique and hypocotyls lengths and seed yields were similar, but in bolting time and stem diameters, they were opposite. PeCP/DW-TL was more in plant heights and the lengths of primary root, silique, and fruit stalk, but less in silique numbers and seed yields than either PeDWF4-TL or PeCPD-TL. PeDWF4 and PeCPD specially expressed in PeDWF4-TL or PeCPDTL, and the transcription level of PeDWF4 was higher than that of PeCPD. In PeCP/DW-TL, their expressions were all relatively reduced. Additionally, the expression of PeDWF4 and PeCPD differentially made the expression levels of AtDWF4, AtCPD, AtBR6OX2, AtFLC, AtTCP1 and AtGA5 change in the TLs. The total BRs contents were PeDWF4-TL greater than PeCP/DW-TL greater than WT greater than PeCPD-TL. These results imply that PeDWF4 is functionally not exactly the same as PeCPD and there may be a synergistic and antagonistic effects in physiology between both of them in the regulation of plant growth and development.

  10. Value of the Delta Neutrophil Index for Predicting 28-Day Mortality in Patients With Acute Pulmonary Embolism in the Emergency Department.

    PubMed

    Kong, Taeyoung; Park, Yoo Seok; Lee, Hye Sun; Kim, Sinae; Lee, Jong Wook; Yu, Gina; Eun, Claire; You, Je Sung; Chung, Hyun Soo; Park, Incheol; Chung, Sung Phil

    2018-06-01

    Acute pulmonary embolism (PE), frequently seen in the emergency department (ED), is a leading cause of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The delta neutrophil index (DNI) reflects the fraction of circulating immature granulocytes as a component of the systemic inflammatory response syndrome criteria. The pathogenesis of acute PE is significantly associated with inflammation. The aim of the study was to investigate the clinical usefulness of the DNI as a marker of severity in patients with acute PE admitted to the ED. We retrospectively analyzed the data of patients who were diagnosed with acute PE at a single ED, admitted from January 1, 2011 to June 30, 2017. The diagnosis of acute pulmonary embolism was confirmed using clinical, laboratory, and radiological findings. The DNI was determined at presentation. The clinical outcome was all-cause mortality within 28 days of emergency department admission. We included 447 patients in this study. The multivariate Cox regression model demonstrated that higher DNI values on ED admission were significantly associated with short-term mortality (hazard ratio, 1.107; 95% confidence interval, 1.042-1.177). The optimal cut-off DNI value, measured on ED admission, was 3.0%; this value was associated with an increased hazard of 28-day mortality following PE (HR, 7.447; 95% CI, 4.183-13.366; P < 0.001) CONCLUSION:: The DNI value, obtained as part of the complete blood count analysis, can be easily determined without additional burdens of cost or time. A high DNI is useful as a marker to predict 28-day mortality in patients with acute PE.

  11. RESPECT-ED: Rates of Pulmonary Emboli (PE) and Sub-Segmental PE with Modern Computed Tomographic Pulmonary Angiograms in Emergency Departments: A Multi-Center Observational Study Finds Significant Yield Variation, Uncorrelated with Use or Small PE Rates.

    PubMed

    Mountain, David; Keijzers, Gerben; Chu, Kevin; Joseph, Anthony; Read, Catherine; Blecher, Gabriel; Furyk, Jeremy; Bharat, Chrianna; Velusamy, Karthik; Munro, Andrew; Baker, Kylie; Kinnear, Frances; Mukherjee, Ahses; Watkins, Gina; Buntine, Paul; Livesay, Georgia; Fatovich, Daniel

    2016-01-01

    Overuse of CT Pulmonary Angiograms (CTPA) for diagnosing pulmonary embolism (PE), particularly in Emergency Departments (ED), is considered problematic. Marked variations in positive CTPA rates are reported, with American 4-10% yields driving most concerns. Higher resolution CTPA may increase sub-segmental PE (SSPE) diagnoses, which may be up to 40% false positive. Excessive use and false positives could increase harm vs. benefit. These issues have not been systematically examined outside America. To describe current yield variation and CTPA utilisation in Australasian ED, exploring potential factors correlated with variation. A retrospective multi-centre review of consecutive ED-ordered CTPA using standard radiology reports. ED CTPA report data were inputted onto preformatted data-sheets. The primary outcome was site level yield, analysed both intra-site and against a nominated 15.3% yield. Factors potentially associated with yield were assessed for correlation. Fourteen radiology departments (15 ED) provided 7077 CTPA data (94% ≥64-slice CT); PE were reported in 1028 (yield 14.6% (95%CI 13.8-15.4%; range 9.3-25.3%; site variation p <0.0001) with four sites significantly below and one above the 15.3% target. Admissions, CTPA usage, PE diagnosis rates and size of PE were uncorrelated with yield. Large PE (≥lobar) were 55% (CI: 52.1-58.2%) and SSPE 8.8% (CI: 7.1-10.5%) of positive scans. CTPA usage (0.2-1.5% adult attendances) was correlated (p<0.006) with PE diagnosis but not SSPE: large PE proportions. We found significant intra-site CTPA yield variation within Australasia. Yield was not clearly correlated with CTPA usage or increased small PE rates. Both SSPE and large PE rates were similar to higher yield historical cohorts. CTPA use was considerably below USA 2.5-3% rates. Higher CTPA utilisation was positively correlated with PE diagnoses, but without evidence of increased proportions of small PE. This suggests that increased diagnoses seem to be of

  12. RESPECT-ED: Rates of Pulmonary Emboli (PE) and Sub-Segmental PE with Modern Computed Tomographic Pulmonary Angiograms in Emergency Departments: A Multi-Center Observational Study Finds Significant Yield Variation, Uncorrelated with Use or Small PE Rates

    PubMed Central

    Chu, Kevin; Joseph, Anthony; Read, Catherine; Blecher, Gabriel; Furyk, Jeremy; Bharat, Chrianna; Velusamy, Karthik; Munro, Andrew; Baker, Kylie; Kinnear, Frances; Mukherjee, Ahses; Watkins, Gina; Buntine, Paul; Livesay, Georgia

    2016-01-01

    Introduction Overuse of CT Pulmonary Angiograms (CTPA) for diagnosing pulmonary embolism (PE), particularly in Emergency Departments (ED), is considered problematic. Marked variations in positive CTPA rates are reported, with American 4–10% yields driving most concerns. Higher resolution CTPA may increase sub-segmental PE (SSPE) diagnoses, which may be up to 40% false positive. Excessive use and false positives could increase harm vs. benefit. These issues have not been systematically examined outside America. Aims To describe current yield variation and CTPA utilisation in Australasian ED, exploring potential factors correlated with variation. Methods A retrospective multi-centre review of consecutive ED-ordered CTPA using standard radiology reports. ED CTPA report data were inputted onto preformatted data-sheets. The primary outcome was site level yield, analysed both intra-site and against a nominated 15.3% yield. Factors potentially associated with yield were assessed for correlation. Results Fourteen radiology departments (15 ED) provided 7077 CTPA data (94% ≥64-slice CT); PE were reported in 1028 (yield 14.6% (95%CI 13.8–15.4%; range 9.3–25.3%; site variation p <0.0001) with four sites significantly below and one above the 15.3% target. Admissions, CTPA usage, PE diagnosis rates and size of PE were uncorrelated with yield. Large PE (≥lobar) were 55% (CI: 52.1–58.2%) and SSPE 8.8% (CI: 7.1–10.5%) of positive scans. CTPA usage (0.2–1.5% adult attendances) was correlated (p<0.006) with PE diagnosis but not SSPE: large PE proportions. Discussion/ Conclusions We found significant intra-site CTPA yield variation within Australasia. Yield was not clearly correlated with CTPA usage or increased small PE rates. Both SSPE and large PE rates were similar to higher yield historical cohorts. CTPA use was considerably below USA 2.5–3% rates. Higher CTPA utilisation was positively correlated with PE diagnoses, but without evidence of increased proportions

  13. The definition of massive transfusion in trauma: a critical variable in examining evidence for resuscitation.

    PubMed

    Mitra, Biswadev; Cameron, Peter A; Gruen, Russell L; Mori, Alfredo; Fitzgerald, Mark; Street, Alison

    2011-06-01

    'Massive' transfusion is a poorly defined inclusion criteria for studies examining the blood and blood product that are used during trauma resuscitation. We aimed to compare the traditional definition of massive transfusion (≥10 units in 24 h) to a more acute definition of at least 5 units in 4 h. Multitrauma patients were subgrouped according to the traditional definition and compared with the acute definition. Demographics, presenting vital signs and blood results, management including transfusion practice and outcomes were retrospectively studied. Associations of transfused fresh frozen plasma:packed red blood cells (PRBC) ratios with mortality were studied. There were 927 patients who received PRBCs in the first 24 h, with 314 patients identified using the traditional definition and 303 patients using the acute definition. The patients identified using the traditional definition received 18 (12-29) units of PRBC in 24 h, significantly higher than those identified using the acute definition [15 (9-29) units, P<0.001]. The traditional definition excluded a significant proportion of patients who died in the emergency department. By using the acute definition to select a study sample, there seems to be an increase in mortality with fresh frozen plasma:PRBC ratio of 1 : 1 ratio compared with a 1 : 2 ratio. The traditional 'massive' transfusion definition not only 'dilutes' the potential study samples with a less acute group of patients, but also further excludes patients who die early. This latter group is most likely to be benefitted from any change to resuscitation practice. An acute definition of massive transfusion should be adopted when examining clinical practice during initial trauma resuscitation.

  14. Is there a place for intra-aortic balloon counterpulsation support in acute right ventricular failure by pressure-overload?

    PubMed

    Vanden Eynden, Frederic; Mets, Gilles; De Somer, Filip; Bouchez, Stefaan; Bove, Thierry

    2015-10-15

    Most therapeutic strategies for acute right ventricular failure (RVF) by pressure-overload are directed to improve cardiac output and coronary perfusion pressure by vasopressive agents. The eventual role of intra-aortic balloon counterpulsation (IABP) support remains questionable. This study investigates the contribution of IABP for acute RVF by pressure-overload, in comparison with phenylephrine (PE) and norepinephrine (NOR). Acute RVF is induced by fixed pulmonary artery constriction in 6 pigs, pursuing a 50% reduction of cardiac output. Assessment of the treatment interventions included biventricular PV-loop analysis, and continuous measurement of aortic and right coronary artery flow. Restoration of baseline cardiac output was only observed by administration of NOR (Baseline=3.82±1.52ml/min - RVF=2.03±0.59ml/min - IABP=2.45±0.62ml/min - PE=2.98±0.63ml/min - NOR=3.95±0.73ml/min, p<0.001). NOR had most effect on biventricular contractility (PRSW-slope-RV: IABP +24% - PE +59% - NOR +208%, p<0.001 and PRSW-slope-LV: IABP +36% - PE +53% - NOR +196%, p<0.001), heart rate acceleration (IABP +7% - PE +12% - NOR +51%, p<0.001), and RCA flow (IABP +31% - PE +58% - NOR +180%, p<0.001), concomitant to a higher increase of LV-to-RV pressure ratio (IABP: +7% versus -3%, PE: +36% versus +8%, NOR: +101% versus 42%). The hemodynamic contribution of IABP was limited, unless a modest improvement of LV compliance during PE and NOR infusion. In a model of acute pressure-overload RV failure, IABP appears to offer limited hemodynamic benefit. The administration of norepinephrine is most effective to correct systemic output and myocardial perfusion through adding an inotropic and chronotropic effect to systemic vasopression. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Acute Pulmonary Embolism in Emergency Department Patients Despite Therapeutic Anticoagulation

    PubMed Central

    Liu, Michelle Y.; Ballard, Dustin W.; Huang, Jie; Rauchwerger, Adina S.; Reed, Mary E.; Bouvet, Sean C.

    2018-01-01

    Introduction Emergency department (ED) patients with acute pulmonary embolism (PE) despite therapeutic anticoagulation at the time of diagnosis are uncommonly encountered and present a diagnostic and management challenge. Their characterization and outcomes are poorly described. We sought to describe the prevalence and characteristics of therapeutically anticoagulated patients among a population of patients with acute PE in a community setting and to describe treatment changes and 30-day outcomes. Methods From a large retrospective cohort of adults with acute, objectively-confirmed PE across 21 EDs between 01/2013 and 04/2015, we identified patients who arrived on direct oral or injectable anticoagulants, or warfarin with an initial ED international normalized ratio (INR) value ≥2.0. Patients were excluded from the larger cohort if they had received a diagnosis of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in the prior 30 days. We gathered demographic and clinical variables from electronic health records and structured manual chart review. We report discharge anticoagulation regimens and major 30-day adverse outcomes. Results Among 2,996 PE patients, 36 (1.2%) met study criteria. Mean age was 63 years. Eleven patients (31%) had active cancer and 25 (69%) were high risk on the PE Severity Index (Classes III–V), comparable to the larger cohort (p>0.1). Reasons for pre-arrival anticoagulation were VTE treatment or prevention (n=21), and atrial fibrillation or flutter (n=15). All patients arrived on warfarin and one was also on enoxaparin: 32 had a therapeutic INR (2.0–3.0) and four had a supratherapeutic INR (>3.0). Fifteen patients (42%) had at least one subtherapeutic INR (<2.0) in the 14 days preceding their diagnostic visit. Two patients died during hospitalization. Of the 34 ultimately discharged, 22 underwent a change in anticoagulation drug or dosing, 19 of whom received injectables, either to replace or to supplement warfarin. Four patients also received inferior vena

  16. Remitting seronegative symmetrical synovitis with pitting edema (RS3PE syndrome).

    PubMed

    Hung, S C; Kung, Y Y; Lin, H Y

    1999-07-01

    A 63-year-old man presented with acute symmetrical polysynovitis associated with pitting edema of both the hands and feet. He was seronegative for rheumatoid factor and no radiologically evident erosion was noted in the joints of his hands and feet. Evaluation excluded congestive heart failure, nephrotic syndrome, and hypothyroidism as the cause of edema. Treatment with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and low-dose steroids induced complete remission. The clinical manifestations of this patients were consistent with those of a distinctive, although rare, form of arthritis called remitting seronegative symmetrical synovitis with pitting edema (RS3PE) syndrome. This syndrome has a good prognosis in elderly patients.

  17. Acute massive gastric dilatation causing ischaemic necrosis and perforation of the stomach.

    PubMed

    Moslim, Maitham A; Mittal, Jay; Falk, Gavin A; Ustin, Jeffrey S; Morris-Stiff, Gareth

    2017-06-15

    Acute massive gastric dilatation (AMGD) is a rare distinctive condition but associates with high morbidity and mortality. Though usually seen in patients with eating disorders, many aetiologies of AMGD have been described. The distension has been reported to cause gastric necrosis with or without perforation, usually within 1-2 days of an inciting event of AMGD.We report the case of a 58-year-old male who presented with gastric perforation associated with AMGD 11 days after surgical relief of a proximal small bowel obstruction. The AMGD arose from a closed loop obstruction between a tumour at the gastro-oesophageal junction and a small bowel obstruction as a result of volvulus around a jejunal feeding tube.To our knowledge, this is the first case of a closed loop obstruction of this aetiology reported in the literature, and the presentation of this patient's AMGD was notable for the delayed onset of gastric necrosis. The patient underwent an exploratory laparotomy and a partial gastrectomy to excise a portion of his perforated stomach. Surgeons should be aware of the possibility of delayed ischaemic gastric perforation in cases of AMGD. © BMJ Publishing Group Ltd (unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

  18. Emergency transcatheter arterial embolization for massive gastrointestinal arterial hemorrhage.

    PubMed

    Shi, Zhong Xing; Yang, Jing; Liang, Hong Wei; Cai, Zhen Hua; Bai, Bin

    2017-12-01

    To evaluate the different arteriographic manifestations of acute arterial massive hemorrhage of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and the efficacy of emergency transcatheter arterial embolization (ETAE).A total of 88 patients with acute massive GI bleeding who experienced failure of initial endoscopy and/or conservative treatment were referred to our interventional department for acute GI arteriography from January 2007 to June 2015. After locating the source of bleeding, appropriate embolic agents, such as spring coil, hydroxyl methyl acrylic acid gelatin microspheres, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) particles, etc., were used to embolize the targeted vessels. The angiographic manifestations and the effects of embolization of acute arterial massive hemorrhage of the GI tract were retrospectively analyzed.Of the 88 patients, 54 were diagnosed with arterial hemorrhage of the upper GI tract and 34 with arterial hemorrhage of the lower GI tract. Eighty cases were associated with positive angiography, which showed the following: contrast extravasation (only); gastroduodenal artery stenosis; pseudoaneurysm (only); pseudoaneurysm rupture with contrast extravasation; pseudoaneurysms merged with intestinal artery stenosis; GI angiodysplasia; and tumor vascular bleeding. Eight cases were diagnosed with negative angiography. Seven-two patients underwent successful hemostasis, and a total of 81 arteries were embolized. The technical and clinical success rates (no rebleeding within 30 days) in performing transcatheter embolization on patients with active bleeding were 100% and 84.71%, respectively (72 of 85). Within 30 days, the postoperative rebleeding rate was 15.29% (13/85). Of these rebleeding cases, 2 patients were formerly treated with "blind embolization," 7 underwent interventional embolic retreatment, and 3 had surgical operations. All cases were followed-up for 1 month, and 3 patients died from multiple organ failure. No serious complications such as bowel ischemia necrosis

  19. What Is the PE Password? Incorporating Vocabulary in Your Elementary PE Program

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Robelee, Margaret E.

    2016-01-01

    This article describes a novel program for third through fifth grade called "What is the PE Password?" that teaches vocabulary words and concepts without sacrificing activity time in order to support Common Core learning.

  20. Right ventricular dysfunction as an echocardiographic prognostic factor in hemodynamically stable patients with acute pulmonary embolism: a meta-analysis.

    PubMed

    Cho, Jae Hyung; Kutti Sridharan, Gurusaravanan; Kim, Seon Ha; Kaw, Roop; Abburi, Triveni; Irfan, Affan; Kocheril, Abraham G

    2014-05-06

    We investigated whether right ventricular dysfunction (RVD) as assessed by echocardiogram can be used as a prognostic factor in hemodynamically stable patients with acute pulmonary embolism (PE). Short-term mortality has been investigated only in small studies and the results have been controversial. A PubMed search was conducted using two keywords, "pulmonary embolism" and "echocardiogram", for articles published between January 1st 1998 and December 31st 2011. Out of 991 articles, after careful review, we found 12 articles that investigated the implications of RVD as assessed by echocardiogram in predicting short-term mortality for hemodynamically stable patients with acute PE. We conducted a meta-analysis of these data to identify whether the presence of RVD increased short-term mortality. Among 3283 hemodynamically stable patients with acute PE, 1223 patients (37.3%) had RVD, as assessed by echocardiogram, while 2060 patients (62.7%) had normal right ventricular function. Short-term mortality was reported in 167 (13.7%) out of 1223 patients with RVD and in 134 (6.5%) out of 2060 patients without RVD. Hemodynamically stable patients with acute PE who had RVD as assessed by echocardiogram had a 2.29-fold increase in short-term mortality (odds ratio 2.29, 95% confidence interval 1.61-3.26) compared with patients without RVD. In hemodynamically stable patients with acute PE, RVD as assessed by echocardiogram increases short-term mortality by 2.29 times. Consideration should be given to obtaining echocardiogram to identify high-risk patients even if they are hemodynamically stable.

  1. Clinical presentation and in-hospital death in acute pulmonary embolism: does cancer matter?

    PubMed

    Casazza, Franco; Becattini, Cecilia; Rulli, Eliana; Pacchetti, Ilaria; Floriani, Irene; Biancardi, Marco; Scardovi, Angela Beatrice; Enea, Iolanda; Bongarzoni, Amedeo; Pignataro, Luigi; Agnelli, Giancarlo

    2016-09-01

    Cancer is one of the most common risk factors for acute pulmonary embolism (PE), but only few studies report on the short-term outcome of patients with PE and a history of cancer. The aim of the study was to assess whether a cancer diagnosis affects the clinical presentation and short-term outcome in patients hospitalized for PE who were included in the Italian Pulmonary Embolism Registry. All-cause and PE-related in-hospital deaths were also analyzed. Out of 1702 patients, 451 (26.5 %) of patients had a diagnosis of cancer: cancer was known at presentation in 365, or diagnosed during the hospital stay for PE in 86 (19 % of cancer patients). Patients with and without cancer were similar concerning clinical status at presentation. Patients with cancer less commonly received thrombolytic therapy, and more often had an inferior vena cava filter inserted. Major or intracranial bleeding was not different between groups. In-hospital all-cause death occurred in 8.4 and 5.9 % of patients with and without cancer, respectively. At multivariate analysis, cancer (OR 2.24, 95 % CI 1.27-3.98; P = 0.006) was an independent predictor of in-hospital death. Clinical instability, PE recurrence, age ≥75 years, recent bed rest ≥3 days, but not cancer, were independent predictors of in-hospital death due to PE. Cancer seems a weaker predictor of all-cause in-hospital death compared to other factors; the mere presence of cancer, without other risk factors, leads to a probability of early death of 2 %. In patients with acute PE, cancer increases the probability of in-hospital all-cause death, but does not seem to affect the clinical presentation or the risk of in-hospital PE-related death.

  2. Rivaroxaban for the treatment of symptomatic deep-vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism in Chinese patients: a subgroup analysis of the EINSTEIN DVT and PE studies.

    PubMed

    Wang, Yuqi; Wang, Chen; Chen, Zhong; Zhang, Jiwei; Liu, Zhihong; Jin, Bi; Ying, Kejing; Liu, Changwei; Shao, Yuxia; Jing, Zhicheng; Meng, Isabelle Ling; Prins, Martin H; Pap, Akos F; Müller, Katharina; Lensing, Anthonie Wa

    2013-12-16

    The worldwide EINSTEIN DVT and EINSTEIN PE studies randomized 8282 patients with acute symptomatic deep-vein thrombosis (DVT) and/or pulmonary embolism (PE) and, for the first time in trials in this setting, included patients in China. This analysis evaluates the results of these studies in this subgroup of patients. A total of 439 Chinese patients who had acute symptomatic DVT (n=211), or PE with or without DVT (n=228), were randomized to receive rivaroxaban (15 mg twice daily for 21 days, followed by 20 mg once daily) or standard therapy of enoxaparin overlapping with and followed by an adjusted-dose vitamin K antagonist, for 3, 6, or 12 months. The primary efficacy outcome was symptomatic recurrent venous thromboembolism. The principal safety outcome was major or non-major clinically relevant bleeding. The primary efficacy outcome occurred in seven (3.2%) of the 220 patients in the rivaroxaban group and in seven (3.2%) of the 219 patients in the standard-therapy group (hazard ratio, 1.04; 95% confidence interval 0.36-3.0; p=0.94). The principal safety outcome occurred in 13 (5.9%) patients in the rivaroxaban group and in 20 (9.2%) patients in the standard-therapy group (hazard ratio, 0.63; 95% confidence interval 0.31-1.26; p=0.19). Major bleeding was observed in no patients in the rivaroxaban group and in five (2.3%) patients in the standard-therapy group. In fragile patients (defined as age >75 years, creatinine clearance <50 mL/min, and/or body weight ≤50 kg), the principal safety outcome occurred in four (8.9%) of the 45 patients who received rivaroxaban compared with seven (15.2%) of the 46 patients who received standard therapy. In Chinese patients with acute symptomatic DVT and/or PE, rivaroxaban was as efficacious as enoxaparin followed by vitamin K antagonist therapy, with a similar safety profile. The relative efficacy and safety of rivaroxaban compared with enoxaparin/vitamin K antagonist were consistent with that found in the rest of the world

  3. Remitting seronegative symmetrical synovitis with pitting oedema (RS3PE) syndrome: a prospective follow up and magnetic resonance imaging study.

    PubMed

    Cantini, F; Salvarani, C; Olivieri, I; Barozzi, L; Macchioni, L; Niccoli, L; Padula, A; Pavlica, P; Boiardi, L

    1999-04-01

    To determine the clinical characteristics of patients with "pure" remitting seronegative symmetrical synovitis with pitting oedema (RS3PE) syndrome, and to investigate its relation with polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR). Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used to describe the anatomical structures affected by inflammation in pure RS3PE syndrome. A prospective follow up study of 23 consecutive patients with pure RS3PE syndrome and 177 consecutive patients with PMR diagnosed over a five year period in two Italian secondary referral centres of rheumatology. Hands or feet MRI, or both, was performed at diagnosis in 7 of 23 patients. At inspection evidence of hand and/or foot tenosynovitis was present in all the 23 patients with pure RS3PE syndrome. Twenty one (12%) patients with PMR associated distal extremity swelling with pitting oedema. No significant differences in the sex, age at onset of disease, acute phase reactant values at diagnosis, frequency of peripheral synovitis and carpal tunnel syndrome and frequency of HLA-B7 antigen were present between patients with pure RS3PE and PMR. In both conditions no patient under 50 was observed, the disease frequency increased significantly with age and the highest frequency was present in the age group 70-79 years. Clinical symptoms for both conditions responded promptly to corticosteroids and no patient developed rheumatoid arthritis during the follow up. However, the patients with pure RS3PE syndrome were characterised by shorter duration of treatment, lower cumulative corticosteroid dose and lower frequency of systemic signs/symptoms and relapse/recurrence. Hands and feet MRI showed evidence of tenosynovitis in five patients and joint synovitis in three patients. The similarities of demographic, clinical, and MRI findings between RS3PE syndrome and PMR and the concurrence of the two syndromes suggest that these conditions may be part of the same disease and that the diagnostic labels of PMR and RS3PE syndrome may not

  4. Elementary Students' Construct of PE Teacher Credibility

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ramos, Nilo O.; McCullick, Bryan A.

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate elementary students' perceptions of PE teacher credibility. Eight high- and low-skilled students from grades 3 and 5 were selected from a school employing a PE teacher holding a National Board Certification. Data were collected in the school setting utilizing observations, field notes, an open-ended…

  5. The direct detection of boosted dark matter at high energies and PeV events at IceCube

    DOE PAGES

    Bhattacharya, A.; Gandhi, R.; Gupta, A.

    2015-03-13

    We study the possibility of detecting dark matter directly via a small but energetic component that is allowed within present-day constraints. Drawing closely upon the fact that neutral current neutrino nucleon interactions are indistinguishable from DM-nucleon interactions at low energies, we extend this feature to high energies for a small, non-thermal but highly energetic population of DM particle χ, created via the decay of a significantly more massive and long-lived non-thermal relic Φ, which forms the bulk of DM. If χ interacts with nucleons, its cross-section, like the neutrino-nucleus coherent cross-section, can rise sharply with energy leading to deep inelasticmore » scattering, similar to neutral current neutrino-nucleon interactions at high energies. Thus, its direct detection may be possible via cascades in very large neutrino detectors. As a specific example, we apply this notion to the recently reported three ultra-high energy PeV cascade events clustered around 1 – 2 PeV at IceCube (IC). We discuss the features which may help discriminate this scenario from one in which only astrophysical neutrinos constitute the event sample in detectors like IC.« less

  6. Carboxyhemoglobin and methemoglobin levels as prognostic markers in acute pulmonary embolism.

    PubMed

    Kakavas, Sotirios; Papanikolaou, Aggeliki; Ballis, Evangelos; Tatsis, Nikolaos; Goga, Christina; Tatsis, Georgios

    2015-04-01

    Carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) and methemoglobin (MetHb) levels have been associated with a poor outcome in patients with various pathological conditions including cardiovascular diseases. Our aim was to retrospectively assess the prognostic value of arterial COHb and MetHb in patients with acute pulmonary embolism (PE). We conducted a retrospective study of 156 patients admitted in a pulmonary clinic due to acute PE. Measured variables during emergency department evaluation that were retrospectively analyzed included the ratio of the partial pressure of oxygen in arterial blood to the fraction of oxygen in inspired gas, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score, risk stratification indices, and arterial blood gases. The association between arterial COHb and MetHb levels and disease severity or mortality was evaluated using bivariate tests and logistic regression analysis. Arterial COHb and MetHb levels correlated with Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II and pulmonary severity index scores. Furthermore, arterial COHb and MetHb levels were associated with troponin T and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide levels. In univariate logistic regression analysis, COHb and MetHb levels were both significantly associated with an increased risk of death. However, in multivariate analysis, only COHb remained significant as an independent predictor of in-hospital mortality. Our preliminary data suggest that arterial COHb and MetHb levels reflect the severity of acute PE, whereas COHb levels are independent predictors of in hospital death in patients in this clinical setting. These findings require further prospective validation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Remitting seronegative symmetrical synovitis with pitting oedema (RS3PE) syndrome: a prospective follow up and magnetic resonance imaging study

    PubMed Central

    Cantini, F.; Salvarani, C.; Olivieri, I.; Barozzi, L.; Macchioni, L.; Niccoli, L.; Padula, A.; Pavlica, P.; Boiardi, L.

    1999-01-01

    OBJECTIVE—To determine the clinical characteristics of patients with "pure" remitting seronegative symmetrical synovitis with pitting oedema (RS3PE) syndrome, and to investigate its relation with polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR). Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used to describe the anatomical structures affected by inflammation in pure RS3PE syndrome.
METHODS—A prospective follow up study of 23 consecutive patients with pure RS3PE syndrome and 177 consecutive patients with PMR diagnosed over a five year period in two Italian secondary referral centres of rheumatology. Hands or feet MRI, or both, was performed at diagnosis in 7 of 23 patients.
RESULTS—At inspection evidence of hand and/or foot tenosynovitis was present in all the 23 patients with pure RS3PE syndrome. Twenty one (12%) patients with PMR associated distal extremity swelling with pitting oedema. No significant differences in the sex, age at onset of disease, acute phase reactant values at diagnosis, frequency of peripheral synovitis and carpal tunnel syndrome and frequency of HLA-B7 antigen were present between patients with pure RS3PE and PMR. In both conditions no patient under 50 was observed, the disease frequency increased significantly with age and the highest frequency was present in the age group 70-79 years. Clinical symptoms for both conditions responded promptly to corticosteroids and no patient developed rheumatoid arthritis during the follow up. However, the patients with pure RS3PE syndrome were characterised by shorter duration of treatment, lower cumulative corticosteroid dose and lower frequency of systemic signs/symptoms and relapse/recurrence. Hands and feet MRI showed evidence of tenosynovitis in five patients and joint synovitis in three patients.
CONCLUSION—The similarities of demographic, clinical, and MRI findings between RS3PE syndrome and PMR and the concurrence of the two syndromes suggest that these conditions may be part of the same disease and that the

  8. Supercomputing on massively parallel bit-serial architectures

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Iobst, Ken

    1985-01-01

    Research on the Goodyear Massively Parallel Processor (MPP) suggests that high-level parallel languages are practical and can be designed with powerful new semantics that allow algorithms to be efficiently mapped to the real machines. For the MPP these semantics include parallel/associative array selection for both dense and sparse matrices, variable precision arithmetic to trade accuracy for speed, micro-pipelined train broadcast, and conditional branching at the processing element (PE) control unit level. The preliminary design of a FORTRAN-like parallel language for the MPP has been completed and is being used to write programs to perform sparse matrix array selection, min/max search, matrix multiplication, Gaussian elimination on single bit arrays and other generic algorithms. A description is given of the MPP design. Features of the system and its operation are illustrated in the form of charts and diagrams.

  9. Meaningful Experiences in PE for All Students: An Activist Research Approach

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Walseth, Kristin; Engebretsen, Berit; Elvebakk, Lisbeth

    2018-01-01

    Background and purpose: The research literature in physical education (PE) is placing a growing focus on the need for research that can illuminate not only the challenges PE faces but also how we can develop PE to meet the needs of all students. The activist approach aims to study future possibilities in PE, and the goal is for all young people…

  10. A case of massive rhabdomyolysis following molindone administration.

    PubMed

    Johnson, S B; Alvarez, W A; Freinhar, J P

    1986-12-01

    Rhabdomyolysis is a potentially lethal syndrome that psychiatric patients seem predisposed to develop. The clinical signs and symptoms, typical laboratory features, and complications of rhabdomyolysis are presented. The case of a schizophrenic patient is reported to illustrate massive rhabdomyolysis and subsequent acute renal failure following molindone administration. Physicians who prescribe molindone should be aware of this reaction.

  11. Massive ovarian edema, due to adjacent appendicitis.

    PubMed

    Callen, Andrew L; Illangasekare, Tushani; Poder, Liina

    2017-04-01

    Massive ovarian edema is a benign clinical entity, the imaging findings of which can mimic an adnexal mass or ovarian torsion. In the setting of acute abdominal pain, identifying massive ovarian edema is a key in avoiding potential fertility-threatening surgery in young women. In addition, it is important to consider other contributing pathology when ovarian edema is secondary to another process. We present a case of a young woman presenting with subacute abdominal pain, whose initial workup revealed marked enlarged right ovary. Further imaging, diagnostic tests, and eventually diagnostic laparoscopy revealed that the ovarian enlargement was secondary to subacute appendicitis, rather than a primary adnexal process. We review the classic ultrasound and MRI imaging findings and pitfalls that relate to this diagnosis.

  12. RS3PE revealing recurrent non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

    PubMed

    Gisserot, Olivier; Crémades, Serge; Landais, Cécile; Leyral, Guénaelle; Bernard, Philippe; de Jauréguiberry, Jean-Pierre

    2004-09-01

    A patient meeting published criteria for remitting seronegative symmetrical synovitis with pitting edema (RS3PE) was found to have a synchronous recurrence of non-Hodgkin's malignant lymphoma. Reported cases of RS3PE associated with hematological malignancies and other forms of cancer are reviewed.

  13. Making the Case for Developing New PE-for-Health Pedagogies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Armour, Kathleen; Harris, Jo

    2013-01-01

    This article argues for a new direction in research on health education within physical education (PE). Governments are increasingly looking to schools as a convenient form of public health investment. PE is implicated in health because of its core focus on physical activity, but there is little evidence to suggest that PE improves health…

  14. PeV-scale dark matter as a thermal relic of a decoupled sector

    DOE PAGES

    Berlin, Asher; Hooper, Dan; Krnjaic, Gordan

    2016-06-21

    We consider a class of scenarios in which the dark matter is part of a heavy hidden sector that is thermally decoupled from the Standard Model in the early universe. The dark matter freezes-out by annihilating to a lighter, metastable state, whose subsequent abundance can naturally come to dominate the energy density of the universe. Moreover, when this state decays, it reheats the visible sector and dilutes all relic abundances, thereby allowing the dark matter to be orders of magnitude heavier than the weak scale. For concreteness, we consider a simple realization with a Dirac fermion dark matter candidate coupledmore » to a massive gauge boson that decays to the Standard Model through its kinetic mixing with hypercharge. Finally, we identify viable parameter space in which the dark matter can be as heavy as ~1-100 PeV without being overproduced in the early universe.« less

  15. Remitting seronegative symmetrical synovitis with pitting edema (RS3PE) syndrome: ultrasonography as a diagnostic tool.

    PubMed

    Agarwal, Vikas; Dabra, Ajay Kumar; Kaur, Ravinder; Sachdev, Atul; Singh, Ram

    2005-09-01

    Remitting seronegative symmetrical synovitis with pitting edema (RS3PE) syndrome is characterized by symmetrical synovitis and swelling of both the upper and lower extremities. The anatomical determinant of RS3PE is predominantly extensor tenosynovitis as revealed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Given the cost constraints, time, and expertise required in carrying out MRI and ease in diagnosing tenosynovitis by ultrasound, we utilized high-frequency ultrasonography (USG) for evidence of tenosynovitis of the distal tendons in patients with RS3PE. Diagnosis of tenosynovitis was made on the basis of anechoic or hypoechoic signals around the tendon sheaths in both transverse and longitudinal planes. Flexor and extensor tendons at the wrist and metacarpal heads and extensor digitorum longus (EDL) tendons at the ankle were evaluated with a 7.5-10-MHz linear probe. There were ten patients (seven males) with a mean age of 59.5 years (range: 52-78 years) and mean disease duration of 6.1 months (range: 1.5-12 months). Disease onset was acute in all of the cases. Pitting edema of the hands was present in all except two patients whereas four patients, in addition, had edema of the feet. Edema was symmetrical in seven patients. Inability to make a complete fist was noted in all. Tenosynovitis of extensor and flexor tendons at the wrist and the metacarpal heads was documented in all patients with edema of the hands. In seven cases extensor tendon tenosynovitis was more prominent compared to the flexor tendons. Tenosynovitis of EDL tendons was detected in six cases. Dramatic relief with low-dose prednisolone was noted in all patients within 6 weeks of therapy. At a mean follow-up of 10.1 months all patients had marked relief in edema of extremities and improvement in the grip strength. Our study confirms that tenosynovitis of both flexor and extensor tendons at the wrist and extensor tendons of the feet is the hallmark of RS3PE syndrome. USG is a reliable and cost

  16. Urban Waters and the Caño Martín Peña (Martín Peña Channel, Puerto Rico)

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    The Martín Peña Channel Urban Waters Federal Partnership seeks to make significant contributions to the health and welfare of the eight communities that surround the Martín Peña Channel in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

  17. Effective salvage of acute massive uterine bleeding using intrauterine balloon tamponade in a uterine adenomyosis patient on dienogest.

    PubMed

    Nishino, Kimihiro; Hayashi, Kazumasa; Chaya, Jyunya; Kato, Noriko; Yamamuro, Osamu

    2013-03-01

    We present the case of a 37-year-old nulliparous woman in whom acute massive uterine bleeding during dienogest therapy was successfully treated using intrauterine balloon tamponade. Abnormal uterine bleeding and several cases of profuse bleeding causing severe anemia in association with dienogest therapy have been reported, but this is the first reported case involving hypovolemic shock. While successful control of postpartum hemorrhage with intrauterine balloon tamponade has been well described, applications for non-obstetric bleeding, particularly in the presence of underlying diseases, such as adenomyosis, have only rarely been reported. This procedure can be easily, promptly, and safely implemented without analgesia, anesthesia, or laparotomy; it can be used with a minimally dilated external cervical os or narrow uterine cavity; and it can preserve fertility. © 2012 The Authors. Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Research © 2012 Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

  18. Remitting seronegative symmetrical synovitis with pitting edema (RS3PE); a rare association with phyllodes tumour of breast.

    PubMed

    Sarkar, R N; Phaujdar, Sibaji; Banerjee, Siwalik; Siddhanta, Sattik; De, Dibyendu; Bhattachary, Kuntal; Pal, Hare Krishna

    2012-04-01

    Remitting seronegative symmetrical synovitis with pitting edema (RS3PE) is a rare entity mainly found in elderly males. It is characterized by pitting edema mainly of dorsum of both hands giving a "boxing glove hand" appearance; rarely involving feet also, acute in onset, negative rheumatoid factor and a good response to low dose corticosteroid therapy. Clinically it almost resembles a case of polymyalgia rheumatica, late onset rheumatoid arthritis or other seronegative spondyloarthropathy.Though there are multiple underlying factors causing this rare entity but it has very close associations with many malignancies.So far its association with solid tumours and hematological malignancies has been reported. Phyllodes tumour of breast shows wide spectrum of activity from a benign condition to a locally aggressive and sometimes metastatic tumour.One fourth of the cases recur after definitive treatment.Our case represent an unusual association with recurrent phyllodes tumour of breast with RS3PE.

  19. Length of stay and economic consequences with rivaroxaban vs enoxaparin/vitamin K antagonist in patients with DVT and PE: findings from the North American EINSTEIN clinical trial program.

    PubMed

    Bookhart, Brahim K; Haskell, Lloyd; Bamber, Luke; Wang, Maria; Schein, Jeff; Mody, Samir H

    2014-10-01

    Venous thromboembolism (VTE) (deep vein thrombosis [DVT] and pulmonary embolism [(PE]) represents a substantial economic burden to the healthcare system. Using data from the randomized EINSTEIN DVT and PE trials, this North American sub-group analysis investigated the potential of rivaroxaban to reduce the length of initial hospitalization in patients with acute symptomatic DVT or PE. A post-hoc analysis of hospitalization and length-of-stay (LOS) data was conducted in the North American sub-set of patients from the randomized, open-label EINSTEIN trial program. Patients received either rivaroxaban (15 mg twice daily for 3 weeks followed by 20 mg once daily; n = 405) or dose-adjusted subcutaneous enoxaparin overlapping with (guideline-recommended 'bridging' therapy) and followed by a vitamin K antagonist (VKA) (international normalized ratio = 2.0-3.0; n = 401). The open-label study design allowed for the comparison of LOS between treatment arms under conditions reflecting normal clinical practice. LOS was evaluated using investigator records of dates of admission and discharge. Analyses were carried out in the intention-to-treat population using parametric tests. Costs were applied to the LOS based on weighted mean cost per day for DVT and PE diagnoses obtained from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project dataset. Of 382 patients hospitalized, 321 (84%), had acute symptomatic PE; few DVT patients required hospitalization. Similar rates of VTE patients were hospitalized in the rivaroxaban and enoxaparin/VKA treatment groups, 189/405 (47%) and 193/401 (48%), respectively. In hospitalized VTE patients, rivaroxaban treatment produced a 1.6-day mean reduction in LOS (median = 1 day) compared with enoxaparin/VKA (mean = 4.5 vs 6.1; median = 3 vs 4), translating to total costs that were $3419 lower in rivaroxaban-treated patients. In hospitalized North American patients with VTE, treatment with rivaroxaban produced a statistically

  20. [A case of interstitial pneumonia complicating RS3PE syndrome in which soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R) proved useful for assessing symptoms].

    PubMed

    Okuda, Miyuki; Kashio, Makoto; Aitani, Masakazu; Nakanishi, Daisuke; Tanaka, Nobuya; Kimura, Kentaro

    2009-07-01

    The patient was a 70-year-old man who had been given a diagnosis of remitting seronegative symmetrical synovitis with pitting edema (RS3PE) syndrome and had been placed on low-dose steroid therapy in the Department of Orthopedics. During treatment, sudden fever, hypoxemia and chest radiography-confirmed interstitial shadows throughout the lung fields were noted, and the patient was referred to the Department of Internal Medicine. RS3PE complicated by interstitial pneumonia was diagnosed, and steroid pulse therapy and immunosuppressant therapy were initiated. In the present case, soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R) proved useful for assessing symptoms. To the best of our knowledge, RS3PE syndrome complicated by pulmonary lesions and accompanied by severe acute respiratory failure requiring noninvasive positive-pressure ventilation has not previously been reported, and this rare case is discussed with reference to the literature.

  1. Acute onset polyarthritis in older people: Is it RS3PE syndrome?

    PubMed

    Salam, Abdul; Henry, Rafik; Sheeran, Tom

    2008-08-29

    Remitting Seronegative Symmetrical Synovitis with Pitting oedema syndrome, a rare inflammatory arthritis, commonly affects people in the older age group. It can present as an acute onset polyarthritis with associated pitting oedema of the extremities. Patients show excellent response to low dose steroids with complete and sustained remissions. It can also be a paraneoplastic manifestation of an underlying occult malignancy, hence thorough clinical evaluation is warranted.We discuss a case of Remitting Seronegative Symmetrical Synovitis with pitting oedema syndrome where the patient presented with acute onset polyarthritis and pitting oedema of the extremities without an underlying systemic cause. Patient showed dramatic response to low dose steroids.

  2. Acute onset polyarthritis in older people: Is it RS3PE syndrome?

    PubMed Central

    Salam, Abdul; Henry, Rafik; Sheeran, Tom

    2008-01-01

    Remitting Seronegative Symmetrical Synovitis with Pitting oedema syndrome, a rare inflammatory arthritis, commonly affects people in the older age group. It can present as an acute onset polyarthritis with associated pitting oedema of the extremities. Patients show excellent response to low dose steroids with complete and sustained remissions. It can also be a paraneoplastic manifestation of an underlying occult malignancy, hence thorough clinical evaluation is warranted. We discuss a case of Remitting Seronegative Symmetrical Synovitis with pitting oedema syndrome where the patient presented with acute onset polyarthritis and pitting oedema of the extremities without an underlying systemic cause. Patient showed dramatic response to low dose steroids. PMID:18759976

  3. Modulation of the Activity of Mycobacterium tuberculosis LipY by Its PE Domain

    PubMed Central

    Garrett, Christopher K.; Broadwell, Lindsey J.; Hayne, Cassandra K.; Neher, Saskia B.

    2015-01-01

    Mycobacterium tuberculosis harbors over 160 genes encoding PE/PPE proteins, several of which have roles in the pathogen’s virulence. A number of PE/PPE proteins are secreted via Type VII secretion systems known as the ESX secretion systems. One PE protein, LipY, has a triglyceride lipase domain in addition to its PE domain. LipY can regulate intracellular triglyceride levels and is also exported to the cell wall by one of the ESX family members, ESX-5. Upon export, LipY’s PE domain is removed by proteolytic cleavage. Studies using cells and crude extracts suggest that LipY’s PE domain not only directs its secretion by ESX-5, but also functions to inhibit its enzymatic activity. Here, we attempt to further elucidate the role of LipY’s PE domain in the regulation of its enzymatic activity. First, we established an improved purification method for several LipY variants using detergent micelles. We then used enzymatic assays to confirm that the PE domain down-regulates LipY activity. The PE domain must be attached to LipY in order to effectively inhibit it. Finally, we determined that full length LipY and the mature lipase lacking the PE domain (LipYΔPE) have similar melting temperatures. Based on our improved purification strategy and activity-based approach, we concluded that LipY’s PE domain down-regulates its enzymatic activity but does not impact the thermal stability of the enzyme. PMID:26270534

  4. Improvement of barrier properties of rotomolded PE containers with nanoclay

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

    Jamshidi, Shadi; Sundararaj, Uttandaraman, E-mail: u.sundararaj@ucalgary.ca

    Polyethylene (PE) is widely used to make bulk containers in rotational molding process. The challenge in this study is to improve permeation resistance of PE to hydrocarbon solvents and gases. Adding organomodified clay improves the thermal, barrier and mechanical properties of PE. In fact, clay layers create a tortuous path against the permeant, yielding better barrier properties. Due to the non-polar hydrophobic nature of PE and polar hydrophilic structure of clay minerals, the compatibilizer plays a crucial role to enhance the dispersion level of clay in the matrix. In this study High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) and Linear Low Density Polyethylenemore » (LLDPE) layered silicate nanocomposite were melt-compounded with two concentrations of organomodified clay (2 and 4 wt. %). The interaction between nanoclay, compatibilizer and rotomolding grade of PE were examined by using X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and rheology test. Rheology was used to determine the performance of our material at low shear processing condition.« less

  5. Au-nanoparticles grafted on plasma treated PE

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Švorčík, V.; Chaloupka, A.; Řezanka, P.; Slepička, P.; Kolská, Z.; Kasálková, N.; Hubáček, T.; Siegel, J.

    2010-03-01

    Polyethylene (PE) surface was treated with Ar plasma. Activated surface was grafted from methanol solution of 1,2-ethanedithiol. Then the sample was immersed into freshly prepared colloid solution of Au-nanoparticles. Finally Au layer was sputtered on the samples. Properties of the modified PE were studied using various methods: AFM, EPR, RBS and nanoindentation. It was shown that the plasma treatment results in degradation of polymer chain (AFM) and creation of free radicals by EPR. After grafting with dithiol, the concentration of free radicals declines. The presence of Au and S in the surface layer after the coating with Au-nanoparticles was proved by RBS. Plasma treatment changes PE surface morphology and increases surface roughness, too. Another significant change in surface morphology and roughness was observed after deposition of Au-nanoparticles. Nanoindentation measurements show that the grafting with Au-nanoparticles increases adhesion of subsequently sputtered Au layer.

  6. [RS3PE syndrome or benign edematous polysynovitis in the elderly. Study of 8 cases].

    PubMed

    Cobeta García, J C; Martínez Burgui, J

    1999-12-01

    The RS3PE syndrome is a recently described uncommon disorder in the elderly patient; in the initial reports, it was characterized by an excellent prognosis with total remission. In contrast with rheumatoid arthritis and polymyalgia rheumatic, it has been related to HLA B7. Further works have questioned its benign nature and even that it is a new entity. Our objective was to study the clinico-biological characteristics, therapy, and clinical course in patients with RS3PE attended at our clinic. Retrospective descriptional study of patients with RS3PE attended in our clinic from January 1992 to December 1998 following the inclusion criteria proposed by Olivé et al. For all patients, the following determinations and studies were performed: complete blood count, ESR, serum biochemistry, two measurements of rheumatoid factor (RF), and X-ray. Class I HLA typing was determined in five cases. Eight patients were found (6 men and 2 women), with a mean age of 68.7 years. The arthritis was more common at MCP, wrists, shoulder, and PIF in hands. Four patients had tenosynovitis of the hand flexors. ESR (mean: 69.3) and RCP (mean: 49.7) were increased in most cases. Seven patients had leukocytosis. HLA B7 was positive for 4 out of five patients. All patients were treated with low-dose corticosteroids, with a mean length of 9.5 months. Three patients had relapses. During follow-up after therapy had been completed, none of the patients had other diseases. RS3PE syndrome involves elderly patients and its clinical course is characterized by sudden onset seronegative symmetrical polysynovitis, with pitting edema over the hand dorsum and less commonly over the pretibial region. In most cases, a marked acute-phase reaction and leukocytosis were observed. Therapy with low-dose corticosteroids is effective; sometimes however, it is necessary to add antimalarial agents. The three patients who relapsed had underlying diseases: chronic lymphocytic leukemia, Sjögren's syndrome, and liver

  7. The New P.E.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Vandertie, Joan; Corner, Amy B.; Corner, Kevin J.

    2012-01-01

    Marana Middle School in Tucson, Ariz., scrapped its traditional P.E. program that emphasized team sports and shifted to a program that focuses on lifetime fitness, student choice in activities, and nutrition and health education. The program also includes student leadership development and informal community service. As a result, Marana students…

  8. Fatal acute poisoning from massive inhalation of gasoline vapors: case report and comparison with similar cases.

    PubMed

    Papi, Luigi; Chericoni, Silvio; Bresci, Francesco; Giusiani, Mario

    2013-03-01

    We describe a case of an acute lethal poisoning with hydrocarbons resulting from massive accidental inhalation of gasoline vapors. The victim, a 50-year-old man was found unconscious inside a control room for the transport of unleaded fuel. Complete autopsy was performed and showed evidence of congestion and edema of the lungs. Toxicological investigation was therefore fundamental to confirm exposure to fumes of gasoline. Both venous and arterial blood showed high values of volatiles in particular for benzene (39.0 and 30.4 μg/mL, respectively), toluene (23.7 and 20.4 μg/mL), and xylene isomers (29.8 and 19.3 μg/mL). The relatively low values found in the lungs are consistent with the fact that the subject, during the rescue, underwent orotracheal intubation followed by resuscitation techniques, while the low concentrations for all substances found in urine and kidneys could point to a death that occurred in a very short time after first contact with the fumes of gasoline. © 2012 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

  9. Massive splenomegaly in acute erythroid leukaemia (FAB Class-M6): an unusual presentation.

    PubMed

    Sherazi, Syed Furqan Haider; Butt, Zeeshan

    2012-09-01

    AML-M6 has a peak incidence in the seventh decade with slight male preponderance, and can also present at a younger age. The usual features are anaemia, thrombocytopenia, malaise, fatigue, easy bruising, epistaxis and petechiae. Splenomegaly may occur in 20-40 % of the cases but massive splenomegaly is rare presentation and have been only reported once in humans and once in animals. A 22 year Asian female, presented with fatigue, pallor, mild jaundice, exertional dyspnoea, epigastric pain, tender right hypochondrium and massive splenomegaly. Investigations revealed anaemia and thrombocytopenia, tear drop cells, basophilic stippling, piokilocytosis and anisochromia; increased uric acid and LDH. Abdominal ultrasound showed enlarged liver (22cm) and spleen (20cm). Bone marrow aspiration revealed 51% erythroid and 24% non-erythroid precursors, depressed leukopoeisis and megakarypoeisis. Erythroblasts were PAS and CD71 positive and also reacted to Antihaemoglobin-Antibody. This report highlights characteristic features and diagnostic criteria of erythroleukaemia, differential diagnosis of massive splenomegaly and their rare association.

  10. The designing and implementation of PE teaching information resource database based on broadband network

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Jian

    2017-01-01

    In order to change traditional PE teaching mode and realize the interconnection, interworking and sharing of PE teaching resources, a distance PE teaching platform based on broadband network is designed and PE teaching information resource database is set up. The designing of PE teaching information resource database takes Windows NT 4/2000Server as operating system platform, Microsoft SQL Server 7.0 as RDBMS, and takes NAS technology for data storage and flow technology for video service. The analysis of system designing and implementation shows that the dynamic PE teaching information resource sharing platform based on Web Service can realize loose coupling collaboration, realize dynamic integration and active integration and has good integration, openness and encapsulation. The distance PE teaching platform based on Web Service and the design scheme of PE teaching information resource database can effectively solve and realize the interconnection, interworking and sharing of PE teaching resources and adapt to the informatization development demands of PE teaching.

  11. RS3PE syndrome developing during the course of probable toxic shock syndrome: a case report.

    PubMed

    Kyotani, Moe; Kenzaka, Tsuneaki; Nishio, Ryo; Akita, Hozuka

    2018-04-13

    Remitting seronegative symmetrical synovitis with pitting edema (RS3PE) is a rare syndrome characterized by "remitting," "seronegative" (namely rheumatoid factor-negative), and "symmetrical" synovitis with pitting edema on the dorsum of the hands and feet. Recently, there have been reports that serum vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is elevated in this condition. An 85-year-old man visited our department with a rash that had appeared 2 days earlier and a fever that had developed on the day of his visit. Based on clinical findings of fever, erythema exudativum multiforme, transitory hypotension, conjunctiva hyperemia, elevated creatine kinase, and desquamation, we suspected toxic shock syndrome (TSS). Therefore, we started treatment with vancomycin (1 g/day) and clindamycin (600 mg/day), after which his fever rapidly remitted. However, pitting edema on the dorsum of his hands and feet appeared on day 7, and the patient also had painful wrist and ankle joints. Additional tests were negative for rheumatoid factor, and anti-cyclic citrullinated protein antibodies were < 0.2 U/mL. Further, serum matrix metalloproteinase-3 (199.6 ng/mL; reference value ≤123.8 ng/mL) and serum VEGF (191 pg/mL; reference value ≤38.3 pg/mL) levels were elevated, and human leukocyte antigen-A2 was detected. The patient was thus diagnosed with RS3PE syndrome, for which he satisfied all four diagnostic criteria: 1) pitting edema in the limbs, 2) acute onset, 3) age ≥ 50 years, and 4) rheumatoid factor negativity. He was treated with oral prednisolone, resulting in the normalization of his serum VEGF level to 34.5 pg/mL 1 month after starting treatment. It is currently 1 year since disease onset, and although the patient has stopped taking prednisolone, there has been no recurrence of RS3PE syndrome. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of a patient developing RS3PE syndrome during the clinical course of TSS. We propose that the onset

  12. Outcomes after surgical pulmonary embolectomy for acute submassive and massive pulmonary embolism: A single-center experience.

    PubMed

    Pasrija, Chetan; Kronfli, Anthony; Rouse, Michael; Raithel, Maxwell; Bittle, Gregory J; Pousatis, Sheelagh; Ghoreishi, Mehrdad; Gammie, James S; Griffith, Bartley P; Sanchez, Pablo G; Kon, Zachary N

    2018-03-01

    Ideal treatment strategies for submassive and massive pulmonary embolism remain unclear. Recent reports of surgical pulmonary embolectomy have demonstrated improved outcomes, but surgical technique and postoperative outcomes continue to be refined. The aim of this study is to describe in-hospital survival and right ventricular function after surgical pulmonary embolectomy for submassive and massive pulmonary embolism with excessive predicted mortality (≥5%). All patients undergoing surgical pulmonary embolectomy (2011-2015) were retrospectively reviewed. Patients with pulmonary embolism were stratified as submassive, massive without arrest, and massive with arrest. Submassive was defined as normotensive with right ventricular dysfunction. Massive was defined as prolonged hypotension due to the pulmonary embolism. Preoperative demographics, intraoperative variables, and postoperative outcomes were compared. A total of 55 patients were identified: 28 as submassive, 18 as massive without arrest, and 9 as massive with arrest. All patients had a right ventricle/left ventricle ratio greater than 1.0. Right ventricular dysfunction decreased from moderate preoperatively to none before discharge (P < .001). In-hospital and 1-year survival were 93% and 91%, respectively, with 100% survival in the submassive group. No patients developed renal failure requiring hemodialysis at discharge or had a postoperative stroke. In this single institution experience, surgical pulmonary embolectomy is a safe and effective therapy to treat patients with a submassive or massive pulmonary embolism. Although survival in this study is higher than previously reported for patients treated with medical therapy alone, a prospective trial comparing surgical therapy with medical therapy is necessary to further elucidate the role of surgical pulmonary embolectomy in the treatment of pulmonary embolism. Copyright © 2017 The American Association for Thoracic Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All

  13. Computed Tomography Angiography in Patients Evaluated for Acute Pulmonary Embolism with Low Serum D-dimer Levels: A Prospective Study.

    PubMed

    Gimber, Lana Hirai; Travis, R Ing; Takahashi, Jayme M; Goodman, Torrey L; Yoon, Hyo-Chun

    2009-01-01

    Pulmonary computed tomography angiography (CTA) and the Wells criteria both have interobserver variability in the assessment of pulmonary embolism (PE). Quantitative D-dimer assay findings have been shown to have a high negative predictive value in patients with low pretest probability of PE. Evaluate roles for clinical probability and CTA in Emergency Department (ED) patients suspected of acute PE but having a low serum D-dimer level. Prospective observational study of ED patients with possible PE who underwent pulmonary CTA and had D-dimer levels PE determined by ED physicians using standard published criteria; pulmonary CTAs read by initial and study radiologists kept unaware of D-dimer results. In 16 months, 744 patients underwent pulmonary CTA, with 347 study participants who had a D-dimer level PE that was agreed on by both the initial and study radiologists. In six participants, the initial findings were reported as positive for PE but were not interpreted as positive by the study radiologist. In none of these participants was PE diagnosed on the basis of clinical probability, of findings on ancillary studies and three-month follow-up examination, or by another radiologist, unaware of findings, acting as a tiebreaker. Pulmonary CTA findings positive for acute embolism should be viewed with caution, especially if the suspected PE is in a distal segmental or subsegmental artery in a patient with a serum D-dimer level of PE.

  14. Computed Tomography Angiography in Patients Evaluated for Acute Pulmonary Embolism with Low Serum D-dimer Levels: A Prospective Study

    PubMed Central

    Gimber, Lana Hirai; Travis, R Ing; Takahashi, Jayme M; Goodman, Torrey L; Yoon, Hyo-Chun

    2009-01-01

    Context: Pulmonary computed tomography angiography (CTA) and the Wells criteria both have interobserver variability in the assessment of pulmonary embolism (PE). Quantitative D-dimer assay findings have been shown to have a high negative predictive value in patients with low pretest probability of PE. Objective: Evaluate roles for clinical probability and CTA in Emergency Department (ED) patients suspected of acute PE but having a low serum D-dimer level. Design: Prospective observational study of ED patients with possible PE who underwent pulmonary CTA and had D-dimer levels ≤1.0 μg/mL. Main Outcome: Clinical probability of PE determined by ED physicians using standard published criteria; pulmonary CTAs read by initial and study radiologists kept unaware of D-dimer results. Results: In 16 months, 744 patients underwent pulmonary CTA, with 347 study participants who had a D-dimer level ≤ 1.0 μg/mL. In one participant, CTA showed a PE that was agreed on by both the initial and study radiologists. In six participants, the initial findings were reported as positive for PE but were not interpreted as positive by the study radiologist. In none of these participants was PE diagnosed on the basis of clinical probability, of findings on ancillary studies and three-month follow-up examination, or by another radiologist, unaware of findings, acting as a tiebreaker. Conclusion: Pulmonary CTA findings positive for acute embolism should be viewed with caution, especially if the suspected PE is in a distal segmental or subsegmental artery in a patient with a serum D-dimer level of ≤1.0 μg/mL. Furthermore, the Wells criteria may be of limited additional value in this group of patients with low D-dimer levels because most will have low or intermediate clinical probability of PE. PMID:20740096

  15. Use of clinical prediction rules and D-dimer tests in the diagnostic management of pregnant patients with suspected acute pulmonary embolism.

    PubMed

    Van der Pol, L M; Mairuhu, A T A; Tromeur, C; Couturaud, F; Huisman, M V; Klok, F A

    2017-03-01

    Because pregnant women have an increased risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) and at the same time normal pregnancy is associated with symptoms, mimicking those present in the setting of acute pulmonary embolism (PE), the latter diagnosis is frequently suspected in this patient category. Since imaging tests expose both mother and foetus to ionizing radiation, the ability to rule out PE based on non-radiological diagnostic tests is of paramount importance. However, clinical decision rules have only been scarcely evaluated in the pregnant population with suspected PE, while D-dimer levels lose diagnostic accuracy due to a physiological increase during normal pregnancy. Consequently, clinical guidelines provide contradicting and weak recommendations on this subject and the optimal diagnostic strategy remains highly debated. With this systematic review, we aimed to summarize current evidence on the safety and efficacy of clinical decision rules and biomarkers used in the diagnostic management of suspected acute PE in pregnant patients. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. MuPeXI: prediction of neo-epitopes from tumor sequencing data.

    PubMed

    Bjerregaard, Anne-Mette; Nielsen, Morten; Hadrup, Sine Reker; Szallasi, Zoltan; Eklund, Aron Charles

    2017-09-01

    Personalization of immunotherapies such as cancer vaccines and adoptive T cell therapy depends on identification of patient-specific neo-epitopes that can be specifically targeted. MuPeXI, the mutant peptide extractor and informer, is a program to identify tumor-specific peptides and assess their potential to be neo-epitopes. The program input is a file with somatic mutation calls, a list of HLA types, and optionally a gene expression profile. The output is a table with all tumor-specific peptides derived from nucleotide substitutions, insertions, and deletions, along with comprehensive annotation, including HLA binding and similarity to normal peptides. The peptides are sorted according to a priority score which is intended to roughly predict immunogenicity. We applied MuPeXI to three tumors for which predicted MHC-binding peptides had been screened for T cell reactivity, and found that MuPeXI was able to prioritize immunogenic peptides with an area under the curve of 0.63. Compared to other available tools, MuPeXI provides more information and is easier to use. MuPeXI is available as stand-alone software and as a web server at http://www.cbs.dtu.dk/services/MuPeXI .

  17. Red Kidney: Kidney Transplant From a Deceased Donor Who Received Massive Blood Transfusion During Cardiopulmonary Bypass.

    PubMed

    Bell, Richard; Hanif, Faisal; Prasad, Padmini; Ahmad, Niaz

    2016-06-01

    Here, we present a case of a deceased-donor kidney transplant. The brain-dead donor had received a massive blood transfusion during cardiopulmonary bypass, which lead to hemolysis, hemoglobinuria, acute kidney injury, and renal replacement therapy. The kidney appeared red after in situ flush. Postoperatively, the recipient developed delayed graft function. Protocol biopsy during the postoperative period revealed the widespread deposition of heme pigment in the renal tubules. Massive blood transfusion and cardiopulmonary bypass surgery are associated with hemolysis and heme pigment deposition in the renal tubules, which subsequently lead to acute kidney injury. Kidneys from such donors appear red and, while this does not preclude transplant, are likely to develop delayed graft function.

  18. Massive, wide binaries as tracers of massive star formation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Griffiths, Daniel W.; Goodwin, Simon P.; Caballero-Nieves, Saida M.

    2018-05-01

    Massive stars can be found in wide (hundreds to thousands au) binaries with other massive stars. We use N-body simulations to show that any bound cluster should always have approximately one massive wide binary: one will probably form if none are present initially, and probably only one will survive if more than one is present initially. Therefore, any region that contains many massive wide binaries must have been composed of many individual subregions. Observations of Cyg OB2 show that the massive wide binary fraction is at least a half (38/74), which suggests that Cyg OB2 had at least 30 distinct massive star formation sites. This is further evidence that Cyg OB2 has always been a large, low-density association. That Cyg OB2 has a normal high-mass initial mass function (IMF) for its total mass suggests that however massive stars form, they `randomly sample' the IMF (as the massive stars did not `know' about each other).

  19. Global Gridded Emission Inventories of Pentabrominated Diphenyl Ether (PeBDE)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Yi-Fan; Tian, Chongguo; Yang, Meng; Jia, Hongliang; Ma, Jianmin; Li, Dacheng

    2010-05-01

    Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are flame retardants widely used in many everyday products such as cars, furniture, textiles, and other electronic equipment. The commercial PBDEs have three major technical mixtures: penta-(PeBDE), octa-(OBDE) and decabromodiphenyl ethers (DeBDE). PeBDE is a mixture of several BDE congeners, such as BDE-47, -99, and -100, and has been included as a new member of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) under the 2009 Stockholm Convention. In order to produce gridded emission inventories of PeBDE on a global scale, information of production, consumption, emission, and physiochemical properties of PeBDE have been searched for published papers, government reports, and internet publications. A methodology to estimate the emissions of PeBDE has been developed and global gridded emission inventories of 2 major congener in PeBDE mixture, BDE-47 and -99, on a 1 degree by 1degree latitude/longitude resolution for 2005 have been compiled. Using these emission inventories as input data, the Canadian Model for Environmental Transport of Organochlorine Pesticides (CanMETOP) model was used to simulate the transport of these chemicals and their concentrations in air were calculated for the year of 2005. The modeled air concentration of BDE-47 and -99 were compared with the monitoring air concentrations of these two congeners in the same year obtained from renowned international/national monitoring programs, such as Global Atmospheric Passive Sampling (GAPS), the Integrated Atmospheric Deposition Network (IADN), and the Chinese POPs Soil and Air Monitoring Program (SAMP), and significant correlations between the modeled results and the monitoring data were found, indicating the high quality of the produced emission inventories of BDE-47 and -99. Keywords: Pentabrominated Diphenyl Ether (PeBDE), Emission Inventories, Global, Model

  20. HIGHLY VARIABLE YOUNG MASSIVE STARS IN ATLASGAL CLUMPS

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

    Kumar, M. S. N.; Contreras Peña, C.; Lucas, P. W.

    High-amplitude variability in young stellar objects (YSOs) is usually associated with episodic accretion events. It has not been observed so far in massive YSOs. Here, the high-amplitude variable star sample of Contreras Peña et al. has been used to search for highly variable (Δ K  ≥ 1 mag) sources coinciding with dense clumps mapped using the 850  μ m continuum emission by the ATLASGAL survey. A total of 18 variable sources are centered on the submillimeter clump peaks and coincide (<1″) with a 24  μ m point or compact (<10″) source. Of these 18 sources, 13 can be fit by YSOmore » models. The 13 variable YSOs (VYSOs) have luminosities of ∼10{sup 3} L {sub ⊙}, an average mass of 8  M {sub ⊙}, and a range of ages up to 10{sup 6} yr. A total of 11 of these 13 VYSOs are located in the midst of infrared dark clouds. Nine of the 13 sources have Δ K  > 2 mag, significantly higher compared to the mean variability of the entire VVV sample. The light curves of these objects sampled between 2010 and 2015 display rising, declining, or quasi-periodic behavior but no clear periodicity. Light-curve analysis using the Plavchan method shows that the most prominent phased signals have periods of a few hundred days. The nature and timescale of variations found in 6.7 Ghz methanol maser emission in massive stars are similar to that of the VYSO light curves. We argue that the origin of the observed variability is episodic accretion. We suggest that the timescale of a few hundred days may represent the frequency at which a spiraling disk feeds dense gas to the young massive star.« less

  1. Outcomes from massive paracetamol overdose: a retrospective observational study

    PubMed Central

    Marks, Daniel J. B.; Dargan, Paul I.; Archer, John R. H.; Davies, Charlotte L.; Dines, Alison M.; Wood, David M.

    2017-01-01

    LINKED ARTICLE This article is commented on by Bateman DN and Dear JW. Should we treat very large paracetamol overdose differently? Br J Clin Pharmacol 2017; 83: 1163–5. https://doi.org/10.1111/bcp.13279 Aims Treatment of paracetamol (acetaminophen) overdose with acetylcysteine is standardized, with dose determined only by patient weight. The validity of this approach for massive overdoses has been questioned. We systematically compared outcomes in massive and non‐massive overdoses, to guide whether alternative treatment strategies should be considered, and whether the ratio between measured timed paracetamol concentrations (APAPpl) and treatment nomogram thresholds at those time points (APAPt) provides a useful assessment tool. Methods This is a retrospective observational study of all patients (n = 545) between 2005 and 2013 admitted to a tertiary care toxicology service with acute non‐staggered paracetamol overdose. Massive overdoses were defined as extrapolated 4‐h plasma paracetamol concentrations >250 mg l−1, or reported ingestions ≥30 g. Outcomes (liver injury, coagulopathy and kidney injury) were assessed in relation to reported dose and APAPpl:APAPt ratio (based on a treatment line through 100 mg l−1 at 4 h), and time to acetylcysteine. Results Ingestions of ≥30 g paracetamol correlated with higher peak serum aminotransferase (r = 0.212, P < 0.0001) and creatinine (r = 0.138, P = 0.002) concentrations. Acute liver injury, hepatotoxicity and coagulopathy were more frequent with APAPpl:APAPt ≥ 3 with odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) of 9.19 (5.04–16.68), 35.95 (8.80–158.1) and 8.34 (4.43–15.84), respectively (P < 0.0001). Heightened risk persisted in patients receiving acetylcysteine within 8 h of overdose. Conclusion Patients presenting following massive paracetamol overdose are at higher risk of organ injury, even when acetylcysteine is administered early. Enhanced therapeutic strategies

  2. Outcomes from massive paracetamol overdose: a retrospective observational study.

    PubMed

    Marks, Daniel J B; Dargan, Paul I; Archer, John R H; Davies, Charlotte L; Dines, Alison M; Wood, David M; Greene, Shaun L

    2017-06-01

    This article is commented on by Bateman DN and Dear JW. Should we treat very large paracetamol overdose differently? Br J Clin Pharmacol 2017; 83: 1163-5. https://doi.org/10.1111/bcp.13279 AIMS: Treatment of paracetamol (acetaminophen) overdose with acetylcysteine is standardized, with dose determined only by patient weight. The validity of this approach for massive overdoses has been questioned. We systematically compared outcomes in massive and non-massive overdoses, to guide whether alternative treatment strategies should be considered, and whether the ratio between measured timed paracetamol concentrations (APAP pl ) and treatment nomogram thresholds at those time points (APAP t ) provides a useful assessment tool. This is a retrospective observational study of all patients (n = 545) between 2005 and 2013 admitted to a tertiary care toxicology service with acute non-staggered paracetamol overdose. Massive overdoses were defined as extrapolated 4-h plasma paracetamol concentrations >250 mg l -1 , or reported ingestions ≥30 g. Outcomes (liver injury, coagulopathy and kidney injury) were assessed in relation to reported dose and APAP pl :APAP t ratio (based on a treatment line through 100 mg l -1 at 4 h), and time to acetylcysteine. Ingestions of ≥30 g paracetamol correlated with higher peak serum aminotransferase (r = 0.212, P < 0.0001) and creatinine (r = 0.138, P = 0.002) concentrations. Acute liver injury, hepatotoxicity and coagulopathy were more frequent with APAP pl :APAP t  ≥ 3 with odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) of 9.19 (5.04-16.68), 35.95 (8.80-158.1) and 8.34 (4.43-15.84), respectively (P < 0.0001). Heightened risk persisted in patients receiving acetylcysteine within 8 h of overdose. Patients presenting following massive paracetamol overdose are at higher risk of organ injury, even when acetylcysteine is administered early. Enhanced therapeutic strategies should be considered in those who have an APAP pl

  3. A group-level approach to analyzing participative ergonomics (PE) effectiveness: The relationship between PE dimensions and employee exposure to injuries.

    PubMed

    Morag, Ido; Luria, Gil

    2018-04-01

    Most studies concerned with participative ergonomic (PE) interventions, focus on organizational rather than group level analysis. By implementing an intervention at a manufacturing plant, the current study, utilizing advanced information systems, measured the effect of line-supervisor leadership on employee exposure to risks. The study evaluated which PE dimensions (i.e., extent of workforce involvement, diversity of reporter role types and scope of analysis) are related to such exposure at the group level. The data for the study was extracted from two separate computerized systems (workforce medical records of 791 employees and an intranet reporting system) during a two-year period. While the results did not confirm the effect of line-supervisor leadership on subordinates' exposure to risks, they did demonstrate relationships between PE dimensions and the employees' exposure to risks. The results support the suggested level of analysis and demonstrate that group-based analysis facilitates the assimilation of preventive interventions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Lung function, functional capacity, and respiratory symptoms at discharge from hospital in patients with acute pulmonary embolism: A cross-sectional study.

    PubMed

    Danielsbacka, Jenny S; Olsén, Monika Fagevik; Hansson, Per-Olof; Mannerkorpi, Kaisa

    2018-03-01

    Acute pulmonary embolism (PE) is a cardiovascular disease with symptoms including respiratory associated chest pain (RACP) and dyspnea. No previous studies exist focusing on lung function, functional capacity, and respiratory symptoms at discharge after PE. The aim was to examine and describe lung function, functional capacity, and respiratory symptoms at discharge in patients with PE and compare to reference values. Fifty consecutive patients with PE admitted to the Acute Medical Unit, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, were included. Size of PE was calculated by Qanadli score (QS) percentage (mean QS 33.4% (17.6)). FVC and FEV 1 were registered and 6-minute walk test (6MWT) performed at the day of discharge. RACP was rated before and after spirometry/6MWT with the Visual Analogue Scale. Perceived exertion was rated with Borg CR-10 scale. Spirometry and 6MWT results were compared with reference values. This study shows that patients with PE have significantly reduced lung function (p < 0.05) and functional capacity (p < 0.001) at discharge compared with reference values. Patients with higher QS percentage were more dyspneic after 6MWT, no other significant differences in lung function or functional capacity were found between the groups. The patients still suffer from RACP (30%) and dyspnea (60%) at discharge. This study indicates that patients with PE have a reduced lung function, reduced functional capacity, and experience respiratory symptoms as pain and dyspnea at discharge. Further studies are needed concerning long-term follow-up of lung function, functional capacity, and symptoms after PE.

  5. Massive Stars

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Livio, Mario; Villaver, Eva

    2009-11-01

    Participants; Preface Mario Livio and Eva Villaver; 1. High-mass star formation by gravitational collapse of massive cores M. R. Krumholz; 2. Observations of massive star formation N. A. Patel; 3. Massive star formation in the Galactic center D. F. Figer; 4. An X-ray tour of massive star-forming regions with Chandra L. K. Townsley; 5. Massive stars: feedback effects in the local universe M. S. Oey and C. J. Clarke; 6. The initial mass function in clusters B. G. Elmegreen; 7. Massive stars and star clusters in the Antennae galaxies B. C. Whitmore; 8. On the binarity of Eta Carinae T. R. Gull; 9. Parameters and winds of hot massive stars R. P. Kudritzki and M. A. Urbaneja; 10. Unraveling the Galaxy to find the first stars J. Tumlinson; 11. Optically observable zero-age main-sequence O stars N. R. Walborn; 12. Metallicity-dependent Wolf-Raynet winds P. A. Crowther; 13. Eruptive mass loss in very massive stars and Population III stars N. Smith; 14. From progenitor to afterlife R. A. Chevalier; 15. Pair-production supernovae: theory and observation E. Scannapieco; 16. Cosmic infrared background and Population III: an overview A. Kashlinsky.

  6. Linker-based GnRH-PE chimeric proteins inhibit cancer growth in nude mice.

    PubMed

    Ben-Yehudah, A; Yarkoni, S; Nechushtan, A; Belostotsky, R; Lorberboum-Galski, H

    1999-04-01

    Since the number of cancer-related deaths has not decreased in recent years, major efforts are being made to find new drugs for cancer treatment. In this report we introduce the gonadotropin releasing hormone-Pseudomonas exotoxin (GnRH-PE) based chimeric proteins L-GnRH-PE66 and L-GnRH-PE40. These proteins are composed of a GnRH moiety attached to modified forms of Pseudomonas exotoxin via a polylinker (gly4ser)2. The chimeric proteins L-GnRH-PE66 and L-GnRH-PE40 have the ability to target and kill adenocarcinoma cell lines in vitro, whereas non-adenocarcinoma cell lines are not affected. We demonstrate that L-GnRH-PE66 and L-GnRH-PE40 efficiently inhibit cancer growth. Nude mice were injected subcutaneously with the SW-48 adenocarcinoma cell line to produce xenograft tumours. When the tumours were established and visible, the animals were injected with chimeric proteins for 10 days. At the end of this period, a reduction of up to 3-fold in tumor size was obtained in the treated mice, as compared with the control group, which received equivalent amounts of GnRH; the difference was even greater 13 days after termination of treatment. Thus, the chimeric proteins L-GnRH-PE66 and L-GnRH-PE40 are promising candidates for treatment of a variety of adenocarcinomas and their use in humans should be considered.

  7. The prognostic value of undetectable highly sensitive cardiac troponin I in patients with acute pulmonary embolism.

    PubMed

    Hakemi, Emad U; Alyousef, Tareq; Dang, Geetanjali; Hakmei, Jalal; Doukky, Rami

    2015-03-01

    Elevated cardiac troponin levels have been shown to be associated with adverse outcomes in patients with acute pulmonary embolism (PE). However, few data address the management implications of undetectable cardiac troponin I (cTnI) using a highly sensitive assay. We hypothesized that undetectable cTnI predicts very low in-hospital adverse event rates. In a retrospective cohort study, we classified patients with confirmed acute PE according to cTnI detectability into cTnI+ (≥ 0.012 ng/mL) and cTnI- (< 0.012 ng/mL) groups. The Pulmonary Embolism Severity Index (PESI) was used for clinical risk determination. The primary outcome was a composite of hard events defined as in-hospital death, CPR, or thrombolytic therapy. The secondary outcome was a composite of soft events defined as ICU admission or inferior vena cava filter placement. Among 298 consecutive patients with confirmed acute PE, 161 (55%) were cTnI+ and 137 (45%) cTnI-. No deaths occurred in the cTnI- group vs nine (6%) in the cTnI+ group (P = .004). No hard events were observed in the cTnI- group vs 15 (9%) in the cTnI+ group (P < .001). Soft events were observed at a lower rate in the cTnI- group (21[15%] vs 69 [43%], P < .001). Patients in the cTnI- group had a higher survival rate free of hard (P = .001) or soft (P < .001) events, irrespective of clinical risk. Furthermore, cTnI provided incremental prognostic value beyond clinical, ECG, and imaging data (P < .001). Highly sensitive cTnI assay provides an excellent prognostic negative predictive value; thus, it plays a role in identifying candidates for out-of-hospital treatment of acute PE.

  8. Recurrent massive pleural effusion due to pleural, pericardial, and epicardial fibrosis in histoplasmosis.

    PubMed

    Kilburn, C D; McKinsey, D S

    1991-12-01

    Acute histoplasmosis is generally a benign, self-limited pulmonary infection. Although Histoplasma capsulatum pneumonitis is common, pleural effusions associated with histoplasmosis are quite rare, and massive pleural effusions have not been reported. There have been several reports of pericardial fibrosis secondary to histoplasmosis, but epicardial fibrosis has not been described. We report a biopsy-proven case of histoplasmosis initially associated with recurrent massive pleural effusions and excessive pleural fibrosis causing a trapped lung. The patient later developed constrictive pericarditis. Despite pericardiectomy, severe cor pulmonale occurred, and the patient died. Necropsy demonstrated fibrosis of the epicardium.

  9. Impact of acute antibiotic therapy on the pulmonary exacerbation endpoint in cystic fibrosis clinical trials.

    PubMed

    Mayer-Hamblett, Nicole; Saiman, Lisa; Lands, Larry C; Anstead, Michael; Rosenfeld, Margaret; Kloster, Margaret; Fisher, Leigh; Ratjen, Felix

    2013-09-01

    In a chronic disease setting such as cystic fibrosis (CF), antibiotics are often prescribed for emergent symptoms and it is unclear whether this affects endpoints in a clinical trial. Pulmonary exacerbations (PEs) are defined episodes of acute worsening and a key clinical efficacy measure in CF. Our hypothesis was that acute antibiotics given for illnesses not meeting the PE definition may alter estimates of treatment effect that do not account for this antibiotic use. A randomized, placebo-controlled trial of azithromycin (AZ) including 260 participants with CF was utilized for this study. PEs were defined using a priori criteria. Physician initiated antibiotic therapy (PIT) not meeting the PE endpoint was characterized and its impact on treatment effect assessed. 40% (104/260) of participants were prescribed 188 courses of PIT in the absence of a PE; 19% (25/129) of placebo and 10% (13/131) of AZ participants received ≥2 courses of PIT and never fulfilled the PE definition (9% difference, 95% confidence interval: 1%, 18%, p = 0.04). Accounting for PIT through use of a composite endpoint including time to PE or need for repeated PIT altered treatment effect estimates (a 56% reduction in the event rate comparing AZ to placebo [p < 0.0001] as compared to a 50% reduction not accounting for PIT [p = 0.003]). PIT is common in CF and may impact treatment effect estimates. Optimization of the PE endpoint to include meaningful events necessitating treatment may improve our ability to conduct efficient trials by reducing the sample size 30-50%, ultimately enabling rapid evaluation of new therapies. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Could a multi-PeV neutrino event have as origin the internal shocks inside the GRB progenitor star?

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fraija, N.

    2016-03-01

    The IceCube Collaboration initially reported the detection of 37 extraterrestrial neutrinos in the TeV-PeV energy range. The reconstructed neutrino events were obtained during three consecutive years of data taking, from 2010 to 2013. Although these events have been discussed to have an extragalactic origin, they have not been correlated to any known source. Recently, the IceCube Collaboration reported a neutrino-induced muon event with energy of 2.6 ± 0.3 PeV which corresponds to the highest event ever detected. Neither the reconstructed direction of this event (J2000.0), detected on June 11 2014 at R.A. = 110 ° . 34, Dec. = 11 ° . 48 matches with any familiar source. Long gamma-ray bursts (lGRBs) are usually associated with the core collapse of massive stars leading relativistic-collimated jets inside stars with high-energy neutrino production. These neutrinos have been linked to the 37 events previously detected by IceCube experiment. In this work, we explore the conditions and values of parameters so that the highest neutrino recently detected could be generated by proton-photon and proton-hadron interactions at internal shocks inside lGRB progenitor star and then detected in IceCube experiment. Considering that internal shocks take place in a relativistic collimated jet, whose (half) opening angle is θ0 ∼ 0.1, we found that lGRBs with total luminosity L ≲1048 erg/s and internal shocks on the surface of progenitors such as Wolf-Rayet (WR) and blue super giant (BSG) stars favor this multi-PeV neutrino production, although this neutrino could be associated with L ∼1050.5 (∼1050) erg/s provided that the internal shocks occur at ∼109 (∼1010.2) cm for a WR (BSG).

  11. Impact of protein domains on PE_PGRS30 polar localization in Mycobacteria.

    PubMed

    De Maio, Flavio; Maulucci, Giuseppe; Minerva, Mariachiara; Anoosheh, Saber; Palucci, Ivana; Iantomasi, Raffaella; Palmieri, Valentina; Camassa, Serena; Sali, Michela; Sanguinetti, Maurizio; Bitter, Wilbert; Manganelli, Riccardo; De Spirito, Marco; Delogu, Giovanni

    2014-01-01

    PE_PGRS proteins are unique to the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex and a number of other pathogenic mycobacteria. PE_PGRS30, which is required for the full virulence of M. tuberculosis (Mtb), has three main domains, i.e. an N-terminal PE domain, repetitive PGRS domain and the unique C-terminal domain. To investigate the role of these domains, we expressed a GFP-tagged PE_PGRS30 protein and a series of its functional deletion mutants in different mycobacterial species (Mtb, Mycobacterium bovis BCG and Mycobacterium smegmatis) and analysed protein localization by confocal microscopy. We show that PE_PGRS30 localizes at the mycobacterial cell poles in Mtb and M. bovis BCG but not in M. smegmatis and that the PGRS domain of the protein strongly contributes to protein cellular localization in Mtb. Immunofluorescence studies further showed that the unique C-terminal domain of PE_PGRS30 is not available on the surface, except when the PGRS domain is missing. Immunoblot demonstrated that the PGRS domain is required to maintain the protein strongly associated with the non-soluble cellular fraction. These results suggest that the repetitive GGA-GGN repeats of the PGRS domain contain specific sequences that contribute to protein cellular localization and that polar localization might be a key step in the PE_PGRS30-dependent virulence mechanism.

  12. Association between state physical education (PE) requirements and PE participation, physical activity, and body mass index change.

    PubMed

    Taber, Daniel R; Chriqui, Jamie F; Perna, Frank M; Powell, Lisa M; Slater, Sandy J; Chaloupka, Frank J

    2013-11-01

    To determine if state physical education (PE) laws are associated with student physical education attendance and physical activity (PA), and whether physical education and competitive food laws, in conjunction, are associated with lower BMI change. State laws regarding physical education time requirements and competitive foods in 2003 and 2006 were classified as strong, weak, or none, based on codified law ratings obtained from the Classification of Laws Associated with School Students. Laws were linked to student data on PE attendance and physical activity (8th grade, Spring 2007) and BMI change (5th-8th grade, 2004-2007), obtained from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study (n=5510 students in 40 states). Girls reported 0.31 more days of activity (95% CI: 0.02, 0.61) and were more likely to attend physical education ≥ 3 days/week (74.1% versus 52.1%, difference=22.0, 95% CI: 2.1, 42.0) if they resided in states with strong physical education laws compared to no physical education laws. Weak physical education laws had modest associations with PE and activity, and there was no evidence that weak laws reduce BMI gain regardless of competitive food laws. Strong physical education laws with specific time requirements may increase physical education attendance and activity in girls. There is insufficient evidence that physical education laws reduce student weight gain. © 2013.

  13. Coagulopathy in patients with acute pulmonary embolism: a pilot study of whole blood coagulation and markers of endothelial damage.

    PubMed

    Lehnert, Per; Johansson, Pär I; Ostrowski, Sisse R; Møller, Christian H; Bang, Lia E; Olsen, Peter Skov; Carlsen, Jørn

    2017-02-01

    Whole blood coagulation and markers of endothelial damage were studied in patients with acute pulmonary embolism (PE), and evaluated in relation to PE severity. Twenty-five patients were enrolled prospectively each having viscoelastical analysis of whole blood done using thrombelastography (TEG) and Multiplate aggregometry. Fourteen of these patients were investigated for endothelial damage by ELISA measurements of Syndecan-1 (endothelial glycocalyx degradation), soluble endothelial Selectin (endothelial cell activation), soluble Thrombomodulin (endothelial cell injury) and Histone Complexed DNA fragments (endothelial cytotoxic histones). The mean values of TEG and Multiplate parameters were all within the reference levels, but a significant difference between patients with high and intermediate risk PE was observed for Ly30 (lytic activity) 1.5% [0-10] vs. 0.2% [0-2.2] p = .04, and ADP (platelet reactivity) 92 U [20-145] vs. 59 U [20-111] p = .03. A similar difference was indicated for functional fibrinogen 21 mm [17-29] vs. 18 mm [3-23] p = .05. Analysis of endothelial markers identified a significant difference in circulating levels between high and intermediate risk PE patients for Syndecan-1 118.6 ng/mL [76-133] vs. 36.3 ng/mL [11.8-102.9] p = .008. In conclusion, patients with acute PE had normal whole blood coagulation, but high risk PE patients had signs of increased activity of the haemostatic system and significantly increased level of endothelial glycocalyx degradation.

  14. "We Should Assess the Students in More Authentic Situations": Swedish PE Teacher Educators' Views of the Meaning of Movement Skills for Future PE Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Backman, Erik; Pearson, Phil

    2016-01-01

    The question of what knowledge a student of Physical Education (PE) needs to develop during PE teacher education (PETE) was recently discussed. One form of knowledge is the movement practices that students must meet during their education. Given the limited time, a delicate matter is whether to prioritize movement knowledge and consider it as…

  15. Clinical Presentation of Acute Pulmonary Embolism: Survey of 800 Cases

    PubMed Central

    Miniati, Massimo; Cenci, Caterina; Monti, Simonetta; Poli, Daniela

    2012-01-01

    Background Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a common and potentially fatal disease that is still underdiagnosed. The objective of our study was to reappraise the clinical presentation of PE with emphasis on the identification of the symptoms and signs that prompt the patients to seek medical attention. Methodology/Principal Findings We studied 800 patients with PE from two different clinical settings: 440 were recruited in Pisa (Italy) as part of the Prospective Investigative Study of Acute Pulmonary Embolism Diagnosis (PISAPED); 360 were diagnosed with and treated for PE in seven hospitals of central Tuscany, and evaluated at the Atherothrombotic Disorders Unit, Firenze (Italy), shortly after hospital discharge. We interviewed the patients directly using a standardized, self-administered questionnaire originally utilized in the PISAPED. The two samples differed significantly as regards age, proportion of outpatients, prevalence of unprovoked PE, and of active cancer. Sudden onset dyspnea was the most frequent symptom in both samples (81 and 78%), followed by chest pain (56 and 39%), fainting or syncope (26 and 22%), and hemoptysis (7 and 5%). At least one of the above symptoms was reported by 756 (94%) of 800 patients. Isolated symptoms and signs of deep vein thrombosis occurred in 3% of the cases. Only 7 (1%) of 800 patients had no symptoms before PE was diagnosed. Conclusions/Significance Most patients with PE feature at least one of four symptoms which, in decreasing order of frequency, are sudden onset dyspnea, chest pain, fainting (or syncope), and hemoptysis. The occurrence of such symptoms, if not explained otherwise, should alert the clinicians to consider PE in differential diagnosis, and order the appropriate objective test. PMID:22383978

  16. Optimization of esterification of oleic acid and trimethylolpropane (TMP) and pentaerythritol (PE)

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

    Mahmud, Hamizah Ammarah; Salimon, Jumat

    Vegetable oil (VO) is the most potential alternative to replace mineral oil for lubricant due to better lubricating properties and great physicochemical properties. Chemical modification has to be done to overcome low temperature performance and low oxidation instability due to the presence of β-hydrogen atoms of glycerol molecule. The optimization of esterification of oleic acid and polyhydric alcohol with sulfuric acid catalyst was carried out to find the optimum conditions with the highest yield. Reeaction variables such as; molar ratio, temperature, duration and catalyst concentration. Two types of polyhydric alcohol have been used; TMP and PE. The optimum results showedmore » oleic acid successfully converted 91.2% ester TMP and 92.7% ester PE at duration: 5 hours (Ester TMP), 6 hours (Ester PE); temperature: 150°C (ester TMP), 180°C (Ester PE); catalyst concentration: 1.5% (w/w); and mol ratio: 3.9:1 (ester TMP), 4.9:1 (ester PE). From the data obtained, mole ratio showed most influenced factors to the increasing yields of ester conversions.. The TMP/PE ester was confirmed using gas chromatography (GC-FID), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR)« less

  17. PE38KDEL-loaded anti-HER2 nanoparticles inhibit breast tumor progression with reduced toxicity and immunogenicity.

    PubMed

    Gao, Jie; Kou, Geng; Wang, Hao; Chen, Huaiwen; Li, Bohua; Lu, Ying; Zhang, Dapeng; Wang, Shuhui; Hou, Sheng; Qian, Weizhu; Dai, Jianxin; Zhao, Jian; Zhong, Yanqiang; Guo, Yajun

    2009-05-01

    The clinical use of Pseudomonas exotoxin A (PE)-based immunotoxins is limited by the toxicity and immunogenicity of PE. To overcome the limitations, we have developed PE38KDEL-loaded poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles conjugated with Fab' fragments of a humanized anti-HER2 monoclonal antibody (rhuMAbHER2). The PE38KDEL-loaded nanoparticles-anti-HER2 Fab' bioconjugates (PE-NP-HER) were constructed modularly with Fab' fragments of rhuMAbHER2 covalently linked to PLGA nanoparticles containing PE38KDEL. Compared with nontargeted nanoparticles that lack anti-HER2 Fab', PE-NP-HER specifically bound to and were sequentially internalized into HER2 overexpressing breast cancer cells, which result in significant cytotoxicity in vitro. In HER2 overexpressing tumor xenograft model system, administration of PE-NP-HER showed a superior efficacy in inhibiting tumor growth compared with PE-HER referring to PE38KDEL conjugated directly to rhuMAbHER2. Moreover, PE-NP-HER was well tolerated in mice with a higher LD(50) (LD(50) of 6.86 +/- 0.47 mg/kg vs. 2.21 +/- 0.32 mg/kg for PE-NP-HER vs. PE-HER (mean +/- SD); n = 3), and had no influence on the plasma level of plasma alanine aminotransferase (ALT) of animals when injected at a dose of 1 mg/kg where PE-HER caused significant increase of serum ALT in the treated mice. Notably, PE-NP-HER was of low immunogenicity in development of anti-PE38KDEL neutralizing antibodies and was less susceptible to inactivation by anti-PE38KDEL antibodies compared with PE-HER. This novel bioconjugate, PE-NP-HER, may represent a useful strategy for cancer treatment.

  18. Prolonged Elevated Heart Rate and 90-Day Survival in Acutely Ill Patients: Data From the MIMIC-III Database.

    PubMed

    Sandfort, Veit; Johnson, Alistair E W; Kunz, Lauren M; Vargas, Jose D; Rosing, Douglas R

    2018-01-01

    We sought to evaluate the association of prolonged elevated heart rate (peHR) with survival in acutely ill patients. We used a large observational intensive care unit (ICU) database (Multiparameter Intelligent Monitoring in Intensive Care III [MIMIC-III]), where frequent heart rate measurements were available. The peHR was defined as a heart rate >100 beats/min in 11 of 12 consecutive hours. The outcome was survival status at 90 days. We collected heart rates, disease severity (simplified acute physiology scores [SAPS II]), comorbidities (Charlson scores), and International Classification of Diseases (ICD) diagnosis information in 31 513 patients from the MIMIC-III ICU database. Propensity score (PS) methods followed by inverse probability weighting based on the PS was used to balance the 2 groups (the presence/absence of peHR). Multivariable weighted logistic regression was used to assess for association of peHR with the outcome survival at 90 days adjusting for additional covariates. The mean age was 64 years, and the most frequent main disease category was circulatory disease (41%). The mean SAPS II score was 35, and the mean Charlson comorbidity score was 2.3. Overall survival of the cohort at 90 days was 82%. Adjusted logistic regression showed a significantly increased risk of death within 90 days in patients with an episode of peHR ( P < .001; odds ratio for death 1.79; confidence interval, 1.69-1.88). This finding was independent of median heart rate. We found a significant association of peHR with decreased survival in a large and heterogenous cohort of ICU patients.

  19. Dabigatran after Short Heparin Anticoagulation for Acute Intermediate-Risk Pulmonary Embolism: Rationale and Design of the Single-Arm PEITHO-2 Study.

    PubMed

    Klok, Frederikus A; Ageno, Walter; Barco, Stefano; Binder, Harald; Brenner, Benjamin; Duerschmied, Daniel; Empen, Klaus; Faggiano, Pompilio; Ficker, Joachim H; Galiè, Nazzareno; Ghuysen, Alexandre; Held, Matthias; Heydenreich, Nadine; Huisman, Menno V; Jiménez, David; Kozak, Matija; Lang, Irene M; Lankeit, Mareike; Münzel, Thomas; Petris, Antoniu; Pruszczyk, Piotr; Quitzau, Kurt; Schellong, Sebastian; Schmidt, Kai-Helge; Stefanovic, Branislav S; Verschuren, Franck; Wolf-Puetz, Anamaria; Meyer, Guy; Konstantinides, Stavros V

    2017-12-01

    Patients with intermediate-risk pulmonary embolism (PE) may, depending on the method and cut-off values used for definition, account for up to 60% of all patients with PE and have an 8% or higher risk of short-term adverse outcome. Although four non-vitamin K-dependent direct oral anticoagulants (NOACs) have been approved for the treatment of venous thromboembolism, their safety and efficacy as well as the optimal anticoagulation regimen using these drugs have not been systematically investigated in intermediate-risk PE. Moreover, it remains unknown how many patients with intermediate-high-risk and intermediate-low-risk PE were included in most of the phase III NOAC trials. The ongoing Pulmonary Embolism International Thrombolysis 2 (PEITHO-2) study is a prospective, multicentre, multinational, single-arm trial investigating whether treatment of acute intermediate-risk PE with parenteral heparin anticoagulation over the first 72 hours, followed by the direct oral thrombin inhibitor dabigatran over 6 months, is effective and safe. The primary efficacy outcome is recurrent symptomatic venous thromboembolism or death related to PE within the first 6 months. The primary safety outcome is major bleeding as defined by the International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis. Secondary outcomes include all-cause mortality, the overall duration of hospital stay (index event and repeated hospitalizations) and the temporal pattern of recovery of right ventricular function over the 6-month follow-up period. By applying and evaluating a contemporary risk-tailored treatment strategy for acute PE, PEITHO-2 will implement the recommendations of current guidelines and contribute to their further evolution.

  20. Production and crosslinking of multi-layer tubes (PE & metal) by E-beam

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zyball, Alfred

    2000-03-01

    Irradiation crosslinking of PE-tubes has been used for heating floors for about 25 years. Such tubes are also used today for drinking water supply. A further development has been the coating of such tubes with Ethylene-Vinyl-Alcohol-Copolymers (EVAL), in order to prevent oxygen diffusion into the water through the PE tube. For about 15 years composite tubes made of PE and aluminum have been available. These tubes are crosslinked with electron beams. The energy of the accelerated electrons must be adjusted for the particular tube configuration, so that the inner PE-layer will be crosslinked. This paper will concern itself with the manufacture and the crosslinking of composite tubes.

  1. Attitudes toward and Motivation for PE. Who Collects the Benefits of the Subject?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Säfvenbom, Reidar; Haugen, Tommy; Bulie, Marte

    2015-01-01

    Background and purpose: Due to attitudinal and motivational aims in the national curriculum, and to lack of research on adolescents' experiences with physical education (PE) in Norway, the purposes of this study were to (1) attain data on attitudes toward PE and self-determined motivation for PE among a representative sample of adolescents (N =…

  2. NT-pro-BNP levels in patients with acute pulmonary embolism are correlated to right but not left ventricular volume and function.

    PubMed

    Pasha, Sharif M; Klok, Frederikus A; van der Bijl, Noortje; de Roos, Albert; Kroft, Lucia J M; Huisman, Menno V

    2012-08-01

    N-terminal pro-Brain Natriuretic Peptide (NT-pro-BNP) is primarily secreted by left ventricular (LV) stretch and wall tension. Notably, NT-pro-BNP is a prognostic marker in acute pulmonary embolism (PE), which primarily stresses the right ventricle (RV). We sought to evaluate the relative contribution of the RV to NT-pro-BNP levels during PE. A post-hoc analysis of an observational prospective outcome study in 113 consecutive patients with computed tomography (CT)-proven PE and 226 patients in whom PE was clinically suspected but ruled out by CT. In all patients RV and LV function was established by assessing ECG-triggered-CT measured ventricular end-diastolic-volumes and ejection fraction (EF). NT-pro-BNP was assessed in all patients. The correlation between RV and LV end-diastolic-volumes and systolic function was evaluated by multiple linear regression corrected for known confounders. In the PE cohort increased RVEF (β-coefficient (95% confidence interval [CI]) -0.044 (± -0.011); p<0.001) and higher RV end-diastolic-volume (β-coefficient 0.005 (± 0.001); p<0.001) were significantly correlated to NT-pro-BNP, while no correlation was found with LVEF (β-coefficient 0.005 (± 0.010); p=0.587) and LV end-diastolic-volume (β-coefficient -0.003 (± 0.002); p=0.074). In control patients without PE we found a strong correlation between NT-pro-BNP levels and LVEF (β-coefficient -0.027 (± -0.006); p<0.001) although not LV end-diastolic-volume (β-coefficient 0.001 (± 0.001); p=0.418). RVEF (β-coefficient -0.002 (± -0.006); p=0.802) and RV end-diastolic-volume (β-coefficient <0.001 (± 0.001); p=0.730) were not correlated in patients without PE. In PE patients, lower RVEF and higher RV end-diastolic-volume were significantly correlated to NT-pro-BNP levels as compared to control patients without PE. These observations provide pathophysiological ground for the well-known prognostic value of NT-pro-BNP in acute PE.

  3. Remitting seronegative symmetrical synovitis with pitting edema (RS3PE) syndrome accompanied by Parkinson's disease.

    PubMed

    Ito, Eiichi; Okamoto, Hiroshi; Mochizuki, Atsuko; Ohara, Kuniko; Kato, Maiko; Terashima, Yutaka; Tanaka, Eiichi; Takagi, Kae; Uchiyama, Shinichiro; Iwata, Makoto

    2007-01-01

    We encountered two cases of RS3PE (remitting seronegative symmetrical synovitis with pitting edema) syndrome accompanied by Parkinson's disease (PD). Although the etiology of RS3PE syndrome is still unknown, several possible associations, such as malignancies and viral infections, have been reported; RS3PE syndrome is thought to be an autoimmune-mediated disorder. The present patients did not have any factors which are reported to be associated with RS3PE. Whether or not the complication of PD and RS3PE syndrome is incidental needs to be further examined, and we discuss here the possible cause of association between PD and RS3PE syndrome, including dopamine agonists one of the anti-PD medications.

  4. Humanized CD7 nanobody-based immunotoxins exhibit promising anti-T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia potential

    PubMed Central

    Yu, Yuan; Li, Jialu; Zhu, Xuejun; Tang, Xiaowen; Bao, Yangyi; Sun, Xiang; Huang, Yuhui; Tian, Fang; Liu, Xiaomei; Yang, Lin

    2017-01-01

    Background Nanobodies, named as VHHs (variable domain of heavy chain of HCAb [heavy-chain antibodies]), are derived from heavy-chain-only antibodies that circulate in sera of camelids. Their exceptional physicochemical properties, possibility of humanization, and unique antigen recognition properties make them excellent candidates for targeted delivery of biologically active components, including immunotoxins. In our previous efforts, we have successfully generated the monovalent and bivalent CD7 nanobody-based immunotoxins, which can effectively trigger the apoptosis of CD7-positive malignant cells. To pursue the possibility of translating those immunotoxins into clinics, we humanized the nanobody sequences (designated as dhuVHH6) as well as further truncated the Pseudomonas exotoxin A (PE)-derived PE38 toxin to produce a more protease-resistant form, which is named as PE-LR, by deleting majority of PE domain II. Methods and results Three new types of immunotoxins, dhuVHH6-PE38, dVHH6-PE-LR, and dhuVHH6-PE-LR, were successfully constructed. These recombinant immunotoxins were expressed in Escherichia coli and showed that nanobody immunotoxins have the benefits of easy soluble expression in a prokaryotic expression system. Flow cytometry results revealed that all immunotoxins still maintained the ability to bind specifically to CD7-positive T lymphocyte strains without binding to CD7-negative control cells. Laser scanning confocal microscopy revealed that these proteins can be endocytosed into the cytoplasm after binding with CD7-positive cells and that this phenomenon was not observed in CD7-negative cells. WST-8 experiments showed that all immunotoxins retained the highly effective and specific growth inhibition activity in CD7-positive cell lines and primary T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) cells. Further in vivo animal model experiments showed that humanized dhuVHH6-PE38 immunotoxin can tolerate higher doses and extend the survival of NOD-Prkdcem26Il

  5. Nature of the Paleocene/Eocene (P/E) boundary in Sinai, Egypt

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Obaidalla, Nageh A.; Abdel-Maksoud, Nasr A.; Hosny, Atef M.; Mahfouz, Kamel H.

    2017-12-01

    The P/E boundary is studied at eight stratigraphic sections in Sinai, Egypt, which are nearly distributed in a stratigraphic profile from north to south as follows: Al-Hasanah, Sudr Al-Hitan, Wadi Sudr, Al-Thamad, Abu Qada, Wadi Matulla, Wadi Nukhul and Wadi Feiran. This study includes field, litho- and bio-stratigraphic analyses that enabled to delineate several hiatuses which may be due to the occurrence of tectonic activity that may be related to the echo of the Syrian Arc Orogeny at the P/E boundary. Generally, in Egypt the P/E boundary is marked by the occurrence of distinctive five beds, named by El Dababiya Quarry Member. At Wadi Nukhul, Wadi Matulla and Wadi Feiran sections, El Dababiya Quarry Member is well represented and the P/E boundary is conformable and resembles the GSSP section. Although El Dababiya Quarry Member is represented at Al-Hasanah section, the P/E boundary is marked by the occurrence of a minor hiatus at the end of Paleocene. Moreover, at Al Thamad section, El Dababiya Quarry Member is partially represented. On the other hand, at Sudr Al-Hitan, Wadi Sudr and Abu Qada sections, El Dababiya Quarry Member is completely absent due to a major hiatus.

  6. Acute kidney injury in acute liver failure: a review.

    PubMed

    Moore, Joanna K; Love, Eleanor; Craig, Darren G; Hayes, Peter C; Simpson, Kenneth J

    2013-11-01

    Acute liver failure is a rare and often devastating condition consequent on massive liver cell necrosis that frequently affects young, previously healthy individuals resulting in altered cognitive function, coagulopathy and peripheral vasodilation. These patients frequently develop concurrent acute kidney injury (AKI). This abrupt and sustained decline in renal function, through a number of pathogenic mechanisms such as renal hypoperfusion, direct drug-induced nephrotoxicity or sepsis/systemic inflammatory response contributes to increased morbidity and is strongly associated with a worse prognosis. Improved understanding of the pathophysiology AKI in the context of acute liver failure may be beneficial in a number of areas; the development of new and sensitive biomarkers of renal dysfunction, refining prognosis and organ allocation, and ultimately leading to the development of novel treatment strategies, these issues are discussed in more detail in this expert review.

  7. RS3PE syndrome presenting as vascular endothelial growth factor associated disorder.

    PubMed

    Arima, K; Origuchi, T; Tamai, M; Iwanaga, N; Izumi, Y; Huang, M; Tanaka, F; Kamachi, M; Aratake, K; Nakamura, H; Ida, H; Uetani, M; Kawakami, A; Eguchi, K

    2005-11-01

    To characterise serum concentrations of various cytokines and detection by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of synovial hypervascularity in patients with remitting seronegative symmetrical synovitis with pitting oedema (RS3PE) syndrome before and after corticosteroid treatment. Vascular endothelial growth factor(165) (VEGF(165)), tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha), and interleukin 1beta (IL1beta) were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in serum samples from three patients with RS3PE syndrome. As controls, serum samples from 26 healthy volunteers, 12 patients with rheumatoid arthritis, 10 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, 13 patients with polymyositis/dermatomyositis, 13 patients with vasculitis syndrome, and 6 patients with mixed connective tissue disease were also analysed. Synovial hypervascularity of patients with RS3PE syndrome was estimated by rate of enhancement (E-rate) in a dynamic MRI study. Serum concentrations of VEGF(165) (mean (SD) 2223.3 (156.3) pg/ml) were significantly higher in patients with active RS3PE syndrome than in controls before corticosteroid treatment. TNFalpha and IL1beta levels were similar in patients and controls. Synovial hypervascularity in affected joints and subcutaneous oedema decreased during corticosteroid treatment, in parallel with the fall in serum VEGF(165). VEGF promotes synovial inflammation and vascular permeability in patients with RS3PE syndrome, suggesting that RS3PE can be classified as a VEGF associated disorder.

  8. Pedagogies for Inclusion of Junior Primary Students with Disabilities in PE

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Overton, Hannah; Wrench, Alison; Garrett, Robyne

    2017-01-01

    Background: Laws and legislation have prompted movement from special education towards inclusive education, whereby students with disabilities are included in mainstream physical education (PE) classes. It is widely acknowledged that including students with disabilities in PE presents significant challenges in relation to meeting the diverse needs…

  9. Risk stratification in acute pulmonary embolism with heart-type fatty acid-binding protein: A meta-analysis.

    PubMed

    Bajaj, Anurag; Rathor, Parul; Sehgal, Vishal; Shetty, Ajay; Kabak, Besher; Hosur, Srikanth

    2015-10-01

    Heart-type fatty acid-binding protein (H-FABP) has emerged as a new biomarker in risk stratification of patients with acute pulmonary embolism (PE). We performed a meta-analysis of studies in patients with acute PE to assess the prognostic value of elevated H-FABP for short-term adverse outcomes. Two independent reviewers systematically searched PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Database until June 2014. Studies were searched using MeSH word "fatty acid-binding protein" and "pulmonary embolism." Prospective studies were included if those were done on patients with acute PE and if serum H-FABP assay was done. Relevant data on study design, year of publication, patient population, inclusion criteria, exclusion criteria, mean age, sex, type of H-FABP assay, cutoff of H-FABP used, and outcomes were extracted. The primary end point was 30-day complicated clinical course and PE-related mortality. The secondary end point was right ventricular dysfunction (RVD). A random-effects model was used to pool study results. Nine studies, including 1680 patients, reported data on the 30-day complicated clinical course. Elevated H-FABP was significantly associated with the increased risk of 30-day complicated clinical course (odds ratio [OR], 17.67; 95% confidence interval [CI], 6.02-51.89; I(2) = 80%). Similarly, 6 studies, including 676 patients, reported 30-day mortality data. Elevated H-FABP was associated with increased risk of 30-day PE-related mortality (OR, 32.94; 95% CI, 8.80-123.21, I(2) = 53%). The risk of RVD was significantly higher in patients with elevated H-FABP as compared with patients with normal H-FABP (OR, 2.57; 95% CI, 1.05-6.33, I(2) = 57%). The prognostic sensitivity and specificity of H-FABP were 71% and 74% in predicting 30-day complicated clinical course and were 90% and 70% in predicting 30-day mortality. This meta-analysis indicates that elevated H-FABP levels are associated with increased risk of 30-day complicated clinical course, mortality, and RVD

  10. The acute effect of pseudoephedrine on choroidal thickness.

    PubMed

    Ovet, G; Alpfidan, I; Sakarya, Y; Sakarya, R; Ozcimen, M; Göktaş, S; Erdoğan, E

    2016-01-01

    To investigate the acute effects of pseudoephedrine (PE) on choroidal thickness in healthy young patients. Fifty patients with nasal and sinus congestion who were prescribed 60 mg oral PE at the otolaryngology department were recruited for this study. The enhanced depth imaging (EDI) optic coherence tomography (OCT) (Spectralis OCT; Heidelberg Engineering, Heidelberg, Germany) choroidal thickness measurements were performed at baseline and 1, 3 and 6 hours at 7 points. The right eyes of 50 healthy subjects (22 women and 28 men) were included in this study. The mean choroidal thickness at fovea was 293.12 μm, 279.80 μm, 295.80 μm, and 294.52 μm at baseline, 1, 3 and 6 hours respectively. A significant reduction in choroidal thickness versus baseline was observed at all points at 1 hour. The choroidal thickness decreased 1 hour after oral administration of PE and returned to baseline thickness at 3 hours. We suppose that this transient decrease might be associated with vasoconstriction due to activation of sympathetic alpha adrenoceptors.

  11. Safety of catheter-directed thrombolysis for the treatment of acute lower extremity deep vein thrombosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

    PubMed

    Wang, Li; Zhang, Chuanlin; Mu, Shaoyu; Yeh, Chao Hsing; Chen, Liqun; Zhang, Zeju; Wang, Xueqin

    2017-09-01

    Despite established guidelines, catheter-directed thrombolysis (CDT) for the management of acute lower extremity deep vein thrombosis (DVT) should not be overstated because the risks of CDT are uncertain. We performed a meta-analysis to comprehensively and quantitatively evaluate the safety of CDT for patients with acute lower extremity DVT. Relevant databases, including PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, Ovid MEDLINE, and Scopus, were searched up to January 2017. The inclusion criteria were applied to select patients with acute lower extremity DVT treated by CDT or compared CDT with anticoagulation. In case series studies, the pooled estimates of safety outcomes for complications, pulmonary embolism (PE), and mortality were calculated across studies. In studies comparing CDT with anticoagulation, summary odds ratios (ORs) were calculated. Of the 1696 citations identified, 24 studies (6 comparing CDT with anticoagulation and 18 case series) including 9157 patients met the eligibility criteria. In the case series studies, the pooled risks of major, minor, and total complications were 0.03 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.02-0.04), 0.07 (95% CI: 0.05-0.08), and 0.09 (95% CI: 0.08-0.11), respectively; other pooled risk results were 0.00 for PE (95% CI: 0.00-0.01) and 0.07 for mortality (95% CI: 0.03-0.11). Our meta-analysis of 6 studies comparing the risk of complications and PE related to CDT with those related to anticoagulation showed that CDT was associated with an increased risk of complications (OR = 4.36; 95% CI: 2.94-6.47) and PE (OR = 1.57; 95% CI: 1.37-1.79). Acute lower extremity DVT patients receiving CDT are associated with a low risk of complications. However, compared with anticoagulation, CDT is associated with a higher risk of complications and PE. Rare mortality related to thrombolytic therapy was reported. More evidence should be accumulated to prove the safety of CDT.

  12. The Destructive Birth of Massive Stars and Massive Star Clusters

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rosen, Anna; Krumholz, Mark; McKee, Christopher F.; Klein, Richard I.; Ramirez-Ruiz, Enrico

    2017-01-01

    Massive stars play an essential role in the Universe. They are rare, yet the energy and momentum they inject into the interstellar medium with their intense radiation fields dwarfs the contribution by their vastly more numerous low-mass cousins. Previous theoretical and observational studies have concluded that the feedback associated with massive stars' radiation fields is the dominant mechanism regulating massive star and massive star cluster (MSC) formation. Therefore detailed simulation of the formation of massive stars and MSCs, which host hundreds to thousands of massive stars, requires an accurate treatment of radiation. For this purpose, we have developed a new, highly accurate hybrid radiation algorithm that properly treats the absorption of the direct radiation field from stars and the re-emission and processing by interstellar dust. We use our new tool to perform a suite of three-dimensional radiation-hydrodynamic simulations of the formation of massive stars and MSCs. For individual massive stellar systems, we simulate the collapse of massive pre-stellar cores with laminar and turbulent initial conditions and properly resolve regions where we expect instabilities to grow. We find that mass is channeled to the massive stellar system via gravitational and Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) instabilities. For laminar initial conditions, proper treatment of the direct radiation field produces later onset of RT instability, but does not suppress it entirely provided the edges of the radiation-dominated bubbles are adequately resolved. RT instabilities arise immediately for turbulent pre-stellar cores because the initial turbulence seeds the instabilities. To model MSC formation, we simulate the collapse of a dense, turbulent, magnetized Mcl = 106 M⊙ molecular cloud. We find that the influence of the magnetic pressure and radiative feedback slows down star formation. Furthermore, we find that star formation is suppressed along dense filaments where the magnetic field is

  13. BIM LAU-PE: Seedlings in Microgravity

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gass, S.; Pennese, R.; Chapuis, D.; Dainesi, P.; Nebuloni, S.; Garcia, M.; Oriol, A.

    2015-09-01

    The effect of gravity on plant roots is an intensive subject of research. Sounding rockets represent a costeffective platform to study this effect under microgravity conditions. As part of the upcoming MASER 13 sounding rocket campaign, two experiments on Arabidopsis thaliana seedlings have been devised: GRAMAT and SPARC. These experiments are aimed at studying (1) the genes that are specifically switched on or off during microgravity, and (2) the position of auxin-transporting proteins during microgravity. To perform these experiments, RUAG Space Switzerland site of Nyon, in collaboration with the Swedish Space Corporation (SSC) and the University of Freiburg, has developed the BIM LAU-PE (Biolology In Microgravity Late Access Unit Plant Experiment). In the following an overview of the BIM LAU-PE design is presented, highlighting specific module design features and verifications performed. A particular emphasis is placed on the parabolic flight experiments, including results of the micro-g injection system validation.

  14. But I like PE: factors associated with enjoyment of physical education class in middle school girls.

    PubMed

    Barr-Anderson, Daheia J; Neumark-Sztainer, Dianne; Schmitz, Kathryn H; Ward, Dianne S; Conway, Terry L; Pratt, Charlotte; Baggett, Chris D; Lytle, Leslie; Pate, Russell R

    2008-03-01

    The current study examined associations between physical education (PE) class enjoyment and sociodemographic, personal, and perceived school environment factors among early adolescent girls. Participants included 1,511 sixth-grade girls who completed baseline assessments for the Trial of Activity in Adolescent Girls, with 50% indicating they enjoyed PE class a lot. Variables positively associated with PE class enjoyment included physical activity level, perceived benefits of physical activity, self-efficacy for leisure time physical activity, and perceived school climate for girls' physical activity as influenced by teachers, while body mass index was inversely associated with PE class enjoyment. After adjusting for all variables in the model, PE class enjoyment was significantly greater in Blacks than in Whites. In model testing, with mutual adjustment for all variables, self-efficacy was the strongest correlate of PE class enjoyment, followed by perceived benefits, race/ethnicity, and teachers' support for girls' physical activity, as compared to boys, at school. The overall model explained 11% of the variance in PE class enjoyment. Findings suggest that efforts to enhance girls' self-efficacy and perceived benefits and to provide a supportive PE class environment that promotes gender equality can potentially increase PE class enjoyment among young girls.

  15. Involvement of Rho kinase in the pathogenesis of acute pulmonary embolism-induced polystyrene microspheres in rats.

    PubMed

    Toba, M; Nagaoka, T; Morio, Y; Sato, K; Uchida, K; Homma, N; Takahashi, K

    2010-03-01

    Acute pulmonary embolism (PE) is a life-threatening disease, and several vasoconstrictors, including endothelin-1 (ET-1), play a key role in vasoconstriction and hypoxemia during the development of PE. Rho kinase is activated by various vasoconstrictors resulting in vascular contraction and remodeling. Recent evidence has revealed an important role of Rho kinase in the pathogenesis of systemic and pulmonary vascular diseases. However, contribution of Rho kinase in PE remains unclear. We thus investigated the role of Rho kinase in the PE rat model induced by intrajugular administration of polystyrene microspheres (mean diameter, 26 microm). At 6 h following the administration of microspheres (1.5 ml/kg), right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP) was higher in the PE than in the control rats (15.8 +/- 1.6 vs. 32.9 +/- 7.5 mmHg). Arterial oxygen tension was lower (92.3 +/- 12.5 vs. 66.0 +/- 17.7 Torr), and alveolar-arterial difference in oxygen partial pressure was higher (3.9 +/- 3.8 vs. 36.5 +/- 26.9 Torr) in the PE rats. Western blotting analysis revealed upregulation and downregulation in expression of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 and endothelial nitric oxide synthase in lungs from the PE rats, respectively, and radioimmunoassay demonstrated an increase in plasma ET-1 levels. Lung Rho kinase alpha expression was greater in the PE rats. At 5 h following administration of microspheres (0.75 ml/kg), intravenous Rho kinase inhibitors HA1077 and Y27632 (3 mg/kg each) attenuated elevation of RVSP (22.0 +/- 3.7, 17.1 +/- 3.2, 14.3 +/- 2.6 mmHg, PE, PE+HA1077, PE+Y27632) and the severity of hypoxemia (66.3 +/- 16.2, 94.9 +/- 23.0, 89.1 +/- 8.5 Torr, PE, PE+HA1077, PE+Y27632) in the PE rats. These results suggest that pulmonary endothelial dysfunction and activation of Rho kinase may contribute to the potentiation of vasoconstriction and hypoxemia in the PE rats.

  16. RS3PE syndrome presenting as vascular endothelial growth factor associated disorder

    PubMed Central

    Arima, K; Origuchi, T; Tamai, M; Iwanaga, N; Izumi, Y; Huang, M; Tanaka, F; Kamachi, M; Aratake, K; Nakamura, H; Ida, H; Uetani, M; Kawakami, A; Eguchi, K

    2005-01-01

    Methods: Vascular endothelial growth factor165 (VEGF165), tumour necrosis factor α (TNFα), and interleukin 1ß (IL1ß) were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in serum samples from three patients with RS3PE syndrome. As controls, serum samples from 26 healthy volunteers, 12 patients with rheumatoid arthritis, 10 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, 13 patients with polymyositis/dermatomyositis, 13 patients with vasculitis syndrome, and 6 patients with mixed connective tissue disease were also analysed. Synovial hypervascularity of patients with RS3PE syndrome was estimated by rate of enhancement (E-rate) in a dynamic MRI study. Results: Serum concentrations of VEGF165 (mean (SD) 2223.3 (156.3) pg/ml) were significantly higher in patients with active RS3PE syndrome than in controls before corticosteroid treatment. TNFα and IL1ß levels were similar in patients and controls. Synovial hypervascularity in affected joints and subcutaneous oedema decreased during corticosteroid treatment, in parallel with the fall in serum VEGF165. Conclusions: VEGF promotes synovial inflammation and vascular permeability in patients with RS3PE syndrome, suggesting that RS3PE can be classified as a VEGF associated disorder. PMID:16227418

  17. Concurrence of benign edematous polysynovitis in the elderly (RS3PE syndrome) and endometrial adenocarcinoma.

    PubMed

    Olivo, D; Mattace, R

    1997-01-01

    RS3PE Syndrome is an inflammatory disease which affects mainly males and responds, rapidly, to low dose steroids. We describe the concurrence of RS3PE, poorly responsive to low dose steroids, and endometrial adenocarcinoma. In this patient, clinical and laboratory signs of RS3PE disappeared after total hysterectomy. Patients with RS3PE, poorly responsive to low dose steroids, need an accurate clinical and laboratory evaluation before considering the disease as idiopathic.

  18. Prognostic value of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio in acute pulmonary embolism: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

    PubMed

    Wang, Qian; Ma, Junfen; Jiang, Zhiyun; Ming, Liang

    2018-02-01

    Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) have been reported to predict prognosis of acute pulmonary embolism (PE). However, the prognostic value of NLR and PLR remained inconsistent between studies. The aim of this meta-analysis was to assess the prognostic role of NLR and PLR in acute PE. We systematically searched Pubmed, Embase, Web of Science and CNKI for relative literature up to March 2017. The pooled statistics for all outcomes were expressed as odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). The statistical analyses were performed using Review Manager 5.3.5 analysis software and Stata software. Totally 7 eligible studies consisting of 2323 patients were enrolled in our meta-analysis. Elevated NLR was significantly associated with overall (short-term and long-term) mortality (OR 10.13, 95% CI 6.57-15.64, P<0.001) and short-term (in-hospital and 30 days) mortality (OR 8.43, 95% CI 5.23-13.61, P<0.001). And elevated PLR was significantly associated with overall mortality (OR 6.32, 95% CI 4.52-8.84, P<0.001), short-term mortality (OR 6.69, 95% CI 2.86-15.66, P<0.001) and long-term mortality (OR 6.11, 95% CI 3.90-9.55, P<0.001). Our meta-analysis revealed that NLR and PLR are promising biomarkers in predicting prognosis in acute PE patients. We suggest NLR and PLR be used routinely in the PE prognostic assessment.

  19. But I Like PE: Factors Associated With Enjoyment of Physical Education Class in Middle School Girls

    PubMed Central

    Barr-Anderson, Daheia J.; Neumark-Sztainer, Dianne; Schmitz, Kathryn H.; Ward, Dianne S.; Conway, Terry L.; Pratt, Charlotte; Baggett, Chris D.; Lytle, Leslie; Pate, Russell R.

    2008-01-01

    The current study examined associations between physical education (PE) class enjoyment and sociodemographic, personal, and perceived school environment factors among early adolescent girls. Participants included 1,511 sixth-grade girls who completed baseline assessments for the Trial of Activity in Adolescent Girls, with 50% indicating they enjoyed PE class a lot. Variables positively associated with PE class enjoyment included physical activity level, perceived benefits of physical activity, self-efficacy for leisure time physical activity, and perceived school climate for girls' physical activity as influenced by teachers, while body mass index was inversely associated with PE class enjoyment. After adjusting for all variables in the model, PE class enjoyment was significantly greater in Blacks than in Whites. In model testing, with mutual adjustment for all variables, self-efficacy was the strongest correlate of PE class enjoyment, followed by perceived benefits, race/ethnicity, and teacher's support for girls' physical activity, as compared to boys, at school. The overall model explained 11% of the variance in PE class enjoyment. Findings suggest that efforts to enhance girls' self-efficacy and perceived benefits and to provide a supportive PE class environment that promotes gender equality can potentially increase PE class enjoyment among young girls. PMID:18431947

  20. Integrative Properties of the Pe1 Neuron, a Unique Mushroom Body Output Neuron

    PubMed Central

    Rybak, Jürgen; Menzel, Randolf

    1998-01-01

    A mushroom body extrinsic neuron, the Pe1 neuron, connects the peduncle of the mushroom body (MB) with two areas of the protocerebrum in the honeybee brain, the lateral protocerebral lobe (LPL) and the ring neuropil around the α-lobe. Each side of the bee brain contains only one Pe1 neuron. Using a combination of intracellular recording and neuroanatomical techniques we analyzed its properties of integrative processing of the different sensory modalities. The Pe1 neuron responds to visual, mechanosensory, and olfactory stimuli. The responses are broadly tuned, consisting of a sustained increase of spike frequency to the onset and offset of light flashes, to horizontal and vertical movements of extended objects, to mechanical stimuli applied to the antennae or mouth parts, and to all olfactory stimuli tested (29 chemicals). These multisensory properties are reflected in its dendritic organization. Serial reconstructions of intracellularly stained Pe1 neurons using confocal microscopy reveal that the Pe1 neuron arborizes throughout all layers of MB peduncle with finger-like, vertically oriented dendrites. The peduncle of the MB is formed by the axons of Kenyon cells, whose dendritic inputs are organized in modality-specific subcompartments of the calyx region. The peduncular arborization indicates that the Pe1 neuron receives input from Kenyon cells of all calycal subcompartments. Because the Pe1 neuron changes its odor responses transiently as a consequence of olfactory learning, we hypothesize that the multimodal response properties might have a role in memory consolidation and help to establish contextual references in the long-term trace. PMID:10454378

  1. Pulsar Wind Nebulae inside Supernova Remnants as Cosmic-Ray PeVatrons

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ohira, Yutaka; Kisaka, Shota; Yamazaki, Ryo

    2018-07-01

    We propose that cosmic ray PeVatrons are pulsar wind nebulae (PWNe) inside supernova remnants (SNRs). The PWN initially expands into the freely expanding stellar ejecta. Then, the PWN catches up with the shocked region of the SNR, where particles can be slightly accelerated by the back and forth motion between the PWN and the SNR, and some particles diffuse into the PWN. Afterwards the PWN is compressed by the SNR, where the particles in the PWN are accelerated by the adiabatic compression. Using a Monte Carlo simulation, we show that particles accelerated by the SNR to 0.1 PeV can be reaccelerated to 1 PeV until the end of the PWN compression.

  2. Pulsar Wind Nebulae inside Supernova Remnants as Cosmic-Ray PeVatrons

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ohira, Yutaka; Kisaka, Shota; Yamazaki, Ryo

    2018-05-01

    We propose that cosmic-ray PeVatrons are pulsar wind nebulae (PWNe) inside supernova remnants (SNRs). The PWN initially expands into the freely expanding stellar ejecta. Then, the PWN catches up with the shocked region of the SNR, where particles can be slightly accelerated by the back and forth motion between the PWN and the SNR, and some particles diffuse into the PWN. Afterwards the PWN is compressed by the SNR, where the particles in the PWN are accelerated by the adiabatic compression. Using a Monte Carlo simulation, we show that particles accelerated by the SNR to 0.1 PeV can be reaccelerated to 1 PeV until the end of the PWN compression.

  3. Use of Mobile Testing System PeLe for Developing Language Skills

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Titova, Svetlana

    2015-01-01

    One of the objectives of this paper is to investigate the pedagogical impact of both the mobile testing system PeLe (Norway, HiST) and the enquiry-based learning approach on language skills development in the context of mobile-assisted learning. The research aims to work out a methodological framework of PeLe implementation into the language…

  4. Skeletal muscle phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine are related to insulin sensitivity and respond to acute exercise in humans.

    PubMed

    Newsom, Sean A; Brozinick, Joseph T; Kiseljak-Vassiliades, Katja; Strauss, Allison N; Bacon, Samantha D; Kerege, Anna A; Bui, Hai Hoang; Sanders, Phil; Siddall, Parker; Wei, Tao; Thomas, Melissa; Kuo, Ming Shang; Nemkov, Travis; D'Alessandro, Angelo; Hansen, Kirk C; Perreault, Leigh; Bergman, Bryan C

    2016-06-01

    Several recent reports indicate that the balance of skeletal muscle phosphatidylcholine (PC) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) is a key determinant of muscle contractile function and metabolism. The purpose of this study was to determine relationships between skeletal muscle PC, PE and insulin sensitivity, and whether PC and PE are dynamically regulated in response to acute exercise in humans. Insulin sensitivity was measured via intravenous glucose tolerance in sedentary obese adults (OB; n = 14), individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2D; n = 15), and endurance-trained athletes (ATH; n = 15). Vastus lateralis muscle biopsies were obtained at rest, immediately after 90 min of cycle ergometry at 50% maximal oxygen consumption (V̇o2 max), and 2-h postexercise (recovery). Skeletal muscle PC and PE were measured via infusion-based mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry analysis. ATH had greater levels of muscle PC and PE compared with OB and T2D (P < 0.05), with total PC and PE positively relating to insulin sensitivity (both P < 0.05). Skeletal muscle PC:PE ratio was elevated in T2D compared with OB and ATH (P < 0.05), tended to be elevated in OB vs. ATH (P = 0.07), and was inversely related to insulin sensitivity among the entire cohort (r = -0.43, P = 0.01). Muscle PC and PE were altered by exercise, particularly after 2 h of recovery, in a highly group-specific manner. However, muscle PC:PE ratio remained unchanged in all groups. In summary, total muscle PC and PE are positively related to insulin sensitivity while PC:PE ratio is inversely related to insulin sensitivity in humans. A single session of exercise significantly alters skeletal muscle PC and PE levels, but not PC:PE ratio. Copyright © 2016 the American Physiological Society.

  5. Skeletal muscle phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine are related to insulin sensitivity and respond to acute exercise in humans

    PubMed Central

    Newsom, Sean A.; Brozinick, Joseph T.; Kiseljak-Vassiliades, Katja; Strauss, Allison N.; Bacon, Samantha D.; Kerege, Anna A.; Bui, Hai Hoang; Sanders, Phil; Siddall, Parker; Wei, Tao; Thomas, Melissa; Kuo, Ming Shang; Nemkov, Travis; D'Alessandro, Angelo; Hansen, Kirk C.; Perreault, Leigh

    2016-01-01

    Several recent reports indicate that the balance of skeletal muscle phosphatidylcholine (PC) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) is a key determinant of muscle contractile function and metabolism. The purpose of this study was to determine relationships between skeletal muscle PC, PE and insulin sensitivity, and whether PC and PE are dynamically regulated in response to acute exercise in humans. Insulin sensitivity was measured via intravenous glucose tolerance in sedentary obese adults (OB; n = 14), individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2D; n = 15), and endurance-trained athletes (ATH; n = 15). Vastus lateralis muscle biopsies were obtained at rest, immediately after 90 min of cycle ergometry at 50% maximal oxygen consumption (V̇o2 max), and 2-h postexercise (recovery). Skeletal muscle PC and PE were measured via infusion-based mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry analysis. ATH had greater levels of muscle PC and PE compared with OB and T2D (P < 0.05), with total PC and PE positively relating to insulin sensitivity (both P < 0.05). Skeletal muscle PC:PE ratio was elevated in T2D compared with OB and ATH (P < 0.05), tended to be elevated in OB vs. ATH (P = 0.07), and was inversely related to insulin sensitivity among the entire cohort (r = −0.43, P = 0.01). Muscle PC and PE were altered by exercise, particularly after 2 h of recovery, in a highly group-specific manner. However, muscle PC:PE ratio remained unchanged in all groups. In summary, total muscle PC and PE are positively related to insulin sensitivity while PC:PE ratio is inversely related to insulin sensitivity in humans. A single session of exercise significantly alters skeletal muscle PC and PE levels, but not PC:PE ratio. PMID:27032901

  6. Plasma exchanges for severe acute neurological deterioration in patients with IgM anti-myelin-associated glycoprotein (anti-MAG) neuropathy.

    PubMed

    Baron, M; Lozeron, P; Harel, S; Bengoufa, D; Vignon, M; Asli, B; Malphettes, M; Parquet, N; Brignier, A; Fermand, J P; Kubis, N; Arnulf, Bertrand

    2017-06-01

    Monoclonal IgM anti-myelin-associated glycoprotein (MAG) antibody-related peripheral neuropathy (anti-MAG neuropathy) is predominantly a demyelinating sensory neuropathy with ataxia and distal paresthesia. The clinical course of anti-MAG neuropathy is usually slowly progressive making difficult the identification of clear criteria to start a specific treatment. Although no consensus treatment is yet available, a rituximab-based regimen targeting the B-cell clone producing the monoclonal IgM may be proposed, alone or in combination with alkylating agents or purine analogs. However, in some rare cases, an acute and severe neurological deterioration can occur in few days leading to a rapid loss of autonomy. In these cases, a treatment rapidly removing the monoclonal IgM from the circulation might be useful before initiating a specific therapy. We report successful treatment with plasma exchanges (PE) in four patients presenting with acute neurological deterioration. PE allowed a dramatic and rapid neurological improvement in all patients. PE are safe and may be useful at the initial management of these cases of anti-MAG neuropathy.

  7. [Usefulness of tricuspid annular displacement (TAD) to identify right ventricular dysfunction in normotensive patients with acute pulmonary embolism].

    PubMed

    Hugues, T; Yaici, K; Latcu, D-G; Rinaldi, J-P; Zarqane, N; Saoudi, N; Gibelin, P

    2011-02-01

    Echocardiographic criteria of right ventricular dysfunction (RVD) in acute pulmonary embolism (PE) differ among published studies. Assessment of RV systolic function remains difficult because of the RV's complex shape. We aimed to evaluate RV systolic function with TAD in patients (pts) with acute PE. TAD (QLAB, Philips Medical Imaging) was based on a tissue-tracking algorithm that is ultrasound beam angle independent for automated detection of tricuspid annular displacement. Prospective and observational study. All adults' pts who were diagnosed with PE from December 2008 to December 2009 at Princess Grace Hospital, Monaco were eligible for this study after exclusion of history of heart failure. We evaluated 36 consecutive pts with PE (18 male, mean age 62.7 years), which underwent echocardiography, plasma BNP titration during the first day after admission, and a second echocardiography obtained within 48 hours before discharge. TAD value were significantly lower in pts with abnormal RV function by echocardiogram (15.9 ± 0.3 vs. 12.7 ± 0.2 ; P = 0.026). Pts with a normal BNP (<80 pg/ml) had an elevated TAD (16.4 ± 0.2 vs. 11.2 ± 0.3 mm ; P < 0.0001). At discharge, echocardiographic data were obtained from 33 pts (mean: 8.3 ± 3.5 days). RV end diastolic diameter, RV to LV diameter, pulmonary arterial systolic pressure, mean pulmonic valve acceleration time, RV FAC, Sa and TAD were significantly improved. There was no difference between TAD among pts with echocardiographic RVD at baseline vs. pts without RVD (14.9 ± 3.7 vs. 16.1 ± 2.9 mm ; P = 0.3). Four pts who deteriorated during short-term observation had substantially lower TAD values than those with uncomplicated courses (7.7 ± 0.4mm vs. 14.6 ± 0.2 mm ; P = 0.001). In conclusion, impaired TAD was associated with decreased RV systolic function in pts with acute PE. To identify the clinical meaning of decreased TAD, larger trials with longer follow-up periods are needed. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Masson

  8. Hyponatremia and short-term prognosis of patients with acute pulmonary embolism: A meta-analysis.

    PubMed

    Zhou, Xiao-Yu; Chen, Hong-Lin; Ni, Song-Shi

    2017-01-15

    The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between hyponatremia and the short-term prognosis of patients with acute pulmonary embolism (PE). Searches of MEDLINE (1966-) and ISI Databases (1965-) were performed for English language studies. Odds ratio (OR) and adjusted hazard ratio (HR) for short-term prognosis were calculated for PE patients with or without hyponatremia. Meta-analysis was carried out following Meta-analysis of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (MOOSE) guidelines. Eight studies with 18,616 patients were included in this meta-analysis. The mean in-hospital mortality was 12.9% in hyponatremia group, compared with 2.3% in normonatremia group. Meta-analysis showed the summary OR was 5.586 (95% CI 3.424 to 9.112). The mean 30-day mortality was 15.9% in hyponatremia group, compared with 7.4% in normonatremia group. The summary OR was 3.091 (95% CI 1.650 to 5.788). No significant publication bias was found for the meta-analysis. Sensitivity analyses by only pooled the adjusted HRs showed the summary HR was 0.924 (95% CI 0.897 to 0.951), which indicted the mortality risk will be decrease to 0.924 times for per-1mmol/L sodium increase in hyponatremia patients. Our meta-analysis indicates that hyponatremia was related with poor short-term prognosis in patients with acute PE. Hyponatremia is a simple, cheap, powerful marker of mortality, which should be used routinely tested in the PE prognostic assessment. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Impact of pe_pgrs33 Gene Polymorphisms on Mycobacterium tuberculosis Infection and Pathogenesis.

    PubMed

    Camassa, Serena; Palucci, Ivana; Iantomasi, Raffaella; Cubeddu, Tiziana; Minerva, Mariachiara; De Maio, Flavio; Jouny, Samuel; Petruccioli, Elisa; Goletti, Delia; Ria, Francesco; Sali, Michela; Sanguinetti, Maurizio; Manganelli, Riccardo; Rocca, Stefano; Brodin, Priscille; Delogu, Giovanni

    2017-01-01

    PE_PGRS33 is a surface-exposed protein of Mycobacterium tuberculosis ( Mtb ) which exerts its role in macrophages entry and immunomodulation. In this study, we aimed to investigate the polymorphisms in the pe_pgrs33 gene of Mtb clinical isolates and evaluate their impact on protein functions. We sequenced pe_pgrs33 in a collection of 135 clinical strains, genotyped by 15-loci MIRU-VNTR and spoligotyping and belonging to the Mtb complex (MTBC). Overall, an association between pe_pgrs33 alleles and MTBC genotypes was observed and a dN/dS ratio of 0.64 was obtained, suggesting that a purifying selective pressure is acting on pe_pgrs33 against deleterious SNPs. Among a total of 19 pe_pgrs33 alleles identified in this study, 5 were cloned and used to complement the pe_pgrs33 knock-out mutant strain of Mtb H37Rv ( Mtb Δ33) to assess the functional impact of the respective polymorphisms in in vitro infections of primary macrophages. In human monocyte-derived macrophages (MDMs) infection, large in-frame and frameshift mutations were unable to restore the phenotype of Mtb H37Rv, impairing the cell entry capacity of Mtb , but neither its intracellular replication rate nor its immunomodulatory properties. In vivo studies performed in the murine model of tuberculosis (TB) demonstrated that the Mtb Δ33 mutant strain was not impaired in the ability to infect and replicate in the lung tissue compared to the parental strain. Interestingly, Mtb Δ33 showed an enhanced virulence during the chronic steps of infection compared to Mtb H37Rv. Similarly, the complementation of Mtb Δ33 with a frameshift allele also resulted in a Mtb strain capable of causing a surprisingly enhanced tissue damage in murine lungs, during the chronic steps of infection. Together, these results further support the role of PE_PGRS33 in the pathogenesis and virulence of Mtb .

  10. Related Critical Psychometric Issues and Their Resolutions during Development of PE Metrics

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fox, Connie; Zhu, Weimo; Park, Youngsik; Fisette, Jennifer L.; Graber, Kim C.; Dyson, Ben; Avery, Marybell; Franck, Marian; Placek, Judith H.; Rink, Judy; Raynes, De

    2011-01-01

    In addition to validity and reliability evidence, other psychometric qualities of the PE Metrics assessments needed to be examined. This article describes how those critical psychometric issues were addressed during the PE Metrics assessment bank construction. Specifically, issues included (a) number of items or assessments needed, (b) training…

  11. School PE through Internet Discussion Forums

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lauritsalo, Kirsti; Sääkslahti, Arja; Rasku-Puttonen, Helena

    2015-01-01

    Background: Physical education is a subject that generates strong feelings and emotions, as can be seen in written accounts of PE experiences. It is also important to listen to students' voices in the research context. Nowadays, students can be listened to in a new way--through the Internet. Various discussion forums on the Internet make it…

  12. Antimicrobial (BN/PE) film combined with modified atmosphere packaging extends the shelf life of minimally processed fresh-cut iceberg lettuce.

    PubMed

    Kang, Sun-Chul; Kim, Min-Jeong; Park, In-Sik; Choi, Ung-Kyu

    2008-03-01

    This study was conducted to investigate the effect of modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) in combination with BN/PE film on the shelf life and quality of fresh-cut iceberg lettuce during cold storage. The total mesophilic population in the sample packed in BN/PE film under MAP conditions was dramatically reduced in comparison with that of PE film, PE film under MAP conditions, and BN/PE film. The O2 concentration in the BN/PE film under MAP conditions decreased slightly as the storage period progressed. The coloration of the iceberg lettuce progressed the slowest when it was packaged in BN/PE film under MAP conditions, followed by BN/PE film, PE film, and PE film under MAP conditions. The shelf life of fresh-cut iceberg lettuce packaged in the BN/PE film under MAP conditions was extended by more than 2 days at 10 degrees as compared with that of the BN/PE film in which the extension effect was more than 2 days longer than that of PE, PET, and OPP films.

  13. Quantitative CT Evaluation of Small Pulmonary Vessels in Patients with Acute Pulmonary Embolism.

    PubMed

    Matsuoka, Shin; Kotoku, Akiyuki; Yamashiro, Tsuneo; Matsushita, Shoichiro; Fujikawa, Atsuko; Yagihashi, Kunihiro; Nakajima, Yasuo

    2018-05-01

    The objective of this study was to investigate the correlation between the computed tomography (CT) cross-sectional area (CSA) of small pulmonary vessels and the CT obstruction index in patients with acute pulmonary embolism (PE) and the correlation between the changes in these measurements after anticoagulant therapy. Fifty-two patients with acute PE were selected for this study. We measured the CSA less than 5 mm 2 on coronal reconstructed images to obtain the percentage of the CSA (%CSA < 5). CT angiographic index was obtained based on the Qanadli method for the evaluation of the degree of pulmonary arterial obstruction. Spearman rank correlation analysis was used to evaluate the relationship between the initial and the follow-up values and changes in the %CSA < 5 and the CT obstruction index. There was no significant correlation between the %CSA < 5 and CT obstruction index on both initial (ρ = -0.03, P = 0.84) and follow-up (ρ = -0.03, P = 0.82) assessments. In contrast, there was a significant negative correlation between the changes in %CSA < 5 and the CT obstruction index (ρ = -0.59, P < 0.0001). Although the absolute %CSA < 5 and CT obstruction index were not significantly correlated, the changes in the values of the two parameters had a significant correlation. Changes in %CSA < 5, which can be obtained easily, can be used as biomarker of therapeutic response in patients with acute PE. Copyright © 2018 The Association of University Radiologists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. Postoperative Infection in the Setting of Massive Intraoperative Blood Loss.

    PubMed

    Leylek, Melike; Poliquin, Vanessa; Al-Wazzan, Ahmad; Dean, Erin; Altman, Alon D

    2016-12-01

    To determine the local rates of massive intraoperative blood loss and subsequent infectious morbidity for patients undergoing gynaecologic laparotomy. We performed a retrospective chart review of all patients undergoing gynaecologic laparotomy between January 1, 2013 and December 31, 2013 to identify cases of massive intraoperative blood loss (defined as ≥1 L estimated intraoperative blood loss, a postoperative reduction in hemoglobin concentration of ≥40 g/L, or a perioperative blood transfusion). For cases meeting these criteria, we abstracted further data to assess the rate of postoperative infectious morbidity (defined as a positive wound swab culture, positive urine culture, or satisfying the 1991 criteria for systemic inflammatory response syndrome). The rate of massive intraoperative blood loss was 13.5% (n = 69). The average age in this cohort was 50.4 years (range 18-84 years) and the average BMI was 27.9 kg/m 2 . Perioperative transfusion was required in 31.9% (n = 22). Notably, 26.1% of patients (n = 18) met one of our primary endpoints for postoperative infectious morbidity. A further 10.1% (n = 7) had morbidities including hyponatremia, wound dehiscence, intra-abdominal abscess, positive blood cultures, acute respiratory distress syndrome, myocardial infarction, intensive care unit admission, or death. Our rate of massive intraoperative blood loss during gynaecologic laparotomy was found to be 13.5%, and our rate of postoperative infectious morbidity subsequent to massive intraoperative blood loss was 26.1%. Copyright © 2016 The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada/La Société des obstétriciens et gynécologues du Canada. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Endoscopic management of massive mercury ingestion

    PubMed Central

    Zag, Levente; Berkes, Gábor; Takács, Irma F; Szepes, Attila; Szabó, István

    2017-01-01

    Abstract Rationale: Ingestion of a massive amount of metallic mercury was thought to be harmless until the last century. After that, in a number of cases, mercury ingestion has been associated with appendicitis, impaired liver function, memory deficits, aspiration leading to pneumonitis and acute renal failure. Treatment includes gastric lavage, giving laxatives and chelating agents, but rapid removal of metallic mercury with gastroscopy has not been used. Patient concerns: An 18-year-old man was admitted to our emergency department after drinking 1000 g of metallic mercury as a suicide attempt. Diagnosis: Except from mild umbilical tenderness, he had no other symptoms. Radiography showed a metallic density in the area of the stomach. Intervention: Gastroscopy was performed to remove the mercury. One large pool and several small droplets of mercury were removed from the stomach. Outcomes: Blood and urine mercury levels of the patient remained low during hospitalization. No symptoms of mercury intoxication developed during the follow-up period. Lessons: Massive mercury ingestion may cause several symptoms, which can be prevented with prompt treatment. We used endoscopy to remove the mercury, which shortened the exposure time and minimized the risk of aspiration. This is the first case where endoscopy was used for the management of mercury ingestion. PMID:28562544

  16. Korsakoff's psychosis due to massive beer intake provoked by diabetes insipidus.

    PubMed

    Farr, R W; Blankenship, D C; Viti, A; Albrink, M J

    1988-05-01

    Posttraumatic diabetes insipidus, acute pancreatitis, and Wernicke's encephalopathy and Korsakoff's psychosis in a 33-year-old white male alcohol abuser resulted in near-fatal cardiovascular collapse. The Wernicke's encephalopathy and Korsakoff's psychosis resulted from drinking massive quantities of beer to satisfy the thirst induced by diabetes insipidus. Although the diabetes insipidus was controlled with vasopressin, and the need for vasopressin resolved two months after diagnosis, the Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome had not resolved by six months.

  17. Role of physician perception of patient smile on pretest probability assessment for acute pulmonary embolism.

    PubMed

    Kline, Jeffrey A; Neumann, Dawn; Hall, Cassandra L; Capito, Jacob

    2017-02-01

    Many clinicians use a global visual interpretation of patient appearance to decide if a patient looks sick or not. For patients with suspected acute pulmonary embolism (PE), we tested the relationship between visual appearance of a happy patient facial affect and probability of PE+ on CT pulmonary angiography (CTPA). Eligible patients were selected by usual care to undergo CTPA, the criterion standard for PE+ or PE-. Prior to CTPA result, trained study personnel obtained physician pretest probability using the gestalt method (visual analogue scale, 0%-100%), the Wells score (0-12) and physicians' impression of whether the patient smiled during the initial examination (smile+). Patients' faces were also video recorded and analysed with an automated neural network-based algorithm (Noldus FaceReader) for happy affect. Of the 208 patients enrolled, 27 were PE+ and smile+ was more frequent in patients with PE+ than PE-, a finding confirmed by the Noldus. The diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of smile was low, and physicians overestimated presence of an alternative diagnosis more likely to PE with smile+ than smile- patients in patients with true PE. As a result, the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) was lower for the Wells score in smile+ patients. However, the physicians' mean gestalt estimate of PE did not differ with smile status, nor did smile status affect the AUROC for gestalt. In patients with suspected PE, physician recollection of patients' smile+ was more common in PE+ patients, and was associated with a less accurate Wells score, primarily because physicians overestimated probability of alternative diagnosis. However, the overall diagnostic accuracy of physicians' gestalt did not differ with perceived smile status. These data suggest that the patients' smile had less effect on the numeric gestalt pretest probability assessment than on the binary decision about an alternative diagnosis. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group

  18. Massive gas gangrene secondary to occult colon carcinoma.

    PubMed

    Griffin, Andrew S; Crawford, Matthew D; Gupta, Rajan T

    2016-06-01

    Gas gangrene is a rare but often fatal soft-tissue infection. Because it is uncommon and the classic symptom of crepitus does not appear until the infection is advanced, prompt diagnosis requires a high index of suspicion. We present a case report of a middle-aged man who presented with acute onset lower-extremity pain that was initially thought to be due to deep vein thrombosis. After undergoing workup for pulmonary embolism, he was found to have massive gas gangrene of the lower extremity secondary to an occult colon adenocarcinoma and died within hours of presentation from multisystem organ failure.

  19. Rater reliability and concurrent validity of the Keyboard Personal Computer Style instrument (K-PeCS).

    PubMed

    Baker, Nancy A; Cook, James R; Redfern, Mark S

    2009-01-01

    This paper describes the inter-rater and intra-rater reliability, and the concurrent validity of an observational instrument, the Keyboard Personal Computer Style instrument (K-PeCS), which assesses stereotypical postures and movements associated with computer keyboard use. Three trained raters independently rated the video clips of 45 computer keyboard users to ascertain inter-rater reliability, and then re-rated a sub-sample of 15 video clips to ascertain intra-rater reliability. Concurrent validity was assessed by comparing the ratings obtained using the K-PeCS to scores developed from a 3D motion analysis system. The overall K-PeCS had excellent reliability [inter-rater: intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC)=.90; intra-rater: ICC=.92]. Most individual items on the K-PeCS had from good to excellent reliability, although six items fell below ICC=.75. Those K-PeCS items that were assessed for concurrent validity compared favorably to the motion analysis data for all but two items. These results suggest that most items on the K-PeCS can be used to reliably document computer keyboarding style.

  20. Massive blood transfusion during hospitalization for delivery in New York State, 1998-2007.

    PubMed

    Mhyre, Jill M; Shilkrut, Alexander; Kuklina, Elena V; Callaghan, William M; Creanga, Andreea A; Kaminsky, Sari; Bateman, Brian T

    2013-12-01

    To define the frequency, risk factors, and outcomes of massive transfusion in obstetrics. The State Inpatient Dataset for New York (1998-2007) was used to identify all delivery hospitalizations for hospitals that reported at least one delivery-related transfusion per year. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to examine the relationship between maternal age, race, and relevant clinical variables and the risk of massive blood transfusion defined as 10 or more units of blood recorded. Massive blood transfusion complicated 6 of every 10,000 deliveries with cases observed even in the smallest facilities. Risk factors with the strongest independent associations with massive blood transfusion included abnormal placentation (1.6/10,000 deliveries, adjusted odds ratio [OR] 18.5, 95% confidence interval [CI] 14.7-23.3), placental abruption (1.0/10,000, adjusted OR 14.6, 95% CI 11.2-19.0), severe preeclampsia (0.8/10,000, adjusted OR 10.4, 95% CI 7.7-14.2), and intrauterine fetal demise (0.7/10,000, adjusted OR 5.5, 95% CI 3.9-7.8). The most common etiologies of massive blood transfusion were abnormal placentation (26.6% of cases), uterine atony (21.2%), placental abruption (16.7%), and postpartum hemorrhage associated with coagulopathy (15.0%). A disproportionate number of women who received a massive blood transfusion experienced severe morbidity including renal failure, acute respiratory distress syndrome, sepsis, and in-hospital death. Massive blood transfusion was infrequent, regardless of facility size. In the presence of known risk for receipt of massive blood transfusion, women should be informed of this possibility, should deliver in a well-resourced facility if possible, and should receive appropriate blood product preparation and venous access in advance of delivery. : II.

  1. Utilizing Telehealth to Support Treatment of Acute Stress Disorder in a Theater of War: Prolonged Exposure via Clinical Videoconferencing.

    PubMed

    Pelton, Dan; Wangelin, Bethany; Tuerk, Peter

    2015-05-01

    Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and acute stress disorder are prevalent mental health diagnoses associated with the military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan and are especially significant in service members returning from combat. Prolonged exposure (PE) therapy is a highly effective behavioral treatment for these symptoms, and providing this treatment as soon as possible, even in the midst of a soldier's combat deployment, has strong potential benefits. In the current case study, telehealth technology was used to support the delivery of PE therapy to treat a service member diagnosed with acute stress disorder in a war zone. PE was conducted face-to-face on the relatively secure Forward Operating Base for the first half of therapy and via clinical videoconferencing (CV) to the service member's remote combat outpost during the later stages of therapy. The service member exhibited marked improvements in symptoms over 10 sessions. Results are consistent with previous empirical findings and highlight the potential benefits of using telehealth to deliver evidenced-based treatment for traumatic stress disorders in a war zone. This case study provides a preliminary working model for delivering PE in a combat environment using multiple delivery systems. Benefits and clinical utility of CV-delivered exposure therapy are discussed, particularly for providers pending future operational deployments (e.g., including members of the military, independent government agencies, and first responders) and for those treating patients in remote locations.

  2. Targeting the Body and the Mind: Evaluation of a P.E. Curriculum Intervention for Adolescents

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Loukaitou-Sideris, Anastasia

    2015-01-01

    P.E. classes are often the only opportunity for inner-city youth to engage in physical activity, but budget cuts and pressure to perform well on standardized tests has made P.E. an afterthought for many school administrators. This study evaluated the effectiveness of a new P.E. curriculum in five Los Angeles inner-city schools. Interviews were…

  3. RS3PE presenting in a unilateral pattern: case report and review of the literature.

    PubMed

    Keenan, Robert T; Hamalian, Gareen M; Pillinger, Michael H

    2009-06-01

    To review the clinical features and pathophysiologic implications of remitting seronegative symmetrical synovitis with pitting edema (RS(3)PE) presenting in a unilateral manner. We identified and characterized an index case of RS(3)PE presenting in a unilateral pattern. We subsequently performed a systematic literature search to identify other reports of patients with unilateral RS(3)PE. The index case was a 76-year-old male with a prior history of right hemiparesis owing to a cerebrovascular accident 25 years prior, who developed a classic picture of RS(3)PE involving hand (metacarpophalageal and wrist joint) arthritis and dorsal pitting edema, accompanied by an elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate, but only in the nonhemiparetic hand. The condition responded rapidly to low-dose prednisone. Our literature search identified 5 other cases of unilateral RS(3)PE, including 2 presented only in the Italian or German literature. Of the 5 cases, 2 were in patients with preexisting neurologic disease, in which the neurologically affected side was spared. One additional case initially presented as unilateral disease but rapidly progressed to bilaterality. Two cases presented in a fully unilateral manner despite no reported neurologic abnormalities on the unaffected sides. While RS(3)PE is almost always a symmetric disease of the upper extremities, it may rarely present in a unilateral fashion. The apparent ability of neuropathic changes to protect against the expression of RS(3)PE in an extremity suggests a role for neural and possibly other local factors in the genesis/modulation of the onset or maintenance of RS(3)PE.

  4. 27 The DiPEP (Diagnosis of PE in Pregnancy) study: can clinical assessment, d-dimer or chest x-ray be used to select pregnant or postpartum women with suspected PE for diagnostic imaging?

    PubMed

    Goodacre, Steve; Horspool, Kimberley; Nelson-Piercy, Catherine; Knight, Marian; Shephard, Neil; Lecky, Fiona; Thomas, Steven; Hunt, Beverley; Fuller, Gordon

    2017-12-01

    To determine whether clinical features (in the form of a clinical decision rule) or d-dimer can be used to select pregnant or postpartum women with suspected PE for diagnostic imaging. Observational cohort study augmented with additional cases. Consultant-led maternity units participating in the UK Obstetric Surveillance System (UKOSS) and emergency departments and maternity units at eleven prospectively recruiting sites. 198 pregnant or postpartum women with diagnosed PE identified through UKOSS and 324 pregnant or postpartum women with suspected PE from prospectively recruiting sites. Data were collected relating to clinical features, elements of clinical decision rules, d-dimer measurements, diagnostic imaging, treatment for PE and adverse outcomes. Women were classified as having or not having PE on the basis of diagnostic imaging, treatment and subsequent adverse outcomes. Primary analysis was limited to women with conclusive diagnostic imaging. Secondary analyses included women with clinically diagnosed or ruled out PE. The primary analysis included 181 women with PE and 259 without. Most clinical features showed no association with PE. The only exceptions were number of previous pregnancies over 24 weeks (p=0.017), no varicose veins (p=0.045), no recent long haul travel (p=0.006), recent surgery including caesarean section (p=0.001), increased temperature (p=0.003), low oxygen saturation (p<0.001), PE-related chest x-ray abnormality (p=0.01) and other chest x-ray abnormality (p=0.001).Clinical decision rules had areas under the receiver-operator characteristic curve ranging from 0.577 to 0.732. No clinically useful threshold for decision-making was identified for any rule. The sensitivities and specificities of d-dimer were 88.4% and 8.8% using the standard laboratory threshold and 69.8% and 32.8% using a pregnancy-specific threshold. Clinical decision rules, d-dimer and chest x-ray should not be used to select pregnant or postpartum women with suspected PE

  5. The new geographic information system in ETVA VI.PE.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xagoraris, Zafiris; Soulis, George

    2016-08-01

    ETVA VI.PE. S.A. is a member of the Piraeus Bank Group of Companies and its activities include designing, developing, exploiting and managing Industrial Areas throughout Greece. Inside ETVA VI.PE.'s thirty-one Industrial Parks there are currently 2,500 manufacturing companies established, with 40,000 employees and € 2.5 billion of invested funds. In each one of the industrial areas ETVA VI.PE guarantees the companies industrial lots of land (sites) with propitious building codes and complete infrastructure networks of water supply, sewerage, paved roads, power supply, communications, cleansing services, etc. The development of Geographical Information System for ETVA VI.PE.'s Industrial Parks started at the beginning of 1992 and consists of three subsystems: Cadastre, that manages the information for the land acquisition of Industrial Areas; Street Layout - Sites, that manages the sites sold to manufacturing companies; Networks, that manages the infrastructure networks (roads, water supply, sewerage etc). The mapping of each Industrial Park is made incorporating state-of-the-art photogrammetric, cartographic and surveying methods and techniques. Passing through the phases of initial design (hybrid GIS) and system upgrade (integrated Gis solution with spatial database), the system is currently operating on a new upgrade (integrated gIS solution with spatial database) that includes redesigning and merging the system's database schemas, along with the creation of central security policies, and the development of a new web GIS application for advanced data entry, highly customisable and standard reports, and dynamic interactive maps. The new GIS bring the company to advanced levels of productivity and introduce the new era for decision making and business management.

  6. SCoPE: an efficient method of Cosmological Parameter Estimation

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

    Das, Santanu; Souradeep, Tarun, E-mail: santanud@iucaa.ernet.in, E-mail: tarun@iucaa.ernet.in

    Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) sampler is widely used for cosmological parameter estimation from CMB and other data. However, due to the intrinsic serial nature of the MCMC sampler, convergence is often very slow. Here we present a fast and independently written Monte Carlo method for cosmological parameter estimation named as Slick Cosmological Parameter Estimator (SCoPE), that employs delayed rejection to increase the acceptance rate of a chain, and pre-fetching that helps an individual chain to run on parallel CPUs. An inter-chain covariance update is also incorporated to prevent clustering of the chains allowing faster and better mixing of themore » chains. We use an adaptive method for covariance calculation to calculate and update the covariance automatically as the chains progress. Our analysis shows that the acceptance probability of each step in SCoPE is more than 95% and the convergence of the chains are faster. Using SCoPE, we carry out some cosmological parameter estimations with different cosmological models using WMAP-9 and Planck results. One of the current research interests in cosmology is quantifying the nature of dark energy. We analyze the cosmological parameters from two illustrative commonly used parameterisations of dark energy models. We also asses primordial helium fraction in the universe can be constrained by the present CMB data from WMAP-9 and Planck. The results from our MCMC analysis on the one hand helps us to understand the workability of the SCoPE better, on the other hand it provides a completely independent estimation of cosmological parameters from WMAP-9 and Planck data.« less

  7. Is remitting seronegative symmetrical synovitis with pitting edema (RS3PE) a subset of rheumatoid arthritis?

    PubMed

    Yao, Qingping; Su, Xiangqian; Altman, Roy D

    2010-08-01

    To contrast and compare the spectrum of remitting seronegative symmetrical synovitis with pitting edema (RS3PE) with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) using an illustrative case. The relevant English literature of RS3PE was searched using the keywords "RS3PE" alone and in combination with terms such as neoplasia and rheumatic disease. Original and review articles were reviewed and the clinical setting was exemplified with a case report. RS3PE initially was reported to represent a form of RA. However, RS3PE has clinical features that are different from both early- and late-onset RA, such as lack of bony erosions and rheumatoid factor. RS3PE is thought to involve vascular endothelial growth factor, suggesting an infectious etiology, generally has an excellent prognosis, and is associated with neoplasia not commonly seen in RA, and the RA associated human leukocyte antigen (HLA) DRB1 genotype is absent. Based on the clinical, laboratory, suspected infectious etiology, genetic differences, and types of associated malignancies, RS3PE appears to be a distinct entity rather than a subset of RA. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Syndrome of remitting seronegative symmetrical synovitis with pitting oedema (RS3PE).

    PubMed

    Kundu, A K

    2007-03-01

    RS3PE syndrome, often mimicking rheumatoid arthritis (RA) or polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR), has puzzled the rheumatologists until late'80s. Though the nature of the disease still remains illusive, the outcome is excellent. This present study analyzes the clinical, radiological and immunogenetical characteristics of five patients diagnosed with RS3PE syndrome, with review of literature.

  9. EFFECTS OF TRITIUM EXPOSURE ON UHMW-PE, PTFE, AND VESPEL

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

    Clark, E; Kirk Shanahan, K

    2006-05-31

    Samples of three polymers, Ultra-High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMW-PE), polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE, also known as Teflon{reg_sign}), and Vespel{reg_sign} polyimide were exposed to 1 atmosphere of tritium gas at ambient temperature for varying times up to 2.3 years in closed containers. Sample mass and size measurements (to calculate density), spectra-colorimetry, dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) were employed to characterize the effects of tritium exposure on these samples. Changes of the tritium exposure gas itself were characterized at the end of exposure by measuring total pressure and by mass spectroscopic analysis of the gas composition. None of the polymersmore » exhibited significant changes of density. The color of initially white UHMW-PE and PTFE dramatically darkened to the eye and the color also significantly changed as measured by colorimetry. The bulk of UHMW-PE darkened just like the external surfaces, however the fracture surface of PTFE appeared white compared to the PTFE external surfaces. The white interior could have been formed while the sample was breaking or could reflect the extra tritium dose at the surface directly from the gas. The dynamic mechanical response of UHMW-PE was typical of radiation effects on polymers- an initial stiffening (increased storage modulus) and reduction of viscous behavior after three months exposure, followed by lowering of the storage modulus after one year exposure and longer. The storage modulus of PTFE increased through about nine months tritium exposure, then the samples became too weak to handle or test using DMA. Characterization of Vespel{reg_sign} using DMA was problematic--sample-to-sample variations were significant and no systematic change with tritium exposure could be discerned. Isotopic exchange and incorporation of tritium into UHMW-PE (exchanging for protium) and into PTFE (exchanging for fluorine) was observed by FT-IR using an

  10. Acute Abdomen Secondary to Incarcerated Umbilical Hernia after Treatment of Massive Cirrhotic Ascites

    PubMed Central

    Tan, Hiang Keat; Chang, Pik Eu

    2013-01-01

    Umbilical herniation is common in patients with liver cirrhosis and ascites. Rarely, they suffer from incarceration and strangulation of the umbilical hernia after treatment of ascites. We report 3 cases of umbilical hernia incarceration following removal of massive ascites with different treatment modalities. Physicians managing this group of patients should be aware of this rare and potentially fatal complication. PMID:25374722

  11. Establishment of a canine model of acute pulmonary embolism with definite right ventricular dysfunction through introduced autologous blood clots.

    PubMed

    Zhao, Lin-Bo; Jia, Zhen-Yu; Lu, Guang-Dong; Zhu, Yin-Su; Jing, Lei; Shi, Hai-Bin

    2015-04-01

    To establish a canine model of acute pulmonary embolism (PE) with right ventricular (RV) dysfunction using autologous blood clots and evaluate by echocardiography and contrast-enhanced Computed Tomography (CT). Autologous blood clots formed in vitro were introduced sequentially into the pulmonary arteries of eight healthy mixed-breed dogs while monitoring pulmonary and systemic hemodynamic function. Blood clots were injected until the mean pulmonary artery pressure (MPAP) reached two-three times the baseline pressure, which was maintained up to 1 hour. The RV function was assessed by echocardiography and ECG-gated dual-source contrast CT. All animals survived the imaging procedure. The post-injection pulmonary angiograms showed extensive PE, and MPAP increased from 16.50±2.45 mmHg to 43.13±4.91 mmHg (P<0.001). On echocardiography, the RV fractional area change decreased from 42.06±3.36 to 27.96±3.54 (P<0.001), and the RV myocardial performance increased from 0.20±0.05 to 0.63±0.16 (P<0.001). On CT, the RV end-systolic volume increased from 11.11±1.81 ml to 24.71±4.60 ml (P<0.001), RV end-diastolic volume from 20.73±2.83 ml to 34.63±5.76 ml (P<0.001), and the four-chamber RV/left ventricular diameter ratio from 0.38±0.07 to 0.81±0.14 (P<0.001). Acute PE with RV dysfunction was established in a large animal model through controlled injection of autologous blood clots, which may be useful for developing and evaluating new therapeutic approaches for acute PE with RV dysfunction. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Functional dissection of protein domains involved in the immunomodulatory properties of PE_PGRS33 of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

    PubMed

    Zumbo, Antonella; Palucci, Ivana; Cascioferro, Alessandro; Sali, Michela; Ventura, Marcello; D'Alfonso, Pamela; Iantomasi, Raffaella; Di Sante, Gabriele; Ria, Francesco; Sanguinetti, Maurizio; Fadda, Giovanni; Manganelli, Riccardo; Delogu, Giovanni

    2013-12-01

    PE_PGRSs are a large family of proteins identified in Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex and in few other pathogenic mycobacteria. The PE domain of PE_PGRS33 mediates localization of the protein on the mycobacterial cell surface, where the PGRS domain is available to interact with host components. In this study, PE_PGRS33 and its functional deletion mutants were expressed in M. smegmatis, and in vitro and in vivo assays were used to dissect the protein domains involved in the immunomodulatory properties of the protein. We demonstrate that PE_PGRS33-mediated secretion of TNF-α by macrophages occurs by extracellular interaction with TLR2. Our results also show that while the PGRS domain of the protein is required for triggering TNF-α secretion, mutation in the PE domain affects the pro-inflammatory properties of the protein. These results indicate that PE_PGRS33 is a protein with immunomodulatory activity and that protein stability and localization on the mycobacterial surface can affect these properties. © 2013 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Possible Domain Formation In PE/PC Bilayers Containing High Cholesterol

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hein, Matthew; Hussain, Fazle; Huang, Juyang

    2015-03-01

    Cholesterol is a significant component of animal cell membranes, and its presence has the effects of not only adding rigidity to the lipid bilayer, but also leading to the formation of lipid domains. Two other lipids of interest are phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), which constitutes about 45 percent of the phospholipids found in human nervous tissues, and phosphatidylcholine (PC), which is found in every cell of the human body. The maximum solubility of cholesterol is the highest mole fraction of cholesterol that the lipid bilayer can retain, at which point cholesterol begins to precipitate out to form cholesterol monohydrate crystals. We have measured the maximum solubility of cholesterol in mixtures of 16:0-18:1PE and 16:0-18:1PC using a new light scattering technique, which utilizes the anisotropic nature of light scattering by cholesterol crystals. This new method is highly accurate and reproducible. Our results show that the maximum solubility of cholesterol increases linearly as a function of the molar ratio POPC/(POPE+POPC), which suggests possible domain formation in mixtures of PE and PC containing maximum amount of cholesterol.

  14. Thaliporphine Derivative Improves Acute Lung Injury after Traumatic Brain Injury

    PubMed Central

    Chen, Gunng-Shinng; Huang, Kuo-Feng; Huang, Chien-Chu; Wang, Jia-Yi

    2015-01-01

    Acute lung injury (ALI) occurs frequently in patients with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) and is associated with a poor clinical outcome. Aquaporins (AQPs), particularly AQP1 and AQP4, maintain water balances between the epithelial and microvascular domains of the lung. Since pulmonary edema (PE) usually occurs in the TBI-induced ALI patients, we investigated the effects of a thaliporphine derivative, TM-1, on the expression of AQPs and histological outcomes in the lung following TBI in rats. TM-1 administered (10 mg/kg, intraperitoneal injection) at 3 or 4 h after TBI significantly reduced the elevated mRNA expression and protein levels of AQP1 and AQP4 and diminished the wet/dry weight ratio, which reflects PE, in the lung at 8 and 24 h after TBI. Postinjury TM-1 administration also improved histopathological changes at 8 and 24 h after TBI. PE was accompanied with tissue pathological changes because a positive correlation between the lung injury score and the wet/dry weight ratio in the same animal was observed. Postinjury administration of TM-1 improved ALI and reduced PE at 8 and 24 h following TBI. The pulmonary-protective effect of TM-1 may be attributed to, at least in part, downregulation of AQP1 and AQP4 expression after TBI. PMID:25705683

  15. Intra-Arterial Treatment in Patients with Acute Massive Gastrointestinal Bleeding after Endoscopic Failure: Comparisons between Positive versus Negative Contrast Extravasation Groups

    PubMed Central

    Chang, Wei-Chou; Liu, Chang-Hsien; Hsu, Hsian-He; Huang, Guo-Shu; Tung, Ho-Jui; Hsieh, Tsai-Yuan; Tsai, Shih-Hung; Hsieh, Chung-Bao

    2011-01-01

    Objective To determine whether treatment outcome is associated with visualization of contrast extravasation in patients with acute massive gastrointestinal bleeding after endoscopic failure. Materials and Methods From January 2007 to December 2009, patients that experienced a first attack of acute gastrointestinal bleeding after failure of initial endoscopy were referred to our interventional department for intra-arterial treatment. We enrolled 79 patients and divided them into two groups: positive and negative extravasation. For positive extravasation, patients were treated by coil embolization; and in negative extravasation, patients were treated with intra-arterial vasopressin infusion. The two groups were compared for clinical parameters, hemodynamics, laboratory findings, endoscopic characteristics, and mortality rates. Results Forty-eight patients had detectable contrast extravasation (positive extravasation), while 31 patients did not (negative extravasation). Fifty-six patients survived from this bleeding episode (overall clinical success rate, 71%). An elevation of hemoglobin level was observed in the both two groups; significantly greater in the positive extravasation group compared to the negative extravasation group. Although these patients were all at high risk of dying, the 90-day mortality rate was significantly lower in the positive extravasation than in the negative extravasation (20% versus 42%, p < 0.05). A multivariate analysis suggested that successful hemostasis (odds ratio [OR] = 28.66) is the most important predictor affecting the mortality in the two groups of patients. Conclusion Visualization of contrast extravasation on angiography usually can target the bleeding artery directly, resulting in a higher success rate to control of hemorrhage. PMID:21927558

  16. Glutaric Aciduria type I and acute renal failure - Coincidence or causality?

    PubMed

    Pode-Shakked, Ben; Marek-Yagel, Dina; Rubinshtein, Marina; Pessach, Itai M; Paret, Gideon; Volkov, Alexander; Anikster, Yair; Lotan, Danny

    2014-01-01

    Glutaric Aciduria type I (GA-I) is a rare organic acidemia, caused by mutations in the GCDH gene, and characterized by encephalopathic crises with neurological sequelae. We report herein a patient with GA-I who presented with severe acute renal failure requiring dialysis, following an acute diarrheal illness. Histopathological evaluation demonstrated acute tubular necrosis, and molecular diagnosis revealed the patient to be homozygous for a previously unreported mutation, p.E64D. As renal impairment is not part of the clinical spectrum typical to GA-I, possible associations of renal failure and the underlying inborn error of metabolism are discussed, including recent advancements made in the understanding of the renal transport of glutaric acid and its derivatives during metabolic disturbance in GA-I.

  17. BMI-independent inverse relationship of plasma leptin levels with outcome in patients with acute pulmonary embolism.

    PubMed

    Dellas, C; Lankeit, M; Reiner, C; Schäfer, K; Hasenfuß, G; Konstantinides, S

    2013-02-01

    The adipocytokine leptin is an independent cardiovascular risk factor and exerts prothrombotic effects, both in arterial and venous thrombosis. We therefore investigated the relationship between leptin levels and clinical outcome in patients with acute pulmonary embolism (PE). We prospectively studied consecutive patients with confirmed acute PE admitted at the University Hospital of Goettingen (Germany) between 2003 and 2009. The study subjects were a total of 264 patients with PE (median age, 68 years; interquartile range, 53-75; 60% women; body mass index (BMI) 27 kg m(-2) (24.1-31.2)). Leptin levels were determined by a commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Patients were followed for an adverse 30-day outcome, that is, death, circulatory collapse with need for catecholamines, intubation or resuscitation, and for long-term survival. The median leptin level was 10.1 ng ml(-1) (3.7-25.2). Patients (n=49; 18.6%) with a complicated 30-day course had significantly lower leptin levels (5.3 ng ml(-1) (1.8-19.7) compared with patients without complications (10.4 ng ml(-1) (4.7-25.5), P=0.02). When leptin was analyzed as a continuous variable, there was a significant 36% increase in the relative risk for early complications for every decrease in the natural logarithm of leptin by one s.d. (odds ratio (OR) 1.36 (1.06-1.76), P=0.017), independently of BMI (BMI-adjusted OR, 1.52 (1.13-2.05), P=0.006). In addition, patients within the lowest leptin tertile had a 2.8- and 2.3-fold increased risk for 30-day-complications, compared with those in the middle (P=0.011) and high tertile (P=0.030), and a worse probability of long-term survival (log-rank; P=0.018). Low plasma leptin concentration is a predictor for a complicated course and high mortality in patients with acute PE. This association is independent of known factors affecting leptin levels, including gender and obesity.

  18. Physical Education Students' Ownership, Empowerment, and Satisfaction With PE and Physical Activity.

    PubMed

    Moore, E Whitney G; Fry, Mary D

    2017-12-01

    Individuals experiencing a highly caring, task-involving, and low ego-involving exercise climate have reported greater ownership in exercise class and empowerment to exercise in general. This study examined the relationship between ownership and empowerment in exercise, with 2 context-specific outcomes, satisfaction with physical education (PE) and physical activity, respectively. Given the mission of PE to foster individuals' lifelong physical activity habit, the perceptions of high school students were collected for this study. Ownership in exercise was hypothesized to be significantly, positively correlated with students reporting satisfaction in PE more than their satisfaction in physical activity, whereas empowerment in exercise was hypothesized to be more strongly, positively correlated with students' physical activity satisfaction. A second purpose of this study was to test the measurement quality of the updated Empowerment in Exercise Scale (EES; now 13 items). High school students (N = 502, 43% female) in a Midwestern U.S. school district completed a survey. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the internal measurement structure of the EES (λ = .62-.91; McDonald's omega = .89) across student gender (strong invariance). Additionally, the structural equation modeling analysis revealed only 1 parameter moderated by the students' gender (latent mean of ownership). The hypotheses were supported, such that ownership in exercise was more strongly correlated with PE satisfaction (r = .87) and empowerment in exercise had a stronger correlation with physical activity satisfaction (r = .92). These results support the beneficial effect a satisfying experience in PE can have on students' satisfaction with physical activity outside of school.

  19. Preliminary experiments to estimate the PE.MA.M (PElagic MArine Mesocosm) offshore behaviour

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Albani, Marta; Piermattei, Viviana; Stefanì, Chiara; Marcelli, Marco

    2016-04-01

    The phytoplankton community is controlled not only by local environmental conditions but also by physical processes occurring on different temporal and spatial scales. Hydrodynamic local conditions play an important role in marine ecosystems. Several studies have shown that hydrodynamic conditions can influence the phytoplankton settling velocity, vertical and horizontal distribution and formation of cyanobacterial blooms. Mesocosms are useful structures to simulate marine environment at mesoscale resolution; allowing to closely approximate biotic or abiotic parameters of interest directly in nature. In this work an innovative structure named PE.MA.M (PElagic MArine Mesocosm) is presented and tested. Laboratory experiments have been conducted in order to observe seasonal variations of biomass behaviour in two different hydrodynamic conditions: outside as well as whithin the PE.MA.M. We have evaluated whether it is possible to isolate a natural system from external water mass hydrodynamic exchanges and to assume that phytoplankton cells' transition is limited at the net and sea interface. Preliminary experiments test the isolating capacity of the net, to determine the currents' attenuation rate and to estimate the possible PE.MA.M. offshore behaviour. In the first investigation, we monitored the diffusion of phytoplankton cells. The PE.MA.M. exterior and interior were simulated using a plexiglass tank divided into two half-tanks (Aout-Bin) by a septum consisting of a net like a PE.MA.M. The tank was filled up with 10 L of water and only the half-tank Aout was filled up with 10 ml of phytoplankton culture (Clorella sp.). We monitored the chlorophyll concentrations for 24 hours. The two tanks had similar concentrations after 4 hours (2.70322 mg/m³ Aout and 2.37245 mg/m3 Bin) and this constant relationship was maintened until the end of the test. In the second investigation we used clod cards to measure water motions.We conducted two experiments within tank, the first

  20. Swedish PE Teachers' Understandings of Legitimate Movement in a Criterion-Referenced Grading System

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Svennberg, Lena

    2017-01-01

    Background: Physical Education (PE) has been associated with a multi-activity model in which movement is related to sport discourses and sport techniques. However, as in many international contexts, the Swedish national PE syllabus calls for a wider and more inclusive concept of movement. Complex movement adapted to different settings is valued,…

  1. Thrombin-activated human platelets acutely generate oxidized docosahexaenoic-acid-containing phospholipids via 12-lipoxygenase.

    PubMed

    Morgan, Lloyd T; Thomas, Christopher P; Kühn, Hartmut; O'Donnell, Valerie B

    2010-10-01

    Arachidonate-containing oxidized phospholipids are acutely generated by 12-LOX (12-lipoxygenase) in agonist-activated platelets. In the present study, formation of structurally related lipids by oxidation of DHA (docosahexaenoic acid)-containing phospholipids is demonstrated using lipidomic approaches. Precursor scanning reverse-phase LC (liquid chromatography)-MS/MS (tandem MS) identified a new family of lipids that comprise phospholipid-esterified HDOHE (hydroxydocosahexaenoic acid). Two diacyl and two plasmalogen PEs (phosphatidylethanolamines) containing predominantly the 14-HDOHE positional isomer (18:0p/14-HDOHE-PE, 18:0a/14-HDOHE-PE, 16:0a/14-HDOHE-PE and 16:0p/14-HDOHE-PE) were structurally characterized using MS/MS and by comparison with biogenic standards. An involvement of 12-LOX was indicated as purified recombinant human 12-LOX also generated the 14-HDOHE isomer from DHA. Pharmacological studies using inhibitors and recombinant platelet 12-LOX indicate that they form via esterification of newly formed non-esterified HDOHE. HDOHE-PEs formed at significant rates (2-4 ng/4×10(7) cells) within 2-180 min of thrombin stimulation, and their formation was blocked by calcium chelation. In summary, a new family of oxidized phospholipid was identified in thrombin-activated human platelets.

  2. Massive Submucosal Ganglia in Colonic Inertia.

    PubMed

    Naemi, Kaveh; Stamos, Michael J; Wu, Mark Li-Cheng

    2018-02-01

    - Colonic inertia is a debilitating form of primary chronic constipation with unknown etiology and diagnostic criteria, often requiring pancolectomy. We have occasionally observed massively enlarged submucosal ganglia containing at least 20 perikarya, in addition to previously described giant ganglia with greater than 8 perikarya, in cases of colonic inertia. These massively enlarged ganglia have yet to be formally recognized. - To determine whether such "massive submucosal ganglia," defined as ganglia harboring at least 20 perikarya, characterize colonic inertia. - We retrospectively reviewed specimens from colectomies of patients with colonic inertia and compared the prevalence of massive submucosal ganglia occurring in this setting to the prevalence of massive submucosal ganglia occurring in a set of control specimens from patients lacking chronic constipation. - Seven of 8 specimens affected by colonic inertia harbored 1 to 4 massive ganglia, for a total of 11 massive ganglia. One specimen lacked massive ganglia but had limited sampling and nearly massive ganglia. Massive ganglia occupied both superficial and deep submucosal plexus. The patient with 4 massive ganglia also had 1 mitotically active giant ganglion. Only 1 massive ganglion occupied the entire set of 10 specimens from patients lacking chronic constipation. - We performed the first, albeit distinctly small, study of massive submucosal ganglia and showed that massive ganglia may be linked to colonic inertia. Further, larger studies are necessary to determine whether massive ganglia are pathogenetic or secondary phenomena, and whether massive ganglia or mitotically active ganglia distinguish colonic inertia from other types of chronic constipation.

  3. Gender-related differences in clinical presentation, electrocardiography signs, laboratory markers and outcome in patients with acute pulmonary embolism.

    PubMed

    Obradović, Slobodan; Džudović, Boris; Rusović, Siniša; Subota, Vesna; Obradović, Dragana

    2016-09-01

    Acute pulmonary embolism (PE) is a potentially life threating event, but there are scarce data about genderrelated differences in this condition. The aim of this study was to identify gender-specific differences in clinical presentation, the diagnosis and outcome between male and female patients with PE. We analysed the data of 144 consecutive patients with PE (50% women) and compared female and male patients regarding clinical presentation, electrocardiography (ECG) signs, basic laboratory markers and six-month outcome. All the patients confirmed PE by visualized thrombus on the multidetector computed tomography with pulmonary angiography (MDCTPA), ECG and echocardiographic examination at admission. Compared to the men, the women were older and a larger proportion of them was in the third tertile of age (66.0% vs 34.0%, p = 0.008). In univariate analysis the men more often had hemoptysis [OR (95% CI) 3.75 (1.16-12.11)], chest pain [OR (95% CI) 3.31 (1.57-7.00)] febrile state [OR (95% CI) 2.41 (1.12-5.22)] and pneumonia at PE presentation [OR (95% CI) 3.40 (1.25-9.22)] and less likely had heart decompensation early in the course of the disease [OR (95%CI) 0.48 (0.24-0.97)]. In the multivariate analysis a significant difference in the rate of pneumonia and acute heart failure between genders disappeared due to strong influence of age. There was no significant difference in the occurrence of typical ECG signs for PE between the genders. Women had higher level of admission glycaemia [7.7 mmol/L (5.5-8.2 mmol/L) vs 6.9 mmol/L (6.3-9.6 mmol/L), p = 0.006] and total number of leukocytes [10.5 x 109/L (8.8-12.7 x 109/L vs 8.7 x 109/L (7.0-11.6 x 109/L)), p = 0.007]. There was a trend toward higher plasma level of brain natriuretic peptide in women compared to men 127.1 pg/mL (55.0-484.0 pg/mL), p = 0.092] vs [90.3 pg/mL (39.2-308.5 pg/mL). The main 6-month outcomes, death and major bleeding, had similar frequencies in both sexes. There are several important differences

  4. RS3PE revisited: a systematic review and meta-analysis of 331 cases.

    PubMed

    Karmacharya, Paras; Donato, Anthony A; Aryal, Madan R; Ghimire, Sushil; Pathak, Ranjan; Shah, Kalpana; Shrestha, Pragya; Poudel, Dilli; Wasser, Thomas; Subedi, Ananta; Giri, Smith; Jalota, Leena; Olivé, Alejandro

    2016-01-01

    Remitting seronegative symmetrical synovitis with pitting oedema (RS(3)PE) syndrome is a rare inflammatory arthritis, characterised by symmetrical distal synovitis, pitting oedema of the hands and feet, absence of rheumatoid factor, and favourable response to glucocorticoids. The aim of our study is to further delineate the clinical and laboratory features, and response to treatment. We performed a systematic electronic search of Medline, PubMed, EMBASE, ACR and EULAR databases for case reports, case series, and related articles of RS(3)PE. Statistical analysis was done comparing categorical variables with Chi-square tests and frequencies of means via t-tests. Binary logistic regression analysis was performed to identify predictors of erosions, recurrence, malignancy and rheumatologic disorders. 331 cases of RS(3)PE were identified from 121 articles. RS(3)PE was found in older patients (71±10.42 years) predominantly in males (n= 211, 63.36%), was symmetrical (n=297/311, 95.50%) involved the hands (n=294/311, 94.53%) A concurrent rheumatologic condition was reported in 22 cases (6.65%), and malignancy in 54 cases (16.31%). Radiographic joint erosions were found in 5.5%. Most patients responded to medium-dose glucocorticoids (16.12±9.5 mg/day). Patients with concurrent malignancy requiring non-significantly higher doses of prednisone (18.12 vs. 15.76 mg, p 0.304) and higher likelihood of recurrence of disease (OR 4.04, 95% CI 1.10-14.88, p=0.03). The symptoms and unique findings that make up RS(3)PE appear to represent a steroid-responsive disease that may be a harbinger of an underlying malignancy. More study is needed to understand the molecular origins of RS(3)PE in order to determine whether it is a separate disease process. Patients with concurrent cancer tend to have more severe presentations and higher rates of recurrence.

  5. Whole-School Management Issues Concerning the PE Department: "A Natural Division of Labour?"

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Williams, Gareth Mark; Williams, Dean

    2013-01-01

    Utilising the labour ideas of Adam Smith and Emile Durkheim as a theoretical basis, the main objective of this study was to investigate the perception that Heads of Physical Education (HoPE) face unique management and leadership challenges. Results showed that HoPE believe that they are overburdened with tasks primarily involving the delegation of…

  6. Massive hemoperitoneum due to a ruptured corpus luteum cyst in a patient with congenital hypofibrinogenemia

    PubMed Central

    Kim, Jong-Hyun; Jeong, So-Young

    2015-01-01

    Congenital afibrinogenemia/hypofibrinogenemia is a rare inherited hematologic disorder in which a patient lacks or has insufficient level of fibrinogen, the blood coagulation factor I. The incidence of this uncommon disease is 1 to 2 per 1 million individuals. Hence, massive hemoperitoneum caused by ovulation in a woman with congenital afibrogenemia is also a very rare clinical condition. Massive hemoperitoneum usually presents as acute abdominal pain with potential findings of peritonitis including abdominal distention, hypotension and tachycardia with critical consequences. We performed emergent endoscopic surgery for hemoperitoneum caused by a ruptured corpus luteum cyst in a patient with congenital hypofibrinogenemia. To the best of our knowledge, this was the first case report of such treatment in Korea. PMID:26430672

  7. Source localization (LORETA) of the error-related-negativity (ERN/Ne) and positivity (Pe).

    PubMed

    Herrmann, Martin J; Römmler, Josefine; Ehlis, Ann-Christine; Heidrich, Anke; Fallgatter, Andreas J

    2004-07-01

    We investigated error processing of 39 subjects engaging the Eriksen flanker task. In all 39 subjects a pronounced negative deflection (ERN/Ne) and a later positive component (Pe) were observed after incorrect as compared to correct responses. The neural sources of both components were analyzed using LORETA source localization. For the negative component (ERN/Ne) we found significantly higher brain electrical activity in medial prefrontal areas for incorrect responses, whereas the positive component (Pe) was localized nearby but more rostral within the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). Thus, different neural generators were found for the ERN/Ne and the Pe, which further supports the notion that both error-related components represent different aspects of error processing.

  8. Preparation Strategies of Osteopathic Medical Students for the COMLEX-USA Level 2-PE.

    PubMed

    Sandella, Jeanne M; Peters, Alex; Smith, Larissa L; Gimpel, John R

    2016-04-01

    Since 2002, osteopathic medical schools have made curricular changes to further enhance the clinical skills of their students, to prepare them for residency training, and to pass the Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination-USA Level 2-Performance Evaluation (COMLEX-USA Level 2-PE). To report how students at osteopathic medical schools prepare for the COMLEX-USA Level 2-PE, and to investigate the effect of these techniques on examination performance. A standardized survey was given to students before the beginning of their examination to assess the preparation of osteopathic medical students for the COMLEX-USA Level 2-PE, such as coursework, orientation materials, and standardized patient (SP) encounters. Surveys that were completed by first-time test takers during the 2013-2014 and 2014-2015 test cycles were included in this study. Of 9120 surveys administered, 8733 were completed, achieving a response rate of 95.8%. Of those 8733 respondents, 8706 students (99.7%) reported having SP encounters during the first and second year of medical school, and 7379 (84%) reported having at least 1 SP encounter in years 3 and 4. Of 8733 students, 6079 (70%) reported receiving feedback from an osteopathic physician on their SP encounters, and 6049 (69%) and 6253 (72%) reported having viewed the COMLEX-USA Level 2-PE orientation video online and having read the examination's orientation guide, respectively. The largest difference in preparation between students who passed the COMLEX-USA Level 2-PE and students who did not was a prerequisite SP examination at their school, with 5574 students (68.9%) who passed reporting having participated compared with 364 students (56.5%) who failed. None of the differences in clinical skills training and test preparation was associated with statistically significant differences in pass or fail status. Osteopathic medical students use a variety of methods to enhance their clinical skills in preparation for the COMLEX-USA Level 2

  9. Massive graviton geons

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Aoki, Katsuki; Maeda, Kei-ichi; Misonoh, Yosuke; Okawa, Hirotada

    2018-02-01

    We find vacuum solutions such that massive gravitons are confined in a local spacetime region by their gravitational energy in asymptotically flat spacetimes in the context of the bigravity theory. We call such self-gravitating objects massive graviton geons. The basic equations can be reduced to the Schrödinger-Poisson equations with the tensor "wave function" in the Newtonian limit. We obtain a nonspherically symmetric solution with j =2 , ℓ=0 as well as a spherically symmetric solution with j =0 , ℓ=2 in this system where j is the total angular momentum quantum number and ℓ is the orbital angular momentum quantum number, respectively. The energy eigenvalue of the Schrödinger equation in the nonspherical solution is smaller than that in the spherical solution. We then study the perturbative stability of the spherical solution and find that there is an unstable mode in the quadrupole mode perturbations which may be interpreted as the transition mode to the nonspherical solution. The results suggest that the nonspherically symmetric solution is the ground state of the massive graviton geon. The massive graviton geons may decay in time due to emissions of gravitational waves but this timescale can be quite long when the massive gravitons are nonrelativistic and then the geons can be long-lived. We also argue possible prospects of the massive graviton geons: applications to the ultralight dark matter scenario, nonlinear (in)stability of the Minkowski spacetime, and a quantum transition of the spacetime.

  10. Novel Development of Remitting Seronegative Symmetrical Synovitis with Pitting Edema (RS3PE) Syndrome due to Insulin Therapy.

    PubMed

    Mainali, Naba Raj; Schmidt, Torrey R; Alweis, Richard; George, David L

    2014-01-01

    Male, 67 FINAL DIAGNOSIS: Remitting seronegative symmetrical synovitis with pitting edema (RS3PE) syndrome Symptoms: Bilateral wrist swelling Medication: - Clinical Procedure: - Specialty: Rheumatology. Unusual or unexpected effect of treatment. Remitting seronegative symmetrical synovitis with pitting edema (RS3PE) syndrome is a rare clinical entity characterized by the sudden onset of inflammatory arthritis and marked pitting edema on upper and lower extremities. RS3PE is considered a rheumatic process distinct from rheumatoid arthritis, which may occasionally represent a paraneoplastic syndrome. Herein, we describe a rare case of RS3PE associated with insulin therapy in a patient with no evidence of underlying malignancy. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case report of RS3PE associated with insulin therapy. Physicians should look at the introduction of drugs as possible triggers for the development of RS3PE.

  11. TANAMI blazars in the IceCube PeV-neutrino fields

    DOE PAGES

    Krauß, F.

    2014-06-01

    The IceCube Collaboration has announced the discovery of a neutrino flux in excess of the atmospheric background. Owing to the steeply falling atmospheric background spectrum, events at PeV energies most likely have an extraterrestrial origin. We present the multiwavelength properties of the six radio-brightest blazars that are positionally coincident with these events using contemporaneous data of the TANAMI blazar sample, including high-resolution images and spectral energy distributions. Assuming the X-ray to γ-ray emission originates in the photoproduction of pions by accelerated protons, the integrated predicted neutrino luminosity of these sources is high enough to explain the two detected PeV events.

  12. Physical Activity during Physical Education Lessons: A Qualitative Investigation of Australian PE Teacher Perceptions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bennie, Andrew; Langan, Edel

    2015-01-01

    School physical education (PE) experiences play a critical role in adolescents' physical activity (PA) levels. Teachers are crucial to students' initial experiences in PA; however, limited research has explored teachers' perspectives about PA during PE using in-depth qualitative research techniques. We conducted interviews with 25 current…

  13. Diagnostic validity of hematologic parameters in evaluation of massive pulmonary embolism.

    PubMed

    Ates, Hale; Ates, Ihsan; Kundi, Harun; Yilmaz, Fatma Meric

    2017-09-01

    The aim of this study was to determine the hematologic parameter with the highest diagnostic differentiation in the identification of massive acute pulmonary embolism (APE). A retrospective study was performed on patients diagnosing with APE between June 2014 and June 2016. All radiological and laboratory parameters of patients were scanned through the electronic information management system of the hospital. PLR was obtained from the ratio of platelet count to lymphocyte count, NLR was obtained from the ratio of neutrophil count to lymphocyte count, WMR was obtained from white blood cell in mean platelet volume ratio, MPR was obtained from the ratio of mean platelet volume to platelet count, and RPR was obtained from the ratio of red distribution width to platelet count. Six hundred and thirty-nine patients consisting of 292 males (45.7%) and 347 females (54.3%) were included in the research. Independent predictors of massive risk as compared to sub-massive group were; pulmonary arterial systolic pressure (PASP) (OR=1.40; P=.001), PLR (OR=1.59; P<.001), NLR (OR=2.22; P<.001), WMR (OR=1.22; P<.001), MPR (OR=0.33; P<.001), and RPR (OR=0.68; P<.001). Upon evaluation of the diagnostic differentiation of these risk factors for massive APE by employing receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, it was determined that PLR (AUC±SE=0.877±0.015; P<.001), and NLR (AUC±SE=0.893±0.013; P<.001) have similar diagnostic differentiation in diagnosing massive APE and these two parameters are superior over PASP, MPR, WMR, and RPR. We determined that the levels of NLR and PLR are superior to other parameters in the determination of clinical severity in APE cases. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  14. Norovirus GII.Pe Genotype: Tracking a Foodborne Outbreak on a Cruise Ship Through Molecular Epidemiology, Brazil, 2014.

    PubMed

    Morillo, Simone Guadagnucci; Luchs, Adriana; Cilli, Audrey; Ribeiro, Cibele Daniel; de Cássia Compagnoli Carmona, Rita; do Carmo Sampaio Tavares Timenetsky, Maria

    2017-06-01

    Norovirus (NoV) is recognized as the most common cause of foodborne outbreaks. In 2014, an outbreak of acute gastroenteritis occurred on a cruise ship in Brazil, and NoV became the suspected etiology. Here we present the molecular identification of the NoV strains and the use of sequence analysis to determine modes of virus transmission. Food (cream cheese, tuna salad, grilled fish, orange mousse, and vegetables soup) and clinical samples were analyzed by ELISA, conventional RT-PCR, qRT-PCR, and sequencing. Genogroup GII NoV was identified by ELISA and conventional RT-PCR in fecal samples from 5 of 12 patients tested (41.7%), and in the orange mousse food sample by conventional RT-PCR and qRT-PCR. Two fecal GII NoV samples and the orange mousse GII NoV sample were successfully genotyped as GII.Pe (ORF 1), revealed 98.0-98.8% identities among them, and shared phylogenetically distinct cluster. Establishing the source of a NoV outbreak can be a challenging task. In this report, the molecular analysis of the partial RdRp NoV gene provided a powerful tool for genotyping (GII.Pe) and tracking of outbreak-related samples. In addition, the same fast and simple extraction methods applied to clinical samples could be successfully used for complex food matrices, and have the potential to be introduced in routine laboratories for screening foods for presence of NoV.

  15. Coupled Physics Environment (CouPE) library - Design, Implementation, and Release

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

    Mahadevan, Vijay S.

    Over several years, high fidelity, validated mono-­physics solvers with proven scalability on peta-­scale architectures have been developed independently. Based on a unified component-­based architecture, these existing codes can be coupled with a unified mesh-­data backplane and a flexible coupling-­strategy-­based driver suite to produce a viable tool for analysts. In this report, we present details on the design decisions and developments on CouPE, an acronym that stands for Coupled Physics Environment that orchestrates a coupled physics solver through the interfaces exposed by MOAB array-­based unstructured mesh, both of which are part of SIGMA (Scalable Interfaces for Geometry and Mesh-­Based Applications) toolkit.more » The SIGMA toolkit contains libraries that enable scalable geometry and unstructured mesh creation and handling in a memory and computationally efficient implementation. The CouPE version being prepared for a full open-­source release along with updated documentation will contain several useful examples that will enable users to start developing their applications natively using the native MOAB mesh and couple their models to existing physics applications to analyze and solve real world problems of interest. An integrated multi-­physics simulation capability for the design and analysis of current and future nuclear reactor models is also being investigated as part of the NEAMS RPL, to tightly couple neutron transport, thermal-­hydraulics and structural mechanics physics under the SHARP framework. This report summarizes the efforts that have been invested in CouPE to bring together several existing physics applications namely PROTEUS (neutron transport code), Nek5000 (computational fluid-dynamics code) and Diablo (structural mechanics code). The goal of the SHARP framework is to perform fully resolved coupled physics analysis of a reactor on heterogeneous geometry, in order to reduce the overall numerical uncertainty while

  16. RS3PE syndrome: an overview.

    PubMed

    Olivieri, I; Salvarani, C; Cantini, F

    2000-01-01

    More than ten years ago McCarty et al. described the RS3PE syndrome based on their study of 23 patients. Numerous additional cases have since been reported. In addition to the isolated or "pure" type which probably forms part of the clinical spectrum of polymyalgia rheumatica, inflammatory swelling with pitting edema of the dorsum of the hands and/or feet can be observed in different inflammatory rheumatic diseases as well as in haematological and solid malignancies.

  17. Remitting seronegative symmetrical synovitis with pitting edema (RS3PE): a form of paraneoplastic polyarthritis?

    PubMed

    Sibilia, J; Friess, S; Schaeverbeke, T; Maloisel, F; Bertin, P; Goichot, B; Kuntz, J L

    1999-01-01

    To describe the clinical and laboratory features and outcome of 6 patients presenting with remitting seronegative symmetrical synovitis with pitting edema (RS3PE) revealing a solid tumor. Patients with RS3PE who presented with a solid tumor and who had been seen between January 1, 1994, and December 31, 1996, were included in a retrospective multicenter analysis. These patients fulfilled McCarty's description of RS3PE and the following criteria: (1) bilateral pitting edema of both hands, (2) sudden onset of polyarthritis, (3) age >50 years, and (4) absence of rheumatoid factor (RF). Six male patients with RS3PE are described, of mean age 74 years (range 72-78), presenting prostatic (n = 4), gastric (n = 1), and colic (n = 1) adenocarcinomas. The clini cal picture was characterized by the classical form of RS3PE syndrome and by a deterioration in general condition, sometimes with fever. All patients were negative for RF and antinuclear antibodies. In 2 cases of prostatic adenocarcinoma serum levels of interleukin 6 (IL-6) were high, but decreased with treatment. In these 6 patients, the articular manifestations regressed totally or partially in response to corticosteroids, sometimes at low doses, associated in most cases with specific antitumoral therapy. None displayed erosion or distal bone destruction. The mean survival following discovery of RS3PE was 11 months (range 6-18), 5 patients dying of metastatic dissemination of their cancer and the 6th of myocardial infarction. RS3PE is a heterogeneous syndrome that can reveal a solid tumor, notably an adenocarcinoma. There exist no specific criteria to define its forms, but this syndrome should be kept in mind in the face of a deterioration in general health. Although the pathogenic mechanism is unknown, this could involve a type of paraneoplastic polyarthritis linked to the synthesis of a factor such as IL-6.

  18. Effect of intensive plasma exchange (PE) in rapidly progressive crescentic glomerulonephritis (RPCGN).

    PubMed

    D'Amico, G; Sinico, R; Fornasieri, A; Ferrario, F; Colasanti, G; Porri, M T; Paracchini, M L; Gibelli, A

    1983-07-01

    Ten adult patients with RPCGN (crescents in greater than 70% of glomeruli), primary in 6 and associated with systemic diseases in 4, were treated with PE, associated with oral steroids (P) and cyclophosphamide (C) in all cases and with intravenous methylprednisolone pulses (MP) in 7 cases. Four out of ten patients were anuric and needed dialysis treatment at the start of treatment. Therapeutic benefit, i.e. reversal of the trend to further deterioration and substantial improvement of GFR, was achieved in 8 out of 10 patients (80%), including 2 of 4 anuric patients, and in 7 of those (8) who had still active cellular crescents (87.5%). Similar therapeutic benefit had been achieved only in 10% of a comparable population of 10 patients with RPCGN treated before 1980 with P and C, without PE or MP pulses. It is difficult to establish whether the better therapeutic results in the more recently treated group were due to PE or to MP pulses of to both the new approaches, even though the clinical improvement obtained in all the 3 patients treated with PE without concomitant MP suggest a specific beneficial role for PE. RPCGN is a catastrophic illness characterized by progressive deterioration of kidney function, resulting in oliguria and uremia, usually within weeks or months. The most consistent histopathologic finding is the presence of extensive glomerular crescents resulting from proliferation of the extracapillary epithelial cell lining of Bowman's capsule. It is apparent that RPCGN is not a homogeneous entity, clinically, histologically or immunohistologically, but rather a clinicopathologic syndrome, the features of which may be seen in a variety of systemic disorders, including SLE, polyarteritis nodosa, Wegener's granulomatosis, Henoch-Schönlein purpura, cryoglobulinemia, and subacute bacterial endocarditis.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

  19. Novel Development of Remitting Seronegative Symmetrical Synovitis with Pitting Edema (RS3PE) Syndrome due to Insulin Therapy

    PubMed Central

    Mainali, Naba Raj; Schmidt, Torrey R.; Alweis, Richard; George, David L.

    2014-01-01

    Patient: Male, 67 Final Diagnosis: Remitting seronegative symmetrical synovitis with pitting edema (RS3PE) syndrome Symptoms: Bilateral wrist swelling Medication: — Clinical Procedure: — Specialty: Rheumatology Objective: Unusual or unexpected effect of treatment Background: Remitting seronegative symmetrical synovitis with pitting edema (RS3PE) syndrome is a rare clinical entity characterized by the sudden onset of inflammatory arthritis and marked pitting edema on upper and lower extremities. RS3PE is considered a rheumatic process distinct from rheumatoid arthritis, which may occasionally represent a paraneoplastic syndrome. Case Report: Herein, we describe a rare case of RS3PE associated with insulin therapy in a patient with no evidence of underlying malignancy. Conclusions: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case report of RS3PE associated with insulin therapy. Physicians should look at the introduction of drugs as possible triggers for the development of RS3PE. PMID:24696753

  20. Myelodysplastic syndrome precedes the onset of remitting seronegative symmetrical synovitis with pitting edema (RS3PE) syndrome.

    PubMed

    Matsunaga, Takafumi; Izumi, Yasumori; Iwanaga, Nozomi; Kawahara, Chieko; Shigemitsu, Yoshika; Yoshida, Shinichiro; Kawakami, Atsushi; Ogawa, Daisuke; Migita, Kiyoshi

    2015-01-01

    Remitting seronegative symmetrical synovitis with pitting edema (RS3PE) syndrome is characterized by symmetrical synovitis predominantly involving the wrists, and is associated with marked pitting edema of the dorsum of the hands. Although the etiology of RS3PE syndrome is still unknown, several putative associations with malignancies and hematological disorders have been reported. Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) is characterized by infective hematopoiesis with possible transformation to leukemia; however, an association between RS3PE syndrome and MDS has been rarely reported. Here, we describe a 67-year-old man with MDS with refractory anemia who developed RS3PE syndrome 3 months after the diagnosis of MDS. The patient presented with polyarthritis with pitting edema at the dorsum of the hands, the elevated serum levels of C-reactive protein and a proinflammatory cytokine, interleukin-6, and the elevated plasma levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). VEGF has been shown to be involved in the pathogenesis of RS3PE syndrome. Treatment with low doses of corticosteroids resulted in the regression of polyarthritis and pitting edema of the dorsum of the hands, as well as a reduction in the elevated levels of plasma VEGF. Partial resolution of refractory anemia was also observed with steroid therapy. In summary, RS3PE syndrome developed shortly after MDS was identified in this patient. The sequence of clinical events suggests that MDS-mediated immunological abnormalities including inflammatory cytokine induction may be responsible for the association between MDS and RS3PE syndrome. Patients with RS3PE syndrome should be screened for hematological disorders that promote proinflammatory mediators.

  1. In utero and postnatal exposure to a phytoestrogen-enriched diet increases parameters of acute inflammation in a rat model of TNBS-induced colitis.

    PubMed

    Seibel, Jan; Molzberger, Almut F; Hertrampf, Torsten; Laudenbach-Leschowski, Ute; Degen, Gisela H; Diel, Patrick

    2008-12-01

    Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is very common in Europe and USA. Its incidence in East Asia has been traditionally low, albeit the risk of IBD increases in Asian immigrants adopting western lifestyles, suggesting a strong role of environmental/dietary factors in IBD. A lifelong exposure to phytoestrogen-rich diets has been associated with a decreased risk of developing breast cancer and might also be protective against IBD. We studied the influence of in utero and postnatal exposure to a phytoestrogen (PE)-rich diet on acute inflammation in an animal model of TNBS-induced colitis. Wistar rats were exposed in utero and postnatally to high (genistein: 240 microg/g feed; daidzein: 232 microg/g feed) or very low levels (genistein and daidzein <10 microg/g feed) of phytoestrogen isoflavones fed to pregnant dams with the diet and throughout nursing. After weaning, the offspring had free access to these diets. At the age of 11 weeks, colitis was induced with an enema of TNBS. After 3 days, animals were sacrificed and tissues were collected for histological evaluation and analysis of molecular markers of inflammation. Animals kept on a PE-rich diet (PRD) had higher colon weights than animals on low PE-levels (PDD), suggesting enhanced acute inflammation by phytoestrogens. This result was supported by histological findings and by analysis of myeloperoxidase activity. Interestingly, relative mRNA and protein expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) were modulated in rats on PRD, providing evidence that COX-2, the inducible isoform of the enzyme, is involved in the management of colonic inflammation. Our results suggest that early-in-life exposure to PE might not protect against the development of IBD but enhances the extent of acute inflammation.

  2. Why PeV scale left-right symmetry is a good thing

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yajnik, Urjit A.

    2017-10-01

    Left-right symmetric gauge theory presents a minimal paradigm to accommodate massive neutrinos with all the known conserved symmetries duly gauged. The work presented here is based on the argument that the see-saw mechanism does not force the new right-handed symmetry scale to be very high, and as such some of the species from the spectrum of the new gauge and Higgs bosons can have masses within a few orders of magnitude of the TeV scale. The scale of the left-right parity breaking in turn can be sequestered from the Planck scale by supersymmetry. We have studied several formulations of such just beyond Standard Model (JBSM) theories for their consistency with cosmology. Specifically, the need to eliminate phenomenologically undesirable domain walls gives many useful clues. The possibility that the exact left-right symmetry breaks in conjunction with supersymmetry has been explored in the context of gauge mediation, placing restrictions on the available parameter space. Finally, we have also studied a left-right symmetric model in the context of metastable supersymmetric vacua and obtained constraints on the mass scale of right-handed symmetry. In all the cases studied, the mass scale of the right-handed neutrino M_R remains bounded from above, and in some of the cases the scale 10^9 GeV favourable for supersymmetric thermal leptogenesis is disallowed. On the other hand, PeV scale remains a viable option, and the results warrant a more detailed study of such models for their observability in collider and astroparticle experiments.

  3. Multiplicity of Massive Stars

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zinnecker, Hans

    We review the multiplicity of massive stars by compiling the abstracts of the most relevant papers in the field. We start by discussing the massive stars in the Orion Trapezium Cluster and in other Galactic young clusters and OB associations, and end with the R136 cluster in the LMC. The multiplicity of field O-stars and runaway OB stars is also reviewed. The results of both visual and spectroscopic surveys are presented, as well as data for eclipsing systems. Among the latter, we find the most massive known binary system WR20a, with two ~,80M_⊙ components in a 3 day orbit. Some 80% of the wide visual binaries in stellar associations are in fact hierarchical triple systems, where typically the more massive of the binary components is itself a spectroscopic or even eclipsing binary pair. The multiplicity (number of companions) of massive star primaries is significantly higher than for low-mass solar-type primaries or for young low-mass T Tauri stars. There is also a striking preponderance of very close nearly equal mass binary systems (the origin of which has recently been explained in an accretion scenario). Finally, we offer a new idea as to the origin of massive Trapezium systems, frequently found in the centers of dense young clusters.

  4. The "PE coach" smartphone application: an innovative approach to improving implementation, fidelity, and homework adherence during prolonged exposure.

    PubMed

    Reger, Greg M; Hoffman, Julia; Riggs, David; Rothbaum, Barbara O; Ruzek, Josef; Holloway, Kevin M; Kuhn, Eric

    2013-08-01

    Prolonged exposure (PE) is an empirically supported treatment that is being disseminated broadly to providers in the Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense. Innovative methods are needed to support the implementation, dissemination, and patient and provider adherence to PE. The PE Coach is a smartphone application (app) designed to mitigate barriers to PE implementation. PE Coach is installed on the patient's phone and includes a range of capabilities for use during the PE session and after each session to support the treatment. Functions include the ability to audio record treatment sessions onto the patient's device, to construct the in vivo hierarchy on the device, to record completed homework exercises, to review homework adherence, and to track symptom severity over time. The app also allows sessions and homework to be scheduled directly in the app, populating the device calendar with patient reminder notifications. In the final session, a visual display of symptom improvement and habituation to items on the in vivo hierarchy is presented. These capabilities may significantly improve convenience, provider implementation and adherence, and patient compliance with treatment. Future research is needed to test whether PE Coach is useful and effective. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved.

  5. Inhibitory effect of Paeonia lactiflora Pallas extract (PE) on poly (I:C)-induced immune response of epidermal keratinocytes.

    PubMed

    Choi, Mi-Ra; Choi, Dae-Kyoung; Sohn, Kyung-Cheol; Lim, Seul Ki; Kim, Dong-Il; Lee, Young Ho; Im, Myung; Lee, Young; Seo, Young-Joon; Kim, Chang Deok; Lee, Jeung-Hoon

    2015-01-01

    Epidermal keratinocytes provide protective role against external stimuli by barrier formation. In addition, kertinocytes exerts their role as the defense cells via activation of innate immunity. Disturbance of keratinocyte functions is related with skin disorders. Psoriasis is a common skin disease related with inflammatory reaction in epidermal cells. We attempted to find therapeutics for psoriasis, and found that Paeonia lactiflora Pallas extract (PE) has an inhibitory potential on poly (I:C)-induced inflammation of keratinocytes. PE significantly inhibited poly (I:C)-induced expression of crucial psoriatic cytokines, such as IL-6, IL-8, CCL20 and TNF-α, via down-regulation of NF-κB signaling pathway in human keratinocytes. In addition, PE significantly inhibited poly (I:C)-induced inflammasome activation, in terms of IL-1β and caspase-1 secretion. Finally, PE markedly inhibited poly (I:C)-increased NLRP3, an important component of inflammasome. These results indicate that PE has an inhibitory effect on poly (I:C)-induced inflammatory reaction of keratinocytes, suggesting that PE can be developed for the treatment of psoriasis.

  6. PeRL: a circum-Arctic Permafrost Region Pond and Lake database

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Muster, Sina; Roth, Kurt; Langer, Moritz; Lange, Stephan; Cresto Aleina, Fabio; Bartsch, Annett; Morgenstern, Anne; Grosse, Guido; Jones, Benjamin; Sannel, A. Britta K.; Sjöberg, Ylva; Günther, Frank; Andresen, Christian; Veremeeva, Alexandra; Lindgren, Prajna R.; Bouchard, Frédéric; Lara, Mark J.; Fortier, Daniel; Charbonneau, Simon; Virtanen, Tarmo A.; Hugelius, Gustaf; Palmtag, Juri; Siewert, Matthias B.; Riley, William J.; Koven, Charles D.; Boike, Julia

    2017-06-01

    Ponds and lakes are abundant in Arctic permafrost lowlands. They play an important role in Arctic wetland ecosystems by regulating carbon, water, and energy fluxes and providing freshwater habitats. However, ponds, i.e., waterbodies with surface areas smaller than 1. 0 × 104 m2, have not been inventoried on global and regional scales. The Permafrost Region Pond and Lake (PeRL) database presents the results of a circum-Arctic effort to map ponds and lakes from modern (2002-2013) high-resolution aerial and satellite imagery with a resolution of 5 m or better. The database also includes historical imagery from 1948 to 1965 with a resolution of 6 m or better. PeRL includes 69 maps covering a wide range of environmental conditions from tundra to boreal regions and from continuous to discontinuous permafrost zones. Waterbody maps are linked to regional permafrost landscape maps which provide information on permafrost extent, ground ice volume, geology, and lithology. This paper describes waterbody classification and accuracy, and presents statistics of waterbody distribution for each site. Maps of permafrost landscapes in Alaska, Canada, and Russia are used to extrapolate waterbody statistics from the site level to regional landscape units. PeRL presents pond and lake estimates for a total area of 1. 4 × 106 km2 across the Arctic, about 17 % of the Arctic lowland ( < 300 m a.s.l.) land surface area. PeRL waterbodies with sizes of 1. 0 × 106 m2 down to 1. 0 × 102 m2 contributed up to 21 % to the total water fraction. Waterbody density ranged from 1. 0 × 10 to 9. 4 × 101 km-2. Ponds are the dominant waterbody type by number in all landscapes representing 45-99 % of the total waterbody number. The implementation of PeRL size distributions in land surface models will greatly improve the investigation and projection of surface inundation and carbon fluxes in permafrost lowlands. Waterbody maps, study area boundaries, and maps of regional permafrost landscapes including

  7. Treatment options for severe pulmonary embolism during pregnancy and the postpartum period: a systematic review.

    PubMed

    Martillotti, G; Boehlen, F; Robert-Ebadi, H; Jastrow, N; Righini, M; Blondon, M

    2017-10-01

    Essentials The evidence on how to manage life-threatening pregnancy-related pulmonary embolism (PE) is scarce. We systematically reviewed all available cases of (sub)massive PE until December 2016. Thrombolysis in such severe PE was associated with a high maternal survival (94%). The major bleeding risk was much greater in the postpartum (58%) than antepartum period (18%). Background Massive pulmonary embolism (PE) during pregnancy or the postpartum period is a rare but dramatic event. Our aim was to systematically review the evidence to guide its management. Methods We searched Pubmed, Embase, conference proceedings and the RIETE registry for published cases of severe (submassive/massive) PE treated with thrombolysis, percutaneous or surgical thrombectomy and/or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), occurring during pregnancy or within 6 weeks of delivery. Main outcomes were maternal survival and major bleeding, premature delivery, and fetal survival and bleeding. Results We found 127 cases of severe PE (at least 83% massive; 23% with cardiac arrest) treated with at least one modality. Among 83 women with thrombolysis, survival was 94% (95% CI, 86-98). The risk of major bleeding was 17.5% during pregnancy and 58.3% in the postpartum period, mainly because of severe postpartum hemorrhages. Fetal deaths possibly related to PE or its treatment occurred in 12.0% of cases treated during pregnancy. Among 36 women with surgical thrombectomy, maternal survival and risk of major bleeding were 86.1% (95% CI, 71-95) and 20.0%, with fetal deaths possibly related to surgery in 20.0%. About half of severe postpartum PEs occurred within 24 h of delivery. Conclusions Published cases of thrombolysis for massive PE during pregnancy and the postpartum period suggest a high maternal and fetal survival (94% and 88%). In the postpartum period, given the high risk of major bleeding with thrombolysis, other therapeutic options (catheter [or surgical] thrombectomy, ECMO) may be

  8. Pulmonary Embolism in 2017: How We Got Here and Where Are We Going?

    PubMed

    Merli, Geno J

    2017-09-01

    In the 1970s, both the Urokinase Pulmonary Embolism and Urokinase-Streptokinase Pulmonary Embolism trials began the quest to develop thrombolytic therapy for the treatment of acute massive and submassive pulmonary embolism (PE). The goals of these studies were the immediate reduction in clot burden, restoration of hemodynamic stability, and improved survival. Major bleeding became the major barrier for clinicians to employ these therapies. From 1980s to the present time, a number of studies using recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator for achieving these same above outcomes were completed but major bleeding continued to remain an adoption barrier. Finally, the concept of bringing the thrombolytic agent into the clot has entered the quest for the Holy Grail in the treatment of PE. This article will review all the major trials using peripheral thrombolysis and provide insight into the need for a team approach to pulmonary care (Pulmonary Embolism Response Team), standardization of pulmonary classification, and the need for trials designed for both short- and long-term outcomes using thrombolysis for selected PE populations. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  9. CD4+ T Cells Recognizing PE/PPE Antigens Directly or via Cross Reactivity Are Protective against Pulmonary Mycobacterium tuberculosis Infection

    PubMed Central

    Sayes, Fadel; Pawlik, Alexandre; Frigui, Wafa; Gröschel, Matthias I.; Crommelynck, Samuel; Fayolle, Catherine; Cia, Felipe; Bancroft, Gregory J.; Bottai, Daria; Leclerc, Claude; Brosch, Roland; Majlessi, Laleh

    2016-01-01

    Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), possesses at least three type VII secretion systems, ESX-1, -3 and -5 that are actively involved in pathogenesis and host-pathogen interaction. We recently showed that an attenuated Mtb vaccine candidate (Mtb Δppe25-pe19), which lacks the characteristic ESX-5-associated pe/ppe genes, but harbors all other components of the ESX-5 system, induces CD4+ T-cell immune responses against non-esx-5-associated PE/PPE protein homologs. These T cells strongly cross-recognize the missing esx-5-associated PE/PPE proteins. Here, we characterized the fine composition of the functional cross-reactive Th1 effector subsets specific to the shared PE/PPE epitopes in mice immunized with the Mtb Δppe25-pe19 vaccine candidate. We provide evidence that the Mtb Δppe25-pe19 strain, despite its significant attenuation, is comparable to the WT Mtb strain with regard to: (i) its antigenic repertoire related to the different ESX systems, (ii) the induced Th1 effector subset composition, (iii) the differentiation status of the Th1 cells induced, and (iv) its particular features at stimulating the innate immune response. Indeed, we found significant contribution of PE/PPE-specific Th1 effector cells in the protective immunity against pulmonary Mtb infection. These results offer detailed insights into the immune mechanisms underlying the remarkable protective efficacy of the live attenuated Mtb Δppe25-pe19 vaccine candidate, as well as the specific potential of PE/PPE proteins as protective immunogens. PMID:27467705

  10. Topologically massive magnetic monopoles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Aliev, A. N.; Nutku, Y.; Saygili, K.

    2000-10-01

    We show that in the Maxwell-Chern-Simons theory of topologically massive electrodynamics the Dirac string of a monopole becomes a cone in anti-de Sitter space with the opening angle of the cone determined by the topological mass, which in turn is related to the square root of the cosmological constant. This proves to be an example of a physical system, a priori completely unrelated to gravity, which nevertheless requires curved spacetime for its very existence. We extend this result to topologically massive gravity coupled to topologically massive electrodynamics within the framework of the theory of Deser, Jackiw and Templeton. The two-component spinor formalism, which is a Newman-Penrose type approach for three dimensions, is extended to include both the electrodynamical and gravitational topologically massive field equations. Using this formalism exact solutions of the coupled Deser-Jackiw-Templeton and Maxwell-Chern-Simons field equations for a topologically massive monopole are presented. These are homogeneous spaces with conical deficit. Pure Einstein gravity coupled to the Maxwell-Chern-Simons field does not admit such a monopole solution.

  11. Expression of the phycoerythrin gene of Gracilaria lemaneiformis (Rhodophyta) in E. coli and evaluation of the bioactivity of recombinant PE

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wen, Ruobing; Sui, Zhenghong; Zhang, Xuecheng; Zhang, Shuang; Qin, Song

    2007-10-01

    Phycoerythrin (PE) is one of the most important proteins involved in light capturing during photosynthesis in red algae. Its potential biological activities had gained wide concerns. In the present study, tumor cytotoxic and hydroxyl radical assay were preformed to detect the bioactivity of recombinant PE. Recombinant plasmids pGEX-PE and pBGL were transformed into E. coli BL21 to make two recombinant strains BEX (pGEX-PE) and BGL (pBGL). PE expressing in BEX (pGEX-PE) was validated by SDS-PAGE and Western blotting analysis. SDS-PAGE analysis indicated that the PE-GST fusion protein was mostly inclusion bodies. Specific expression of PE was confirmed by Western blotting analysis. The recombinant E. coli BEX (pGEX-PE) cells were collected and sonicated. The supernatants were reserved for the tumor cytotoxic experiments. The result of tumor cytotoxic assay indicated that the supernatants containing PE had the activity of inhibiting the growth of Hela cells and with the increase of protein concentration, the inhibiting rate increased from 37.31% to 63.26%, which showed significant difference from the control. Hydroxyl radical scavenging effect was tested with supernatants of BEX (pGEX-PE) and BGL (pBGL) cell lysates treated with sonication and heating. For the sonication samples, the scavenging rates of the supernatants of BEX (pGEX-PE) and BGL (pBGL) cell lysates were significantly higher than the negative control BL21(pGEX-4T) ( P<0.02), and the scavenging rates increased slowly following the increase of the protein content. For the heating samples, except for the 0.2 mg mL-1 BGL (pBGL) products, the scavenging effects of the supernatants of BEX (pGEX-PE) and BGL (pBGL) cell lysates were stronger than that of negative control BL21(pGEX-4T). However, the effect intensity was not positively correlated with the increase of the protein concentration. Though a partially decreased hydroxyl radical scavenging activity was led by heating, the biological activity was still

  12. The Swedish Sports Movement and the PE Teacher 1940-2003: From Supporter to Challenger

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Olofsson, Eva

    2007-01-01

    The Swedish Sports Confederation (RF) used to be the foremost advocate and defender of physical education (PE) as a subject and the work of PE teachers. This paper deals with the way in which this support manifested itself during 1940-2003 and is based on a discourse analysis of texts from RF. The analysis shows that RF has assigned three…

  13. B cell gene signature with massive intrahepatic production of antibodies to hepatitis B core antigen in hepatitis B virus-associated acute liver failure.

    PubMed

    Farci, Patrizia; Diaz, Giacomo; Chen, Zhaochun; Govindarajan, Sugantha; Tice, Ashley; Agulto, Liane; Pittaluga, Stefania; Boon, Denali; Yu, Claro; Engle, Ronald E; Haas, Mark; Simon, Richard; Purcell, Robert H; Zamboni, Fausto

    2010-05-11

    Hepatitis B virus (HBV)-associated acute liver failure (ALF) is a dramatic clinical syndrome due to a sudden loss of hepatic cells leading to multiorgan failure. The mechanisms whereby HBV induces ALF are unknown. Here, we show that liver tissue collected at the time of liver transplantation in two patients with HBV-associated ALF is characterized by an overwhelming B cell response apparently centered in the liver with massive accumulation of plasma cells secreting IgG and IgM, accompanied by complement deposition. We demonstrate that the molecular target of these antibodies is the hepatitis B core antigen (HBcAg); that these anti-bodies display a restricted variable heavy chain (V(H)) repertoire and lack somatic mutations; and that these two unrelated individuals with ALF use an identical predominant V(H) gene with unmutated variable domain (IGHV1-3) for both IgG and IgM anti-HBc antibodies, indicating that HBcAg is the target of a germline human V(H) gene. These data suggest that humoral immunity may exert a primary role in the pathogenesis of HBV-associated ALF.

  14. Structure of a PE-PPE-EspG complex from Mycobacterium tuberculosis reveals molecular specificity of ESX protein secretion

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

    Ekiert, Damian C.; Cox, Jeffery S.

    Nearly 10% of the coding capacity of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis genome is devoted to two highly expanded and enigmatic protein families called PE and PPE, some of which are important virulence/immunogenicity factors and are secreted during infection via a unique alternative secretory system termed "type VII." How PE-PPE proteins function during infection and how they are translocated to the bacterial surface through the five distinct type VII secretion systems [ESAT-6 secretion system (ESX)] of M. tuberculosis is poorly understood. Here in this paper, we report the crystal structure of a PE-PPE heterodimer bound to ESX secretion-associated protein G (EspG), whichmore » adopts a novel fold. This PE-PPE-EspG complex, along with structures of two additional EspGs, suggests that EspG acts as an adaptor that recognizes specific PE-PPE protein complexes via extensive interactions with PPE domains, and delivers them to ESX machinery for secretion. Surprisingly, secretion of most PE-PPE proteins in M. tuberculosis is likely mediated by EspG from the ESX-5 system, underscoring the importance of ESX-5 in mycobacterial pathogenesis. Furthermore, our results indicate that PE-PPE domains function as cis-acting targeting sequences that are read out by EspGs, revealing the molecular specificity for secretion through distinct ESX pathways.« less

  15. Structure of a PE-PPE-EspG complex from Mycobacterium tuberculosis reveals molecular specificity of ESX protein secretion

    DOE PAGES

    Ekiert, Damian C.; Cox, Jeffery S.

    2014-10-01

    Nearly 10% of the coding capacity of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis genome is devoted to two highly expanded and enigmatic protein families called PE and PPE, some of which are important virulence/immunogenicity factors and are secreted during infection via a unique alternative secretory system termed "type VII." How PE-PPE proteins function during infection and how they are translocated to the bacterial surface through the five distinct type VII secretion systems [ESAT-6 secretion system (ESX)] of M. tuberculosis is poorly understood. Here in this paper, we report the crystal structure of a PE-PPE heterodimer bound to ESX secretion-associated protein G (EspG), whichmore » adopts a novel fold. This PE-PPE-EspG complex, along with structures of two additional EspGs, suggests that EspG acts as an adaptor that recognizes specific PE-PPE protein complexes via extensive interactions with PPE domains, and delivers them to ESX machinery for secretion. Surprisingly, secretion of most PE-PPE proteins in M. tuberculosis is likely mediated by EspG from the ESX-5 system, underscoring the importance of ESX-5 in mycobacterial pathogenesis. Furthermore, our results indicate that PE-PPE domains function as cis-acting targeting sequences that are read out by EspGs, revealing the molecular specificity for secretion through distinct ESX pathways.« less

  16. Aberrant Left Inferior Bronchial Artery Originating from the Left Gastric Artery in a Patient with Acute Massive Hemoptysis

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

    Jiang, Sen, E-mail: jasfly77@vip.163.com; Sun, Xi-Wen, E-mail: xwsun@citiz.net; Yu, Dong, E-mail: yudong_mail@126.com

    Massive hemoptysis is a life-threatening condition, and the major source of bleeding in this condition is the bronchial circulation. Bronchial artery embolization is a safe and effective treatment for controlling hemoptysis. However, the sites of origin of the bronchial arteries (BAs) have numerous anatomical variations, which can result in a technical challenge to identify a bleeding artery. We present a rare case of a left inferior BA that originated from the left gastric artery in a patient with recurrent massive hemoptysis caused by bronchiectasis. The aberrant BA was embolized, and hemoptysis has been controlled for 8 months.

  17. [RS3PE associated with tuberculosis].

    PubMed

    Nicolás-Sánchez, F J; Rozadilla Sacanell, J R; Gort Oromí, A M; Torres Cortada, G; Soler Rosell, T; Sarrat-Nuevo, R M; Nicolás-Sánchez, M E; Cabau-Rubies, J

    2007-10-01

    The remitting seronegative symmetrical synovitis with pitting edema of the elderly patient with edema and fovea (RS3PE), characterizes for the appearance of one polyarthritis symmetrical with fovea in the back of the hands, and negative reumatoideal factor. The association to tuberculosis had not been described before. One presents the case of a 89-year-old patient who consulted for anorexia of month and a half of evolution accompanied of edema in hands and feet, with negative reumatoideal factor. He was presenting a pulmonary infiltrated, which microbiological study revealed the infection for Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

  18. 76 FR 29288 - [Summary Notice No. PE-2011-23

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-05-20

    ... DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Federal Aviation Administration [Summary Notice No. PE-2011-23.... Section of 14 CFR Affected: Sec. 23.562(a) Description of Relief Sought: The petitioner requests relief to... the existing injury criteria requirements in Sec. 23.562(c), which are occupant protection...

  19. PeTTSy: a computational tool for perturbation analysis of complex systems biology models.

    PubMed

    Domijan, Mirela; Brown, Paul E; Shulgin, Boris V; Rand, David A

    2016-03-10

    Over the last decade sensitivity analysis techniques have been shown to be very useful to analyse complex and high dimensional Systems Biology models. However, many of the currently available toolboxes have either used parameter sampling, been focused on a restricted set of model observables of interest, studied optimisation of a objective function, or have not dealt with multiple simultaneous model parameter changes where the changes can be permanent or temporary. Here we introduce our new, freely downloadable toolbox, PeTTSy (Perturbation Theory Toolbox for Systems). PeTTSy is a package for MATLAB which implements a wide array of techniques for the perturbation theory and sensitivity analysis of large and complex ordinary differential equation (ODE) based models. PeTTSy is a comprehensive modelling framework that introduces a number of new approaches and that fully addresses analysis of oscillatory systems. It examines sensitivity analysis of the models to perturbations of parameters, where the perturbation timing, strength, length and overall shape can be controlled by the user. This can be done in a system-global setting, namely, the user can determine how many parameters to perturb, by how much and for how long. PeTTSy also offers the user the ability to explore the effect of the parameter perturbations on many different types of outputs: period, phase (timing of peak) and model solutions. PeTTSy can be employed on a wide range of mathematical models including free-running and forced oscillators and signalling systems. To enable experimental optimisation using the Fisher Information Matrix it efficiently allows one to combine multiple variants of a model (i.e. a model with multiple experimental conditions) in order to determine the value of new experiments. It is especially useful in the analysis of large and complex models involving many variables and parameters. PeTTSy is a comprehensive tool for analysing large and complex models of regulatory and

  20. Diuretic versus placebo in normotensive acute pulmonary embolism with right ventricular enlargement and injury: a double-blind randomised placebo controlled study. Protocol of the DiPER study.

    PubMed

    Gallet, Romain; Meyer, Guy; Ternacle, Julien; Biendel, Caroline; Brunet, Anne; Meneveau, Nicolas; Rosario, Roger; Couturaud, Francis; Sebbane, Mustapha; Lamblin, Nicolas; Bouvaist, Helene; Coste, Pierre; Maitre, Bernard; Bastuji-Garin, Sylvie; Dubois-Rande, Jean-Luc; Lim, Pascal

    2015-05-22

    In acute pulmonary embolism (PE), poor outcome is usually related to right ventricular (RV) failure due to the increase in RV afterload. Treatment of PE with RV failure without shock is controversial and usually relies on fluid expansion to increase RV preload. However, several studies suggest that fluid expansion may worsen acute RV failure by increasing RV dilation and ischaemia, and increase left ventricular compression by RV dilation. By reducing RV enlargement, diuretic treatment may break this vicious circle and provide early improvement in normotensive patients referred for acute PE with RV failure. The Diuretic versus placebo in Pulmonary Embolism with Right ventricular enlargement trial (DiPER) is a prospective, multicentre, randomised (1:1), double-blind, placebo controlled study assessing the superiority of furosemide as compared with placebo in normotensive patients with confirmed acute PE and RV dilation (diagnosed on echocardiography or CT of the chest) and positive brain natriuretic peptide result. The primary end point will be a combined clinical criterion derived from simplified Pulmonary Embolism Severity Index (PESI) score and evaluated at 24 h. It will include: (1) urine output >0.5 mL/kg/min for the past 24 h; (2) heart rate <110 bpm; (3) systolic blood pressure >100 mm Hg and (4) arterial oxyhaemoglobin level >90%. Thirty-day major cardiac events defined as death, cardiac arrest, mechanical ventilation, need for catecholamine and thrombolysis, will be evaluated as a secondary end point. Assuming an increase of 30% in the primary end point with furosemide and a β risk of 10%, 270 patients will be required. Ethical approval was received from the ethical committee of Ile de France (2014-001090-14). The findings of the trial will be disseminated through peer-reviewed journals, and national and international conference presentations. NCT02268903. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already

  1. MassiveNuS: cosmological massive neutrino simulations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, Jia; Bird, Simeon; Zorrilla Matilla, José Manuel; Hill, J. Colin; Haiman, Zoltán; Madhavacheril, Mathew S.; Petri, Andrea; Spergel, David N.

    2018-03-01

    The non-zero mass of neutrinos suppresses the growth of cosmic structure on small scales. Since the level of suppression depends on the sum of the masses of the three active neutrino species, the evolution of large-scale structure is a promising tool to constrain the total mass of neutrinos and possibly shed light on the mass hierarchy. In this work, we investigate these effects via a large suite of N-body simulations that include massive neutrinos using an analytic linear-response approximation: the Cosmological Massive Neutrino Simulations (MassiveNuS). The simulations include the effects of radiation on the background expansion, as well as the clustering of neutrinos in response to the nonlinear dark matter evolution. We allow three cosmological parameters to vary: the neutrino mass sum Mν in the range of 0–0.6 eV, the total matter density Ωm, and the primordial power spectrum amplitude As. The rms density fluctuation in spheres of 8 comoving Mpc/h (σ8) is a derived parameter as a result. Our data products include N-body snapshots, halo catalogues, merger trees, ray-traced galaxy lensing convergence maps for four source redshift planes between zs=1–2.5, and ray-traced cosmic microwave background lensing convergence maps. We describe the simulation procedures and code validation in this paper. The data are publicly available at http://columbialensing.org.

  2. [Transhumeral head plasty and massive osteocartilaginous allograft transplantation for the management of large hill-sachs lesions].

    PubMed

    Hart, R; Okál, F; Komzák, M

    2010-10-01

    The aim of this presentation is to inform the medical community about causal therapy (transhumeral head plasty or massive osteochondral allograft transplantation) for large Hill-Sachs lesions which frequently cause failure of anterior stabilisation following ventral shoulder dislocations. Seven men with an average age of 26 years (19 to 33 years) undergoing surgery in 2006 and 2007 were evaluated. The minimum follow-up was 18 months (41 to 18 months). Impressions on more than 30 % of the articular surface, or those whose critical size was larger than one-eighth of the humeral diameter (on CT scan) were taken as indications for surgery. Four patients had had previous surgery for anterior instability and three had a primary procedure. Four men underwent acute surgery and three had elective operations.Trans- humeral head plasty was used in five and massive osteochondral allograft in two patients. In the patients with large lesions in the anterior aspect of the shoulder joint, transhumeral head plasty involving repair of the ventral structures from the anterior approach was indicatedúúú in those with an isolated posterior bony defect, a massive osteochondral allograft was transplanted through the posterior approach. The Constant-Murley score was used to assess clinical status before (not in acute conditions) and after surgery. All patients reported improved clinical status. The average Constant-Murley score at final follow-up was 95.9 points (83-100 points). In the patients not having an acute procedure in whom pre-operative Constant-Murley scores were obtained, the average improvement was by 22.7 points (8 - 37 points). No general surgical complications were recorded. All patients reported subjective satisfaction and willingness to undergo surgery under the same conditions again. A Hill-Sachs lesion is a frequent injury to the humeral head resulting from anterior shoulder dislocation. To distinguish between major and minor defects in terms of clinical significance

  3. Unilateral RS3PE in a Patient of Seronegative Rheumatoid Arthritis

    PubMed Central

    Varshney, Ankur Nandan; Kumar, Nilesh; Tiwari, Ashutosh; Anand, Ravi; Prasad, Sashi Ranjan; Anand, Arvind; Mishra, Abhinandan; Singh, N. K.

    2013-01-01

    Remitting seronegative symmetrical synovitis with pitting edema (RS3PE) is a rare but well-reported clinical entity. It is classically described as symmetrical involvement of both upper extremities. Asymmetrical involvement had also been reported, but unilateral presentation is very rare. We hereby report a case of unilateral RS3PE in a patient of seronegative rheumatoid arthritis which was initially misdiagnosed as cellulitis and was given high dose antibiotics without any significant improvement. Later a rheumatologic consultation leads to a prompt diagnosis, and treatment with steroids leads to dramatic reversal of symptoms. This case demonstrates the rare presentation of this rare clinical entity and highlights the necessity of awareness regarding unilateral disease to clinicians. PMID:23662237

  4. Unilateral RS3PE in a Patient of Seronegative Rheumatoid Arthritis.

    PubMed

    Varshney, Ankur Nandan; Kumar, Nilesh; Tiwari, Ashutosh; Anand, Ravi; Prasad, Sashi Ranjan; Anand, Arvind; Mishra, Abhinandan; Singh, N K

    2013-01-01

    Remitting seronegative symmetrical synovitis with pitting edema (RS3PE) is a rare but well-reported clinical entity. It is classically described as symmetrical involvement of both upper extremities. Asymmetrical involvement had also been reported, but unilateral presentation is very rare. We hereby report a case of unilateral RS3PE in a patient of seronegative rheumatoid arthritis which was initially misdiagnosed as cellulitis and was given high dose antibiotics without any significant improvement. Later a rheumatologic consultation leads to a prompt diagnosis, and treatment with steroids leads to dramatic reversal of symptoms. This case demonstrates the rare presentation of this rare clinical entity and highlights the necessity of awareness regarding unilateral disease to clinicians.

  5. A Newly Defined Area of the Mouse Anterior Hypothalamus Involved in Septohypothalamic Circuit: Perifornical Area of the Anterior Hypothalamus, PeFAH.

    PubMed

    Horii-Hayashi, Noriko; Nishi, Mayumi

    2018-02-27

    Although the hypothalamus is classified into more than 10 compartments, it still contains uncharacterized areas. In this study, we identified a new triangular-shaped area between the paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus (PVN) and the fornix area in the mouse anterior hypothalamus, which is enriched in chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans (CSPGs). We designated this region as the perifornical area of the anterior hypothalamus (PeFAH) based on its anatomical location. As evidenced by Nissl staining, the PeFAH was distinguishable as an area of relatively low density. Immunohistochemical and DNA microarray analyses indicated that PeFAH contains sparsely distributed calretinin-positive neurons and densely clustered enkephalin-positive neurons. Furthermore, the PeFAH was shown to have bidirectional neural connections with the lateral septum. Indeed, we confirmed enkephalinergic projections from PeFAH neurons to the lateral septum, and inversely, calbindin-positive lateral septum neurons as afferents to the PeFAH. Finally, c-Fos expression analysis revealed that the activity of certain PeFAH neuronal populations tended to be increased by psychological stressors, but not that of enkephalinergic neurons. We proposed PeFAH as a new region in the AH.

  6. ESTIMATING PERSON-CENTERED TREATMENT (PeT) EFFECTS USING INSTRUMENTAL VARIABLES: AN APPLICATION TO EVALUATING PROSTATE CANCER TREATMENTS

    PubMed Central

    BASU, ANIRBAN

    2014-01-01

    SUMMARY This paper builds on the methods of local instrumental variables developed by Heckman and Vytlacil (1999, 2001, 2005) to estimate person-centered treatment (PeT) effects that are conditioned on the person’s observed characteristics and averaged over the potential conditional distribution of unobserved characteristics that lead them to their observed treatment choices. PeT effects are more individualized than conditional treatment effects from a randomized setting with the same observed characteristics. PeT effects can be easily aggregated to construct any of the mean treatment effect parameters and, more importantly, are well suited to comprehend individual-level treatment effect heterogeneity. The paper presents the theory behind PeT effects, and applies it to study the variation in individual-level comparative effects of prostate cancer treatments on overall survival and costs. PMID:25620844

  7. Proceedings of the Inaugural Pediatric Dermatology Research Alliance (PeDRA) Conference

    PubMed Central

    Siegel, Dawn H.; Choate, Keith; Drolet, Beth A.; Frieden, Ilona J.; Teng, Joyce M.; Tom, Wynnis; Williams, Mary; Eichenfield, Lawrence F.; Paller, Amy S.

    2014-01-01

    Abstract/Statement of the problem Skin disease research involving children currently faces several major hurdles and as a result, many therapies are only available for off-label use in children and many of the most pressing clinical needs of our pediatric population remain unsolved. A strategic planning committee of the Society for Pediatric Dermatology (SPD) identified the need for an organized, inclusive research alliance to augment the resources of individual practitioners and pre-existing smaller collaborative groups and facilitate robust, multicenter basic, translational, and clinical research and therapeutic trials. A December 2011 National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) Roundtable on Pediatric Dermatology further detailed the therapeutic gaps and barriers to translation of scientific advances to clinical practice. Building on these forums, in July 2012, a group of interested investigators met in Monterey, CA to develop the infrastructure for collaborative pediatric skin research, now called the Pediatric Dermatology Research Alliance (PeDRA). The vision of PeDRA is to create sustainable collaborative research networks to better understand, prevent, treat and cure dermatologic diseases in children. From that starting point, subcommittees and expert members were added, stakeholders identified, and seed funding garnered, with the first PeDRA stand-alone research meeting* realized in Chicago, IL in October 2013. PMID:25318428

  8. Final report of the Peña Blanca natural analogue project

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

    Levy, Schön S.; Goldstein, Steven Joel; Abdel-Fattah, Amr I.

    2016-10-04

    The Peña Blanca region, 50 km north of Chihuahua City, Chihuahua, México, was a target of uranium exploration and mining by the Mexican government. After mining ceased in 1981, researchers became interested in this region as a study area for subsurface uranium migration with relevance to geologic disposal of nuclear waste. Many studies related to this concept were conducted at the Nopal I mine site located on a cuesta (hill) of the Sierra Peña Blanca. This site has geologic, tectonic, hydrologic, and geochemical similarities to Yucca Mountain, Nevada, a formerly proposed site for a high-level nuclear-waste repository in the unsaturatedmore » zone. The U.S. Department of Energy (U.S. DOE), Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management (OCRWM), sponsored studies at Nopal I in the 1990s and supported the drilling of three research wells – PB1, PB2, and PB3 – at the site in 2003. Beginning in 2004, the Peña Blanca Natural Analogue Project was undertaken by U.S. DOE, OCRWM to develop a three-dimensional conceptual model of the transport of uranium and its radiogenic daughter products at the Nopal I site.« less

  9. Constraints on cosmic ray and PeV neutrino production in blazars

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

    Zhang, B. Theodore; Li, Zhuo, E-mail: zhangbing91@pku.edu.cn, E-mail: zhuo.li@pku.edu.cn

    2017-03-01

    IceCube has detected a cumulative flux of PeV neutrinos, which origin is unknown. Blazars, active galactic nuclei with relativistic jets pointing to us, are long and widely expected to be one of the strong candidates of high energy neutrino sources. The neutrino production depends strongly on the cosmic ray power of blazar jets, which is largely unknown. The recent null results in stacking searches of neutrinos for several blazar samples by IceCube put upper limits on the neutrino fluxes from these blazars. Here we compute the cosmic ray power and PeV neutrino flux of Fermi-LAT blazars, and find that themore » upper limits for known blazar sources give stringent constraint on the cosmic ray loading factor of blazar jets (i.e., the ratio of the cosmic ray to bolometric radiation luminosity of blazar jets), ξ{sub cr} ∼< (2–10)ζ{sup −1} (with ζ ∼< 1 the remained fraction of cosmic ray energy when propagate into the blazar broad line region) for flat cosmic ray spectrum, and that the cumulative PeV neutrino flux contributed by all-sky blazars is a fraction ∼< (10–50)% of the IceCube detected flux.« less

  10. Unravelling the contribution of the Penicillium expansum PeSte12 transcription factor to virulence during apple fruit infection.

    PubMed

    Sánchez-Torres, Paloma; Vilanova, Laura; Ballester, Ana Rosa; López-Pérez, Mario; Teixidó, Neus; Viñas, Inmaculada; Usall, Josep; González-Candelas, Luis; Torres, Rosario

    2018-02-01

    Blue mould disease caused by Penicillium expansum infection is one of the most important diseases of pome fruit accounting for important economic losses. In the present study, the PeSte12 transcription factor gene was identified, and deletant mutants were produced by gene replacement. Knockout mutants showed a significant decrease of virulence during apple fruit infection. Virulence was affected by the maturity stage of the fruit (immature, mature and over-mature), and disease severity was notably reduced when the apples were stored at 0 °C. The ΔPeSte12 mutants resulted defective in asexual reproduction, producing less conidia, but this characteristic did not correlate with differences in microscopic morphology. In addition, the ΔPeSte12 mutants produced higher quantity of hydrogen peroxide than the wild type strain. Gene expression analysis revealed that PeSte12 was induced over time during apple infection compared to axenic growth, particularly from 2 dpi, reinforcing its role in virulence. Analysis of transcriptional abundance of several genes in ΔPeSte12 mutants showed that in most of the evaluated genes, PeSte12 seemed to act as a negative regulator during axenic growth, as most of them exhibited an increasing expression pattern along the time period evaluated. The highest expression values corresponded to detoxification, ATPase activity, protein folding and basic metabolism. Gene expression analysis during apple infection showed that 3 out of 9 analysed genes were up regulated; thus, PeSte12 seemed to exert a positive control to particular type of aldolase. These results demonstrate the PeSte12 transcription factor could play an important role in P. expansum's virulence and asexual reproduction. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Holographically viable extensions of topologically massive and minimal massive gravity?

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Altas, Emel; Tekin, Bayram

    2016-01-01

    Recently [E. Bergshoeff et al., Classical Quantum Gravity 31, 145008 (2014)], an extension of the topologically massive gravity (TMG) in 2 +1 dimensions, dubbed as minimal massive gravity (MMG), which is free of the bulk-boundary unitarity clash that inflicts the former theory and all the other known three-dimensional theories, was found. Field equations of MMG differ from those of TMG at quadratic terms in the curvature that do not come from the variation of an action depending on the metric alone. Here we show that MMG is a unique theory and there does not exist a deformation of TMG or MMG at the cubic and quartic order (and beyond) in the curvature that is consistent at the level of the field equations. The only extension of TMG with the desired bulk and boundary properties having a single massive degree of freedom is MMG.

  12. PeRL: A circum-Arctic Permafrost Region Pond and Lake database

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Muster, Sina; Roth, Kurt; Langer, Moritz; Lange, Stephan; Cresto Aleina, Fabio; Bartsch, Annett; Morgenstern, Anne; Grosse, Guido; Jones, Benjamin M.; Sannel, A.B.K.; Sjoberg, Ylva; Gunther, Frank; Andresen, Christian; Veremeeva, Alexandra; Lindgren, Prajna R.; Bouchard, Frédéric; Lara, Mark J.; Fortier, Daniel; Charbonneau, Simon; Virtanen, Tarmo A.; Hugelius, Gustaf; Palmtag, J.; Siewert, Matthias B.; Riley, William J.; Koven, Charles; Boike, Julia

    2017-01-01

    Ponds and lakes are abundant in Arctic permafrost lowlands. They play an important role in Arctic wetland ecosystems by regulating carbon, water, and energy fluxes and providing freshwater habitats. However, ponds, i.e., waterbodies with surface areas smaller than 1. 0 × 104 m2, have not been inventoried on global and regional scales. The Permafrost Region Pond and Lake (PeRL) database presents the results of a circum-Arctic effort to map ponds and lakes from modern (2002–2013) high-resolution aerial and satellite imagery with a resolution of 5 m or better. The database also includes historical imagery from 1948 to 1965 with a resolution of 6 m or better. PeRL includes 69 maps covering a wide range of environmental conditions from tundra to boreal regions and from continuous to discontinuous permafrost zones. Waterbody maps are linked to regional permafrost landscape maps which provide information on permafrost extent, ground ice volume, geology, and lithology. This paper describes waterbody classification and accuracy, and presents statistics of waterbody distribution for each site. Maps of permafrost landscapes in Alaska, Canada, and Russia are used to extrapolate waterbody statistics from the site level to regional landscape units. PeRL presents pond and lake estimates for a total area of 1. 4 × 106 km2 across the Arctic, about 17 % of the Arctic lowland ( <  300 m a.s.l.) land surface area. PeRL waterbodies with sizes of 1. 0 × 106 m2 down to 1. 0 × 102 m2 contributed up to 21 % to the total water fraction. Waterbody density ranged from 1. 0 × 10 to 9. 4 × 101 km−2. Ponds are the dominant waterbody type by number in all landscapes representing 45–99 % of the total waterbody number. The implementation of PeRL size distributions in land surface models will greatly improve the investigation and projection of surface inundation and carbon fluxes in permafrost lowlands. Waterbody maps

  13. Relations among Basic Psychological Needs, PE-Motivation and Fundamental Movement Skills in 9-12-Year-Old Boys and Girls in Physical Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    van Aart, I.; Hartman, E.; Elferink-Gemser, M.; Mombarg, R.; Visscher, C.

    2017-01-01

    Background: Many children aged 9-12 appear to have low levels of fundamental movement skills (FMS). Physical education (PE) is important because PE-teachers can teach children a variety of FMS and can influence PE-motivation. However, declined levels of PE-motivation are reported in the final grades of elementary school. Therefore, more insight in…

  14. Anti-melanoma activity of the 9.2.27PE immunotoxin in dacarbazine resistant cells.

    PubMed

    Risberg, Karianne; Fodstad, Oystein; Andersson, Yvonne

    2010-04-01

    We have earlier shown that the 9.2.27 Pseudomonas Exotoxin A (PE) immunotoxin (IT) efficiently kills melanoma cells through inhibition of protein synthesis followed by some morphologic and biochemical features of apoptosis, a different cell killing mechanism than the one caused by Dacarbazine (DTIC), a chemotherapeutic drug used to treat malignant melanoma. To examine whether induced DTIC resistance also is a determining factor for the effectiveness of 9.2.27PE IT, we developed a DTIC resistant subline, FEMX-200DR, from the DTIC sensitive cell line FEMX. The cell variants were treated with 9.2.27PE, an IT binding to the high molecular weight-melanoma associated antigen (HMW-MAA) expressed on most malignant melanoma cells. The IT was equally effective in killing the FEMX-200DR and the FEMX cells, and the cell death was primarily caused by inhibition of protein synthesis. The DNA repair enzyme and apoptotic marker PARP, a substrate of caspase-3, was inactivated, although we observed only a minor activation of caspase-3 and caspase-8, intracellular proteases involved in apoptosis. In addition to being DTIC resistant, the FEMX-200DR cells were also more resistant to apoptosis than the parent cells as a 3 times higher concentration of the apoptotic inducer Staurosporine was needed to obtain IC50. Furthermore, in early passage malignant melanoma cell lines established from lymph node metastases, the 9.2.27PE caused a time-dependent and dose-dependent decrease in cell viability independent of their DTIC sensitivity. These findings show that the 9.2.27PE IT efficiently can cause cell death in malignant melanoma cells independent of their level of resistance to apoptosis and DTIC.

  15. Chromosome Characteristic of Peranakan Etawa (PE) Goat (Capra hircus Linn.) as Indonesian Local Breed

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Putri, A. R. I.; Ciptadi, G.; Warih, A. P.

    2018-02-01

    Chromosome characteristics of Peranakan Etawa (PE) goat needs to be analyzed because information about Indonesian goat races is very limited. The purpose of this research was to determine the characteristics of PE goat chromosome as basic data as one of the genetic local resources. Blood was collected from pair of PE goat at Sumber Sekar Field Laboratory, Faculty of Animal Husbandry, Brawijaya University, Malang. Blood cultured using standard cytogenetic technique and stained with G-Banding. Observations being done in metaphase cells and analyzed using Genus Cytovision Image. Chromosomes arranged and numbered by standard goat karyotype. The result of this research showed that PE goat had number of chromosomes 2n=60, consisting of 29 pairs of autosome and a pair of sex chromosomes. Female goat had average of total length (TL) of autosome ranged from 47.91 µm±6.46 to 22.12 µm±3.33. TL of chromosome X are 45.96 µm±4,59 and 44.45 µm±3,96. Centromeric index (Ci) of chromosome X, 31,74 and 32,80. PE goat had average of TL of autosome ranged from 58.20µm±6.72 to 18.97µm±2.82. TL of chromosome X is 56,42µm±7,38 and Y chromosome is 15,80 µm±3,24. Ci in chromosome X and Y are 19.34 and 46.84. These results concluded that the total of goat chromosome was 60 with types of autosomal chromosomes were acrocentric as many as 58 chromosomes and pair of sex chromosomes XX and XY, X classified as subtelocentric and Y submetacentric.

  16. Natural history, clinicoradiologic correlates, and response to triclabendazole in acute massive fascioliasis.

    PubMed

    Marcos, Luis A; Tagle, Martin; Terashima, Angelica; Bussalleu, Alejandro; Ramirez, Cesar; Carrasco, Carlos; Valdez, Luis; Huerta-Mercado, Jorge; Freedman, David O; Vinetz, Joseph M; Gotuzzo, Eduardo

    2008-02-01

    Fascioliasis is highly endemic in the Andean region of South America. Newer serological assays have improved our ability to diagnose acute fascioliasis. The diagnosis was established by Fasciola hepatica serology (Fas2-ELISA or Western blot) in 10 patients. Identifiable exposure included ingestion of watercress (N = 8), alfalfa juice (N = 5), and lettuce (N = 1). Computed tomography of the abdomen showed hepatomegaly (N = 9), track-like hypodense lesions with subcapsular location (N = 8), and subcapsular hematoma (N = 2). Radiologic sequelae included cyst calcifications detectable at least 3 years after treatment. Stool examinations were negative for F. hepatica eggs; serology was positive (Arc II [N = 2], Fas2-ELISA [N = 6], Western blot [N = 2]). The syndrome of eosinophilia, fever, and right upper quadrant pain, elevated transaminases without jaundice, hypodense liver lesions on CT, and an appropriate exposure history suggests acute fascioliasis. Fascioliasis is specifically treatable with a single dose of triclabendazole.

  17. Serving PE Teachers' Professional Learning Experiences in Social Circus

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Li, Chung

    2010-01-01

    Background: Social circus has long been the folklore in the Chinese culture. Recently, initiatives have been undergoing to introduce it in the school physical education curriculum in Hong Kong. Aims: This article reports a study on 38 PE teachers' professional learning experiences while attending two 2-day workshops respectively concerning…

  18. "Race" Talk! Tensions and Contradictions in Sport and PE

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hylton, Kevin

    2015-01-01

    Background: The universal sport discourses of meritocracy and equality are so engrained that few challenge them. The most cursory interest in sport, Physical Education (PE), and society will reveal that the lived reality is quite different. Racial disparities in the leadership and administration of sport are commonplace worldwide; yet, from…

  19. Environmental characteristics and student physical activity in PE class: findings from two large urban areas of Texas.

    PubMed

    Skala, Katherine A; Springer, Andrew E; Sharma, Shreela V; Hoelscher, Deanna M; Kelder, Steven H

    2012-05-01

    Physical education (PE) classes provide opportunities for children to be active. This study examined the associations between specific environmental characteristics (teacher characteristics; class size, duration and location; and lesson context) and elementary school-aged children's moderate-to-vigorous activity (MVPA) during PE. Environmental characteristics and student activity levels were measured in 211 third-, fourth-, and fifth-grade PE classes in 74 Texas public schools using SOFIT direct observation. Students engaged in less than half their PE class time in MVPA (38%), while approximately 25% of class time was spent in classroom management. Percent time in MVPA was significantly higher in outdoor classes compared with indoors (41.4% vs. 36.1%, P = .037). Larger (P = .044) and longer (P = .001) classes were negatively associated with percentage of MVPA and positively correlated with time spent in management (P < .001). Findings suggest that children's activity may be influenced by environmental factors such as class size, location, and lesson contexts. These findings hold important policy implications for PE class organization and the need for strategies that maximize children's MVPA. Further research is needed to test the causal association of these factors with student MVPA.

  20. 75 FR 28325 - Proposed Collection; Comment Request for Form 8879-PE

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-05-20

    ... Form 8879-PE, IRS e-file Signature Authorization for Form 1065. DATES: Written comments should be....gov . SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Title: IRS e-file Signature Authorization for Form 1065. OMB Number...

  1. Analysis of National Trends in Admissions for Pulmonary Embolism.

    PubMed

    Smith, Sean B; Geske, Jeffrey B; Kathuria, Parul; Cuttica, Michael; Schimmel, Daniel R; Courtney, D Mark; Waterer, Grant W; Wunderink, Richard G

    2016-07-01

    Pulmonary embolism (PE) remains a significant cause of hospital admission and health-care costs. Estimates of PE incidence came from the 1990s, and data are limited to describe trends in hospital admissions for PE over the past decade. We analyzed Nationwide Inpatient Sample data from 1993 to 2012 to identify patients admitted with PE. We included admissions with International Classification of Diseases, 9th revision, codes listing PE as the principal diagnosis as well as admissions with PE listed secondary to principal diagnoses of respiratory failure or DVT. Massive PE was defined by mechanical ventilation, vasopressors, or nonseptic shock. Outcomes included hospital lengths of stay, adjusted charges, and all-cause hospital mortality. Linear regression was used to analyze changes over time. Admissions for PE increased from 23 per 100,000 in 1993 to 65 per 100,000 in 2012 (P < .001). The percent of admissions meeting criteria for massive PE decreased (5.3% to 4.4%, P = .002), but the absolute number of admissions for massive PE increased (from 1.5 to 2.8 per 100,000, P < .001). Median length of stay decreased from 8 (interquartile range [IQR], 6-11) to 4 (IQR, 3-6) days (P < .001). Adjusted hospital charges increased from $16,475 (IQR, $10,748-$26,211) in 1993 to $25,728 (IQR, $15,505-$44,493) in 2012 (P < .001). All-cause hospital mortality decreased from 7.1% to 3.2% (P < .001), but population-adjusted deaths during admission for PE increased from 1.6 to 2.1 per 100,000 (P < .001). Total admissions and hospital charges for PE have increased over the past two decades. However, the population-adjusted admission rate has increased disproportionately to the incidence of patients with severe PE. We hypothesize that these findings reflect a concerning national movement toward more admissions of less severe PE. Copyright © 2016 American College of Chest Physicians. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. COLA with massive neutrinos

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wright, Bill S.; Winther, Hans A.; Koyama, Kazuya

    2017-10-01

    The effect of massive neutrinos on the growth of cold dark matter perturbations acts as a scale-dependent Newton's constant and leads to scale-dependent growth factors just as we often find in models of gravity beyond General Relativity. We show how to compute growth factors for ΛCDM and general modified gravity cosmologies combined with massive neutrinos in Lagrangian perturbation theory for use in COLA and extensions thereof. We implement this together with the grid-based massive neutrino method of Brandbyge and Hannestad in MG-PICOLA and compare COLA simulations to full N-body simulations of ΛCDM and f(R) gravity with massive neutrinos. Our implementation is computationally cheap if the underlying cosmology already has scale-dependent growth factors and it is shown to be able to produce results that match N-body to percent level accuracy for both the total and CDM matter power-spectra up to klesssim 1 h/Mpc.

  3. Minimal massive 3D gravity

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bergshoeff, Eric; Hohm, Olaf; Merbis, Wout; Routh, Alasdair J.; Townsend, Paul K.

    2014-07-01

    We present an alternative to topologically massive gravity (TMG) with the same ‘minimal’ bulk properties; i.e. a single local degree of freedom that is realized as a massive graviton in linearization about an anti-de Sitter (AdS) vacuum. However, in contrast to TMG, the new ‘minimal massive gravity’ has both a positive energy graviton and positive central charges for the asymptotic AdS-boundary conformal algebra.

  4. Water cycle research associated with the CaPE hydrometeorology project (CHymP

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Duchon, Claude E.

    1993-01-01

    One outgrowth of the Convection and Precipitation/Electrification (CaPE) experiment that took place in central Florida during July and August 1991 was the creation of the CaPE Hydrometeorology Project (CHymP). The principal goal of this project is to investigate the daily water cycle of the CaPE experimental area by analyzing the numerous land and atmosphere in situ and remotely sensed data sets that were generated during the 40-days of observations. The water cycle comprises the atmospheric branch. In turn, the atmospheric branch comprises precipitation leaving the base of the atmospheric volume under study, evaporation and transpiration entering the base, the net horizontal fluxes of water vapor and cloud water through the volume and the conversion of water vapor to cloud water and vice-versa. The sum of these components results in a time rate of change in the water and liquid water (or ice) content of the atmospheric volume. The components of the land branch are precipitation input to and evaporation and transpiration output from the surface, net horizontal fluxes of surface and subsurface water, the sum of which results in a time rate of change in surface and subsurface water mass. The objective of CHymP is to estimate these components in order to determine the daily water budget for a selected area within the CaPE domain. This work began in earnest in the summer of 1992 and continues. Even estimating all the budget components for one day is a complex and time consuming task. The discussions below provides a short summary of the rainfall quality assessment procedures followed by a plan for estimating the horizontal moisture flux.

  5. Building a Model PE Curriculum: Education Reform in Action

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Moore, John

    2012-01-01

    The blueprint to build a model physical education (PE) curriculum begins by establishing a sound curricular foundation based on a lesson plan template that incorporates clear and concise program goals, the alignment of lessons to state or national content standards, and the collection, analysis and use of objective assessment data that informs…

  6. Meet EPA Scientist Carolina Peñalva-Arana, Ph.D.

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    EPA scientist Carolina Peñalva-Arana, Ph.D., researches how to use molecular data to determine the health of an ecosystem. She and her colleagues are observing these tiny changes in ecosystem health to predict when an ecosystem is impaired earlier

  7. Acute transfusion-related abdominal injury in trauma patients: a case report.

    PubMed

    Michel, P; Wähnert, D; Freistühler, M; Laukoetter, M G; Rehberg, S; Raschke, M J; Garcia, P

    2016-10-19

    Secondary abdominal compartment syndrome is well known as a life-threatening complication in critically ill patients in an intensive care unit. Massive crystalloid fluid resuscitation has been identified as the most important risk factor. The time interval from hospital admittance to the development of manifest abdominal compartment syndrome is usually greater than 24 hours. In the absence of any direct abdominal trauma, we observed a rapidly evolving secondary abdominal compartment syndrome shortly after hospital admittance associated with massive transfusion of blood products and only moderate crystalloid resuscitation. We report the case of an acute secondary abdominal compartment syndrome developing within 3 to 4 hours in a 74-year-old polytraumatized white woman. Although multiple fractures of her extremities and a B-type pelvic ring fracture were diagnosed by a full body computed tomography scan, no intra-abdominal injury could be detected. Hemorrhagic shock with a drop in her hemoglobin level to 5.7 g/dl was treated by massive transfusion of blood products and high doses of catecholamines. Shortly afterwards, her pulmonary gas exchange progressively deteriorated and mechanical ventilation became almost impossible with peak airway pressures of up to 60 cmH 2 O. Her abdomen appeared rigid and tense accompanied by a progressive hemodynamic decompensation necessitating mechanic cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Although preoperative computed tomography scans showed no signs of intra-abdominal fluid, a decompressive laparotomy under cardiopulmonary resuscitation conditions was performed and 2 liters of ascites-like fluid disgorged. Her hemodynamics and pulmonary ventilation improved immediately. This case report describes for the first time acute secondary abdominal compartment syndrome in a trauma patient, evolving in a very short time period. We hypothesize that the massive transfusion of blood products along with high doses of catecholamines triggered the acute

  8. Acute abdomen in mentally retarded patients: role of aerophagia. Report of nine cases.

    PubMed

    van der Kolk, M B; Bender, M H; Goris, R J

    1999-05-01

    Between 1993 and 1996 nine mentally retarded patients presented because of an acute abdomen. All had the habit of aerophagia, diagnosed previously by a general practitioner. Massive distension of the bowel led to ileus, volvulus, and necrosis. After placement of a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy catheter or performing a gastrostomy during laparotomy with the intention to use as a desufflator, no recurrence of the signs and symptoms of an acute abdomen were observed.

  9. Massive Stars in M31

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lomax, Jamie R.; Peters, Matthew; Wisniewski, John; Dalcanton, Julianne; Williams, Benjamin; Lutz, Julie; Choi, Yumi; Sigut, Aaron

    2017-11-01

    Massive stars are intrinsically rare and therefore present a challenge to understand from a statistical perspective, especially within the Milky Way. We recently conducted follow-up observations to the Panchromatic Hubble Andromeda Treasury (PHAT) survey that were designed to detect more than 10,000 emission line stars, including WRs, by targeting regions in M31 previously known to host large numbers of young, massive clusters and very young stellar populations. Because of the existing PHAT data, we are able to derive an effective temperature, bolarimetric luminosity, and extinction for each of our detected stars. We report on preliminary results of the massive star population of our dataset and discuss how our results compare to previous studies of massive stars in M31.

  10. (Re)Telling Lived Experiences in Different Tales: A Potential Pathway in Working towards an Inclusive PE

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Berg Svendby, Ellen

    2016-01-01

    Existing research reveals that there are large discrepancies between the rhetoric of inclusive practice and what actually takes place in physical education (PE) lessons. PE appears to be a conservative subject, where little has changed over the years, despite increased diversity in schools and new modes of movement in society at large. In this…

  11. Demystifying the PeV cascades in IceCube: Less (energy) is more (events)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Laha, Ranjan; Beacom, John F.; Dasgupta, Basudeb; Horiuchi, Shunsaku; Murase, Kohta

    2013-08-01

    The IceCube neutrino observatory has detected two cascade events with energies near 1 PeV [A. Ishihara Proceedings of Neutrino 2012 Conference, http://neu2012.kek.jp/index.html; M. Aartsen et al. (IceCube Collaboration) Phys. Rev. Lett. 111, 021103 (2013)]. Without invoking new physics, we analyze the source of these neutrinos. We show that atmospheric conventional neutrinos and cosmogenic neutrinos (those produced in the propagation of ultra-high-energy cosmic rays) are strongly disfavored. For atmospheric prompt neutrinos or a diffuse background of neutrinos produced in astrophysical objects, the situation is less clear. We show that there is tension with observed data, but that the details depend on the least-known aspects of the IceCube analysis. Very likely, prompt neutrinos are disfavored and astrophysical neutrinos are plausible. We demonstrate that the fastest way to reveal the origin of the observed PeV neutrinos is to search for neutrino cascades in the range below 1 PeV, for which dedicated analyses with high sensitivity have yet to appear, and where many more events could be found.

  12. Rise of the First Super-Massive Stars

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Regan, John A.; Downes, Turlough P.

    2018-05-01

    We use high resolution adaptive mesh refinement simulations to model the formation of massive metal-free stars in the early Universe. By applying Lyman-Werner (LW) backgrounds of 100 J21 and 1000 J21 respectively we construct environments conducive to the formation of massive stars. We find that only in the case of the higher LW backgrounds are super-critical accretion rates realised that are necessary for super-massive star (SMS) formation. Mild fragmentation is observed for both backgrounds. Violent dynamical interactions between the stars that form in the more massive halo formed (1000 J21 background) results in the eventual expulsion of the two most massive stars from the halo. In the smaller mass halo (100 J21 background) mergers of stars occur before any multibody interactions and a single massive Pop III star is left at the centre of the halo at the end of our simulation. Feedback from the very massive Pop III stars is not effective in generating a large HII region with ionising photons absorbed within a few thousand AU of the star. In all cases a massive black hole seed is the expected final fate of the most massive objects. The seed of the massive Pop III star which remained at the centre of the less massive halo experiences steady accretion rates of almost 10-2M_{⊙}/yr and if these rates continue could potentially experience super-Eddington accretion rates in the immediate aftermath of collapsing into a black hole.

  13. Inconsistency of topologically massive hypergravity

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Aragone, C.; Deser, S.

    1985-01-01

    The coupled topologically massive spin-5/2 gravity system in D = 3 dimensions whose kinematics represents dynamical propagating gauge invariant massive spin-5/2 and spin-2 excitations, is shown to be inconsistent, or equivalently, not locally hypersymmetric. In contrast to D = 4, the local constraints on the system arising from failure of the fermionic Bianchi identities do not involve the 'highest spin' components of the field, but rather the auxiliary spinor required to construct a consistent massive model.

  14. Acute Necrotizing Esophagitis Followed by Duodenal Necrosis

    PubMed Central

    del Hierro, Piedad Magdalena

    2011-01-01

    Acute Necrotizing Esophagitis is an uncommon pathology, characterized by endoscopic finding of diffuse black coloration in esophageal mucosa and histological presence of necrosis in patients with upper gastrointestinal bleeding. The first case of acute necrotizing esophagitis followed by duodenal necrosis, in 81 years old woman with a positive history of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, Hypertension, and usual intake of Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory drugs, is reported. Although its etiology remains unknown, the duodenal necrosis suggests that ischemia could be the main cause given that the branches off the celiac axis provide common blood supply to the distal esophageal and duodenal tissue. The massive gastroesophagic reflux and NSAID intake could be involved. PMID:27957030

  15. Wind Transport of Radionuclide- Bearing Dust, Peña Blanca, Chihuahua, Mexico

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Velarde, R.; Goodell, P. C.; Gill, T. E.; Arimoto, R.

    2007-05-01

    This investigation evaluates radionuclide fractionation during wind erosion of high-grade uranium ore storage piles at Peña Blanca (50km north of Chihuahua City), Chihuahua, Mexico. The aridity of the local environment promotes dust resuspension by high winds. Although active operations ceased in 1983, the Peña Blanca mining district is one of Mexico`s most important uranium ore reserves. The study site contains piles of high grade ore, left loose on the surface, and separated by the specific deposits from which they were derived (Margaritas, Nopal I, and Puerto I). Similar locations do not exist in the United States, since uranium mining sites in the USA have been reclaimed. The Peña Blanca site serves as an analog for the Yucca Mountain project. Dust deposition is collected at Peña Blanca with BSNE sediment catchers (Fryrear, 1986) and marble dust traps (Reheis, 1999). These devices capture windblown sediment; subsequently, the sample data will help quantify potentially radioactive short term field sediment loss from the repository surface and determine sediment flux. Aerosols and surface materials will be analyzed and radioactivity levels established utilizing techniques such as gamma spectroscopy. As a result, we will be able to estimate how much radionuclide contaminated dust is being transported or attached geochemically to fine grain soils or minerals (e.g., clays or iron oxides). The high-grade uranium-bearing material is at secular equilibrium, thus the entire decay series is present. Of resulting interest is not only the aeolian transport of uranium, but also of the other daughter products. These studies will improve our understanding of geochemical cycling of radionuclides with respect to sources, transport, and deposition. The results may also have important implications for the geosciences and homeland security, and potential applications to public health. Funding for this project is provided in part via a NSF grant to Arimoto.

  16. Nonsingular universe in massive gravity's rainbow

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hendi, S. H.; Momennia, M.; Eslam Panah, B.; Panahiyan, S.

    2017-06-01

    One of the fundamental open questions in cosmology is whether we can regard the universe evolution without singularity like a Big Bang or a Big Rip. This challenging subject stimulates one to regard a nonsingular universe in the far past with an arbitrarily large vacuum energy. Considering the high energy regime in the cosmic history, it is believed that Einstein gravity should be corrected to an effective energy dependent theory which could be acquired by gravity's rainbow. On the other hand, employing massive gravity provided us with solutions to some of the long standing fundamental problems of cosmology such as cosmological constant problem and self acceleration of the universe. Considering these aspects of gravity's rainbow and massive gravity, in this paper, we initiate studying FRW cosmology in the massive gravity's rainbow formalism. At first, we show that although massive gravity modifies the FRW cosmology, but it does not itself remove the big bang singularity. Then, we generalize the massive gravity to the case of energy dependent spacetime and find that massive gravity's rainbow can remove the early universe singularity. We bring together all the essential conditions for having a nonsingular universe and the effects of both gravity's rainbow and massive gravity generalizations on such criteria are determined.

  17. Massive gravity in three dimensions.

    PubMed

    Bergshoeff, Eric A; Hohm, Olaf; Townsend, Paul K

    2009-05-22

    A particular higher-derivative extension of the Einstein-Hilbert action in three spacetime dimensions is shown to be equivalent at the linearized level to the (unitary) Pauli-Fierz action for a massive spin-2 field. A more general model, which also includes "topologically-massive" gravity as a special case, propagates the two spin-2 helicity states with different masses. We discuss the extension to massive N-extended supergravity, and we present a "cosmological" extension that admits an anti-de Sitter vacuum.

  18. Massive binary stars as a probe of massive star formation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kiminki, Daniel C.

    2010-10-01

    Massive stars are among the largest and most influential objects we know of on a sub-galactic scale. Binary systems, composed of at least one of these stars, may be responsible for several types of phenomena, including type Ib/c supernovae, short and long gamma ray bursts, high-velocity runaway O and B-type stars, and the density of the parent star clusters. Our understanding of these stars has met with limited success, especially in the area of their formation. Current formation theories rely on the accumulated statistics of massive binary systems that are limited because of their sample size or the inhomogeneous environments from which the statistics are collected. The purpose of this work is to provide a higher-level analysis of close massive binary characteristics using the radial velocity information of 113 massive stars (B3 and earlier) and binary orbital properties for the 19 known close massive binaries in the Cygnus OB2 Association. This work provides an analysis using the largest amount of massive star and binary information ever compiled for an O-star rich cluster like Cygnus OB2, and compliments other O-star binary studies such as NGC 6231, NGC 2244, and NGC 6611. I first report the discovery of 73 new O or B-type stars and 13 new massive binaries by this survey. This work involved the use of 75 successful nights of spectroscopic observation at the Wyoming Infrared Observatory in addition to observations obtained using the Hydra multi-object spectrograph at WIYN, the HIRES echelle spectrograph at KECK, and the Hamilton spectrograph at LICK. I use these data to estimate the spectrophotometric distance to the cluster and to measure the mean systemic velocity and the one-sided velocity dispersion of the cluster. Finally, I compare these data to a series of Monte Carlo models, the results of which indicate that the binary fraction of the cluster is 57 +/- 5% and that the indices for the power law distributions, describing the log of the periods, mass

  19. The role of peu-miR164 and its target PeNAC genes in response to abiotic stress in Populus euphratica.

    PubMed

    Lu, Xin; Dun, Hui; Lian, Conglong; Zhang, Xiaofei; Yin, Weilun; Xia, Xinli

    2017-06-01

    Plant miR164 family is highly conserved and miR164 members regulate conserved targets belonging to NAC transcription factors. Our previous studies have revealed that peu-miR164a-e and its target gene POPTR_0007s08420 participate in abiotic stress response in Populus euphratica according to deep sequencing and degradome sequencing. In this study, miR164 family comprises six members that generate two mature products (miR164a-e and miR164f) and target seven NAC genes in P. euphratica. Co-expression in Nicotiana benthamiana and 5' RACE confirmed that peu-miR164 directs PeNAC070, PeNAC012 and PeNAC028 mRNAs cleavage. Expression profiles of primary peu-miR164 a/b/c/d/e bear similarity to those of peu-miR164a-e, whereas PeNAC070 and PeNAC081 showed inverse expression patterns with peu-miR164a-e under abiotic stresses. Existence of cis-acting elements in PeNAC070 promoter (ABRE,MBs, Box-W1, GC-motif, and W-box) and in peu-MIR164b promoter (HSE) further confirmed different responses of peu-miR164 and PeNAC070 to abiotic stresses. Histochemical β-glucuronidase (GUS) staining revealed that GUS activities increased when Pro PeNAC070 ::GUS transgenic Arabidopsis plants were exposed to NaCl, mannitol and abscisic acid (ABA), whereas GUS activity of Pro peu-MIR164b ::GUS plants decreased under ABA treatment. Subcellular localization and transactivation assays showed that PeNAC070 protein was localized to the nucleus and exhibited transactivation activity at the C-terminal. Overexpression of PeNAC070 in Arabidopsis promoted lateral root development, delayed stem elongation, and increased sensitivity of transgenic plants to drought and salt stresses. This study aids in understanding the adaptability of P. euphratica to extreme drought and salt environment by analysing tissue-specific expression patterns of miR164-regulated and specific promoter-regulated PeNAC genes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  20. "Governmentality" in the Origins of European Female PE and Sport: The Spanish Case Study (1883-1936)

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Garcia, Raul Sanchez; Herraiz, Antonio Rivero

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of the paper is twofold: (1) to contribute to the analysis of the origins of modern European female PE and sports from a power perspective, inspired by Foucault's work; and (2) to present a detailed analysis of female PE and sport in Spain (1883-1936) as a specific European case study. It is argued that these physical activities could…

  1. Search of massive star formation with COMICS

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Okamoto, Yoshiko K.

    2004-04-01

    Mid-infrared observations is useful for studies of massive star formation. Especially COMICS offers powerful tools: imaging survey of the circumstellar structures of forming massive stars such as massive disks and cavity structures, mass estimate from spectroscopy of fine structure lines, and high dispersion spectroscopy to census gas motion around formed stars. COMICS will open the next generation infrared studies of massive star formation.

  2. PE: It's Just Me: Physically Active and Healthy Teacher Bodies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wrench, Alison; Garrett, Robyne

    2015-01-01

    This paper focuses on the significance of embodied understandings to the emerging subjectivities and pedagogical practices of pre-service teachers undertaking a Physical Education (PE) specialisation through a B.Ed. (primary/middle). Data from a research project conducted at an Australian university with seven pre-service teachers will be…

  3. [Massive hemorrhage of upper gastrointestinal tract caused by gastrointestinal stromal tumor of the stomach--case report].

    PubMed

    Lalović, Nenad; Dukić Vladicić, Nikolina; Marić, Radmil; Cuk, Mirjana; Simatović, Milan; Jokanović, Dragana

    2012-01-01

    Acute bleeding from the upper gastrointestinal system is a medical emergency which is followed by high mortality rate, ranging from 6 to 15% in spite of modern diagnostic methods and treatment. Bleeding from the upper gastrointestinal system may be caused by gastrointestinal stromal tumors of the stomach, which are mainly characterized by occult bleeding, while profuse bleeding rarely occurs accompanied by hemorrhagic shock. Gastrointestinal stromal tumors of stomach are the most common mesenchimal tumors of the gastrointestinal tract. In our study we showed a 60-year-old female patient with profuse bleeding from the stomach and the clinical picture of severe hemorrhagic shock, caused by gastrointestinal stromal tumor. An ovoid junction, raised towards the lumen, covered with ulcerated mucosa in several places and followed by massive arterial bleeding was found intraoperatively, after the performed gastrotomy. Histopathological examination with immunohistochemical analysis confirmed that this was a gastrointestinal stromal tumor of the stomach. Acute bleeding from the digestive system is a sudden and serious condition of the body. Urgent esophagogastroduodenoscopy is a sensitive and specific diagnostic and therapeutic method of choice. Massive bleeding from the upper gastrointestinal tract is very rarely caused by gastrointestinal stromal tumors, whose clinical picture is very heterogeneous and depends on tumor size and location. Abundant bleeding from the tumor is an indication for urgent surgical intervention. According to the literature massive hemorrhage of the upper digestive system can rarely be caused by gastrointestinal stromal tumor of the stomach. It is shown that abundant hemorrhage of the upper digestive tract can be caused with gastric gastrointestinal stromal tumor. Surgical resection is the main form of treatment of gastrointestinal stromal tumors of the digestive system and bleeding from these tumors caused by failure of endoscopic hemostasis.

  4. Role of transcatheter arterial embolization for massive bleeding from gastroduodenal ulcers

    PubMed Central

    Loffroy, Romaric; Guiu, Boris

    2009-01-01

    Intractable bleeding from gastric and duodenal ulcers is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Aggressive treatment with early endoscopic hemostasis is essential for a favourable outcome. In as many as 12%-17% of patients, endoscopy is either not available or unsuccessful. Endovascular therapy with selective catheterization of the culprit vessel and injection of embolic material has emerged as an alternative to emergent operative intervention in high-risk patients. There has not been a systematic literature review to assess the role for embolotherapy in the treatment of acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding from gastroduodenal ulcers after failed endoscopic hemostasis. Here, we present an overview of indications, techniques, and clinical outcomes after endovascular embolization of acute peptic-ulcer bleeding. Topics of particular relevance to technical and clinical success are also discussed. Our review shows that transcatheter arterial embolization is a safe alternative to surgery for massive gastroduodenal bleeding that is refractory to endoscopic treatment, can be performed with high technical and clinical success rates, and should be considered the salvage treatment of choice in patients at high surgical risk. PMID:20014452

  5. [Prehospital thrombolysis during cardiopulmonary resuscitation].

    PubMed

    Spöhr, F; Böttiger, B W

    2005-02-01

    Although prehospital cardiac arrest has an incidence of 40-90/100,000 inhabitants per year, there has been a lack of therapeutic options to improve the outcome of these patients. Of all cardiac arrests, 50-70% are caused by acute myocardial infarction (AMI) or massive pulmonary embolism (PE). Thrombolysis has been shown to be a causal and effective therapy in patients with AMI or PE who do not suffer cardiac arrest. In contrast, experience with the use of thrombolysis during cardiac arrest has been limited. Thrombolysis during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) acts directly on thrombi or emboli causing AMI or PE. In addition, experimental studies suggest that thrombolysis causes an improvement in microcirculatory reperfusion after cardiac arrest. In-hospital and prehospital case series and clinical studies suggest that thrombolysis during CPR may cause a restoration of spontaneous circulation and survival even in patients that have been resuscitated conventionally without success. In addition, there is evidence for an improved neurological outcome in patients receiving a thrombolytic therapy during during CPR. A large randomized, double-blind multicenter trial that has started recently is expected to show if this new therapeutic option can generally improve the prognosis of patients with cardiac arrest.

  6. Minimal Residual Disease Monitoring of Acute Myeloid Leukemia by Massively Multiplex Digital PCR in Patients with NPM1 Mutations.

    PubMed

    Mencia-Trinchant, Nuria; Hu, Yang; Alas, Maria Antonina; Ali, Fatima; Wouters, Bas J; Lee, Sangmin; Ritchie, Ellen K; Desai, Pinkal; Guzman, Monica L; Roboz, Gail J; Hassane, Duane C

    2017-07-01

    The presence of minimal residual disease (MRD) is widely recognized as a powerful predictor of therapeutic outcome in acute myeloid leukemia (AML), but methods of measurement and quantification of MRD in AML are not yet standardized in clinical practice. There is an urgent, unmet need for robust and sensitive assays that can be readily adopted as real-time tools for disease monitoring. NPM1 frameshift mutations are an established MRD marker present in half of patients with cytogenetically normal AML. However, detection is complicated by the existence of hundreds of potential frameshift insertions, clonal heterogeneity, and absence of sequence information when the NPM1 mutation is identified using capillary electrophoresis. Thus, some patients are ineligible for NPM1 MRD monitoring. Furthermore, a subset of patients with NPM1-mutated AML will have false-negative MRD results because of clonal evolution. To simplify and improve MRD testing for NPM1, we present a novel digital PCR technique composed of massively multiplex pools of insertion-specific primers that selectively detect mutated but not wild-type NPM1. By measuring reaction end points using digital PCR technology, the resulting single assay enables sensitive and specific quantification of most NPM1 exon 12 mutations in a manner that is robust to clonal heterogeneity, does not require NPM1 sequence information, and obviates the need for maintenance of hundreds of type-specific assays and associated plasmid standards. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Investigative Pathology and the Association for Molecular Pathology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Determination of microplastic polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) in environmental samples using thermal analysis (TGA-DSC).

    PubMed

    Majewsky, Marius; Bitter, Hajo; Eiche, Elisabeth; Horn, Harald

    2016-10-15

    Microplastics are increasingly detected in the environment and the consequences on water resources and ecosystems are not clear to date. The present study provides a cost-effective and straightforward method to determine the mass concentrations of polymer types using thermal analysis. Characteristic endothermic phase transition temperatures were determined for seven plastic polymer types using TGA-DSC. Based on that, extracts from wastewater samples were analyzed. Results showed that among the studied polymers, only PE and PP could be clearly identified, while the phase transition signals of the other polymers largely overlap each other. Subsequently, calibration curves were run for PE and PP for qualitative measurements. 240 and 1540mg/m(3) of solid material (12µm to 1mm) was extracted from two wastewater effluent samples of a municipal WWTP of which 34% (81mg/m(3)) and 17% (257mg/m(3)) could be assigned to PE, while PP was not detected in any of the samples. The presented application of TGA-DSC provides a complementary or alternative method to FT-IR analyses for the determination of PE and PP in environmental samples. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. The PE/PPE multigene family codes for virulence factors and is a possible source of mycobacterial antigenic variation: perhaps more?

    PubMed

    Akhter, Yusuf; Ehebauer, Matthias T; Mukhopadhyay, Sangita; Hasnain, Seyed E

    2012-01-01

    The PE/PPE multigene family codes for approximately 10% of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis proteome and is encoded by 176 open reading frames. These proteins possess, and have been named after, the conserved proline-glutamate (PE) or proline-proline-glutamate (PPE) motifs at their N-terminus. Their genes have a conserved structure and repeat motifs that could be a potential source of antigenic variation in M. tuberculosis. PE/PPE genes are scattered throughout the genome and PE/PPE pairs are usually encoded in bicistronic operons although this is not universally so. This gene family has evolved by specific gene duplication events. PE/PPE proteins are either secreted or localized to the cell surface. Several are thought to be virulence factors, which participate in evasion of the host immune response. This review summarizes the current knowledge about the gene family in order to better understand its biological function. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  9. "Cool PE" and Confronting the Negative Stereotypes of Physical Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gaudreault, Karen Lux

    2014-01-01

    To change the public's negative perceptions, it may be necessary to change the nature of physical education programming. One way of doing so is by adopting "Cool PE," which refers to physical education that "moves" students, empowers students with choice, and is meaningful to students outside of the gym.

  10. Assessment Quality and Practices in Secondary PE in the Netherlands

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Borghouts, Lars B.; Slingerland, Menno; Haerens, Leen

    2017-01-01

    Background: Assessment can have various functions, and is an important impetus for student learning. For assessment to be effective, it should be aligned with curriculum goals and of sufficient quality. Although it has been suggested that assessment quality in physical education (PE) is suboptimal, research into actual assessment practices has…

  11. RS3PE syndrome: a clinical and immunogenetical study.

    PubMed

    Queiro, Rubén

    2004-03-01

    This study analyses the clinical, radiological, evolutive, and immunogenetical characteristics of a series of patients diagnosed with remitting seronegative symmetrical synovitis with pitting edema (RS3PE) syndrome. Reviewed were the clinical charts and human leukocyte antigen (HLA) profiles of all patients treated at a single teaching hospital fulfilling the features of this syndrome according to the definition of McCarty. Twelve cases were detected in ten men and two women aged from 62 to 85 years. Rheumatoid factor was negative in all cases, and antinuclear antibodies (ANA) were positive in two. All patients achieved complete resolution of their condition within 1 year with glucocorticoid (GC) use. Two relapsed after remission but responded again to low doses of GC. Four patients showed clinical and electrodiagnostic studies consistent with carpal tunnel syndrome. No specific HLA association could be found in this report. To date, none of these patients has developed definite rheumatic diseases, infections, or malignant diseases. Although the real nature of the syndrome is still a matter of debate, at least in our context, RS3PE remains a definite condition with an excellent prognosis.

  12. PeRL: a circum-Arctic Permafrost Region Pond and Lake database

    DOE PAGES

    Muster, Sina; Roth, Kurt; Langer, Moritz; ...

    2017-06-06

    Ponds and lakes are abundant in Arctic permafrost lowlands. They play an important role in Arctic wetland ecosystems by regulating carbon, water, and energy fluxes and providing freshwater habitats. However, ponds, i.e., waterbodies with surface areas smaller than 1.0 × 10 4 m 2, have not been inventoried on global and regional scales. The Permafrost Region Pond and Lake (PeRL) database presents the results of a circum-Arctic effort to map ponds and lakes from modern (2002–2013) high-resolution aerial and satellite imagery with a resolution of 5 m or better. The database also includes historical imagery from 1948 to 1965 withmore » a resolution of 6 m or better. PeRL includes 69 maps covering a wide range of environmental conditions from tundra to boreal regions and from continuous to discontinuous permafrost zones. Waterbody maps are linked to regional permafrost landscape maps which provide information on permafrost extent, ground ice volume, geology, and lithology. This paper describes waterbody classification and accuracy, and presents statistics of waterbody distribution for each site. Maps of permafrost landscapes in Alaska, Canada, and Russia are used to extrapolate waterbody statistics from the site level to regional landscape units. PeRL presents pond and lake estimates for a total area of 1.4 × 10 6 km 2 across the Arctic, about 17 % of the Arctic lowland ( < 300 m a.s.l.) land surface area. PeRL waterbodies with sizes of 1.0 ×10 6 m 2 down to 1.0 ×10 2 m 2 contributed up to 21 % to the total water fraction. Waterbody density ranged from 1.0 ×10 to 9.4 × 10 1 km –2. Ponds are the dominant waterbody type by number in all landscapes representing 45–99 % of the total waterbody number. In conclusion, the implementation of PeRL size distributions in land surface models will greatly improve the investigation and projection of surface inundation and carbon fluxes in permafrost lowlands.« less

  13. PeRL: a circum-Arctic Permafrost Region Pond and Lake database

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

    Muster, Sina; Roth, Kurt; Langer, Moritz

    Ponds and lakes are abundant in Arctic permafrost lowlands. They play an important role in Arctic wetland ecosystems by regulating carbon, water, and energy fluxes and providing freshwater habitats. However, ponds, i.e., waterbodies with surface areas smaller than 1.0 × 10 4 m 2, have not been inventoried on global and regional scales. The Permafrost Region Pond and Lake (PeRL) database presents the results of a circum-Arctic effort to map ponds and lakes from modern (2002–2013) high-resolution aerial and satellite imagery with a resolution of 5 m or better. The database also includes historical imagery from 1948 to 1965 withmore » a resolution of 6 m or better. PeRL includes 69 maps covering a wide range of environmental conditions from tundra to boreal regions and from continuous to discontinuous permafrost zones. Waterbody maps are linked to regional permafrost landscape maps which provide information on permafrost extent, ground ice volume, geology, and lithology. This paper describes waterbody classification and accuracy, and presents statistics of waterbody distribution for each site. Maps of permafrost landscapes in Alaska, Canada, and Russia are used to extrapolate waterbody statistics from the site level to regional landscape units. PeRL presents pond and lake estimates for a total area of 1.4 × 10 6 km 2 across the Arctic, about 17 % of the Arctic lowland ( < 300 m a.s.l.) land surface area. PeRL waterbodies with sizes of 1.0 ×10 6 m 2 down to 1.0 ×10 2 m 2 contributed up to 21 % to the total water fraction. Waterbody density ranged from 1.0 ×10 to 9.4 × 10 1 km –2. Ponds are the dominant waterbody type by number in all landscapes representing 45–99 % of the total waterbody number. In conclusion, the implementation of PeRL size distributions in land surface models will greatly improve the investigation and projection of surface inundation and carbon fluxes in permafrost lowlands.« less

  14. Massive Air Embolism During Interventional Laser Therapy of the Liver: Successful Resuscitation Without Chest Compression

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

    Helmberger, Thomas K.; Roth, Ute; Empen, Klaus

    2002-08-15

    We report on a rare, acute, life-threatening complication during percutaneous thermal therapy for hepatic metastases. Massive cardiac air embolism occurred during a maneuver of deep inspiration after the dislodgement of an introducer sheath into a hepatic vein. The subsequent cardiac arrest was treated successfully by immediate transthoracic evacuation of the air by needle aspiration followed by electrical defibrillation. In procedures that may be complicated by gas embolism, cardiopulmonary resuscitation should not be initiated before considering the likelihood of air embolism, and eventually aspiration of the gas.

  15. Role of electrocardiographic changes in discriminating acute or chronic right ventricular pressure overload.

    PubMed

    Can, Mehmet Mustafa; Özveren, Olcay; Biteker, Murat; Şengül, Cihan; Uz, Ömer; Işılak, Zafer; Kırılmaz, Ata

    2013-06-01

    Pulmonary embolism (PE) and severe pulmonary stenosis (PS) are two distinct conditions accompanied by increased pressure load of the right ventricle (RV). Despite major advances in our understanding of the mechanisms of RV adaptation to the increased pressure, substantial gaps in our knowledge remain unsettled. One of much less known aspect of pressure overload of RV is its impact on electrocardiographic (ECG) changes. In this study, we aimed to study whether acute and chronic RV overload are accompanied by different ECG patterns. Thirty-eight patients with PE underwent ECG monitoring were compared with 20 matched patients with PS in this observational retrospective study. ECG abnormalities suggestive of RV overload were recorded and analyzed in both groups. Logistic regression analysis was used to define the predictors of chronic RV overload. Among the ECG changes studied, premature atrial contraction (OR-12.2, 95% CI, 1.3-107, p=0.008), right axis deviation (OR-20.4, 95% CI 4.2-98, p<0.001), indeterminate axis (OR-0.11, 95% CI 0.02-0.44, p=0.001 0.11), incomplete right bundle branch block (OR-4.2, 95% CI, 1.1-15.4, p=0.02), late R in aVR (OR-8.4, 95% CI 2.1-33.2, p=0.001), qR in V1 lead (OR-8.3, 95% CI 1.2-74.8, p=0.03) were found to be the independent predictors of chronic RV pressure overload. Our data indicate that the ECG changes that attributed to the acute RV pressure loading states may be more prevalent in chronic RV overload as compared with acute RV overload.

  16. Automated detection of pulmonary embolism (PE) in computed tomographic pulmonary angiographic (CTPA) images: multiscale hierachical expectation-maximization segmentation of vessels and PEs

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhou, Chuan; Chan, Heang-Ping; Hadjiiski, Lubomir M.; Chughtai, Aamer; Patel, Smita; Cascade, Philip N.; Sahiner, Berkman; Wei, Jun; Ge, Jun; Kazerooni, Ella A.

    2007-03-01

    CT pulmonary angiography (CTPA) has been reported to be an effective means for clinical diagnosis of pulmonary embolism (PE). We are developing a computer-aided detection (CAD) system to assist radiologist in PE detection in CTPA images. 3D multiscale filters in combination with a newly designed response function derived from the eigenvalues of Hessian matrices is used to enhance vascular structures including the vessel bifurcations and suppress non-vessel structures such as the lymphoid tissues surrounding the vessels. A hierarchical EM estimation is then used to segment the vessels by extracting the high response voxels at each scale. The segmented vessels are pre-screened for suspicious PE areas using a second adaptive multiscale EM estimation. A rule-based false positive (FP) reduction method was designed to identify the true PEs based on the features of PE and vessels. 43 CTPA scans were used as an independent test set to evaluate the performance of PE detection. Experienced chest radiologists identified the PE locations which were used as "gold standard". 435 PEs were identified in the artery branches, of which 172 and 263 were subsegmental and proximal to the subsegmental, respectively. The computer-detected volume was considered true positive (TP) when it overlapped with 10% or more of the gold standard PE volume. Our preliminary test results show that, at an average of 33 and 24 FPs/case, the sensitivities of our PE detection method were 81% and 78%, respectively, for proximal PEs, and 79% and 73%, respectively, for subsegmental PEs. The study demonstrates the feasibility that the automated method can identify PE accurately on CTPA images. Further study is underway to improve the sensitivity and reduce the FPs.

  17. Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio for the assessment of hospital mortality in patients with acute pulmonary embolism

    PubMed Central

    Gedikli, Ömer; Ekşi, Alay; Avcıoğlu, Yonca; Soylu, Ayşegül İdil; Yüksel, Serkan; Aksan, Gökhan; Gülel, Okan; Yılmaz, Özcan

    2016-01-01

    Introduction Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), which is an essential marker of inflammation, has been shown to be associated with adverse outcomes in various cardiovascular diseases in the literature. In this study we sought to evaluate the association between NLR and prognosis of acute pulmonary embolism (APE). Material and methods We retrospectively evaluated blood counts and clinical data of 142 patients with the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism (PE) from Ondokuz Mayis University Hospital between January 2006 and December 2012. The patients were divided into two groups according to NLR: NLR < 4.4 (low NLR group, n = 71) and NLR ≥ 4.4 (high NLR group, n = 71). Results Massive embolism (66.2% vs. 36.6%, p < 0.001) and in-hospital mortality (21.1%, 1.4%, p < 0.001) were higher in the high NLR group. In multivariate regression analysis NLR ≥ 5.7, systolic blood pressure (BP) < 90 mm Hg, serum glucose > 126 mg/dl, heart rate > 110 beats/min, and PCO2 < 35 or > 50 mm Hg were predictors of in-hospital mortality. The optimal NLR cutoff value was 5.7 for mortality in receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Having an NLR value above 5.7 was found to be associated with a 10.8 times higher mortality rate than an NLR value below 5.7. Conclusions In patients presenting with APE, NLR value is an independent predictor of in-hospital mortality and may be used for clinical risk classification. PMID:26925123

  18. A moso bamboo WRKY gene PeWRKY83 confers salinity tolerance in transgenic Arabidopsis plants.

    PubMed

    Wu, Min; Liu, Huanlong; Han, Guomin; Cai, Ronghao; Pan, Feng; Xiang, Yan

    2017-09-15

    The WRKY family are transcription factors, involved in plant development, and response to biotic and abiotic stresses. Moso bamboo is an important bamboo that has high ecological, economic and cultural value and is widely distributed in the south of China. In this study, we performed a genome-wide identification of WRKY members in moso bamboo and identified 89 members. By comparative analysis in six grass genomes, we found the WRKY gene family may have experienced or be experiencing purifying selection. Based on relative expression levels among WRKY IIc members under three abiotic stresses, PeWRKY83 functioned as a transcription factor and was selected for detailed analysis. The transgenic Arabidopsis of PeWRKY83 showed superior physiological properties compared with the WT under salt stress. Overexpression plants were less sensitive to ABA at both germination and postgermination stages and accumulated more endogenous ABA under salt stress conditions. Further studies demonstrated that overexpression of PeWRKY83 could regulate the expression of some ABA biosynthesis genes (AtAAO3, AtNCED2, AtNCED3), signaling genes (AtABI1, AtPP2CA) and responsive genes (AtRD29A, AtRD29B, AtABF1) under salt stress. Together, these results suggested that PeWRKY83 functions as a novel WRKY-related TF which plays a positive role in salt tolerance by regulating stress-induced ABA synthesis.

  19. A case report of massive acute boric acid poisoning.

    PubMed

    Corradi, Francesco; Brusasco, Claudia; Palermo, Salvatore; Belvederi, Giulio

    2010-02-01

    Boric acid comes as colourless, odourless white powder and, if ingested, has potential fatal effects including metabolic acidosis, acute renal failure and shock. An 82-year-old male was brought to the emergency room 3 h after unintentional ingestion of a large amount of boric acid. Clinical course was monitored by collecting data at admittance, 12 h after admission, every 24 h for 5 days and again 1 week after admission. During the first 132 h, serum and urinary concentrations of boric acid were measured. Serum boric acid levels decreased from 1800 to 530 microg/ml after haemodialysis and from 530 to 30 microg/ml during the forced diuresis period. During dialysis, boric acid clearance averaged 235 ml/min with an extraction ratio of 70%. The overall patient's condition steadily improved over 84 h after admission. In conclusion, early treatment with forced diuresis and haemodialysis may be considered for boric acid poisoning, even if signs of renal dysfunction are not apparent, to prevent severe renal damage and its complications.

  20. Sudden quadriplegia after acute cervical disc herniation.

    PubMed

    Sadanand, Venkatraman; Kelly, Michael; Varughese, George; Fourney, Daryl R

    2005-08-01

    Acute neurological deterioration secondary to cervical disc herniation not related to external trauma is very rare, with only six published reports to date. In most cases, acute symptoms were due to progression of disc herniation in the presence of pre-existing spinal canal stenosis. A 42-year-old man developed weakness and numbness in his arms and legs immediately following a sneeze. On physical examination he had upper motor neuron signs that progressed over a few hours to a complete C5 quadriplegia. An emergent magnetic resonance imaging study revealed a massive C4/5 disc herniation. He underwent emergency anterior cervical discectomy and fusion. Postoperatively, the patient remained quadriplegic. Eighteen days later, while receiving rehabilitation therapy, he expired secondary to a pulmonary embolus. Autopsy confirmed complete surgical decompression of the spinal cord. Our case demonstrates that acute quadriplegia secondary to cervical disc herniation may occur without a history of myelopathy or spinal canal stenosis after an event as benign as a sneeze.

  1. Multi-component fermionic dark matter and IceCube PeV scale neutrinos in left-right model with gauge unification

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Borah, Debasish; Dasgupta, Arnab; Dey, Ujjal Kumar; Patra, Sudhanwa; Tomar, Gaurav

    2017-09-01

    We consider a simple extension of the minimal left-right symmetric model (LRSM) in order to explain the PeV neutrino events seen at the IceCube experiment from a heavy decaying dark matter. The dark matter sector is composed of two fermions: one at PeV scale and the other at TeV scale such that the heavier one can decay into the lighter one and two neutrinos. The gauge annihilation cross sections of PeV dark matter are not large enough to generate its relic abundance within the observed limit. We include a pair of real scalar triplets Ω L,R which can bring the thermally overproduced PeV dark matter abundance into the observed range through late time decay and consequent entropy release thereby providing a consistent way to obtain the correct relic abundance without violating the unitarity bound on dark matter mass. Another scalar field, a bitriplet under left-right gauge group is added to assist the heavier dark matter decay. The presence of an approximate global U(1) X symmetry can naturally explain the origin of tiny couplings required for long-lived nature of these decaying particles. We also show, how such an extended LRSM can be incorporated within a non-supersymmetric SO(10) model where the gauge coupling unification at a very high scale naturally accommodate a PeV scale intermediate symmetry, required to explain the PeV events at IceCube.

  2. The efficiency of seismic attributes to differentiate between massive and non-massive carbonate successions for hydrocarbon exploration activity

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sarhan, Mohammad Abdelfattah

    2017-12-01

    The present work investigates the efficiency of applying volume seismic attributes to differentiate between massive and non-massive carbonate sedimentary successions on using seismic data. The main objective of this work is to provide a pre-drilling technique to recognize the porous carbonate section (probable hydrocarbon reservoirs) based on seismic data. A case study from the Upper Cretaceous - Eocene carbonate successions of Abu Gharadig Basin, northern Western Desert of Egypt has been tested in this work. The qualitative interpretations of the well-log data of four available wells distributed in the study area, namely; AG-2, AG-5, AG-6 and AG-15 wells, has confirmed that the Upper Cretaceous Khoman A Member represents the massive carbonate section whereas the Eocene Apollonia Formation represents the non-massive carbonate unit. The present work have proved that the most promising seismic attributes capable of differentiating between massive and non-massive carbonate sequences are; Root Mean Square (RMS) Amplitude, Envelope (Reflection Strength), Instantaneous Frequency, Chaos, Local Flatness and Relative Acoustic Impedance.

  3. Development of acute tolerance to the EEG effect of propofol in rats.

    PubMed

    Ihmsen, H; Schywalsky, M; Tzabazis, A; Schwilden, H

    2005-09-01

    A previous study in rats with propofol suggested the development of acute tolerance to the EEG effect. The aim of this study was to evaluate acute tolerance by means of EEG-controlled closed-loop anaesthesia as this approach allows precise determination of drug requirement to maintain a defined drug effect. Ten male Sprague-Dawley rats [weight 402 (40) g, mean (SD)] were included in the study. The EEG was recorded with occipito-occipital needle electrodes and a modified median frequency (mMEF) of the EEG power spectrum was used as a pharmacodynamic control parameter. The propofol infusion rate was controlled by a model-based adaptive algorithm to maintain a set point of mMEF=3 (0.5) Hz for 90 min. The performance of the closed-loop system was characterized by the prediction error PE=(mMEF-set point)/set point. Plasma propofol concentrations were determined from arterial samples by HPLC. The chosen set point was successfully maintained in all rats. The median (SE) and absolute median values of PE were -5.0 (0.3) and 11.3 (0.2)% respectively. Propofol concentration increased significantly from 2.9 (2.2) microg ml(-1) at the beginning to 5.8 (3.8) microg ml(-1) at 90 min [mean (SD), P<0.05]. The cumulative dose increased linearly, with a mean infusion rate of 0.60 (0.16) mg kg(-1) min(-1). The minimum value of the mean arterial pressure during closed-loop administration of propofol was 130 (24) mm Hg, compared with a baseline value of 141 (12) mm Hg. The increase in propofol concentration at constant EEG effect indicates development of acute tolerance to the hypnotic effect of propofol.

  4. Problems in aerial application : a comparison of the acute effects of endrin and carbon tetrachloride on the livers of rats and of the residual effects one month after poisoning.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1966-07-01

    A comparison was made of the effects on the liver of carbon tetrachloride and of endrin. Rats poisoned with either endrin or carbon tetrachloride were studied in the acute stage and after a one month recovery period. With endrin, fat was deposited pe...

  5. Bacillus cereus causing fulminant sepsis and hemolysis in two patients with acute leukemia.

    PubMed

    Arnaout, M K; Tamburro, R F; Bodner, S M; Sandlund, J T; Rivera, G K; Pui, C H; Ribeiro, R C

    1999-01-01

    Hemolysis is so rarely associated with Bacillus cereus sepsis that only two very well documented cases have been reported. This article reports two unusual cases of Bacillus cereus sepsis with massive intravascular hemolysis in patients who had acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). A 20-year-old woman who was 9 weeks pregnant experienced a relapse of ALL. A therapeutic abortion was performed. During week 4 of reinduction the patient had abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting, with severe neutropenia but no fever. Her condition deteriorated rapidly with cardiovascular collapse, acute massive intravascular hemolysis, and death within hours of the onset of symptoms. Blood cultures were positive for Bacillus cereus. Postmortem histologic examination and cultures revealed Bacillus cereus and Candida albicans in multiple organs. The second patient, a 10-year-old girl, presented with relapsed T-cell ALL. In the second week of reinduction, she had abdominal pain followed by hypotension. Again, no fever was noted. Laboratory studies showed intravascular hemolysis 12 hours after admission. Aggressive support was promptly initiated. Despite disseminated intravascular coagulation; cardiovascular, hepatic, and renal failure; and multiple intracerebral hypodense lesions believed to be infarcts, the patient recovered fully and resumed reinduction therapy. Bacillus cereus infection can have a fulminant clinical course that may be complicated by massive intravascular hemolysis. This pathogen should be suspected in immunosuppressed patients who experience gastrointestinal symptoms and should not be precluded by the absence of fever, especially if steroids such as dexamethasone are being given. Exchange transfusion may be lifesaving in Bacillus cereus septicemia associated with massive hemolysis.

  6. Microwave-assisted fibrous decoration of mPE surface utilizing Aloe vera extract for tissue engineering applications

    PubMed Central

    Balaji, Arunpandian; Jaganathan, Saravana Kumar; Supriyanto, Eko; Muhamad, Ida Idayu; Khudzari, Ahmad Zahran Md

    2015-01-01

    Developing multifaceted, biocompatible, artificial implants for tissue engineering is a growing field of research. In recent times, several works have been reported about the utilization of biomolecules in combination with synthetic materials to achieve this process. Accordingly, in this study, the ability of an extract obtained from Aloe vera, a commonly used medicinal plant in influencing the biocompatibility of artificial material, is scrutinized using metallocene polyethylene (mPE). The process of coating dense fibrous Aloe vera extract on the surface of mPE was carried out using microwaves. Then, several physicochemical and blood compatibility characterization experiments were performed to disclose the effects of corresponding surface modification. The Fourier transform infrared spectrum showed characteristic vibrations of several active constituents available in Aloe vera and exhibited peak shifts at far infrared regions due to aloe-based mineral deposition. Meanwhile, the contact angle analysis demonstrated a drastic increase in wettability of coated samples, which confirmed the presence of active components on glazed mPE surface. Moreover, the bio-mimic structure of Aloe vera fibers and the influence of microwaves in enhancing the coating characteristics were also meticulously displayed through scanning electron microscopy micrographs and Hirox 3D images. The existence of nanoscale roughness was interpreted through high-resolution profiles obtained from atomic force microscopy. And the extent of variations in irregularities was delineated by measuring average roughness. Aloe vera-induced enrichment in the hemocompatible properties of mPE was established by carrying out in vitro tests such as activated partial thromboplastin time, prothrombin time, platelet adhesion, and hemolysis assay. In conclusion, the Aloe vera-glazed mPE substrate was inferred to attain desirable properties required for multifaceted biomedical implants. PMID:26425089

  7. Microwave-assisted fibrous decoration of mPE surface utilizing Aloe vera extract for tissue engineering applications.

    PubMed

    Balaji, Arunpandian; Jaganathan, Saravana Kumar; Supriyanto, Eko; Muhamad, Ida Idayu; Khudzari, Ahmad Zahran Md

    2015-01-01

    Developing multifaceted, biocompatible, artificial implants for tissue engineering is a growing field of research. In recent times, several works have been reported about the utilization of biomolecules in combination with synthetic materials to achieve this process. Accordingly, in this study, the ability of an extract obtained from Aloe vera, a commonly used medicinal plant in influencing the biocompatibility of artificial material, is scrutinized using metallocene polyethylene (mPE). The process of coating dense fibrous Aloe vera extract on the surface of mPE was carried out using microwaves. Then, several physicochemical and blood compatibility characterization experiments were performed to disclose the effects of corresponding surface modification. The Fourier transform infrared spectrum showed characteristic vibrations of several active constituents available in Aloe vera and exhibited peak shifts at far infrared regions due to aloe-based mineral deposition. Meanwhile, the contact angle analysis demonstrated a drastic increase in wettability of coated samples, which confirmed the presence of active components on glazed mPE surface. Moreover, the bio-mimic structure of Aloe vera fibers and the influence of microwaves in enhancing the coating characteristics were also meticulously displayed through scanning electron microscopy micrographs and Hirox 3D images. The existence of nanoscale roughness was interpreted through high-resolution profiles obtained from atomic force microscopy. And the extent of variations in irregularities was delineated by measuring average roughness. Aloe vera-induced enrichment in the hemocompatible properties of mPE was established by carrying out in vitro tests such as activated partial thromboplastin time, prothrombin time, platelet adhesion, and hemolysis assay. In conclusion, the Aloe vera-glazed mPE substrate was inferred to attain desirable properties required for multifaceted biomedical implants.

  8. Mycobacterium tuberculosis PE13 (Rv1195) manipulates the host cell fate via p38-ERK-NF-κB axis and apoptosis.

    PubMed

    Li, Hui; Li, Qiming; Yu, Zhaoxiao; Zhou, Mingliang; Xie, Jianping

    2016-07-01

    PE/PPE family proteins are mycobacteria unique molecules, named after their N-terminal conserved PE (Pro-Glu) and PPE (Pro-Pro-Glu) domains. Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) PE family gene encoded cell surface proteins are previously reported to be involved in virulence and interaction with host. To explore the role of a novel PE member (PE13, Rv1195), M. smegmatis was used as surrogate host. The study showed that Rv1195 was a cell wall associated protein. Rv1195 can enhance the survival of recombinants under stress conditions such as H2O2, SDS, low pH. This is largely due to the upregulated transcription of Rv1195, since diverse stresses can increase the promoter activity of Rv1195 gene, consistent with enhanced survival within macrophages. Ms_Rv1195 infection also increased the production of interlukin-6 (IL-6) and IL-1β from macrophages, while decreased the secretion of suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 (SOCS3) in comparison with the vector-only control. The cell death was also precipitated by the Ms_Rv1195 infection. Inhibitors treatment showed that the p38-ERK-NF-κB axis was involved in the Rv1195 triggered change of IL-6 and IL-1β expression. In summary, we showed that PE13 (Rv1195) is a new PE family member actively engaged in the interaction between Mycobacterium and host, signaling through p38-ERK-NF-κB axis and apoptosis.

  9. [Establishment of a D-galactosamine/lipopolysaccharide induced acute-on-chronic liver failure model in rats].

    PubMed

    Liu, Xu-hua; Chen, Yu; Wang, Tai-ling; Lu, Jun; Zhang, Li-jie; Song, Chen-zhao; Zhang, Jing; Duan, Zhong-ping

    2007-10-01

    To establish a practical and reproducible animal model of human acute-on-chronic liver failure for further study of the pathophysiological mechanism of acute-on-chronic liver failure and for drug screening and evaluation in its treatment. Immunological hepatic fibrosis was induced by human serum albumin in Wistar rats. In rats with early-stage cirrhosis (fibrosis stage IV), D-galactosamine and lipopolysaccharide were administered. Mortality and survival time were recorded in 20 rats. Ten rats were sacrificed at 4, 8, and 12 hours. Liver function tests and plasma cytokine levels were measured after D-galactosamine/lipopolysaccharide administration and liver pathology was studied. Cell apoptosis was detected by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling assay. Most of the rats treated with human albumin developed cirrhosis and fibrosis, and 90% of them died from acute liver failure after administration of D-galactosamine/lipopolysaccharide, with a mean survival time of (16.1+/-3.7) hours. Liver histopathology showed massive or submassive necrosis of the regenerated nodules, while fibrosis septa were intact. Liver function tests were compatible with massive necrosis of hepatocytes. Plasma level of TNFalpha increased significantly, parallel with the degree of the hepatocytes apoptosis. Plasma IL-10 levels increased similarly as seen in patients with acute-on-chronic liver failure. We established an animal model of acute-on-chronic liver failure by treating rats with human serum albumin and later with D-galactosamine and lipopolysaccharide. TNFalpha-mediated liver cell apoptoses plays a very important role in the pathogenesis of acute liver failure.

  10. Coherent propagation of PeV neutrinos and the dip in the neutrino spectrum at IceCube

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kamada, Ayuki; Yu, Hai-Bo

    2015-12-01

    The energy spectrum of high-energy neutrinos reported by the IceCube Collaboration shows a dip between 400 TeV and 1 PeV. One intriguing explanation is that high-energy neutrinos scatter with the cosmic neutrino background through an ˜MeV mediator. Taking the density matrix approach, we develop a formalism to study the propagation of PeV neutrinos in the presence of the new neutrino interaction. If the interaction is flavored such as the gauged Lμ-Lτ model we consider, the resonant collision may not suppress the PeV neutrino flux completely. The new force mediator may also contribute to the number of effectively massless degrees of freedom in the early Universe and change the diffusion time of neutrinos from the supernova core. Astrophysical observations such as big bang nucleosynthesis and supernova cooling provide an interesting test for the explanation.

  11. Binary interaction dominates the evolution of massive stars.

    PubMed

    Sana, H; de Mink, S E; de Koter, A; Langer, N; Evans, C J; Gieles, M; Gosset, E; Izzard, R G; Le Bouquin, J-B; Schneider, F R N

    2012-07-27

    The presence of a nearby companion alters the evolution of massive stars in binary systems, leading to phenomena such as stellar mergers, x-ray binaries, and gamma-ray bursts. Unambiguous constraints on the fraction of massive stars affected by binary interaction were lacking. We simultaneously measured all relevant binary characteristics in a sample of Galactic massive O stars and quantified the frequency and nature of binary interactions. More than 70% of all massive stars will exchange mass with a companion, leading to a binary merger in one-third of the cases. These numbers greatly exceed previous estimates and imply that binary interaction dominates the evolution of massive stars, with implications for populations of massive stars and their supernovae.

  12. Simplified quantification and whole-body distribution of [18F]FE-PE2I in nonhuman primates: prediction for human studies.

    PubMed

    Varrone, Andrea; Gulyás, Balázs; Takano, Akihiro; Stabin, Michael G; Jonsson, Cathrine; Halldin, Christer

    2012-02-01

    [(18)F]FE-PE2I is a promising dopamine transporter (DAT) radioligand. In nonhuman primates, we examined the accuracy of simplified quantification methods and the estimates of radiation dose of [(18)F]FE-PE2I. In the quantification study, binding potential (BP(ND)) values previously reported in three rhesus monkeys using kinetic and graphical analyses of [(18)F]FE-PE2I were used for comparison. BP(ND) using the cerebellum as reference region was obtained with four reference tissue methods applied to the [(18)F]FE-PE2I data that were compared with the kinetic and graphical analyses. In the whole-body study, estimates of adsorbed radiation were obtained in two cynomolgus monkeys. All reference tissue methods provided BP(ND) values within 5% of the values obtained with the kinetic and graphical analyses. The shortest imaging time for stable BP(ND) estimation was 54 min. The average effective dose of [(18)F]FE-PE2I was 0.021 mSv/MBq, similar to 2-deoxy-2-[(18)F]fluoro-d-glucose. The results in nonhuman primates suggest that [(18)F]FE-PE2I is suitable for accurate and stable DAT quantification, and its radiation dose estimates would allow for a maximal administered radioactivity of 476 MBq in human subjects. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. MASSIVE+: The Growth Histories of MASSIVE Survey Galaxies from their Globular Cluster Colors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Blakeslee, John

    2017-08-01

    The MASSIVE survey is targeting the 100 most massive galaxies within 108 Mpc that are visible in the northern sky. These most massive galaxies in the present-day universe reside in a surprisingly wide variety of environments, from rich clusters to fossil groups to near isolation. We propose to use WFC3/UVIS and ACS to carry out a deep imaging study of the globular cluster populations around a selected subset of the MASSIVE targets. Though much is known about GC systems of bright galaxies in rich clusters, we know surprisingly little about the effects of environment on these systems. The MASSIVE sample provides a golden opportunity to learn about the systematics of GC systems and what they can tell us about environmental drivers on the evolution of the highest mass galaxies. The most pressing questions to be addressed include: (1) Do isolated giants have the same constant mass fraction of GCs to total halo mass as BCGs of similar luminosity? (2) Do their GC systems show the same color (metallicity) distribution, which is an outcome of the mass spectrum of gas-rich halos during hierarchical growth? (3) Do the GCs in isolated high-mass galaxies follow the same radial distribution versus metallicity as in rich environments (a test of the relative importance of growth by accretion)? (4) Do the GCs of galaxies in sparse environments follow the same mass function? Our proposed second-band imaging will enable us to secure answers to these questions and add enormously to the legacy value of existing HST imaging of the highest mass galaxies in the universe.

  14. PE on YouTube--Investigating Participation in Physical Education Practice

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Quennerstedt, Mikael

    2013-01-01

    Background: In this article, students' diverse ways of participating in physical education (PE) practice shown in clips on YouTube were investigated. YouTube is the largest user-generated video-sharing website on the Internet, where different video content is presented. The clips on YouTube, as used in this paper, can be seen as a user-generated…

  15. Acute invasive pulmonary aspergillosis, shortly after occupational exposure to polluted muddy water, in a previously healthy subject

    PubMed Central

    Pilaniya, Vikas; Gera, Kamal; Gothi, Rajesh; Shah, Ashok

    2015-01-01

    Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) predominantly occurs in severely neutropenic immunocompromised subjects. The occurrence of acute IPA after brief but massive exposure to Aspergillus conidia in previously healthy subjects has been documented, although only six such cases have been reported. The diagnosis was delayed in all six of the affected patients, five of whom died. We report the case of a 50-year-old HIV-negative male, a water pipeline maintenance worker, who presented with acute-onset dyspnea and fever one day after working for 2 h in a deep pit containing polluted, muddy water. Over a one-month period, his general condition deteriorated markedly, despite antibiotic therapy. Imaging showed bilateral diffuse nodules with cavitation, some of which were surrounded by ground-glass opacity suggestive of a halo sign (a hallmark of IPA). Cultures (of sputum/bronchial aspirate samples) and serology were positive for Aspergillus fumigatus. After being started on itraconazole, the patient improved. We conclude that massive exposure to Aspergillus conidia can lead to acute IPA in immunocompetent subjects. PMID:26578140

  16. Establishing the values for patient engagement (PE) in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) research: an international, multiple-stakeholder perspective.

    PubMed

    Haywood, Kirstie; Lyddiatt, Anne; Brace-McDonnell, Samantha J; Staniszewska, Sophie; Salek, Sam

    2017-06-01

    Active patient engagement is increasingly viewed as essential to ensuring that patient-driven perspectives are considered throughout the research process. However, guidance for patient engagement (PE) in HRQoL research does not exist, the evidence-base for practice is limited, and we know relatively little about underpinning values that can impact on PE practice. This is the first study to explore the values that should underpin PE in contemporary HRQoL research to help inform future good practice guidance. A modified 'World Café' was hosted as a collaborative activity between patient partners, clinicians and researchers: self-nominated conference delegates participated in group discussions to explore values associated with the conduct and consequences of PE. Values were captured via post-it notes and by nominated note-takers. Data were thematically analysed: emergent themes were coded and agreement checked. Association between emergent themes, values and the Public Involvement Impact Assessment Framework were explored. Eighty participants, including 12 patient partners, participated in the 90-min event. Three core values were defined: (1) building relationships; (2) improving research quality and impact; and (3) developing best practice. Participants valued the importance of building genuine, collaborative and deliberative relationships-underpinned by honesty, respect, co-learning and equity-and the impact of effective PE on research quality and relevance. An explicit statement of values seeks to align all stakeholders on the purpose, practice and credibility of PE activities. An innovative, flexible and transparent research environment was valued as essential to developing a trustworthy evidence-base with which to underpin future guidance for good PE practice.

  17. Sagittarius A* as an origin of the Galactic PeV cosmic rays?

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fujita, Yutaka; Murase, Kohta; Kimura, Shigeo S.

    2017-04-01

    Supernova remnants (SNRs) have commonly been considered as a source of the observed PeV cosmic rays (CRs) or a Galactic PeV particle accelerator ("Pevatron"). In this work, we study Sagittarius A* (Sgr A*), which is the low-luminosity active galactic nucleus of the Milky Way Galaxy, as another possible canditate of the Pevatron, because it sometimes became very active in the past. We assume that a large number of PeV CRs were injected by Sgr A* at the outburst about 107 yr ago when the Fermi bubbles were created. We constrain the diffusion coefficient for the CRs in the Galactic halo on the condition that the CRs have arrived on the Earth by now, while a fairly large fraction of them have escaped from the halo. Based on a diffusion-halo model, we solve a diffusion equation for the CRs and compare the results with the CR spectrum on the Earth. The observed small anisotropy of the arrival directions of CRs may be explained if the diffusion coefficient in the Galactic disk is smaller than that in the halo. Our model predicts that a boron-to-carbon ratio should be energy-independent around the knee, where the CRs from Sgr A* become dominant. It is unlikely that the spectrum of the CRs accelerated at the outburst is represented by a power-law similar to the one for those responsible for the gamma-ray emission from the central molecular zone (CMZ) around the Galactic center.

  18. [Acute liver failure in a patient with hairy cell leukemia].

    PubMed

    Valero, Beatriz; Picó Sala, M Dolores; Palazón, José María; Payá, Artemio

    2007-01-01

    Acute liver failure as a manifestation of primary non-Hodkin's lymphoma is a rare phenomenon with a fatal prognosis. Hairy cell leukemia (HCL) is an uncommon chronic B-cell lymphoproliferative disorder, representing about 2 percent of all leukemies. We report a 78-year-old patient with a history of hairy cell leukemia since 10 years, presenting whith fulminant liver failure due to massive liver infiltration. He have reviewed several cases of infiltration of the liver by haematological malignancies, but we only have found after a review in MEDLINE between 1980 and 2006, one case of acute liver failure in a patient with hepatic invasion by hairy cell leukaemia.

  19. Perceived Social-Ecological Barriers of Generalist Pre-Service Teachers towards Teaching Physical Education: Findings from the GET-PE Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hyndman, Brendon P.

    2017-01-01

    Identifying and understanding the perceptions of pre-service teachers (PSTs) is vital to informing teaching practices. The purpose of the "Generalist Entry into Teaching Physical Education" (GET-PE) study was to investigate Australian generalist PSTs' perceptions of the barriers to teaching physical education (PE) classes. A…

  20. The evolution of massive stars

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1982-01-01

    The hypotheses underlying theoretical studies of the evolution of massive model stars with and without mass loss are summarized. The evolutionary tracks followed by the models across theoretical Hertzsprung-Russell (HR) diagrams are compared with the observed distribution of B stars in an HR diagram. The pulsational properties of models of massive star are also described.

  1. Products of anaerobic phloroglucinol degradation by Coprococcus sp. Pe15.

    PubMed

    Tsai, C G; Gates, D M; Ingledew, W M; Jones, G A

    1976-02-01

    Under anaerobic conditions, resting cell suspensions of Coprococcus sp. Pe15 degraded 1 molecule of phloroglucinol to 2 molecules of acetic acid and 2 molecules of carbon dioxide. The organism metabolized the flavonoids rhamnetin and quercetin anaerobically in 20% rumen fluid medium but failed to grow under similar conditions at the expense of any of 39 other aromatic or flavonoid compounds tested.

  2. Game Changers: New Concepts of PE and Sports Programs Are Making It More Fun for Everyone to Play

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McCollum, Sean

    2012-01-01

    In this article, the author reports an up-and-coming generation of teachers and coaches who are dedicated to inclusive PE practices. They are passionate about helping all kids discover the physical, social, and emotional benefits--as well as pleasures--of physical activity. The benefits of inclusive PE practices are too great to forfeit, says Lynn…

  3. Condensate of massive graviton and dark matter

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Aoki, Katsuki; Maeda, Kei-ichi

    2018-02-01

    We study coherently oscillating massive gravitons in the ghost-free bigravity theory. This coherent field can be interpreted as a condensate of the massive gravitons. We first define the effective energy-momentum tensor of the coherent massive gravitons in a curved spacetime. We then study the background dynamics of the Universe and the cosmic structure formation including the effects of the coherent massive gravitons. We find that the condensate of the massive graviton behaves as a dark matter component of the Universe. From the geometrical point of view the condensate is regarded as a spacetime anisotropy. Hence, in our scenario, dark matter is originated from the tiny deformation of the spacetime. We also discuss a production of the spacetime anisotropy and find that the extragalactic magnetic field of a primordial origin can yield a sufficient amount for dark matter.

  4. The formation of massive molecular filaments and massive stars triggered by a magnetohydrodynamic shock wave

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Inoue, Tsuyoshi; Hennebelle, Patrick; Fukui, Yasuo; Matsumoto, Tomoaki; Iwasaki, Kazunari; Inutsuka, Shu-ichiro

    2018-05-01

    Recent observations suggest an that intensive molecular cloud collision can trigger massive star/cluster formation. The most important physical process caused by the collision is a shock compression. In this paper, the influence of a shock wave on the evolution of a molecular cloud is studied numerically by using isothermal magnetohydrodynamics simulations with the effect of self-gravity. Adaptive mesh refinement and sink particle techniques are used to follow the long-time evolution of the shocked cloud. We find that the shock compression of a turbulent inhomogeneous molecular cloud creates massive filaments, which lie perpendicularly to the background magnetic field, as we have pointed out in a previous paper. The massive filament shows global collapse along the filament, which feeds a sink particle located at the collapse center. We observe a high accretion rate \\dot{M}_acc> 10^{-4} M_{⊙}yr-1 that is high enough to allow the formation of even O-type stars. The most massive sink particle achieves M > 50 M_{⊙} in a few times 105 yr after the onset of the filament collapse.

  5. Remitting seronegative symmetrical synovitis with pitting oedema (RS3PE) case presentation and comparison with other polyarthritides affecting older people.

    PubMed

    Eguia, Hans A; Parodi Garcia, José Francisco; Ramas Diez, Covadonga; Eguia A, Edwin A

    2017-03-01

    Remitting seronegative symmetrical synovitis with pitting oedema (RS3PE) syndrome mainly affects elderly men and responds well to steroids. Since this syndrome can resemble other diseases, its diagnosis is a significant challenge. Through the following paper, we hope to improve the diagnosis of RS3PE by presenting a table comparing RS3PE to two other common polyarthritic conditions affecting the elderly. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Geriatrics Society. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  6. Very massive runaway stars from three-body encounters

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gvaramadze, Vasilii V.; Gualandris, Alessia

    2011-01-01

    Very massive stars preferentially reside in the cores of their parent clusters and form binary or multiple systems. We study the role of tight very massive binaries in the origin of the field population of very massive stars. We performed numerical simulations of dynamical encounters between single (massive) stars and a very massive binary with parameters similar to those of the most massive known Galactic binaries, WR 20a and NGC 3603-A1. We found that these three-body encounters could be responsible for the origin of high peculiar velocities (≥70 km s-1) observed for some very massive (≥60-70 M⊙) runaway stars in the Milky Way and the Large Magellanic Cloud (e.g. λ Cep, BD+43°3654, Sk -67°22, BI 237, 30 Dor 016), which can hardly be explained within the framework of the binary-supernova scenario. The production of high-velocity massive stars via three-body encounters is accompanied by the recoil of the binary in the opposite direction to the ejected star. We show that the relative position of the very massive binary R145 and the runaway early B-type star Sk-69°206 on the sky is consistent with the possibility that both objects were ejected from the central cluster, R136, of the star-forming region 30 Doradus via the same dynamical event - a three-body encounter.

  7. 23 CFR 661.41 - After a bridge project has been completed (either PE or construction) what happens with the...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... 23 Highways 1 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false After a bridge project has been completed (either PE or... ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION ENGINEERING AND TRAFFIC OPERATIONS INDIAN RESERVATION ROAD BRIDGE PROGRAM § 661.41 After a bridge project has been completed (either PE or construction) what happens with...

  8. 23 CFR 661.41 - After a bridge project has been completed (either PE or construction) what happens with the...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 23 Highways 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false After a bridge project has been completed (either PE or... ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION ENGINEERING AND TRAFFIC OPERATIONS INDIAN RESERVATION ROAD BRIDGE PROGRAM § 661.41 After a bridge project has been completed (either PE or construction) what happens with...

  9. Prevalence of Prostatitis-Like Symptoms and Outcomes of NIH-CPSI in Outpatients with Lifelong and Acquired PE: Based on a Large Cross-Sectional Study in China.

    PubMed

    Zhu, Daofang; Dou, Xianming; Tang, Liang; Tang, Dongdong; Liao, Guiyi; Fang, Weihua; Zhang, Xiansheng

    2017-01-01

    Premature ejaculation (PE) is one of the most common sexual dysfunctions, which were associated with prostatitis-like symptoms (PLS). We intended to explore the prevalence of prostatitis-like symptoms and outcomes of National Institutes of Health-Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index (NIH-CPSI) scores in outpatients with lifelong (LPE) and acquired premature ejaculation (APE). From December 2013 to December 2015, a total of 498 consecutive heterosexual men with PE and 322 male healthy subjects without PE were enrolled. Each of them completed a detailed questionnaire on demographics information, sexual and medical histories, and the NIH-CPSI. Assessment of NIH-CPSI and definition of PLS and PE were used to measure the PLS and NIH-CPSI scores and ejaculatory function for all subjects. Finally, a total of 820 subjects (including 498 men in PE group and 322 men in control group) were enrolled in our study. The mean ages were significantly different between PE and no PE groups. Men with PE reported worse PLS and higher NIH-CPSI scores ( P < 0.001 for all). Similar findings were also observed between men with LPE and APE. Men with APE also reported higher rates of PLS and scores of NIH-CPSI ( P < 0.001 for all). Multivariate analysis showed that PLS and NIH-CPSI scores were significantly associated with PE.

  10. Facies identification based on conventional core-log integration: Middle Ordovician St. Peter sandstone, Michigan basin

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

    Wieczorek, L.M.; Barnes, D.A.

    1989-08-01

    Lithofacies comprising the massive sand in the Michigan basin are very similar to the lithofacies of the St. Peter Sandstone in parts of the adjacent Midwestern basin and arches region. Lithostratigraphic and biostratigraphic correlations justify application of the name St. Peter Sandstone to the gas-productive massive sand in the Michigan basin. Four lithofacies have been determined by core-log integration. The two lowermost lithofacies (1 and 2) were deposited in marginal-marine peritidal shoreface to sand-flat environments. Lithofacies 1A comprises cross-bedded, quartz-cemented quartzarenites. Lithofacies 1B comprises dolomitic, cross-bedded, subfeldspathic arenites. Lithofacies 1A is recognized in logs by low gamma-ray response (less thanmore » 20-25 API units) and photoelectric effect (Pe) of 1.8. Lithofacies 1B log characteristics include low gamma ray response (15-30 API units) and Pe of 2-2.5. Lithofacies 2 log signatures include moderate to high gamma-ray (30-120 API units) and Pe values that range from 2.5-3.5. The uppermost two lithofacies (3 and 4) were deposited in storm-dominated lower shoreface, to offshore, to distal marine shelf environments. Lithofacies 3 consists of burrowed, massive, wavy to planar stratified quartzarenites to subfeldspathic arenites. Log signature is generally low gamma-ray response (15-30 API units) and Pe that ranges from 1.8 to 2.5. Lithofacies 4 consists of massive, burrowed and bioturbated, dominantly authigenic clay and dolomite-cemented subfeldspathic arenite. Lithofacies 4 log response is moderate to high gamma-ray response (30-105 API units) and Pe ranging from 2.25 to 3.5.« less

  11. Ultrasonic scissors-assisted 'open-book' thyroidectomy in massive goiter compressing airway and causing unilateral vocal cord paralysis.

    PubMed

    M, Irfan; Yaroko, Ali Ango; S M, Najeb; Periasamy, Centilnathan

    2013-04-01

    A massive goiter may constrict the trachea resulting in shortness of breath. Recurrent laryngeal nerve compression may cause vocal cord paralysis. We highlight a case of a 62- year-old female with a 30 year history of an anterior neck swelling gradually increasing in size. She presented with acute symptoms of upper airway obstruction and voice changes. Emergency thyroidectomy was performed by dividing the middle part of the gland using ultrasonic scissors. The recovery was uneventful and the patient regained normal vocal cord function post operatively.

  12. Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing in Patients Following Massive and Submassive Pulmonary Embolism.

    PubMed

    Albaghdadi, Mazen S; Dudzinski, David M; Giordano, Nicholas; Kabrhel, Christopher; Ghoshhajra, Brian; Jaff, Michael R; Weinberg, Ido; Baggish, Aaron

    2018-03-03

    Little data exist regarding the functional capacity of patients following acute pulmonary embolism. We sought to characterize the natural history of symptom burden, right ventricular (RV) structure and function, and exercise capacity among survivors of massive and submassive pulmonary embolism. Survivors of submassive or massive pulmonary embolism (n=20, age 57±13.3 years, 8/20 female) underwent clinical evaluation, transthoracic echocardiography, and cardiopulmonary exercise testing at 1 and 6 months following hospital discharge. At 1 month, 9/20 (45%) patients had New York Heart Association II or greater symptoms, 13/20 (65%) demonstrated either persistent RV dilation or systolic dysfunction, and 14/20 (70%) had objective exercise impairment as defined by a peak oxygen consumption (V˙O 2 ) of <80% of age-sex predicted maximal values (16.25 [13.4-20.98] mL/kg per minute). At 6 months, no appreciable improvements in symptom severity, RV structure or function, and peak V˙O 2 (17.45 [14.08-22.48] mL/kg per minute, P =NS) were observed. No patients demonstrated an exercise limitation attributable to either RV/pulmonary vascular coupling, as defined by a VE/VCO 2 slope >33, or a pulmonary mechanical limit to exercise at either time point. Similarly, persistent RV dilation or dysfunction was not significantly related to symptom burden or peak V˙O 2 at either time point. Persistent symptoms, abnormalities of RV structure and function, and objective exercise limitation are common among survivors of massive and submassive pulmonary embolism. Functional impairment appears to be attributable to general deconditioning rather than intrinsic cardiopulmonary limitation, suggesting an important role for prescribed exercise rehabilitation as a means toward improved patient outcomes and quality of life. © 2018 The Authors. Published on behalf of the American Heart Association, Inc., by Wiley.

  13. Miguel Sánchez Peña (1925-2009) organizer of the space activities in Argentina

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    de León, Pablo; Sánchez Peña, Miguel Alejandro

    2011-11-01

    One of the most important and active pioneers of the space activities in Argentina was Miguel Sánchez Peña, an aeronautical engineer and an officer of the Argentine Air Force. Sánchez Peña was the organizer of Argentina's governmental space program in the 1970s and part of the 80s, and contributed immeasurably to the Nation's sounding rocket program. Born in Mendoza, Argentina in 1925, Sánchez Peña attended the Military Aviation School (Escuela de Aviación Militar) in Córdoba, and later the Air Force Engineering School. Graduated as an engineer in 1959 he was sent to the University of Michigan in the United States to complete his graduate studies earning a Masters of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering. There he had the opportunity to study with several future NASA astronauts such as Theodore Freeman, Edward White and James McDivitt. After his return to Argentina in 1961 he was put in charge of the Space Development Group (Grupo de Desarrollos Espaciales) of the Air Force in Córdoba. While with the Air Force he managed the development of a family of various sounding rockets for high altitude research. Sánchez Peña was also in charge of the first Argentine rockets launched from Antarctica in 1965, as well as the first tests on an Argentine-fabricated rocket (Orión) from Wallops Island in the United States, in 1966. The Orion was the first operational sounding rocket constructed in South America. In the middle of the 1970s Miguel Sánchez Peña was named president of the CNIE (National Space Research Commission). Starting with just a modest one-desk office at the Argentine Air Force headquarters, in only a few years he turned CNIE into a multi-center organization with several hundred employees, three operational launch centers across the country and a family of research rockets open to the international scientific community. He was also actively representing Argentina in many IAF congresses, and was a member of the International Academy of

  14. Massive transfusion and nonsurgical hemostatic agents.

    PubMed

    Perkins, Jeremy G; Cap, Andrew P; Weiss, Brendan M; Reid, Thomas J; Bolan, Charles D; Bolan, Charles E

    2008-07-01

    Hemorrhage in trauma is a significant challenge, accounting for 30% to 40% of all fatalities, second only to central nervous system injury as a cause of death. However, hemorrhagic death is the leading preventable cause of mortality in combat casualties and typically occurs within 6 to 24 hrs of injury. In cases of severe hemorrhage, massive transfusion may be required to replace more than the entire blood volume. Early prediction of massive transfusion requirements, using clinical and laboratory parameters, combined with aggressive management of hemorrhage by surgical and nonsurgical means, has significant potential to reduce early mortality. Although the classification of massive transfusion varies, the most frequently used definition is ten or more units of blood in 24 hrs. Transfusion of red blood cells is intended to restore blood volume, tissue perfusion, and oxygen-carrying capacity; platelets, plasma, and cryoprecipitate are intended to facilitate hemostasis through prevention or treatment of coagulopathy. Massive transfusion is uncommon in civilian trauma, occurring in only 1% to 3% of trauma admissions. As a result of a higher proportion of penetrating injury in combat casualties, it has occurred in approximately 8% of Operation Iraqi Freedom admissions and in as many as 16% during the Vietnam conflict. Despite its potential to reduce early mortality, massive transfusion is not without risk. It requires extensive blood-banking resources and is associated with high mortality. This review describes the clinical problems associated with massive transfusion and surveys the nonsurgical management of hemorrhage, including transfusion of blood products, use of hemostatic bandages/agents, and treatment with hemostatic medications.

  15. Testing the Dark Matter Scenario for PeV Neutrinos Observed in IceCube.

    PubMed

    Murase, Kohta; Laha, Ranjan; Ando, Shin'ichiro; Ahlers, Markus

    2015-08-14

    Late time decay of very heavy dark matter is considered as one of the possible explanations for diffuse PeV neutrinos observed in IceCube. We consider implications of multimessenger constraints, and show that proposed models are marginally consistent with the diffuse γ-ray background data. Critical tests are possible by a detailed analysis and identification of the sub-TeV isotropic diffuse γ-ray data observed by Fermi and future observations of sub-PeV γ rays by observatories like HAWC or Tibet AS+MD. In addition, with several-year observations by next-generation telescopes such as IceCube-Gen2, muon neutrino searches for nearby dark matter halos such as the Virgo cluster should allow us to rule out or support the dark matter models, independently of γ-ray and anisotropy tests.

  16. Deletion in a quantitative trait gene qPE9-1 associated with panicle erectness improves plant architecture during rice domestication.

    PubMed

    Zhou, Yong; Zhu, Jinyan; Li, Zhengyi; Yi, Chuandeng; Liu, Jun; Zhang, Honggen; Tang, Shuzhu; Gu, Minghong; Liang, Guohua

    2009-09-01

    Rice plant architecture is an important agronomic trait and a major determinant in high productivity. Panicle erectness is the preferred plant architecture in japonica rice, but the molecular mechanism underlying domestication of the erect panicle remains elusive. Here we report the map-based cloning of a major quantitative trait locus, qPE9-1, which plays an integral role in regulation of rice plant architecture including panicle erectness. The R6547 qPE9-1 gene encodes a 426-amino-acid protein, homologous to the keratin-associated protein 5-4 family. The gene is composed of three Von Willebrand factor type C domains, one transmembrane domain, and one 4-disulfide-core domain. Phenotypic comparisons of a set of near-isogenic lines and transgenic lines reveal that the functional allele (qPE9-1) results in drooping panicles, and the loss-of-function mutation (qpe9-1) leads to more erect panicles. In addition, the qPE9-1 locus regulates panicle and grain length, grain weight, and consequently grain yield. We propose that the panicle erectness trait resulted from a natural random loss-of-function mutation for the qPE9-1 gene and has subsequently been the target of artificial selection during japonica rice breeding.

  17. Fluid/gravity correspondence for massive gravity

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pan, Wen-Jian; Huang, Yong-Chang

    2016-11-01

    In this paper, we investigate the fluid/gravity correspondence in the framework of massive Einstein gravity. Treating the gravitational mass terms as an effective energy-momentum tensor and utilizing the Petrov-like boundary condition on a timelike hypersurface, we find that the perturbation effects of massive gravity in bulk can be completely governed by the incompressible Navier-Stokes equation living on the cutoff surface under the near horizon and nonrelativistic limits. Furthermore, we have concisely computed the ratio of dynamical viscosity to entropy density for two massive Einstein gravity theories, and found that they still saturate the Kovtun-Son-Starinets (KSS) bound.

  18. Not Your Father's PE: Obesity, Exercise, and the Role of Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cawley, John; Meyerhoefer, Chad; Newhouse, David

    2006-01-01

    American children are gaining weight at an alarming rate. Since the 1960s, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the percentage of American six- to eleven-year-olds who fall into the CDC's highest weight classification for children has almost quadrupled. Requiring more physical education (PE) seems like a logical…

  19. Positive signs in massive gravity

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cheung, Clifford; Remmen, Grant N.

    2016-04-01

    We derive new constraints on massive gravity from unitarity and analyticity of scattering amplitudes. Our results apply to a general effective theory defined by Einstein gravity plus the leading soft diffeomorphism-breaking corrections. We calculate scattering amplitudes for all combinations of tensor, vector, and scalar polarizations. The high-energy behavior of these amplitudes prescribes a specific choice of couplings that ameliorates the ultraviolet cutoff, in agreement with existing literature. We then derive consistency conditions from analytic dispersion relations, which dictate positivity of certain combinations of parameters appearing in the forward scattering amplitudes. These constraints exclude all but a small island in the parameter space of ghost-free massive gravity. While the theory of the "Galileon" scalar mode alone is known to be inconsistent with positivity constraints, this is remedied in the full massive gravity theory.

  20. Multicenter Trial of Rivaroxaban for Early Discharge of Pulmonary Embolism From the Emergency Department (MERCURY PE): Rationale and Design.

    PubMed

    Singer, Adam J; Xiang, Jim; Kabrhel, Christopher; Merli, Gino J; Pollack, Charles; Tapson, Victor F; Wildgoose, Peter; Peacock, W Frank

    2016-11-01

    Traditionally, patients with pulmonary embolism (PE) are admitted from the emergency department and treated with low-molecular-weight heparin followed by warfarin. Several studies now demonstrate that it is possible to identify low-risk PE patients that can safely be treated as outpatients. The advent of the direct-acting oral anticoagulants such as rivaroxaban has made it easier than ever to manage patients outside of the hospital. This article describes the design of a randomized controlled trial aimed at testing the hypothesis that low-risk PE patients can be safely and effectively managed at home using rivaroxaban, resulting in fewer days of hospitalization than standard-of-care treatment. We have initiated a multicenter, open-label, randomized clinical trial in which low-risk adult PE patients (identified by the Hestia criteria) are randomized to outpatient management with oral rivaroxaban 15 mg twice daily for 21 days followed by 20 mg once daily for 90 days versus standard care, determined by the treating physician and based on local practices. The primary clinical endpoint will be the total number of inpatient hospital days (including the index admission) for venous thromboembolic or bleeding-related events during the first 30 days after randomization. A total of 150 subjects per group will provide 82% power to detect a difference of 1 day or greater in the primary outcome. Patient enrollment is ongoing at present in 45 of 60 planned sites. No interim analysis is planned and the study is being monitored by a data safety management board. The MERCURY PE study is designed to test the hypothesis that outpatient management of low-risk PE patients with rivaroxaban reduces the number of hospitalization days from venous thromboembolism and bleeding compared with standard care. This article describes the rationale and methodology for this study. © 2016 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine.

  1. Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (ESBL-PE) infections: are carbapenem alternatives achievable in daily practice?

    PubMed

    Pilmis, B; Delory, T; Groh, M; Weiss, E; Emirian, A; Lecuyer, H; Lesprit, P; Zahar, J-R

    2015-10-01

    To avoid the use of carbapenems, alternatives such as cephamycin, piperacillin-tazobactam, and others are suggested for the treatment of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (ESBL-PE) infections. The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency and the feasibility of antimicrobial de-escalation for ESBL-PE-related infections. A prospective observational, bi centric cohort study was conducted. All patients with ESBL-PE infections were included. De-escalation was systematically suggested if patients were clinically stable and the isolate was susceptible to possible alternatives. Seventy-nine patients were included: 36 (45.6%) were children, 27 (34.1%) were hospitalized in intensive care units, and 37 (47%) were immunocompromised. Urinary tract infections, pneumonia, and catheter-related bloodstream infections accounted for 45.6%, 19%, and 10%, respectively, of the cohort. Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Enterobacter cloacae were the three most frequent causative organisms isolated. On day 5, 47 (59.2%) of the patients were still receiving carbapenems. Antimicrobial resistance (44.7%), infection relapse (26.9%), and clinical instability (19.2%) were the most important reasons for not prescribing alternatives. E. coli-related infections appeared to be a protective factor against maintaining the carbapenem prescription (odds ratio 0.11, 95% confidence interval 0.041-0.324; p=0.0013). In clinical practice, less than 50% of patients with ESBL-PE-related infections were de-escalated after empirical treatment with carbapenems. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  2. A Profilometry-Based Dentifrice Abrasion Method for V8 Brushing Machines Part II: Comparison of RDA-PE and Radiotracer RDA Measures.

    PubMed

    Schneiderman, Eva; Colón, Ellen; White, Donald J; St John, Samuel

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to compare the abrasivity of commercial dentifrices by two techniques: the conventional gold standard radiotracer-based Radioactive Dentin Abrasivity (RDA) method; and a newly validated technique based on V8 brushing that included a profilometry-based evaluation of dentin wear. This profilometry-based method is referred to as RDA-Profilometry Equivalent, or RDA-PE. A total of 36 dentifrices were sourced from four global dentifrice markets (Asia Pacific [including China], Europe, Latin America, and North America) and tested blindly using both the standard radiotracer (RDA) method and the new profilometry method (RDA-PE), taking care to follow specific details related to specimen preparation and treatment. Commercial dentifrices tested exhibited a wide range of abrasivity, with virtually all falling well under the industry accepted upper limit of 250; that is, 2.5 times the level of abrasion measured using an ISO 11609 abrasivity reference calcium pyrophosphate as the reference control. RDA and RDA-PE comparisons were linear across the entire range of abrasivity (r2 = 0.7102) and both measures exhibited similar reproducibility with replicate assessments. RDA-PE assessments were not just linearly correlated, but were also proportional to conventional RDA measures. The linearity and proportionality of the results of the current study support that both methods (RDA or RDA-PE) provide similar results and justify a rationale for making the upper abrasivity limit of 250 apply to both RDA and RDA-PE.

  3. Cognitive control of conscious error awareness: error awareness and error positivity (Pe) amplitude in moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury (TBI)

    PubMed Central

    Logan, Dustin M.; Hill, Kyle R.; Larson, Michael J.

    2015-01-01

    Poor awareness has been linked to worse recovery and rehabilitation outcomes following moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury (M/S TBI). The error positivity (Pe) component of the event-related potential (ERP) is linked to error awareness and cognitive control. Participants included 37 neurologically healthy controls and 24 individuals with M/S TBI who completed a brief neuropsychological battery and the error awareness task (EAT), a modified Stroop go/no-go task that elicits aware and unaware errors. Analyses compared between-group no-go accuracy (including accuracy between the first and second halves of the task to measure attention and fatigue), error awareness performance, and Pe amplitude by level of awareness. The M/S TBI group decreased in accuracy and maintained error awareness over time; control participants improved both accuracy and error awareness during the course of the task. Pe amplitude was larger for aware than unaware errors for both groups; however, consistent with previous research on the Pe and TBI, there were no significant between-group differences for Pe amplitudes. Findings suggest possible attention difficulties and low improvement of performance over time may influence specific aspects of error awareness in M/S TBI. PMID:26217212

  4. Reconstruction of the Interface of Oxidatively Functionalized Polyethylene (PE-CO2H) and Derivatives on Heating. Revision.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1987-03-01

    contact angle with water frin the initial va: e 蕫b to the final value ’:,)3@, follows KinetiCs tnat suggest trit -no polar functional groups lisappear...PE-CO 2H in contact with liquiJs such as water and perfluorodecalin suggest that reconstruction is driven initially by ;iinimization of the...distance from the polymer- water interface can exchange ions with bulk water . Thermally reconstructed PE-CO2H is thus a new type of thin-film ion

  5. Forming spectroscopic massive protobinaries by disc fragmentation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Meyer, D. M.-A.; Kuiper, R.; Kley, W.; Johnston, K. G.; Vorobyov, E.

    2018-01-01

    The surroundings of massive protostars constitute an accretion disc which has numerically been shown to be subject to fragmentation and responsible for luminous accretion-driven outbursts. Moreover, it is suspected to produce close binary companions which will later strongly influence the star's future evolution in the Hertzsprung-Russel diagram. We present three-dimensional gravitation-radiation-hydrodynamic numerical simulations of 100 M⊙ pre-stellar cores. We find that accretion discs of young massive stars violently fragment without preventing the (highly variable) accretion of gaseous clumps on to the protostars. While acquiring the characteristics of a nascent low-mass companion, some disc fragments migrate on to the central massive protostar with dynamical properties showing that its final Keplerian orbit is close enough to constitute a close massive protobinary system, having a young high- and a low-mass components. We conclude on the viability of the disc fragmentation channel for the formation of such short-period binaries, and that both processes - close massive binary formation and accretion bursts - may happen at the same time. FU-Orionis-type bursts, such as observed in the young high-mass star S255IR-NIRS3, may not only indicate ongoing disc fragmentation, but also be considered as a tracer for the formation of close massive binaries - progenitors of the subsequent massive spectroscopic binaries - once the high-mass component of the system will enter the main-sequence phase of its evolution. Finally, we investigate the Atacama Large (sub-)Millimeter Array observability of the disc fragments.

  6. [Initial subretinal localization of acute myeloblastic leukemia (AML5) recurrence].

    PubMed

    Le Gall, S; François, S; Urier, N; Genevieve, F; d'Hermies, F; Rachieru, P; Ifrah, N

    2001-10-13

    Reduced visual acuity in patients with acute leucemia can result from many causes including an ocular localization. A patient previously treated for acute myeloblastic leucemia-5 (AML5) developed bilateral vision impairment related to a subretinal localization of the leucemia. Meningeal and bone marrow relapse followed. The subretinal localization responded only to massive systemic steroid treatment. Although asymptomatic, ocular localizations are frequent in leucemia. Their prognostic impact depends on the ocular structure involved and on the chronology of onset--early or late in the leucemia course. The underlying pathophysiological mechanism of ocular involvement remains unexplained but hyperleucocytosis at presentation may be a risk factor and would justify at least systematic specialized examinations and discussion of prophylactic treatment.

  7. Application of Innovative P&E Method at Technical Universities in Slovakia

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nemec, Miroslav; Krišták, Luboš; Hockicko, Peter; Danihelová, Zuzana; Velmovská, Klára

    2017-01-01

    The paper deals with innovative teaching methods at universities. The result of this effort is the interactive P&E method, whose main idea is the interactive work with students while solving problem tasks. The main aim of the given method is to change the students' position, by means of experiment analyses and qualitative tasks, from a passive…

  8. Update on massive transfusion.

    PubMed

    Pham, H P; Shaz, B H

    2013-12-01

    Massive haemorrhage requires massive transfusion (MT) to maintain adequate circulation and haemostasis. For optimal management of massively bleeding patients, regardless of aetiology (trauma, obstetrical, surgical), effective preparation and communication between transfusion and other laboratory services and clinical teams are essential. A well-defined MT protocol is a valuable tool to delineate how blood products are ordered, prepared, and delivered; determine laboratory algorithms to use as transfusion guidelines; and outline duties and facilitate communication between involved personnel. In MT patients, it is crucial to practice damage control resuscitation and to administer blood products early in the resuscitation. Trauma patients are often admitted with early trauma-induced coagulopathy (ETIC), which is associated with mortality; the aetiology of ETIC is likely multifactorial. Current data support that trauma patients treated with higher ratios of plasma and platelet to red blood cell transfusions have improved outcomes, but further clinical investigation is needed. Additionally, tranexamic acid has been shown to decrease the mortality in trauma patients requiring MT. Greater use of cryoprecipitate or fibrinogen concentrate might be beneficial in MT patients from obstetrical causes. The risks and benefits for other therapies (prothrombin complex concentrate, recombinant activated factor VII, or whole blood) are not clearly defined in MT patients. Throughout the resuscitation, the patient should be closely monitored and both metabolic and coagulation abnormalities corrected. Further studies are needed to clarify the optimal ratios of blood products, treatment based on underlying clinical disorder, use of alternative therapies, and integration of laboratory testing results in the management of massively bleeding patients.

  9. Pilot study of a culturally adapted psychoeducation (CaPE) intervention for bipolar disorder in Pakistan.

    PubMed

    Husain, Muhammad Ishrat; Chaudhry, Imran B; Rahman, Raza R; Hamirani, Munir M; Mehmood, Nasir; Haddad, Peter M; Hodsoll, John; Young, Allan H; Naeem, Farooq; Husain, Nusrat

    2017-12-01

    Despite the use of maintenance medication, recurrence rates in bipolar affective disorder (BPAD) are high. To date, there are no clinical trials that have investigated the use of psychological interventions in bipolar disorder in Pakistan. The purpose of the study was to assess the feasibility and acceptability of a culturally adapted bipolar psychoeducation programme (CaPE) in Pakistan. Thirty-four euthymic bipolar I and II outpatients were randomized to either 12 weekly sessions of individual psychoeducation plus Treatment As Usual (Intervention) or Treatment As Usual (TAU) (Control). Outcomes were assessed using the Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), EuroQoL (EQ-5D), Bipolar Knowledge and Attitudes and Questionnaire (BKAQ), and a self-reported measure of medication adherence (Morisky Medication Adherence Scale-4 items, MMAS-4). Effect sizes were derived from baseline adjusted standardized regression coefficients. Retention in the study was good, 80% of patients in the TAU follow-up assessment and 100% of patients in the CaPE group attended all 12 sessions. Patient satisfaction was higher in the CaPE group relative to control (ES = 1.41). Further, there were large effect sizes shown for CaPE versus TAU for medication adherence (MMAS-4: ES = 0.81), knowledge and attitudes towards bipolar (BKAQ: ES = 0.68), mania (YMRS: ES = 1.18), depression (BDI: ES = 1.17) and quality of life measures (EQ-5D: ES ⇒ 0.88). Culturally adapted psychoeducation intervention is acceptable and feasible, and can be effective in improving mood symptoms and knowledge and attitudes to BPAD when compared with TAU. Larger scale studies are needed to confirm our findings. Clinicaltrials.gov identifier NCT02210390.

  10. Systemic thrombolysis increases hemorrhagic stroke risk without survival benefit compared with catheter-directed intervention for the treatment of acute pulmonary embolism.

    PubMed

    Liang, Nathan L; Avgerinos, Efthymios D; Singh, Michael J; Makaroun, Michel S; Chaer, Rabih A

    2017-03-01

    Systemic thrombolysis (ST) and catheter-directed intervention (CDI) are both used in the treatment of acute pulmonary embolism (PE), but the comparative outcomes of these two therapies remain unclear. The objective of this study was to compare short-term mortality and safety outcomes between the two treatments using a large national database. Patients presenting with acute PE were identified in the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) from 2009 to 2012. Comorbidities, clinical characteristics, and invasive procedures were identified using International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD) codes and the Elixhauser comorbidity index. To adjust for anticipated baseline differences between the two treatment groups, propensity score matching was used to create a matched ST cohort with clinical and comorbid characteristics similar to those of the CDI cohort. Subgroups of patients with and without hemodynamic shock were analyzed separately. Primary outcomes were in-hospital mortality, overall bleeding risk, and hemorrhagic stroke risk. Of 263,955 subjects with acute PE, 1.63% (n = 4272) received ST and 0.55% (n = 1455) received CDI. ST subjects were older, had more chronic comorbidities, and had higher rates of respiratory failure (ST, 27.9% [n = 1192]; CDI, 21.2% [n = 308]; P < .001) and shock (ST, 18.2% [n = 779]; CDI, 12% [n = 174]; P < .001). CDI subjects had higher rates of concurrent deep venous thrombosis (ST, 35.8% [n = 1530]; CDI, 45.9% [n = 668]; P < .001) and vena cava filter placement (ST, 31.1% [n = 1328]; CDI, 57% [n = 830]; P < .001). In the unmatched cohort, ST subjects had higher in-hospital mortality (ST, 16.7% [n = 714]; CDI, 9.4% [n = 136]; P < .001) and hemorrhagic stroke rates (ST, 2.2% [n = 96]; CDI, 1.4% [n = 20]; P = .041). After propensity matching, 1430 patients remained in each cohort; baseline characteristics of the matched cohorts did not differ significantly using standardized difference comparisons. Analysis of

  11. Positive signs in massive gravity

    DOE PAGES

    Cheung, Clifford; Remmen, Grant N.

    2016-04-01

    Here, we derive new constraints on massive gravity from unitarity and analyticity of scattering amplitudes. Our results apply to a general effective theory defined by Einstein gravity plus the leading soft diffeomorphism-breaking corrections. We calculate scattering amplitudes for all combinations of tensor, vector, and scalar polarizations. Furthermore, the high-energy behavior of these amplitudes prescribes a specific choice of couplings that ameliorates the ultraviolet cutoff, in agreement with existing literature. We then derive consistency conditions from analytic dispersion relations, which dictate positivity of certain combinations of parameters appearing in the forward scattering amplitudes. These constraints exclude all but a small islandmore » in the parameter space of ghost-free massive gravity. And while the theory of the "Galileon" scalar mode alone is known to be inconsistent with positivity constraints, this is remedied in the full massive gravity theory.« less

  12. Mechanical characterisation of the TorPeDO: a low frequency gravitational force sensor

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    McManus, D. J.; Forsyth, P. W. F.; Yap, M. J.; Ward, R. L.; Shaddock, D. A.; McClelland, D. E.; Slagmolen, B. J. J.

    2017-07-01

    Newtonian noise is likely to be a future challenge at low frequencies for Advanced LIGO and other second generation gravitational wave detectors. We present the TorPeDO system: a dual torsion pendulum sensor designed to measure local gravitational forces to high precision. Gravitational forces induce a differential rotation between the two torsion beams, which is measured with an optical read-out. Both torsion pendulums have a common suspension point, tunable centre of mass, and resonant frequency. This produces a high level of mechanical common mode noise cancellation. We report on a controls prototype of the TorPeDO system, presenting the frequency response and tuning range of both pendulums. A noise budget and mechanical cross-coupling model for this system are also presented. We demonstrate frequency tuning of the two torsion pendulums to a difference of 4.3 μHz.

  13. [Aquatic insects and water quality in Peñas Blancas watershed and reservoir].

    PubMed

    Mora, Meyer Guevara

    2011-06-01

    The aquatic insects have been used to evaluate water quality of aquatic environments. The population of aquatic insects and the water quality of the area were characterized according to the natural and human alterations present in the study site. During the monthly-survey, pH, DO, temperature, water level, DBO, PO4 and NO3 were measured. Biological indexes (abundance, species richness and the BMWP-CR) were used to evaluate the water quality. No relation between environmental and aquatic insects was detected. Temporal and spatial differences attributed to the flow events (temporal) and the presence of Peñas Blancas reservoir (spatial). In the future, the investigations in Peñas Blancas watershed need to be focused on determining the real influence of the flows, sediment release and the possible water quality degradation because of agriculture activities.

  14. Initial Validation of the Physical Education Marginalization and Isolation Survey (PE-MAIS)

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gaudreault, Karen Lux; Richards, K. Andrew R.; Mays Woods, Amelia

    2017-01-01

    Qualitative research conducted through occupational socialization theory has documented that physical educators feel marginalized and isolated in schools. We sought to propose and provide initial evidence of validity and reliability for the Physical Education Marginalization and Isolation Survey (PE-MAIS). Physical educators (n = 420) completed an…

  15. Representing Valued Bodies in PE: A Visual Inquiry with British Asian Girls

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hill, Joanne; Azzarito, Laura

    2012-01-01

    Background: Status or value in sport and physical education (PE) contexts is often associated with performances of highly proficient sporting bodies, which produce hierarchies of privileged and marginalised gendered and racialised positions. This may be communicated through text and images shared within school, physical cultures and media that…

  16. Analysis of peripheral blood lymphocytes using flow cytometry in polymyalgia rheumatica, RS3PE and early rheumatoid arthritis.

    PubMed

    Shimojima, Y; Matsuda, M; Ishii, W; Gono, T; Ikeda, S

    2008-01-01

    Clinical pictures of poly-myalgia rheumatica (PMR) and remitting seronegative symmetrical synovitis with pitting edema (RS3PE) are often indistinguishable from those of early rheumatoid arthritis (RA). To investigate whether there is a difference in immunological aspects among these 3 disorders, we performed a phenotypic analysis of peripheral blood lymphocytes. Eleven patients with early RA, 14 with PMR and 11 with RS3PE were enrolled in this study. After separation of mononuclear cells from peripheral blood using the Ficoll-Hypaque method, surface markers and intracellular cytokines of lymphocytes were analyzed by 2- or 3-color flow cytometry. Both PMR and RS3PE showed a significant decrease in CD8+CD25+ cells (p<0.05), and significant increases in CD4+IFN-gamma+IL-4- (p<0.05), CD8+IFN-gamma+IL-4- (p<0.05 and p<0.01, respectively) and CD4+TNF-alpha+ cells (p<0.05) compared with early RA. CD3+CD4+ cells were higher in PMR than in RS3PE (p<0.01), but there were no significant differences in any other phenotypes between these disorders. A decrease in activated cytotoxic/suppressor T cells and increases in circulating Th1 and Tc1 cells may be common characteristics of PMR and RS3PE in comparison with early RA. Both disorders are clearly different from early RA, and probably belong to the same disease entity with regard to phenotypes of peripheral blood lymphocytes.

  17. "Permission to Speak": A Postcolonial View on Racialized Bodies and PE in the Current Context of Globalization.

    PubMed

    Azzarito, Laura

    2016-06-01

    The current neoliberal context of schools presents difficult challenges in addressing persistent issues of social inequalities. In this article, first, I argue that because of today's market-driven education, the rise of fitness testing in school physical education (PE) can be seriously detrimental to young people in general and to ethnic-minority young people's embodied identity in particular. Second, I explain how the racialization process circulated by the body-at-risk discourse, sustained by the media, and reproduced by high-stakes testing in PE forces ethnic-minority young people to construct their identities through White eyes, which alienates them from a consciousness of their own identity. Third, I explore the possible uses and pitfalls of Spivak's theoretical notion of "strategic essentialism" to put forward strategies to build a positive image of the "other" while attempting to avoid the erasure of difference. Fourth, I conclude the article by suggesting how Spivak's notion of strategic essentialism can be useful in rethinking current PE fitness practices.

  18. "A Clear and Obvious "Ability" to "Perform Physical Activity"": Revisiting Physical Education Teachers' Perceptions of Talent in PE and Sport

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Croston, Amanda

    2013-01-01

    Background: This paper examines physical education (PE) teachers' perceptions of talent in PE and sport within the context of English policy, where the process of identifying talent has been formalised and supported through specific resources (YST 2009). English policy has merged educational and sporting targets, which has resulted in a shift in…

  19. Exact solutions in 3D new massive gravity.

    PubMed

    Ahmedov, Haji; Aliev, Alikram N

    2011-01-14

    We show that the field equations of new massive gravity (NMG) consist of a massive (tensorial) Klein-Gordon-type equation with a curvature-squared source term and a constraint equation. We also show that, for algebraic type D and N spacetimes, the field equations of topologically massive gravity (TMG) can be thought of as the "square root" of the massive Klein-Gordon-type equation. Using this fact, we establish a simple framework for mapping all types D and N solutions of TMG into NMG. Finally, we present new examples of types D and N solutions to NMG.

  20. Exact Solutions in 3D New Massive Gravity

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ahmedov, Haji; Aliev, Alikram N.

    2011-01-01

    We show that the field equations of new massive gravity (NMG) consist of a massive (tensorial) Klein-Gordon-type equation with a curvature-squared source term and a constraint equation. We also show that, for algebraic type D and N spacetimes, the field equations of topologically massive gravity (TMG) can be thought of as the “square root” of the massive Klein-Gordon-type equation. Using this fact, we establish a simple framework for mapping all types D and N solutions of TMG into NMG. Finally, we present new examples of types D and N solutions to NMG.

  1. PeV Neutrinos Observed by IceCube from Cores of Active Galactic Nuclei

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Stecker, Floyd W.

    2013-01-01

    I show that the high energy neutrino flux predicted to arise from active galactic nuclei cores can explain the PeV neutrinos detected by IceCube without conflicting with the constraints from the observed extragalactic cosmic-ray and gamma-ray backgrounds.

  2. The Circumgalactic Medium in Massive Halos

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chen, Hsiao-Wen

    This chapter presents a review of the current state of knowledge on the cool (T ˜ 104 K) halo gas content around massive galaxies at z ≈ 0. 2-2. Over the last decade, significant progress has been made in characterizing the cool circumgalactic gas in massive halos of M h ≈ 1012-14 M⊙ at intermediate redshifts using absorption spectroscopy. Systematic studies of halo gas around massive galaxies beyond the nearby universe are made possible by large spectroscopic samples of galaxies and quasars in public archives. In addition to accurate and precise constraints for the incidence of cool gas in massive halos, detailed characterizations of gas kinematics and chemical compositions around massive quiescent galaxies at z ≈ 0. 5 have also been obtained. Combining all available measurements shows that infalling clouds from external sources are likely the primary source of cool gas detected at d 100 d\\gtrsim 100 kpc from massive quiescent galaxies. The origin of the gas closer in is currently less certain, but SNe Ia driven winds appear to contribute significantly to cool gas found at d < 100 kpc. In contrast, cool gas observed at d 200 d\\lesssim 200 kpc from luminous quasars appears to be intimately connected to quasar activities on parsec scales. The observed strong correlation between cool gas covering fraction in quasar host halos and quasar bolometric luminosity remains a puzzle. Combining absorption-line studies with spatially resolved emission measurements of both gas and galaxies is the necessary next step to address remaining questions.

  3. Trisomy 13 and Massive Fetomaternal Hemorrhage

    PubMed Central

    Matsui, Ryoko; Suzuki, Shunji; Ito, Marie; Terada, Yusuke; Kumasaka, Sakae

    2015-01-01

    This is the first case report of trisomy 13 complicated by massive fetomaternal hemorrhage (FMH). A pale male infant weighing 2,950 g was delivered with low Apgar scores by emergency cesarean section due to non-reassuring fetal status. The umbilical arterial pH and hemoglobin level were 6.815 and 6.9 g/dL (normal: 13 - 22 g/dL), respectively. The maternal hemoglobin-F and serum alpha-fetoprotein levels were 6.0% (normal: < 1.0%) and 1,150 ng/mL (4.1 multiple of median), respectively. The neonate was diagnosed as having trisomy 13 by a subsequent chromosome examination. In the placenta, massive intervillous thrombosis was observed microscopically. This placental finding has been reported to be associated with both preeclampsia and massive FMH. In addition, the incidence of preeclampsia in pregnancies complicated by trisomy 13 has been reported to be significantly higher than normal karyotype populations. Therefore, the current finding may support the association between trisomy 13 and the incidence of massive FMH. PMID:26015824

  4. Testing the Equivalence Principle and Lorentz Invariance with PeV Neutrinos from Blazar Flares.

    PubMed

    Wang, Zi-Yi; Liu, Ruo-Yu; Wang, Xiang-Yu

    2016-04-15

    It was recently proposed that a giant flare of the blazar PKS B1424-418 at redshift z=1.522 is in association with a PeV-energy neutrino event detected by IceCube. Based on this association we here suggest that the flight time difference between the PeV neutrino and gamma-ray photons from blazar flares can be used to constrain the violations of equivalence principle and the Lorentz invariance for neutrinos. From the calculated Shapiro delay due to clusters or superclusters in the nearby universe, we find that violation of the equivalence principle for neutrinos and photons is constrained to an accuracy of at least 10^{-5}, which is 2 orders of magnitude tighter than the constraint placed by MeV neutrinos from supernova 1987A. Lorentz invariance violation (LIV) arises in various quantum-gravity theories, which predicts an energy-dependent velocity of propagation in vacuum for particles. We find that the association of the PeV neutrino with the gamma-ray outburst set limits on the energy scale of possible LIV to >0.01E_{pl} for linear LIV models and >6×10^{-8}E_{pl} for quadratic order LIV models, where E_{pl} is the Planck energy scale. These are the most stringent constraints on neutrino LIV for subluminal neutrinos.

  5. Controllable Biotinylated Poly(Ethylene-co-Glycidyl Methacrylate) (PE-co-GMA) Nanofibers to Bind Streptavidin-Horseradish Peroxidase (HRP) for Potential Biosensor Applications

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Poly(ethylene-co-glycidyl methacrylate) (PE-co-GMA) nanofibers with abundant active epoxy groups on surfaces were fabricated through a novel manufacturing process. The prepared PE-co-GMA nanofibers with different average diameters ranging from 100 to 400 nm were aminated by reacting the epoxy groups...

  6. Fetal Phthalate Screen: Assessment of Several Phthalate Esters (PE) on Fetal Rodent Testosterone (T) Production and Gene Expressionfollowing In Utero Exposure

    EPA Science Inventory

    PE are a large family of compounds used in a wide array of products from medical tubing to pharmaceuticals to cables. Studies have shown that in utero treatment with PE such as diethyl hexyl phthalate (DEHP) during the critical period of fetal reproductive development produced ma...

  7. Colliding Winds in Massive Binaries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Thaller, M. L.

    1998-12-01

    In close binary systems of massive stars, the individual stellar winds will collide and form a bow shock between the stars, which may have significant impact on the mass-loss and evolution of the system. The existence of such a shock can be established through orbital-phase related variations in the UV resonance lines and optical emission lines. High density regions near the shock will produce Hα and Helium I emission which can be used to map the mass-flow structure of the system. The shock front between the stars may influence the balance of mass-loss versus mass-transfer in massive binary evolution, as matter lost to one star due to Roche lobe overflow may hit the shock and be deflected before it can accrete onto the surface of the other star. I have completed a high-resolution spectroscopic survey of 37 massive binaries, and compared the incidence and strength of emission to an independent survey of single massive stars. Binary stars show a statistically significant overabundance of optical emission, especially when one of the binary stars is in either a giant or supergiant phase of evolution. Seven systems in my survey exhibited clear signs of orbital phase related emission, and for three of the stars (HD 149404, HD 152248, and HD 163181), I present qualitative models of the mass-flow dynamics of the systems.

  8. Massive thymic hemorrhage and hemothorax occurring in utero.

    PubMed

    Gargano, Giancarlo; Paltrinieri, Anna Lucia; Gallo, Claudio; Di Pancrazio, Luciana; Roversi, Maria Federica; Ferrari, Fabrizio

    2015-11-14

    Thymic enlargement is a common and physiological finding in children and neonates' X-rays, but it is usually asymptomatic. Occasionally it can cause respiratory distress. In most cases the aetiology of this expansion remains unclear and it is diagnosed as a thymic hyperplasia. True thymic hyperplasia is defined as a gland expansion, both in size and weight, while maintaining normal microscopic architecture. Often it is a diagnosis of exclusion and prognosis is good. Thymic haemorrhage is an unusual condition related to high foetal and neonatal mortality. We report a case of spontaneous massive thymic haemorrhage in a newborn developing at birth acute respiratory distress associated with severe bilateral haemothorax. Thymic enlargement was evident after pleural evacuation and confirmed by radiographic, Computed Tomography (CT) images and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) sequences. The spontaneous resolution of this enlargement seen with CT scan and MRI sequences suggested a thymic haemorrhage; surgery was not necessary. Thymic haemorrhage should be considered in newborn infants with pleural effusion, mediastinal space enlargement and Respiratory Distress.

  9. PEG-PE/clay composite carriers for doxorubicin: Effect of composite structure on release, cell interaction and cytotoxicity.

    PubMed

    Kohay, Hagay; Sarisozen, Can; Sawant, Rupa; Jhaveri, Aditi; Torchilin, Vladimir P; Mishael, Yael G

    2017-06-01

    A novel drug delivery system for doxorubicin (DOX), based on organic-inorganic composites was developed. DOX was incorporated in micelles (M-DOX) of polyethylene glycol-phosphatidylethanolamine (PEG-PE) which in turn were adsorbed by the clay, montmorillonite (MMT). The nano-structures of the PEG-PE/MMT composites of LOW and HIGH polymer loadings were characterized by XRD, TGA, FTIR, size (DLS) and zeta measurements. These measurements suggest that for the LOW composite a single layer of polymer intercalates in the clay platelets and the polymer only partially covers the external surface, while for the HIGH composite two layers of polymer intercalate and a bilayer may form on the external surface. These nanostructures have a direct effect on formulation stability and on the rate of DOX release. The release rate was reversely correlated with the degree of DOX interaction with the clay and followed the sequence: M-DOX>HIGH formulation>LOW formulation>DOX/MMT. Despite the slower release from the HIGH formulation, its cytotoxicity effect on sensitive cells was as high as the "free" DOX. Surprisingly, the LOW formulation, with the slowest release, demonstrated the highest cytotoxicity in the case of Adriamycin (ADR) resistant cells. Confocal microscopy images and association tests provided an insight into the contribution of formulation-cell interactions vs. the contribution of DOX release rate. Internalization of the formulations was suggested as a mechanism that increases DOX efficiency, particularly in the ADR resistant cell line. The employment of organic-inorganic hybrid materials as drug delivery systems, has not reached its full potential, however, its functionality as an efficient tunable release system was demonstrated. DOX PEG-PE/clay formulations were design as an efficient drug delivery system. The main aim was to develop PEG-PE/clay formulations of different structures based on various PEG-PE/clay ratios in order to achieve tunable release rates, to control

  10. Heavy right-handed neutrino dark matter and PeV neutrinos at IceCube

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

    Dev, P.S. Bhupal; Kazanas, D.; Mohapatra, R.N.

    2016-08-17

    We discuss a simple non-supersymmetric model based on the electroweak gauge group SU(2){sub L}×SU(2){sup ′}×U(1){sub B−L} where the lightest of the right-handed neutrinos, which are part of the leptonic doublet of SU(2){sup ′}, play the role of a long-lived unstable dark matter with mass in the multi-PeV range. We use a resonant s-channel annihilation to obtain the correct thermal relic density and relax the unitarity bound on dark matter mass. In this model, there exists a 3-body dark matter decay mode producing tau leptons and neutrinos, which could be the source for the PeV cascade events observed in the IceCubemore » experiment. The model can be tested with more precise flavor information of the highest-energy neutrino events in future data.« less

  11. Swedish PE Teachers Struggle with Assessment in a Criterion-Referenced Grading System

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Svennberg, Lena; Meckbach, Jane; Redelius, Karin

    2018-01-01

    In the field of education, the international trend is to turn to criterion-referenced grading in the hope of achieving accountable and consistent grades. Despite a national criterion-referenced grading system emphasising knowledge as the only base for grading, Swedish physical education (PE) grades have been shown to value non-knowledge factors,…

  12. PE Ninja Warrior: Designing an American Ninja Warrior Unit for Physical Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bruno, Laura E.; Farrell, Anne

    2017-01-01

    Regular participation in physical activity during childhood and adolescence is critical to the development of healthy habits that will continue into adulthood. Research suggests that children who lead sedentary lives are more likely to continue those habits later in life. A key goal of physical education (PE) is to educate students on the…

  13. Investigation of the status quo of massive blood transfusion in China and a synopsis of the proposed guidelines for massive blood transfusion

    PubMed Central

    Yang, Jiang-Cun; Wang, Qiu-Shi; Dang, Qian-Li; Sun, Yang; Xu, Cui-Xiang; Jin, Zhan-Kui; Ma, Ting; Liu, Jing

    2017-01-01

    Abstract The aim of this study was to provide an overview of massive transfusion in Chinese hospitals, identify the important indications for massive transfusion and corrective therapies based on clinical evidence and supporting experimental studies, and propose guidelines for the management of massive transfusion. This multiregion, multicenter retrospective study involved a Massive Blood Transfusion Coordination Group composed of 50 clinical experts specializing in blood transfusion, cardiac surgery, anesthesiology, obstetrics, general surgery, and medical statistics from 20 tertiary general hospitals across 5 regions in China. Data were collected for all patients who received ≥10 U red blood cell transfusion within 24 hours in the participating hospitals from January 1 2009 to December 31 2010, including patient demographics, pre-, peri-, and post-operative clinical characteristics, laboratory test results before, during, and after transfusion, and patient mortality at post-transfusion and discharge. We also designed an in vitro hemodilution model to investigate the changes of blood coagulation indices during massive transfusion and the correction of coagulopathy through supplement blood components under different hemodilutions. The experimental data in combination with the clinical evidence were used to determine the optimal proportion and timing for blood component supplementation during massive transfusion. Based on the findings from the present study, together with an extensive review of domestic and international transfusion-related literature and consensus feedback from the 50 experts, we drafted the guidelines on massive blood transfusion that will help Chinese hospitals to develop standardized protocols for massive blood transfusion. PMID:28767599

  14. Composite conserved promoter-terminator motifs (PeSLs) that mediate modular shuffling in the diverse T4-like myoviruses.

    PubMed

    Comeau, André M; Arbiol, Christine; Krisch, Henry M

    2014-06-19

    The diverse T4-like phages (Tquatrovirinae) infect a wide array of gram-negative bacterial hosts. The genome architecture of these phages is generally well conserved, most of the phylogenetically variable genes being grouped together in a series hyperplastic regions (HPRs) that are interspersed among large blocks of conserved core genes. Recent evidence from a pair of closely related T4-like phages has suggested that small, composite terminator/promoter sequences (promoterearly stem loop [PeSLs]) were implicated in mediating the high levels of genetic plasticity by indels occurring within the HPRs. Here, we present the genome sequence analysis of two T4-like phages, PST (168 kb, 272 open reading frames [ORFs]) and nt-1 (248 kb, 405 ORFs). These two phages were chosen for comparative sequence analysis because, although they are closely related to phages that have been previously sequenced (T4 and KVP40, respectively), they have different host ranges. In each case, one member of the pair infects a bacterial strain that is a human pathogen, whereas the other phage's host is a nonpathogen. Despite belonging to phylogenetically distant branches of the T4-likes, these pairs of phage have diverged from each other in part by a mechanism apparently involving PeSL-mediated recombination. This analysis confirms a role of PeSL sequences in the generation of genomic diversity by serving as a point of genetic exchange between otherwise unrelated sequences within the HPRs. Finally, the palette of divergent genes swapped by PeSL-mediated homologous recombination is discussed in the context of the PeSLs' potentially important role in facilitating phage adaption to new hosts and environments. © The Author(s) 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution.

  15. From neurogenic pulmonary edema to fat embolism syndrome: a brief review of experimental and clinical investigations of acute lung injury and acute respiratory distress syndrome.

    PubMed

    Chen, Hsing I

    2009-11-30

    Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is the most devastating form of acute lung injury (ALI) or pulmonary edema (PE). We presented the experimental studies and clinical investigations of two serious forms of ALI. Drastic and severe PE could be induced by intracranial hypertension or cerebral compression (CC). The CC-induced PE was attributed to overactivation of the medullary sympathetic mechanism. Sympathetic vasoconstriction of the systemic and pulmonary resistance and capacitance vessels caused shift of blood volume from the splanchnic vascular beds to the lung. The hemodynamic changes led to systemic and pulmonary hypertension. Consequently, left ventricular failure as evidenced by dramatic decline in aortic flow with a slow decrease in pulmonary flow resulted in pressure and volume loading in the pulmonary circulation. These changes finally produced severe alveolar flooding and sudden death. Vasodilators such as sodium nitroprusside or nitroglycerin were capable of reducing the CC-induced pulmonary pathology and hemodynamic alterations. Fat embolism syndrome (FES) is a serious clinical problem in patients suffering from long bone fractures. ARDS may develop and cause mortality. Our laboratory reported a total of 14 subjects associated with FES and died of ARDS. We also developed a simple technique to produce FES. Corn oil was mixed with distilled water to form fatty micelles. Intravenous administration of or introduction of fatty micelles in anesthetized rats or isolated perfused lungs caused severe alveolar damage. Our clinical observation and animal experimentation revealed that infusion of fatty acids caused physical phase, resulting in microvascular obstruction accompanied by pulmonary hypertension and increased capillary permeability. Thereafter, the lipases in the lung hydrolyzed the neutral fat and released free fatty acids and biochemical mediators which were toxic to the lung. Our data have suggested that nitric oxide (NO), inducible NO synthase

  16. Bridging the gap: from massive stars to supernovae

    PubMed Central

    Crowther, Paul A.; Janka, Hans-Thomas; Langer, Norbert

    2017-01-01

    Almost since the beginning, massive stars and their resultant supernovae have played a crucial role in the Universe. These objects produce tremendous amounts of energy and new, heavy elements that enrich galaxies, encourage new stars to form and sculpt the shapes of galaxies that we see today. The end of millions of years of massive star evolution and the beginning of hundreds or thousands of years of supernova evolution are separated by a matter of a few seconds, in which some of the most extreme physics found in the Universe causes the explosive and terminal disruption of the star. Key questions remain unanswered in both the studies of how massive stars evolve and the behaviour of supernovae, and it appears the solutions may not lie on just one side of the explosion or the other or in just the domain of the stellar evolution or the supernova astrophysics communities. The need to view massive star evolution and supernovae as continuous phases in a single narrative motivated the Theo Murphy international scientific meeting ‘Bridging the gap: from massive stars to supernovae’ at Chicheley Hall, UK, in June 2016, with the specific purpose of simultaneously addressing the scientific connections between theoretical and observational studies of massive stars and their supernovae, through engaging astronomers from both communities. This article is part of the themed issue ‘Bridging the gap: from massive stars to supernovae’. PMID:28923995

  17. Bridging the gap: from massive stars to supernovae.

    PubMed

    Maund, Justyn R; Crowther, Paul A; Janka, Hans-Thomas; Langer, Norbert

    2017-10-28

    Almost since the beginning, massive stars and their resultant supernovae have played a crucial role in the Universe. These objects produce tremendous amounts of energy and new, heavy elements that enrich galaxies, encourage new stars to form and sculpt the shapes of galaxies that we see today. The end of millions of years of massive star evolution and the beginning of hundreds or thousands of years of supernova evolution are separated by a matter of a few seconds, in which some of the most extreme physics found in the Universe causes the explosive and terminal disruption of the star. Key questions remain unanswered in both the studies of how massive stars evolve and the behaviour of supernovae, and it appears the solutions may not lie on just one side of the explosion or the other or in just the domain of the stellar evolution or the supernova astrophysics communities. The need to view massive star evolution and supernovae as continuous phases in a single narrative motivated the Theo Murphy international scientific meeting 'Bridging the gap: from massive stars to supernovae' at Chicheley Hall, UK, in June 2016, with the specific purpose of simultaneously addressing the scientific connections between theoretical and observational studies of massive stars and their supernovae, through engaging astronomers from both communities.This article is part of the themed issue 'Bridging the gap: from massive stars to supernovae'. © 2017 The Author(s).

  18. Girls' Activity Levels and Lesson Contexts in Middle School PE: TAAG Baseline

    PubMed Central

    McKENZIE, THOMAS L.; CATELLIER, DIANE J.; CONWAY, TERRY; LYTLE, LESLIE A.; GRIESER, MIRA; WEBBER, LARRY A.; PRATT, CHARLOTTE A.; ELDER, JOHN P.

    2008-01-01

    Purpose To assess girls' physical activity (PA) in middle school physical education (PE) as it relates to field site, lesson context and location, teacher gender, and class composition. Methods We observed girls' PA levels, lesson contexts, and activity promotion by teachers in 431 lessons in 36 schools from six field sites participating in the Trial of Activity for Adolescent Girls. Interobserver reliabilities exceeded 90% for all three categories. Data were analyzed using mixed-model ANOVA with controls for clustering effects by field site and school. Results Mean lesson length was 37.3 (± 9.4) min. Time (13.9 ± 7.0 min) and proportion of lessons (37.9 ± 18.5%) spent in moderate to vigorous PA (MVPA), and time (4.8 ± 4.2 min) and proportion of lessons (13.1 ± 11.7%) in vigorous PA (VPA) differed by field site (P < 0.004). Lesson time for instructional contexts differed by field site, with overall proportions as follows: game play (27.3%), management (26.1%), fitness activities (19.7%), skill drills (12.1%), knowledge (10.6%), and free play (4.4%). Coed classes were 7.9 min longer than girls-only classes (P = 0.03). Although 27 s shorter, outdoor lessons were more intense (MVPA% = 45.7 vs 33.7% of lesson, P < 0.001) and provided 4.0 more MVPA minutes (P < 0.001). MVPA, VPA, and lesson contexts did not differ by teacher gender. There was little direct promotion of PA by teachers during lessons. Conclusions Substantial variation in the conduct of PE exists. Proportion of lesson time girls spent accruing MVPA (i.e., 37.9%) fell short of the Healthy People 2010 objective of 50%. Numerous possibilities exist for improving girls' PA in PE. PMID:16826019

  19. The Disciplinary and Pleasurable Spaces of Boys' PE--The Art of Distributions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gerdin, Göran

    2016-01-01

    In taking heed of the so-called "spatial turn" in social theory this paper explores how the spatial intersects with boys' performances of gender and (dis)pleasures in school physical education (PE). In particular, the paper aims to contribute to our understanding of how the organisation and implementation of physical and social spaces in…

  20. A Whitewashed Curriculum? The Construction of Race in Contemporary PE Curriculum Policy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dowling, Fiona; Flintoff, Anne

    2018-01-01

    Analyses of curricula in a range of countries show how they tend to reinforce, rather than challenge, popular theories of racism. To date, we know little about the contribution of physical education (PE) curriculum policy to the overall policy landscape. This paper examines the construction of race and racism in two national contexts (Norway and…

  1. Successful treatment of a pancreatic pseudocyst accompanied by massive hemothorax: a case report.

    PubMed

    Li, Chiao-Ching; Hsu, Chin-Wen; Li, Chiao-Zhu; Kuo, Shyh-Ming; Wu, Yu-Chiuan

    2015-12-29

    It is rare to encounter massive hemothorax as a complication of pancreatic pseudocyst. In addition, as no obvious hypotension and abdominal discomfort were noted, it was difficult to consider gastrointestinal lesion a possibility. A 54-year-old Taiwanese man had tightness on the left side of his chest and shortness of breath for 3 days. He had a history of acute pancreatitis 3 months ago. After history taking and a series of examinations including thoracocentesis and computed tomography of his abdomen and chest, the diagnosis was finally confirmed based on the high amylase levels in his pleural fluid. Treatment with distal pancreatectomy and splenectomy was subsequently successfully performed. Based on our experience, we briefly discuss the currently available treatment options for pancreatic pseudocyst.

  2. Phytochemical Screening and Acute Toxicity of Aqueous Extract of Leaves of Conocarpus erectus Linnaeus in Swiss Albino Mice.

    PubMed

    Nascimento, Dayane K D; Souza, Ivone A DE; Oliveira, Antônio F M DE; Barbosa, Mariana O; Santana, Marllon A N; Pereira, Daniel F; Lira, Eduardo C; Vieira, Jeymesson R C

    2016-09-01

    Mangroves represent areas of high biological productivity and it is a region rich in bioactive substances used in medicine production. Conocarpus erectus (Combretaceae) known as button mangrove is one of the species found in mangroves and it is used in folk medicine in the treatment of anemia, catarrh, conjunctivitis, diabetes, diarrhea, fever, gonorrhea, headache, hemorrhage, orchitis, rash, bumps and syphilis. The present study aimed to investigate the acute toxicity of aqueous extract of leaves of C. erectus in Swiss albino mice. The plant material was collected in Vila Velha mangroves, located in Itamaracá (PE). The material was subjected to a phytochemical screening where extractive protocols to identify majority molecules present in leaves were used. The evaluation of acute toxicity of aqueous extract of C. erectus followed the model of Acute Toxicity Class based on OECD 423 Guideline, 2001. The majority molecules were identified: flavonoids, tannins and saponins. The LD50 was estimated at 2,000 mg/kg bw. Therefore, the aqueous extract showed low acute toxicity classified in category 5.

  3. Properties of Massive Stars in Primitive Galaxies

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Heap, Sara

    2012-01-01

    According to R. Dave, the phases of galaxy formation are distinguished by their halo mass and governing feedback mechanism. Galaxies in the birth phase (our "primitive galaxies") have a low halo mass (M<10(exp 9) Msun); and star formation is affected by photoionizing radiation of massive stars. In contrast, galaxies in the growth phase (e.g. Lyman Break galaxies) are more massive (M=10(exp 9)-10(exp 12) Msun); star formation is fueled by cold accretion but modulated by strong outflows from massive stars. I Zw 18 is a local blue, compact dwarf galaxy that meets the requirements for a birth-phase galaxy: halo mass <10(exp 9) Msun, strong photo ionizing radiation, no galactic outflow, and very low metallicity, log(O/H)=7.2. We will describe the properties of massive stars in I Zw 18 based on analysis of ultraviolet spectra obtained with HST.

  4. Topologically massive gravity and Ricci-Cotton flow

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lashkari, Nima; Maloney, Alexander

    2011-05-01

    We consider topologically massive gravity (TMG), which is three-dimensional general relativity with a cosmological constant and a gravitational Chern-Simons term. When the cosmological constant is negative the theory has two potential vacuum solutions: anti-de Sitter space and warped anti-de Sitter space. The theory also contains a massive graviton state which renders these solutions unstable for certain values of the parameters and boundary conditions. We study the decay of these solutions due to the condensation of the massive graviton mode using Ricci-Cotton flow, which is the appropriate generalization of Ricci flow to TMG. When the Chern-Simons coupling is small the AdS solution flows to warped AdS by the condensation of the massive graviton mode. When the coupling is large the situation is reversed, and warped AdS flows to AdS. Minisuperspace models are constructed where these flows are studied explicitly.

  5. Neutron stars structure in the context of massive gravity

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hendi, S. H.; Bordbar, G. H.; Eslam Panah, B.; Panahiyan, S.

    2017-07-01

    Motivated by the recent interests in spin-2 massive gravitons, we study the structure of neutron star in the context of massive gravity. The modifications of TOV equation in the presence of massive gravity are explored in 4 and higher dimensions. Next, by considering the modern equation of state for the neutron star matter (which is extracted by the lowest order constrained variational (LOCV) method with the AV18 potential), different physical properties of the neutron star (such as Le Chatelier's principle, stability and energy conditions) are investigated. It is shown that consideration of the massive gravity has specific contributions into the structure of neutron star and introduces new prescriptions for the massive astrophysical objects. The mass-radius relation is examined and the effects of massive gravity on the Schwarzschild radius, average density, compactness, gravitational redshift and dynamical stability are studied. Finally, a relation between mass and radius of neutron star versus the Planck mass is extracted.

  6. DEAD-box helicase DDX27 regulates 3′ end formation of ribosomal 47S RNA and stably associates with the PeBoW-complex

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

    Kellner, Markus; Rohrmoser, Michaela; Forné, Ignasi

    PeBoW, a trimeric complex consisting of pescadillo (Pes1), block of proliferation (Bop1), and the WD repeat protein 12 (WDR12), is essential for processing and maturation of mammalian 5.8S and 28S ribosomal RNAs. Applying a mass spectrometric analysis, we identified the DEAD-box helicase DDX27 as stably associated factor of the PeBoW-complex. DDX27 interacts with the PeBoW-complex via an evolutionary conserved F×F motif in the N-terminal domain and is recruited to the nucleolus via its basic C-terminal domain. This recruitment is RNA-dependent and occurs independently of the PeBoW-complex. Interestingly, knockdown of DDX27, but not of Pes1, induces the accumulation of an extendedmore » form of the primary 47S rRNA. We conclude that DDX27 can interact specifically with the Pes1 and Bop1 but fulfils critical function(s) for proper 3′ end formation of 47S rRNA independently of the PeBoW-complex. - Highlights: • DEAD-box helicase DDX27 is a new constituent of the PeBoW-complex. • The N-terminal F×F motif of DDX27 interacts with the PeBoW components Pes1 and Bop1. • Nucleolar anchoring of DDX27 via its basic C-terminal domain is RNA dependent. • Knockdown of DDX27 induces a specific defect in 3′ end formation of 47S rRNA.« less

  7. Massive spin-2 scattering and asymptotic superluminality

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hinterbichler, Kurt; Joyce, Austin; Rosen, Rachel A.

    2018-03-01

    We place model-independent constraints on theories of massive spin-2 particles by considering the positivity of the phase shift in eikonal scattering. The phase shift is an asymptotic S-matrix observable, related to the time delay/advance experienced by a particle during scattering. Demanding the absence of a time advance leads to constraints on the cubic vertices present in the theory. We find that, in theories with massive spin-2 particles, requiring no time advance means that either: (i) the cubic vertices must appear as a particular linear combination of the Einstein-Hilbert cubic vertex and an h μν 3 potential term or (ii) new degrees of freedom or strong coupling must enter at parametrically the mass of the massive spin-2 field. These conclusions have implications for a variety of situations. Applied to theories of large- N QCD, this indicates that any spectrum with an isolated massive spin-2 at the bottom must have these particular cubic self-couplings. Applied to de Rham-Gabadadze-Tolley massive gravity, the constraint is in accord with results obtained from a shockwave calculation: of the two free dimensionless parameters in the theory there is a one parameter line consistent with a subluminal phase shift.

  8. Hazardous Waste Cleanup: Union Carbide Caribe, LLC in Peñuellas, Puerto Rico

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    The Union Carbide Caribe L.L.C. (UCCLLC) facility, a subsidiary of The Dow Chemical Company, is located on the south coast of Puerto Rico, on State Road 127 in the Municipio (town) de Peñuelas, approximately 7 miles west of the city of Ponce.

  9. A Teacher-Focused Intervention to Decrease PE Students' Amotivation by Increasing Need Satisfaction and Decreasing Need Frustration.

    PubMed

    Cheon, Sung Hyeon; Reeve, Johnmarshall; Song, Yong-Gwan

    2016-06-01

    Intervention-induced gains in need satisfaction decrease PE students' amotivation. The present study adopted a dual-process model to test whether an intervention could also decrease need frustration and hence provide a second supplemental source to further decrease students' PE amotivation. Using an experimental, longitudinal research design, 19 experienced PE teachers (9 experimental, 10 control) and their 1,017 students participated in an intervention program to help teachers become both more autonomy supportive and less controlling. Multilevel repeated measures analyses showed that students of teachers in the experimental group reported greater T2, T3, and T4 perceived autonomy support, need satisfaction, and engagement and lesser T2, T3, and T4 perceived teacher control, need frustration, and amotivation than did students of teachers in the control group. Multilevel structural equation modeling analyses confirmed the hypothesized dual-process model in which both intervention-induced increases in need satisfaction and intervention-induced decreases need frustration decreased students' end-of-semester amotivation. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of this new finding on the dual antecedents of diminished amotivation.

  10. Passive PE Sampling in Support of In Situ Remediation of Contaminated Sediments

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2015-08-01

    elements: • Expendable items: including materials such as stainless steel mixing bowls/spoons, decontamination supplies (buckets, brushes, distilled...PE samplers. Traditional sediment sampling equipment would include items such as decontamination fluids, stainless steel mixing bowls and spoons...hazardous/hazardous wastes (excess sediment, decontamination fluids). There is not expected to be a big difference in solid waste disposal costs

  11. Sarcoidosis with high serum levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), showing RS3PE-like symptoms in extremities.

    PubMed

    Matsuda, Masayuki; Sakurai, Kumi; Fushimi, Tomohisa; Yamamoto, Kanji; Rokuhara, Shiho; Hosaka, Naritoshi; Ikeda, Shu-ichi

    2004-06-01

    We report a patient with sarcoidosis who showed edema in the distal portion of all extremities, particularly the legs, as seen in remitting seronegative symmetrical synovitis with pitting edema (RS3PE). Magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated diffuse abnormal intensity in subcutaneous tissues of both legs, and skin biopsy led to a diagnosis of sarcoidosis. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) showed a high serum level, which decreased soon after starting oral prednisolone, in parallel with an improvement in the limb edema. In this patient VEGF as well as infiltration by sarcoid granuloma in the skin might have played an important role in the pathogenesis of RS3PE-like symptoms in the extremities. When painful pitting edema is seen predominantly in the distal portion of all extremities, sarcoidosis as well as RS3PE should be considered as a possible diagnosis.

  12. The gammaPE complex contains both SATB1 and HOXB2 and has positive and negative roles in human gamma-globin gene regulation.

    PubMed

    Case, S S; Huber, P; Lloyd, J A

    1999-11-01

    A large nuclear protein complex, termed gammaPE (for gamma-globin promoter and enhancer binding factor), binds to five sites located 5' and 3' of the human y-globin gene. Two proteins, SATB1 (special A-T-rich binding protein 1) and HOXB2, can bind to yPE binding sites. SATB1 binds to nuclear matrix-attachment sites, and HOXB2 is a homeodomain protein important in neural development that is also expressed during erythropoiesis. The present work showed that antisera directed against either SATB1 or HOXB2 reacted specifically with the entire gammaPE complex in electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSAs), suggesting that the two proteins can bind to the gammaPE binding site simultaneously. When SATB1 or HOXB2 was expressed in vitro, they could bind independently to gammaPE binding sites in EMSA. Interestingly, the proteins expressed in vitro competed effectively with each other for the gammaPE binding site, suggesting that this may occur under certain conditions in vivo. Transient cotransfections of a HOXB2 cDNA and a y-globin-luciferase reporter gene construct into cells expressing SATB1 suggested that SATB1 has a positive and HOXB2 a negative regulatory effect on transcription. Taking into account their potentially opposing effects and binding activities, SATB1 and HOXB2 may modulate the amount of gamma-globin mRNA expressed during development and differentiation.

  13. Massive Stars in Interactive Binaries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    St.-Louis, Nicole; Moffat, Anthony F. J.

    Massive stars start their lives above a mass of ~8 time solar, finally exploding after a few million years as core-collapse or pair-production supernovae. Above ~15 solar masses, they also spend most of their lives driving especially strong, hot winds due to their extreme luminosities. All of these aspects dominate the ecology of the Universe, from element enrichment to stirring up and ionizing the interstellar medium. But when they occur in close pairs or groups separated by less than a parsec, the interaction of massive stars can lead to various exotic phenomena which would not be seen if there were no binaries. These depend on the actual separation, and going from wie to close including colliding winds (with non-thermal radio emission and Wolf-Rayet dust spirals), cluster dynamics, X-ray binaries, Roche-lobe overflow (with inverse mass-ratios and rapid spin up), collisions, merging, rejuventation and massive blue stragglers, black-hole formation, runaways and gamma-ray bursts. Also, one wonders whether the fact that a massive star is in a binary affects its parameters compared to its isolated equivalent. These proceedings deal with all of these phenomena, plus binary statistics and determination of general physical properties of massive stars, that would not be possible with their single cousins. The 77 articles published in these proceedings, all based on oral talks, vary from broad revies to the lates developments in the field. About a third of the time was spent in open discussion of all participants, both for ~5 minutes after each talk and 8 half-hour long general dialogues, all audio-recorded, transcribed and only moderately edited to yield a real flavour of the meeting. The candid information in these discussions is sometimes more revealing than the article(s) that preceded them and also provide entertaining reading. The book is suitable for researchers and graduate students interested in stellar astrophysics and in various physical processes involved when

  14. Biocompatible and colloidally stabilized mPEG-PE/calcium phosphate hybrid nanoparticles loaded with siRNAs targeting tumors

    PubMed Central

    Gao, Pei; Zhang, Xiangyu; Wang, Hongzhi; Zhang, Qinghong

    2016-01-01

    Calcium phosphate nanoparticles are safe and effective delivery vehicles for small interfering RNA (siRNA), as a result of their excellent biocompatibility. In this work, mPEG-PE (polyethylene glycol-L-α-phosphatidylethanolamine) was synthesized and used to prepare nanoparticles composed of mPEG-PE and calcium phosphate for siRNA delivery. Calcium phosphate and mPEG-PE formed the stable hybrid nanoparticles through self-assembly resulting from electrostatic interaction in water. The average size of the hybrid nanoparticles was approximately 53.2 nm with a negative charge of approximately −16.7 mV, which was confirmed by dynamic light scattering (DLS) measurements. The nanoparticles exhibited excellent stability in serum and could protect siRNA from ribonuclease (RNase) degradation. The cellular internalization of siRNA-loaded nanoparticles was evaluated in SMMC-7721 cells using a laser scanning confocal microscope (CLSM) and flow cytometry. The hybrid nanoparticles could efficiently deliver siRNA to cells compared with free siRNA. Moreover, the in vivo distribution of Cy5-siRNA-loaded hybrid nanoparticles was observed after being injected into tumor-bearing nude mice. The nanoparticles concentrated in the tumor regions through an enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect based on the fluorescence intensities of tissue distribution. A safety evaluation of the nanoparticles was performed both in vitro and in vivo demonstrating that the hybrid nanoparticle delivery system had almost no toxicity. These results indicated that the mPEG-PE/CaP hybrid nanoparticles could be a stable, safe and promising siRNA nanocarrier for anticancer therapy. PMID:26625203

  15. Biocompatible and colloidally stabilized mPEG-PE/calcium phosphate hybrid nanoparticles loaded with siRNAs targeting tumors.

    PubMed

    Gao, Pei; Zhang, Xiangyu; Wang, Hongzhi; Zhang, Qinghong; Li, He; Li, Yaogang; Duan, Yourong

    2016-01-19

    Calcium phosphate nanoparticles are safe and effective delivery vehicles for small interfering RNA (siRNA), as a result of their excellent biocompatibility. In this work, mPEG-PE (polyethylene glycol-L-α-phosphatidylethanolamine) was synthesized and used to prepare nanoparticles composed of mPEG-PE and calcium phosphate for siRNA delivery. Calcium phosphate and mPEG-PE formed the stable hybrid nanoparticles through self-assembly resulting from electrostatic interaction in water. The average size of the hybrid nanoparticles was approximately 53.2 nm with a negative charge of approximately -16.7 mV, which was confirmed by dynamic light scattering (DLS) measurements. The nanoparticles exhibited excellent stability in serum and could protect siRNA from ribonuclease (RNase) degradation. The cellular internalization of siRNA-loaded nanoparticles was evaluated in SMMC-7721 cells using a laser scanning confocal microscope (CLSM) and flow cytometry. The hybrid nanoparticles could efficiently deliver siRNA to cells compared with free siRNA. Moreover, the in vivo distribution of Cy5-siRNA-loaded hybrid nanoparticles was observed after being injected into tumor-bearing nude mice. The nanoparticles concentrated in the tumor regions through an enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect based on the fluorescence intensities of tissue distribution. A safety evaluation of the nanoparticles was performed both in vitro and in vivo demonstrating that the hybrid nanoparticle delivery system had almost no toxicity. These results indicated that the mPEG-PE/CaP hybrid nanoparticles could be a stable, safe and promising siRNA nanocarrier for anticancer therapy.

  16. A profilometry-based dentifrice abrasion Method for V8 brushing machines. Part I: Introduction to RDA-PE.

    PubMed

    White, Donald J; Schneiderman, Eva; Colón, Ellen; St John, Samuel

    2015-01-01

    This paper describes the development and standardization of a profilometry-based method for assessment of dentifrice abrasivity called Radioactive Dentin Abrasivity - Profilometry Equivalent (RDA-PE). Human dentine substrates are mounted in acrylic blocks of precise standardized dimensions, permitting mounting and brushing in V8 brushing machines. Dentin blocks are masked to create an area of "contact brushing." Brushing is carried out in V8 brushing machines and dentifrices are tested as slurries. An abrasive standard is prepared by diluting the ISO 11609 abrasivity reference calcium pyrophosphate abrasive into carboxymethyl cellulose/glycerin, just as in the RDA method. Following brushing, masked areas are removed and profilometric analysis is carried out on treated specimens. Assessments of average abrasion depth (contact or optical profilometry) are made. Inclusion of standard calcium pyrophosphate abrasive permits a direct RDA equivalent assessment of abrasion, which is characterized with profilometry as Depth test/Depth control x 100. Within the test, the maximum abrasivity standard of 250 can be created in situ simply by including a treatment group of standard abrasive with 2.5x number of brushing strokes. RDA-PE is enabled in large part by the availability of easy-to-use and well-standardized modern profilometers, but its use in V8 brushing machines is enabled by the unique specific conditions described herein. RDA-PE permits the evaluation of dentifrice abrasivity to dentin without the requirement of irradiated teeth and infrastructure for handling them. In direct comparisons, the RDA-PE method provides dentifrice abrasivity assessments comparable to the gold industry standard RDA technique.

  17. Black holes in massive gravity as heat engines

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hendi, S. H.; Eslam Panah, B.; Panahiyan, S.; Liu, H.; Meng, X.-H.

    2018-06-01

    The paper at hand studies the heat engine provided by black holes in the presence of massive gravity. The main motivation is to investigate the effects of massive gravity on different properties of the heat engine. It will be shown that massive gravity parameters modify the efficiency of engine on a significant level. Furthermore, it will be pointed out that it is possible to have a heat engine for non-spherical black holes in massive gravity, and therefore, we will study the effects of horizon topology on the properties of heat engine. Surprisingly, it will be shown that the highest efficiency for the heat engine belongs to black holes with the hyperbolic horizon, while the lowest one belongs to the spherical black holes.

  18. Israeli acute paralysis virus: epidemiology, pathogenesis and implications for honey bee health and Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD)

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Israeli acute paralysis virus (IAPV) is a widespread RNA virus that was linked with honey bee Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD), the sudden and massive die-off of honey bee colonies in the U.S. in 2006-2007. Here we describe the transmission, prevalence and genetic diversity of IAPV, host transcripti...

  19. Massive stars, disks, and clustered star formation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Moeckel, Nickolas Barry

    The formation of an isolated massive star is inherently more complex than the relatively well-understood collapse of an isolated, low-mass star. The dense, clustered environment where massive stars are predominantly found further complicates the picture, and suggests that interactions with other stars may play an important role in the early life of these objects. In this thesis we present the results of numerical hydrodynamic experiments investigating interactions between a massive protostar and its lower-mass cluster siblings. We explore the impact of these interactions on the orientation of disks and outflows, which are potentially observable indications of encounters during the formation of a star. We show that these encounters efficiently form eccentric binary systems, and in clusters similar to Orion they occur frequently enough to contribute to the high multiplicity of massive stars. We suggest that the massive protostar in Cepheus A is currently undergoing a series of interactions, and present simulations tailored to that system. We also apply the numerical techniques used in the massive star investigations to a much lower-mass regime, the formation of planetary systems around Solar- mass stars. We perform a small number of illustrative planet-planet scattering experiments, which have been used to explain the eccentricity distribution of extrasolar planets. We add the complication of a remnant gas disk, and show that this feature has the potential to stabilize the system against strong encounters between planets. We present preliminary simulations of Bondi-Hoyle accretion onto a protoplanetary disk, and consider the impact of the flow on the disk properties as well as the impact of the disk on the accretion flow.

  20. Exact solutions of massive gravity in three dimensions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chakhad, Mohamed

    In recent years, there has been an upsurge in interest in three-dimensional theories of gravity. In particular, two theories of massive gravity in three dimensions hold strong promise in the search for fully consistent theories of quantum gravity, an understanding of which will shed light on the problems of quantum gravity in four dimensions. One of these theories is the "old" third-order theory of topologically massive gravity (TMG) and the other one is a "new" fourth-order theory of massive gravity (NMG). Despite this increase in research activity, the problem of finding and classifying solutions of TMG and NMG remains a wide open area of research. In this thesis, we provide explicit new solutions of massive gravity in three dimensions and suggest future directions of research. These solutions belong to the Kundt class of spacetimes. A systematic analysis of the Kundt solutions with constant scalar polynomial curvature invariants provides a glimpse of the structure of the spaces of solutions of the two theories of massive gravity. We also find explicit solutions of topologically massive gravity whose scalar polynomial curvature invariants are not all constant, and these are the first such solutions. A number of properties of Kundt solutions of TMG and NMG, such as an identification of solutions which lie at the intersection of the full nonlinear and linearized theories, are also derived.

  1. Provenance and tectonic settings of sands from Puerto Peñasco, Desemboque and Bahia Kino beaches, Gulf of California, Sonora, México

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Madhavaraju, J.; Tom, Milu; Lee, Yong IL; Balaram, V.; Ramasamy, S.; Carranza-Edwards, A.; Ramachandran, A.

    2016-11-01

    Textural, heavy minerals and geochemical (major, trace and rare earth elements) studies were undertaken on the sands from Puerto Peñasco, Desemboque and Bahia Kino beaches to determine the provenance and tectonic settings. Puerto Peñasco and Bahia Kino sands are coarse grained to fine grained, while Desemboque sands are fine grained. Geochemically, these sands are classified as arkose. The sands are depleted in most of the trace elements relative to upper continental crust (UCC), except for few trace elements (Sr, Rb and Ba), which are slightly enriched. High ΣREE content are observed in the Desemboque sands (94.43 ± 6.9) than in the Puerto Peñasco and Bahia Kino sands (51.58 ± 17.06; 72.38 ± 9.27; respectively). The chemical index of alteration (CIA) values of Puerto Peñasco, Desemboque and Bahia Kino sands (PP: 42 to 50; DE: 48 to 50; BK: 44 to 50: respectively) indicate the low intensity of chemical weathering in the source rocks. The tectonic discriminant-function-based multidimensional diagram shows arc and rift settings for Puerto Peñasco sands whereas rift setting for both Desemboque and Bahia Kino sands. The heavy mineral assemblage, immobile trace elements, REE patterns, elemental ratios such Eu/Eu*, (La/Lu)cn, La/Sc, Th/Sc, La/Co, Th/Co, and Cr/Th, various bivariate and ternary plots indicate the contribution of sediments from felsic composition. This interpretation is supported by the comparison of REE patterns of the Puerto Peñasco, Desemboque and Bahia Kino sands with the potential source rocks exposed nearby the study areas.

  2. An Update of the International Society of Sexual Medicine's Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Premature Ejaculation (PE)

    PubMed Central

    Althof, Stanley E; McMahon, Chris G; Waldinger, Marcel D; Serefoglu, Ege Can; Shindel, Alan W; Adaikan, P Ganesan; Becher, Edgardo; Dean, John; Giuliano, Francois; Hellstrom, Wayne JG; Giraldi, Annamaria; Glina, Sidney; Incrocci, Luca; Jannini, Emmanuele; McCabe, Marita; Parish, Sharon; Rowland, David; Segraves, R Taylor; Sharlip, Ira; Torres, Luiz Otavio

    2014-01-01

    Introduction In 2009, the International Society for Sexual Medicine (ISSM) convened a select panel of experts to develop an evidence-based set of guidelines for patients suffering from lifelong premature ejaculation (PE). That document reviewed definitions, etiology, impact on the patient and partner, assessment, and pharmacological, psychological, and combined treatments. It concluded by recognizing the continually evolving nature of clinical research and recommended a subsequent guideline review and revision every fourth year. Consistent with that recommendation, the ISSM organized a second multidisciplinary panel of experts in April 2013, which met for 2 days in Bangalore, India. This manuscript updates the previous guidelines and reports on the recommendations of the panel of experts. Aim The aim of this study was to develop clearly worded, practical, evidenced-based recommendations for the diagnosis and treatment of PE for family practice clinicians as well as sexual medicine experts. Method A comprehensive literature review was performed. Results This article contains the report of the second ISSM PE Guidelines Committee. It offers a new unified definition of PE and updates the previous treatment recommendations. Brief assessment procedures are delineated, and validated diagnostic and treatment questionnaires are reviewed. Finally, the best practices treatment recommendations are presented to guide clinicians, both familiar and unfamiliar with PE, in facilitating treatment of their patients. Conclusion Development of guidelines is an evolutionary process that continually reviews data and incorporates the best new research. We expect that ongoing research will lead to a more complete understanding of the pathophysiology as well as new efficacious and safe treatments for this sexual dysfunction. We again recommend that these guidelines be reevaluated and updated by the ISSM in 4 years. Althof SE, McMahon CG, Waldinger MD, Serefoglu EC, Shindel AW, Adaikan PG

  3. Genetic heterogeneity of RPMI-8402, a T-acute lymphoblastic leukemia cell line

    PubMed Central

    STOCZYNSKA-FIDELUS, EWELINA; PIASKOWSKI, SYLWESTER; PAWLOWSKA, ROZA; SZYBKA, MALGORZATA; PECIAK, JOANNA; HULAS-BIGOSZEWSKA, KRYSTYNA; WINIECKA-KLIMEK, MARTA; RIESKE, PIOTR

    2016-01-01

    Thorough examination of genetic heterogeneity of cell lines is uncommon. In order to address this issue, the present study analyzed the genetic heterogeneity of RPMI-8402, a T-acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) cell line. For this purpose, traditional techniques such as fluorescence in situ hybridization and immunocytochemistry were used, in addition to more advanced techniques, including cell sorting, Sanger sequencing and massive parallel sequencing. The results indicated that the RPMI-8402 cell line consists of several genetically different cell subpopulations. Furthermore, massive parallel sequencing of RPMI-8402 provided insight into the evolution of T-ALL carcinogenesis, since this cell line exhibited the genetic heterogeneity typical of T-ALL. Therefore, the use of cell lines for drug testing in future studies may aid the progress of anticancer drug research. PMID:26870252

  4. Interactions in Massive Colliding Wind Binaries

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Corcoran, M.

    2012-01-01

    The most massive stars (M> 60 Solar Mass) play crucial roles in altering the chemical and thermodynamic properties of their host galaxies. Stellar mass is the fundamental stellar parameter that determines their ancillary properties and which ultimately determines the fate of these stars and their influence on their galactic environs. Unfortunately, stellar mass becomes observationally and theoretically less well constrained as it increases. Theory becomes uncertain mostly because very massive stars are prone to strong, variable mass loss which is difficult to model. Observational constraints are uncertain too. Massive stars are rare, and massive binary stars (needed for dynamical determination of mass) are rarer still: and of these systems only a fraction have suitably high orbital inclinations for direct photometric and spectroscopic radial-velocity analysis. Even in the small number of cases in which a high-inclination binary near the upper mass limit can be identified, rotational broadening and contamination of spectral line features from thick circumstellar material (either natal clouds or produced by strong stellar wind driven mass loss from one or both of he stellar components) biases the analysis. In the wilds of the upper HR diagram, we're often left with indirect and circumstantial means of determining mass, a rather unsatisfactory state of affairs.

  5. Clinical outcomes in the first year of remitting seronegative symmetrical synovitis with pitting edema (RS3PE) syndrome.

    PubMed

    Origuchi, Tomoki; Arima, Kazuhiko; Umeda, Masataka; Kawashiri, Shin-Ya; Tamai, Mami; Nakamura, Hideki; Tsukada, Toshiaki; Miyashita, Taiichiro; Iwanaga, Nozomi; Izumi, Yasumori; Furuyama, Masako; Tanaka, Fumiko; Kawabe, Yojiro; Aramaki, Toshiyuki; Ueki, Yukitaka; Eguchi, Katsumi; Fukuda, Takaaki; Kawakami, Atsushi

    2017-01-01

    We investigated clinical outcomes in patients with remitting seronegative symmetrical synovitis with pitting edema (RS3PE) syndrome. This is a retrospective multicenter study conducted in Nagasaki, Japan. We consecutively diagnosed a total of 41 patients with RS3PE syndrome between October 2003 and September 2012 and evaluated their outcomes from medical records from the first year of follow-up. Although an excellent initial response to corticosteroids was noted in all 41 patients, 34 (82.9%) were still receiving corticosteroids and 13 (31.7%) showed elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) at one year. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that male gender and high CRP level at entry were independent variables associated with patients' one-year CRP level being ≥0.5 mg/dL. Odds ratios were 17.05 ([95% CI 2.41-370.12], p < 0.026) and 12.99 ([95% CI 1.78-269.62], p < 0.0096), respectively. Twenty-four patients (58.5%) were still receiving prednisolone (PSL) ≥ 5 mg/day at one year. Disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs including methotrexate were required in three patients (10.3%). Neoplasms were found in 14 patients (34.1%) and 1 of these had died due to lung cancer at one year. RS3PE syndrome initially responds well to corticosteroids with remission of symptoms. However, outcomes of RS3PE syndrome appear to be worse than expected, and may be influenced by gender and initial CRP level.

  6. Expert consensus statement 'Neonatologist-performed Echocardiography (NoPE)'-training and accreditation in UK.

    PubMed

    Singh, Yogen; Gupta, Samir; Groves, Alan M; Gandhi, Anjum; Thomson, John; Qureshi, Shakeel; Simpson, John M

    2016-02-01

    Targeted echocardiographic assessments of haemodynamic status are increasingly utilised in many settings. Application in the neonatal intensive care units (NICU) is increasingly demanded but challenging given the risk of underlying structural lesions. This statement follows discussions in UK led by the Neonatologists with an Interest in Cardiology and Haemodynamics (NICHe) group in collaboration with the British Congenital Cardiac Association (BCCA) and the Paediatricians with Expertise in Cardiology Special Interest Group (PECSIG). Clear consensus was agreed on multiple aspects of best practice for neonatologist-performed echocardiogram (NoPE)-rigorous attention to infection control and cardiorespiratory/thermal stability, early referral to paediatric cardiology with suspicion of structural disease, reporting on standardised templates, reliable image storage, regular skills maintenance, collaboration with a designated paediatric cardiologist, and regular scan audit/review. It was agreed that NoPE assessments should confidently exclude structural lesions at first scan. Practitioners would be expected to screen and establish gross normality of structure at first scan and obtain confirmation from paediatric cardiologist if required, and subsequently, functional echocardiography can be performed for haemodynamic assessment to guide management of newborn babies. To achieve training, NICHe group suggested that mandatory placements could be undertaken during core registrar training or neonatal subspecialty grid training with a paediatric cardiology placement for 6 months and a neonatology placement for a minimum of 6 months. In the future, we hope to define a precise curriculum for assessments. Technological advances may provide solutions-improvements in telemedicine may have neonatologists assessing haemodynamic status with paediatric cardiologists excluding structural lesions and neonatal echocardiography simulators could increase exposure to multiple pathologies and

  7. Holographic heat engine within the framework of massive gravity

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mo, Jie-Xiong; Li, Gu-Qiang

    2018-05-01

    Heat engine models are constructed within the framework of massive gravity in this paper. For the four-dimensional charged black holes in massive gravity, it is shown that the existence of graviton mass improves the heat engine efficiency significantly. The situation is more complicated for the five-dimensional neutral black holes since the constant which corresponds to the third massive potential also contributes to the efficiency. It is also shown that the existence of graviton mass can improve the heat engine efficiency. Moreover, we probe how the massive gravity influences the behavior of the heat engine efficiency approaching the Carnot efficiency.

  8. Penetration of HIV-1 Tat47-57 into PC/PE Bilayers Assessed by MD Simulation and X-ray Scattering.

    PubMed

    Neale, Chris; Huang, Kun; García, Angel E; Tristram-Nagle, Stephanie

    2015-09-22

    The interactions of the basic, cell-penetrating region (Y47GRKKRRQRRR57) of the HIV-1 Tat protein with dioleoylphosphatidylcholine (DOPC) bilayers were previously assessed by comparing experimental X-ray diffuse scattering with atomistic molecular dynamics simulations. Here, we extend this investigation by evaluating the influence of phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) lipids. Using experimental bilayer form factors derivedfrom X-ray diffuse scattering data as a guide, our simulations indicate that Tat peptides localize close to the carbonyl-glycerol group in the headgroup region of bilayers composed of either DOPC or DOPC:DOPE (1:1) lipid. Our results also suggest that Tat peptides may more frequently insert into the hydrophobic core of bilayers composed of PC:PE (1:1) lipids than into bilayers composed entirely of PC lipids. PE lipids may facilitate peptide translocation across a lipid bilayer by stabilizing intermediate states in which hydrated peptides span the bilayer.

  9. Inverse relationship between cirrhosis and massive tumours in hepatocellular carcinoma.

    PubMed

    Sarpel, Umut; Ayo, Diego; Lobach, Iryna; Xu, Ruliang; Newman, Elliot

    2012-11-01

    A subset of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) present with massive tumours. It is unknown why certain patients develop these massive tumours, and whether this presentation is specific to the underlying viral aetiology or patient demographics such as gender, race and age. All patients with HCC at Bellevue Hospital Center, New York from 1998 to 2012 were identified and relevant demographic and clinical information was collected. Computed tomography/magnetic resonance imaging (CT/MRI) images were reviewed and the maximal tumour diameter on axial sections was recorded. Cirrhosis was defined histologically or by radiographical criteria. The two cohorts of massive and non-massive HCC were compared. A total of 361 patients with HCC were identified, of which 58 were categorized as having a massive HCC using a 13 cm size cut-off. Univariate and multivariate analysis demonstrated a significant association of massive HCC with age <40 years; hepatitis B or Asian ethnicity; and a lack of cirrhosis or platelet count >100. Massive HCC represents a tumour subtype that is associated with young, chronic hepatitis B carriers with non-cirrhotic livers. The clinical implications of this finding are that patients with massive HCC are typically excellent resection candidates barring the presence of gross vascular invasion or distant metastases. © 2012 International Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association.

  10. Method for PE Pipes Fusion Jointing Based on TRIZ Contradictions Theory

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sun, Jianguang; Tan, Runhua; Gao, Jinyong; Wei, Zihui

    The core of the TRIZ theories is the contradiction detection and solution. TRIZ provided various methods for the contradiction solution, but all that is not systematized. Combined with the technique system conception, this paper summarizes an integration solution method for contradiction solution based on the TRIZ contradiction theory. According to the method, a flowchart of integration solution method for contradiction is given. As a casestudy, method of fusion jointing PE pipe is analysised.

  11. Transport mechanisms through PE-CVD coatings: influence of temperature, coating properties and defects on permeation of water vapour

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kirchheim, Dennis; Jaritz, Montgomery; Mitschker, Felix; Gebhard, Maximilian; Brochhagen, Markus; Hopmann, Christian; Böke, Marc; Devi, Anjana; Awakowicz, Peter; Dahlmann, Rainer

    2017-03-01

    Gas transport mechanisms through plastics are usually described by the temperature-dependent Arrhenius-model and compositions of several plastic layers are represented by the CLT. When it comes to thin films such as plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition (PE-CVD) or plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (PE-ALD) coatings on substrates of polymeric material, a universal model is lacking. While existing models describe diffusion through defects, these models presume that permeation does not occur by other means of transport mechanisms. This paper correlates the existing transport models with data from water vapour transmission experiments.

  12. Modeling populations of rotationally mixed massive stars

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Brott, I.

    2011-02-01

    Massive stars can be considered as cosmic engines. With their high luminosities, strong stellar winds and violent deaths they drive the evolution of galaxies through-out the history of the universe. Despite the importance of massive stars, their evolution is still poorly understood. Two major issues have plagued evolutionary models of massive stars until today: mixing and mass loss On the main sequence, the effects of mass loss remain limited in the considered mass and metallicity range, this thesis concentrates on the role of mixing in massive stars. This thesis approaches this problem just on the cross road between observations and simulations. The main question: Do evolutionary models of single stars, accounting for the effects of rotation, reproduce the observed properties of real stars. In particular we are interested if the evolutionary models can reproduce the surface abundance changes during the main-sequence phase. To constrain our models we build a population synthesis model for the sample of the VLT-FLAMES Survey of Massive stars, for which star-formation history and rotational velocity distribution are well constrained. We consider the four main regions of the Hunter diagram. Nitrogen un-enriched slow rotators and nitrogen enriched fast rotators that are predicted by theory. Nitrogen enriched slow rotators and nitrogen unenriched fast rotators that are not predicted by our model. We conclude that currently these comparisons are not sufficient to verify the theory of rotational mixing. Physical processes in addition to rotational mixing appear necessary to explain the stars in the later two regions. The chapters of this Thesis have been published in the following Journals: Ch. 2: ``Rotating Massive Main-Sequence Stars I: Grids of Evolutionary Models and Isochrones'', I. Brott, S. E. de Mink, M. Cantiello, N. Langer, A. de Koter, C. J. Evans, I. Hunter, C. Trundle, J.S. Vink submitted to Astronomy & Astrop hysics Ch. 3: ``The VLT-FLAMES Survey of Massive

  13. Recyclability of PET/WPI/PE Multilayer Films by Removal of Whey Protein Isolate-Based Coatings with Enzymatic Detergents

    PubMed Central

    Cinelli, Patrizia; Schmid, Markus; Bugnicourt, Elodie; Coltelli, Maria Beatrice; Lazzeri, Andrea

    2016-01-01

    Multilayer plastic films provide a range of properties, which cannot be obtained from monolayer films but, at present, their recyclability is an open issue and should be improved. Research to date has shown the possibility of using whey protein as a layer material with the property of acting as an excellent barrier against oxygen and moisture, replacing petrochemical non-recyclable materials. The innovative approach of the present research was to achieve the recyclability of the substrate films by separating them, with a simple process compatible with industrial procedures, in order to promote recycling processes leading to obtain high value products that will beneficially impact the packaging and food industries. Hence, polyethyleneterephthalate (PET)/polyethylene (PE) multi-layer film was prepared based on PET coated with a whey protein layer, and then the previous structure was laminated with PE. Whey proteins, constituting the coating, can be degraded by enzymes so that the coating films can be washed off from the plastic substrate layer. Enzyme types, dosage, time, and temperature optima, which are compatible with procedures adopted in industrial waste recycling, were determined for a highly-efficient process. The washing of samples based on PET/whey and PET/whey/PE were efficient when performed with enzymatic detergent containing protease enzymes, as an alternative to conventional detergents used in recycling facilities. Different types of enzymatic detergents tested presented positive results in removing the protein layer from the PET substrate and from the PET/whey/PE multilayer films at room temperature. These results attested to the possibility of organizing the pre-treatment of the whey-based multilayer film by washing with different available commercial enzymatic detergents in order to separate PET and PE, thus allowing a better recycling of the two different polymers. Mechanical properties of the plastic substrate, such as stress at yield, stress and

  14. Recyclability of PET/WPI/PE Multilayer Films by Removal of Whey Protein Isolate-Based Coatings with Enzymatic Detergents.

    PubMed

    Cinelli, Patrizia; Schmid, Markus; Bugnicourt, Elodie; Coltelli, Maria Beatrice; Lazzeri, Andrea

    2016-06-14

    Multilayer plastic films provide a range of properties, which cannot be obtained from monolayer films but, at present, their recyclability is an open issue and should be improved. Research to date has shown the possibility of using whey protein as a layer material with the property of acting as an excellent barrier against oxygen and moisture, replacing petrochemical non-recyclable materials. The innovative approach of the present research was to achieve the recyclability of the substrate films by separating them, with a simple process compatible with industrial procedures, in order to promote recycling processes leading to obtain high value products that will beneficially impact the packaging and food industries. Hence, polyethyleneterephthalate (PET)/polyethylene (PE) multi-layer film was prepared based on PET coated with a whey protein layer, and then the previous structure was laminated with PE. Whey proteins, constituting the coating, can be degraded by enzymes so that the coating films can be washed off from the plastic substrate layer. Enzyme types, dosage, time, and temperature optima, which are compatible with procedures adopted in industrial waste recycling, were determined for a highly-efficient process. The washing of samples based on PET/whey and PET/whey/PE were efficient when performed with enzymatic detergent containing protease enzymes, as an alternative to conventional detergents used in recycling facilities. Different types of enzymatic detergents tested presented positive results in removing the protein layer from the PET substrate and from the PET/whey/PE multilayer films at room temperature. These results attested to the possibility of organizing the pre-treatment of the whey-based multilayer film by washing with different available commercial enzymatic detergents in order to separate PET and PE, thus allowing a better recycling of the two different polymers. Mechanical properties of the plastic substrate, such as stress at yield, stress and

  15. The effects of chronic unloading and gap formation on tendon-to-bone healing in a rat model of massive rotator cuff tears

    PubMed Central

    Killian, Megan L.; Cavinatto, Leonardo; Shah, Shivam A.; Sato, Eugene J.; Ward, Samuel R.; Havlioglu, Necat; Galatz, Leesa M.; Thomopoulos, Stavros

    2014-01-01

    The objective of this study was to understand the effect of pre-repair rotator cuff chronicity on post-repair healing outcomes using a chronic and acute multi-tendon rat rotator cuff injury model. Full-thickness dual tendon injuries (supra- and infraspinatus) were created unilaterally in adult male Sprague Dawley rats, and left chronically detached for 8 or 16 weeks. After chronic detachment, tears were repaired and acute dual tendon injuries were created and immediately repaired on contralateral shoulders. Tissue level outcomes for bone, tendon, and muscle were assessed 4 or 8 weeks after repair using histology, microcomputed tomography, biomechanical testing, and biochemical assays. Substantial gap formation was seen in 35% of acute repairs and 44% of chronic repairs. Gap formation negatively correlated with mechanical and structural outcomes for both healing time points regardless of injury duration. Bone and histomorphometry, as well as biomechanics, were similar between acute and chronic injury and repair regardless of chronicity and duration of healing. This study was the first to implement a multi-tendon rotator cuff injury with surgical repair following both chronic and acute injuries. Massive tear in a rodent model resulted in gap formation regardless of injury duration which had detrimental effects on repair outcomes. PMID:24243733

  16. The effects of chronic unloading and gap formation on tendon-to-bone healing in a rat model of massive rotator cuff tears.

    PubMed

    Killian, Megan L; Cavinatto, Leonardo; Shah, Shivam A; Sato, Eugene J; Ward, Samuel R; Havlioglu, Necat; Galatz, Leesa M; Thomopoulos, Stavros

    2014-03-01

    The objective of this study was to understand the effect of pre-repair rotator cuff chronicity on post-repair healing outcomes using a chronic and acute multi-tendon rat rotator cuff injury model. Full-thickness dual tendon injuries (supra- and infraspinatus) were created unilaterally in adult male Sprague Dawley rats, and left chronically detached for 8 or 16 weeks. After chronic detachment, tears were repaired and acute dual tendon injuries were created and immediately repaired on contralateral shoulders. Tissue level outcomes for bone, tendon, and muscle were assessed 4 or 8 weeks after repair using histology, microcomputed tomography, biomechanical testing, and biochemical assays. Substantial gap formation was seen in 35% of acute repairs and 44% of chronic repairs. Gap formation negatively correlated with mechanical and structural outcomes for both healing time points regardless of injury duration. Bone and histomorphometry, as well as biomechanics, were similar between acute and chronic injury and repair regardless of chronicity and duration of healing. This study was the first to implement a multi-tendon rotator cuff injury with surgical repair following both chronic and acute injuries. Massive tear in a rodent model resulted in gap formation regardless of injury duration which had detrimental effects on repair outcomes. © 2013 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  17. The clinical spectrum of remitting seronegative symmetrical synovitis with pitting edema. The Catalán Group for the Study of RS3PE.

    PubMed

    Olivé, A; del Blanco, J; Pons, M; Vaquero, M; Tena, X

    1997-02-01

    To describe the clinical and laboratory features and outcome of patients with remitting seronegative symmetrical synovitis with pitting edema (RS3PE). A retrospective multicenter study of patients with RS3PE fulfilling the following criteria: (1) bilateral pitting edema of both hands, (2) sudden onset of polyarthritis, (3) age > 50 years, (4) seronegative for rheumatoid factor (RF). 27 patients with RS3PE were included, mean age 71.7 years (58-92), 18 men (66.6%) and 9 women (33.3%). Relevant history was noted in 2 patients with polymyalgia rheumatica. Main clinical features were polyarthritis and edema of both hands. Polyarthritis involved metacarpophalangeal joints in 22 patients (81.5%), proximal interphalangeal joints in 19 (70.4%), wrists in 15 (55.5%), shoulders in 13 (48%), elbows in 3 (11.1%), knees in 9 (33.3%), and ankles in 7 (25.9%). All patients were RF negative. Antinuclear antibodies were positive at low titer in 8 patients. Erosions were present in one patient. Two patients developed T lymphoma and one myelodysplastic syndrome. RS3PE is a heterogeneous syndrome the clinical history, presence of erosions, and evolution to hematological diseases in our patients suggest that RS3PE may not be a distinct clinical entity.

  18. XPS analysis of PE and EVA samples irradiated at different γ-doses

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dorey, Samuel; Gaston, Fanny; Marque, Sylvain R. A.; Bortolotti, Benjamin; Dupuy, Nathalie

    2018-01-01

    The principal plastic materials used for the fluid contact and storage in the biopharmaceutical industry are mainly made up of semi-crystalline polymers, polyolefins, PVC, Siloxane and PET. The polyethylene (PE) and the polypropylene (PP) are often used as fluid contact in multi-layer materials like films. As one sterilisation way of single-use plastic devices used in medical and pharmaceutical fields can take place via γ-irradiation, the effect of sterilization on plastics must be investigated. The irradiation process leads to the production of radicals, which can generate changes in the polymer structure and on the polymer surface. It is well known that the presence of oxygen with free radicals precede the generation of peroxide species so called ROS (reactive oxygen species) which are highly reactive. The purpose of this work is to investigate the γ-rays impact on the surface of PE (polyethylene) and EVA (polyethylene vinyl alcohol) based films when ionized at different doses. X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) was applied to determine the surface compositions of the polymers to highlight the different chemical moieties generated during the γ-irradiation process and to monitor the potential presence of the ROS.

  19. Coordinated field study for CaPE: Analysis of energy and water budgets

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Goodman, Steven J.; Duchon, Claude; Kanemasu, Edward T.; Smith, Eric A.; Crosson, William; Laymon, Chip; Luvall, Jeff

    1993-01-01

    The objectives of this hydrologic cycle study are to understand and model (1) surface energy and land-atmosphere water transfer processes, and (2) interactions between convective storms and surface energy fluxes. A surface energy budget measurement campaign was carried out by an interdisciplinary science team during the period July 8 - August 19, 1991 as part of the Convection and Precipitation/Electrification Experiment (CaPE) in the vicinity of Cape Canaveral, FL. Among the research themes associated with CaPE is the remote estimation of rainfall. Thus, in addition to surface radiation and energy budget measurements, surface mesonet, special radiosonde, precipitation, high-resolution satellite (SPOT) data, geosynchronous (GOES) and polar orbiting (DMSP SSM/I, OLS; NOAA AVHRR) satellite data, and high altitude airplane data (AMPR, MAMS, HIS) were collected. Initial quality control of the seven surface flux station data sets has begun. Ancillary data sets are being collected and assembled for analysis. Browsing of GOES and radar data has begun to classify days as disturbed/undisturbed to identify the larger scale forcing of the pre-convective environment, convection storms and precipitation. The science analysis plan has been finalized and tasks assigned to various investigators.

  20. Critical N = (1, 1) general massive supergravity

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Deger, Nihat Sadik; Moutsopoulos, George; Rosseel, Jan

    2018-04-01

    In this paper we study the supermultiplet structure of N = (1, 1) General Massive Supergravity at non-critical and critical points of its parameter space. To do this, we first linearize the theory around its maximally supersymmetric AdS3 vacuum and obtain the full linearized Lagrangian including fermionic terms. At generic values, linearized modes can be organized as two massless and 2 massive multiplets where supersymmetry relates them in the standard way. At critical points logarithmic modes appear and we find that in three of such points some of the supersymmetry transformations are non-invertible in logarithmic multiplets. However, in the fourth critical point, there is a massive logarithmic multiplet with invertible supersymmetry transformations.

  1. Massive infrared clusters in the Milky Way

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chené, André-Nicolas; Ramírez Alegría, Sebastian; Borissova, Jordanka; Hervé, Anthony; Martins, Fabrice; Kuhn, Michael; Minniti, Dante; VVV Science Team

    2017-11-01

    Our position in the Milky Way (MW) is both a blessing and a curse. We are nearby to many star clusters, but the dust that is a product of their very existence obscures them. Also, many massive young clusters are expected to be located near, or across the Galactic Center, where the dust extinction is extreme (A V > 15 mag) and can be better penetrated by infrared photons. This paper reviews the discoveries and the study of new MW massive stars and massive clusters made possible by near infrared observations that are part of the VISTA Variables in the Vía Láctea (VVV) survey. It discusses what the studies of their fundamental parameters have taught us.

  2. Associative Networks on a Massively Parallel Computer.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1985-10-01

    lgbt (as a group of numbers, in this case), but this only leads to sensible queries when a statistical function is applied: "What is the largest salary...34.*"* . •.,. 64 the siW~pe operations being used during ascend, each movement step costs the same as executing an operation

  3. A Massive Star Census of the Starburst Cluster R136

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Crowther, Paul

    2011-10-01

    We propose to carry out a comprehensive census of the most massive stars in the central parsec {4"} of the starburst cluster, R136, which powers the Tarantula Nebula in the LMC. R136 is both sufficiently massive that the upper mass function is richly populated and young enough that its most massive stars have yet to explode as supernovae. The identification of very massive stars in R136, up to 300 solar masses, raises general questions of star formation, binarity and feedback in young massive clusters. The proposed STIS spectral survey of 36 stars more massive than 50 solar masses within R136 is ground-breaking, of legacy value, and is specifically tailored to a} yield physical properties; b} detect the majority of binaries by splitting observations between Cycles 19 and 20; c} measure rotational velocities, relevant for predictions of rotational mixing; d} quantify mass-loss properties for very massive stars; e} determine surface compositions; f} measure radial velocities, relevant for runaway stars and cluster dynamics; g} quantify radiative and mechanical feedback. This census will enable the mass function of very massive stars to be measured for the first time, as a result of incomplete and inadequate spectroscopy to date. It will also perfectly complement our Tarantula Survey, a ground-based VLT Large Programme, by including the most massive stars that are inaccessible to ground-based visual spectroscopy due to severe crowding. These surveys, together with existing integrated UV and optical studies will enable 30 Doradus to serve as a bona-fide template for unresolved extragalactic starburst regions.

  4. A Massive Star Census of the Starburst Cluster R136

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Crowther, Paul

    2012-10-01

    We propose to carry out a comprehensive census of the most massive stars in the central parsec {4"} of the starburst cluster, R136, which powers the Tarantula Nebula in the LMC. R136 is both sufficiently massive that the upper mass function is richly populated and young enough that its most massive stars have yet to explode as supernovae. The identification of very massive stars in R136, up to 300 solar masses, raises general questions of star formation, binarity and feedback in young massive clusters. The proposed STIS spectral survey of 36 stars more massive than 50 solar masses within R136 is ground-breaking, of legacy value, and is specifically tailored to a} yield physical properties; b} detect the majority of binaries by splitting observations between Cycles 19 and 20; c} measure rotational velocities, relevant for predictions of rotational mixing; d} quantify mass-loss properties for very massive stars; e} determine surface compositions; f} measure radial velocities, relevant for runaway stars and cluster dynamics; g} quantify radiative and mechanical feedback. This census will enable the mass function of very massive stars to be measured for the first time, as a result of incomplete and inadequate spectroscopy to date. It will also perfectly complement our Tarantula Survey, a ground-based VLT Large Programme, by including the most massive stars that are inaccessible to ground-based visual spectroscopy due to severe crowding. These surveys, together with existing integrated UV and optical studies will enable 30 Doradus to serve as a bona-fide template for unresolved extragalactic starburst regions.

  5. Monitoring and treatment of acute gastrointestinal bleeding.

    PubMed

    Lenjani, Basri; Zeka, Sadik; Krasniqi, Salih; Bunjaku, Ilaz; Jakupi, Arianit; Elshani, Besni; Xhafa, Agim

    2012-01-01

    Acute gastrointestinal bleeding-massive acute bleeding from gastrointestinal section is one of the most frequent forms of acute abdomen. The mortality degree in emergency surgery is about 10%. It's very difficult to identify the place of bleeding and etiology. The important purpose of this research is to present the cases of acute gastrointestinal bleeding from the patients which were monitored and treated at The University Clinical Center of Kosova-Emergency Center in Pristina. These inquests included 137 patients with acute gastrointestinal bleeding who were treated in emergency center of The University Clinical Center in Pristina for the period from January 2005 until December 2006. From 137 patients with acute gastrointestinal bleeding 41% or 29% was female and 96% or 70.1% male. Following the sex we gained a high significant difference of statistics (p < 0.01). The gastrointestinal bleeding was two times more frequent in male than in female. Also in the age-group we had a high significant difference of statistics (p < 0.01) 63.5% of patients were over 55 years old. The mean age of patients with an acute gastrointestinal bleeding was 58.4 years SD 15.8 age. The mean age for female patients was 56.4 age SD 18.5 age. The patients with arterial systolic pressure under 100 mmHg have been classified as patients with hypovolemic shock. They participate with 17.5% in all prevalence of acute gastrointestinal bleeding. From the number of prevalence 2 {1.5%} patients have been diagnosed with peptic ulcer, 1 {0.7%} as gastric perforation and 1 {0.7%} with intestine ischemia. Abdominal Surgery and Intensive Care 2 or 1.5% died, 1 at intensive care unit and 1 at nephrology. As we know the severe condition of the patients with gastrointestinal bleeding and etiology it is very difficult to establish, we need to improve for the better conditions in our emergency center for treatment and initiation base of clinic criteria.

  6. Search for PeVatrons at the Galactic Center using a radio air-shower array at the South Pole

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Balagopal V., A.; Haungs, A.; Huege, T.; Schröder, F. G.

    2018-02-01

    The South Pole, which hosts the IceCube Neutrino Observatory, has a complete and around-the-clock exposure to the Galactic Center. Hence, it is an ideal location to search for gamma rays of PeV energy coming from the Galactic Center. However, it is hard to detect air showers initiated by these gamma rays using cosmic-ray particle detectors due to the low elevation of the Galactic Center. The use of antennas to measure the radio footprint of these air showers will help in this case, and would allow for a 24/7 operation time. So far, only air showers with energies well above 10^{16} eV have been detected with the radio technique. Thus, the energy threshold has to be lowered for the detection of gamma-ray showers of PeV energy. This can be achieved by optimizing the frequency band in order to obtain a higher level of signal-to-noise ratio. With such an approach, PeV gamma-ray showers with high inclination can be measured at the South Pole.

  7. The use of old and recent DSM definitions of premature ejaculation in observational studies: a contribution to the present debate for a new classification of PE in the DSM-V.

    PubMed

    Waldinger, Marcel D; Schweitzer, Dave H

    2008-05-01

    The DSM-III definition of premature ejaculation (PE) contains the criterion "control" but not that of "ejaculation time." In contrast, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th edition, Text Revision) (DSM-IV-TR) contains the criterion "short ejaculation time," while it lacks "control." To review the adequacy and consequent use of all criteria of the DSM-IV-TR definition in previously published PE Internet surveys. Reviewing all published cohort studies on PE from 2004 to 2007. MEDLINE and EMBASE computer bibliographies were used. Definitions of DSM-III, DSM-IV-TR, and International Classification of Diseases. Five papers, of which three are original studies, reported inclusion of men with PE according to DSM-IV-TR definition but omitted to apply the required "short ejaculation time" criterion. These studies, which have defined PE according to subjective criteria such as control, actually referred to the DSM-III definition. Using DSM-III-like definitions in three different studies revealed a highly variable prevalence of PE (32.5%, 27.6%, and 13.0%). In contrast, based on studies using a 1-minute cutoff point, being the time that is required to call ejaculation time "short" or using the criterion "persistent occurrence," PE revealed to be far less prevalent (5-6%). Unacceptable discrepancies of PE definitions according to DSM-III (abandoned but still used) and DSM-IV-TR argue strongly in favor of a multidimensional new classification of PE for the DSM-V.

  8. Severe acute haemorrhagic liver failure in a neonate with a favourable spontaneous outcome.

    PubMed

    Cavet, Madeleine; Balu, Marie; Garel, Catherine; Mitanchez, Delphine; Renolleau, Sylvain; Alexandre, Marie; Pariente, Danièle; Ducou le Pointe, Hubert

    2008-10-01

    Acute liver failure in neonates is rare and is frequently associated with an unfavourable outcome. There is no curative treatment other than liver transplantation. Screening for viral, metabolic, toxic or vascular disease is essential to assess the prognosis and to guide specific treatment. Hepatic haemorrhage in neonates is often associated with bacterial infection, trauma and coagulopathies. We present a unique case of neonatal acute liver failure and multifocal massive haemorrhagic intrahepatic lesions of traumatic origin, documented by US and MRI. The patient made a spontaneous recovery. Clinical, biological and imaging outcome was excellent despite the apparent severity of the initial features. The only possible aetiology was a difficult caesarean delivery for mild fetal macrosomia.

  9. Efficiency of centrifugal mechanism in producing PeV neutrinos from active galactic nuclei

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Osmanov, Zaza; Mahajan, Swadesh; Machabeli, George; Chkheidze, Nino

    2018-05-01

    A several-step theoretical model is constructed to trace the origin of ultra high energy (UHE) [ 1 - 2 ] PeV neutrinos detected, recently, by the IceCube collaboration. Protons in the AGN magnetosphere, experiencing different gravitational centrifugal force, provide free energy for the parametric excitation of Langmuir waves via a generalized two-stream instability. Landau damping of these waves, outside the AGN magnetosphere, can accelerate protons to ultra high energies. The ultimate source for this mechanism, the Langmuir-Landau-Centrifugal-Drive (LLCD), is the gravitational energy of the compact object. The LLCD generated UHE protons provide the essential ingredient in the creation of UHE neutrinos via appropriate hadronic reactions; protons of energy 1017 eV can be generated in the plasmas surrounding AGN with bolometric luminosities of the order of 1043 ergs s-1. By estimating the diffusive energy flux of extragalactic neutrinos in the energy interval [ 1 - 2 ] PeV, we find that an acceptably small fraction 0.003% of the total bolometric luminosity will suffice to create the observed fluxes of extragalactic ultra-high energy neutrinos.

  10. Massive-Star Magnetospheres: Now in 3-D!

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Townsend, Richard

    Magnetic fields are unexpected in massive stars, due to the absence of a dynamo convection zone beneath their surface layers. Nevertheless, kilogauss-strength, ordered fields were detected in a small subset of these stars over three decades ago, and the intervening years have witnessed the steady expansion of this subset. A distinctive feature of magnetic massive stars is that they harbor magnetospheres --- circumstellar environments where the magnetic field interacts strongly with the star's radiation-driven wind, confining it and channelling it into energetic shocks. A wide range of observational signatures are associated with these magnetospheres, in diagnostics ranging from X-rays all the way through to radio emission. Moreover, these magnetospheres can play an important role in massive-star evolution, by amplifying angular momentum loss in the wind. Recent progress in understanding massive-star magnetospheres has largely been driven by magnetohydrodynamical (MHD) simulations. However, these have been restricted to two- dimensional axisymmetric configurations, with three-dimensional configurations possible only in certain special cases. These restrictions are limiting further progress; we therefore propose to develop completely general three-dimensional models for the magnetospheres of massive stars, on the one hand to understand their observational properties and exploit them as plasma-physics laboratories, and on the other to gain a comprehensive understanding of how they influence the evolution of their host star. For weak- and intermediate-field stars, the models will be based on 3-D MHD simulations using a modified version of the ZEUS-MP code. For strong-field stars, we will extend our existing Rigid Field Hydrodynamics (RFHD) code to handle completely arbitrary field topologies. To explore a putative 'photoionization-moderated mass loss' mechanism for massive-star magnetospheres, we will also further develop a photoionization code we have recently

  11. ATLASGAL - towards a complete sample of massive star forming clumps

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Urquhart, J. S.; Moore, T. J. T.; Csengeri, T.; Wyrowski, F.; Schuller, F.; Hoare, M. G.; Lumsden, S. L.; Mottram, J. C.; Thompson, M. A.; Menten, K. M.; Walmsley, C. M.; Bronfman, L.; Pfalzner, S.; König, C.; Wienen, M.

    2014-09-01

    By matching infrared-selected, massive young stellar objects (MYSOs) and compact H II regions in the Red MSX Source survey to massive clumps found in the submillimetre ATLASGAL (APEX Telescope Large Area Survey of the Galaxy) survey, we have identified ˜1000 embedded young massive stars between 280° < ℓ < 350° and 10° < ℓ < 60° with | b | < 1.5°. Combined with an existing sample of radio-selected methanol masers and compact H II regions, the result is a catalogue of ˜1700 massive stars embedded within ˜1300 clumps located across the inner Galaxy, containing three observationally distinct subsamples, methanol-maser, MYSO and H II-region associations, covering the most important tracers of massive star formation, thought to represent key stages of evolution. We find that massive star formation is strongly correlated with the regions of highest column density in spherical, centrally condensed clumps. We find no significant differences between the three samples in clump structure or the relative location of the embedded stars, which suggests that the structure of a clump is set before the onset of star formation, and changes little as the embedded object evolves towards the main sequence. There is a strong linear correlation between clump mass and bolometric luminosity, with the most massive stars forming in the most massive clumps. We find that the MYSO and H II-region subsamples are likely to cover a similar range of evolutionary stages and that the majority are near the end of their main accretion phase. We find few infrared-bright MYSOs associated with the most massive clumps, probably due to very short pre-main-sequence lifetimes in the most luminous sources.

  12. HOW TO FIND YOUNG MASSIVE CLUSTER PROGENITORS

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

    Bressert, E.; Longmore, S.; Testi, L.

    2012-10-20

    We propose that bound, young massive stellar clusters form from dense clouds that have escape speeds greater than the sound speed in photo-ionized gas. In these clumps, radiative feedback in the form of gas ionization is bottled up, enabling star formation to proceed to sufficiently high efficiency so that the resulting star cluster remains bound even after gas removal. We estimate the observable properties of the massive proto-clusters (MPCs) for existing Galactic plane surveys and suggest how they may be sought in recent and upcoming extragalactic observations. These surveys will potentially provide a significant sample of MPC candidates that willmore » allow us to better understand extreme star-formation and massive cluster formation in the Local Universe.« less

  13. The Lipid domain Phase diagram in a Dipalmitoyl-PC/Docosahaexnoic Acid-PE/Cholesterol System

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lor, Chai; Hirst, Linda

    2011-03-01

    Lipid domains in bilayer membrane and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are thought to play an important role in cellular activities. In particular, lipids containing docosahaexnoic acid are an interesting class of PUFAs due to their health benefits. In this project, we perform oxidation measurements of DHA-PE to determine the rate of oxidation in combination with antioxidants. A ternary diagram of DPPC/DHA-PE/cholesterol is mapped out to identify phase separation phenomena using atomic force microscope (AFM). Fluorescence microscopy is also used to image lipid domains in a flat bilayer with fluorescent labels. As expected, we observe the phase, shape, and size of lipid domains changes with varying composition. Moreover, we find that the roughness of the domains changes possibly due to overpacking of cholesterol in domains. This model study provides further understanding of the role of cholesterol in the bilayer membrane leading towards a better understanding of cell membranes. NSF award # DMR 0852791, ``CAREER: Self-Assembly of Polyunsaturated Lipids and Cholesterol In The Cell Membrane.''

  14. PeV neutrinos from intergalactic interactions of cosmic rays emitted by active galactic nuclei.

    PubMed

    Kalashev, Oleg E; Kusenko, Alexander; Essey, Warren

    2013-07-26

    The observed very high energy spectra of distant blazars are well described by secondary gamma rays produced in line-of-sight interactions of cosmic rays with background photons. In the absence of the cosmic-ray contribution, one would not expect to observe very hard spectra from distant sources, but the cosmic ray interactions generate very high energy gamma rays relatively close to the observer, and they are not attenuated significantly. The same interactions of cosmic rays are expected to produce a flux of neutrinos with energies peaked around 1 PeV. We show that the diffuse isotropic neutrino background from many distant sources can be consistent with the neutrino events recently detected by the IceCube experiment. We also find that the flux from any individual nearby source is insufficient to account for these events. The narrow spectrum around 1 PeV implies that some active galactic nuclei can accelerate protons to EeV energies.

  15. Effects of prosthetic materials on the host immune response: evaluation of polymethyl-methacrylate (PMMA), polyethylene (PE), and polystyrene (PS) particles.

    PubMed

    Frick, Chris; Dietz, Andrew C; Merritt, Katharine; Umbreit, Thomas H; Tomazic-Jezic, Vesna J

    2006-01-01

    The main causes for the long-term prosthetic implants' failure are the body's reaction to the implanted material or mechanical stress on the device resulting in the formation of wear particles. Particulate wear debris attracts macrophages, and depending on the chemical composition of the material and particle size, various levels of inflammatory response may occur. While transient inflammation is common, development of chronic inflammation may have serious consequences, leading to implant failure. Such a process may also cause systemic changes to immune functions and long-term effects on the host immune responses. In this study, we evaluated the effects of polystyrene (PS), polyethylene (PE), and polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) particles on macrophage function and the generation of T-cell responses. Particles of various diameters were injected intraperitoneally into Balb/c mice, and immune functions were examined at 3, 10, and 21 days after the injection. The intensity of phagocytosis by peritoneal exudate cells (PECs) and the proliferative response of spleen cells from treated mice were evaluated. Enumeration of PECs revealed an increase in the total number of cells. Mice injected with PS or PE particles had a higher percentage of cells containing particles than PMMA-injected mice. Macrophages with PS or PE particles tended to adhere to and/or infiltrate peritoneal fibro-fatty tissues surrounding the spleen and pancreas, while the PMMA-carrying macrophages infiltrated the spleen, resulting in an increase of spleen size and "weight. The spleen cell proliferation assay revealed only mild and transient effects on the mitogen response in both PE and PS particle-injected mice. However, in the PMMA-injected mice we observed a lasting increase of the Con A response and a decrease of the LPS response. In vitro exposure of PECs from untreated mice showed a dose-response pattern in nitric oxide (NO) and TNFalpha production. While exposure to either PMMA or PE induced

  16. Nucleosynthesis in the first massive stars

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Choplin, Arthur; Meynet, Georges; Maeder, André; Hirschi, Raphael; Chiappini, Cristina

    2018-01-01

    The nucleosynthesis in the first massive stars may be constrained by observing the surface composition of long-lived very iron-poor stars born around 10 billion years ago from material enriched by their ejecta. Many interesting clues on physical processes having occurred in the first stars can be obtained based on nuclear aspects. First, in these first massive stars, mixing must have occurred between the H-burning and the He-burning zone during their nuclear lifetimes; Second, only the outer layers of these massive stars have enriched the material from which the very iron-poor stars, observed today in the halo of the MilkyWay, have formed. These two basic requirements can be obtained by rotating stellar models at very low metallicity. In the present paper, we discuss the arguments supporting this view and illustrate the sensitivity of the results concerning the [Mg/Al] ratio on the rate of the reaction 23Na(p,γ)24Mg.

  17. Massive and Open

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fasimpaur, Karen

    2013-01-01

    MOOCs--massive open online courses--are all the rage these days, with hundreds of thousands of participants signing up and investors plunking down millions to get a piece of the pie. Why is there so much excitement about this new disruptive form of online learning, and how does this model apply to professional learning for teachers? Traditional…

  18. A national common massive transfusion protocol (MTP) is a feasible and advantageous option for centralized blood services and hospitals.

    PubMed

    Chay, J; Koh, M; Tan, H H; Ng, J; Ng, H J; Chia, N; Kuperan, P; Tan, J; Lew, E; Tan, L K; Koh, P L; Desouza, K A; Bin Mohd Fathil, S; Kyaw, P M; Ang, A L

    2016-01-01

    A common national MTP was jointly implemented in 2011 by the national blood service (Blood Services Group) and seven participating acute hospitals to provide rapid access to transfusion support for massively haemorrhaging patients treated in all acute care hospitals. Through a systematic clinical workflow, blood components are transfused in a ratio of 1:1:1 (pRBC: whole blood-derived platelets: FFP), together with cryoprecipitate for fibrinogen replacement. The composition of components for the MTP is fixed, although operational aspects of the MTP can be adapted by individual hospitals to suit local hospital workflow. The MTP could be activated in support of any patient with critical bleeding and at risk of massive transfusion, including trauma and non-trauma general medical, surgical and obstetric patients. There were 434 activations of the MTP from October 2011 to October 2013. Thirty-nine per cent were for trauma patients, and 30% were for surgical patients with heavy intra-operative bleeding, with 25% and 6% for patients with gastrointestinal bleeding and peri-partum haemorrhage, respectively. Several hospitals reported reduction in mean time between request and arrival of blood. Mean transfusion ratio achieved was one red cell unit: 0·8 FFP units: 0·8 whole blood-derived platelet units: 0·4 units of cryoprecipitate. Although cryoprecipitate usage more than doubled after introduction of MTP, there was no significant rise in overall red cells, platelet and FFP usage following implementation. This successful collaboration shows that shared transfusion protocols are feasible and potentially advantageous for hospitals sharing a central blood provider. © 2015 International Society of Blood Transfusion.

  19. Massively parallel information processing systems for space applications

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Schaefer, D. H.

    1979-01-01

    NASA is developing massively parallel systems for ultra high speed processing of digital image data collected by satellite borne instrumentation. Such systems contain thousands of processing elements. Work is underway on the design and fabrication of the 'Massively Parallel Processor', a ground computer containing 16,384 processing elements arranged in a 128 x 128 array. This computer uses existing technology. Advanced work includes the development of semiconductor chips containing thousands of feedthrough paths. Massively parallel image analog to digital conversion technology is also being developed. The goal is to provide compact computers suitable for real-time onboard processing of images.

  20. Young Star Clusters: Keys to Understanding Massive Stars

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Davies, B.

    2012-12-01

    Young, coeval clusters of stars provide the perfect laboratory in which to test our understanding of how massive stars evolve. Early optical observations limited us to a handful of low-mass clusters within 1kpc. However, thanks to the recent progress in infrared astronomy, the Milky Way's population of young massive star clusters is now beginning to be revealed. Here, I will review the recent progress made in this field, what it has told us about the evolution of massive stars to supernova and beyond, the prospects for this field, and some issues that should be taken into account when interpreting the results.

  1. NON-AQUEOUS DISSOLUTION OF MASSIVE PLUTONIUM

    DOEpatents

    Reavis, J.G.; Leary, J.A.; Walsh, K.A.

    1959-05-12

    A method is presented for obtaining non-aqueous solutions or plutonium from massive forms of the metal. In the present invention massive plutonium is added to a salt melt consisting of 10 to 40 weight per cent of sodium chloride and the balance zinc chloride. The plutonium reacts at about 800 deg C with the zinc chloride to form a salt bath of plutonium trichloride, sodium chloride, and metallic zinc. The zinc is separated from the salt melt by forcing the molten mixture through a Pyrex filter.

  2. Serial Manifestation of Acute Kidney Injury and Nephrotic Syndrome in a Patient with TAFRO syndrome.

    PubMed

    Ito, Seigo; Uchida, Takahiro; Itai, Hiroki; Yamashiro, Aoi; Yamagata, Akira; Matsubara, Hidehito; Imakiire, Toshihiko; Shimazaki, Hideyuki; Kumagai, Hiroo; Oshima, Naoki

    2018-06-06

    A 76-year-old woman suddenly developed anasarca and a fever, and an examination revealed thrombocytopenia, reticulin fibrosis, and acute kidney injury, yielding the diagnosis of TAFRO syndrome. Renal replacement therapy and steroid treatment were soon started. Her proteinuria was minor at first; however, once the kidney function improved, nephrotic syndrome occurred. A kidney biopsy showed membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis-like glomerulopathy with massive macrophage infiltration. Although kidney dysfunction is often observed in TAFRO syndrome patients, its detailed mechanism is unclear. This case suggests that TAFRO syndrome involves both acute kidney injury with minor proteinuria and nephrotic syndrome, and these disorders can develop serially in the same patient.

  3. Massive Bilateral Serous Retinal Detachment in a Case of Hypertensive Chorioretinopathy

    PubMed Central

    Villalba-Pinto, Luis; Hernández-Ortega, M. Ángeles; de los Mozos, F. Javier Lavid; Pascual-Camps, Isabel; Dolz-Marco, Rosa; Arevalo, J. Fernando; Gallego-Pinazo, Roberto

    2014-01-01

    Introduction Systemic high blood pressure is related to a variety of retinal manifestations. We present an atypical case of hypertensive chorioretinopathy with massive bilateral serous retinal detachment. Case Report A 26-year-old male with a genitourinary malformation and secondary grade IV chronic kidney failure as well as high blood pressure complained of acute vision loss. Dilated fundus examination evidenced a bilateral serous retinal detachment with macular involvement. The patient was unresponsive to oral antihypertensive therapy and dialysis treatment. The serous retinal detachment progressively decreased after the restoration of dialysis and antihypertensive therapy. The final visual acuity was 0.50 in both eyes. Discussion In cases of serous macular detachment, it is mandatory to rule out different systemic and ocular diseases. The presence of uncontrolled high blood pressure may produce aggressive bilateral retinal changes, thus hypertension must be under early and strict control in order to improve the visual outcomes. PMID:25120474

  4. Topical perspective on massive threading and parallelism.

    PubMed

    Farber, Robert M

    2011-09-01

    Unquestionably computer architectures have undergone a recent and noteworthy paradigm shift that now delivers multi- and many-core systems with tens to many thousands of concurrent hardware processing elements per workstation or supercomputer node. GPGPU (General Purpose Graphics Processor Unit) technology in particular has attracted significant attention as new software development capabilities, namely CUDA (Compute Unified Device Architecture) and OpenCL™, have made it possible for students as well as small and large research organizations to achieve excellent speedup for many applications over more conventional computing architectures. The current scientific literature reflects this shift with numerous examples of GPGPU applications that have achieved one, two, and in some special cases, three-orders of magnitude increased computational performance through the use of massive threading to exploit parallelism. Multi-core architectures are also evolving quickly to exploit both massive-threading and massive-parallelism such as the 1.3 million threads Blue Waters supercomputer. The challenge confronting scientists in planning future experimental and theoretical research efforts--be they individual efforts with one computer or collaborative efforts proposing to use the largest supercomputers in the world is how to capitalize on these new massively threaded computational architectures--especially as not all computational problems will scale to massive parallelism. In particular, the costs associated with restructuring software (and potentially redesigning algorithms) to exploit the parallelism of these multi- and many-threaded machines must be considered along with application scalability and lifespan. This perspective is an overview of the current state of threading and parallelize with some insight into the future. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  5. Comparison of Molecular Adsorbents Recirculating System (MARS) dialysis with combined plasma exchange and haemodialysis in children with acute liver failure.

    PubMed

    Schaefer, Betti; Schaefer, Franz; Engelmann, Guido; Meyburg, Jochen; Heckert, Karl Heinz; Zorn, Markus; Schmitt, Claus Peter

    2011-11-01

    Molecular Adsorbents Recirculating System (MARS) is an extracorporeal liver support system eliminating albumin-bound and water-soluble substances. While it is increasingly applied in patients with acute liver failure (ALF), no comparison with standard dialysis methods has yet been performed. This is an analysis of ten children (0.1-18 years) with ALF, who underwent a total of 22 MARS sessions. Standard adult MARS sets were used in seven (23.5-72 kg) and MARS Mini in three children (2.8-13 kg). In eight children, MARS was alternated with combined plasma exchange (PE) and haemodialysis (HD) treatments. Mean treatment duration was 7.2 (6-10) h for MARS and 5.7 (4.5-6.6) h for PE/HD. Standard MARS treatment only slightly decreased serum bilirubin (16.3 ± 6.5-13.8 ± 5.9 mg/dL) and ammonia (113 ± 62-99 ± 68 μmol/L) and international normalized ratio (INR) tended to increase (1.5 ± 0.3 and 2 ± 1.1). Mini-MARS did not reduce serum bilirubin (19.7 ± 3-20.5 ± 3.2 mg/dL), ammonia slightly decreased (70 ± 24-56 ± 9 μmol/L) and INR increased (2.5 ± 0.7-2.9 ± 1.1, all P = n.s.). In contrast, PE/HD reduced serum bilirubin (23 ± 8.4-14.7 ± 7 mg/dL), ammonia (120 ± 60-70 ± 40 μmol/L) and INR (2.4 ± 0.8-1.4 ± 0.1, all P < 0.05). Intraindividual comparison showed a slight increase in bilirubin by 2 ± 22% with MARS and a reduction by 37 ± 11% with PE/HD (P < 0.001 versus MARS) and a decrease in ammonia of 18 ± 27 and 39 ± 23% (P < 0.05). INR increased during MARS by 26 ± 41% and decreased with PE/HD by 37 ± 20% (P < 0.01). All treatment sessions were well tolerated. Five children died, including the three children treated with Mini-MARS. Our experience suggests superior efficacy of combined PE/HD as compared to intermittent MARS therapy for treating ALF.

  6. Observational properties of massive black hole binary progenitors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hainich, R.; Oskinova, L. M.; Shenar, T.; Marchant, P.; Eldridge, J. J.; Sander, A. A. C.; Hamann, W.-R.; Langer, N.; Todt, H.

    2018-01-01

    Context. The first directly detected gravitational waves (GW 150914) were emitted by two coalescing black holes (BHs) with masses of ≈ 36 M⊙ and ≈ 29 M⊙. Several scenarios have been proposed to put this detection into an astrophysical context. The evolution of an isolated massive binary system is among commonly considered models. Aims: Various groups have performed detailed binary-evolution calculations that lead to BH merger events. However, the question remains open as to whether binary systems with the predicted properties really exist. The aim of this paper is to help observers to close this gap by providing spectral characteristics of massive binary BH progenitors during a phase where at least one of the companions is still non-degenerate. Methods: Stellar evolution models predict fundamental stellar parameters. Using these as input for our stellar atmosphere code (Potsdam Wolf-Rayet), we compute a set of models for selected evolutionary stages of massive merging BH progenitors at different metallicities. Results: The synthetic spectra obtained from our atmosphere calculations reveal that progenitors of massive BH merger events start their lives as O2-3V stars that evolve to early-type blue supergiants before they undergo core-collapse during the Wolf-Rayet phase. When the primary has collapsed, the remaining system will appear as a wind-fed high-mass X-ray binary. Based on our atmosphere models, we provide feedback parameters, broad band magnitudes, and spectral templates that should help to identify such binaries in the future. Conclusions: While the predicted parameter space for massive BH binary progenitors is partly realized in nature, none of the known massive binaries match our synthetic spectra of massive BH binary progenitors exactly. Comparisons of empirically determined mass-loss rates with those assumed by evolution calculations reveal significant differences. The consideration of the empirical mass-loss rates in evolution calculations will

  7. Embeddings of the "New Massive Gravity"

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dalmazi, D.; Mendonça, E. L.

    2016-07-01

    Here we apply different types of embeddings of the equations of motion of the linearized "New Massive Gravity" in order to generate alternative and even higher-order (in derivatives) massive gravity theories in D=2+1. In the first part of the work we use the Weyl symmetry as a guiding principle for the embeddings. First we show that a Noether gauge embedding of the Weyl symmetry leads to a sixth-order model in derivatives with either a massive or a massless ghost, according to the chosen overall sign of the theory. On the other hand, if the Weyl symmetry is implemented by means of a Stueckelberg field we obtain a new scalar-tensor model for massive gravitons. It is ghost-free and Weyl invariant at the linearized level around Minkowski space. The model can be nonlinearly completed into a scalar field coupled to the NMG theory. The elimination of the scalar field leads to a nonlocal modification of the NMG. In the second part of the work we prove to all orders in derivatives that there is no local, ghost-free embedding of the linearized NMG equations of motion around Minkowski space when written in terms of one symmetric tensor. Regarding that point, NMG differs from the Fierz-Pauli theory, since in the latter case we can replace the Einstein-Hilbert action by specific f(R,Box R) generalizations and still keep the theory ghost-free at the linearized level.

  8. Mutations in nsP1 and PE2 are critical determinants of Ross River virus-induced musculoskeletal inflammatory disease in a mouse model

    PubMed Central

    Jupille, Henri J.; Oko, Lauren; Stoermer, Kristina A.; Heise, Mark T.; Mahalingam, Suresh; Gunn, Bronwyn M.; Morrison, Thomas E.

    2010-01-01

    The viral determinants of Alphavirus-induced rheumatic disease have not been elucidated. We identified an RRV strain (DC5692) which, in contrast to the T48 strain, does not induce musculoskeletal inflammation in a mouse model of RRV disease. Substitution of the RRV T48 strain nonstructural protein 1 (nsP1) coding sequence with that from strain DC5692 generated a virus that was attenuated in vivo despite similar viral loads in tissues. In contrast, substitution of the T48 PE2 coding region with the PE2 coding region from DC5692 resulted in attenuation in vivo and reduced viral loads in tissues. In gain of virulence experiments, substitution of the DC5692 strain nsP1 and PE2 coding regions with those from the T48 strain was sufficient to restore full virulence to the DC5692 strain. These findings indicate that determinants in both nsP1 and PE2 have critical and distinct roles in the pathogenesis of RRV-induced musculoskeletal inflammatory disease in mice. PMID:21131014

  9. Growth histories in bimetric massive gravity

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

    Berg, Marcus; Buchberger, Igor; Enander, Jonas

    2012-12-01

    We perform cosmological perturbation theory in Hassan-Rosen bimetric gravity for general homogeneous and isotropic backgrounds. In the de Sitter approximation, we obtain decoupled sets of massless and massive scalar gravitational fluctuations. Matter perturbations then evolve like in Einstein gravity. We perturb the future de Sitter regime by the ratio of matter to dark energy, producing quasi-de Sitter space. In this more general setting the massive and massless fluctuations mix. We argue that in the quasi-de Sitter regime, the growth of structure in bimetric gravity differs from that of Einstein gravity.

  10. Inferring the Growth of Massive Galaxies Using Bayesian Spectral Synthesis Modeling

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Stillman, Coley Michael; Poremba, Megan R.; Moustakas, John

    2018-01-01

    The most massive galaxies in the universe are typically found at the centers of massive galaxy clusters. Studying these galaxies can provide valuable insight into the hierarchical growth of massive dark matter halos. One of the key challenges of measuring the stellar mass growth of massive galaxies is converting the measured light profiles into stellar mass. We use Prospector, a state-of-the-art Bayesian spectral synthesis modeling code, to infer the total stellar masses of a pilot sample of massive central galaxies selected from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. We compare our stellar mass estimates to previous measurements, and present some of the quantitative diagnostics provided by Prospector.

  11. Gamma-ray astronomy with muons: Sensitivity of IceCube to PeVatrons in the Southern sky

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

    Halzen, Francis; O'Murchadha, Aongus; Kappes, Alexander

    2009-10-15

    Northern hemisphere TeV gamma-ray observatories such as Milagro and Tibet AS{gamma} have demonstrated the importance of all-sky instruments by discovering previously unidentified sources that may be the PeVatrons producing cosmic rays up to the knee in the cosmic ray spectrum. We evaluate the potential of IceCube to identify similar sources in the southern sky by detailing an analytic approach to determine fluxes of muons from TeV gamma-ray showers. We apply this approach to known gamma-ray sources such as supernova remnants. We find that, similar to Milagro, detection is possible in 10 years for pointlike PeVatrons with fluxes stronger than severalmore » 10{sup -11} particles TeV{sup -1} cm{sup -2} s{sup -1}.« less

  12. Phlegmasia Caerulea Dolens in a Patient With an Inferior Vena Cava Filter: Treatment of Massive Iliocaval Thrombosis Using Local Intravenous Catheter-Directed Thrombolysis

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

    Cookson, Daniel, E-mail: danielthomascookson@yahoo.co.uk; Caldwell, Stuart, E-mail: stuart.caldwell@middlemore.co.nz

    Phlegmasia caerulea dolens (PCD) is a potentially disastrous complication of inferior vena cava filter insertion, and its optimum management has not been clearly established. We present a case report of a patient with pulmonary embolism and acute adrenal haemorrhage who developed PCD secondary to massive iliocaval thrombosis after insertion of a Cook Celect removable filter. Local intravenous catheter-directed thrombolysis (CDT), followed by systemic anticoagulation, achieved limb salvage and virtual resolution of symptoms at 3 months without complications. CDT can be a successful primary treatment of filter-associated PCD and can be safe in selected patients with acute nontraumatic haemorrhage. Systemic anticoagulationmore » may subsequently restore complete venous patency and may therefore be a useful approach to postthrombolysis management of residual iliocaval thrombus when filter removal is indicated.« less

  13. Massive stars in the Sagittarius Dwarf Irregular Galaxy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Garcia, Miriam

    2018-02-01

    Low metallicity massive stars hold the key to interpret numerous processes in the past Universe including re-ionization, starburst galaxies, high-redshift supernovae, and γ-ray bursts. The Sagittarius Dwarf Irregular Galaxy [SagDIG, 12+log(O/H) = 7.37] represents an important landmark in the quest for analogues accessible with 10-m class telescopes. This Letter presents low-resolution spectroscopy executed with the Gran Telescopio Canarias that confirms that SagDIG hosts massive stars. The observations unveiled three OBA-type stars and one red supergiant candidate. Pending confirmation from high-resolution follow-up studies, these could be the most metal-poor massive stars of the Local Group.

  14. The African swine fever virus virion membrane protein pE248R is required for virus infectivity and an early postentry event.

    PubMed

    Rodríguez, Irene; Nogal, María L; Redrejo-Rodríguez, Modesto; Bustos, María J; Salas, María L

    2009-12-01

    The African swine fever virus (ASFV) protein pE248R, encoded by the gene E248R, is a late structural component of the virus particle. The protein contains intramolecular disulfide bonds and has been previously identified as a substrate of the ASFV-encoded redox system. Its amino acid sequence contains a putative myristoylation site and a hydrophobic transmembrane region near its carboxy terminus. We show here that the protein pE248R is myristoylated during infection and associates with the membrane fraction in infected cells, behaving as an integral membrane protein. Furthermore, the protein localizes at the inner envelope of the virus particles in the cytoplasmic factories. The function of the protein pE248R in ASFV replication was investigated by using a recombinant virus that inducibly expresses the gene E248R. Under repressive conditions, the ASFV polyproteins pp220 and pp62 are normally processed and virus particles with morphology indistinguishable from that of those produced in a wild-type infection or under permissive conditions are generated. Moreover, the mutant virus particles can exit the cell as does the parental virus. However, the infectivity of the pE248R-deficient virions was reduced at least 100-fold. An investigation of the defect of the mutant virus indicated that neither virus binding nor internalization was affected by the absence of the protein pE248R, but a cytopathic effect was not induced and early and late gene expression was impaired, indicating that the protein is required for some early postentry event.

  15. Novel Anti-Adhesive CMC-PE Hydrogel Significantly Enhanced Morphological and Physiological Recovery after Surgical Decompression in an Animal Model of Entrapment Neuropathy.

    PubMed

    Urano, Hideki; Iwatsuki, Katsuyuki; Yamamoto, Michiro; Ohnisi, Tetsuro; Kurimoto, Shigeru; Endo, Nobuyuki; Hirata, Hitoshi

    2016-01-01

    We developed a novel hydrogel derived from sodium carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) in which phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) was introduced into the carboxyl groups of CMC to prevent perineural adhesions. This hydrogel has previously shown excellent anti-adhesive effects even after aggressive internal neurolysis in a rat model. Here, we confirmed the effects of the hydrogel on morphological and physiological recovery after nerve decompression. We prepared a rat model of chronic sciatic nerve compression using silicone tubing. Morphological and physiological recovery was confirmed at one, two, and three months after nerve decompression by assessing motor conduction velocity (MCV), the wet weight of the tibialis anterior muscle and morphometric evaluations of nerves. Electrophysiology showed significantly quicker recovery in the CMC-PE group than in the control group (24.0 ± 3.1 vs. 21.0± 2.1 m/s (p < 0.05) at one months and MCV continued to be significantly faster thereafter. Wet muscle weight at one month significantly differed between the CMC-PE (BW) and control groups (0.148 ± 0.020 vs. 0.108 ± 0.019%BW). The mean wet muscle weight was constantly higher in the CMC-PE group than in the control group throughout the experimental period. The axon area at one month was twice as large in the CMC-PE group compared with the control group (24.1 ± 17.3 vs. 12.3 ± 9 μm2) due to the higher ratio of axons with a larger diameter. Although the trend continued throughout the experimental period, the difference decreased after two months and was not statistically significant at three months. Although anti-adhesives can reduce adhesion after nerve injury, their effects on morphological and physiological recovery after surgical decompression of chronic entrapment neuropathy have not been investigated in detail. The present study showed that the new anti-adhesive CMC-PE gel can accelerate morphological and physiological recovery of nerves after decompression surgery.

  16. Bourdieu and the Social Space of the PE Class: Reproduction of Doxa through Practice

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hunter, Lisa

    2004-01-01

    This paper considers the social space of one physical education (PE) class in the middle years of schooling. I endeavour to tease out the dialectic between the discursive spaces available to the students positioned within this space and the construction and negotiation of student subjectivities. Using the conceptual tools of field, habitus,…

  17. Transient neonatal renal failure and massive polyuria in MEGDEL syndrome.

    PubMed

    Harbulot, Carole; Paquay, Stéphanie; Dorboz, Imen; Pichard, Samia; Bourillon, Agnès; Benoist, Jean-François; Jardel, Claude; Ogier de Baulny, Hélène; Boespflug-Tanguy, Odile; Schiff, Manuel

    2016-06-01

    MEGDEL (3-methylglutaconic aciduria with deafness, encephalopathy, and Leigh-like syndrome) syndrome is a mitochondrial disorder associated with recessive mutations in SERAC1. To report transient neonatal renal findings in MEGDEL syndrome. This 7 year-old girl was the first child of consanguineous Turkish parents. She exhibited an acute neonatal deterioration with severe lactic acidosis and liver failure. Initial evaluation revealed massive polyuria and renal failure with 3-methylglutaconic aciduria. Symptoms and biological findings progressively improved with symptomatic treatment but lactic acidosis and high lactate to pyruvate ratio along with 3-methylglutaconic aciduria persisted. At 8 months of age, a subacute neurological degradation occurred with severe hypotonia, dystonia with extrapyramidal movements and failure to thrive. Brain MRI revealed basal ganglia lesions suggestive of Leigh syndrome. At 3 years of age, sensorineural deafness was documented. MEGDEL syndrome was further confirmed by the identification of an already reported homozygous mutation in SERAC1. Transient neonatal polyuria and renal failure have not been reported to date in SERAC1 defective patients. Such neonatal kidney findings expand the clinical spectrum of MEGDEL syndrome.

  18. The Rb problem in massive AGB stars.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pérez-Mesa, V.; García-Hernández, D. A.; Zamora, O.; Plez, B.; Manchado, A.; Karakas, A. I.; Lugaro, M.

    2017-03-01

    The asymptotic giant branch (AGB) is formed by low- and intermediate-mass stars (0.8 M_{⊙} < M < 8 M_{⊙}) in their last nuclear-burning phase, when they develop thermal pulses (TP) and suffer extreme mass loss. AGB stars are the main contributor to the enrichment of the interstellar medium (ISM) and thus to the chemical evolution of galaxies. In particular, the more massive AGB stars (M > 4 M_{⊙}) are expected to produce light (e.g., Li, N) and heavy neutron-rich s-process elements (such as Rb, Zr, Ba, Y, etc.), which are not formed in lower mass AGB stars and Supernova explosions. Classical chemical analyses using hydrostatic atmospheres revealed strong Rb overabundances and high [Rb/Zr] ratios in massive AGB stars of our Galaxy and the Magellanic Clouds (MC), confirming for the first time that the ^{22}Ne neutron source dominates the production of s-process elements in these stars. The extremely high Rb abundances and [Rb/Zr] ratios observed in the most massive stars (specially in the low-metallicity MC stars) uncovered a Rb problem; such extreme Rb and [Rb/Zr] values are not predicted by the s-process AGB models, suggesting fundamental problems in our present understanding of their atmospheres. We present more realistic dynamical model atmospheres that consider a gaseous circumstellar envelope with a radial wind and we re-derive the Rb (and Zr) abundances in massive Galactic AGB stars. The new Rb abundances and [Rb/Zr] ratios derived with these dynamical models significantly resolve the problem of the mismatch between the observations and the theoretical predictions of the more massive AGB stars.

  19. Acausality of massive gravity.

    PubMed

    Deser, S; Waldron, A

    2013-03-15

    We show, by analyzing its characteristics, that the ghost-free, 5 degree of freedom, Wess-Zumino massive gravity model admits superluminal shock wave solutions and thus is acausal. Ironically, this pathology arises from the very constraint that removes the (sixth) Boulware-Deser ghost mode.

  20. Pseudoangiomatous stromal hyperplasia causing massive breast enlargement

    PubMed Central

    Bourke, Anita Geraldine; Tiang, Stephen; Harvey, Nathan; McClure, Robert

    2015-01-01

    Pseudoangiomatous stromal hyperplasia (PASH) of the breast is a benign mesenchymal proliferative process, initially described by Vuitch et al. We report an unusual case of a 46-year-old woman who presented with a 6-week history of bilateral massive, asymmetrical, painful enlargement of her breasts, without a history of trauma. On clinical examination, both breasts were markedly enlarged and oedematous, but there were no discrete palpable masses. Preoperative image-guided core biopsies and surgery showed PASH. PASH is increasingly recognised as an incidental finding on image-guided core biopsy performed for screen detected lesions. There are a few reported cases of PASH presenting as rapid breast enlargement. In our case, the patient presented with painful, asymmetrical, massive breast enlargement. Awareness needs to be raised of this entity as a differential diagnosis in massive, painful breast enlargement. PMID:26475873

  1. Primordial inhomogeneities from massive defects during inflation

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

    Firouzjahi, Hassan; Karami, Asieh; Rostami, Tahereh, E-mail: firouz@ipm.ir, E-mail: karami@ipm.ir, E-mail: t.rostami@ipm.ir

    2016-10-01

    We consider the imprints of local massive defects, such as a black hole or a massive monopole, during inflation. The massive defect breaks the background homogeneity. We consider the limit that the physical Schwarzschild radius of the defect is much smaller than the inflationary Hubble radius so a perturbative analysis is allowed. The inhomogeneities induced in scalar and gravitational wave power spectrum are calculated. We obtain the amplitudes of dipole, quadrupole and octupole anisotropies in curvature perturbation power spectrum and identify the relative configuration of the defect to CMB sphere in which large observable dipole asymmetry can be generated. Wemore » observe a curious reflection symmetry in which the configuration where the defect is inside the CMB comoving sphere has the same inhomogeneous variance as its mirror configuration where the defect is outside the CMB sphere.« less

  2. Hazardous Waste Cleanup: Commonwealth Oil and Refining Company, Incorporated in Peñuellas, Puerto Rico

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    The Commonwealth Oil and Refining Company, Inc. (CORCO) facility is located on the south coast of Puerto Rico, on Route 127 in the Municipio (town) de Peñuelas, approximately 7 miles west of the city of Ponce. The facility was formerly a large petroleum

  3. Heat Tolerance in Curraleiro Pe-Duro, Pantaneiro and Nelore Cattle Using Thermographic Images

    PubMed Central

    Cardoso, Caio Cesar; Lima, Flávia Gontijo; Fioravanti, Maria Clorinda Soares; do Egito, Andrea Alves; Silva, Flávia Cristina de Paula e; Tanure, Candice Bergmann; Peripolli, Vanessa; McManus, Concepta

    2016-01-01

    The objective of this study was to compare physiological and thermographic responses to heat stress in three breeds of cattle. Fifteen animals of each of the Nelore, Pantaneiro and Curraleiro Pe-Duro breeds, of approximately two years of age, were evaluated. Heart and respiratory rates, rectal and surface temperature of animals as well as soil temperature were recorded at 8:30 and 15:30 on six days. Variance, correlation, principal factors and canonical analyses were carried out. There were significant differences in the rectal temperature, heart and respiratory rate between breeds (p < 0.001). Nelore and Pantaneiro breeds had the highest rectal temperatures and the lowest respiratory rate (p < 0.001). Breed was also significant for surface temperatures (p < 0.05) showing that this factor significantly affected the response of the animal to heat tolerance in different ways. The Curraleiro Pe-Duro breed had the lowest surface temperatures independent of the period evaluated, with fewer animals that suffered with the climatic conditions, so this may be considered the best adapted when heat challenged under the experimental conditions. Thermography data showed a good correlation with the physiological indexes, and body area, neck and rump were the main points. PMID:26840335

  4. Massive Binaries in the R 136 Cluster

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Morrell, N. I.; Massey, P.; Degioia-Eastwood, K.; Penny, L. R.; Gies, D. R.; Tsitkin, Y.; Darnell, E.

    2008-08-01

    As part of a large project aimed to the discovery and follow up of massive eclipsing systems in young clusters and stellar associations, we have obtained V-band CCD imaging of the R136 cluster in 30 Doradus, and high resolution spectroscopy of several among the variable stars we found there. Here we summarize our preliminary analysis of light and radial velocity variations for 4 massive multiple systems in the R136 cluster.

  5. Recurrent Acute Liver Failure Because of Acute Hepatitis Induced by Organic Solvents: A Case Report.

    PubMed

    Ito, Daisuke; Tanaka, Tomohiro; Akamatsu, Nobuhisa; Ito, Kyoji; Hasegawa, Kiyoshi; Sakamoto, Yoshihiro; Nakagawa, Hayato; Fujinaga, Hidetaka; Kokudo, Norihiro

    2016-01-01

    The authors present a case of recurrent acute liver failure because of occupational exposure to organic solvents. A 35-year-old man with a 3-week history of worsening jaundice and flu-like symptoms was admitted to our hospital. Viral hepatitis serology and autoimmune factors were negative. The authors considered liver transplantation, but the patient's liver function spontaneously recovered. Liver biopsy revealed massive infiltration of neutrophils, but the cause of the acute hepatitis was not identified. Four months after discharge, the patient's liver function worsened again. The authors considered the possibility of antinuclear antibody-negative autoimmune hepatitis and initiated steroid treatment, which was effective. Four months after discharge, the patient was admitted for repeated liver injury. The authors started him on steroid pulse therapy, but this time it was not effective. Just before the first admission, he had started his own construction company where he was highly exposed to organic solvents, and thus the authors considered organic solvent-induced hepatitis. Although urine test results for organic solvents were negative, a second liver biopsy revealed severe infiltration of neutrophils, compatible with toxic hepatitis. Again, his liver function spontaneously improved. Based on the pathology and detailed clinical course, including the patient's high exposure to organic solvents since just before the first admission, and the spontaneous recovery of his liver damage in the absence of the exposure, he was diagnosed with toxic hepatitis. The authors strongly advised him to avoid organic solvents. Since then, he has been in good health without recurrence. This is the first report of recurrent acute liver failure because of exposure to organic solvents, which was eventually diagnosed through a meticulous medical history and successfully recovered by avoiding the causative agents. In acute liver failure with an undetermined etiology, clinicians should rule

  6. Recalibration of the Palaeocene-Eocene boundary (P-E) using high precision U-Pb and Ar-Ar isotopic dating

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chambers, L.; Pringle, M.; Fitton, G.; Larsen, L. M.; Pedersen, A. K.; Parrish, R.

    2003-04-01

    In the current time scales (Cande and Kent, 95; Berggren et al, 95) the P-E Boundary is positioned at 55 Ma based primarily on the age of the -17 ash layer in Denmark. In the absence of a global stratigraphic section and point the boundary is an interval of 1 m.y. from 55.5 to 54.5 Ma that includes all of the different means of calibrating the boundary tie point, including the NP9/NP10 calcareous nannofossil zonal boundary, the planktonic foraminiferal P5/P6a zonal boundary, preliminary ages for the -17 and +19 ash layers (unpub.), the base of the London Clay Formation, and the δ13C spike. Here we present new Ar-Ar ages for the -17 and +19 ash layers in Denmark and combine this study with a calibration of the Ar-Ar with the U-Pb method. As Ar-Ar ages are relative to the known age of a standard or monitor, U-Pb ages on zircons from the same rocks from the British Tertiary Igneous Province provide an absolute age calibration for all of our Ar-Ar ages (including the monitors). An additional complication arises because the time scale is currently being revised (J. Ogg, Pers. Comm.). In the new time scale the P-E boundary will stay at 55 Ma and the K-T boundary will move by 0.5 m.y. to 65.5 Ma. Our results have a direct impact on the positioning of the P-E Boundary relative to the K-T boundary as definitive K-T tektite is used as one of our Ar-Ar standards. Ar-Ar ages and U-Pb ages for the same sample from the BTIP are indistinguishable when the ages used for the Ar-Ar monitor minerals are those recommended in Renne et al (98). This means that the K-T tektite is 65.78 ± 0.03 Ma, the -17 ash is 54.52 ± 0.05Ma, and the +19 ash is 54.04 ± 0.14 Ma. If the P-E boundary is taken to be between the -17 and +19 ash layers, as in DSDP Hole 550 (the ashes bracket the planktonic foraminiferal P5/P6a zonal boundary) then the current position at 55 Ma is too old. We therefore suggest that if the K-T boundary moves to 65.5 Ma, then the P-E boundary should not stay at 55 Ma, but

  7. The Dynamics of Massive Starless Cores with ALMA

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tan, Jonathan C.; Kong, Shuo; Butler, Michael J.; Caselli, Paola; Fontani, Francesco

    2013-12-01

    How do stars that are more massive than the Sun form, and thus how is the stellar initial mass function (IMF) established? Such intermediate- and high-mass stars may be born from relatively massive pre-stellar gas cores, which are more massive than the thermal Jeans mass. The turbulent core accretion model invokes such cores as being in approximate virial equilibrium and in approximate pressure equilibrium with their surrounding clump medium. Their internal pressure is provided by a combination of turbulence and magnetic fields. Alternatively, the competitive accretion model requires strongly sub-virial initial conditions that then lead to extensive fragmentation to the thermal Jeans scale, with intermediate- and high-mass stars later forming by competitive Bondi-Hoyle accretion. To test these models, we have identified four prime examples of massive (~100 M ⊙) clumps from mid-infrared extinction mapping of infrared dark clouds. Fontani et al. found high deuteration fractions of N2H+ in these objects, which are consistent with them being starless. Here we present ALMA observations of these four clumps that probe the N2D+ (3-2) line at 2.''3 resolution. We find six N2D+ cores and determine their dynamical state. Their observed velocity dispersions and sizes are broadly consistent with the predictions of the turbulent core model of self-gravitating, magnetized (with Alfvén Mach number mA ~ 1) and virialized cores that are bounded by the high pressures of their surrounding clumps. However, in the most massive cores, with masses up to ~60 M ⊙, our results suggest that moderately enhanced magnetic fields (so that mA ~= 0.3) may be needed for the structures to be in virial and pressure equilibrium. Magnetically regulated core formation may thus be important in controlling the formation of massive cores, inhibiting their fragmentation, and thus helping to establish the stellar IMF.

  8. PeTMbase: A Database of Plant Endogenous Target Mimics (eTMs).

    PubMed

    Karakülah, Gökhan; Yücebilgili Kurtoğlu, Kuaybe; Unver, Turgay

    2016-01-01

    MicroRNAs (miRNA) are small endogenous RNA molecules, which regulate target gene expression at post-transcriptional level. Besides, miRNA activity can be controlled by a newly discovered regulatory mechanism called endogenous target mimicry (eTM). In target mimicry, eTMs bind to the corresponding miRNAs to block the binding of specific transcript leading to increase mRNA expression. Thus, miRNA-eTM-target-mRNA regulation modules involving a wide range of biological processes; an increasing need for a comprehensive eTM database arose. Except miRSponge with limited number of Arabidopsis eTM data no available database and/or repository was developed and released for plant eTMs yet. Here, we present an online plant eTM database, called PeTMbase (http://petmbase.org), with a highly efficient search tool. To establish the repository a number of identified eTMs was obtained utilizing from high-throughput RNA-sequencing data of 11 plant species. Each transcriptome libraries is first mapped to corresponding plant genome, then long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) transcripts are characterized. Furthermore, additional lncRNAs retrieved from GREENC and PNRD were incorporated into the lncRNA catalog. Then, utilizing the lncRNA and miRNA sources a total of 2,728 eTMs were successfully predicted. Our regularly updated database, PeTMbase, provides high quality information regarding miRNA:eTM modules and will aid functional genomics studies particularly, on miRNA regulatory networks.

  9. RS3PE Syndrome with Iliopsoas Bursitis Distinguished from an Iliopsoas Abscess Using a CT-guided Puncture.

    PubMed

    Fukui, Shoichi; Iwamoto, Naoki; Tsuji, Sosuke; Umeda, Masataka; Nishino, Ayako; Nakashima, Yoshikazu; Suzuki, Takahisa; Horai, Yoshiro; Koga, Tomohiro; Kawashiri, Shin-ya; Ichinose, Kunihiro; Hirai, Yasuko; Tamai, Mami; Nakamura, Hideki; Origuchi, Tomoki; Kawakami, Atsushi

    2015-01-01

    A 55-year-old man was diagnosed with remitting seronegative symmetrical synovitis with pitting edema (RS3PE) syndrome. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography for cancer screening showed a mass with low-density centers with an enhanced rim in the left iliopsoas muscle. We suspected an iliopsoas abscess and performed computed-tomography-guided puncture of the mass. Both Gram staining and the culture of the fluid were negative. We diagnosed the patient with RS3PE syndrome with iliopsoas bursitis and administered low-dose corticosteroids without antibiotics. The symptoms, including left hip pain, quickly disappeared following treatment. Clinicians should be aware that iliopsoas bursitis may resemble an iliopsoas abscess. As a result, it is important to make an accurate differential diagnosis.

  10. Massive QCD Amplitudes at Higher Orders

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Moch, S.; Mitov, A.

    2007-11-01

    We consider the factorisation properties of on-shell QCD amplitudes with massive partons in the limit when all kinematical invariants are large compared to the parton mass and discuss the structure of their infrared singularities. The dimensionally regulated soft poles and the large collinear logarithms of the parton masses exponentiate to all orders. Based on this factorisation a simple relation between massless and massive scattering amplitudes in gauge theories can be established. We present recent applications of this relation for the calculation of the two-loop virtual QCD corrections to the hadro-production of heavy quarks.

  11. SALT Spectroscopy of Evolved Massive Stars

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kniazev, A. Y.; Gvaramadze, V. V.; Berdnikov, L. N.

    2017-06-01

    Long-slit spectroscopy with the Southern African Large Telescope (SALT) of central stars of mid-infrared nebulae detected with the Spitzer Space Telescope and Wide-Field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) led to the discovery of numerous candidate luminous blue variables (cLBVs) and other rare evolved massive stars. With the recent advent of the SALT fiber-fed high-resolution echelle spectrograph (HRS), a new perspective for the study of these interesting objects is appeared. Using the HRS we obtained spectra of a dozen newly identified massive stars. Some results on the recently identified cLBV Hen 3-729 are presented.

  12. Subspace Methods for Massive and Messy Data

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2017-07-12

    Subspace Methods for Massive and Messy Data The views, opinions and/or findings contained in this report are those of the author(s) and should not...AGENCY NAME(S) AND ADDRESS (ES) U.S. Army Research Office P.O. Box 12211 Research Triangle Park, NC 27709-2211 REPORT DOCUMENTATION PAGE 11. SPONSOR...Number: W911NF-14-1-0634 Organization: University of Michigan - Ann Arbor Title: Subspace Methods for Massive and Messy Data Report Term: 0-Other

  13. Remitting seronegative symmetrical synovitis with pitting edema (RS3PE) syndrome in Nagano, Japan: clinical, radiological, and cytokine studies of 13 patients.

    PubMed

    Oide, T; Ohara, S; Oguchi, K; Maruyama, M; Yazawa, M; Inoue, K; Sekijima, Y; Tokuda, T; Ikeda, S

    2004-01-01

    Remitting seronegative symmetrical synovitis with pitting edema (RS3PE) has so far been reported almost exclusively from the USA and Europe. We carried out this study to define the clinical characteristics of this syndrome in Japanese patients. Prospectively, we identified 13 Japanese patients with RS3PE (5 men and 8 women, age 72.7 +/- 11.8 years (mean +/- SD)) without underlying neoplasm. Their clinical features were summarized, pertinent laboratory data including serum/synovial interleukin-6 (IL-6) concentrations were obtained, and extensive radiologic studies using magnetic resonance imaging and 67gallium-citrate (67Ga) whole body scintigram were performed. All patients suffered from proximal arthralgia/myalgia in addition to typical distal symptoms of RS3PE, and all experienced systemic symptoms such as fever, malaise, and weight loss. In laboratory examinations, anemia and elevated inflammatory markers were often remarkable. Magnetic resonance imaging showed severe tenosynovitis of the hands. 67Ga-scintigram revealed radioisotope accumulation in both proximal and distal joints of the extremities. IL-6 activity was markedly elevated both in the serum (mean 82.4 +/- 62.1 (SD) pg/ml, normal range 0.157-2.94) and in the synovial fluid (mean 3350 +/- 633 (SD) pg/ml). Compared with cases reported previously from the USA/Europe, Japanese patients with RS3PE are characterized by more prominent systemic symptoms/signs associated with marked inflammatory responses including elevated IL-6 activity. All patients had proximal as well as distal synovitis which could be demonstrated by 67Ga-scintigram. These clinical features were very similar to those of polymyalgia rheumatica, suggesting that RS3PE and polymyalgia rheumatica are closely related disorders which may have a common pathogenesis.

  14. The singular behavior of massive QCD amplitudes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mitov, Alexander; Moch, Sven-Olaf

    2007-05-01

    We discuss the structure of infrared singularities in on-shell QCD amplitudes with massive partons and present a general factorization formula in the limit of small parton masses. The factorization formula gives rise to an all-order exponentiation of both, the soft poles in dimensional regularization and the large collinear logarithms of the parton masses. Moreover, it provides a universal relation between any on-shell amplitude with massive external partons and its corresponding massless amplitude. For the form factor of a heavy quark we present explicit results including the fixed-order expansion up to three loops in the small mass limit. For general scattering processes we show how our constructive method applies to the computation of all singularities as well as the constant (mass-independent) terms of a generic massive n-parton QCD amplitude up to the next-to-next-to-leading order corrections.

  15. The Peñalosa Principle of Transportation Democracy: Lessons from Bogotá on the Morality of Urban Mobility.

    PubMed

    Epting, Shane

    2017-08-01

    The mayor of Bogotá, Enrique Peñalosa strives to deliver transit services that promote social equity through bicycle lanes, improved sidewalks, and a world-famous Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system, "TransMilenio." Through examining the principles that guide his planning, we can flesh out a starting point for socially just transit systems. While such measures can alleviate several harms that transit systems cause, they rest on an incomplete foundation due to their top-down nature. To amend this situation, the author argues for a restorative justice approach to transportation democracy, using examples from Peñalosa's mayoral tenure. In turn, lessons from Bogotá's transportation history reveal how to develop transit systems that strongly favor justice.

  16. Eta Carinae in the Context of the Most Massive Stars

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Gull, Theodore R.; Damineli, Augusto

    2009-01-01

    Eta Car, with its historical outbursts, visible ejecta and massive, variable winds, continues to challenge both observers and modelers. In just the past five years over 100 papers have been published on this fascinating object. We now know it to be a massive binary system with a 5.54-year period. In January 2009, Car underwent one of its periodic low-states, associated with periastron passage of the two massive stars. This event was monitored by an intensive multi-wavelength campaign ranging from -rays to radio. A large amount of data was collected to test a number of evolving models including 3-D models of the massive interacting winds. August 2009 was an excellent time for observers and theorists to come together and review the accumulated studies, as have occurred in four meetings since 1998 devoted to Eta Car. Indeed, Car behaved both predictably and unpredictably during this most recent periastron, spurring timely discussions. Coincidently, WR140 also passed through periastron in early 2009. It, too, is a intensively studied massive interacting binary. Comparison of its properties, as well as the properties of other massive stars, with those of Eta Car is very instructive. These well-known examples of evolved massive binary systems provide many clues as to the fate of the most massive stars. What are the effects of the interacting winds, of individual stellar rotation, and of the circumstellar material on what we see as hypernovae/supernovae? We hope to learn. Topics discussed in this 1.5 day Joint Discussion were: Car: the 2009.0 event: Monitoring campaigns in X-rays, optical, radio, interferometry WR140 and HD5980: similarities and differences to Car LBVs and Eta Carinae: What is the relationship? Massive binary systems, wind interactions and 3-D modeling Shapes of the Homunculus & Little Homunculus: what do we learn about mass ejection? Massive stars: the connection to supernovae, hypernovae and gamma ray bursters Where do we go from here? (future

  17. The African Swine Fever Virus Virion Membrane Protein pE248R Is Required for Virus Infectivity and an Early Postentry Event ▿

    PubMed Central

    Rodríguez, Irene; Nogal, María L.; Redrejo-Rodríguez, Modesto; Bustos, María J.; Salas, María L.

    2009-01-01

    The African swine fever virus (ASFV) protein pE248R, encoded by the gene E248R, is a late structural component of the virus particle. The protein contains intramolecular disulfide bonds and has been previously identified as a substrate of the ASFV-encoded redox system. Its amino acid sequence contains a putative myristoylation site and a hydrophobic transmembrane region near its carboxy terminus. We show here that the protein pE248R is myristoylated during infection and associates with the membrane fraction in infected cells, behaving as an integral membrane protein. Furthermore, the protein localizes at the inner envelope of the virus particles in the cytoplasmic factories. The function of the protein pE248R in ASFV replication was investigated by using a recombinant virus that inducibly expresses the gene E248R. Under repressive conditions, the ASFV polyproteins pp220 and pp62 are normally processed and virus particles with morphology indistinguishable from that of those produced in a wild-type infection or under permissive conditions are generated. Moreover, the mutant virus particles can exit the cell as does the parental virus. However, the infectivity of the pE248R-deficient virions was reduced at least 100-fold. An investigation of the defect of the mutant virus indicated that neither virus binding nor internalization was affected by the absence of the protein pE248R, but a cytopathic effect was not induced and early and late gene expression was impaired, indicating that the protein is required for some early postentry event. PMID:19793823

  18. Ongoing Massive Star Formation in NGC 604

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Martínez-Galarza, J. R.; Hunter, D.; Groves, B.; Brandl, B.

    2012-12-01

    NGC 604 is the second most massive H II region in the Local Group, thus an important laboratory for massive star formation. Using a combination of observational and analytical tools that include Spitzer spectroscopy, Herschel photometry, Chandra imaging, and Bayesian spectral energy distribution fitting, we investigate the physical conditions in NGC 604 and quantify the amount of massive star formation currently taking place. We derive an average age of 4 ± 1 Myr and a total stellar mass of 1.6+1.6 - 1.0 × 105 M ⊙ for the entire region, in agreement with previous optical studies. Across the region, we find an effect of the X-ray field on both the abundance of aromatic molecules and the [Si II] emission. Within NGC 604, we identify several individual bright infrared sources with diameters of about 15 pc and luminosity-weighted masses between 103 M ⊙ and 104 M ⊙. Their spectral properties indicate that some of these sources are embedded clusters in process of formation, which together account for ~8% of the total stellar mass in the NGC 604 system. The variations of the radiation field strength across NGC 604 are consistent with a sequential star formation scenario, with at least two bursts in the last few million years. Our results indicate that massive star formation in NGC 604 is still ongoing, likely triggered by the earlier bursts.

  19. Impact of relative contraindications to home management in emergency department patients with low-risk pulmonary embolism.

    PubMed

    Vinson, David R; Drenten, Carrieann E; Huang, Jie; Morley, J Eileen; Anderson, Megan L; Reed, Mary E; Nishijima, Daniel K; Liu, Vincent

    2015-05-01

    Studies of adults presenting to the emergency department (ED) with acute pulmonary embolism (PE) suggest that those who are low risk on the PE Severity Index (classes I and II) can be managed safely without hospitalization. However, the impact of relative contraindications to home management on outcomes has not been described. To compare 5-day and 30-day adverse event rates among low-risk ED patients with acute PE without and with outpatient ineligibility criteria. We conducted a retrospective multicenter cohort study of adults presenting to the ED with acute low-risk PE between 2010 and 2012. We evaluated the association between outpatient treatment eligibility criteria based on a comprehensive list of relative contraindications and 5-day adverse events and 30-day outcomes, including major hemorrhage, recurrent venous thromboembolism, and all-cause mortality. Of 423 adults with acute low-risk PE, 271 (64.1%) had no relative contraindications to outpatient treatment (outpatient eligible), whereas 152 (35.9%) had at least one contraindication (outpatient ineligible). Relative contraindications were categorized as PE-related factors (n = 112; 26.5%), comorbid illness (n = 42; 9.9%), and psychosocial barriers (n = 19; 4.5%). There were no 5-day events in the outpatient-eligible group (95% upper confidence limit, 1.7%) and two events (1.3%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.1-5.0%) in the outpatient-ineligible group (P = 0.13). At 30 days, there were five events (two recurrent venous thromboemboli and three major bleeding events) in the outpatient-eligible group (1.8%; 95% CI, 0.7-4.4%) compared with nine in the ineligible group (5.9%; 95% CI, 2.7-10.9%; P < 0.05). This difference remained significant when controlling for PE severity class. Nearly two-thirds of adults presenting to the ED with low-risk PE were potentially eligible for outpatient therapy. Relative contraindications to outpatient management were associated with an increased frequency of

  20. Topologically massive higher spin gravity

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bagchi, Arjun; Lal, Shailesh; Saha, Arunabha; Sahoo, Bindusar

    2011-10-01

    We look at the generalisation of topologically massive gravity (TMG) to higher spins, specifically spin-3. We find a special "chiral" point for the spin-three, analogous to the spin-two example, which actually coincides with the usual spin-two chiral point. But in contrast to usual TMG, there is the presence of a non-trivial trace and its logarithmic partner at the chiral point. The trace modes carry energy opposite in sign to the traceless modes. The logarithmic partner of the traceless mode carries negative energy indicating an instability at the chiral point. We make several comments on the asymptotic symmetry and its possible deformations at this chiral point and speculate on the higher spin generalisation of LCFT2 dual to the spin-3 massive gravity at the chiral point.

  1. Echocardiographic diagnosis, management and monitoring of pulmonary embolism with right heart thrombus in a patient with myotonic dystrophy: a case report

    PubMed Central

    2010-01-01

    Acute pulmonary embolism (PE) is a common disease which frequently results in life-threatening right ventricular (RV) failure. High-risk PE, presenting with hypotension, shock, RV dysfunction or right heart thrombus is associated with a high mortality, particularly during the first few hours. Accordingly, it is important to commence effective therapy as soon as possible. In the case described in this report, a 49-year-old woman with myotonic dystrophy type 1 presented with acute respiratory failure and hypotension. Transthoracic echocardiography showed signs of right heart failure and a mobile right heart mass highly suspicious of a thrombus. Based on echocardiographic findings, acute thrombolysis was performed resulting in hemodynamic stabilization of the patient and complete resolution of the right heart thrombus. This case underscores the important role of transthoracic echocardiography for the diagnosis, management and monitoring of PE and underlines the efficacy and safety of thrombolysis in the treatment of PE associated with right heart thrombus. PMID:20470437

  2. Research on the Orbital Period of Massive Binaries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhao, E.; Qain, S.

    2011-12-01

    Massive binary is the kind of binary, whose spectral type is earlier than B5. Research on massive binary plays an important role in the mass and angular momentum transfer or loss between the components, and the evolution of binary. Some massive binaries are observed and analyzed, including O-type binary LY Aur, B-type contact binary RZ Pyx and B-type semi-detached binary AI Cru. It is found that all of their periods have a long-term increasing, which indicates that the system is undergoing a Case A slow mass transfer stage on the nuclear time-scale of the secondary. Moreover, analysis show a cyclic change of orbital period, which can be explained by the light-travel effect time of the third body.

  3. Preferential Generation of 15-HETE-PE Induced by IL-13 Regulates Goblet Cell Differentiation in Human Airway Epithelial Cells.

    PubMed

    Zhao, Jinming; Minami, Yoshinori; Etling, Emily; Coleman, John M; Lauder, Sarah N; Tyrrell, Victoria; Aldrovandi, Maceler; O'Donnell, Valerie; Claesson, Hans-Erik; Kagan, Valerian; Wenzel, Sally

    2017-12-01

    Type 2-associated goblet cell hyperplasia and mucus hypersecretion are well known features of asthma. 15-Lipoxygenase-1 (15LO1) is induced by the type 2 cytokine IL-13 in human airway epithelial cells (HAECs) in vitro and is increased in fresh asthmatic HAECs ex vivo. 15LO1 generates a variety of products, including 15-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (15-HETE), 15-HETE-phosphatidylethanolamine (15-HETE-PE), and 13-hydroxyoctadecadienoic acid (13-HODE). In this study, we investigated the 15LO1 metabolite profile at baseline and after IL-13 treatment, as well as its influence on goblet cell differentiation in HAECs. Primary HAECs obtained from bronchial brushings of asthmatic and healthy subjects were cultured under air-liquid interface culture supplemented with arachidonic acid and linoleic acid (10 μM each) and exposed to IL-13 for 7 days. Short interfering RNA transfection and 15LO1 inhibition were applied to suppress 15LO1 expression and activity. IL-13 stimulation induced expression of 15LO1 and preferentially generated 15-HETE-PE in vitro, both of which persisted after removal of IL-13. 15LO1 inhibition (by short interfering RNA and chemical inhibitor) decreased IL-13-induced forkhead box protein A3 (FOXA3) expression and enhanced FOXA2 expression. These changes were associated with reductions in both mucin 5AC and periostin. Exogenous 15-HETE-PE stimulation (alone) recapitulated IL-13-induced FOXA3, mucin 5AC, and periostin expression. The results of this study confirm the central importance of 15LO1 and its primary product, 15-HETE-PE, for epithelial cell remodeling in HAECs.

  4. Electron beam irradiation induced compatibilization of immiscible polyethylene/ethylene vinyl acetate (PE/EVA) blends: Mechanical properties and morphology stability

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Entezam, Mehdi; Aghjeh, Mir Karim Razavi; Ghaffari, Mehdi

    2017-02-01

    Gel content, mechanical properties and morphology of immiscible PE/EVA blends irradiated by high energy electron beam were studied. The results of gel content measurements showed that the capability of cross-linking of the blend samples increased with an increase of the EVA composition. Also, the gel content for most compositions of the blends displayed a positive deviation from the additive rule. The results of mechanical properties showed that the tensile strength and elongation at break of the samples increased and decreased, respectively, with irradiation dose. On the other hand, the mechanical properties of the irradiated blends also depicted a positive deviation from additive rule contrary to the un-irradiated blends. A synergistic effect observed for the mechanical properties improvement of the irradiated blends and it was attributed to the probable formation of the PE-graft-EVA copolymers at the interface of the blends during the irradiation process. A theoretical analysis revealed that irradiation induced synergistic effect was more significant for EVA-rich blends with weaker interfacial interaction as compared to PE-rich blends. The morphological analysis indicated that the blend morphology was not affected obviously, whereas it was stabilized by irradiation.

  5. A study of clinical and endoscopic profile of acute upper, gastrointestinal bleeding.

    PubMed

    Dewan, K R; Patowary, B S; Bhattarai, S

    2014-01-01

    Acute Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding is a common medical emergency with a hospital mortality of approximately 10 percent. Higher mortality rate is associated with rebleeding. Rockall scoring system identifies patients at higher risk of rebleed and mortality. To study the clinical and endoscopic profile of acute upper gastrointestinal bleed to know the etiology, clinical presentation, severity of bleeding and outcome. This is a prospective, descriptive hospital based study conducted in Gastroenterology unit of College of Medical Sciences and Teaching Hospital, Bharatpur, Nepal from January 2012 to January 2013. It included 120 patients at random presenting with manifestations of upper gastrointestinal bleed. Their clinical and endoscopic profiles were studied. Rockall scoring system was used to assess their prognosis. Males were predominant (75%). Age ranged from 14 to 88 years, mean being 48.76+17.19. At presentation 86 patients (71.7%) had both hematemesis and malena, 24 patients (20%) had only malena and 10 patients (8.3%) had only hematemesis. Shock was detected in 21.7%, severe anemia and high blood urea were found in 34.2% and 38.3% respectively. Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding endoscopy revealed esophageal varices (47.5%), peptic ulcer disease (33.3%), erosive mucosal disease (11.6%), Mallory Weiss tear (4.1%) and malignancy (3.3%). Median hospital stay was 7.28+3.18 days. Comorbidities were present in 43.3%. Eighty six patients (71.7%) had Rockall score < 5 and 34 (28.3%) had >6. Five patients (4.2%) expired. Risk factors for death being massive rebleeeding, comorbidities and Rockall score >6. Acute Upper Gastrointestinal bleeding is a medical emergency. Mortality is associated with massive bleeding, comorbidities and Rockall score >6. Urgent, appropriate hospital management definitely helps to reduce morbidity and mortality.

  6. [Acute illness following chicken pox: spleen infarction as a complication of varicella zoster infection].

    PubMed

    Teeninga, Nynke; Willemze, Annemieke J; Emonts, Marieke; Appel, Inge M

    2011-01-01

    Varicella zoster virus (VZV) infection can cause temporary acquired protein S or C deficiency via cross reacting antibodies and consequently inducing a hypercoagulable state. A 6-year-old girl with a history of congenital cardiac disease was seen at an Emergency Department with acute chest pain, dyspnoea and fever, seven days after developing chicken pox. Diagnostic tests revealed massive infarction of the spleen, and a protein S and C deficiency. In addition, blood cultures revealed a Lancefield group A β-haemolytic streptococcus (GABHS). The patient recovered fully after treatment with low molecular weight heparin and antibiotics. In this patient, septic emboli caused splenic infarction. Thromboembolic complications should be suspected in children with VZV who present with acute symptoms, in particular if bacterial superinfection is found.

  7. Low-metallicity (sub-SMC) massive stars

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Garcia, Miriam; Herrero, Artemio; Najarro, Francisco; Camacho, Inés; Lennon, Daniel J.; Urbaneja, Miguel A.; Castro, Norberto

    2017-11-01

    The double distance and metallicity frontier marked by the SMC has been finally broken with the aid of powerful multi-object spectrographs installed at 8-10m class telescopes. VLT, GTC and Keck have enabled studies of massive stars in dwarf irregular galaxies of the Local Group with poorer metal-content than the SMC. The community is working to test the predictions of evolutionary models in the low-metallicity regime, set the new standard for the metal-poor high-redshift Universe, and test the extrapolation of the physics of massive stars to environments of decreasing metallicity. In this paper, we review current knowledge on this topic.

  8. The Evolution of Low-Metallicity Massive Stars

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Szécsi, Dorottya

    2016-07-01

    Massive star evolution taking place in astrophysical environments consisting almost entirely of hydrogen and helium - in other words, low-metallicity environments - is responsible for some of the most intriguing and energetic cosmic phenomena, including supernovae, gamma-ray bursts and gravitational waves. This thesis aims to investigate the life and death of metal-poor massive stars, using theoretical simulations of the stellar structure and evolution. Evolutionary models of rotating, massive stars (9-600 Msun) with an initial metal composition appropriate for the low-metallicity dwarf galaxy I Zwicky 18 are presented and analyzed. We find that the fast rotating models (300 km/s) become a particular type of objects predicted only at low-metallicity: the so-called Transparent Wind Ultraviolet INtense (TWUIN) stars. TWUIN stars are fast rotating massive stars that are extremely hot (90 kK), very bright and as compact as Wolf-Rayet stars. However, as opposed to Wolf-Rayet stars, their stellar winds are optically thin. As these hot objects emit intense UV radiation, we show that they can explain the unusually high number of ionizing photons of the dwarf galaxy I Zwicky 18, an observational quantity that cannot be understood solely based on the normal stellar population of this galaxy. On the other hand, we find that the most massive, slowly rotating models become another special type of object predicted only at low-metallicity: core-hydrogen-burning cool supergiant stars. Having a slow but strong stellar wind, these supergiants may be important contributors in the chemical evolution of young galactic globular clusters. In particular, we suggest that the low mass stars observed today could form in a dense, massive and cool shell around these, now dead, supergiants. This scenario is shown to explain the anomalous surface abundances observed in these low mass stars, since the shell itself, having been made of the mass ejected by the supergiant’s wind, contains nuclear

  9. Massive Star Formation Viewed through Extragalactic-Tinted Glasses

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Willis, Sarah; Marengo, M.; Smith, H. A.; Allen, L.

    2014-01-01

    Massive Galactic star forming regions are the local analogs to the luminous star forming regions that dominate the emission from star forming galaxies. Their proximity to us enables the characterization of the full range of stellar masses that form in these more massive environments, improving our understanding of star formation tracers used in extragalactic studies. We have surveyed a sample of massive star forming regions with a range of morphologies and luminosities to probe the star formation activity in a variety of environments. We have used Spitzer IRAC and deep ground based J, H, Ks observations to characterize the Young Stellar Object (YSO) content of 6 massive star forming regions. These YSOs provide insight into the rate and efficiency of star formation within these regions, and enable comparison with nearby, low mass star forming regions as well as extreme cases of Galactic star formation including ‘mini-starburst’ regions. In addition, we have conducted an in-depth analysis of NGC 6334 to investigate how the star formation activity varies within an individual star forming region, using Herschel data in the far-infrared to probe the earliest stages of the ongoing star formation activity.

  10. METHOD OF DISSOLVING MASSIVE PLUTONIUM

    DOEpatents

    Facer, J.F.; Lyon, W.L.

    1960-06-28

    Massive plutonium can be dissolved in a hot mixture of concentrated nitric acid and a small quantity of hydrofluoric acid. A preliminary oxidation with water under superatmospheric pressure at 140 to 150 deg C is advantageous

  11. Metabolic engineering of Saccharomyces cerevisiae ethanol strains PE-2 and CAT-1 for efficient lignocellulosic fermentation.

    PubMed

    Romaní, Aloia; Pereira, Filipa; Johansson, Björn; Domingues, Lucília

    2015-03-01

    In this work, Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains PE-2 and CAT-1, commonly used in the Brazilian fuel ethanol industry, were engineered for xylose fermentation, where the first fermented xylose faster than the latter, but also produced considerable amounts of xylitol. An engineered PE-2 strain (MEC1121) efficiently consumed xylose in presence of inhibitors both in synthetic and corn-cob hydrolysates. Interestingly, the S. cerevisiae MEC1121 consumed xylose and glucose simultaneously, while a CEN.PK based strain consumed glucose and xylose sequentially. Deletion of the aldose reductase GRE3 lowered xylitol production to undetectable levels and increased xylose consumption rate which led to higher final ethanol concentrations. Fermentation of corn-cob hydrolysate using this strain, MEC1133, resulted in an ethanol yield of 0.47 g/g of total sugars which is 92% of the theoretical yield. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Formation of massive seed black holes via collisions and accretion

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Boekholt, T. C. N.; Schleicher, D. R. G.; Fellhauer, M.; Klessen, R. S.; Reinoso, B.; Stutz, A. M.; Haemmerlé, L.

    2018-05-01

    Models aiming to explain the formation of massive black hole seeds, and in particular the direct collapse scenario, face substantial difficulties. These are rooted in rather ad hoc and fine-tuned initial conditions, such as the simultaneous requirements of extremely low metallicities and strong radiation backgrounds. Here, we explore a modification of such scenarios where a massive primordial star cluster is initially produced. Subsequent stellar collisions give rise to the formation of massive (104-105 M⊙) objects. Our calculations demonstrate that the interplay among stellar dynamics, gas accretion, and protostellar evolution is particularly relevant. Gas accretion on to the protostars enhances their radii, resulting in an enhanced collisional cross-section. We show that the fraction of collisions can increase from 0.1 to 1 per cent of the initial population to about 10 per cent when compared to gas-free models or models of protostellar clusters in the local Universe. We conclude that very massive objects can form in spite of initial fragmentation, making the first massive protostellar clusters viable candidate birth places for observed supermassive black holes.

  13. Differential sensitivities to dioxin-like compounds PCB 126 and PeCDF between Tg(cyp1a:gfp) transgenic medaka and zebrafish larvae.

    PubMed

    Xu, Hongyan; Li, Caixia; Suklai, Pacharaporn; Zeng, Qinghua; Chong, Raymond; Gong, Zhiyuan

    2018-02-01

    It has been intensively documented that there are species-differences in the sensitivity to dioxin-like compounds (DLCs) in mammalian and avian. However, this issue is still unclear in fish. This study aimed at evaluating the differential sensitivities to DLCs in fish larvae. Here, larvae of Tg(cyp1a:gfp) medaka and Tg(cyp1a:gfp) zebrafish were tested with 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzodioxin (TCDD), polychlorinated biphenyl 126 (PCB 126) and 2,3,4,7,8,-Pentachlorodibenzofuran (PeCDF). Comparative analyses were performed on induction of GFP fluorescence, expression of endogenous cyp1a mRNAs and EROD activity between the two species after exposure to these chemicals. We found that PCB 126 and PeCDF exposure at high concentrations induced strong GFP expression in multiple organs (liver, head kidney and gut) in both medaka and zebrafish larvae. Moreover, the expression of endogenous cyp1a mRNA was significantly elevated in the zebrafish larvae exposed to TCDD, PCB 126 and PeCDF at different concentrations. Likewise, almost all the exposure conditions could cause prominent elevation of EROD activity in the zebrafish larvae, while the EROD activities were just slightly elevated in the medaka larvae exposed to 1 nM and 0.5 nM of TCDD as well as to 1.5 nM and 15 nM of PeCDF, but not in the medaka larvae exposed to PCB 126. Taken together, zebrafish was proved to be more sensitive than medaka to PCB 126 and to PeCDF in this study. The findings suggested species-specific sensitivity to DLCs in fish and will facilitate choosing a sensitive and reliable fish model or tool to evaluate the risk of dioxins and DLCs exposure. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Massive Symbolic Mathematical Computations and Their Applications

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1988-08-16

    NUMBER ORGANIZATION (if appi cable) AFOSR I A_ /__ I F49620-87- C -0113 Bc. ADDRESS (City, Stare, and ZIP Code) %. SOURCE OF FUNDING NUMBERS PROGRAM PROJECT...TASK WORK UNIT - < ’/I/ "//ELEMENT NO. NO. NO. ACCESSION NO. /,, AF,; c 9r ;- 6 (4/tL’ " ’ ’! /K’, 11 TITLE (Incoue Secuirty Classification) Massive...DARPA R & D Status Report AFOSR.m. 8 8-1 12Contract No. F49620-87- C -0113 MASSIVE SYMBOLIC MATHEMATICAL COMPUTATIONS AND THEIR APPLICATIONS Quarterly

  15. Observational studies of regions of massive star formation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cooper, Heather Danielle Blythe

    2013-03-01

    Massive stars have a profound influence on their surroundings. However, relatively little is known about their formation. The study of massive star formation is hindered by a lack of observational evidence, primarily due to difficulties observing massive stars at early stages in their development. The Red MSX Source survey (RMS survey) is a valuable tool with which to address these issues. Near-infrared H- and K-band spectra were taken for 247 candidate massive young stellar objects (MYSOs), selected from the RMS survey. 195 (∼80%) of the targets are YSOs, of which 131 are massive YSOs (LBOL>5E3L⊙, M>8 M⊙). This is the largest spectroscopic study of massive YSOs to date. This study covers minimally obscured objects right through to very red, dusty sources. Almost all YSOs show some evidence for emission lines, though there is a wide variety of observed properties, with HI, H2 Fe II, and CO among the most commonly observed lines. Evidence for disks and outflows was frequently seen. Comparisons of Brγ and H2 emission with low mass YSOs suggest that the emission mechanism for these lines is the same for low-, intermediate-, and high-mass YSOs, i.e. high-mass YSOs appear to resemble scaled-up versions of low-mass YSOs. It was found that the YSOs form an evolutionary sequence, based on their spectra, consistent with the existing theoretical models. Type I YSOs have strong H2 emission, no ionized lines, and are redder than the other two subtypes. As such, these are considered to be the youngest sources. The Type III sources are bluest, and therefore considered to be the oldest subtype. They have strong H I lines and fluorescent Fe II 1.6878 μm emission. They may also have weak H2 emission. Type III sources may even be beginning to form a mini-H II region. XSHOOTER data from 10 Herbig Be stars were analysed. The evidence suggests that winds and disks are common among Herbig stars, as they are among their main sequence classical Be star counterparts. Line

  16. Rice G-protein subunits qPE9-1 and RGB1 play distinct roles in abscisic acid responses and drought adaptation.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Dong-Ping; Zhou, Yong; Yin, Jian-Feng; Yan, Xue-Jiao; Lin, Sheng; Xu, Wei-Feng; Baluška, František; Wang, Yi-Ping; Xia, Yi-Ji; Liang, Guo-hua; Liang, Jian-Sheng

    2015-10-01

    Heterotrimeric GTP-binding protein (G-protein)-mediated abscisic acid (ABA) and drought-stress responses have been documented in numerous plant species. However, our understanding of the function of rice G-protein subunits in ABA signalling and drought tolerance is limited. In this study, the function of G-protein subunits in ABA response and drought resistance in rice plants was explored. It was found that the transcription level of qPE9-1 (rice Gγ subunit) gradually decreased with increasing ABA concentration and the lack of qPE9-1 showed an enhanced drought tolerance in rice plants. In contrast, mRNA levels of RGB1 (rice Gβ subunit) were significantly upregulated by ABA treatment and the lack of RGB1 led to reduced drought tolerance. Furthermore, the results suggested that qPE9-1 negatively regulates the ABA response by suppressing the expression of key transcription factors involved in ABA and stress responses, while RGB1 positively regulates ABA biosynthesis by upregulating NCED gene expression under both normal and drought stress conditions. Taken together, it is proposed that RGB1 is a positive regulator of the ABA response and drought adaption in rice plants, whereas qPE9-1 is modulated by RGB1 and functions as a negative regulator in the ABA-dependent drought-stress responses. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Experimental Biology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  17. MASGOMAS project: building a bona-fide catalog of massive star cluster candidates

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Herrero, Artemio; Rübke, Klaus; Ramírez Alegría, Sebastián; Garcia, Miriam; Marín-Franch, Antonio

    2017-11-01

    MASGOMAS (MAssive Stars in Galactic Obscured MAssive clusterS) is a project aiming at discovering OB stars in Galactic, dust enshrouded, star-forming massive clusters (Marín-Franch et al. 2009, A&A 502, 559). The project has gone through different phases of increasing automatization, that have allowed us to discover massive clusters like MASGOMAS-1 (Ramírez Alegría et al. 2012, A&A 541, A75) (with M~20,000 M⊙).

  18. A Profilometry-Based Dentifrice Abrasion Method for V8 Brushing Machines Part III: Multi-Laboratory Validation Testing of RDA-PE.

    PubMed

    Schneiderman, Eva; Colón, Ellen L; White, Donald J; Schemehorn, Bruce; Ganovsky, Tara; Haider, Amir; Garcia-Godoy, Franklin; Morrow, Brian R; Srimaneepong, Viritpon; Chumprasert, Sujin

    2017-09-01

    We have previously reported on progress toward the refinement of profilometry-based abrasivity testing of dentifrices using a V8 brushing machine and tactile or optical measurement of dentin wear. The general application of this technique may be advanced by demonstration of successful inter-laboratory confirmation of the method. The objective of this study was to explore the capability of different laboratories in the assessment of dentifrice abrasivity using a profilometry-based evaluation technique developed in our Mason laboratories. In addition, we wanted to assess the interchangeability of human and bovine specimens. Participating laboratories were instructed in methods associated with Radioactive Dentin Abrasivity-Profilometry Equivalent (RDA-PE) evaluation, including site visits to discuss critical elements of specimen preparation, masking, profilometry scanning, and procedures. Laboratories were likewise instructed on the requirement for demonstration of proportional linearity as a key condition for validation of the technique. Laboratories were provided with four test dentifrices, blinded for testing, with a broad range of abrasivity. In each laboratory, a calibration curve was developed for varying V8 brushing strokes (0, 4,000, and 10,000 strokes) with the ISO abrasive standard. Proportional linearity was determined as the ratio of standard abrasion mean depths created with 4,000 and 10,000 strokes (2.5 fold differences). Criteria for successful calibration within the method (established in our Mason laboratory) was set at proportional linearity = 2.5 ± 0.3. RDA-PE was compared to Radiotracer RDA for the four test dentifrices, with the latter obtained by averages from three independent Radiotracer RDA sites. Individual laboratories and their results were compared by 1) proportional linearity and 2) acquired RDA-PE values for test pastes. Five sites participated in the study. One site did not pass proportional linearity objectives. Data for this site are

  19. Spin-3 topologically massive gravity

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chen, Bin; Long, Jiang; Wu, Jun-bao

    2011-11-01

    In this Letter, we study the spin-3 topologically massive gravity (TMG), paying special attention to its properties at the chiral point. We propose an action describing the higher spin fields coupled to TMG. We discuss the traceless spin-3 fluctuations around the AdS3 vacuum and find that there is an extra local massive mode, besides the left-moving and right-moving boundary massless modes. At the chiral point, such extra mode becomes massless and degenerates with the left-moving mode. We show that at the chiral point the only degrees of freedom in the theory are the boundary right-moving graviton and spin-3 field. We conjecture that spin-3 chiral gravity with generalized Brown-Henneaux boundary condition is holographically dual to 2D chiral CFT with classical W3 algebra and central charge cR = 3 l / G.

  20. A clinical update on massive ovarian oedema - a pseudotumour?

    PubMed

    Praveen, Rs; Pallavi, Vr; Rajashekar, K; Usha, A; Umadevi, K; Bafna, Ud

    2013-01-01

    Benign massive ovarian oedema is a rare clinical entity arising from the ovaries, and it poses a significant clinical challenge as it can be easily mistaken for neoplasm. Due to the lack of pathognomonic clinical features or characteristic hallmarks on non-invasive diagnostic modalities and the dependence on the final histopathology, the efforts of the surgeon have been deviated from performing fertility-sparing surgery on young women. The lack of standardised guidelines due to the rarity of this condition calls for a review of the literature to enable the clinician to formulate treatment guidelines. A Medline search on the PubMed database for literature published in English from 1969 to 2011 was done using the keywords 'massive ovarian oedema, massive ovarian oedema case report or case series, and pseudotumour of ovary'. A total of 177 women who had undergone a variety of treatments were retrieved. We also report the management options we used for four women presenting to us between August 2000 and October 2011, as well as a review of the literature. A total of 177 cases of massive ovarian oedema were identified. Out of these cases 151 (85.3%) were primary massive ovarian oedema; secondary massive ovarian oedema was identified in 26 (14.7%) cases. A salpingo-oophorectomy was done in 145 (81.9%) cases, 12 (6.8%) cases had an abdominal hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. A total of 76 (42.9%) cases intraoperatively were found to have ovarian torsions, and one patient with primary massive ovarian oedema had ascites. Conservative treatment was carried out in 20 (11.3%) patients; 14 of these had a wedge biopsy with frozen section and with or without ovarian suspension, one patient had diagnostic laparotomy, and five cases had only ultrasonographic or magnetic resonance imaging monitoring and symptomatic treatment. The four cases treated at the regional cancer institute from 2000 to 2011 revealed that the first three cases had salpingo-oophorectomy and

  1. Efficient Energy Conversion by Grafting Nanochannels with End-charged Stimuli-responsive Polyelectrolyte Brush

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chen, Guang; Das, Siddhartha

    2017-11-01

    Polyelectrolyte (PE) brushes have aroused increasing attention in applications in energy conversion and chemical sensing due to the environmentally-responsive and designable nature. PE brushes are charged polymer chains densely grafted on solid-liquid interfaces. By designing copolymeric systems, one can localize the ionizable sites at the brush tip in order to get end-charged PE brushes. Such brushes demonstrate anomalous shrinking/swelling behaviors with tunable environmental parameters such as pH and salt concentration. In this study, we probe the conformation and electrostatics of such PE brush systems with various size, grafting density and charge distribution, and exploit the electrochemomechanical energy conversion capabilities of nanochannels grafted with such PE brush systems. Our results indicate that the presence of the end-charged PE brush layer can massively enhance the streaming potential mediated energy conversion efficiency, and the improvement is more significant in strongly ionic solution.

  2. Collaborative Calibrated Peer Assessment in Massive Open Online Courses

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Boudria, Asma; Lafifi, Yacine; Bordjiba, Yamina

    2018-01-01

    The free nature and open access courses in the Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC) allow the facilities of disseminating information for a large number of participants. However, the "massive" propriety can generate many pedagogical problems, such as the assessment of learners, which is considered as the major difficulty facing in the…

  3. Management of venous thromboembolism in patients with acute leukemia at high bleeding risk: a multi-center study.

    PubMed

    Napolitano, Mariasanta; Valore, Luca; Malato, Alessandra; Saccullo, Giorgia; Vetro, Calogero; Mitra, Maria Enza; Fabbiano, Francesco; Mannina, Donato; Casuccio, Alessandra; Lucchesi, Alessandro; Del Principe, Maria Ilaria; Candoni, Anna; Di Raimondo, Francesco; Siragusa, Sergio

    2016-01-01

    In the last decades, evaluation of clinically relevant thrombotic complications in patients with acute leukemia (AL) has been poorly investigated. The authors performed a multi-center study to evaluate the management of symptomatic venous thromboembolism (VTE) in adult patients with AL. The intention was to find as clinically relevant the following: symptomatic Venous Thrombosis (VT) occurred in typical (lower limbs) and atypical (cerebral, upper limbs, abdominal, etc) sites with or without pulmonary embolism (PE). Over a population of 1461 patients with AL, 22 cases of symptomatic VTE were recorded in hospitalized patients with a mean age of 54.6 years. The absolute incidence of VTE was 1.5%. VTE occurred during chemotherapy in 17/22 (77.2%) cases, mainly (14/17, 82.3%) during the induction phase. Treatment of acute VTE was based on Low Molecular Weight Heparin (LMWH) at full dosage for the first month from diagnosis and reduced dosage (75%) for the following months.

  4. Delineation and analysis of chromosomal regions specifying Yersinia pestis.

    PubMed

    Derbise, Anne; Chenal-Francisque, Viviane; Huon, Christèle; Fayolle, Corinne; Demeure, Christian E; Chane-Woon-Ming, Béatrice; Médigue, Claudine; Hinnebusch, B Joseph; Carniel, Elisabeth

    2010-09-01

    Yersinia pestis, the causative agent of plague, has recently diverged from the less virulent enteropathogen Yersinia pseudotuberculosis. Its emergence has been characterized by massive genetic loss and inactivation and limited gene acquisition. The acquired genes include two plasmids, a filamentous phage, and a few chromosomal loci. The aim of this study was to characterize the chromosomal regions acquired by Y. pestis. Following in silico comparative analysis and PCR screening of 98 strains of Y. pseudotuberculosis and Y. pestis, we found that eight chromosomal loci (six regions [R1pe to R6pe] and two coding sequences [CDS1pe and CDS2pe]) specified Y. pestis. Signatures of integration by site specific or homologous recombination were identified for most of them. These acquisitions and the loss of ancestral DNA sequences were concentrated in a chromosomal region opposite to the origin of replication. The specific regions were acquired very early during Y. pestis evolution and were retained during its microevolution, suggesting that they might bring some selective advantages. Only one region (R3pe), predicted to carry a lambdoid prophage, is most likely no longer functional because of mutations. With the exception of R1pe and R2pe, which have the potential to encode a restriction/modification and a sugar transport system, respectively, no functions could be predicted for the other Y. pestis-specific loci. To determine the role of the eight chromosomal loci in the physiology and pathogenicity of the plague bacillus, each of them was individually deleted from the bacterial chromosome. None of the deletants exhibited defects during growth in vitro. Using the Xenopsylla cheopis flea model, all deletants retained the capacity to produce a stable and persistent infection and to block fleas. Similarly, none of the deletants caused any acute flea toxicity. In the mouse model of infection, all deletants were fully virulent upon subcutaneous or aerosol infections. Therefore

  5. Comment on “Identification of the subsurface sulfide bodies responsible for acidity in Río Tinto source water, Spain” by Gómez-Ortiz et al. (Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 391 (2014) 36-41)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Olías, Manuel; Nieto, José Miguel

    2014-10-01

    The source of the Río Tinto (SW Spain) is currently located close to the Peña de Hierro mine, where it receives the first acidic waters. A few kilometers south, the river crosses the Río Tinto mines, a supergiant massive sulfide deposit that is much more important than those of Peña de Hierro, and the acid pollutant contributions to the river increase by orders of magnitude.

  6. Interaction of High Flash Point Electrolytes and PE-Based Separators for Li-Ion Batteries

    PubMed Central

    Hofmann, Andreas; Kaufmann, Christoph; Müller, Marcus; Hanemann, Thomas

    2015-01-01

    In this study, promising electrolytes for use in Li-ion batteries are studied in terms of interacting and wetting polyethylene (PE) and particle-coated PE separators. The electrolytes are characterized according to their physicochemical properties, where the flow characteristics and the surface tension are of particular interest for electrolyte–separator interactions. The viscosity of the electrolytes is determined to be in a range of η = 4–400 mPa∙s and surface tension is finely graduated in a range of γL = 23.3–38.1 mN∙m−1. It is verified that the technique of drop shape analysis can only be used in a limited matter to prove the interaction, uptake and penetration of electrolytes by separators. Cell testing of Li|NMC half cells reveals that those cell results cannot be inevitably deduced from physicochemical electrolyte properties as well as contact angle analysis. On the other hand, techniques are more suitable which detect liquid penetration into the interior of the separator. It is expected that the results can help fundamental researchers as well as users of novel electrolytes in current-day Li-ion battery technologies for developing and using novel material combinations. PMID:26343636

  7. In-situ deposition of YBCO high-Tc superconducting thin films by MOCVD and PE-MOCVD

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Zhao, J.; Noh, D. W.; Chern, C.; Li, Y. Q.; Norris, P. E.; Kear, B.; Gallois, B.

    1991-01-01

    Metal-Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition (MOCVD) offers the advantages of a high degree of compositional control, adaptability for large scale production, and the potential for low temperature fabrication. The capability of operating at high oxygen partial pressure is particularly suitable for in situ formation of high temperature superconducting (HTSC) films. Yttrium barium copper oxide (YBCO) thin films having a sharp zero-resistance transition with T(sub c) greater than 90 K and J(sub c) of approximately 10(exp 4) A on YSZ have been prepared, in situ, at a substrate temperature of about 800 C. Moreover, the ability to form oxide films at low temperature is very desirable for device applications of HTSC materials. Such a process would permit the deposition of high quality HTSC films with a smooth surface on a variety of substrates. Highly c-axis oriented, dense, scratch resistant, superconducting YBCO thin films with mirror-like surfaces have been prepared, in situ, at a reduced substrate temperature as low as 570 C by a remote microwave-plasma enhanced metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (PE-MOCVD) process. Nitrous oxide was used as a reactant gas to generate active oxidizing species. This process, for the first time, allows the formation of YBCO thin films with the orthorhombic superconducting phase in the as-deposited state. The as-deposited films grown by PE-MOCVD show attainment of zero resistance at 72 K with a transition width of about 5 K. MOCVD was carried out in a commercial production scale reactor with the capability of uniform deposition over 100 sq cm per growth run. Preliminary results indicate that PE-MOCVD is a very attractive thin film deposition process for superconducting device technology.

  8. Hypocalcemia in trauma patients receiving massive transfusion.

    PubMed

    Giancarelli, Amanda; Birrer, Kara L; Alban, Rodrigo F; Hobbs, Brandon P; Liu-DeRyke, Xi

    2016-05-01

    Massive transfusion protocol (MTP) is increasingly used in civilian trauma resuscitation. Calcium is vital for coagulation, but hypocalcemia commonly occurs during massive transfusion due to citrate and serum calcium chelation. This study was conducted to determine the incidence of hypocalcemia and severe hypocalcemia in trauma patients who receive massive transfusion and to compare characteristics of patients with severe versus nonsevere hypocalcemia. This was a retrospective study of trauma patients who received massive transfusion between January 2009 and November 2013. The primary outcome was the incidence of hypocalcemia (ionized calcium [iCa] < 1.12 mmol/L) and severe hypocalcemia (iCa < 0.90 mmol/L). Secondary outcomes included calcium monitoring, calcium replacement, and correction of coagulopathy. There were 156 patients included; 152 (97%) experienced hypocalcemia, and 111 (71%) had severe hypocalcemia. Patients were stratified into iCa ≥ 0.90 (n = 45) and iCa < 0.90 (n = 111). There were no differences in demographics or baseline laboratories except the severe hypocalcemia group had higher baseline activated partial thromboplastin time (29.7 [23.7-50.9] versus 25.8 [22.3-35.9], P = 0.003), higher lactic acid (5.8 [4.1-9.8] versus 4.0 [3.1-7.8], P = 0.019), lower platelets (176 [108-237] versus 208 [169-272], P = 0.003), and lower pH (7.14 [6.98-7.28] versus 7.23 [7.14-7.33], P = 0.019). Mortality was higher in the severe hypocalcemia group (49% versus 24%, P = 0.007). Patients in the iCa < 0.90 group received more blood products (34 [23-58] versus 22 [18-30] units, P < 0.001), and calcium chloride (4 [2-7] versus 3 [1-4] g, P = 0.002), but there was no difference in duration of MTP or final iCa. Neither group reached a median iCa > 1.12. Hypocalcemia is common during MTP, and vigilant monitoring is warranted. Research is needed to effectively manage hypocalcemia during massive transfusion. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Highlighted Steps of the Management Algorithm in Acute Lower Gastrointestinal Bleeding - Case Reports and Literature Review.

    PubMed

    Andrei, Gabriel Nicolae; Popa, Bogdan; Gulie, Laurentiu; Diaconescu, Bogdan Ionut; Martian, Bogdan Valeriu; Bejenaru, Mircea; Beuran, Mircea

    2016-01-01

    Acute lower gastrointestinal bleeding is a major problem worldwide, being a rare and life threatening condition, with a mortality rate situated between 2 and 4%. Acute lower gastrointestinal bleeding is solvent for 1 - 2% of the entire hospital emergencies, 15% presenting as massive bleeding and up to 5% requiring surgery. Lower gastrointestinal bleeding can be classified depending on their location in the small or large intestine. The small bowel is the rarest site of lower gastrointestinal bleeding, at the same time being the commonest cause of obscure bleeding. 5% of total lower GI bleeding appears in the small bowel. When endoscopic therapy associated with medical treatment are insufficient, endovascular intervention can be lifesaving. Unfortunately in some rare cases of acute lower gastrointestinal bleeding with hemo-dynamic instability and the angiography performed being unable to locate the source of bleeding, the last therapeutic resource remains surgery. In the following we exemplify two cases of acute lower gastrointestinal bleeding which were resolved in different ways, followed by a thorough description of the different types of available treatment and finally, in the conclusions, we systematize the most important stages of the management algorithm in acute lower gastrointestinal bleeding. Celsius.

  10. But I like PE: Factors Associated with Enjoyment of Physical Education Class in Middle School Girls

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Barr-Anderson, Daheia J.; Neumark-Sztainer, Dianne; Schmitz, Kathryn H.; Ward, Dianne S.; Conway, Terry L.; Pratt, Charlotte; Baggett, Chris D.; Lytle, Leslie; Pate, Russell R.

    2008-01-01

    The current study examined associations between physical education (PE) class enjoyment and sociodemographic, personal, and perceived school environment factors among early adolescent girls. Participants included 1,511 sixth-grade girls who completed baseline assessments for the Trial of Activity in Adolescent Girls, with 50% indicating they…

  11. [RS3PE syndrome associated with senile Epstein-Barr virus-positive diffuse large B cell lymphoma of a patient with colon cancer].

    PubMed

    Shimoyama, Saori; Kuroda, Hiroyuki; Yoshida, Masahiro; Usami, Makoto; Sakamoto, Hiroki; Yamada, Michiko; Fujii, Shigeyuki; Maeda, Masahiro; Fujita, Miri; Nakano, Tatsumi; Kanari, Yusuke; Iyama, Satoshi; Kato, Junji

    2015-11-01

    A 75-year-old woman consulted her doctor in January 2014 because of pain in the dorsum of the hands, elbows, shoulders, and knees, bilaterally, and was diagnosed as having remitting seronegative symmetrical synovitis with pitting edema (RS3PE) syndrome. Although the joint pain improved with low-dose prednisolone administration, she was referred to our department in April of 2014 because she had become aware of swelling of the right cervical lymph node. Biopsy of the lymph node demonstrated that she had Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-positive diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) of the elderly, and colonoscopy revealed early colon cancer. Also, both the lymphoma and colon cancer stained positive for vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Complete remission was achieved after two courses of R-CHOP, and RS3PE syndrome did not relapse. This case suggested the involvement of VEGF produced by EBV-positive DLBCL in the pathogenesis of RS3PE syndrome.

  12. Near-Infrared Mass Loss Diagnostics for Massive Stars

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Sonneborn, George; Bouret, J. C.

    2010-01-01

    Stellar wind mass loss is a key process which modifies surface abundances, luminosities, and other physical properties of hot, massive stars. Furthermore, mass loss has to be understood quantitatively in order to accurately describe and predict massive star evolution. Two urgent problems have been identified that challenge our understanding of line-driven winds, the so-called weak-wind problem and wind clumping. In both cases, mass-loss rates are drastically lower than theoretically expected (up to a factor 1001). Here we study how the expected spectroscopic capabilities of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), especially NIRSpec, could be used to significantly improve constraints on wind density structures (clumps) and deep-seated phenomena in stellar winds of massive stars, including OB, Wolf-Rayet and LBV stars. Since the IR continuum of objects with strong winds is formed in the wind, IR lines may sample different depths inside the wind than UV-optical lines and provide new information about the shape of the velocity field and clumping properties. One of the most important applications of IR line diagnostics will be the measurement of mass-loss rates in massive stars with very weak winds by means of the H I Bracket alpha line, which has been identified as one of the most promising diagnostics for this problem.

  13. Rhabdomyolysis and acute myoglobinuric renal failure in a patient with bilateral pheochromocytoma following open pyelolithotomy.

    PubMed

    Anaforoglu, Inan; Ertorer, M Eda; Haydardedeoglu, Filiz E; Colakoglu, Tamer; Tokmak, Naime; Demirag, Nilgun G

    2008-04-01

    Rhabdomyolysis is an unusual manifestation of pheochromocytoma. Early diagnosis and prompt management are crucial, as it may have life-threatening consequences. This is the case of a 19-year-old man with bilateral pheochromocytoma complicated with rhabdomyolysis and acute myoglobinuric renal failure after surgery for nephrolithiasis. A massive catecholamine release during the procedure manifested itself as a hypertensive crisis, producing severe vasoconstriction and thereby provoking ischemia of the patient's muscle tissue. This insult resulted in rhabdomyolysis and acute myoglobinuric renal failure. After making sure that all necessary medical precautions were performed, including blood pressure stabilization with alpha receptor blockade and adequate fluid replacement, the patient successfully underwent a bilateral cortex-sparing medullar adrenalectomy. The operation specimen was reported as pheochromocytoma.

  14. Photon emission from massive projectile impacts on solids.

    PubMed

    Fernandez-Lima, F A; Pinnick, V T; Della-Negra, S; Schweikert, E A

    2011-01-01

    First evidence of photon emission from individual impacts of massive gold projectiles on solids for a number of projectile-target combinations is reported. Photon emission from individual impacts of massive Au(n) (+q) (1 ≤ n ≤ 400; q = 1-4) projectiles with impact energies in the range of 28-136 keV occurs in less than 10 ns after the projectile impact. Experimental observations show an increase in the photon yield from individual impacts with the projectile size and velocity. Concurrently with the photon emission, electron emission from the impact area has been observed below the kinetic emission threshold and under unlikely conditions for potential electron emission. We interpret the puzzling electron emission and correlated luminescence observation as evidence of the electronic excitation resulting from the high-energy density deposited by massive cluster projectiles during the impact.

  15. Photon emission from massive projectile impacts on solids

    PubMed Central

    Fernandez-Lima, F. A.; Pinnick, V. T.; Della-Negra, S.; Schweikert, E. A.

    2011-01-01

    First evidence of photon emission from individual impacts of massive gold projectiles on solids for a number of projectile-target combinations is reported. Photon emission from individual impacts of massive Aun+q (1 ≤ n ≤ 400; q = 1–4) projectiles with impact energies in the range of 28–136 keV occurs in less than 10 ns after the projectile impact. Experimental observations show an increase in the photon yield from individual impacts with the projectile size and velocity. Concurrently with the photon emission, electron emission from the impact area has been observed below the kinetic emission threshold and under unlikely conditions for potential electron emission. We interpret the puzzling electron emission and correlated luminescence observation as evidence of the electronic excitation resulting from the high-energy density deposited by massive cluster projectiles during the impact. PMID:21603128

  16. Reynolds stress scaling in pipe flow turbulence—first results from CICLoPE

    PubMed Central

    Fiorini, T.; Bellani, G.; Talamelli, A.

    2017-01-01

    This paper reports the first turbulence measurements performed in the Long Pipe Facility at the Center for International Cooperation in Long Pipe Experiments (CICLoPE). In particular, the Reynolds stress components obtained from a number of straight and boundary-layer-type single-wire and X-wire probes up to a friction Reynolds number of 3.8×104 are reported. In agreement with turbulent boundary-layer experiments as well as with results from the Superpipe, the present measurements show a clear logarithmic region in the streamwise variance profile, with a Townsend–Perry constant of A2≈1.26. The wall-normal variance profile exhibits a Reynolds-number-independent plateau, while the spanwise component was found to obey a logarithmic scaling over a much wider wall-normal distance than the other two components, with a slope that is nearly half of that of the Townsend–Perry constant, i.e. A2,w≈A2/2. The present results therefore provide strong support for the scaling of the Reynolds stress tensor based on the attached-eddy hypothesis. Intriguingly, the wall-normal and spanwise components exhibit higher amplitudes than in previous studies, and therefore call for follow-up studies in CICLoPE, as well as other large-scale facilities. This article is part of the themed issue ‘Toward the development of high-fidelity models of wall turbulence at large Reynolds number’. PMID:28167586

  17. Reynolds stress scaling in pipe flow turbulence-first results from CICLoPE.

    PubMed

    Örlü, R; Fiorini, T; Segalini, A; Bellani, G; Talamelli, A; Alfredsson, P H

    2017-03-13

    This paper reports the first turbulence measurements performed in the Long Pipe Facility at the Center for International Cooperation in Long Pipe Experiments (CICLoPE). In particular, the Reynolds stress components obtained from a number of straight and boundary-layer-type single-wire and X-wire probes up to a friction Reynolds number of 3.8×10 4 are reported. In agreement with turbulent boundary-layer experiments as well as with results from the Superpipe, the present measurements show a clear logarithmic region in the streamwise variance profile, with a Townsend-Perry constant of A 2 ≈1.26. The wall-normal variance profile exhibits a Reynolds-number-independent plateau, while the spanwise component was found to obey a logarithmic scaling over a much wider wall-normal distance than the other two components, with a slope that is nearly half of that of the Townsend-Perry constant, i.e. A 2,w ≈A 2 /2. The present results therefore provide strong support for the scaling of the Reynolds stress tensor based on the attached-eddy hypothesis. Intriguingly, the wall-normal and spanwise components exhibit higher amplitudes than in previous studies, and therefore call for follow-up studies in CICLoPE, as well as other large-scale facilities.This article is part of the themed issue 'Toward the development of high-fidelity models of wall turbulence at large Reynolds number'. © 2017 The Author(s).

  18. Development and validation of a simulation method, PeCHREM, for evaluating spatio-temporal concentration changes of paddy herbicides in rivers.

    PubMed

    Imaizumi, Yoshitaka; Suzuki, Noriyuki; Shiraishi, Fujio; Nakajima, Daisuke; Serizawa, Shigeko; Sakurai, Takeo; Shiraishi, Hiroaki

    2018-01-24

    In pesticide risk management in Japan, predicted environmental concentrations are estimated by a tiered approach, and the Ministry of the Environment also performs field surveys to confirm the maximum concentrations of pesticides with risk concerns. To contribute to more efficient and effective field surveys, we developed the Pesticide Chemicals High Resolution Estimation Method (PeCHREM) for estimating spatially and temporally variable emissions of various paddy herbicides from paddy fields to the environment. We used PeCHREM and the G-CIEMS multimedia environmental fate model to predict day-to-day environmental concentration changes of 25 herbicides throughout Japan. To validate the PeCHREM/G-CIEMS model, we also conducted a field survey, in which river waters were sampled at least once every two weeks at seven sites in six prefectures from April to July 2009. In 20 of 139 sampling site-herbicide combinations in which herbicides were detected in at least three samples, all observed concentrations differed from the corresponding prediction by less than one order of magnitude. We also compared peak concentrations and the dates on which the concentrations reached peak values (peak dates) between predictions and observations. The peak concentration differences between predictions and observations were less than one order of magnitude in 66% of the 166 sampling site-herbicide combinations in which herbicide was detected in river water. The observed and predicted peak dates differed by less than two weeks in 79% of these 166 combinations. These results confirm that the PeCHREM/G-CIEMS model can improve the efficiency and effectiveness of surveys by predicting the peak concentrations and peak dates of various herbicides.

  19. ALFIL: A Crowd Simulation Serious Game for Massive Evacuation Training and Awareness

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    García-García, César; Fernández-Robles, José Luis; Larios-Rosillo, Victor; Luga, Hervé

    2012-01-01

    This article presents the current development of a serious game for the simulation of massive evacuations. The purpose of this project is to promote self-protection through awareness of the procedures and different possible scenarios during the evacuation of a massive event. Sophisticated behaviors require massive computational power and it has…

  20. Massive star evolution and SN 1987A

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Arnett, David

    1991-01-01

    The evolution of massive stars through hydrogen and helium burning is addressed. A set of stellar evolutionary sequences for mass/solar mass of 15, 20, and 25, and metallicity of 0.002, 0.005, 0.007, 0.010, and 0.20 are presented; semiconvection is restricted to operating slower than the local thermal time scale. Using these sequences, simple models of the massive star content of the LMC are found to agree moderately well with the new observational data of Fitzpatrick and Garmany (1990). LMC supergiants were detected only in their postmain-sequence phases, so that 5-10 times more massive stars are there but not identified as such. It is argued that SN 1987A exhibits the normal evolution of a single star of about 20 solar mases having LMC abundances. Despite the variety of envelope behavior, the structure of the core at collapse is rather similar for the stars of a given mass. Variations due to different rates of mass loss are likely to be larger than those due to composition.