AMA-Reddit Media Event

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-12-02

NASA managers participate in a live online Ask Me Anything, or AMA, session for reddit.com followers during Orion preflight activities at NASA Kennedy Space Center's News Center in Florida. From left, are Mike Bolger, Ground Systems Development and Operations program manager and Mark Geyer, Orion program manager. Also participating, but not shown in the photo is Todd May, Space Launch System program manager. Discussion topics include Mars and technology.

Population genetic structure and natural selection of Plasmodium falciparum apical membrane antigen-1 in Myanmar isolates.

PubMed

Kang, Jung-Mi; Lee, Jinyoung; Moe, Mya; Jun, Hojong; Lê, Hương Giang; Kim, Tae Im; Thái, Thị Lam; Sohn, Woon-Mok; Myint, Moe Kyaw; Lin, Khin; Shin, Ho-Joon; Kim, Tong-Soo; Na, Byoung-Kuk

2018-02-07

Plasmodium falciparum apical membrane antigen-1 (PfAMA-1) is one of leading blood stage malaria vaccine candidates. However, genetic variation and antigenic diversity identified in global PfAMA-1 are major hurdles in the development of an effective vaccine based on this antigen. In this study, genetic structure and the effect of natural selection of PfAMA-1 among Myanmar P. falciparum isolates were analysed. Blood samples were collected from 58 Myanmar patients with falciparum malaria. Full-length PfAMA-1 gene was amplified by polymerase chain reaction and cloned into a TA cloning vector. PfAMA-1 sequence of each isolate was sequenced. Polymorphic characteristics and effect of natural selection were analysed with using DNASTAR, MEGA4, and DnaSP programs. Polymorphic nature and natural selection in 459 global PfAMA-1 were also analysed. Thirty-seven different haplotypes of PfAMA-1 were identified in 58 Myanmar P. falciparum isolates. Most amino acid changes identified in Myanmar PfAMA-1 were found in domains I and III. Overall patterns of amino acid changes in Myanmar PfAMA-1 were similar to those in global PfAMA-1. However, frequencies of amino acid changes differed by country. Novel amino acid changes in Myanmar PfAMA-1 were also identified. Evidences for natural selection and recombination event were observed in global PfAMA-1. Among 51 commonly identified amino acid changes in global PfAMA-1 sequences, 43 were found in predicted RBC-binding sites, B-cell epitopes, or IUR regions. Myanmar PfAMA-1 showed similar patterns of nucleotide diversity and amino acid polymorphisms compared to those of global PfAMA-1. Balancing natural selection and intragenic recombination across PfAMA-1 are likely to play major roles in generating genetic diversity in global PfAMA-1. Most common amino acid changes in global PfAMA-1 were located in predicted B-cell epitopes where high levels of nucleotide diversity and balancing natural selection were found. These results highlight the strong selective pressure of host immunity on the PfAMA-1 gene. These results have significant implications in understanding the nature of Myanmar PfAMA-1 along with global PfAMA-1. They also provide useful information for the development of effective malaria vaccine based on this antigen.

Design of a Two-level Adaptive Multi-Agent System for Malaria Vectors driven by an ontology

PubMed Central

Koum, Guillaume; Yekel, Augustin; Ndifon, Bengyella; Etang, Josiane; Simard, Frédéric

2007-01-01

Background The understanding of heterogeneities in disease transmission dynamics as far as malaria vectors are concerned is a big challenge. Many studies while tackling this problem don't find exact models to explain the malaria vectors propagation. Methods To solve the problem we define an Adaptive Multi-Agent System (AMAS) which has the property to be elastic and is a two-level system as well. This AMAS is a dynamic system where the two levels are linked by an Ontology which allows it to function as a reduced system and as an extended system. In a primary level, the AMAS comprises organization agents and in a secondary level, it is constituted of analysis agents. Its entry point, a User Interface Agent, can reproduce itself because it is given a minimum of background knowledge and it learns appropriate "behavior" from the user in the presence of ambiguous queries and from other agents of the AMAS in other situations. Results Some of the outputs of our system present a series of tables, diagrams showing some factors like Entomological parameters of malaria transmission, Percentages of malaria transmission per malaria vectors, Entomological inoculation rate. Many others parameters can be produced by the system depending on the inputted data. Conclusion Our approach is an intelligent one which differs from statistical approaches that are sometimes used in the field. This intelligent approach aligns itself with the distributed artificial intelligence. In terms of fight against malaria disease our system offers opportunities of reducing efforts of human resources who are not obliged to cover the entire territory while conducting surveys. Secondly the AMAS can determine the presence or the absence of malaria vectors even when specific data have not been collected in the geographical area. In the difference of a statistical technique, in our case the projection of the results in the field can sometimes appeared to be more general. PMID:17605778

Primary biliary cirrhosis-specific antimitochondrial antibodies in neonatal haemochromatosis.

PubMed

Smyk, Daniel S; Mytilinaiou, Maria G; Grammatikopoulos, Tassos; Knisely, A S; Mieli-Vergani, Giorgina; Bogdanos, Dimitrios P; Vergani, Diego

2013-01-01

Neonatal hemochromatosis (NH) is characterised by severe liver injury and extrahepatic siderosis sparing the reticuloendothelial system. Its aetiology is obscure, although it has been proposed as an alloimmune disease, resulting from immunological reaction to self-antigens (alloantigens) which the body recognizes as foreign. We studied an infant with NH and his mother whose sera contained antimitochondrial antibody (AMA), the hallmark of primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC). To investigate the origin of AMA in the infant, we studied isotype distributions in serum from the mother and infant. Serum samples were obtained at diagnosis of NH, after liver transplantation (LT; age 1 month), and over the ensuing 17 months. At NH diagnosis, infant and maternal serum contained AMA of the IgG isotype, predominantly of the G3 and G1 subclasses. AMA strongly reacted against the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex E2 subunit (PDC-E2), the major PBC-specific AMA autoantigen. Anti-PDC-E2 responses in both infant and mother declined over time, being present 2 months after LT (mother and child) and absent 10 months later (mother) and 17 months later (child). The association of maternally transferred IgG1 and IgG3 subclass AMA with the appearance of liver damage in an infant with NH may suggest a causal link between antibody and liver damage.

Clinical implications of antimitochondrial antibody seropositivity in autoimmune hepatitis: a multicentre study.

PubMed

Muratori, Paolo; Efe, Cumali; Muratori, Luigi; Ozaslan, Ersan; Schiano, Thomas; Yoshida, Eric M; Heurgué-Berlot, Alexandra; Lalanne, Claudine; Lenzi, Marco; Wahlin, Staffan

2017-07-01

Antimitochondrial antibody (AMA) positivity is the serological marker of primary biliary cholangitis (PBC), but can also be sporadically detected in autoimmune hepatitis (AIH). Little is known about the clinical significance of AMA in AIH. We recruited 47 AMA-positive AIH cases from several centres and compared them with 264 well-characterized Italian AIH patients. Cases with any features of PBC were excluded. In univariate analysis, AMA-positive AIH patients were older (46 vs. 36, P=0.002) and more responsive to immunosuppression (74 vs. 59%, P=0.05), but no differences were observed between the two groups after logistic regression using AMA as a dependent variable. None of the AMA-positive AIH patients showed signs of evolving PBC features after a median follow-up of up 47 months. AMA was detected in combination with all serological AIH markers except antiliver kidney microsome type 1 and antiliver cytosol type 1. AMA was the only marker of autoimmunity in eight cases. We found no differences between AIH with and without AMA. The groups had similar clinical, biochemical and histological features. AMA-positive AIH patients did not evolve towards PBC. In some cases, AMA was the only autoantibody.

AMA-Reddit Media Event

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-12-02

NASA managers participate in a live online Ask Me Anything, or AMA, session for reddit.com followers during Orion preflight activities at NASA Kennedy Space Center's News Center in Florida. Participating are Mike Bolger, Ground Systems Development and Operations program manager Mark Geyer, Orion program manager and Todd May, Space Launch System program manager. Discussion topics include Mars and technology. Monitoring the live discussion is Brandi Dean, public affairs specialist from Johnson Space Center in Houston.

Amae as metalanguage: a critique of Doi's theory of amae.

PubMed

Taketomo, Y

1986-10-01

For many years Doi's ideas on the links between amae and the satisfaction of dependency needs have influenced discussions of the so-called Japanese character. In reviewing Doi's theory, however, major problems emerge. Beginning with the very definition of amae, one finds that Doi has chosen to stress only one aspect of amae. When one returns to his lexical sources, one discovers that the common denominator in the various definitions of amae does not lie in a single, monolithic motivation, as Doi proposes. Instead, it is suggested, amae should be viewed as a metalanguage. To understand the metacommunicational significance of amae, one must consider the rules that govern the behavior of the interactants in amae. Three different situations of amae are delineated. In the childhood interaction, the child playfully mimicks the infant's attachment behavior. With the adult coquetry situation, one observes the female playfully behaving as if she were the child mimicking the infant-mother prototype. Finally, in the third context subset of amae, there is a "trespassing on" or "taking advantage of" another person, with the beneficent approval of the second interactant. The common factor thus appears to be a mutually agreed-upon suspension of certain ordinary restraints on behavior. A metalanguage theory of amae, as an alternative to Doi's proposal, places emphasis on the culture-specific message of the interaction itself rather than on a single, monolithic motivation or an object-language interpretation. Indeed, various motivations are suggested, depending on the specific context of amae as well as the individual case. In this way, it is hoped, a metacommunicational approach to the understanding of amae may broaden the consideration of motivational issues, extending far beyond Doi's insistence on dependency and the search for passive love.

Assessing the Efficacy of Adjustable Moving Averages Using ASEAN-5 Currencies.

PubMed

Chan Phooi M'ng, Jacinta; Zainudin, Rozaimah

2016-01-01

The objective of this research is to examine the trends in the exchange rate markets of the ASEAN-5 countries (Indonesia (IDR), Malaysia (MYR), the Philippines (PHP), Singapore (SGD), and Thailand (THB)) through the application of dynamic moving average trading systems. This research offers evidence of the usefulness of the time-varying volatility technical analysis indicator, Adjustable Moving Average (AMA') in deciphering trends in these ASEAN-5 exchange rate markets. This time-varying volatility factor, referred to as the Efficacy Ratio in this paper, is embedded in AMA'. The Efficacy Ratio adjusts the AMA' to the prevailing market conditions by avoiding whipsaws (losses due, in part, to acting on wrong trading signals, which generally occur when there is no general direction in the market) in range trading and by entering early into new trends in trend trading. The efficacy of AMA' is assessed against other popular moving-average rules. Based on the January 2005 to December 2014 dataset, our findings show that the moving averages and AMA' are superior to the passive buy-and-hold strategy. Specifically, AMA' outperforms the other models for the United States Dollar against PHP (USD/PHP) and USD/THB currency pairs. The results show that different length moving averages perform better in different periods for the five currencies. This is consistent with our hypothesis that a dynamic adjustable technical indicator is needed to cater for different periods in different markets.

Bacteriocin production by Lactobacillus plantarum AMA-K isolated from Amasi, a Zimbabwean fermented milk product and study of the adsorption of bacteriocin AMA-K TO Listeria sp.

PubMed Central

Todorov, Svetoslav D.

2008-01-01

Bacteriocin AMA-K produced by Lactobacillus plantarum AMA-K inhibits the growth of Enterococcus spp., Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Listeria spp. Growth of strain AMA-K in BHI, M17, soy milk and molasses was similar to growth in MRS. The effect of organic nitrogen sources, carbohydrates, glycerol, K2HPO4 and KH2PO4, MgSO4, MnSO4, tri-ammonium citrate, Tween 80, vitamins and initial pH on bacteriocin AMA-K was determined. The mode of action of bacteriocin AMA-K was studied. The effect of bacteriocin AMA-K to actively growing Listeria innocua LMG13568, L. ivanovii subsp. ivanovii ATCC19119 and L. monocytogenes ScottA was determined. Adsorption of bacteriocin AMA-K to target cells at different temperatures, pH and in presence of Tween 20, Tween 80, ascorbic acid, potassium sorbate, sodium nitrate and sodium chloride were studied. Bacteriocin AMA-K shares high homology to pediocin PA-1. PMID:24031200

Not a Simple Tether: Binding of Toxoplasma gondii AMA1 to RON2 during Invasion Protects AMA1 from Rhomboid-Mediated Cleavage and Leads to Dephosphorylation of Its Cytosolic Tail

PubMed Central

Krishnamurthy, Shruthi; Deng, Bin; del Rio, Roxana; Buchholz, Kerry R.; Treeck, Moritz; Urban, Siniša; Boothroyd, John; Lam, Ying-Wai

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Apical membrane antigen 1 (AMA1) is a receptor protein on the surface of Toxoplasma gondii that plays a critical role in host cell invasion. The ligand to which T. gondii AMA1 (TgAMA1) binds, TgRON2, is secreted into the host cell membrane by the parasite during the early stages of invasion. The TgAMA1-TgRON2 complex forms the core of the “moving junction,” a ring-shaped zone of tight contact between the parasite and host cell membranes, through which the parasite pushes itself during invasion. Paradoxically, the parasite also expresses rhomboid proteases that constitutively cleave the TgAMA1 transmembrane domain. How can TgAMA1 function effectively in host cell binding if its extracellular domain is constantly shed from the parasite surface? We show here that when TgAMA1 binds the domain 3 (D3) peptide of TgRON2, its susceptibility to cleavage by rhomboid protease(s) is greatly reduced. This likely serves to maintain parasite-host cell binding at the moving junction, a hypothesis supported by data showing that parasites expressing a hypercleavable version of TgAMA1 invade less efficiently than wild-type parasites do. Treatment of parasites with the D3 peptide was also found to reduce phosphorylation of S527 on the cytoplasmic tail of TgAMA1, and parasites expressing a phosphomimetic S527D allele of TgAMA1 showed an invasion defect. Taken together, these data suggest that TgAMA1-TgRON2 interaction at the moving junction protects TgAMA1 molecules that are actively engaged in host cell penetration from rhomboid-mediated cleavage and generates an outside-in signal that leads to dephosphorylation of the TgAMA1 cytosolic tail. Both of these effects are required for maximally efficient host cell invasion. PMID:27624124

A Highly Selective and Strong Anti-Interference Host-Guest Complex as Fluorescent Probe for Detection of Amantadine by Indicator Displacement Assay.

PubMed

Zhu, Linzhao; Zhao, Zhiyong; Zhang, Xiongzhi; Zhang, Haijun; Liang, Feng; Liu, Simin

2018-04-18

Amantadine (AMA) and its derivatives are illicit veterinary drugs that are hard to detect at very low concentrations. Developing a fast, simple and highly sensitive method for the detection of AMA is highly in demand. Here, we designed an anthracyclic compound (ABAM) that binds to a cucurbit[7]uril (CB[7]) host with a high association constant of up to 8.7 × 10⁸ M −1 . The host-guest complex was then used as a fluorescent probe for the detection of AMA. Competition by AMA for occupying the cavity of CB[7] allows ABAM to release from the CB[7]-ABAM complex, causing significant fluorescence quenching of ABAM (indicator displacement assay, IDA). The linear range of the method is from 0.000188 to 0.375 μg/mL, and the detection limit can be as low as 6.5 × 10 −5 μg/mL (0.35 nM). Most importantly, due to the high binding affinity between CB[7] and ABAM, this fluorescence host-guest system shows great anti-interference capacity. Thus, we are able to accurately determine the concentration of AMA in various samples, including pharmaceutical formulations.

Factors affecting the acceptance of expert advice.

PubMed

Van Swol, Lyn M; Sniezek, Janet A

2005-09-01

This paper expands research on the judge advisor system (JAS) by examining advice utilization and trust. Experiment 1 examined five factors that could increase utilization of expert advice: judge's trust in the advisor, advisor confidence, advisor accuracy, judge's prior relationship with the advisor, and judge's power to set payment to the advisor. While judge's trust and advisor confidence correlated with the judge matching the advisor's advice, a stepwise regression found that of the five variables, advisor confidence was the only significant predictor of the judge matching the advisor. Experiment 2 examined trust without the role assignment to judge or advisor. While trust expressed in partner was not higher for the judge than the advisor in Experiment 1, in Experiment 2 trust in partner expressed by the low-expertise dyad member was higher than trust expressed by the high-expertise dyad member. Results from the two experiments are discussed in the context of Sniezek and Van Swol (2001).

Antimicrobial growth promoter use in livestock: a requirement to understand their modes of action to develop effective alternatives.

PubMed

Brown, Kirsty; Uwiera, Richard R E; Kalmokoff, Martin L; Brooks, Steve P J; Inglis, G Douglas

2017-01-01

Antimicrobial agents (AMAs) have been used in agriculture since the 1950s as growth-promoting agents [antimicrobial growth promoters (AGPs)]. They have provided benefits to the agricultural industry by increasing production efficiencies and maximising livestock health, yet the potential risks surrounding resistance to AMAs in medically important pathogenic bacteria have enhanced public and government scrutiny regarding AMA use in agriculture. Although it is recognised that AGP administration can select for resistance to AMAs in enteric bacteria of livestock, conclusive evidence showing a link between resistant bacteria from livestock and human health is lacking (e.g. transmission of resistant zoonotic pathogens). Livestock production output must be increased significantly due to the increase in global population, and thus the identification of non-AMA alternatives to AGP use is required. One strategy employed to identify alternatives to AGPs is an observational empirical methodology, but this approach has failed to deliver effective alternatives. A second approach is aimed at understanding the mechanisms involved in AGP function and developing alternatives that mimic the physiological responses to AGPs. New evidence indicates that AGP function is more complex than merely affecting enteric bacterial populations, and AGPs likely function by directly or indirectly modulating host responses such as the immune system. As such, a more comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms associated with AMA function as AGPs will facilitate the development of effective alternatives. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. and International Society of Chemotherapy. All rights reserved.

Comparison of Biological Activity of Human Anti-Apical Membrane Antigen-1 Antibodies Induced by Natural Infection and Vaccination

PubMed Central

Miura, Kazutoyo; Zhou, Hong; Moretz, Samuel E.; Diouf, Ababacar; Thera, Mahamadou A; Dolo, Amagana; Doumbo, Ogobara; Malkin, Elissa; Diemert, David; Miller, Louis H.; Mullen, Gregory E.D.; Long, Carole A.

2009-01-01

Vaccines represent a significant potential means of decreasing global morbidity and mortality due to malaria. Clinical trials in the U.S. with Plasmodium falciparum Apical Membrane Antigen 1 (AMA1) showed that the vaccine induced biologically active antibodies judged by an in vitro parasite Growth Inhibition Assay (GIA). However, the same vaccine in Malian adults did not increase biological activity although it elevated ELISA titers. As GIA has been used to evaluate the biological activity of antibodies induced by blood-stage malarial vaccine candidates, we explored this discrepancy in this study. We affinity purified AMA1-specific antibodies from both US vaccinees and from non-vaccinated individuals living in a malaria-endemic area of Mali, and performed ELISA and GIA. Both AMA1-specifc antibodies induced by vaccination (US) and by natural infection (Mali) have comparable biological activity in GIA when the ELISA titer is normalized. However, a fraction of Malians’ IgG which did not bind to AMA1 protein (Mali-non-AMA1 IgG) reduced the biological activity of the AMA1 antibodies from US vaccinees; in contrast, US-non-AMA1 IgGs did not show a reduction of the biological activity. Further investigation revealed that the reduction was due to malaria-specific IgGs in the Mali-non-AMA1 IgGs. The fact that both US- and Mali-AMA1-specific antibodies showed comparable biological activity supports further development of AMA1-based vaccines. However, the reduction of biological activity of AMA1-specific antibody by other malaria-specific IgGs likely explains the limited effect on growth-inhibitory activity of antibodies induced by AMA1 vaccination in Malian adults and may complicate efforts to develop a blood-stage malaria vaccine. PMID:19050299

[Effects of a Mobile Web-based Pregnancy Health Care Educational Program for Mothers at an Advanced Maternal Age].

PubMed

Wang, Hee Jung; Kim, Il Ok

2015-06-01

This study was conducted to develop a mobile web-based pregnancy health care educational program for mothers who were at an advanced maternal age (AMA) and to verify the effects of the program on pregnancy health care. This program was developed using a web-based teaching-learning system design model and composed of 10 subject areas. This research was a quasi-experimental study using a non-equivalent control group pretest-posttest time serial design and data were collected from April 2 to May 3, 2014. To verify the effects of the program, it was used for 2 weeks with 30 AMA mothers (experimental group). For the control group, a classroom education booklet for pregnant women used with 31 AMA mothers. The experimental group having participated in program had statistically significantly higher scores for knowledge (t=3.76, p<.001), self-efficacy (t=8.54, p<.001), and practice behavior (t=4.88, p<.001) of pregnancy health care, compared to the control group. The results of the program indicate that a Mobile web-based pregnancy health care educational program is effective in meeting the needs of AMA mothers and can be used as the prenatal educational program for AMA mothers and is appropriate as an educational media for theses mothers.

Pilot weather advisor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kilgore, W. A.; Seth, S.; Crabill, N. L.; Shipley, S. T.; Graffman, I.; Oneill, J.

1992-01-01

The results of the work performed by ViGYAN, Inc., to demonstrate the Pilot Weather Advisor cockpit weather data system using a broadcast satellite communication system are presented. The Pilot Weather Advisor demonstrated that the technical problems involved with transmitting significant amount of weather data to an aircraft in-flight or on-the-ground via satellite are solvable with today's technology. The Pilot Weather Advisor appears to be a viable solution for providing accurate and timely weather information for general aviation aircraft.

Gay-Straight Alliance Advisors: Negotiating Multiple Ecological Systems when Advocating for LGBTQ Youth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Watson, Laurel B.; Varjas, Kris; Meyers, Joel; Graybill, Emily C.

2010-01-01

This qualitative study investigated the barriers and facilitators that advisors of gay-straight alliances encounter when advocating for LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer) youth within schools. Twenty-two advisors were interviewed, and data revealed that multiple ecological systems (e.g., sociocultural, school, and individual…

48 CFR 1403.101-70 - Technical evaluators and advisors.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 5 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Technical evaluators and advisors. 1403.101-70 Section 1403.101-70 Federal Acquisition Regulations System DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR... resolved with the servicing Ethics Counselor. (c) During the evaluation process, each evaluator and advisor...

The prospects for national health insurance reform.

PubMed

Belcher, J R; Palley, H A

1991-01-01

This article explores the unequal access to health care in the context of efforts by the American Medical Association (AMA) and its allies to maintain a market-maximizing health care system. The coalition between the AMA and its traditional allies is breaking down, in part, because of converging developments creating an atmosphere which may be more conducive to national health care reform and the development of a reformed health care delivery system that will be accessible, adequate, and equitable in meeting the health care and related social service needs of the American people.

The Modified Abbreviated Math Anxiety Scale: A Valid and Reliable Instrument for Use with Children.

PubMed

Carey, Emma; Hill, Francesca; Devine, Amy; Szűcs, Dénes

2017-01-01

Mathematics anxiety (MA) can be observed in children from primary school age into the teenage years and adulthood, but many MA rating scales are only suitable for use with adults or older adolescents. We have adapted one such rating scale, the Abbreviated Math Anxiety Scale (AMAS), to be used with British children aged 8-13. In this study, we assess the scale's reliability, factor structure, and divergent validity. The modified AMAS (mAMAS) was administered to a very large ( n = 1746) cohort of British children and adolescents. This large sample size meant that as well as conducting confirmatory factor analysis on the scale itself, we were also able to split the sample to conduct exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis of items from the mAMAS alongside items from child test anxiety and general anxiety rating scales. Factor analysis of the mAMAS confirmed that it has the same underlying factor structure as the original AMAS, with subscales measuring anxiety about Learning and Evaluation in math. Furthermore, both exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis of the mAMAS alongside scales measuring test anxiety and general anxiety showed that mAMAS items cluster onto one factor (perceived to represent MA). The mAMAS provides a valid and reliable scale for measuring MA in children and adolescents, from a younger age than is possible with the original AMAS. Results from this study also suggest that MA is truly a unique construct, separate from both test anxiety and general anxiety, even in childhood.

A qualitative study to identify reasons for discharges against medical advice in the cardiovascular setting

PubMed Central

Saunders, Elijah; Mullins, C Daniel; Pradel, Françoise G; Zuckerman, Marni; Loh, F Ellen; Weir, Matthew R

2012-01-01

Background Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is responsible for the largest number of discharges against medical advice (AMA). However, there is limited information regarding the reasons for discharges AMA in the CVD setting. Objective To identify reasons for discharges AMA among patients with CVD. Design Qualitative study using focus group interviews (FGIs). Participants A convenience sample of patients with a CVD-related discharge diagnosis who left AMA and providers (physicians, nurses and social workers) whose patients have left AMA. Primary and secondary outcomes To identify patients' reasons for discharges AMA as identified by patients and providers. To identify strategies to reduce discharges AMA. Approach FGIs were grouped according to patients, physicians and nurses/social workers. A content analysis was performed independently by three coauthors to identify the nature and range of the participants' viewpoints on the reasons for discharges AMA. The content analysis involved specific categories of reasons as motivated by the Health Belief Model as well as reasons (ie, themes) that emerged from the interview data. Results 9 patients, 10 physicians and 23 nurses/social workers were recruited for the FGIs. Patients and providers reported the same three reasons for discharges AMA: (1) patient's preference for their own doctor, (2) long wait time and (3) factors outside the hospital. Patients identified an unmet expectation to be involved in setting the treatment plan as a reason to leave AMA. Participants identified improved communication as a solution for reducing discharges AMA. Conclusions Patients wanted more involvement in their care, exhibited a strong preference for their own primary physician, felt that they spent a long time waiting in the hospital and were motivated to leave AMA by factors outside the hospital. Providers identified similar reasons except the patients' desire for involvement. Additional research is needed to determine the applicability of results in broader patient and provider populations. PMID:22850166

Exhumation history of the deepest central Himalayan rocks, Ama Drime range: Key pressure-temperature-deformation-time constraints on orogenic models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kali, E.; Leloup, P. H.; Arnaud, N.; MahéO, G.; Liu, Dunyi; Boutonnet, E.; van der Woerd, J.; Liu, Xiaohan; Liu-Zeng, Jing; Li, Haibing

2010-04-01

The Ama Drime range located at the transition between the high Himalayan range and south Tibet is a N-S active horst that offsets the South Tibetan Detachment System (STDS). Within the horst, a paragneissic unit, possibly attributed to the upper Himalayan crystalline series, overly the lower Himalayan crystalline series Ama Drime orthogneissic unit containing large metabasite layers and pods that have experienced pressure ≥1.4 GPa. Combining structural analysis with new and published pressure-temperature (P-T) estimates as well as U-Th/Pb, 39Ar/40Ar and (U-Th)/He ages, the P-T-deformation-time (P-T-D-t) paths of the main units within and on both sides of the horst are reconstructed. They imply that N-S normal faults initiated prior to 11 Ma and have accounted for a total exhumation ≤0.6 GPa (22 km) that probably occurred in two phases: the first one until ˜9 Ma and the second one since 6 to 4 Ma at a rate of ˜1 mm/yr. In the Ama Drime unit, 1 to 1.3 GPa (37 to 48 km) of exhumation occurred after partial melting since ˜30 Ma until ˜13 Ma, above the Main Central Trust (MCT) and below the STDS when these two fault systems were active together. The switch from E-W (STDS) to N-S (Ama Drime horst) normal faulting between 13 and 12 Ma occurs at the time of propagation of thrusting from the MCT to the Main Boundary Thrust. These data are in favor of a wedge extrusion or thrust system rather than a crustal flow model for the building of the Himalaya. We propose that the kinematics of south Tibet Cenozoic extension phases is fundamentally driven by the direction and rate of India underthrusting.

Immunization with apical membrane antigen 1 confers sterile infection-blocking immunity against Plasmodium sporozoite challenge in a rodent model.

PubMed

Schussek, Sophie; Trieu, Angela; Apte, Simon H; Sidney, John; Sette, Alessandro; Doolan, Denise L

2013-10-01

Apical membrane antigen 1 (AMA-1) is a leading blood-stage malaria vaccine candidate. Consistent with a key role in erythrocytic invasion, AMA-1-specific antibodies have been implicated in AMA-1-induced protective immunity. AMA-1 is also expressed in sporozoites and in mature liver schizonts where it may be a target of protective cell-mediated immunity. Here, we demonstrate for the first time that immunization with AMA-1 can induce sterile infection-blocking immunity against Plasmodium sporozoite challenge in 80% of immunized mice. Significantly higher levels of gamma interferon (IFN-γ)/interleukin-2 (IL-2)/tumor necrosis factor (TNF) multifunctional T cells were noted in immunized mice than in control mice. We also report the first identification of minimal CD8(+) and CD4(+) T cell epitopes on Plasmodium yoelii AMA-1. These data establish AMA-1 as a target of both preerythrocytic- and erythrocytic-stage protective immune responses and validate vaccine approaches designed to induce both cellular and humoral immunity.

Antibodies against multiple merozoite surface antigens of the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum inhibit parasite maturation and red blood cell invasion.

PubMed

Woehlbier, Ute; Epp, Christian; Hackett, Fiona; Blackman, Michael J; Bujard, Hermann

2010-03-18

Plasmodium falciparum merozoites expose at their surface a large protein complex, which is composed of fragments of merozoite surface protein 1 (MSP-1; called MSP-183, MSP-130, MSP-138, and MSP-142) plus associated processing products of MSP-6 and MSP-7. During erythrocyte invasion this complex, as well as an integral membrane protein called apical membrane antigen-1 (AMA-1), is shed from the parasite surface following specific proteolysis. Components of the MSP-1/6/7 complex and AMA-1 are presently under development as malaria vaccines. The specificities and effects of antibodies directed against MSP-1, MSP-6, MSP-7 on the growth of blood stage parasites were studied using ELISA and the pLDH-assay. To understand the mode of action of these antibodies, their effects on processing of MSP-1 and AMA-1 on the surface of merozoites were investigated. Antibodies targeting epitopes located throughout the MSP-1/6/7 complex interfere with shedding of MSP-1, and as a consequence prevent erythrocyte invasion. Antibodies targeting the MSP-1/6/7 complex have no effect on the processing and shedding of AMA-1 and, similarly, antibodies blocking the shedding of AMA-1 do not affect cleavage of MSP-1, suggesting completely independent functions of these proteins during invasion. Furthermore, some epitopes, although eliciting highly inhibitory antibodies, are only poorly recognized by the immune system when presented in the structural context of the intact antigen. The findings reported provide further support for the development of vaccines based on MSP-1/6/7 and AMA-1, which would possibly include a combination of these antigens.

Regional patterns of future runoff changes from Earth system models constrained by observation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Hui; Zhou, Feng; Piao, Shilong; Huang, Mengtian; Chen, Anping; Ciais, Philippe; Li, Yue; Lian, Xu; Peng, Shushi; Zeng, Zhenzhong

2017-06-01

In the recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change assessment, multimodel ensembles (arithmetic model averaging, AMA) were constructed with equal weights given to Earth system models, without considering the performance of each model at reproducing current conditions. Here we use Bayesian model averaging (BMA) to construct a weighted model ensemble for runoff projections. Higher weights are given to models with better performance in estimating historical decadal mean runoff. Using the BMA method, we find that by the end of this century, the increase of global runoff (9.8 ± 1.5%) under Representative Concentration Pathway 8.5 is significantly lower than estimated from AMA (12.2 ± 1.3%). BMA presents a less severe runoff increase than AMA at northern high latitudes and a more severe decrease in Amazonia. Runoff decrease in Amazonia is stronger than the intermodel difference. The intermodel difference in runoff changes is mainly caused not only by precipitation differences among models, but also by evapotranspiration differences at the high northern latitudes.

An Ethical Basis for Autonomous System Deployment

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-09-24

Discussion on Robo -Ethics, Amsterdam, NL, March 2008.GSU Neurophilosophy 20. Brown Bag Lunch Series, "Governing Lethal Behavior: Embedding Ethics in an...5. Implementation of responsibility advisor : An ethical permission responsibility advisor was prototyped and demonstrated in a manner fully...PTF_Interface_Final_Largev3.mpg • Demonstration of the Ethical Responsibility Advisor : http://www.cc.gatech.edu/ai/robot-lab/ethics/res-advisor.mpg

The influence of intestinal parasites on Plasmodium vivax-specific antibody responses to MSP-119 and AMA-1 in rural populations of the Brazilian Amazon.

PubMed

Sánchez-Arcila, Juan Camilo; de França, Marcelle Marcolino; Pereira, Virginia Araujo; Vasconcelos, Mariana Pinheiro Alves; Têva, Antonio; Perce-da-Silva, Daiana de Souza; Neto, Joffre Rezende; Aprígio, Cesarino Junior Lima; Lima-Junior, Josue da Costa; Rodrigues, Mauricio Martins; Soares, Irene Silva; Banic, Dalma Maria; Oliveira-Ferreira, Joseli

2015-11-06

Polyparasitism is a common condition in humans but its impact on the host immune system and clinical diseases is still poorly understood. There are few studies of the prevalence and the effect of malaria-intestinal parasite co-infections in the immune response to malaria vaccine candidates. The present study determines whether the presence of malaria and intestinal parasites co-infection is associated with impaired IgG responses to Plasmodium vivax AMA-1 and MSP-119 in a rural population of the Brazilian Amazon. A cross-sectional survey was performed in a rural area of Rondonia State and 279 individuals were included in the present study. At recruitment, whole blood was collected and Plasmodium and intestinal parasites were detected by microscopy and molecular tests. Blood cell count and haemoglobin were also tested and antibody response specific to P. vivax AMA-1 and MSP-119 was measured in plasma by ELISA. The participants were grouped according to their infection status: singly infected with Plasmodium (M); co-infected with Plasmodium and intestinal parasites (CI); singly infected with intestinal parasites (IP) and negative (N) for both malaria and intestinal parasites. The prevalence of intestinal parasites was significantly higher in individuals with malaria and protozoan infections were more prevalent. IgG antibodies to PvAMA-1 and/or PvMSP-119 were detected in 74 % of the population. The prevalence of specific IgG was similar for both proteins in all four groups and among the groups the lowest prevalence was in IP group. The cytophilic sub-classes IgG1 and IgG3 were predominant in all groups for PvAMA-1 and IgG1, IgG3 and IgG4 for PvMSP-119. In the case of non-cytophilic antibodies to PvAMA-1, IgG2 was significantly higher in IP and N group when compared to M and CI while IgG4 was higher in IP group. The presence of intestinal parasites, mainly protozoans, in malaria co-infected individuals does not seem to alter the antibody immune responses to P. vivax AMA-1 and MSP-119. However, IgG response to both AMA1 and MSP1 were lower in individuals with intestinal parasites.

Antidepressant-like effects and possible mechanisms of amantadine on cognitive and synaptic deficits in a rat model of chronic stress.

PubMed

Yu, Mei; Zhang, Yuan; Chen, Xiaoyu; Zhang, Tao

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to examine whether amantadine (AMA), as a low-affinity noncompetitive N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist, is able to improve cognitive deficits caused by chronic stress in rats. Male Wistar rats were divided into four groups: control, control + AMA, stress and stress + AMA groups. The chronic stress model combined chronic unpredictable stress (CUS) with isolated feeding. Animals were exposed to CUS continued for 21 days. AMA (25 mg/kg) was administrated p.o. for 20 days from the 4th day of CUS to the 23rd. Weight and sucrose consumption were measured during model establishing period. Spatial memory was evaluated using the Morris water maze (MWM) test. Following MWM testing, both long-term potentiation (LTP) and depotentiation were recorded in the hippocampal CA1 region. NR2B and postsynaptic density protein 95 (PSD-95) proteins were measured by Western-blot analysis. AMA increased weight and sucrose consumption of stressed rats. Spatial memory and reversal learning in stressed rats were impaired relative to controls, whereas AMA significantly attenuated cognitive impairment. AMA also mitigated the chronic stress-induced impairment of hippocampal synaptic plasticity, in which both the LTP and depotentiation were significantly inhibited in stressed rats. Moreover, AMA enhanced the expression of hippocampal NR2B and PSD-95 in stressed rats. The data suggest that AMA may be an effective therapeutic agent for depression-like symptoms and associated cognitive disturbances.

Austrian Moderate Altitude Studies (AMAS): benefits of exposure to moderate altitudes (1,500-2,500 m).

PubMed

Schobersberger, Wolfgang; Leichtfried, Veronika; Mueck-Weymann, Michael; Humpeler, Egon

2010-09-01

A considerable part of the millions of Alpine tourists suffer from pre-existing diseases (e.g., metabolic syndrome) and high daily stress levels. The main goal of the Austrian Moderate Altitude Study (AMAS) was to investigate (a) the consequences of an active vacation at moderate altitude on the key parameters of the metabolic syndrome (AMAS I) and (b) the effects of a short active vacation on adult progenitor cells, bio-psychological parameters, and heart rate variability (HRV). During the AMAS I pilot study (n = 22; 1,700 m a.s.l.) and AMAS I main study (n = 71; 1,700 m a.s.l. and 200 m a.s.l.), the volunteers simulated 3-week coached hiking vacations. For AMAS II, healthy volunteers (n = 13) participated in a 1-week active holiday at 1,700 m. There were significant improvements of obesity, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and insulin resistance of AMAS I patients after the vacation. In AMAS II participants, we found an increase in circulating endothelial progenitor cells as well as improvements in bio-psychological and HRV parameters. Active vacations at moderate altitude are associated with a variety of positive health effects in persons with metabolic syndrome and in healthy subjects.

Placental Dysfunction Underlies Increased Risk of Fetal Growth Restriction and Stillbirth in Advanced Maternal Age Women.

PubMed

Lean, Samantha C; Heazell, Alexander E P; Dilworth, Mark R; Mills, Tracey A; Jones, Rebecca L

2017-08-29

Pregnancies in women of advanced maternal age (AMA) are susceptible to fetal growth restriction (FGR) and stillbirth. We hypothesised that maternal ageing is associated with utero-placental dysfunction, predisposing to adverse fetal outcomes. Women of AMA (≥35 years) and young controls (20-30 years) with uncomplicated pregnancies were studied. Placentas from AMA women exhibited increased syncytial nuclear aggregates and decreased proliferation, and had increased amino acid transporter activity. Chorionic plate and myometrial artery relaxation was increased compared to controls. AMA was associated with lower maternal serum PAPP-A and sFlt and a higher PlGF:sFlt ratio. AMA mice (38-41 weeks) at E17.5 had fewer pups, more late fetal deaths, reduced fetal weight, increased placental weight and reduced fetal:placental weight ratio compared to 8-12 week controls. Maternofetal clearance of 14 C-MeAIB and 3 H-taurine was reduced and uterine arteries showed increased relaxation. These studies identify reduced placental efficiency and altered placental function with AMA in women, with evidence of placental adaptations in normal pregnancies. The AMA mouse model complements the human studies, demonstrating high rates of adverse fetal outcomes and commonalities in placental phenotype. These findings highlight placental dysfunction as a potential mechanism for susceptibility to FGR and stillbirth with AMA.

AMA1-Deficient Toxoplasma gondii Parasites Transiently Colonize Mice and Trigger an Innate Immune Response That Leads to Long-Lasting Protective Immunity

PubMed Central

Lagal, Vanessa; Dinis, Márcia; Cannella, Dominique; Bargieri, Daniel; Gonzalez, Virginie; Andenmatten, Nicole; Meissner, Markus

2015-01-01

The apical membrane antigen 1 (AMA1) protein was believed to be essential for the perpetuation of two Apicomplexa parasite genera, Plasmodium and Toxoplasma, until we genetically engineered viable parasites lacking AMA1. The reduction in invasiveness of the Toxoplasma gondii RH-AMA1 knockout (RH-AMA1KO) tachyzoite population, in vitro, raised key questions about the outcome associated with these tachyzoites once inoculated in the peritoneal cavity of mice. In this study, we used AMNIS technology to simultaneously quantify and image the parasitic process driven by AMA1KO tachyzoites. We report their ability to colonize and multiply in mesothelial cells and in both resident and recruited leukocytes. While the RH-AMA1KO population amplification is rapidly lethal in immunocompromised mice, it is controlled in immunocompetent hosts, where immune cells in combination sense parasites and secrete proinflammatory cytokines. This innate response further leads to a long-lasting status immunoprotective against a secondary challenge by high inocula of the homologous type I or a distinct type II T. gondii genotypes. While AMA1 is definitively not an essential protein for tachyzoite entry and multiplication in host cells, it clearly assists the expansion of parasite population in vivo. PMID:25847964

Reviewing Japanese Concepts of Amae and Ie to Deeper Understand the Relevance of Secure-Base Behavior in the Context of Japanese Caregiver-Child Interactions.

PubMed

Umemura, Tomo; Traphagan, John W

2015-12-01

Attachment theorists believe that children rely on their caregivers for protection and exploration. Due to this emphasis on independent exploration, however, the extent to which this notion of secure-base behavior is valid in societies emphasizing belongingness, such as Japan, has been questioned. By conducting an in-depth exploration of two Japanese collectivistic concepts, amae and ie, the present paper reexamines the relevance of secure-base behavior in Japan. Current discussions of amae have relied on psychoanalytic concepts that were developed in Western culture, and thus may not accurately represent Japanese parent-child relations. By examining another traditional concept of the family system, ie, this paper proposes that attachment theory is relevant in Japanese culture because children's individual competence is important to their families.

Creating a segregated medical profession: African American physicians and organized medicine, 1846-1910.

PubMed

Baker, Robert B; Washington, Harriet A; Olakanmi, Ololade; Savitt, Todd L; Jacobs, Elizabeth A; Hoover, Eddie; Wynia, Matthew K; Blanchard, Janice; Boulware, L Ebony; Braddock, Clarence; Corbie-Smith, Giselle; Crawley, LaVera; LaVeist, Thomas A; Maxey, Randall; Mills, Charles; Moseley, Kathryn L; Williams, David R

2009-06-01

An independent panel of experts, convened by the American Medical Association (AMA) Institute for Ethics, analyzed the roots of the racial divide within American medical organizations. In this, the first of a 2-part report, we describe 2 watershed moments that helped institutionalize the racial divide. The first occurred in the 1870s, when 2 medical societies from Washington, DC, sent rival delegations to the AMA's national meetings: an all-white delegation from a medical society that the US courts and Congress had formally censured for discriminating against black physicians; and an integrated delegation from a medical society led by physicians from Howard University. Through parliamentary maneuvers and variable enforcement of credentialing standards, the integrated delegation was twice excluded from the AMA's meetings, while the all-white society's delegations were admitted. AMA leaders then voted to devolve the power to select delegates to state societies, thereby accepting segregation in constituent societies and forcing African American physicians to create their own, separate organizations. A second watershed involved AMA-promoted educational reforms, including the 1910 Flexner report. Straightforwardly applied, the report's population-based criterion for determining the need for phySicians would have recommended increased training of African American physicians to serve the approximately 9 million African Americans in the segregated south. Instead, the report recommended closing all but 2 African American medical schools, helping to cement in place an African American educational system that was separate, unequal, and destined to be insufficient to the needs of African Americans nationwide.

Solar Advisor Model User Guide for Version 2.0

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

Gilman, P.; Blair, N.; Mehos, M.

2008-08-01

The Solar Advisor Model (SAM) provides a consistent framework for analyzing and comparing power system costs and performance across the range of solar technologies and markets, from photovoltaic systems for residential and commercial markets to concentrating solar power and large photovoltaic systems for utility markets. This manual describes Version 2.0 of the software, which can model photovoltaic and concentrating solar power technologies for electric applications for several markets. The current version of the Solar Advisor Model does not model solar heating and lighting technologies.

Unraveling Haplotype Diversity of the Apical Membrane Antigen-1 Gene in Plasmodium falciparum Populations in Thailand

PubMed Central

Lumkul, Lalita; Sawaswong, Vorthon; Simpalipan, Phumin; Kaewthamasorn, Morakot; Harnyuttanakorn, Pongchai; Pattaradilokrat, Sittiporn

2018-01-01

Development of an effective vaccine is critically needed for the prevention of malaria. One of the key antigens for malaria vaccines is the apical membrane antigen 1 (AMA-1) of the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum, the surface protein for erythrocyte invasion of the parasite. The gene encoding AMA-1 has been sequenced from populations of P. falciparum worldwide, but the haplotype diversity of the gene in P. falciparum populations in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS), including Thailand, remains to be characterized. In the present study, the AMA-1 gene was PCR amplified and sequenced from the genomic DNA of 65 P. falciparum isolates from 5 endemic areas in Thailand. The nearly full-length 1,848 nucleotide sequence of AMA-1 was subjected to molecular analyses, including nucleotide sequence diversity, haplotype diversity and deduced amino acid sequence diversity and neutrality tests. Phylogenetic analysis and pairwise population differentiation (Fst indices) were performed to infer the population structure. The analyses identified 60 single nucleotide polymorphic loci, predominately located in domain I of AMA-1. A total of 31 unique AMA-1 haplotypes were identified, which included 11 novel ones. The phylogenetic tree of the AMA-1 haplotypes revealed multiple clades of AMA-1, each of which contained parasites of multiple geographical origins, consistent with the Fst indices indicating genetic homogeneity or gene flow among geographically distinct populations of P. falciparum in Thailand’s borders with Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia. In summary, the study revealed novel haplotypes and population structure needed for the further advancement of AMA-1-based malaria vaccines in the GMS. PMID:29742870

Antibodies to Polymorphic Invasion-Inhibitory and Non-Inhibitory Epitopes of Plasmodium falciparum Apical Membrane Antigen 1 in Human Malaria

PubMed Central

Mugyenyi, Cleopatra K.; Elliott, Salenna R.; McCallum, Fiona J.; Anders, Robin F.; Marsh, Kevin; Beeson, James G.

2013-01-01

Background Antibodies to P. falciparum apical membrane protein 1 (AMA1) may contribute to protective immunity against clinical malaria by inhibiting blood stage growth of P. falciparum, and AMA1 is a leading malaria vaccine candidate. Currently, there is limited knowledge of the acquisition of strain-specific and cross-reactive antibodies to AMA1 in humans, or the acquisition of invasion-inhibitory antibodies to AMA1. Methodology/Findings We examined the acquisition of human antibodies to specific polymorphic invasion-inhibitory and non-inhibitory AMA1 epitopes, defined by the monoclonal antibodies 1F9 and 2C5, respectively. Naturally acquired antibodies were measured in cohorts of Kenyan children and adults. Antibodies to the invasion-inhibitory 1F9 epitope and non-inhibitory 2C5 epitope were measured indirectly by competition ELISA. Antibodies to the 1F9 and 2C5 epitopes were acquired by children and correlated with exposure, and higher antibody levels and prevalence were observed with increasing age and with active P. falciparum infection. Of note, the prevalence of antibodies to the inhibitory 1F9 epitope was lower than antibodies to AMA1 or the 2C5 epitope. Antibodies to AMA1 ectodomain, the 1F9 or 2C5 epitopes, or a combination of responses, showed some association with protection from P. falciparum malaria in a prospective longitudinal study. Furthermore, antibodies to the invasion-inhibitory 1F9 epitope were positively correlated with parasite growth-inhibitory activity of serum antibodies. Conclusions/Significance Individuals acquire antibodies to functional, polymorphic epitopes of AMA1 that may contribute to protective immunity, and these findings have implications for AMA1 vaccine development. Measuring antibodies to the 1F9 epitope by competition ELISA may be a valuable approach to assessing human antibodies with invasion-inhibitory activity in studies of acquired immunity and vaccine trials of AMA1. PMID:23861883

The CBT Advisor: An Expert System Program for Making Decisions about CBT.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kearsley, Greg

1985-01-01

Discusses structure, credibility, and use of the Computer Based Training (CBT) Advisor, an expert system designed to help managers make judgements about course selection, system selection, cost/benefits, development effort, and probable success of CBT projects. (MBR)

Evidence for the association between IgG-antimitochondrial antibody and biochemical response to ursodeoxycholic acid treatment in primary biliary cholangitis.

PubMed

Tang, Libo; Zhong, Ruihua; He, Xuanqiu; Wang, Weibin; Liu, Jinhong; Zhu, Youfu; Li, Yongyin; Hou, Jinlin

2017-03-01

Antimitochondrial antibody (AMA) is considered the serological hallmark of primary biliary cholangitis (PBC), while data regarding the profile of AMA during ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) treatment are scarce. Here, we assessed the influence of UDCA treatment on titers of AMA and factors relevant to its production. Serum IgA-AMA, IgM-AMA, IgG-AMA, B cell-activating factor of the tumor necrosis factor family (BAFF), and the frequency of circulating plasmablasts were detected in PBC patients, including those who received UDCA therapy for 24 weeks, healthy controls, chronic hepatitis B patients, and autoimmune hepatitis patients. Consecutive liver sections from controls and PBC patients were stained by immunohistochemistry for detection of intrahepatic CD38 + , IgA + , IgM + , and IgG + cells. Significant decrease in titers of IgG-AMA was found only confined to PBC patients with biochemical response to UDCA treatment (P = 0.005), and similar pattern was also observed at week 24 in quantifying circulating plasmablasts (P = 0.025) and serum BAFF (P = 0.013). Notably, positive correlation between serum BAFF levels and titers of IgG-AMA, and the frequency of circulating plasmablasts were observed in PBC patients (r = 0.464, P = 0.034 and r = 0.700, P < 0.001, respectively). Additionally, in situ staining revealed significant accumulation of CD38 + and IgG + cells within the portal tracts of PBC liver. Decreased titers of serum IgG-AMA are associated with biochemical response to UDCA treatment, implicating the potentiality of this hallmark in therapeutic response evaluation and the beneficial effect of UDCA on humoral immunity in PBC patients. © 2016 Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Foundation and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

Backfilling-Free Strategy for Biopatterning on Intrinsically Dual-Functionalized Poly[2-Aminoethyl Methacrylate-co-Oligo(Ethylene Glycol) Methacrylate] Films.

PubMed

Lee, Bong Soo; Lee, Juno; Han, Gyeongyeop; Ha, EunRae; Choi, Insung S; Lee, Jungkyu K

2016-07-20

We demonstrated protein and cellular patterning with a soft lithography technique using poly[2-aminoethyl methacrylate-co-oligo(ethylene glycol) methacrylate] films on gold surfaces without employing a backfilling process. The backfilling process plays an important role in successfully generating biopatterns; however, it has potential disadvantages in several interesting research and technical applications. To overcome the issue, a copolymer system having highly reactive functional groups and bioinert properties was introduced through a surface-initiated controlled radical polymerization with 2-aminoethyl methacrylate hydrochloride (AMA) and oligo(ethylene glycol) methacrylate (OEGMA). The prepared poly(AMA-co-OEGMA) film was fully characterized, and among the films having different thicknesses, the 35 nm-thick biotinylated, poly(AMA-co-OEGMA) film exhibited an optimum performance, such as the lowest nonspecific adsorption and the highest specific binding capability toward proteins. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

AMA- and RWE- Based Adaptive Kalman Filter for Denoising Fiber Optic Gyroscope Drift Signal

PubMed Central

Yang, Gongliu; Liu, Yuanyuan; Li, Ming; Song, Shunguang

2015-01-01

An improved double-factor adaptive Kalman filter called AMA-RWE-DFAKF is proposed to denoise fiber optic gyroscope (FOG) drift signal in both static and dynamic conditions. The first factor is Kalman gain updated by random weighting estimation (RWE) of the covariance matrix of innovation sequence at any time to ensure the lowest noise level of output, but the inertia of KF response increases in dynamic condition. To decrease the inertia, the second factor is the covariance matrix of predicted state vector adjusted by RWE only when discontinuities are detected by adaptive moving average (AMA).The AMA-RWE-DFAKF is applied for denoising FOG static and dynamic signals, its performance is compared with conventional KF (CKF), RWE-based adaptive KF with gain correction (RWE-AKFG), AMA- and RWE- based dual mode adaptive KF (AMA-RWE-DMAKF). Results of Allan variance on static signal and root mean square error (RMSE) on dynamic signal show that this proposed algorithm outperforms all the considered methods in denoising FOG signal. PMID:26512665

AMA- and RWE- Based Adaptive Kalman Filter for Denoising Fiber Optic Gyroscope Drift Signal.

PubMed

Yang, Gongliu; Liu, Yuanyuan; Li, Ming; Song, Shunguang

2015-10-23

An improved double-factor adaptive Kalman filter called AMA-RWE-DFAKF is proposed to denoise fiber optic gyroscope (FOG) drift signal in both static and dynamic conditions. The first factor is Kalman gain updated by random weighting estimation (RWE) of the covariance matrix of innovation sequence at any time to ensure the lowest noise level of output, but the inertia of KF response increases in dynamic condition. To decrease the inertia, the second factor is the covariance matrix of predicted state vector adjusted by RWE only when discontinuities are detected by adaptive moving average (AMA).The AMA-RWE-DFAKF is applied for denoising FOG static and dynamic signals, its performance is compared with conventional KF (CKF), RWE-based adaptive KF with gain correction (RWE-AKFG), AMA- and RWE- based dual mode adaptive KF (AMA-RWE-DMAKF). Results of Allan variance on static signal and root mean square error (RMSE) on dynamic signal show that this proposed algorithm outperforms all the considered methods in denoising FOG signal.

Poly(allyl methacrylate) functionalized hydroxyapatite nanocrystals via the combination of surface-initiated RAFT polymerization and thiol-ene protocol: a potential anticancer drug nanocarrier.

PubMed

Bach, Long Giang; Islam, Md Rafiqul; Vo, Thanh-Sang; Kim, Se-Kwon; Lim, Kwon Taek

2013-03-15

Hydroxyapatite nanocrystals (HAP NCs) were encapsulated by poly(allyl methacrylate) (PolyAMA) employing controlled surface-initiated reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (SI-RAFT) polymerization of allyl methacrylate to afford HAP-PolyAMA nanohybrids. The subsequent thiol-ene coupling of nanohybrids with 2-mercaptosuccinic acid resulted HAP-Poly(AMA-COOH) possessing multicarboxyl group. The formation of the nanohybrids was confirmed by FT-IR and EDS analyses. The TGA and FE-SEM investigation were further suggested the grafting of PolyAMA onto HAP NCs. The utility of the HAP-PolyAMA nanohybrid as drug carrier was also explored. The pendant carboxyl groups on the external layers of nanohybrids were conjugated with anticancer drug cisplatin to afford HAP-Poly(AMA-COOH)/Pt complex. The formation of the complex was confirmed by FT-IR, XPS, and FE-SEM. In vitro evaluation of the synthesized complex as nanomedicine revealed its potential chemotherapeutic efficacy against cancer cell lines. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Accuracy Maximization Analysis for Sensory-Perceptual Tasks: Computational Improvements, Filter Robustness, and Coding Advantages for Scaled Additive Noise

PubMed Central

Burge, Johannes

2017-01-01

Accuracy Maximization Analysis (AMA) is a recently developed Bayesian ideal observer method for task-specific dimensionality reduction. Given a training set of proximal stimuli (e.g. retinal images), a response noise model, and a cost function, AMA returns the filters (i.e. receptive fields) that extract the most useful stimulus features for estimating a user-specified latent variable from those stimuli. Here, we first contribute two technical advances that significantly reduce AMA’s compute time: we derive gradients of cost functions for which two popular estimators are appropriate, and we implement a stochastic gradient descent (AMA-SGD) routine for filter learning. Next, we show how the method can be used to simultaneously probe the impact on neural encoding of natural stimulus variability, the prior over the latent variable, noise power, and the choice of cost function. Then, we examine the geometry of AMA’s unique combination of properties that distinguish it from better-known statistical methods. Using binocular disparity estimation as a concrete test case, we develop insights that have general implications for understanding neural encoding and decoding in a broad class of fundamental sensory-perceptual tasks connected to the energy model. Specifically, we find that non-orthogonal (partially redundant) filters with scaled additive noise tend to outperform orthogonal filters with constant additive noise; non-orthogonal filters and scaled additive noise can interact to sculpt noise-induced stimulus encoding uncertainty to match task-irrelevant stimulus variability. Thus, we show that some properties of neural response thought to be biophysical nuisances can confer coding advantages to neural systems. Finally, we speculate that, if repurposed for the problem of neural systems identification, AMA may be able to overcome a fundamental limitation of standard subunit model estimation. As natural stimuli become more widely used in the study of psychophysical and neurophysiological performance, we expect that task-specific methods for feature learning like AMA will become increasingly important. PMID:28178266

Critiquing the Reasons for Making Artificial Moral Agents.

PubMed

van Wynsberghe, Aimee; Robbins, Scott

2018-02-19

Many industry leaders and academics from the field of machine ethics would have us believe that the inevitability of robots coming to have a larger role in our lives demands that robots be endowed with moral reasoning capabilities. Robots endowed in this way may be referred to as artificial moral agents (AMA). Reasons often given for developing AMAs are: the prevention of harm, the necessity for public trust, the prevention of immoral use, such machines are better moral reasoners than humans, and building these machines would lead to a better understanding of human morality. Although some scholars have challenged the very initiative to develop AMAs, what is currently missing from the debate is a closer examination of the reasons offered by machine ethicists to justify the development of AMAs. This closer examination is especially needed because of the amount of funding currently being allocated to the development of AMAs (from funders like Elon Musk) coupled with the amount of attention researchers and industry leaders receive in the media for their efforts in this direction. The stakes in this debate are high because moral robots would make demands on society; answers to a host of pending questions about what counts as an AMA and whether they are morally responsible for their behavior or not. This paper shifts the burden of proof back to the machine ethicists demanding that they give good reasons to build AMAs. The paper argues that until this is done, the development of commercially available AMAs should not proceed further.

Local Geoid Determination Using the Global Positioning System

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-09-01

Positioning System by Ma, Wei-Ming September 1988 Co-Advisor: Kandiah Jeyapalan Co-Advisor: Stevens P. Tucker Approved for public release; distribution is... Jeyapalan and Stevens P. Tucker, my thesis advisors, for their dedicated assistance and guidance during the study. Without their encouragement...method of collocation is [ Jeyapalan , 1977]: x = A*X+S +n +O.S q q P where x the vector of the observation (x = Ah - N0(X,Y,Z) - H) A a given rectangular

Assessment of the Student Peer Advisor Program: A Change in Roles.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Phillips, Brad C.; Boren, Kelly J.

Most academic advising conducted in the California Community Colleges is accomplished through a formal system administered by professional academic advisors/counselors. With recent cutbacks in funding, the amount of academic advisor time available to an increasing number of students is decreasing. In an effort to increase the availability of…

Phase 1/2a Study of the Malaria Vaccine Candidate Apical Membrane Antigen-1 (AMA-1) Administered in Adjuvant System AS01B or AS02A

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-04-01

purified saponin extract from the bark of the South American tree Quillaja saponaria, while AS02A is based on an oil-in-water emulsion with the same amounts... Technology in Health (PATH) Malaria Vaccine Initiative, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America, 3 Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud...Additionally, active immunization of rhesus monkeys with P. knowlesi AMA-1 adjuvanted in saponin resulted in some animals demonstrating a delayed

7 CFR 1465.6 - AMA plan of operations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 10 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false AMA plan of operations. 1465.6 Section 1465.6... OF AGRICULTURE LOANS, PURCHASES, AND OTHER OPERATIONS AGRICULTURAL MANAGEMENT ASSISTANCE General Provisions § 1465.6 AMA plan of operations. (a) All conservation practices in the APO must be approved by...

Concomitant administration of fluoxetine and amantadine modulates the activity of peritoneal macrophages of rats subjected to a forced swimming test.

PubMed

Roman, Adam; Rogóz, Zofia; Kubera, Marta; Nawrat, Dominika; Nalepa, Irena

2009-01-01

Recent studies show that administration of a non-competitive NMDA receptor antagonist, amantadine (AMA), potentiates the action of antidepressant drugs. Since antidepressants may modulate functioning of the immune system and activation of a pro-inflammatory response in depressive disorders is frequently reported, the aim of the present study was to examine whether a combined administration of AMA and the antidepressant, fluoxetine (FLU), to rats subsequently subjected to a forced swimming test (FST) modifies the parameters of macrophage activity, directly related to their immunomodulatory functions, i.e., arginase (ARG) activity and synthesis of nitric oxide (NO). We found that 10 mg/kg AMA and 10 mg/kg FLU, ineffective in FST for antidepressant-like activity when administered alone, increased the ARG/NO ratio in macrophages when administered concomitantly. This effect was accompanied by a decrease of cellular adherence. Concurrently, the basal metabolic activity of the cells measured with reduction of resazurin, and intracellular host defense as assessed by a synthesis of superoxide anion, were not affected by such antidepressive treatment. Our data indicate that co-administration of AMA and FLU decreases the pro-inflammatory properties of macrophages and causes a redirection of immune response toward anti-inflammatory activity, as one can anticipate in the case of an effective antidepressive treatment.

Sensor placement on Canton Tower for health monitoring using asynchronous-climb monkey algorithm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yi, Ting-Hua; Li, Hong-Nan; Zhang, Xu-Dong

2012-12-01

Heuristic optimization algorithms have become a popular choice for solving complex and intricate sensor placement problems which are difficult to solve by traditional methods. This paper proposes a novel and interesting methodology called the asynchronous-climb monkey algorithm (AMA) for the optimum design of sensor arrays for a structural health monitoring system. Different from the existing algorithms, the dual-structure coding method is designed and adopted for the representation of the design variables. The asynchronous-climb process is incorporated in the proposed AMA that can adjust the trajectory of each individual dynamically in the search space according to its own experience and other monkeys. The concept of ‘monkey king’ is introduced in the AMA, which reflects the Darwinian principle of natural selection and can create an interaction network to correctly guide the movement of other monkeys. Numerical experiments are carried out using two different objective functions by considering the Canton Tower in China with or without the antenna mast to evaluate the performance of the proposed algorithm. Investigations have indicated that the proposed AMA exhibits faster convergence characteristics and can generate sensor configurations superior in all instances when compared to the conventional monkey algorithm. For structures with stiffness mutation such as the Canton Tower, the sensor placement needs to be considered for each part separately.

Predictors and outcome of discharge against medical advice from the psychiatric units of a general hospital.

PubMed

Pages, K P; Russo, J E; Wingerson, D K; Ries, R K; Roy-Byrne, P P; Cowley, D S

1998-09-01

The study examined predictors of discharge against medical advice (AMA) and outcomes of psychiatric patients with AMA discharges, as measured by poorer symptom ratings at discharge and higher rates of rehospitalization. A total of 195 patients discharged AMA from general hospital psychiatric units were compared retrospectively with 2,230 regularly discharged patients. AMA status was defined as signing out against medical advice, being absent without leave, or being administratively discharged. All patients received standardized assessments within 24 hours of admission and at discharge. Demographic characteristics, psychiatric history, DSA-IV psychiatric and substance use diagnoses, and scores on an expanded 32-item version of the Psychiatric Symptom Assessment Scale were compared. The groups did not differ in primary psychiatric diagnoses. Patients discharged AMA were significantly less likely to be Caucasian or to be functionally impaired due to physical illness. They were more likely to live alone, have a substance use diagnosis, use more psychoactive substances, and have more previous hospitalizations. Patients discharged AMA had significantly shorter lengths of stay, higher rehospitalization rates, and more severe symptoms at discharge, even when length of stay was taken into account. The differences between the groups in male gender and young age were better accounted for by a greater likelihood of substance abuse in these groups. The results suggest a profile of patients who may be discharged AMA. Such patients have worse outcomes and are more likely to be high utilizers of inpatient resources. Aggressive identification of patients likely to be discharged AMA and early discharge planning for appropriate outpatient treatment are recommended.

Genetic diversity of the Plasmodium falciparum apical membrane antigen I gene in parasite population from the China-Myanmar border area.

PubMed

Zhu, Xiaotong; Zhao, Zhenjun; Feng, Yonghui; Li, Peipei; Liu, Fei; Liu, Jun; Yang, Zhaoqing; Yan, Guiyun; Fan, Qi; Cao, Yaming; Cui, Liwang

2016-04-01

To investigate the genetic diversity of the Plasmodium falciparum apical membrane antigen 1 (PfAMA1) gene in Southeast Asia, we determined PfAMA1 sequences from 135 field isolates collected from the China-Myanmar border area and compared them with 956 publically available PfAMA1 sequences from seven global P. falciparum populations. This analysis revealed high genetic diversity of PfAMA1 in global P. falciparum populations with a total of 229 haplotypes identified. The genetic diversity of PfAMA1 gene from the China-Myanmar border is not evenly distributed in the different domains of this gene. Sequence diversity in PfAMA1 from the China-Myanmar border is lower than that observed in Thai, African and Oceanian populations, but higher than that in the South American population. This appeared to correlate well with the levels of endemicity of different malaria-endemic regions, where hyperendemic regions favor genetic cross of the parasite isolates and generation of higher genetic diversity. Neutrality tests show significant departure from neutrality in the entire ectodomain and Domain I of PfAMA1 in the China-Myanmar border parasite population. We found evidence supporting a substantial continent-wise genetic structure among P. falciparum populations, with the highest genetic differentiation detected between the China-Myanmar border and the South American populations. Whereas no alleles were unique to a specific region, there were considerable geographical differences in major alleles and their frequencies, highlighting further necessity to include more PfAMA1 alleles in vaccine designs. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Sequence Analysis of Different Domains of Plasmodium vivax Apical Membrane Antigen (PvAMA-1 gene) Locus in Iran.

PubMed

Motevalli Haghi, A; Nateghpour, M; Edrissian, Ghh; Sepehrizadeh, Z; Mohebali, M; Khoramizade, Mr; Shahrbabak, S Sabouri; Moghimi, H

2012-01-01

Plasmodium vivax is responsible for approximately 80 million malaria cases in the world. Apical membrane antigen1 (AMA-1) is a type I integral membrane protein present in all Plasmodium species. AMA-1 interferes in critical steps of invasion of human hepatocytes by sporozoites and red blood cells by merozoites and is one of the most immunodominant antigens for eliciting a protective immune response in human. It is considered as a promising antigen for inclusion in a vaccine against P. vivax. Since more knowledge is needed to lighten the scope of such antigen we compared genetic variation in P. vivax AMA-1from an Iranian isolate with those reported from some of the other malarious countries so far. P. vivax genomic DNA was extracted from the whole blood of an Iranian patient with patent P. vivax infection. The nucleotide sequence for 446 amino acid (AA) residues (42-488 of PvAMA-1) was amplified by PCR and cloned in pUC19 vector for sequencing. Sequence analysis of the antigen showed a high degree of identity (99%) with strong homology to the PvAMA-1 gene of P. vivax S3 and SKO814 isolates from India and Korea (Asian isolates) respectively, and 96% similarity with P. vivax Sal-1 AMA-1 gene from El Salvador. We cloned and characterized three domains of PvAMA-1 gene from an Iranian patient. Predicted protein sequence of this gene showed some discrepancies in corresponding protein in comparing with similar genes reported from other malarious countries.

Are you ready? Crisis leadership in a hyper-VUCA environment.

PubMed

Alkhaldi, Khaldoon H; Austin, Meredith L; Cura, Boris A; Dantzler, Darrell; Holland, Leslie; Maples, David L; Quarrelles, Jamie C; Weinkle, Robert K; Marcus, Leonard J

2017-01-01

The current hyper-volatile, -uncertain, -complex, and -ambiguous (VUCA) threat environment demands a more cohesive support structure for crisis leaders who may be faced with crises of increasing magnitude and frequency and, in some instances, multiple crisis events simultaneously. The project team investigates the perceptions of crisis leaders regarding establishing a crisis leader advisor position for crisis leaders to benefit from their experience while prosecuting crisis response activities. The team linked hyper-VUCA crises, crisis response frameworks, meta-leadership, crisis leader attributes, and advisor attributes. The overall goal of the project is to increase the ability of the crisis leaders to more effectively and efficiently navigate crisis events resulting in more efficient and effective response and recovery. Three research questions were developed to assess the following: thoughts of integrating a crisis leader advisor position; development of a crisis leader advisor certification program; and attributes of crisis leader advisors. A qualitative research methodology using a phenomenological approach was employed. Forty-one participants were purposefully selected and administered a short, online survey consisting of 11 questions. Data were analyzed using percentage analysis, weighted sums, and inductive thematic analysis. The project team found an overwhelming support for the crisis leader advisor position and the crisis leader advisor certification program. Additionally, experience and trustworthiness ranked among the top sought after attributes of a crisis leader advisor. The team recommendations included (1) implement a crisis leaders advisor guide/framework; (2) create a formal crisis leader advisor position in national incident management system; (3) implement a crisis leader advisor certification framework; (4) benchmark established advisor programs; and (5) implement a framework to match leaders and advisors.

Are you ready? Crisis leadership in a hyper-VUCA environment.

PubMed

Alkhaldi, Khaldoon H; Austin, Meredith L; Cura, Boris A; Dantzler, Darrell; Holland, Leslie; Maples, David L; Quarrelles, Jamie C; Weinkle, Robert K; Marcus, Leonard J

The current hyper-volatile, -uncertain, -complex, and -ambiguous (VUCA) threat environment demands a more cohesive support structure for crisis leaders who may be faced with crises of increasing magnitude and frequency and, in some instances, multiple crisis events simultaneously. The project team investigates the perceptions of crisis leaders regarding establishing a crisis leader advisor position for crisis leaders to benefit from their experience while prosecuting crisis response activities. The team linked hyper-VUCA crises, crisis response frameworks, meta-leadership, crisis leader attributes, and advisor attributes. The overall goal of the project is to increase the ability of the crisis leaders to more effectively and efficiently navigate crisis events resulting in more efficient and effective response and recovery. Three research questions were developed to assess the following: thoughts of integrating a crisis leader advisor position; development of a crisis leader advisor certification program; and attributes of crisis leader advisors. A qualitative research methodology using a phenomenological approach was employed. Forty-one participants were purposefully selected and administered a short, on-line survey consisting of 11 questions. Data were analyzed using percentage analysis, weighted sums, and inductive thematic analysis. The project team found an overwhelming support for the crisis leader advisor position and the crisis leader advisor certification program. Additionally, experience and trustworthiness ranked among the top sought after attributes of a crisis leader advisor. The team recommendations included (1) implement a crisis leaders advisor guide/framework; (2) create a formal crisis leader advisor position in national incident management system; (3) implement a crisis leader advisor certification framework; (4) benchmark established advisor programs; and (5) implement a framework to match leaders and advisors.

Are you ready? Crisis leadership in a hyper-VUCA environment.

PubMed

Alkhaldi, Khaldoon H; Austin, Meredith L; Cura, Boris A; Dantzler, Darrell; Holland, Leslie; Maples, David L; Quarrelles, Jamie C; Weinkle, Robert K; Marcus, Leonard J

The current hyper-volatile, -uncertain, -complex, and -ambiguous (VUCA) threat environment demands a more cohesive support structure for crisis leaders who may be faced with crises of increasing magnitude and frequency and, in some instances, multiple crisis events simultaneously. The project team investigates the perceptions of crisis leaders regarding establishing a crisis leader advisor position for crisis leaders to benefit from their experience while prosecuting crisis response activities. The team linked hyper-VUCA crises, crisis response frameworks, meta-leadership, crisis leader attributes, and advisor attributes. The overall goal of the project is to increase the ability of the crisis leaders to more effectively and efficiently navigate crisis events resulting in more efficient and effective response and recovery. Three research questions were developed to assess the following: thoughts of integrating a crisis leader advisor position; development of a crisis leader advisor certification program; and attributes of crisis leader advisors. A qualitative research methodology using a phenomenological approach was employed. Forty-one participants were purposefully selected and administered a short, on-line survey consisting of 11 questions. Data were analyzed using percentage analysis,weighted sums, and inductive thematic analysis. The project team found an overwhelming support for the crisis leader advisor position and the crisis leader advisor certification program. Additionally, experience and trustworthiness ranked among the top sought after attributes of a crisis leader advisor. The team recommendations included (1) implement a crisis leaders advisor guide/framework; (2) create a formal crisis leader advisor position in national incident management system; (3) implement a crisis leader advisor certification framework; (4) benchmark established advisor programs; and (5) implement a framework to match leaders and advisors.

[Clinical and histopathological features of myositis associated with anti-mitochondrial antibodies].

PubMed

Shimizu, Jun

2013-01-01

Anti-mitochondrial antibodies (AMA) are known to be characteristic markers of primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC). The association of PBC with myositis has been reported mainly as case reports, and comprehensive studies of the clinical and histopathological features of patients with myositis and AMAs or PBC have not been conducted thus far. We retrospectively reviewed 212 patients with inflammatory myopathies in our laboratory and found 24 patients with AMA-positive myositis (11%) (seven patients with PBC and 17 patients without PBC). The analysis of clinical and histopathological features revealed that myositis associated with AMAs frequently include patients with a clinically chronic disease course, muscle atrophy, cardiopulmonary involvement and granulomatous inflammation, regardless of the presence or absence of PBC. We also reviewed and analyzed the clinical features of previously reported patients. The analysis of 75 patients, which have been described in previous case reports including the ones of meeting abstracts, also showed the similar results about clinical features of myositis associated with AMAs and supported our findings. Our study suggests that myositis associated with AMAs form a characteristic subgroup.

An Exploration of Radiation Physics in Electromagnetics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, Katherine K.

2005-01-01

Contents include the following: NASA's Missions and Aeronautics Research. Today's Air Traffic Control System. Development of Decision-Support Tools. The Center-TRACON Automation System (CTAS). The Traffic Management Advisor (TMA). The Multi-Center Traffic Management Advisor (McTMA). The Surface Management System (SMS). Future Directions: The Joint Planning and Development Office.

Nextgen Navy eLearning Tracking

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-12-01

ELEARNING TRACKING by William E. Miller December 2014 Thesis Advisor: Man-Tak Shing Co-Advisor: Arijit Das THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT......Navy’s eLearning (NeL) computer-based learning system relies on a Learning Management System (LMS) for content delivery and tracking learning

A Caenorhabditis elegans RNA polymerase II gene, ama-1 IV, and nearby essential genes.

PubMed

Rogalski, T M; Riddle, D L

1988-01-01

The amanitin-binding subunit of RNA polymerase II in Caenorhabditis elegans is encoded by the ama-1 gene, located approximately 0.05 map unit to the right of dpy-13 IV. Using the amanitin-resistant ama-1(m118) strain as a parent, we have isolated amanitin-sensitive mutants that carry recessive-lethal ama-1 alleles. Of the six ethyl methanesulfonate-induced mutants examined, two are arrested late in embryogenesis. One of these is a large deficiency, mDf9, but the second may be a novel point mutation. The four other mutants are hypomorphs, and presumably produce altered RNA polymerase II enzymes with some residual function. Two of these mutants develop into sterile adults at 20 degrees but are arrested as larvae at 25 degrees, and two others are fertile at 20 degrees and sterile at 25 degrees. Temperature-shift experiments performed with the adult sterile mutant, ama-1(m118m238ts), have revealed a temperature-sensitive period that begins late in gonadogenesis and is centered around the initiation of egg-laying. Postembryonic development at 25 degrees is slowed by 30%. By contrast, the amanitin-resistant allele of ama-1 has very little effect on developmental rate or fertility. We have identified 15 essential genes in an interval of 4.5 map units surrounding ama-1, as well as four gamma-ray-induced deficiencies and two duplications that include the ama-1 gene. The larger duplication, mDp1, may include the entire left arm of chromosome IV, and it recombines with the normal homologue at a low frequency. The smallest deficiency, mDf10, complements all but three identified genes: let-278, dpy-13 and ama-1, which define an interval of only 0.1 map unit. The terminal phenotype of mDf10 homozygotes is developmental arrest during the first larval stage, suggesting that there is sufficient maternal RNA polymerase II to complete embryonic development.

Production, Quality Control, Stability and Pharmacotoxicity of a Malaria Vaccine Comprising Three Highly Similar PfAMA1 Protein Molecules to Overcome Antigenic Variation

PubMed Central

Houard, Sophie; Havelange, Nicolas; Drossard, Jürgen; Mertens, Hubert; Croon, Alexander; Kastilan, Robin; Byrne, Richard; van der Werff, Nicole; van der Eijk, Marjolein; Thomas, Alan W.; Kocken, Clemens H. M.; Remarque, Edmond J.

2016-01-01

Plasmodium falciparum apical membrane antigen 1 (PfAMA1) is a leading asexual blood stage vaccine candidate for malaria. In preparation for clinical trials, three Diversity Covering (DiCo) PfAMA1 ectodomain proteins, designed to overcome the intrinsic polymorphism that is present in PfAMA1, were produced under Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) in Pichia pastoris. Using identical methodology, the 3 strains were cultivated in 70-L scale fed-batch fermentations and PfAMA1-DiCos were purified by two chromatography steps, an ultrafiltration/diafiltration procedure and size exclusion chromatography, resulting in highly pure (>95%) PfAMA1-DiCo1, PfAMA1 DiCo2 and PfAMA1 DiCo3, with final yields of 1.8, 1.9 and 1.3 gram, respectively. N-terminal determinations showed that approximately 50% of each of the proteins lost 12 residues from their N-terminus, in accordance with SDS-PAGE (2 main bands) and MS-data. Under reducing conditions a site of limited proteolytic cleavage within a disulphide bonded region became evident. The three proteins quantitatively bound to the mAb 4G2 that recognizes a conformational epitope, suggesting proper folding of the proteins. The lyophilized Drug Product (1:1:1 mixture of PfAMA1-DiCo1, DiCo2, DiCo3) fulfilled all pre-set release criteria (appearance, dissolution rate, identity, purity, protein content, moisture content, sub-visible particles, immuno-potency (after reconstitution with adjuvant), abnormal toxicity, sterility and endotoxin), was stable in accelerated and real-time stability studies at -20°C for over 24 months. When formulated with adjuvants selected for clinical phase I evaluation, the Drug Product did not show adverse effect in a repeated-dose toxicity study in rabbits. The Drug Product has entered a phase Ia/Ib clinical trial. PMID:27695087

Ama1p-activated anaphase-promoting complex regulates the destruction of Cdc20p during meiosis II

PubMed Central

Tan, Grace S.; Magurno, Jennifer; Cooper, Katrina F.

2011-01-01

The execution of meiotic divisions in Saccharomyces cerevisiae is regulated by anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome (APC/C)–mediated protein degradation. During meiosis, the APC/C is activated by association with Cdc20p or the meiosis-specific activator Ama1p. We present evidence that, as cells exit from meiosis II, APC/CAma1 mediates Cdc20p destruction. APC/CAma1 recognizes two degrons on Cdc20p, the destruction box and destruction degron, with either domain being sufficient to mediate Cdc20p destruction. Cdc20p does not need to associate with the APC/C to bind Ama1p or be destroyed. Coimmunoprecipitation analyses showed that the diverged amino-terminal region of Ama1p recognizes both Cdc20p and Clb1p, a previously identified substrate of APC/CAma1. Domain swap experiments revealed that the C-terminal WD region of Cdh1p, when fused to the N-terminal region of Ama1p, could direct most of Ama1p functions, although at a reduced level. In addition, this fusion protein cannot complement the spore wall defect in ama1Δ strains, indicating that substrate specificity is also derived from the WD repeat domain. These findings provide a mechanism to temporally down-regulate APC/CCdc20 activity as the cells complete meiosis II and form spores. PMID:21118994

“AmaRosa,” a red skinned, red fleshed fingerling with high phytonutrient value

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

AmaRosa is a mid season specialty potato with red skin and red flesh. This selection is unique among commercially available potato varieties in that plants set a large number of smooth, small, fingerling-shaped tubers with red skin and red flesh. AmaRosa tubers have higher total anthocyanin and hyd...

Novel in silico technology in combination with microarrays: a state-of-the-art technology for allergy diagnosis and management?

PubMed

Melioli, Giovanni; Passalacqua, Giovanni; Canonica, Giorgio W

2014-12-01

'Allergen microarrays, in poly-sensitized allergic patients, represent a real value added in the accurate IgE profiling and in the identification of allergen(s) to administer for an effective allergen immunotherapy.' Allergen microarrays (AMA) were developed in the early 2000s to improve the diagnostic pathway of patients with allergic reactions. Nowadays, AMA are constituted by more than 100 different components (either purified or recombinant), representing genuine and cross-reacting molecules from plants and animals. The cost of the procedure had suggested its use as third-level diagnostics (following in vivo- and in vitro-specific IgE tests) in poly-sensitized patients. The complexity of the interpretation had inspired the development of in silico technologies to help clinicians in their work. Both machine learning techniques and expert systems are now available. In particular, an expert system that has been recently developed not only identifies positive and negative components but also lists dangerous components and classifies patients based on their potential responsiveness to allergen immunotherapy, on the basis of published algorithms. For these characteristics, AMA represents the state-of-the-art technology for allergy diagnosis in poly-sensitized patients.

Safety and immunogenicity of a recombinant Plasmodium falciparum AMA1-DiCo malaria vaccine adjuvanted with GLA-SE or Alhydrogel® in European and African adults: A phase 1a/1b, randomized, double-blind multi-centre trial.

PubMed

Sirima, S B; Durier, C; Kara, L; Houard, S; Gansane, A; Loulergue, P; Bahuaud, M; Benhamouda, N; Nebié, I; Faber, B; Remarque, E; Launay, O

2017-10-27

Plasmodium falciparum Apical Membrane Antigen 1 Diversity Covering (PfAMA1-DiCo) candidate vaccine is a formulation of three recombinant variants of AMA1 designed to provide broader protection against parasites with varying AMA1 sequences. In this staggered phase Ia/Ib randomized, double blind trial, healthy French adults received AMA1-DiCo with either Alhydrogel® (n=15) or GLA-SE (n=15). Following a safety assessment in French volunteers, GLA-SE was chosen for the phase Ib trial where healthy Burkinabe adults received either AMA1-DiCo/GLA-SE (n=18) or placebo (n=18). AMA1-DiCo (50µg) was administered intramuscularly at baseline, Week 4 and 26. AMAI-DiCo was safe, well tolerated either with Alhydrogel® or GLA-SE. In European volunteers, the ratios of IgG increase from baseline were about 100 fold in Alhydrogel® group and 200-300 fold in GLA-SE group for the three antigens. In African volunteers, immunization resulted in IgG levels exceeding those observed for the European volunteers with a 4-fold increase. DiCo-specific IgG remained higher 26weeks after the third immunization than at baseline in both European and African volunteers. Induced antibodies were reactive against whole parasite derived from different strains. AMA1-DiCo vaccine was safe and immunogenic whatever the adjuvant although GLA-SE appeared more potent than Alhydrogel® at inducing IgG responses. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02014727; PACTR201402000719423. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Dissecting the interface between apicomplexan parasite and host cell: Insights from a divergent AMA–RON2 pair

PubMed Central

Parker, Michelle L.; Penarete-Vargas, Diana M.; Hamilton, Phineas T.; Guérin, Amandine; Dubey, Jitender P.; Perlman, Steve J.; Spano, Furio; Lebrun, Maryse; Boulanger, Martin J.

2016-01-01

Plasmodium falciparum and Toxoplasma gondii are widely studied parasites in phylum Apicomplexa and the etiological agents of severe human malaria and toxoplasmosis, respectively. These intracellular pathogens have evolved a sophisticated invasion strategy that relies on delivery of proteins into the host cell, where parasite-derived rhoptry neck protein 2 (RON2) family members localize to the host outer membrane and serve as ligands for apical membrane antigen (AMA) family surface proteins displayed on the parasite. Recently, we showed that T. gondii harbors a novel AMA designated as TgAMA4 that shows extreme sequence divergence from all characterized AMA family members. Here we show that sporozoite-expressed TgAMA4 clusters in a distinct phylogenetic clade with Plasmodium merozoite apical erythrocyte-binding ligand (MAEBL) proteins and forms a high-affinity, functional complex with its coevolved partner, TgRON2L1. High-resolution crystal structures of TgAMA4 in the apo and TgRON2L1-bound forms complemented with alanine scanning mutagenesis data reveal an unexpected architecture and assembly mechanism relative to previously characterized AMA–RON2 complexes. Principally, TgAMA4 lacks both a deep surface groove and a key surface loop that have been established to govern RON2 ligand binding selectivity in other AMAs. Our study reveals a previously underappreciated level of molecular diversity at the parasite–host-cell interface and offers intriguing insight into the adaptation strategies underlying sporozoite invasion. Moreover, our data offer the potential for improved design of neutralizing therapeutics targeting a broad range of AMA–RON2 pairs and apicomplexan invasive stages. PMID:26712012

The Use of Images in Intelligent Advisor Systems.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boulet, Marie-Michele

This paper describes the intelligent advisor system, named CODAMA, used in teaching a university-level systems analysis and design course. The paper discusses: (1) the use of CODAMA to assist students to transfer theoretical knowledge to the practical; (2) details of how CODAMA is applied in conjunction with a computer-aided software engineering…

Incorporating Learning Theory into Existing Systems Engineering Models

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-09-01

3. Social  Cognition 22 Table 1. Classification of learning theories Behaviorism Cognitivism Constructivism Connectivism...Introdution to design of large scale systems. New York: Mcgraw-Hill. Grusec. J. (1992). Social learning theory and development psychology: The... LEARNING THEORY INTO EXISTING SYSTEMS ENGINEERING MODELS by Valentine Leo September 2013 Thesis Advisor: Gary O. Langford Co-Advisor

Developing a Questionnaire on Technology-Integrated Mathematics Instruction: A Case Study of the AMA Training Course in Xinjiang and Taiwan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Chun-Yi; Chen, Ming-Jang

2016-01-01

This study describes the development of a questionnaire to evaluate how teachers perceive technology-integrated math instruction. Following an AMA (Activate Mind Attention) training course, we surveyed 322 teachers to understand their views on the implantation of AMA in the classroom. We also analyzed differences in viewpoints between teachers…

The status of mycology in Africa: A document to promote awareness.

PubMed

Gryzenhout, Marieka; Jefwa, Joyce M; Yorou, Nourou S

2012-06-01

The African Mycological Association (AMA) promotes mycology amongst members in Africa and globally. The AMA has about 200 members, mostly from African states but also with strong representation from Europe and USA, amongst others. Recent efforts by members of the AMA focused on reviving and developing mycological research and networking in Africa. A great deal must, however, still be done to promote the AMA under African mycologists, and those elsewhere with interests in Africa. African mycologists also experience challenges typical of the developing world and a great deal of fungi still needs to be discovered. This can also be seen as representing great opportunities for research and collaboration. Several issues pertinent to mycology in Africa were discussed during Special Interest Group sessions of the 9th International Mycological Congress in 2010, and through several opinion pieces contributed by AMA members in the AMA newsletter, MycoAfrica. This contribution serves as a document to summarise these in a form that can be presented to fellow mycologists, biologists and other scientists, relevant government departments, funding bodies and Non-Governmental Organizations and that pins down the importance of mycology, the status thereof in Africa and the need to promote it more.

Evaluation of anthocyanins in Aronia melanocarpa/BSA binding by spectroscopic studies.

PubMed

Wei, Jie; Xu, Dexin; Zhang, Xiao; Yang, Jing; Wang, Qiuyu

2018-05-02

The interaction between Anthocyanins in Aronia melanocarpa (AMA) and bovine serum albumin (BSA) were studied in this paper by multispectral technology, such as fluorescence quenching titration, circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The results of the fluorescence titration revealed that AMA could strongly quench the intrinsic fluorescence of BSA by static quenching. The apparent binding constants K SV and number of binding sites n of AMA with BSA were obtained by fluorescence quenching method. The thermodynamic parameters, enthalpy change (ΔH) and entropy change (ΔS), were calculated to be 18.45 kJ mol -1  > 0 and 149.72 J mol -1  K -1  > 0, respectively, which indicated that the interaction of AMA with BSA was driven mainly by hydrophobic forces. The binding process was a spontaneous process of Gibbs free energy change. Based on Förster's non-radiative energy transfer theory, the distance r between the donor (BSA) and the receptor (AMA) was calculated to be 3.88 nm. Their conformations were analyzed using infrared spectroscopy and CD. The results of multispectral technology showed that the binding of AMA to BSA induced the conformational change of BSA.

AMA0428, A Potent Rock Inhibitor, Attenuates Early and Late Experimental Diabetic Retinopathy.

PubMed

Hollanders, Karolien; Hove, Inge Van; Sergeys, Jurgen; Bergen, Tine Van; Lefevere, Evy; Kindt, Nele; Castermans, Karolien; Vandewalle, Evelien; van Pelt, Jos; Moons, Lieve; Stalmans, Ingeborg

2017-02-01

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is characterized by an early stage of inflammation and vessel leakage, and an advanced vasoproliferative stage. Also, neurodegeneration might play an important role in disease pathogenesis. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the Rho kinase (ROCK) inhibitor, AMA0428, on these processes. The response to ROCK inhibition by AMA0428 (1 µg) was studied in vivo using the murine model for streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes, focusing on early non-proliferative DR features and the oxygen-induced retinopathy (OIR) model to investigate proliferative DR. Intravitreal (IVT) administration of AMA0428 was compared with murine anti-VEGF-R2 antibody (DC101, 6.2 µg) and placebo (H 2 O/PEG; 1C8). Outcome was assessed by analyzing leukostasis using fluorescein isothiocyanate coupled concanavalin A (FITC-ConA) and vessel leakage (bovine serum albumin conjugated with fluorescein isothiocyanate; FITC-BSA)/neovascularization and neurodegeneration by immunohistological approaches (hematoxylin and eosin (H&E), terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated biotinylated UTP nick end labeling (TUNEL), Brn3a). ELISA and Western blotting were employed to unravel the consequences of ROCK inhibition (1 µM AMA0428) on myosin phosphatase target protein (MYPT)-1 phosphorylation, endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) phosphorylation, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) levels in retinas of diabetic mice, on NF-κβ activity and ICAM-1 expression in endothelial cells (ECs). In vivo, AMA0428 significantly reduced vessel leakage and neovascularization, respectively, in the STZ and OIR model, comparable to DC101 therapy. Additionally, the ROCK inhibitor decreased neurodegeneration in both models and inhibited leukostasis by 30% (p < 0.05) in the STZ model (p < 0.05), while DC101 had no positive effect on the outcome of these latter processes. ROCK activity was upregulated in the diabetic retina and AMA0428 administration resulted in decreased phospho-MYPT-1, enhanced phospho-eNOS, and reduced VEGF levels. In vitro, AMA0428 interfered with NF-κβ activity, thereby inhibiting ICAM-1 expression in ECs. Targeting ROCK with AMA0428 effectively attenuated outcome in an early DR model (STZ) and a late vasoproliferative retinopathy model (OIR). These findings make AMA0428 a promising candidate with an additional anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective benefit for DR patients, as compared with anti-VEGF treatment.

Overcoming Antigenic Diversity by Enhancing the Immunogenicity of Conserved Epitopes on the Malaria Vaccine Candidate Apical Membrane Antigen-1

PubMed Central

Dutta, Sheetij; Dlugosz, Lisa S.; Drew, Damien R.; Ge, Xiopeng; Ababacar, Diouf; Rovira, Yazmin I.; Moch, J. Kathleen; Shi, Meng; Long, Carole A.; Foley, Michael; Beeson, James G.; Anders, Robin F.; Miura, Kazutoyo; Haynes, J. David; Batchelor, Adrian H.

2013-01-01

Malaria vaccine candidate Apical Membrane Antigen-1 (AMA1) induces protection, but only against parasite strains that are closely related to the vaccine. Overcoming the AMA1 diversity problem will require an understanding of the structural basis of cross-strain invasion inhibition. A vaccine containing four diverse allelic proteins 3D7, FVO, HB3 and W2mef (AMA1 Quadvax or QV) elicited polyclonal rabbit antibodies that similarly inhibited the invasion of four vaccine and 22 non-vaccine strains of P. falciparum. Comparing polyclonal anti-QV with antibodies against a strain-specific, monovalent, 3D7 AMA1 vaccine revealed that QV induced higher levels of broadly inhibitory antibodies which were associated with increased conserved face and domain-3 responses and reduced domain-2 response. Inhibitory monoclonal antibodies (mAb) raised against the QV reacted with a novel cross-reactive epitope at the rim of the hydrophobic trough on domain-1; this epitope mapped to the conserved face of AMA1 and it encompassed the 1e-loop. MAbs binding to the 1e-loop region (1B10, 4E8 and 4E11) were ∼10-fold more potent than previously characterized AMA1-inhibitory mAbs and a mode of action of these 1e-loop mAbs was the inhibition of AMA1 binding to its ligand RON2. Unlike the epitope of a previously characterized 3D7-specific mAb, 1F9, the 1e-loop inhibitory epitope was partially conserved across strains. Another novel mAb, 1E10, which bound to domain-3, was broadly inhibitory and it blocked the proteolytic processing of AMA1. By itself mAb 1E10 was weakly inhibitory but it synergized with a previously characterized, strain-transcending mAb, 4G2, which binds close to the hydrophobic trough on the conserved face and inhibits RON2 binding to AMA1. Novel inhibition susceptible regions and epitopes, identified here, can form the basis for improving the antigenic breadth and inhibitory response of AMA1 vaccines. Vaccination with a few diverse antigenic proteins could provide universal coverage by redirecting the immune response towards conserved epitopes. PMID:24385910

LIA: An Intelligent Advisor for E-Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Capuano, Nicola; Gaeta, Matteo; Marengo, Agostino; Miranda, Sergio; Orciuoli, Francesco; Ritrovato, Pierluigi

2009-01-01

Intelligent e-learning systems have revolutionized online education by providing individualized and personalized instruction for each learner. Nevertheless, until now very few systems were able to leave academic laboratories and be integrated into real commercial products. One of these few exceptions is the Learning Intelligent Advisor (LIA)…

An Assessment of Vulnerabilities for Ship-based Control Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-09-01

VULNERABILITIES FOR SHIP- BASED CONTROL SYSTEMS by Richard Bensing September 2009 Thesis Advisor: Karen Burke Co-Advisor: George Dinolt...COVERED Master’s Thesis 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE: An Assessment of Vulnerabilities for Ship- based Control Systems 6. AUTHOR(S) Richard Bensing 5...soft underbelly. Computer- based control systems form the heart of the critical infrastructure, and these control systems are riddled with rampant

WASTE ANALYSIS PLAN REVIEW ADVISOR - AN INTELLIGENT DATABASE TO ASSIST RCRA PERMIT REVIEWERS

EPA Science Inventory

The Waste Analysis Plan Review Advisor (WAPRA) system assists in the review of the Waste Analysis Plan Section of RCRA Part B facility permit applications. Specifically, this program automates two functions of the waste analysis plan review. First, the system checks all wastes wh...

LISPA (Library and Information Center Staff Planning Advisor): A Microcomputer-Based System.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Devadason, F. J.; Vespry, H. A.

1996-01-01

Describes LISPA (Library and Information Center Staff Planning Advisor), a set of programs based on Ranganathan's staff plan model. LISPA particularly aids in planning for library staff requirements, both professional and paraprofessional, in developing countries where automated systems for other library operations are not yet available.…

A Proposed Operational Concept for the Defense Communications Operations Support System.

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-01-01

Artificial Intelligence AMA Automatic Message Accounting AMIE AUTODIN Management Index System AMPE Automated Message Processing Exchange ANCS AUTOVON Network...Support IMPRESS Inpact/Restoral System INFORM Information Retrieval System 1OC Initial Operational Capability IRU Intellegent Remote Unit I-S/A AMPE

Ribosomal biosynthesis of α-amanitin in Galerina marginata

PubMed Central

Luo, Hong; Hallen-Adams, Heather E.; Scott-Craig, John S.; Walton, Jonathan D.

2014-01-01

Amatoxins, including α-amanitin, are bicyclic octapeptides found in mushrooms (Agaricomycetes, Agaricales) of certain species in the genera Amanita, Galerina, Lepiota, and Conocybe. Amatoxins and the chemically similar phallotoxins are synthesized on ribosomes in Amanita bisporigera, Amanita phalloides, and Amanita ocreata. In order to determine if amatoxins are synthesized by a similar mechanism in another, distantly related mushroom, we obtained genome survey sequence data from a monokaryotic isolate of Galerina marginata, which produces α-amanitin. The genome of G. marginata contains two copies of the α-amanitin gene (GmAMA1-1 and GmAMA1-2). The α-amanitin proprotein sequences of G. marginata (35 amino acids) are highly divergent from AMA1 of A. bisporigera except for the toxin region itself (IWGIGCNP in single-letter amino acid code) and the amino acids immediately upstream (N[A/S]TRLP). G. marginata does not contain any related toxin-encoding sequences besides GmAMA1-1 and GmAMA1-2. DNA from two other α-amanitin-producing isolates of Galerina (G. badipes and G. venenata) hybridized to GmAMA1, whereas DNA from the toxin non-producing species Galerina hybrida did not. Expression of the GmAMA1 genes was induced by growth on low carbon. RNASeq evidence indicates that both copies of GmAMA1 are expressed approximately equally. A prolyl oligopeptidase (POP) is strongly implicated in processing of the cyclic peptide toxins of A. bisporigera and Conocybe apala. G. marginata has two predicted POP genes; one, like AbPOPB of A. bisporigera, is present only in the toxin-producing isolates of Galerina and the other, like AbPOPA of A. bisporigera, is present in all species. Our results indicate that G. marginata biosynthesizes amatoxins on ribosomes by a pathway similar to Amanita species, involving a genetically encoded proprotein of 35 amino acids that is post-translationally processed by a POP. However, due to the high degree of divergence, the evolutionary relationship between AMA1 in the genera Amanita and Galerina is unclear. PMID:22202811

Disrupting malaria parasite AMA1-RON2 interaction with a small molecule prevents erythrocyte invasion.

PubMed

Srinivasan, Prakash; Yasgar, Adam; Luci, Diane K; Beatty, Wandy L; Hu, Xin; Andersen, John; Narum, David L; Moch, J Kathleen; Sun, Hongmao; Haynes, J David; Maloney, David J; Jadhav, Ajit; Simeonov, Anton; Miller, Louis H

2013-01-01

Plasmodium falciparum resistance to artemisinin derivatives, the first-line antimalarial drug, drives the search for new classes of chemotherapeutic agents. Current discovery is primarily directed against the intracellular forms of the parasite. However, late schizont-infected red blood cells (RBCs) may still rupture and cause disease by sequestration; consequently targeting invasion may reduce disease severity. Merozoite invasion of RBCs requires interaction between two parasite proteins AMA1 and RON2. Here we identify the first inhibitor of this interaction that also blocks merozoite invasion in genetically distinct parasites by screening a library of over 21,000 compounds. We demonstrate that this inhibition is mediated by the small molecule binding to AMA1 and blocking the formation of AMA1-RON complex. Electron microscopy confirms that the inhibitor prevents junction formation, a critical step in invasion that results from AMA1-RON2 binding. This study uncovers a strategy that will allow for highly effective combination therapies alongside existing antimalarial drugs.

A Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the Structure of Abbreviated Math Anxiety Scale

PubMed Central

Farrokhi, Farahman

2011-01-01

Objective The aim of this study is to explore the confirmatory factor analysis results of the Persian adaptation of Abbreviated Math Anxiety Scale (AMAS), proposed by Hopko, Mahadevan, Bare & Hunt. Method The validity and reliability assessments of the scale were performed on 298 college students chosen randomly from Tabriz University in Iran. The confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was carried out to determine the factor structures of the Persian version of AMAS. Results As expected, the two-factor solution provided a better fit to the data than a single factor. Moreover, multi-group analyses showed that this two-factor structure was invariant across sex. Hence, AMAS provides an equally valid measure for use among college students. Conclusions Brief AMAS demonstrates adequate reliability and validity. The AMAS scores can be used to compare symptoms of math anxiety between male and female students. The study both expands and adds support to the existing body of math anxiety literature. PMID:22952521

The importance of a proper against-medical-advice (AMA) discharge: how signing out AMA may create significant liability protection for providers.

PubMed

Levy, Frederick; Mareiniss, Darren P; Iacovelli, Corianne

2012-09-01

Every year, patients leave the Emergency Department against medical advice (AMA) and before an adequate evaluation can be performed. It is well known that many of these patients are at risk of subsequent complications. The goal of this article is to explain the potential legal protections that may be created from a proper AMA discharge. In this article, the authors review the steps that need to be taken when performing an AMA discharge, including an assessment of capacity, proper documentation, and adequate disclosure. The authors then review the potential legal protections that can result from a properly documented and performed discharge. Among these protections are: proof that the provider's duty to the patient ended with discharge and that the patient assumed the risk of a subsequent complication. The authors conclude that a properly executed discharge can provide significant legal protection from liability risks. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Case Studies Comparing System Advisor Model (SAM) Results to Real Performance Data: Preprint

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

Blair, N.; Dobos, A.; Sather, N.

2012-06-01

NREL has completed a series of detailed case studies comparing the simulations of the System Advisor Model (SAM) and measured performance data or published performance expectations. These case studies compare PV measured performance data with simulated performance data using appropriate weather data. The measured data sets were primarily taken from NREL onsite PV systems and weather monitoring stations.

Implementation of a Multiple Robot Frontier-Based Exploration System as a Testbed for Battlefield Reconnaissance Support

DTIC Science & Technology

1998-06-01

FOR BATTLEFDELD RECONNAISSANCE SUPPORT by Patrick A. Hillmeyer June 1998 Thesis Advisor : Xiaoping Yun Approved for public release; distribution is...POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL June 1998 Patrick A. Hillmeyer /hAjfo Approved by: ^ -C* Xiaoping Yun, Thesis Advisor Harold Titus, Second Reader XbtmAC.y...thanks to my thesis advisor Professor Xiaoping Yun and second reader Professor Harold "Hal" Titus for their invaluable support and assistance regarding

A piloted simulator evaluation of a ground-based 4-D descent advisor algorithm

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Davis, Thomas J.; Green, Steven M.; Erzberger, Heinz

1990-01-01

A ground-based, four dimensional (4D) descent-advisor algorithm is under development at NASA-Ames. The algorithm combines detailed aerodynamic, propulsive, and atmospheric models with an efficient numerical integration scheme to generate 4D descent advisories. The ability is investigated of the 4D descent advisor algorithm to provide adequate control of arrival time for aircraft not equipped with on-board 4D guidance systems. A piloted simulation was conducted to determine the precision with which the descent advisor could predict the 4D trajectories of typical straight-in descents flown by airline pilots under different wind conditions. The effects of errors in the estimation of wind and initial aircraft weight were also studied. A description of the descent advisor as well as the result of the simulation studies are presented.

Automotive manufacturing assessment system. Volume IV: engine manufacturing analysis. Final report Jun 77-Aug 78

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

Taylor, T. Jr

Volume IV represents the results of one of four major study areas under the Automotive Manufacturing Assessment System (AMAS) sponsored by the DOT/Transportation Systems Center. AMAS was designed to assist in the evaluation of industry's capability to produce fuel efficient vehicles. An analysis of automotive engine manufacturing was conducted in order to determine the impact of regulatory changes on tooling costs and the production process. The 351W CID V-8 engine at Ford's Windsor No. 1 Plant was the subject of the analysis. A review of plant history and its product is presented along with an analysis of manufacturing operations, includingmore » material and production flow, plant layout, machining and assembly processes, tooling, supporting facilities, inspection, service and repair. Four levels of product change intensity showing the impact on manufacturing methods and cost is also presented.« less

The Rashomon effect: another view of medicine, religion, and the American Medical Association.

PubMed

Crigger, B J

2014-12-01

What is the story of medicine and religion at the American Medical Association (AMA)? Where did the Department of Medicine and Religion originate? What did the program accomplish? Why was it all but completely discontinued after scarcely a decade? The surviving records support more than one interpretation. Exploring the broader organizational context helps tell a richer story.In this issue of Academic Medicine, Daniel Kim and colleagues open a window on a fascinating bit of history: that of the AMA's formal experience with religion and medicine during the 1960s and early 1970s; however, reconstructing the story of a program from documentary records is always something of an uncertain proposition. Equally important is taking account of such factors as the role of the AMA's House of Delegates in policy making, of state and county medical societies in carrying out program activities, and of the influence of charismatic individuals on decisions regarding programs and activities. Before the medical community decides what lesson(s) to draw from the story of the AMA's Department of Medicine and Religion, it should try to understand that story as completely as possible.As Kim et al note, the available materials leave out much that historians might wish to know. Records preserve the substance of decisions taken, but are largely silent about the reasoning behind those decisions. Relevant information is scattered through multiple record systems, making it difficult to find. Inevitably, historians have to read between the lines.

Characteristics of and Challenges for Advisors within a Privatized Extension System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Knuth, Ulrike; Knierim, Andrea

2013-01-01

Purpose: The aim of this article is to provide evidence on the consequences of the privatization process in Brandenburg with a focus on the agricultural advisors' situation. Before the background of future European Union (EU) expectations on Farm Advisory Systems (FAS), their capacities and competences to respond to such challenges are discussed.…

AMAS: a fast tool for alignment manipulation and computing of summary statistics.

PubMed

Borowiec, Marek L

2016-01-01

The amount of data used in phylogenetics has grown explosively in the recent years and many phylogenies are inferred with hundreds or even thousands of loci and many taxa. These modern phylogenomic studies often entail separate analyses of each of the loci in addition to multiple analyses of subsets of genes or concatenated sequences. Computationally efficient tools for handling and computing properties of thousands of single-locus or large concatenated alignments are needed. Here I present AMAS (Alignment Manipulation And Summary), a tool that can be used either as a stand-alone command-line utility or as a Python package. AMAS works on amino acid and nucleotide alignments and combines capabilities of sequence manipulation with a function that calculates basic statistics. The manipulation functions include conversions among popular formats, concatenation, extracting sites and splitting according to a pre-defined partitioning scheme, creation of replicate data sets, and removal of taxa. The statistics calculated include the number of taxa, alignment length, total count of matrix cells, overall number of undetermined characters, percent of missing data, AT and GC contents (for DNA alignments), count and proportion of variable sites, count and proportion of parsimony informative sites, and counts of all characters relevant for a nucleotide or amino acid alphabet. AMAS is particularly suitable for very large alignments with hundreds of taxa and thousands of loci. It is computationally efficient, utilizes parallel processing, and performs better at concatenation than other popular tools. AMAS is a Python 3 program that relies solely on Python's core modules and needs no additional dependencies. AMAS source code and manual can be downloaded from http://github.com/marekborowiec/AMAS/ under GNU General Public License.

Conjugating recombinant proteins to Pseudomonas aeruginosa ExoProtein A: a strategy for enhancing immunogenicity of malaria vaccine candidates.

PubMed

Qian, Feng; Wu, Yimin; Muratova, Olga; Zhou, Hong; Dobrescu, Gelu; Duggan, Peter; Lynn, Lambert; Song, Guanhong; Zhang, Yanling; Reiter, Karine; MacDonald, Nicholas; Narum, David L; Long, Carole A; Miller, Louis H; Saul, Allan; Mullen, Gregory E D

2007-05-16

Conjugation of polysaccharides to carrier proteins has been a successful approach for producing safe and effective vaccines. In an attempt to increase the immunogenicity of two malarial vaccine candidate proteins of Plasmodium falciparum, apical membrane antigen 1 (AMA1) to a blood stage vaccine candidate and surface protein 25 (Pfs25) a mosquito stage vaccine candidate, were each independently chemically conjugated to the mutant, nontoxic Pseudomonas aeruginosa ExoProtein A (rEPA). AMA1 is a large (66kD) relatively good immunogen in mice; Pfs25 is a poorly immunogenic protein when presented on alum to mice. Mice were immunized on days 0 and 28 with AMA1- or Pfs25-rEPA conjugates or unconjugated AMA1 or Pfs25, all formulated on Alhydrogel. Remarkably, sera from mice 14 days after the second immunization with Pfs25-rEPA conjugates displayed over a 1000-fold higher antibody titers as compared to unconjugated Pfs25. In contrast, AMA1 conjugated under the same conditions induced only a three-fold increase in antibody titers. When tested for functional activity, antibodies elicited by the AMA1-rEPA inhibited invasion of erythrocytes by blood-stage parasites and antibodies elicited by the Pfs25-rEPA conjugates blocked the development of the sexual stage parasites in the mosquito midgut. These results demonstrate that conjugation to rEPA induces a marked improvement in the antibody titer in mice for the poor immunogen (Pfs25) and for the larger protein (AMA1). These conjugates now need to be tested in humans to determine if mice are predictive of the response in humans.

Threat expert system technology advisor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kurrasch, E. R.; Tripp, L. R.

1987-01-01

A prototype expert system was developed to determine the feasibility of using expert system technology to enhance the performance and survivability of helicopter pilots in a combat threat environment while flying NOE (Nap of the Earth) missions. The basis for the concept is the potential of using an Expert System Advisor to reduce the extreme overloading of the pilot who flies NOE mission below treetop level at approximately 40 knots while performing several other functions. The ultimate goal is to develop a Threat Expert System Advisor which provides threat information and advice that are better than even a highly experienced copilot. The results clearly show that the NOE pilot needs all the help in decision aiding and threat situation awareness that he can get. It clearly shows that heuristics are important and that an expert system for combat NOE helicopter missions can be of great help to the pilot in complex threat situations and in making decisions.

Impairment Rating Ambiguity in the United States: The Utah Impairment Guides for Calculating Workers' Compensation Impairments

PubMed Central

Hunter, Bradley; Bunkall, Larry D.; Holmes, Edward B.

2009-01-01

Since the implementation of workers' compensation, accurately and consistently rating impairment has been a concern for the employee and employer, as well as rating physicians. In an attempt to standardize and classify impairments, the American Medical Association (AMA) publishes the AMA Guides ("Guides"), and recently published its 6th edition of the AMA Guides. Common critiques of the AMA Guides 6th edition are that they are too complex, lacking in evidence-based methods, and rarely yield consistent ratings. Many states mandate use of some edition of the AMA Guides, but few states are adopting the current edition due to the increasing difficulty and frustration with their implementation. A clearer, simpler approach is needed. Some states have begun to develop their own supplemental guides to combat problems in complexity and validity. Likewise studies in Korea show that past methods for rating impairment are outdated and inconsistent, and call for measures to adapt current methods to Korea's specific needs. The Utah Supplemental Guides to the AMA Guides have been effective in increasing consistency in rating impairment. It is estimated that litigation of permanent impairment has fallen below 1% and Utah is now one of the least costly states for obtaining workers' compensation insurance, while maintaining a medical fee schedule above the national average. Utah's guides serve as a model for national or international impairment guides. PMID:19503678

Hepatoprotective effects of aqueous extract from Lingzhi or Reishi medicinal mushroom Ganoderma lucidum (higher basidiomycetes) on α-amanitin-induced liver injury in mice.

PubMed

Wu, Xin; Zeng, Jun; Hu, Jinsong; Liao, Qiong; Zhou, Rong; Zhang, Ping; Chen, Zuohong

2013-01-01

The Lingzhi or Reishi mushroom Ganoderma lucidum is a well-known traditional medicinal mushroom that has been shown to have obvious hepatoprotective effects. The aim of this study was to evaluate the hepatoprotective effects of G. lucidum aqueous extracts (GLEs) on liver injury induced by α-amanitin (α-AMA) in mice and to analyze the possible hepatoprotective mechanisms related to radical scavenging activity. Mice were treated with α-AMA prepared from Amanita exitialis and then administrated with GLE after the α-AMA injection. The hepatoprotective activity of the GLE was compared with the reference drug silibinin (SIL). α-AMA induced a significant elevation in serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activities and provoked a significant reduction of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities and a significant increment of malondialdehyde (MDA) content in liver homogenate. Treatment with GLE or SIL significantly decreased serum ALT and AST levels, significantly increased SOD and CAT activities, and decreased MDA content in liver compared with the α-AMA control group. The histopathological examination of liver sections was consistent with that of biochemical parameters. The results demonstrated that GLE induces hepatoprotective effects on acute liver injury induced by α-AMA; these protective effects may be related in part to the antioxidant properties of GLE.

Computational and biophysical approaches to protein-protein interaction inhibition of Plasmodium falciparum AMA1/RON2 complex

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pihan, Emilie; Delgadillo, Roberto F.; Tonkin, Michelle L.; Pugnière, Martine; Lebrun, Maryse; Boulanger, Martin J.; Douguet, Dominique

2015-06-01

Invasion of the red blood cell by Plasmodium falciparum parasites requires formation of an electron dense circumferential ring called the Moving Junction (MJ). The MJ is anchored by a high affinity complex of two parasite proteins: Apical Membrane Antigen 1 ( PfAMA1) displayed on the surface of the parasite and Rhoptry Neck Protein 2 that is discharged from the parasite and imbedded in the membrane of the host cell. Structural studies of PfAMA1 revealed a conserved hydrophobic groove localized to the apical surface that coordinates RON2 and invasion inhibitory peptides. In the present work, we employed computational and biophysical methods to identify competitive P. falciparum AMA1-RON2 inhibitors with the goal of exploring the `druggability' of this attractive antimalarial target. A virtual screen followed by molecular docking with the PfAMA1 crystal structure was performed using an eight million compound collection that included commercial molecules, the ChEMBL malaria library and approved drugs. The consensus approach resulted in the selection of inhibitor candidates. We also developed a fluorescence anisotropy assay using a modified inhibitory peptide to experimentally validate the ability of the selected compounds to inhibit the AMA1-RON2 interaction. Among those, we identified one compound that displayed significant inhibition. This study offers interesting clues to improve the throughput and reliability of screening for new drug leads.

Report 59 of the AMA Board of Trustees (A-96). Physician-assisted suicide. Reference Committee on Amendments to Constitution and Bylaws.

PubMed

1996-08-01

This Board of Trustees report calls for reaffirmation of the position of the American Medical Association (AMA) in opposition to physicians assisting their patients in committing suicide. The AMA maintains that the appropriate step for physicians is not to assist a patient in death but to provide compassion and palliative care. In providing end-of-life care, the option of allowing physicians to intentionally cause the death of patients is a line that should not be crossed. This position is based on the historical role of physicians as advocates for healing. The report discusses AMA activity to design and implement a comprehensive physician education plan on end-of-life care in response to the House of Delegates' action in adopting Board of Trustees Report 48-I-95, "Quality Care at the End of Life." This plan will further the AMA's commitment that patients should receive high quality care during every stage of life, including the end of life. The goal of this educational campaign is to advance the medical culture by making palliative treatment and care directions based on values-based advance care planning the standard of care for meeting the needs of patients at the end of life. The basis for this activity will be the acknowledgment that physicians, while unable to always provide a cure, should always be able to relieve suffering, address the psychological needs of patients at the end of life, add value to remaining life, and help patients die with dignity. The report presents information on state legislative activities and judicial actions relating to physician-assisted suicide. The report also presents a discussion on the ethical under-pinnings against physician participation in patients' suicides. This report recommends that: the AMA reaffirm current policies 140.952 and 140.966 (AMA Policy Compendium), in accordance with Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs Opinion 2.211 (opposition to physician-assisted suicide); the AMA initiate an educational campaign to make palliative treatment and care directions based on values-based advance care planning the standard of care for meeting the needs of patients at the end of life; the AMA continue to seek out opportunities to present the views of medicine on physician-assisted suicide and improving the quality of care for patients at the end of life; the AMA disseminate this report throughout the Federation with a request that it be distributed to local physicians; and the Board of Trustees present the House of Delegates with an update on these and related activities at the 1996 Interim Meeting and the 1997 Annual Meeting.

Flood Protection, Section 4, Ohio River, Southwest Jefferson County, Kentucky. Local Flood Protection Project. Supplement Number 6.

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-04-01

Ama mm0 s tWUM "’ Imucam. to 3 maISmuMams. PSmmi. AMa. OF 1.8.s . CO. vum AMA as inam iasm as mLamin Or in LIVER SMALL ma exaaiso ggggam mmt 002% (A...DRFALSCRT romRMVDar OSRCTO LN ig5W R AY OPc THE: WINERSIOF NEEDDD WILLUCr1N OWNIDT 111 Or. 51M IWVOU it. ON 4 NSRCRffn MAINITI PI.A B Tropo FECIN a$ TU L

Computer-Aided Air-Traffic Control In The Terminal Area

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Erzberger, Heinz

1995-01-01

Developmental computer-aided system for automated management and control of arrival traffic at large airport includes three integrated subsystems. One subsystem, called Traffic Management Advisor, another subsystem, called Descent Advisor, and third subsystem, called Final Approach Spacing Tool. Data base that includes current wind measurements and mathematical models of performances of types of aircraft contributes to effective operation of system.

Issues in Navy Management of Major Weapon Systems Warranties.

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-12-01

THESISA ISSUES IN NAVY MANAGEMENT OF MAJOR WEAPON SYSTEMS WARRANTIES by Kevin L. White December 1986 Thesis Advisor: David V. Lamm Approved for...David V. Lamm, Thesis Advisor David C. Roberts, Second Reader Willis R. Greer, Jr., Chairman Department of Administrati e Sciences Knal Dean of and... THESIS -------------------------------13 ’p G. DEFINITIONS---------------------------------------13 H. ORGANIZATION OF THE STUDY----------------------- 15

Sterile Immunity to Malaria after DNA Prime/Adenovirus Boost Immunization Is Associated with Effector Memory CD8+T Cells Targeting AMA1 Class I Epitopes

PubMed Central

Sedegah, Martha; Hollingdale, Michael R.; Farooq, Fouzia; Ganeshan, Harini; Belmonte, Maria; Kim, Yohan; Peters, Bjoern; Sette, Alessandro; Huang, Jun; McGrath, Shannon; Abot, Esteban; Limbach, Keith; Shi, Meng; Soisson, Lorraine; Diggs, Carter; Chuang, Ilin; Tamminga, Cindy; Epstein, Judith E.; Villasante, Eileen; Richie, Thomas L.

2014-01-01

Background Fifteen volunteers were immunized with three doses of plasmid DNA encoding P. falciparum circumsporozoite protein (CSP) and apical membrane antigen-1 (AMA1) and boosted with human adenovirus-5 (Ad) expressing the same antigens (DNA/Ad). Four volunteers (27%) demonstrated sterile immunity to controlled human malaria infection and, overall, protection was statistically significantly associated with ELISpot and CD8+ T cell IFN-γ activities to AMA1 but not CSP. DNA priming was required for protection, as 18 additional subjects immunized with Ad alone (AdCA) did not develop sterile protection. Methodology/Principal Findings We sought to identify correlates of protection, recognizing that DNA-priming may induce different responses than AdCA alone. Among protected volunteers, two and three had higher ELISpot and CD8+ T cell IFN-γ responses to CSP and AMA1, respectively, than non-protected volunteers. Unexpectedly, non-protected volunteers in the AdCA trial showed ELISpot and CD8+ T cell IFN-γ responses to AMA1 equal to or higher than the protected volunteers. T cell functionality assessed by intracellular cytokine staining for IFN-γ, TNF-α and IL-2 likewise did not distinguish protected from non-protected volunteers across both trials. However, three of the four protected volunteers showed higher effector to central memory CD8+ T cell ratios to AMA1, and one of these to CSP, than non-protected volunteers for both antigens. These responses were focused on discrete regions of CSP and AMA1. Class I epitopes restricted by A*03 or B*58 supertypes within these regions of AMA1 strongly recalled responses in three of four protected volunteers. We hypothesize that vaccine-induced effector memory CD8+ T cells recognizing a single class I epitope can confer sterile immunity to P. falciparum in humans. Conclusions/Significance We suggest that better understanding of which epitopes within malaria antigens can confer sterile immunity and design of vaccine approaches that elicit responses to these epitopes will increase the potency of next generation gene-based vaccines. PMID:25211344

Mobile Tactical HF/VHF/EW System for Ground Forces

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-09-01

presen- tation of what I have learned . I would like to thank my advisor, Professor Robert Partelow, and co-advisor, Commander James R. Powell, for the...analyze newly developed systems to determine how the man- machine interfaces of such systems can best be designed for optimal use by the operators. B...terminals and other controls. If factors like luminance ratio, reflectance, glare illuminance are allowed for good man- machine interface then an effective

Factors Associated with Leaving Hospital against Medical Advice among People Who Use Illicit Drugs in Vancouver, Canada

PubMed Central

Ti, Lianping; Milloy, M-J; Buxton, Jane; McNeil, Ryan; Dobrer, Sabina; Hayashi, Kanna; Wood, Evan; Kerr, Thomas

2015-01-01

Background Leaving hospital against medical advice (AMA) is common among people who use illicit drugs (PWUD) and is associated with severe health-related harms and costs. However, little is known about the prevalence of and factors associated with leaving AMA among PWUD. Methods Data were collected through two Canadian prospective cohort studies involving PWUD between September 2005 and July 2011 and linked to a hospital admission/discharge database. Bivariable and multivariable generalized estimating equations were used to examine factors associated with leaving hospital AMA among PWUD who were hospitalized. Results Among 488 participants who experienced at least one hospitalization, 212 (43.4%) left the hospital AMA at least once during the study period. In multivariable analyses, factors positively and significantly associated with leaving hospital AMA included: unstable employment (AOR = 1.92; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.22–3.03); recent incarceration (AOR = 1.63; 95%CI: 1.07–2.49); ≥ daily heroin injection (AOR = 1.49; 95%CI: 1.05–2.11); and younger age per year younger (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.04; 95%CI: 1.02–1.06). Conclusions We found a substantial proportion of PWUD in this setting left hospital AMA and that various markers of risk and vulnerability were associated with this phenomenon. Our findings highlight the need to address substance abuse issues early following hospital admission. These findings further suggest a need to develop novel interventions to minimize PWUD leaving hospital prematurely. PMID:26509447

New Routes To Transfer. The Advisor. November 2001

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

British Columbia Council on Admissions and Transfer, 2001

2001-01-01

The Advisor provides important information or "system alerts," in user-friendly format and language, on issues and changes affecting admissions and transfer. This document outlines new transfer possibilities in academic arts and science programs, and business diploma programs -- the two largest programs offered by the colleges,…

Challenges of Field Testing The Traffic Monitoring Advisor in an Operational Air Traffic Control Facility

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1997-01-01

The Traffic Management Advisor (TMA), the sequence and schedule tool of the : Center/TRACON Automation System (CTAS), was evaluated at the Fort Worth Center : (ZFW) in the summer of 1996. This paper describes the challenges encountered : during the v...

Alteration and Implementation of the CP/M-86 Operating System for a Multi-User Environment.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-12-01

THE CP/M-86 OPERATING SYSTEM FOR A MULTI-USER ENVIRONMENT by Thomas V. Almquist and David S. Stevens C-, December 1982 ,LU Thesis Advisor : U. R. Kodres...tool$ 044, robo O0eA 6^900091 Approved for public release; distribution unlimited Alteration and Implementation of the CP/M-86 Operating System for a...SCIENCE IN COMPUTER SCIENCE from the NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL December 1982 Authors: Approved by: ..... .. . . . . . . . . Thesis Advisor Second

Comparative Biomechanical Behavior and Healing Profile of a Novel Thinned Wall Ultrahigh Molecular Weight Amorphous Poly-l-Lactic Acid Sirolimus-Eluting Bioresorbable Coronary Scaffold.

PubMed

Cheng, Yanping; Gasior, Pawel; Xia, Jing-Gang; Ramzipoor, Kamal; Lee, Chang; Estrada, Edward A; Dokko, Daniell; McGregor, Jenn C; Conditt, Gerard B; McAndrew, Thomas; Kaluza, Greg L; Granada, Juan F

2017-07-01

Mechanical strength of bioresorbable scaffolds (BRS) is highly dependent on strut dimensions and polymer features. To date, the successful development of thin-walled BRS has been challenging. We compared the biomechanical behavior and vascular healing profile of a novel thin-walled (115 µm) sirolimus-eluting ultrahigh molecular weight amorphous poly-l-lactic acid-based BRS (APTITUDE, Amaranth Medical [AMA]) to Absorb (bioresorbable vascular scaffold [BVS]) using different experimental models. In vitro biomechanical testing showed no fractures in the AMA-BRS when overexpanded 1.3 mm above nominal dilatation values (≈48%) and lower number of fractures on accelerated cycle testing over time (at 21 K cycles=20.0 [19.5-20.5] in BVS versus 4.0 [3.0-4.3] in AMA-BRS). In the healing response study, 35 AMA-BRS and 23 BVS were implanted in 58 coronary arteries of 23 swine and followed-up to 180 days. Scaffold strut healing was evaluated in vivo using weekly optical coherence tomography analysis. At 14 days, the AMA-BRS demonstrated a higher percentage of embedded struts (71.0% [47.6, 89.1] compared with BVS 40.3% [20.5, 63.2]; P =0.01). At 21 days, uncovered struts were still present in the BVS group (3.8% [2.1, 10.2]). Histopathology revealed lower area stenosis (AMA-BRS, 21.0±6.1% versus BVS 31.0±4.5%; P =0.002) in the AMA-BRS at 28 days. Neointimal thickness and inflammatory scores were comparable between both devices at 180 days. A new generation thinned wall BRS displayed a more favorable biomechanical behavior and strut healing profile compared with BVS in normal porcine coronary arteries. This novel BRS concept has the potential to improve the clinical outcomes of current generation BRS. © 2017 American Heart Association, Inc.

Acute but not chronic metabolic acidosis potentiates the acetylcholine-induced reduction in blood pressure: an endothelium-dependent effect

PubMed Central

Celotto, A.C.; Ferreira, L.G.; Capellini, V.K.; Albuquerque, A.A.S.; Rodrigues, A.J.; Evora, P.R.B.

2015-01-01

Metabolic acidosis has profound effects on vascular tone. This study investigated the in vivo effects of acute metabolic acidosis (AMA) and chronic metabolic acidosis (CMA) on hemodynamic parameters and endothelial function. CMA was induced by ad libitum intake of 1% NH4Cl for 7 days, and AMA was induced by a 3-h infusion of 6 M NH4Cl (1 mL/kg, diluted 1:10). Phenylephrine (Phe) and acetylcholine (Ach) dose-response curves were performed by venous infusion with simultaneous venous and arterial blood pressure monitoring. Plasma nitrite/nitrate (NOx) was measured by chemiluminescence. The CMA group had a blood pH of 7.15±0.03, which was associated with reduced bicarbonate (13.8±0.98 mmol/L) and no change in the partial pressure of arterial carbon dioxide (PaCO2). The AMA group had a pH of 7.20±0.01, which was associated with decreases in bicarbonate (10.8±0.54 mmol/L) and PaCO2 (47.8±2.54 to 23.2±0.74 mmHg) and accompanied by hyperventilation. Phe or ACh infusion did not affect arterial or venous blood pressure in the CMA group. However, the ACh infusion decreased the arterial blood pressure (ΔBP: -28.0±2.35 mm Hg [AMA] to -4.5±2.89 mmHg [control]) in the AMA group. Plasma NOx was normal after CMA but increased after AMA (25.3±0.88 to 31.3±0.54 μM). These results indicate that AMA, but not CMA, potentiated the Ach-induced decrease in blood pressure and led to an increase in plasma NOx, reinforcing the effect of pH imbalance on vascular tone and blood pressure control. PMID:26648089

L'astronomie dans le monde

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manfroid, J.

2016-06-01

Chocs d’amas - Amas de galaxies - Halos sur Pluton - Makémaké - Comète sans queue – Titan – Planètes Kepler - Transit de Mercure - Quatre lasers au-dessus de Paranal – NGC 1332 - Eau sur Mars

Simultaneous Detection of Metalloprotease Activities in Complex Biological Samples Using the PrAMA (Proteolytic Activity Matrix Assay) Method.

PubMed

Conrad, Catharina; Miller, Miles A; Bartsch, Jörg W; Schlomann, Uwe; Lauffenburger, Douglas A

2017-01-01

Proteolytic Activity Matrix Analysis (PrAMA) is a method for simultaneously determining the activities of specific Matrix Metalloproteinases (MMPs) and A Disintegrin and Metalloproteinases (ADAMs) in complex biological samples. In mixtures of unknown proteases, PrAMA infers selective metalloproteinase activities by using a panel of moderately specific FRET-based polypeptide protease substrates in parallel, typically monitored by a plate-reader in a 96-well format. Fluorescence measurements are then quantitatively compared to a standard table of catalytic efficiencies measured from purified mixtures of individual metalloproteinases and FRET substrates. Computational inference of specific activities is performed with an easily used Matlab program, which is provided herein. Thus, we describe PrAMA as a combined experimental and mathematical approach to determine real-time metalloproteinase activities, which has previously been applied to live-cell cultures, cellular lysates, cell culture supernatants, and body fluids from patients.

The hnRNP-Htt axis regulates necrotic cell death induced by transcriptional repression through impaired RNA splicing.

PubMed

Mao, Y; Tamura, T; Yuki, Y; Abe, D; Tamada, Y; Imoto, S; Tanaka, H; Homma, H; Tagawa, K; Miyano, S; Okazawa, H

2016-04-28

In this study, we identify signaling network of necrotic cell death induced by transcriptional repression (TRIAD) by α-amanitin (AMA), the selective RNA polymerase II inhibitor, as a model of neurodegenerative cell death. We performed genetic screen of a knockdown (KD) fly library by measuring the ratio of transformation from pupa to larva (PL ratio) under TRIAD, and selected the cell death-promoting genes. Systems biology analysis of the positive genes mapped on protein-protein interaction databases predicted the signaling network of TRIAD and the core pathway including heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoproteins (hnRNPs) and huntingtin (Htt). RNA sequencing revealed that AMA impaired transcription and RNA splicing of Htt, which is known as an endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-stabilizing molecule. The impairment in RNA splicing and PL ratio was rescued by overexpresion of hnRNP that had been also affected by transcriptional repression. Fly genetics with suppressor or expresser of Htt and hnRNP worsened or ameliorated the decreased PL ratio by AMA, respectively. Collectively, these results suggested involvement of RNA splicing and a regulatory role of the hnRNP-Htt axis in the process of the transcriptional repression-induced necrosis.

Health system reform.

PubMed

Ortolon, Ken

2009-06-01

A vote on reforming the nation's health care system seems likely this summer as President Obama makes good on a campaign pledge. Although the Democratic leadership in Congress appears ready to push through reform legislation before the next election, TMA and AMA leaders say very little is known about what that "reform" likely will look like.

Application of Model-based Systems Engineering Methods to Development of Combat System Architectures

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-04-22

Spt: Chacon , Hoang, Matela, Sarabia Supportability *Carpenter, Banner-Bacin, Chacon , Kinberg M&S Across Acq Manz Independent Kang, Chandler Advisor M...W entland SW / O A *W entland, Sysavath; Spt: Carpenter, Sung, Mend iola M&S/CORE *Pham , Kong, Va ldez, Vasquez; Spt: Chacon , Hoang, Matela...Sarabia Supportability *Carpenter, Banner-Bacin, Chacon , Kinberg M&S Across Acq Manz Independent Kang, Chandler Advisor M Green Capstone Architect

NREL's System Advisor Model Simplifies Complex Energy Analysis (Fact Sheet)

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

Not Available

2015-01-01

NREL has developed a tool -- the System Advisor Model (SAM) -- that can help decision makers analyze cost, performance, and financing of any size grid-connected solar, wind, or geothermal power project. Manufacturers, engineering and consulting firms, research and development firms, utilities, developers, venture capital firms, and international organizations use SAM for end-to-end analysis that helps determine whether and how to make investments in renewable energy projects.

Automotive manufacturing assessment system. Volume II: product schedules of engine/drivetrain combinations. Final report Jun 77-Aug 78

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

Taylor, T. Jr; Cunningham, A.R.; Iannelli, D.A.

Volume II is part of a four volume set documenting areas of research resulting from the development of the Automotive Manufacturing Assessment System (AMAS) for the DOT/Transportation Systems Center. AMAS was designed to assist in the evaluation of industry's capability to produce fuel efficient vehicles. Engine/driveline changes are the second most important contribution to fuel economy (weight reduction being the first) and are of major importance towards meeting emission standards. Through extensive synthesis of vehicle specifications and other data, chronological presentations were developed to illustrate engines and transmissions in production, engine/transmission and model/engine combinations, and automatic vs. manual transmission availability.more » Also shown are the progression of engine/driveline changes from 1975 through 1978; the correlation of these changes with new vehicle introductions; the restrictions on available drive-train options due to emission requirements; and technological improvements including dieselization, fuel metering, lock-up torque converters, and front-wheel-drive.« less

Le point sur les amas de galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pierre, M.

Clusters of galaxies: a review After having briefly described the 3 main components of clusters of galaxies (dark matter, gas and galaxies) we shall present clusters from a theoretical viewpoint: they are the largest entities known in the universe. Consequently, clusters of galaxies play a key role in any cosmological study and thus, are essential for our global understanding of the universe. In the general introduction, we shall outline this fundamental aspect, showing how the study of clusters can help to constrain the various cosmological scenarios. Once this cosmological framework is set, the next chapters will present a detailed analysis of cluster properties and of their cosmic evolution as observed in different wavebands mainly in the optical (galaxies), X-ray (gas) and radio (gas and particles) ranges. We shall see that the detailed study of a cluster is conditioned by the study of the interactions between its different components; this is the necessary step to ultimately derive the fundamental quantity which is the cluster mass. This will be the occasion to undertake an excursion into extremely varied physical processes such as the multi-phase nature of the intra-cluster medium, lensing phenomena, starbursts and morphology evolution in cluster galaxies or the interaction between the intra-cluster plasma and relativistic particles which are accelerated during cluster merging. For each waveband, we shall outline simply the dedicated observing and analysis techniques, which are of special interest in the case of space observations. Finally, we present several ambitious projects for the next observatory generation as well as their expected impact on the study of clusters of galaxies. Après avoir brièvement décrit les 3 constituants fondamentaux des amas de galaxies (matière noire, gaz et galaxies) nous présenterons les amas d'un point de vue plus théorique : ce sont les entités les plus massives à l'équilibre connues dans l'univers. Les amas de galaxies jouent donc un rôle de premier plan dans toute étude cosmologique et par conséquent, sont indispensables à notre compréhension globale de l'univers. Dans l'introduction générale, nous détaillons cet aspect fondamental en montrant comment l'étude des amas peut contribuer à contraindre les scénarios cosmologiques. Une fois le contexte scientifique délimité, les chapitres suivants s'attachent à présenter les diverses propriétés des amas et leur évolution cosmique observée dans diverses longueurs d'onde principalement dans les domaines visible (galaxies), X (gaz) et radio (gaz et particules). Nous verrons que l'étude détaillée d'un amas implique celle de l'interaction entre ses différentes composantes et est un passage obligé pour remonter au paramètre ultime (ou premier) qu'est sa masse. Loin d'être un détour ennuyeux, ceci sera l'occasion d'aborder des phénomènes physiques extrêmement variés tel l'aspect multi-phases du milieu intra-amas, les sursauts de formation d'étoiles et l'évolution morphologique des galaxies capturées par les amas, ou bien encore, l'interaction entre le plasma intra-amas et les particules relativistes accélérées lors de la fusion entre deux amas. Bien sûr, pour chaque longueur d'onde, nous ne manquerons pas de décrire simplement les techniques d'observation et d'analyse mises en oeuvre ; celles-ci sont particulièrement intéressantes dans le cas de l'instrumentation spatiale. Nous terminerons en présentant des projets d'observatoires pour l'horizon 2010 et leur impact prévu sur l'étude des amas de galaxies.

Policy Specification for Non-Local Fault Tolerance in Large Distributed Information Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

2003-05-01

submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science Philip E. Varner Approved: John C. Knight (Advisor) Anita K. Jones...Applied Science May 2003 Abstract The services provided by critical infrastructure systems are essential to the operation of modern society. These systems...Pagels for putting up with me while I was working on this. Thanks to my advisor John Knight for getting me into this mess. Thanks to Jonathan Hill for

Pilot Weather Advisor System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lindamood, Glenn; Martzaklis, Konstantinos Gus; Hoffler, Keith; Hill, Damon; Mehrotra, Sudhir C.; White, E. Richard; Fisher, Bruce D.; Crabill, Norman L.; Tucholski, Allen D.

2006-01-01

The Pilot Weather Advisor (PWA) system is an automated satellite radio-broadcasting system that provides nearly real-time weather data to pilots of aircraft in flight anywhere in the continental United States. The system was designed to enhance safety in two distinct ways: First, the automated receipt of information would relieve the pilot of the time-consuming and distracting task of obtaining weather information via voice communication with ground stations. Second, the presentation of the information would be centered around a map format, thereby making the spatial and temporal relationships in the surrounding weather situation much easier to understand

Chorionic villus sampling for abnormal screening compared to historical indications: prevalence of abnormal karyotypes.

PubMed

Marshall, Nicole E; Fraley, Gwen; Feist, Cori; Burns, Michael J; Pereira, Leonardo

2012-08-01

To determine the prevalence of abnormal karyotype results in women undergoing chorionic villus sampling (CVS) for abnormal first trimester screening compared to CVS for historical indications (advanced maternal age (AMA) or prior aneuploidy). Retrospective cohort of all patients undergoing CVS at Oregon Health & Science University from January 2006 to June 2010. Patients were separated based on CVS indication: (1) positive ultrasound (U/S) or serum screening; or (2) AMA or prior aneuploidy with normal or no screening. Prevalence of abnormal karyotype results were compared between groups. Fetal karyotyping was successful in 500 of 506 CVS procedures performed. 203 CVS were performed for positive screening with 69 abnormal karyotypes (34.0%). 264 CVS were performed for historical indications with 11 abnormal karyotypes (4.2%). This difference was statistically significant (χ(2) 71.9, p < 0.001; OR 11.8 [95% CI 5.8, 24.6]). There were two age-related aneuplodies in AMA women without positive screening. 42 out of 44 AMA women diagnosed with aneuploidy (95.5%) had abnormal U/S and/or serum screening (35 U/S, 4 serum, 3 U/S and serum). Combined ultrasound and serum screening should be recommended to all women, including AMA women, prior to undergoing invasive testing to improve risk-based counseling and minimize morbidity.

Power Management System Design for Solar-Powered UAS

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-12-01

PV cells would have their own MPPT modules, which would enable two major advantages. The first can be considered more important to land-based solar ...The efficiency of the PV array is represented by ηpv. R represents the solar irradiance, and θ represents the angle between the array and the sun...SYSTEM DESIGN FOR SOLAR -POWERED UAS by Robert T. Fauci III December 2015 Thesis Advisor: Alejandro Hernandez Co-Advisor: Kevin Jones

The Advisor Quality Survey: Good College Advisors Are Available, Knowledgeable, and Autonomy Supportive

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sheldon, Kennon M.; Garton, Bryan; Orr, Rachael; Smith, Amy

2015-01-01

Most US institutions of higher education do not assess advisor quality. We report a scale development effort informed by the developmental prescriptions of self-determination theory (Deci & Ryan, 1985, 2000). The 15-item Missouri Advisor Quality Survey assesses advisor knowledge, advisor availability, and advisor autonomy supportiveness.…

Preclinical profiling of the immunogenicity of a two-component subunit malaria vaccine candidate based on virosome technology.

PubMed

Okitsu, Shinji L; Mueller, Markus S; Amacker, Mario; Vogel, Denise; Westerfeld, Nicole; Robinson, John A; Zurbriggen, Rinaldo; Pluschke, Gerd

2008-01-01

Presentation of synthetic peptides on immunopotentiating reconstituted influenza virosomes is a promising technology for subunit vaccine development. An optimized virosomally delivered peptide representing 5 NPNA repeats of P. falciparum circumsporozoite protein is highly immunogenic in mice. Antibodies against this peptide (UK-39) inhibit sporozoite invasion of human hepatocytes. A second peptide (AMA49-C1) based on domain III of apical membrane antigen 1, induces antibodies that inhibit blood-stage parasite growth in vitro. Here we show a detailed pre-clinical profiling of these virosomally formulated peptides alone and in combination in mice and rabbits. Two immunizations with virosomally formulated UK-39 or AMA49-C1 were enough to elicit high titers of parasite cross-reactive antibodies in both species. A low dose of 10 microg UK-39 was enough to induce maximal titers in rabbits. Higher doses of peptide did not increase antibody titers. In contrast, AMA49-C1 induced higher antibody titers with 25 and 50 microg peptide. Combination of UK-39 and AMA49- C1 on separate virosomes did not have any negative effect on anti-peptide antibody titers in mice or rabbits. No MHC restriction was observed in the development of humoral responses in outbred rabbits with different immunogenetic backgrounds. All vaccine formulations were safe in toxicity studies in rabbits and rats. Taken together, low amounts of synthetic peptides delivered on virosomes induced high antibody titers in mice and rabbits. Moreover, different peptides could be combined without interfering with individual anti-peptide responses, augmenting the value of this system for the development of a multivalent malaria vaccine.

Factors leading to the involvement of Forensic Advisors in the Belgian criminal justice system.

PubMed

Bitzer, Sonja

2018-04-01

Forensic Advisors at the National Institute for Criminalistics and Criminology in Brussels act as advising body to the magistrate regarding analytical possibilities and the usefulness of trace analysis in a case. Initially, their function was devised to assist in complex murder cases with unknown offender. However, in a previous study, the increasing diversity of the cases they are requested for has been observed (Bitzer et al., in press). In order to deepen our understanding of the decision steps in the criminal investigation process, the decision to involve a Forensic Advisor and the factors leading to their involvement were evaluated. The study focused on homicide, robbery and burglary cases with and without requests for a Forensic Advisor between January 2014 and June 2016. The factors were categorised into five knowledge dimensions: strategic, immediate, physical, criminal and utility. Decision tree modelling was carried out in order to identify the factors influencing the request for a Forensic Advisor in the case. The decision to request a Forensic Advisor differs between different types of offences. It also depends on the complexity of the case in terms of the number of traces and objects collected at the crime scene, and the availability of witness reports. Indeed, Forensic Advisors take the role of trace analysis coordinator by providing an overview of all available traces, objects, analyses and results. According to the principal implication factors and the performed case study, the contribution of Forensic Advisors consists mainly in summarising all information and advise on potential additional analyses. This might be explained by a loss of overview of the information and the possibilities regarding trace analysis by the magistrate responsible of the case. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Clinical Decision Support Improves Initial Dosing and Monitoring of Tobramycin and Amikacin

PubMed Central

Cox, Zachary L.; Nelsen, Cori L.; Waitman, Lemuel R.; McCoy, Jacob A.; Peterson, Josh F.

2010-01-01

Purpose Clinical decision support (CDS) systems could be valuable tools in reducing aminoglycoside prescribing errors. We evaluated the impact of CDS on initial dosing, interval, and pharmacokinetic outcomes of amikacin and tobramycin therapy. Methods A complex CDS advisor to provide guidance on initial dosing and monitoring, using both traditional and extended interval dosing strategies, was integrated into computerized provider order entry (CPOE) and compared to a control group which featured close pharmacy monitoring of all aminoglycoside orders. A random sample of 118 patients from an academic, tertiary care medical center prescribed amikacin and tobramycin prior to advisor implementation was compared to 98 patients admitted following advisor implementation. Primary outcome was an initial dose within 10% of a dose calculated to be adherent to published dose guidelines. Secondary outcomes were a guideline-adherent interval, trough and peak concentrations in goal range, and incidence of nephrotoxicity. Results Of 216 patients studied, 97 were prescribed amikacin and 119 were prescribed tobramycin. The primary outcome of initial dosing consistent with guideline-based care increased from 40% in the pre-advisor arm to 80% in the post-advisor arm (p<0.001), with a number needed to treat of 3 patients to prevent one incorrect dose. Correct initial interval based on renal function also increased from 63% to 87% (p<0.001). The changes in initial dosing and interval resulted in an increase of trough concentrations in the goal range from 59% pre-advisor to 89% post-advisor implementation (p=0.0004). There was no significant difference in peak concentrations in goal range or incidence of nephrotoxicity (25% vs. 17%, p=0.2). Conclusion An advisor for aminoglycoside dosing and monitoring integrated into CPOE significantly improves initial dosing, selection of interval, and trough concentrations at goal compared to unassisted physician dosing. PMID:21411805

Teacher's In-Service Education: A Proposal for Turning Teachers into Teacher-Researchers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pereira, Ruth Da Cunha

1999-01-01

Focuses on the contribution of action research to teachers' inservice education at elementary schools in the Rio de Janeiro local system of education, linking thought and action. The development of this action research has brought to light ethical, scientific, and political questions in the school system. Contains 15 references. (AMA)

Visual Analytics for the Food-Water-Energy Nexus in the Phoenix Active Management Area

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maciejewski, R.; Mascaro, G.; White, D. D.; Ruddell, B. L.; Aggarwal, R.; Sarjoughian, H.

2016-12-01

The Phoenix Active Management Area (AMA) is an administrative region of 14,500 km2 identified by the Arizona Department of Water Resources with the aim of reaching and maintaining the safe yield (i.e. balance between annual amount of groundwater withdrawn and recharged) by 2025. The AMA includes the Phoenix metropolitan area, which has experienced a dramatic population growth over the last decades with a progressive conversion of agricultural land into residential land. As a result of these changes, the water and energy demand as well as the food production in the region have significantly evolved over the last 30 years. Given the arid climate, a crucial role to support this growth has been the creation of a complex water supply system based on renewable and non-renewable resources, including the energy-intensive Central Arizona Project. In this talk, we present a preliminary characterization of the evolution in time of the feedbacks between food, water, and energy in the Phoenix AMA by analyzing secondary data (available from water and energy providers, irrigation districts, and municipalities), as well as satellite imagery and primary data collected by the authors. A preliminary visual analytics framework is also discussed describing current design practices and ideas for exploring networked components and cascading impacts within the FEW Nexus. This analysis and framework represent the first steps towards the development of an integrated modeling, visualization, and decision support infrastructure for comprehensive FEW systems decision making at decision-relevant temporal and spatial scales.

Diffuse thyroid uptake incidentally found on 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography in subjects without cancer history.

PubMed

Lee, Ji Young; Choi, Joon Young; Choi, Yoon-Ho; Hyun, Seung Hyup; Moon, Seung Hwan; Jang, Su Jin; Choe, Yearn Seong; Lee, Kyung-Han; Kim, Byung-Tae

2013-01-01

We investigated the clinical significance of incidental diffuse thyroid uptake (DTU) on (18)F-FDG PET in subjects without a history of cancer. This study included 2062 studies from adults who underwent (18)F-FDG PET as a cancer screening program. Subjects were divided into the following two groups: with (group I) or without (group II) DTU. The presence of DTU and the thyroid visual grading score were compared with thyroid function tests, serum anti-microsomal antibody (AMA) levels, and the presence of diffuse parenchymal change (DPC) on ultrasonography (USG). DTU was found in 6.6% of the scans (137/2062). Serum thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) and AMA levels were significantly higher in group I than in group II. Increased AMA level (55.1%) and DPC (48.7%) were more frequently found in group I (p < 0.001). The proportion of subjects with any abnormal results in serum free thyroxine, triiodothyronine, TSH, or AMA levels or DPC on USG was significantly higher in group I than in group II (71.5% vs. 10.6%, p < 0.001), and was significantly and gradually increased according to the visual grading score group (0 vs. 1-2 vs. 3-4 = 10.6% vs. 58.5% vs. 90.9%, p < 0.001). TSH and is AMA levels were significantly increased according to the visual grading score. The presence or degree of incidental DTU on (18)F-FDG PET is closely correlated with increased serum AMA and TSH levels, and the presence of DPC on USG. Therefore, the most plausible pathological cause of DTU may be cell damage by an autoimmune mechanism.

A poly(alkyl methacrylate-divinylbenzene-vinylbenzyl trimethylammonium chloride) monolithic column for solid-phase microextraction.

PubMed

Liu, Wan-Ling; Lirio, Stephen; Yang, Yicong; Wu, Lin-Tai; Hsiao, Shu-Ying; Huang, Hsi-Ya

2015-05-22

In this study, an organic polymer monolithic columns, which were prepared via in situ polymerization of alkyl methacrylate-ester (AMA), divinylbenzene (DVB) and vinylbenzyl trimethylammonium chloride (VBTA, charged monomer), were developed as adsorbent for solid-phase microextraction (SPME). Different parameters affecting the extraction efficiency for nine (9) non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as the ratio of the stearyl methacrylate (SMA) to DVB monomer, column length, sample pH, extraction flow rate and desorption solvent were investigated to obtain the optimal SPME condition. Also, the permeability for each poly(AMA-DVB-VBTA) monolithic column was investigated by adding porogenic solvent (poly(ethylene glycol), PEG). Using the optimized condition, a series of AMA-based poly(AMA-DVB-VBTA) monolith columns were developed to determine the effect the extraction efficiency of NSAIDs by varying the alkyl chain length of the methacrylate ester (methyl-, butyl-, octyl-, or lauryl-methacrylate; (MMA, BMA, OMA, LMA)). Results showed that decreasing the AMA chain length increases the extraction efficiency of some NSAIDs (i.e. sulindac (sul), naproxen (nap), ketoprofen (ket) and indomethacin (idm)). Among the poly(AMA-DVB-VBTA) monolithic columns, poly(BMA-DVB-VBTA) showed a highly repeatable extraction efficiency for NSAIDs with recoveries ranging from 85.0 to 100.2% with relative standard deviation (RSD) less than 6.8% (n=3). The poly(BMA-DVB-VBTA) can also be reused for at least 50 times without any significant effect in extraction efficiency for NSAIDs. Finally, using the established conditions, the poly(BMA-DVB-VBTA) was used to extract trace-level NSAIDs (100μgL(-1)) in river water with good recoveries ranging from 75.8 to 90.8% (RSD<14.9%). Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Advanced Air Transportation Technologies Project, Final Document Collection

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mogford, Richard H.; Wold, Sheryl (Editor)

2008-01-01

This CD ROM contains a compilation of the final documents of the Advanced Air Transportation Technologies (AAIT) project, which was an eight-year (1996 to 2004), $400M project managed by the Airspace Systems Program office, which was part of the Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters. AAIT focused on developing advanced automation tools and air traffic management concepts that would help improve the efficiency of the National Airspace System, while maintaining or enhancing safety. The documents contained in the CD are final reports on AAIT tasks that serve to document the project's accomplishments over its eight-year term. Documents include information on: Advanced Air Transportation Technologies, Autonomous Operations Planner, Collaborative Arrival Planner, Distributed Air/Ground Traffic Management Concept Elements 5, 6, & 11, Direct-To, Direct-To Technology Transfer, Expedite Departure Path, En Route Data Exchange, Final Approach Spacing Tool - (Active and Passive), Multi-Center Traffic Management Advisor, Multi Center Traffic Management Advisor Technology Transfer, Surface Movement Advisor, Surface Management System, Surface Management System Technology Transfer and Traffic Flow Management Research & Development.

Global Analysis of Palmitoylated Proteins in Toxoplasma gondii.

PubMed

Foe, Ian T; Child, Matthew A; Majmudar, Jaimeen D; Krishnamurthy, Shruthi; van der Linden, Wouter A; Ward, Gary E; Martin, Brent R; Bogyo, Matthew

2015-10-14

Post-translational modifications (PTMs) such as palmitoylation are critical for the lytic cycle of the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii. While palmitoylation is involved in invasion, motility, and cell morphology, the proteins that utilize this PTM remain largely unknown. Using a chemical proteomic approach, we report a comprehensive analysis of palmitoylated proteins in T. gondii, identifying a total of 282 proteins, including cytosolic, membrane-associated, and transmembrane proteins. From this large set of palmitoylated targets, we validate palmitoylation of proteins involved in motility (myosin light chain 1, myosin A), cell morphology (PhIL1), and host cell invasion (apical membrane antigen 1, AMA1). Further studies reveal that blocking AMA1 palmitoylation enhances the release of AMA1 and other invasion-related proteins from apical secretory organelles, suggesting a previously unrecognized role for AMA1. These findings suggest that palmitoylation is ubiquitous throughout the T. gondii proteome and reveal insights into the biology of this important human pathogen. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

DNA Prime/Adenovirus Boost Malaria Vaccine Encoding P. falciparum CSP and AMA1 Induces Sterile Protection Associated with Cell-Mediated Immunity

PubMed Central

Chuang, Ilin; Sedegah, Martha; Cicatelli, Susan; Spring, Michele; Polhemus, Mark; Tamminga, Cindy; Patterson, Noelle; Guerrero, Melanie; Bennett, Jason W.; McGrath, Shannon; Ganeshan, Harini; Belmonte, Maria; Farooq, Fouzia; Abot, Esteban; Banania, Jo Glenna; Huang, Jun; Newcomer, Rhonda; Rein, Lisa; Litilit, Dianne; Richie, Nancy O.; Wood, Chloe; Murphy, Jittawadee; Sauerwein, Robert; Hermsen, Cornelus C.; McCoy, Andrea J.; Kamau, Edwin; Cummings, James; Komisar, Jack; Sutamihardja, Awalludin; Shi, Meng; Epstein, Judith E.; Maiolatesi, Santina; Tosh, Donna; Limbach, Keith; Angov, Evelina; Bergmann-Leitner, Elke; Bruder, Joseph T.; Doolan, Denise L.; King, C. Richter; Carucci, Daniel; Dutta, Sheetij; Soisson, Lorraine; Diggs, Carter; Hollingdale, Michael R.; Ockenhouse, Christian F.; Richie, Thomas L.

2013-01-01

Background Gene-based vaccination using prime/boost regimens protects animals and humans against malaria, inducing cell-mediated responses that in animal models target liver stage malaria parasites. We tested a DNA prime/adenovirus boost malaria vaccine in a Phase 1 clinical trial with controlled human malaria infection. Methodology/Principal Findings The vaccine regimen was three monthly doses of two DNA plasmids (DNA) followed four months later by a single boost with two non-replicating human serotype 5 adenovirus vectors (Ad). The constructs encoded genes expressing P. falciparum circumsporozoite protein (CSP) and apical membrane antigen-1 (AMA1). The regimen was safe and well-tolerated, with mostly mild adverse events that occurred at the site of injection. Only one AE (diarrhea), possibly related to immunization, was severe (Grade 3), preventing daily activities. Four weeks after the Ad boost, 15 study subjects were challenged with P. falciparum sporozoites by mosquito bite, and four (27%) were sterilely protected. Antibody responses by ELISA rose after Ad boost but were low (CSP geometric mean titer 210, range 44–817; AMA1 geometric mean micrograms/milliliter 11.9, range 1.5–102) and were not associated with protection. Ex vivo IFN-γ ELISpot responses after Ad boost were modest (CSP geometric mean spot forming cells/million peripheral blood mononuclear cells 86, range 13–408; AMA1 348, range 88–1270) and were highest in three protected subjects. ELISpot responses to AMA1 were significantly associated with protection (p = 0.019). Flow cytometry identified predominant IFN-γ mono-secreting CD8+ T cell responses in three protected subjects. No subjects with high pre-existing anti-Ad5 neutralizing antibodies were protected but the association was not statistically significant. Significance The DNA/Ad regimen provided the highest sterile immunity achieved against malaria following immunization with a gene-based subunit vaccine (27%). Protection was associated with cell-mediated immunity to AMA1, with CSP probably contributing. Substituting a low seroprevalence vector for Ad5 and supplementing CSP/AMA1 with additional antigens may improve protection. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.govNCT00870987. PMID:23457473

Semiautomated Management Of Arriving Air Traffic

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Erzberger, Heinz; Nedell, William

1992-01-01

System of computers, graphical workstations, and computer programs developed for semiautomated management of approach and arrival of numerous aircraft at airport. System comprises three subsystems: traffic-management advisor, used for controlling traffic into terminal area; descent advisor generates information integrated into plan-view display of traffic on monitor; and final-approach-spacing tool used to merge traffic converging on final approach path while making sure aircraft are properly spaced. Not intended to restrict decisions of air-traffic controllers.

Decision-Making Guide for the Proposed Coast Guard Differential Global Positioning System

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-06-01

DIFFERENTIAL GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM by Robert J. Wilson June, 1991 Thesis Co-Advisors: Dan C. Boger Kurt Schnebele Approved for public release; distribution...Wilson Approved by: -Dan C. Boger, Thesis Co dvisor Kurt Scnebele, CaIn, NOAA, Thesis Co-Advisor -4v David R. Whipple, Chairman Department of...Group, 9 April 1990, Coast Guard Research and Development Center, Groton, CT. 20. Kremer , G.T., and others, ’The Effect of Selective Availability on

Reliability of the AMA Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment.

PubMed

Forst, Linda; Friedman, Lee; Chukwu, Abraham

2010-12-01

AMA's Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment is used to rate loss of function and determine compensation and ability to work after injury or illness; however, there are few studies that evaluate reliability or construct validity. To evaluate the reliability of the fifth and sixth editions for back injury; to determine best methods for further study. Intra-class correlation coefficients within and between raters were relatively high. There was wider variability for individual cases. Impairment ratings were lower and correlated less well for the sixth edition, though confidence intervals overlapped. The sixth edition may not be an improvement over the fifth. A research agenda should include investigations of reliability and construct validity for different body sites and organ systems along the entire rating scale and among different categories of raters.

12 CFR 250.406 - Serving member bank and investment advisor with mutual fund affiliation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... mutual fund affiliation. 250.406 Section 250.406 Banks and Banking FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM (CONTINUED... Section 32 of the Glass-Steagall Act § 250.406 Serving member bank and investment advisor with mutual fund... management services to mutual funds and others (“Manager”) and as director of a member bank. (b) Section 32...

NREL: News - Advisor 2002-A Powerful Vehicle Simulation Tool Gets Better

Science.gov Websites

Advisor 2002-A Powerful Vehicle Simulation Tool Gets Better Golden, Colo., June 11, 2002 A powerful analysis is made possible by co-simulation links to Avant!'s Saber and Ansoft's SIMPLORER�. Transient air conditioning system analysis is possible by co-simulation with C&R Technologies' SINDA/FLUINT

The treatment implementation advisor: a component of the GypsES project

Treesearch

Michael C. Saunders; Michael A. Foster

1991-01-01

The treatment implementation advisor is one of the knowledge based advisory modules of GypsES, a knowledge system environment for decision support in gypsy moth management. Its function is to provide detailed advice on intervention tactics for gypsy moth: e.g. aerial and ground application of insecticides and microbials, inundative or augmentative releases of...

Research on fuel cell and battery hybrid bus system parameters based on ADVISOR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lai, Lianfeng; Lu, Youwen; Guo, Weiwei; Lin, Yuxiang; Xie, Yichun; Zheng, Liping; Chen, Wei; Liang, Boshan

2018-06-01

This paper aims at the fuel cell and battery hybrid automobile, based on one bus parameters, considers their own characteristics of fuel cell and battery and power demand when automobiles start, accelerate, climb, brake and other different working conditions, calculate the hybrid bus system parameters that match the fuel cell/battery., and ADVISOR is used is to verify simulation. The results show that the parameters of power drive system of this electric automobile are reasonable, and can meet the requirements of dynamic design indexes.

Becoming a Physician

MedlinePlus

... for USMLE® or COMLEX-USA® Find tips on test preparation courses to study for medical and licensing exams with confidence. Learn More Related Content AMA Wire® Few physicians are fluent in data. New program aims to fix that AMA Wire® Pre-residency boot camps prep med school grads for ...

Surface Hold Advisor Using Critical Sections

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Law, Caleb Hoi Kei (Inventor); Hsiao, Thomas Kun-Lung (Inventor); Mittler, Nathan C. (Inventor); Couluris, George J. (Inventor)

2013-01-01

The Surface Hold Advisor Using Critical Sections is a system and method for providing hold advisories to surface controllers to prevent gridlock and resolve crossing and merging conflicts among vehicles traversing a vertex-edge graph representing a surface traffic network on an airport surface. The Advisor performs pair-wise comparisons of current position and projected path of each vehicle with other surface vehicles to detect conflicts, determine critical sections, and provide hold advisories to traffic controllers recommending vehicles stop at entry points to protected zones around identified critical sections. A critical section defines a segment of the vertex-edge graph where vehicles are in crossing or merging or opposite direction gridlock contention. The Advisor detects critical sections without reference to scheduled, projected or required times along assigned vehicle paths, and generates hold advisories to prevent conflicts without requiring network path direction-of-movement rules and without requiring rerouting, rescheduling or other network optimization solutions.

Advanced maternal age and risk perception: A qualitative study

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Advanced maternal age (AMA) is associated with several adverse pregnancy outcomes, hence these pregnancies are considered to be “high risk.” A review of the empirical literature suggests that it is not clear how women of AMA evaluate their pregnancy risk. This study aimed to address this gap by exploring the risk perception of pregnant women of AMA. Methods A qualitative descriptive study was undertaken to obtain a rich and detailed source of explanatory data regarding perceived pregnancy risk of 15 women of AMA. The sample was recruited from a variety of settings in Winnipeg, Canada. In-depth interviews were conducted with nulliparous women aged 35 years or older, in their third trimester, and with singleton pregnancies. Interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim, and content analysis was used to identify themes and categories. Results Four main themes emerged: definition of pregnancy risk, factors influencing risk perception, risk alleviation strategies, and risk communication with health professionals. Conclusions Several factors may influence women's perception of pregnancy risk including medical risk, psychological elements, characteristics of the risk, stage of pregnancy, and health care provider’s opinion. Understanding these influential factors may help health professionals who care for pregnant women of AMA to gain insight into their perspectives on pregnancy risk and improve the effectiveness of risk communication strategies with this group. PMID:22988825

New soft magnetic amorphous cobalt based alloys with high hysteresis loop linearity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nosenko, V. K.; Maslov, V. V.; Kochkubey, A. P.; Kirilchuk, V. V.

2008-02-01

The new amorphous Co56÷59(Fe,Ni,Mn)21÷24(Si0.2B0.8)20-based metal alloys (AMA) with high saturation induction (BS>=1T) were developed. Toroidal tape wound magnetic cores made from these AMA after heat-magnetic treatment (HMT) in a reversal field are characterized by high hysteresis loop linearity, minimum effective magnetic permeability and its high field stability in combination with low coercivity Hc (1-3 A/m, 1 kHz). For the most prospecting alloy compositions the value of effective magnetic permeability decreases compared to known alloys up to 550 - 670 units and remains constant in the wide magnetic field range 1100 - 1300 A/m. Maximum remagnetization loop linearity is achieved after optimum HMT in high Ni containing AMAs, which are characterized by the record low squareness ratio values Ks=0.002-0.02 and Hc=1.0 A/m. Magnetic cores made from the new amorphous alloys can be used both in filter chokes of switch-mode power supply units and in matching mini-transformers of telecommunication systems; at that, high efficiency and accuracy of signal transmission including high frequency pulses are ensured under conditions of long-term influence of dc magnetic bias.

Changes for the new AMA Guides to impairment ratings, 6th Edition: implications and applications for physician disability evaluations.

PubMed

Rondinelli, Robert D

2009-07-01

U.S. Disability Systems share a common procedural approach to the determination of disability for purposes of compensation. The structural and anatomical consequences of the injury or disease are defined and measured according to medical impairment, which is used to estimate the individual's loss in terms of their capacity to perform activities of daily living (ADLs) and, presumptively, their losses in terms of vocational and non-vocational pursuits and quality of life. The physician is traditionally empowered to rate the severity of impairment in terms of a percentage loss to the "whole person" and according to criteria specific to each disability system. Often, the impairment percentage so derived, then is directly translated into a monetary sum for purposes of compensating these losses. The AMA periodically publishes and updates a physician impairment rating guide (the AMA Guides). The 6th Edition, published in 2008, incorporates the definitions and terminology of the ICF and provides a simple means of assessment of ADLs as part of the rating process. It also has shifted the ratings criteria towards a diagnosis-based approach, ostensibly to improve inter-rater consistency and reliability. Further work is needed to refine and validate ADL-based functional assessment tools applicable to medical impairment ratings, and to demonstrate the levels of consistency and reliability of the new rating method. Of equal importance, operational standardization across systems is also needed to enable common criteria and metrics to be developed and applied when determining the non-medical aspects of disability according to vocational and non-vocational pursuits and quality of life. Impairment ratings cannot be optimally designed to serve as the singular determinant of, nor be held solely accountable for, the disability awards.

Standards Advisor-Advanced Information Technology for Advanced Information Delivery

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hawker, J. Scott

2003-01-01

Developers of space systems must deal with an increasing amount of information in responding to extensive requirements and standards from numerous sources. Accessing these requirements and standards, understanding them, comparing them, negotiating them and responding to them is often an overwhelming task. There are resources to aid the space systems developer, such as lessons learned and best practices. Again, though, accessing, understanding, and using this information is often more difficult than helpful. This results in space systems that: 1. Do not meet all their requirements. 2. Do not incorporate prior engineering experience. 3. Cost more to develop. 4. Take longer to develop. The NASA Technical Standards Program (NTSP) web site at http://standards.nasa.gov has made significant improvements in making standards, lessons learned, and related material available to space systems developers agency-wide. The Standards Advisor was conceived to take the next steps beyond the current product, continuing to apply evolving information technology that continues to improve information delivery to space systems developers. This report describes the features of the Standards Advisor and suggests a technical approach to its development.

Strategies for enhancing medical student resilience: student and faculty member perspectives.

PubMed

Farquhar, Julia; Kamei, Robert; Vidyarthi, Arpana

2018-01-12

To improve programs aimed to enhance medical student resiliency, we examined both medical student and faculty advisor perspectives on resiliency-building in an Asian medical school. In two separate focus groups, a convenience sample of 8 MD-PhD students and 8 faculty advisors were asked to identify strategies for enhancing resilience. Using thematic analysis, two researchers independently examined discussion transcripts and field notes and determined themes through a consensus process. They then compared the themes to discern similarities and differences between these groups. Themes from the student suggestions for increasing resilience included "Perspective changes with time and experience", "Defining effective advisors," and "Individual paths to resiliency". Faculty-identified themes were "Structured activities to change student perspectives," "Structured teaching of coping strategies", and "Institution-wide social support". Students described themselves as individuals building their own resilience path and preferred advisors who were not also evaluators. Faculty, however, suggested systematic, structural ways to increase resilience. Students and advisors identified some common, and many distinct strategies for enhancing medical student resilience. Student/advisor discrepancies may exemplify a cultural shift in Singapore's medical education climate, where students value increased individualism and autonomy in their education. As medical schools create interventions to enhance resilience and combat potential student burnout, they should consider individually-tailored as well as system-wide programs to best meet the needs of their students and faculty.

Expanding the Use of Time-Based Metering: Multi-Center Traffic Management Advisor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Landry, Steven J.; Farley, Todd; Hoang, Ty

2005-01-01

Time-based metering is an efficient air traffic management alternative to the more common practice of distance-based metering (or "miles-in-trail spacing"). Despite having demonstrated significant operational benefit to airspace users and service providers, time-based metering is used in the United States for arrivals to just nine airports and is not used at all for non-arrival traffic flows. The Multi-Center Traffic Management Advisor promises to bring time-based metering into the mainstream of air traffic management techniques. Not constrained to operate solely on arrival traffic, Multi-Center Traffic Management Advisor is flexible enough to work in highly congested or heavily partitioned airspace for any and all traffic flows in a region. This broader and more general application of time-based metering is expected to bring the operational benefits of time-based metering to a much wider pool of beneficiaries than is possible with existing technology. It also promises to facilitate more collaborative traffic management on a regional basis. This paper focuses on the operational concept of the Multi-Center Traffic Management Advisor, touching also on its system architecture, field test results, and prospects for near-term deployment to the United States National Airspace System.

Metamaterials and Conformal Antenna Technologies

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-03-01

1.0 MET AMA TERIALS BASED OPTICAL COMPONENTS .............................................. ...... 2 1.1 Superresolution Imaging Using a 3D...several entirely new optical components including superlenses with superresolution imaging, and lenses that achieve superfocussing, using...metamaterials. 1.1 SUPERRESOLUTION IMAGING USING A 3D MET AMA TERIAL NANOLENS Superresolution imaging beyond Abbe’s diffraction limit can be achieved by

A Report on Physician Manpower and Medical Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

American Medical Association, Chicago, IL.

This report on physician manpower and medical education was prepared jointly by the Council on Medical Education and the Council on Health Manpower, and was adopted by the AMA House of Delegates. It discusses: (1) the AMA's concern for, but noninvolvement in the number of students admitted to medical schools; (2) general considerations of manpower…

Adaptive management areas: achieving the promise, avoiding the peril.

Treesearch

George H. Stankey; Bruce Shindler

1997-01-01

Ten Adaptive Management Areas (AMAs) were created in compliance with the Northwest Forest Plan. Although the essence of adaptive management is to treat management as an experiment and to "learn how to learn," several barriers affect the successful implementation of AMAs. Four propositions are identified that address these potential barriers: (1) area...

Ethnic health care advisors: a good strategy to improve the access to health care and social welfare services for ethnic minorities?

PubMed

Hesselink, Arlette E; Verhoeff, Arnoud P; Stronks, Karien

2009-10-01

Empirical studies indicate that ethnic minorities have limited access to health care and welfare services compared with the host population. To improve this access, ethnic health care (HC) advisors were introduced in four districts in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. HC advisors work for all health care and welfare services and their main task is to provide information on health care and welfare to individuals and groups and refer individuals to services. Action research was carried out over a period of 2 years to find out whether and how this function can contribute to improve access to services for ethnic minorities. Information was gathered by semi-structured interviews, analysing registration forms and reports, and attending meetings. The function's implementation and characteristics differed per district. The ethnicity of the health care advisors corresponded to the main ethnic groups in the district: Moroccan and Turkish (three districts) and sub-Sahara African and Surinamese (one district). HC advisors reached many ethnic inhabitants (n = 2,224) through individual contacts. Half of them were referred to health care and welfare services. In total, 576 group classes were given. These were mostly attended by Moroccan and Turkish females. Outreach activities and office hours at popular locations appeared to be important characteristics for actually reaching ethnic minorities. Furthermore, direct contact with a well-organized back office seems to be important. HC advisors were able to reach many ethnic minorities, provide information about the health care and welfare system, and refer them to services. Besides adapting the function to the local situation, some general aspects for success can be indicated: the ethnic background of the HC advisor should correspond to the main ethnic minority groups in the district, HC advisors need to conduct outreach work, there must be a well-organized back office to refer clients to, and there needs to be enough commitment among professionals of local health and welfare services.

Use of an Automated Bolus Calculator Reduces Fear of Hypoglycemia and Improves Confidence in Dosage Accuracy in Patients with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus Treated with Multiple Daily Insulin Injections

PubMed Central

Barnard, Katharine; Parkin, Christopher; Young, Amanda; Ashraf, Mansoor

2012-01-01

Background Many patients do not intensify their insulin regimens. It is believed that lack of adherence may be largely due to fear of hypoglycemia. We hypothesized that utilization of an automated bolus calculator (bolus advisor) might reduce fear of hypoglycemia and encourage patients to achieve improved glycemic control. Method We surveyed 1,412 type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) patients treated with multiple daily insulin injection therapy at 270 hospitals in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland to assess their attitudes and behaviors regarding insulin therapy after use of a bolus advisor (Accu-Chek® Aviva Expert blood glucose meter and bolus advisor system, Roche Diagnostics). The device automatically calculates bolus dosages based on current blood glucose values, anticipated meal intake, and other parameters. Results Five hundred eighty-eight T1DM patients responded to the survey. Respondents were predominantly female, age <1 to 70 years, with diabetes duration of <1 to >15 years. Respondents had 4–12 weeks prior experience using the bolus advisor. 76.7% of respondents indicated current bolus advisor use to calculate insulin boluses for meals/snacks always or quite often. 52.0% of respondents indicated that fear of hypoglycemia was reduced (39.0%) or significantly reduced (13.0%). 78.8% indicated that confidence in the insulin dose calculation improved (50.8%) or significantly improved (28.0%). 89.3% indicated that the bolus advisor made bolus calculation easy or very easy compared with manual calculation. Conclusions Most patients felt that using the bolus advisor was easier than manual bolus calculation, improved their confidence in the accuracy of their bolus dosage, and reduced their fear of hypoglycemia. Randomized trials are needed to confirm these perceptions and determine whether bolus advisor use improves clinical outcomes. PMID:22401332

ChAd63-MVA-vectored blood-stage malaria vaccines targeting MSP1 and AMA1: assessment of efficacy against mosquito bite challenge in humans.

PubMed

Sheehy, Susanne H; Duncan, Christopher J A; Elias, Sean C; Choudhary, Prateek; Biswas, Sumi; Halstead, Fenella D; Collins, Katharine A; Edwards, Nick J; Douglas, Alexander D; Anagnostou, Nicholas A; Ewer, Katie J; Havelock, Tom; Mahungu, Tabitha; Bliss, Carly M; Miura, Kazutoyo; Poulton, Ian D; Lillie, Patrick J; Antrobus, Richard D; Berrie, Eleanor; Moyle, Sarah; Gantlett, Katherine; Colloca, Stefano; Cortese, Riccardo; Long, Carole A; Sinden, Robert E; Gilbert, Sarah C; Lawrie, Alison M; Doherty, Tom; Faust, Saul N; Nicosia, Alfredo; Hill, Adrian V S; Draper, Simon J

2012-12-01

The induction of cellular immunity, in conjunction with antibodies, may be essential for vaccines to protect against blood-stage infection with the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. We have shown that prime-boost delivery of P. falciparum blood-stage antigens by chimpanzee adenovirus 63 (ChAd63) followed by the attenuated orthopoxvirus MVA is safe and immunogenic in healthy adults. Here, we report on vaccine efficacy against controlled human malaria infection delivered by mosquito bites. The blood-stage malaria vaccines were administered alone, or together (MSP1+AMA1), or with a pre-erythrocytic malaria vaccine candidate (MSP1+ME-TRAP). In this first human use of coadministered ChAd63-MVA regimes, we demonstrate immune interference whereby responses against merozoite surface protein 1 (MSP1) are dominant over apical membrane antigen 1 (AMA1) and ME-TRAP. We also show that induction of strong cellular immunity against MSP1 and AMA1 is safe, but does not impact on parasite growth rates in the blood. In a subset of vaccinated volunteers, a delay in time to diagnosis was observed and sterilizing protection was observed in one volunteer coimmunized with MSP1+AMA1-results consistent with vaccine-induced pre-erythrocytic, rather than blood-stage, immunity. These data call into question the utility of T cell-inducing blood-stage malaria vaccines and suggest that the focus should remain on high-titer antibody induction against susceptible antigen targets.

Antibiotic use by farmers to control mastitis as influenced by health advice and dairy farming systems.

PubMed

Poizat, A; Bonnet-Beaugrand, F; Rault, A; Fourichon, C; Bareille, N

2017-10-01

Mastitis is a bacterial disease common in dairy farms. Although knowledge about mastitis and its optimal technical management and treatment is now available, some dairy farmers still use antibiotics in inappropriate ways. Antibiotic use by farmers can be influenced by personal restraints and motivations, but it can be assumed that external drivers are also influential. The main purpose of this article is thus to analyse the choices of antibiotic and alternative medicine use for mastitis treatment and investigate the possible influence of two unexplored external drivers in dairy farms: (i) the health advice offered to farmers by farm advisors and veterinarians, (ii) the dairy farming system, as defined by combining the market valuation chosen for the milk, the level of intensification, and the perceived pressure related to investments. Research was based on 51 individual semi-structured interviews with farmers and their corresponding veterinarians and farm advisors. Based on verbatim, the use of antibiotics and alternative medicine by farmers for mastitis treatment, the vet-farmers interactions, and the dairy farming systems are described. The advisory relationships between farmers and farm advisors and between farmers and veterinarians influenced the implementation of selective dry cow therapy, but had very little effect on the use of alternative medicines by farmers, who were more willing to experiment alternative medicines than their advisors. The dairy farming system had very little influence on antibiotic use: some misuse of antibiotics was found whatever the farming system. Systematic dry cow therapy was also a widespread habit in all dairy farming systems except organic. The use of alternative medicine was common in all farming systems. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Time management displays for shuttle countdown

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Beller, Arthur E.; Hadaller, H. Greg; Ricci, Mark J.

1992-01-01

The Intelligent Launch Decision Support System project is developing a Time Management System (TMS) for the NASA Test Director (NTD) to use for time management during Shuttle terminal countdown. TMS is being developed in three phases: an information phase; a tool phase; and an advisor phase. The information phase is an integrated display (TMID) of firing room clocks, of graphic timelines with Ground Launch Sequencer events, and of constraints. The tool phase is a what-if spreadsheet (TMWI) for devising plans for resuming from unplanned hold situations. It is tied to information in TMID, propagates constraints forward and backward to complete unspecified values, and checks the plan against constraints. The advisor phase is a situation advisor (TMSA), which proactively suggests tactics. A concept prototype for TMSA is under development. The TMID is currently undergoing field testing. Displays for TMID and TMWI are described. Descriptions include organization, rationale for organization, implementation choices and constraints, and use by NTD.

The load shedding advisor: An example of a crisis-response expert system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bollinger, Terry B.; Lightner, Eric; Laverty, John; Ambrose, Edward

1987-01-01

A Prolog-based prototype expert system is described that was implemented by the Network Operations Branch of the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. The purpose of the prototype was to test whether a small, inexpensive computer system could be used to host a load shedding advisor, a system which would monitor major physical environment parameters in a computer facility, then recommend appropriate operator reponses whenever a serious condition was detected. The resulting prototype performed significantly to efficiency gains achieved by replacing a purely rule-based design methodology with a hybrid approach that combined procedural, entity-relationship, and rule-based methods.

Design of automation tools for management of descent traffic

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Erzberger, Heinz; Nedell, William

1988-01-01

The design of an automated air traffic control system based on a hierarchy of advisory tools for controllers is described. Compatibility of the tools with the human controller, a key objective of the design, is achieved by a judicious selection of tasks to be automated and careful attention to the design of the controller system interface. The design comprises three interconnected subsystems referred to as the Traffic Management Advisor, the Descent Advisor, and the Final Approach Spacing Tool. Each of these subsystems provides a collection of tools for specific controller positions and tasks. This paper focuses primarily on the Descent Advisor which provides automation tools for managing descent traffic. The algorithms, automation modes, and graphical interfaces incorporated in the design are described. Information generated by the Descent Advisor tools is integrated into a plan view traffic display consisting of a high-resolution color monitor. Estimated arrival times of aircraft are presented graphically on a time line, which is also used interactively in combination with a mouse input device to select and schedule arrival times. Other graphical markers indicate the location of the fuel-optimum top-of-descent point and the predicted separation distances of aircraft at a designated time-control point. Computer generated advisories provide speed and descent clearances which the controller can issue to aircraft to help them arrive at the feeder gate at the scheduled times or with specified separation distances. Two types of horizontal guidance modes, selectable by the controller, provide markers for managing the horizontal flightpaths of aircraft under various conditions. The entire system consisting of descent advisor algorithm, a library of aircraft performance models, national airspace system data bases, and interactive display software has been implemented on a workstation made by Sun Microsystems, Inc. It is planned to use this configuration in operational evaluations at an en route center.

Measurement of ex vivo ELISpot interferon-gamma recall responses to Plasmodium falciparum AMA1 and CSP in Ghanaian adults with natural exposure to malaria.

PubMed

Ganeshan, Harini; Kusi, Kwadwo A; Anum, Dorothy; Hollingdale, Michael R; Peters, Bjoern; Kim, Yohan; Tetteh, John K A; Ofori, Michael F; Gyan, Ben A; Koram, Kwadwo A; Huang, Jun; Belmonte, Maria; Banania, Jo Glenna; Dodoo, Daniel; Villasante, Eileen; Sedegah, Martha

2016-02-01

Malaria eradication requires a concerted approach involving all available control tools, and an effective vaccine would complement these efforts. An effective malaria vaccine should be able to induce protective immune responses in a genetically diverse population. Identification of immunodominant T cell epitopes will assist in determining if candidate vaccines will be immunogenic in malaria-endemic areas. This study therefore investigated whether class I-restricted T cell epitopes of two leading malaria vaccine antigens, Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein (CSP) and apical membrane antigen-1 (AMA1), could recall T cell interferon-γ responses from naturally exposed subjects using ex vivo ELISpot assays. Thirty-five subjects aged between 24 and 43 years were recruited from a malaria-endemic urban community of Ghana in 2011, and their peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were tested in ELISpot IFN-γ assays against overlapping 15mer peptide pools spanning the entire CSP and AMA1 antigens, and 9-10mer peptide epitope mixtures that included previously identified and/or predicted human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class 1-restricted epitopes from same two antigens. For CSP, 26 % of subjects responded to at least one of the nine 15mer peptide pools whilst 17 % responded to at least one of the five 9-10mer HLA-restricted epitope mixtures. For AMA1, 63 % of subjects responded to at least one of the 12 AMA1 15mer peptide pools and 51 % responded to at least one of the six 9-10mer HLA-restricted epitope mixtures. Following analysis of data from the two sets of peptide pools, along with bioinformatics predictions of class I-restricted epitopes and the HLA supertypes expressed by a subset of study subjects, peptide pools that may contain epitopes recognized by multiple HLA supertypes were identified. Collectively, these results suggest that natural transmission elicits ELISpot IFN-γ activities to class 1-restricted epitopes that are largely HLA-promiscuous. These results generally demonstrate that CSP and AMA1 peptides recalled ELISpot IFN-γ responses from naturally exposed individuals and that both CSP and AMA1 contain diverse class 1-restricted epitopes that are HLA-promiscuous and are widely recognized in this population.

Benefits of a Hospital Two-Bin Kanban System

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-09-01

Reader : Michael Dixon THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK i REPORT DOCUMENTATION PAGE Form Approved OMB No. 0704–0188 Public reporting burden for...Approved by: Nedialko Dimitrov Thesis Advisor Rachel Silvestrini Co-Advisor Michael Dixon Second Reader Robert F. Dell Chair...stocks split between primary (in front) and secondary bins (directly behind). RFID tags are placed on the front of each bin. Photos taken at WRNMMC

Cost-Based Analysis of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles/Unmanned Aerial Systems in Filling the Role of Logistical Support

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-12-01

NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA THESIS Approved for public release, distribution is unlimited COST-BASED... Thesis Advisor: Simona Tick Co-Advisor: Douglas Brinkley THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK REPORT...USE ONLY (Leave blonk) I 2. REPORT DATE I 3. REPORT TYPE AND DATES COVERED December 2014 Master’s Thesis 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE 5. FUNDING NUMBERS

Foreign Military Advisor Proficiency: The Need for Screening, Selection and Qualification

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-06-12

System BDE Brigade BTT Border Transition Team CALL Center for Army Lessons Learned CAT Collection and Analysis Team CF Coalition Forces CGSS...all Soldiers are suitable for advisor duty. Personnel selection is a fundamental requirement. Despite the importance of the mission, there is... fundamental issue arises from literature. Unique Soldier attributes and leadership may be required to attain and maintain cohesion on foreign military

Strategies for enhancing medical student resilience: student and faculty member perspectives

PubMed Central

Kamei, Robert; Vidyarthi, Arpana

2018-01-01

Objectives To improve programs aimed to enhance medical student resiliency, we examined both medical student and faculty advisor perspectives on resiliency-building in an Asian medical school. Methods In two separate focus groups, a convenience sample of 8 MD-PhD students and 8 faculty advisors were asked to identify strategies for enhancing resilience. Using thematic analysis, two researchers independently examined discussion transcripts and field notes and determined themes through a consensus process. They then compared the themes to discern similarities and differences between these groups. Results Themes from the student suggestions for increasing resilience included “Perspective changes with time and experience”, “Defining effective advisors,” and “Individual paths to resiliency”. Faculty-identified themes were “Structured activities to change student perspectives,” “Structured teaching of coping strategies”, and “Institution-wide social support”. Students described themselves as individuals building their own resilience path and preferred advisors who were not also evaluators. Faculty, however, suggested systematic, structural ways to increase resilience. Conclusions Students and advisors identified some common, and many distinct strategies for enhancing medical student resilience. Student/advisor discrepancies may exemplify a cultural shift in Singapore’s medical education climate, where students value increased individualism and autonomy in their education. As medical schools create interventions to enhance resilience and combat potential student burnout, they should consider individually-tailored as well as system-wide programs to best meet the needs of their students and faculty. PMID:29334480

The FY 1979 Department of Defense Program for Research, Development, and Acquisition

DTIC Science & Technology

1978-02-01

in mobile SA~s, diversity. -- U.S. leads in look-down/shoot-down interceptor technology. -- USSR is making a substantial effort to advance ABM ...penetrate advanced SAM and ABM systems without loss of the overall system accuracy now achievable only with ballistic reentry systems. Later AMaRV...not witnessed a corresponding decrease in the level of Soviet BMD activity. In addition to continuing the operation of their Moscow ABM System, the

Archives of Environmental Health, Volume 18 Number 4. Ninth AMA Air Pollution Medical Research Conference, Denver, July 22-24, 1968.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barton, Frank

Papers read before the Ninth American Medical Association (AMA) Air Pollution Medical Research Conference, Denver, Colorado, July 22-24, 1968, are presented in this document. Topics deal with the relationship and effects of atmospheric pollution to respiratory diseases, epidemiology, human physiological reactions, urban morbidity, health of school…

Validation Study of the Abbreviated Math Anxiety Scale: Spanish Adaptation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Jennifer L.; Sifuentes, Lucía Macías

2016-01-01

With growing numbers of Hispanic students enrolling in post-secondary school, there is a need to increase retention and graduation rates. The purpose of this study was to validate the Spanish adaptation of the Abbreviated Math Anxiety Scale (AMAS). The AMAS was translated and administered to 804 freshman students at a post-secondary institution in…

Patients with autoimmune hepatitis who have antimitochondrial antibodies need long-term follow-up to detect late development of primary biliary cirrhosis.

PubMed

Dinani, Amreen M; Fischer, Sandra E; Mosko, Jeff; Guindi, Maha; Hirschfield, Gideon M

2012-06-01

Patients with autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) who have antibodies against mitochondrial proteins (AMA positive) are believed to have an autoimmune syndrome that should be managed as AIH. Of patients with AMA-positive AIH, we report on 3 individuals to demonstrate how autoimmune liver disease can progress over time. Specific features of primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) overlapped in time in these patients. Our observations indicate the importance of careful follow up of patients with AMA-positive AIH; health care professionals that treat such patients should therefore be aware of longitudinal clinical changes that might indicate development of PBC in this setting. Copyright © 2012 AGA Institute. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[IL-1beta, IL-10, INF-gamma, TNF-alpha, S100beta, AMA-M2 and cell immune response in stroke].

PubMed

Sergeeva, S P; Erofeeva, L M; Gul'tiaev, M M

2011-01-01

Clinical data showed a role for stress, inflammatory, innate immune and adaptive immune mechanisms is stroke. Absolute and relative count of lymphocytes decrease, CD3 HLA DR+ and immunoregulatory balance (CD4+/CD8+) increase, concentration of IL-1beta, INF-gamma, TNF-alpha, S100beta, AMA-M2 increase, IL-10 decrease were detected in peripheral blood of 25 patients with stroke. It is explained that the products of brain cell stroke destruction (AMA-M2) play in autoimmune stroke progress mechanisms the same role as neurospecific proteins as S100beta. It is concluded that both stereotype and autoimmune mechanisms are involved in the development of stroke.

Develop and Implement an Integrated Enterprise Information System for a Computer-Integrated Apparel Enterprise (CIAE).

DTIC Science & Technology

1998-01-24

the Apparel Manufacturing Architecture (AMA), a generic architecture for an apparel enterprise. ARN-AIMS consists of three modules - Order Processing , Order...Tracking and Shipping & Invoicing. The Order Processing Module is designed to facilitate the entry of customer orders for stock and special

Expanding insurance coverage through tax credits, consumer choice, and market enhancements: the American Medical Association proposal for health insurance reform.

PubMed

Palmisano, Donald J; Emmons, David W; Wozniak, Gregory D

2004-05-12

Recent reports showing an increase in the number of uninsured individuals in the United States have given heightened attention to increasing health insurance coverage. The American Medical Association (AMA) has proposed a system of tax credits for the purchase of individually owned health insurance and enhancements to individual and group health insurance markets as a means of expanding coverage. Individually owned insurance would enable people to maintain coverage without disruption to existing patient-physician relationships, regardless of changes in employers or in work status. The AMA's plan would empower individuals to choose their health plan and give patients and their physicians more control over health care choices. Employers could continue to offer employment-based coverage, but employees would not be limited to the health plans offered by their employer. With a tax credit large enough to make coverage affordable and the ability to choose their own coverage, consumers would dramatically transform the individual and group health insurance markets. Health insurers would respond to the demands of individual consumers and be more cautious about increasing premiums. Insurers would also tailor benefit packages and develop new forms of coverage to better match the preferences of individuals and families. The AMA supports the development of new health insurance markets through legislative and regulatory changes to foster a wider array of high-quality, affordable plans.

When Advisors' True Intentions Are in Question. How Do Bank Customers Cope with Uncertainty in Financial Consultancies?

PubMed

Mackinger, Barbara; Jonas, Eva; Mühlberger, Christina

2017-01-01

When making financial decisions bank customers are confronted with two types of uncertainty: first, return on investments is uncertain and there is a risk of losing money. Second, customers cannot be certain about their financial advisor's true intentions. This might decrease customers' willingness to cooperate with advisors. However, the uncertainty management model and fairness heuristic theory predict that in uncertain situations customers are willing to cooperate with financial advisors when they perceive fairness. In the current study, we investigated how perceived fairness in the twofold uncertain situations increased people's intended future cooperation with an advisor. We asked customers of financial consultancies about their experienced uncertainty regarding both the investment decision and the advisor's intentions. Moreover, we asked them about their perceived fairness, as well as their intention to cooperate with the advisor in the future. A three-way moderation analysis showed that customers who faced high uncertainty regarding the investment decision and high uncertainty regarding the advisor's true intentions indicated the lowest intended cooperation with the advisor but high fairness increased their cooperation. Interestingly, when people were only uncertain about the advisor's intentions (but certain about the decision) they indicated less cooperation than when they were only uncertain about the decision (but certain about the advisor's intentions). A mediated moderation analysis revealed that this relationship was explained by customers' lower trust in their advisors.

The Evolution of the Information Systems Manager.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-12-01

NAVAL POSrTGRADUATE SCHOOL December 1982 C! Author.: Approved by:_~ Thesis Advisor Co- Advisor Chi" mtar, De tuent of Administrative Sciences Dean of...levels of genero -sty, kindness and sympathy were also inversly proportional to physical size. Also, it seems that fat people needed more friends and...things go wrong, to read newspaper accounts of violence . c) _ 2 : Enjoys combat and argument; easily annoyed; sometimes willing to hurt people to get

Unmanned Airlift: How Should We Proceed?

DTIC Science & Technology

2002-04-01

Research Report Submitted to the Faculty In Partial Fulfillment of the Graduation Requirements Advisor: Lt Col Vincent T. Jovene Maxwell Air Force Base...thank my research advisor, Lt Col Jim Jovene for his guidance and assistance. I also owe a special thanks to Mr. Bob Peak of the Southeast SATS Lab...National Aerospace System ( NAS ) are driving the advancement of automating technologies, and it shows how this drive toward automation is laying the

Advanced maternal age and adverse pregnancy outcomes: A systematic review and meta-analysis

PubMed Central

Derricott, Hayley; Jones, Rebecca L.; Heazell, Alexander E. P.

2017-01-01

Background Advanced maternal age (AMA; ≥35 years) is an increasing trend and is reported to be associated with various pregnancy complications. Objective To determine the risk of stillbirth and other adverse pregnancy outcomes in women of AMA. Search strategy Embase, Medline (Ovid), Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, ClinicalTrials.gov, LILACS and conference proceedings were searched from ≥2000. Selection criteria Cohort and case-control studies reporting data on one or more co-primary outcomes (stillbirth or fetal growth restriction (FGR)) and/or secondary outcomes in mothers ≥35 years and <35 years. Data collection and analysis The effect of age on pregnancy outcome was investigated by random effects meta-analysis and meta-regression. Stillbirth rates were correlated to rates of maternal diabetes, obesity, hypertension and use of assisted reproductive therapies (ART). Main results Out of 1940 identified titles; 63 cohort studies and 12 case-control studies were included in the meta-analysis. AMA increased the risk of stillbirth (OR 1.75, 95%CI 1.62 to 1.89) with a population attributable risk of 4.7%. Similar trends were seen for risks of FGR, neonatal death, NICU unit admission restriction and GDM. The relationship between AMA and stillbirth was not related to maternal morbidity or ART. Conclusions Stillbirth risk increases with increasing maternal age. This is not wholly explained by maternal co-morbidities and use of ART. We propose that placental dysfunction may mediate adverse pregnancy outcome in AMA. Further prospective studies are needed to directly test this hypothesis. PMID:29040334

ChAd63-MVA–vectored Blood-stage Malaria Vaccines Targeting MSP1 and AMA1: Assessment of Efficacy Against Mosquito Bite Challenge in Humans

PubMed Central

Sheehy, Susanne H; Duncan, Christopher JA; Elias, Sean C; Choudhary, Prateek; Biswas, Sumi; Halstead, Fenella D; Collins, Katharine A; Edwards, Nick J; Douglas, Alexander D; Anagnostou, Nicholas A; Ewer, Katie J; Havelock, Tom; Mahungu, Tabitha; Bliss, Carly M; Miura, Kazutoyo; Poulton, Ian D; Lillie, Patrick J; Antrobus, Richard D; Berrie, Eleanor; Moyle, Sarah; Gantlett, Katherine; Colloca, Stefano; Cortese, Riccardo; Long, Carole A; Sinden, Robert E; Gilbert, Sarah C; Lawrie, Alison M; Doherty, Tom; Faust, Saul N; Nicosia, Alfredo; Hill, Adrian VS; Draper, Simon J

2012-01-01

The induction of cellular immunity, in conjunction with antibodies, may be essential for vaccines to protect against blood-stage infection with the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. We have shown that prime-boost delivery of P. falciparum blood-stage antigens by chimpanzee adenovirus 63 (ChAd63) followed by the attenuated orthopoxvirus MVA is safe and immunogenic in healthy adults. Here, we report on vaccine efficacy against controlled human malaria infection delivered by mosquito bites. The blood-stage malaria vaccines were administered alone, or together (MSP1+AMA1), or with a pre-erythrocytic malaria vaccine candidate (MSP1+ME-TRAP). In this first human use of coadministered ChAd63-MVA regimes, we demonstrate immune interference whereby responses against merozoite surface protein 1 (MSP1) are dominant over apical membrane antigen 1 (AMA1) and ME-TRAP. We also show that induction of strong cellular immunity against MSP1 and AMA1 is safe, but does not impact on parasite growth rates in the blood. In a subset of vaccinated volunteers, a delay in time to diagnosis was observed and sterilizing protection was observed in one volunteer coimmunized with MSP1+AMA1—results consistent with vaccine-induced pre-erythrocytic, rather than blood-stage, immunity. These data call into question the utility of T cell-inducing blood-stage malaria vaccines and suggest that the focus should remain on high-titer antibody induction against susceptible antigen targets. PMID:23089736

Differences in Undergraduate Adult Student Satisfaction with Full-Time Faculty Advisors and Full-Time Non-Faculty Academic Advisors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moore, Kristen E.

2014-01-01

This non-experimental quantitative study investigated two groups of adult students who received academic advising from full-time faculty advisors or full-time non-faculty advisors. Differences in student satisfaction on three measures related to advisor availability, accuracy and perceived support for student educational goals were studied based…

78 FR 11702 - AdvisorShares Investments, LLC and AdvisorShares Trust; Notice of Application

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-02-19

... information about the profitability of the Advisor on a per-Fund basis for each Fund relying on the order. The information will reflect the impact on profitability of the hiring or termination of any Sub-Advisor during... the Board with information showing the expected impact on the profitability of the Advisor. For the...

CRISPR/Cas9 Based Genome Editing of Penicillium chrysogenum.

PubMed

Pohl, C; Kiel, J A K W; Driessen, A J M; Bovenberg, R A L; Nygård, Y

2016-07-15

CRISPR/Cas9 based systems have emerged as versatile platforms for precision genome editing in a wide range of organisms. Here we have developed powerful CRISPR/Cas9 tools for marker-based and marker-free genome modifications in Penicillium chrysogenum, a model filamentous fungus and industrially relevant cell factory. The developed CRISPR/Cas9 toolbox is highly flexible and allows editing of new targets with minimal cloning efforts. The Cas9 protein and the sgRNA can be either delivered during transformation, as preassembled CRISPR-Cas9 ribonucleoproteins (RNPs) or expressed from an AMA1 based plasmid within the cell. The direct delivery of the Cas9 protein with in vitro synthesized sgRNA to the cells allows for a transient method for genome engineering that may rapidly be applicable for other filamentous fungi. The expression of Cas9 from an AMA1 based vector was shown to be highly efficient for marker-free gene deletions.

Heavy metal pumps in plants. 1998 annual progress report

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

Harper, J.F.

1998-06-01

'The purpose of the proposed DOE research is to determine the function of AMA1, a novel heavy metal pump identified in a model plant system, Arabidopsis. Heavy metal pumps belong to a superfamily of P-type ATPases which include the plasma membrane Na/K-ATPase in animals and the plasma membrane H + ATPase in plants and fungi. Heavy metal pumps have been implicated in heavy metal resistance (e.g., cadmium) and regulation of essential micronutrients (e.g., copper). Although several heavy metal pumps have now been identified in plants, their isoform specific functions have not been investigated. The results suggest that AMA1 is amore » molydenum uptake pump. The authors are exploring the possibility to engineer the ion specificity of these pumps to take up other heavy metals from the soil. This report summarizes work after 2 years of a 3 year project.'« less

Examination of the Psychometric Properties of the Adult Manifest Anxiety Scale-Elderly Version Scores

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lowe, Patricia A.; Reynolds, Cecil R.

2006-01-01

The psychometric properties of the Adult Manifest Anxiety Scale-Elderly Version (AMAS-E) scores were evaluated in two studies. In Study 1, the temporal stability and construct validity of the AMAS-E test scores were examined in a group of 226 older adults, aged 60 years and older. Results indicated adequate to excellent temporal stability (2-week…

Proceedings, AMA Congress on Environmental Health Problems. Population Environment and Health (2nd, Chicago, Illinois, April 26-27, 1965).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

American Medical Association, Chicago, IL.

Included are 20 papers presented at the second AMA Congress on Environmental Health Problems. The papers have been grouped into these broad subject categories. One group relates to physical and chemical changes, living cells, mental health, and human physiology. The second category relates to tuberculosis, venereal disease, respiratory disease,…

77 FR 12617 - United States et al. v. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Montana, Inc., et al.; Public Comments and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-03-01

... AMA is the largest association of physicians and medical students in the United States. The AMA's...-29656] Dear Mr. Soven: On behalf of the physician and medical student members of the American Medical... robust competition within the market than existed before the Agreement. Given the weak state of health...

Basic Skills Testing & Training. 1996 AMA Survey. Summary of Key Findings.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

American Management Association, New York, NY.

The American Management Association's (AMA) 10th annual survey on workplace testing was mailed in January 1996 to a sample of its 9,500 member companies, resulting in 961 usable responses. The survey sought to determine how many firms test for "basic skills," how job applicants perform on these tests, how much the tests costs, and what firms do…

Ethical practice in Telehealth and Telemedicine.

PubMed

Chaet, Danielle; Clearfield, Ron; Sabin, James E; Skimming, Kathryn

2017-10-01

This article summarizes the report of the American Medical Association's (AMA) Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs (CEJA) on ethical practice in telehealth and telemedicine. Through its reports and recommendations, CEJA is responsible for maintaining and updating the AMA Code of Medical Ethics (Code). CEJA reports are developed through an iterative process of deliberation with input from multiple stakeholders; report recommendations, once adopted by the AMA House of Delegates, become ethics policy of the AMA and are issued as Opinions in the Code. To provide enduring guidance for the medical profession as a whole, CEJA strives to articulate expectations for conduct that are as independent of specific technologies or models of practice as possible. The present report, developed at the request of the House of Delegates, provides broad guidance for ethical conduct relating to key issues in telehealth/telemedicine. The report and recommendations were debated at meetings of the House in June and November 2015; recommendations were adopted in June 2016 and published as Opinion E-1.2.12, Ethical Practice in Telemedicine, in November 2016. A summary of the key points of the recommendations can be found in Appendix A (online), and the full text of the opinion can be found in Appendix B (online).

Guidelines for medical and health information sites on the internet: principles governing AMA web sites. American Medical Association.

PubMed

Winker, M A; Flanagin, A; Chi-Lum, B; White, J; Andrews, K; Kennett, R L; DeAngelis, C D; Musacchio, R A

Access to medical information via the Internet has the potential to speed the transformation of the patient-physician relationship from that of physician authority ministering advice and treatment to that of shared decision making between patient and physician. However, barriers impeding this transformation include wide variations in quality of content on the Web, potential for commercial interests to influence online content, and uncertain preservation of personal privacy. To address these issues, the American Medical Association (AMA) has developed principles to guide development and posting of Web site content, govern acquisition and posting of online advertising and sponsorship, ensure site visitors' and patients' rights to privacy and confidentiality, and provide effective and secure means of e-commerce. While these guidelines were developed for the AMA Web sites and visitors to these sites, they also may be useful to other providers and users of medical information on the Web. These principles have been developed with the understanding that they will require frequent revision to keep pace with evolving technology and practices on the Internet. The AMA encourages review and feedback from readers, Web site visitors, policymakers, and all others interested in providing reliable quality information via the Web.

Carbon nanotube-based biosensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramoni, Roberto; Staiano, Maria; Bellucci, Stefano; Grycznyski, Ignacy; Grycznyski, Zygmunt; Crescenzo, Roberta; Iozzino, Luisa; Bharill, Shashank; Conti, Virna; Grolli, Stefano; D'Auria, Sabato

2008-11-01

An easy and rapid detection of hazardous compounds is crucial for making on-the-spot irreversible decisions at airport security gates, luggage storage rooms, and other crowded public places, such as stadia, concert halls, etc. In the present study we carried out a preliminary investigation into the possibility of utilizing as advanced nano-biosensors a mutant form of the bovine odorant-binding protein (bOBP) immobilized onto carbon nanotubes. In particular, after immobilization of the protein on the carbon nanotubes we developed a competitive resonance energy transfer (RET) assay between the protein tryptophan residues located at the positions 17 and 133 (W17 and W133) and the 1-amino-anthracene (AMA), a molecule that fits in the binding site of bOBP. The bOBP-AMA complex emitted light in the visible region upon excitation of the Trp donors. However, the addition of an odorant molecule to the bOBP-AMA complex displaced AMA from the binding site making the carbon nanotubes colorless. The results presented in this work are very promising for the realization of a color on/ color off b-OBP-based biosensor for the initial indication of hazardous compounds in the environment.

Menstruation experiences of South African women belonging to the ama-Xhosa ethnic group.

PubMed

Padmanabhanunni, Anita; Jaffer, Labeeqah; Steenkamp, Jeanette

2017-09-15

A growing body of research has emphasised the salience of cultural beliefs and traditional practices to women's experiences of menstruation. Relatively less research has, however, been undertaken in South Africa. This study explored the experience of menstruation among women from the ama-Xhosa ethnic group, one of the largest ethnic groups in the country. Among the ama-Xhosa, there are distinct cultural practices associated with menstruation, including the female rite of passage (intonjane) and virginity testing (inkciyo). However, few studies have explored the experience of menstruation for women from this cultural group. This study involved the synthesis of data from individual interviews and focus group discussions conducted among a sample of ama-Xhosa women. The data were analysed using thematic analysis. Distinctive findings included women's participation in traditional cultural practices of intonjane and inkciyo and the presence of cultural taboos associated with menstruation. Women's narratives revealed strong ambivalence regarding these practices. On the one hand, they wanted to adhere to traditional practices but experienced these customs as evoking discomfort and shame. The study confirmed the prevalence of negative constructions of menstruation. Positive appraisals of menstruation as evoking joy and happiness were also encountered.

AFTI/F16 Automated Maneuvering Attack System Test Reports/Special Technologies and Outlook.

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-07-11

Multiplex Data Bus A-A Air-To-Air A-S Air-to-Surface AFTI Advanced Fighter Technology Integration SYSTEM DESIGN AGL Above-Ground-Level AMAS Automated...Maneuvering Attack System Design requirements for the AFTI/F-16 are driven AMUX Avionics Multiplex Data Bus by realistic air combat scenarios and are...the avionics subsystem IFIM and avionics systems are single-thread, much of the sensed various flight control sensors. Additionally, along with data

Competency-based achievement system: using formative feedback to teach and assess family medicine residents' skills.

PubMed

Ross, Shelley; Poth, Cheryl N; Donoff, Michel; Humphries, Paul; Steiner, Ivan; Schipper, Shirley; Janke, Fred; Nichols, Darren

2011-09-01

Family medicine residency programs require innovative means to assess residents' competence in "soft" skills (eg, patient-centred care, communication, and professionalism) and to identify residents who are having difficulty early enough in their residency to provide remedial training. To develop a method to assess residents' competence in various skills and to identify residents who are having difficulty. The Competency-Based Achievement System (CBAS) was designed to measure competence using 3 main principles: formative feedback, guided self-assessment, and regular face-to-face meetings. The CBAS is resident driven and provides a framework for meaningful interactions between residents and advisors. Residents use the CBAS to organize and review their feedback, to guide their own assessment of their progress, and to discern their future learning needs. Advisors use the CBAS to monitor, guide, and verify residents' knowledge of and competence in important skills. By focusing on specific skills and behaviour, the CBAS enables residents and advisors to make formative assessments and to communicate their findings. Feedback indicates that the CBAS is a user-friendly and helpful system to assess competence.

Competency-Based Achievement System

PubMed Central

Ross, Shelley; Poth, Cheryl N.; Donoff, Michel; Humphries, Paul; Steiner, Ivan; Schipper, Shirley; Janke, Fred; Nichols, Darren

2011-01-01

Abstract Problem addressed Family medicine residency programs require innovative means to assess residents’ competence in “soft” skills (eg, patient-centred care, communication, and professionalism) and to identify residents who are having difficulty early enough in their residency to provide remedial training. Objective of program To develop a method to assess residents’ competence in various skills and to identify residents who are having difficulty. Program description The Competency-Based Achievement System (CBAS) was designed to measure competence using 3 main principles: formative feedback, guided self-assessment, and regular face-to-face meetings. The CBAS is resident driven and provides a framework for meaningful interactions between residents and advisors. Residents use the CBAS to organize and review their feedback, to guide their own assessment of their progress, and to discern their future learning needs. Advisors use the CBAS to monitor, guide, and verify residents’ knowledge of and competence in important skills. Conclusion By focusing on specific skills and behaviour, the CBAS enables residents and advisors to make formative assessments and to communicate their findings. Feedback indicates that the CBAS is a user-friendly and helpful system to assess competence. PMID:21918129

Initial results from the StratoClim aircraft campaign in the Asian Monsoon in summer 2017

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rex, M.

2017-12-01

The Asian Monsoon System is one of the Earth's largest and most energetic weather systems. Monsoon rainfall is critical to feeding over a billion people in Asia and the monsoon circulation affects weather patterns over the entire northern hemisphere. The Monsoon also acts like an enormous elevator, pumping vast amounts of air and pollutants from the surface up to the tropopause region at levels above 16km altitude, from where air can ascend into the stratosphere, where it spreads globally. Thus the monsoon affects the chemical composition of the global tropopause region and the stratosphere, and hence plays a key role for the composition of the UTS. Dynamically the monsoon circulation leads to the formation of a large anticyclone at tropopause levels above South Asia - the Asian Monsoon Anticyclone (AMA). Satellite images show a large cloud of aerosols directly above the monsoon, the Asian Tropopause Aerosol Layer (ATAL). In July to August 2017 the international research project StratoClim carried out the first in-situ aircraft measurements in the AMA and the ATAL with the high altitude research aircraft M55-Geophysica. Around 8 scientific flights took place in the airspaces of Nepal, India and Bangladesh and have horizontally and vertically probed the AMA and have well characterized the ATAL along flight patterns that have been carefully designed by a theory, modelling and satellite data analysing team in the field. The aircraft campaign has been complemented by launches of research balloons from ground stations in Nepal, Bangladesh, China and Palau. The presentation will give an overview of the StratoClim project, the aircraft and balloon activities and initial results from the StratoClim Asian Monsoon campaign in summer 2017.

Determinants of physical activity promotion by smoking cessation advisors as an aid for quitting: support for the Transtheoretical Model.

PubMed

Everson, Emma S; Taylor, Adrian H; Ussher, Michael

2010-01-01

Physical activity (PA) can reduce cigarette cravings and aid quitting but little is known about its promotion by smoking cessation advisors. This study aimed to: (1) determine the extent to which smoking cessation advisors promote PA; and (2) examine the relationship between PA promotion as a cessation aid and advisor characteristics and cognitions, within the Transtheoretical Model (TM) framework. Self-report surveys assessing PA promotion, TM variables, advisors' own PA levels and demographics were completed by 170 advisors in England and Scotland. Advisors reported spending 29min promoting PA over a 6/7-week clinic. Those in later stages of readiness for promoting PA as a cessation aid and those spending more time promoting PA held more positive beliefs regarding pros and cons, self-efficacy, outcome efficacy and importance of PA within smoking cessation. Time spent promoting PA and stage of readiness were strongly associated. There was a trend for the more physically active advisors to promote PA more often. About half the advisors promoted PA and TM variables predicted this variability. PA promotion among smoking cessation advisors may be facilitated by enhancing self-efficacy, outcome efficacy and pro- and con-beliefs related to PA promotion.

A study on optimization of hybrid drive train using Advanced Vehicle Simulator (ADVISOR)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Same, Adam; Stipe, Alex; Grossman, David; Park, Jae Wan

This study investigates the advantages and disadvantages of three hybrid drive train configurations: series, parallel, and "through-the-ground" parallel. Power flow simulations are conducted with the MATLAB/Simulink-based software ADVISOR. These simulations are then applied in an application for the UC Davis SAE Formula Hybrid vehicle. ADVISOR performs simulation calculations for vehicle position using a combined backward/forward method. These simulations are used to study how efficiency and agility are affected by the motor, fuel converter, and hybrid configuration. Three different vehicle models are developed to optimize the drive train of a vehicle for three stages of the SAE Formula Hybrid competition: autocross, endurance, and acceleration. Input cycles are created based on rough estimates of track geometry. The output from these ADVISOR simulations is a series of plots of velocity profile and energy storage State of Charge that provide a good estimate of how the Formula Hybrid vehicle will perform on the given course. The most noticeable discrepancy between the input cycle and the actual velocity profile of the vehicle occurs during deceleration. A weighted ranking system is developed to organize the simulation results and to determine the best drive train configuration for the Formula Hybrid vehicle. Results show that the through-the-ground parallel configuration with front-mounted motors achieves an optimal balance of efficiency, simplicity, and cost. ADVISOR is proven to be a useful tool for vehicle power train design for the SAE Formula Hybrid competition. This vehicle model based on ADVISOR simulation is applicable to various studies concerning performance and efficiency of hybrid drive trains.

"When We Learn Better, We Do Better": Describing Changes in Empowerment through Photovoice among Community Health Advisors in a Breast and Cervical Cancer Health Promotion Program in Mississippi and Alabama

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mayfield-Johnson, Susan; Rachal, John R.; Butler, James, III.

2014-01-01

As change agents in the community, community health advisors (CHAs) are a viable solution to bridge the gap between health service delivery systems and the community. With many CHAs members of the underserved and minority populations they serve, change and empowerment experienced by CHAs should be documented. This phenomenological study describes…

An Architecture for the Semantic Processing of Natural Language Input to a Policy Workbench

DTIC Science & Technology

2003-03-01

WORKBENCH by E. John Custy March 2003 Thesis Advisor: J. Bret Michael Co-Advisor: Neil C. Rowe Approved for...Policy Workbench 6. AUTHOR(S) E. John Custy 5. FUNDING NUMBERS 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) Naval Postgraduate School Monterey...POLICY WORKBENCH E. John Custy B.S.E.E. New Jersey Institute of Technology, 1986 M.A. Cognitive and Neural Systems, Boston University, 1991 Master of

75 FR 26349 - Medicare Program; Payment Policies Under the Physician Fee Schedule and Other Revisions to Part B...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-05-11

... (AOE): AMA-PCPI Systemic Antimicrobial Therapy-- Avoidance of Inappropriate Use. 100 Colorectal Cancer... Angiotensin Receptor Blocker (ARB) Therapy for Patients with CAD and Diabetes and/or Left Ventricular Systolic... Diabetes Mellitus. 113 Preventive Care and Screening: NCQA Colorectal Cancer Screening. TBD Hypertension...

Lay health advisor activity levels: definitions from the field.

PubMed

Altpeter, M; Earp, J A; Bishop, C; Eng, E

1999-08-01

One type of lay health advisor model assumes that an effective mechanism for reaching the underserved is through informal advice-givers called natural helpers. Despite the growing use of this approach, few programs have defined what an active lay health advisor does within the natural helping process. To explore perceptions and definitions of lay health advisors' activity, we conducted semistructured, in-person interviews with four field staff who coordinate the advisors' activities in a breast cancer screening program. These staff viewed lay health advisor activity as fluctuating over the course of a year, occurring along a continuum of participation (inactive, moderately active, active, and superactive), and reflecting varying degrees of proactivity and participation in multiple activities. These results suggest an empirical process for refining the definition of an active lay health advisor, improving advisors' productivity in achieving outreach objectives, and managing and monitoring their ongoing activities.

Development and Testing of a Novel Green Propellant Piston Tank

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Diaz, C. E.; Cavender, D. P.; Higdon, K.; Abrams, J.; Duchek, M. E.; Mader, H.

2017-01-01

Analytical Mechanics Associates (AMA), in cooperation with NASA Marshall Space Flight Center's (MSFC's) Spacecraft Propulsion Systems Branch, developed and tested a novel propellant tank design that employs an internal piston pressurized with an inert gas to expel propellant to thrusters. During the course of this activity, AMA designed, oversaw fabrication, and delivered to MSFC for testing, a piston propellant tank sized for 3U or larger CubeSats. MSFC conducted liquid expulsion testing using ethylene glycol as a referee fluid to map the tank's performance at different pressures and piston positions. Following the expulsion test campaign, the tank is planned to be integrated into a propulsion system test bed for hot fire tests with a 100mN monopropellant thruster to evaluate the tank's influence on thruster performance when operated in a flight like manner. Described in this paper is a comprehensive summary of how the tanks were designed, built, and tested. The fundamental knowledge gained through the fabrication and testing of these tanks gives evidence that the piston tank design may be scalable to meet the requirements and constraints of other small satellites.

SAM International Case Studies: DPV Analysis in Mexico

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

McCall, James D

Presentation demonstrates the use of the System Advisor Model (SAM) in international analyses, specifically Mexico. Two analyses are discussed with relation to SAM modelling efforts: 1) Customer impacts from changes to net metering and billing agreements and 2) Potential benefits of PV for Mexican solar customers, the Mexican Treasury, and the environment. Along with the SAM analyses, integration of the International Utility Rate Database (I-URDB) with SAM and future international SAM work are discussed. Presentation was created for the International Solar Energy Society's (ISES) webinar titled 'International use of the NREL System Advisor Model (SAM) with case studies'.

A Pervasive Social Networking Application: I-NFC enabled Florist Smart Advisor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Swee Wen, Khoo; Mahinderjit Singh, Manmeet

2016-11-01

Location based service is an information and entertainment service, accessible with mobile devices through the mobile network and utilizing the ability to make use of the geographical position of the mobile device. NFC location based service is using one of the modes of NFC such as peer-to-peer, reader/writer, and card emulation to obtain the information of the object and then get the location of the object. In this paper, the proposed solution is I- NFC-enabled Pervasive Social Networking apps for florists. It combines the NFC location based service with Online Social Network (OSN). In addition, a smart advisor in the system to provide output in making their own decision while purchasing products.The development of the system demonstrates that a designed commerce site is provided which enable a communication between NFC-enabled smartphone, NFC-enabled application and OSN. GPS functionalities also implemented to provide map and location of business services. Smart advisor also designed to provide information for users who do not have ideas what to purchase.

Proceedings, AMA Congress on Environmental Health Problems, Impact of Environment on Accidental Injuries and Fatalities (3rd, Chicago, Illinois, April 4-5, 1966).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

American Medical Association, Chicago, IL.

Included are 21 papers presented at the third AMA Congress on Environmental Health Problems. The problem of accidents is considered by several panels: Panel 1, The Environmental Health Problem; Panel 2, The Medical Problem; Panel 3, Prevention and Mitigation; and Panel 4, Accident Research. Panel 1 reviews the nature of accidents, accident…

Validation of the Adult Manifest Anxiety Scale-College Version Scores in a Sample of U.S. College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lowe, Patricia A.

2013-01-01

Two studies examined the psychometric properties of the Adult Manifest Anxiety Scale-College Version (AMAS-C) scores among U.S. college students. In Study 1,300 college students were administered the AMAS-C. Confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs) indicated that the five-factor model (four anxiety factors and one lie factor) with a higher order factor…

Respiration of Chemodenervated Goats in Acute Metabolic Acidosis,

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-08-02

higher after CBx. We conclude that a respiratory adaptation to AMA does occur in goats deprived of peripheral chemoreceptors, and is probably mediated... respiratory adaptation to AMA does occur in goats deprived of peripheral chemoreceptors, and is probably mediated by the central chemo- receptors. Key...words: carotid bodies, CO2 rebreathing, CSF r’ INTRODUCTION Acid-base disturbances of primarily "metabolic" origin elicit respiratory compensation

Cystic fibrosis on the Internet: a survey of site adherence to AMA guidelines.

PubMed

Anselmo, Mark A; Lash, Katherine M; Stieb, Elisabeth S; Haver, Kenan E

2004-07-01

The Internet permits unprecedented and mostly unrestricted access to medical knowledge; however, concerns exist regarding viewer privacy, accountability of authorship, accuracy of information, and patient safety. To address these issues, the American Medical Association (AMA) has developed guidelines concerning web site content and visitor rights. Cystic fibrosis (CF) is the most common genetically inherited lethal disease in North America. Many Internet sites that provide information on CF have been developed, although adherence to validated guidelines for online health information is not required. The purpose of this study was to assess systematically web sites with content pertaining to CF for adherence to the published AMA guidelines. The search term "cystic fibrosis" was entered into a commonly used search engine (Google), and the first 100 eligible sites were reviewed. Each site was examined for adherence to the AMA Guidelines for Medical and Health Information Sites on the Internet using a series of adapted questions. There were 15 questions divided into the following main categories: 1) site structure and viewer privacy, 2) author accountability, 3) scientific citation, and 4) patient safety. The number of positives for each question was tabulated. With respect to site structure, fewer than half (45%) of the reviewed sites indicated a date of last revision. Only 11 (11%) carried an explicit privacy policy. A responsible author or group was listed in only 43 (43%) of 100 sites. Presented data regarding CF was supported by references, sources, or expert review in only 38 (38%) of 100 sites. A medical disclaimer noting that information provided does not substitute for evaluation by a health care team was evident in only 37 (37%) sites. The majority of easily accessible CF informational web sites do not adhere to guidelines published by the AMA. Patients and families who use the Internet as a CF information resource should examine the web sites carefully and be familiar with the guidelines established by the AMA. Personal information is not protected, and few sites provide explicit privacy guarantees. Finally, CF care teams should inquire about Internet use by patients and families and be prepared to discuss findings from the Internet to heighten patient safety and awareness.

Transformation of Arden Syntax's medical logic modules into ArdenML for a business rules management system.

PubMed

Jung, Chai Young; Choi, Jong-Ye; Jeong, Seong Jik; Cho, Kyunghee; Koo, Yong Duk; Bae, Jin Hee; Kim, Sukil

2016-05-16

Arden Syntax is a Health Level Seven International (HL7) standard language that is used for representing medical knowledge as logic statements. Arden Syntax Markup Language (ArdenML) is a new representation of Arden Syntax based on XML. Compilers are required to execute medical logic modules (MLMs) in the hospital environment. However, ArdenML may also replace the compiler. The purpose of this study is to demonstrate that MLMs, encoded in ArdenML, can be transformed into a commercial rule engine format through an XSLT stylesheet and made executable in a target system. The target rule engine selected was Blaze Advisor. We developed an XSLT stylesheet to transform MLMs in ArdenML into Structured Rules Language (SRL) in Blaze Advisor, through a comparison of syntax between the two languages. The stylesheet was then refined recursively, by building and applying rules collected from the billing and coding guidelines of the Korean health insurance service. Two nurse coders collected and verified the rules and two information technology (IT) specialists encoded the MLMs and built the XSLT stylesheet. Finally, the stylesheet was validated by importing the MLMs into Blaze Advisor and applying them to claims data. The language comparison revealed that Blaze Advisor requires the declaration of variables with explicit types. We used both integer and real numbers for numeric types in ArdenML. "IF∼THEN" statements and assignment statements in ArdenML become rules in Blaze Advisor. We designed an XSLT stylesheet to solve this issue. In addition, we maintained the order of rule execution in the transformed rules, and added two small programs to support variable declarations and action statements. A total of 1489 rules were reviewed during this study, of which 324 rules were collected. We removed duplicate rules and encoded 241 unique MLMs in ArdenML, which were successfully transformed into SRL and imported to Blaze Advisor via the XSLT stylesheet. When applied to 73,841 outpatients' insurance claims data, the review result was the same as that of the legacy system. We have demonstrated that ArdenML can replace a compiler for transforming MLMs into commercial rule engine format. While the proposed XSLT stylesheet requires refinement for general use, we anticipate that the development of further XSLT stylesheets will support various rule engines. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Decrease in Numbers of Naive and Resting B Cells in HIV-Infected Kenyan Adults Leads to a Proportional Increase in Total and Plasmodium falciparum-Specific Atypical Memory B Cells.

PubMed

Frosch, Anne E; Odumade, Oludare A; Taylor, Justin J; Ireland, Kathleen; Ayodo, George; Ondigo, Bartholomew; Narum, David L; Vulule, John; John, Chandy C

2017-06-15

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection is associated with B cell activation and exhaustion, and hypergammaglobulinemia. How these changes influence B cell responses to coinfections such as malaria is poorly understood. To address this, we compared B cell phenotypes and Abs specific for the Plasmodium falciparum vaccine candidate apical membrane Ag-1 (AMA1) in HIV-infected and uninfected adults living in Kenya. Surprisingly, HIV-1 infection was not associated with a difference in serum AMA1-specific Ab levels. HIV-infected individuals had a higher proportion of total atypical and total activated memory B cells (MBCs). Using an AMA1 tetramer to detect AMA1-specific B cells, HIV-infected individuals were also shown to have a higher proportion of AMA1-specific atypical MBCs. However, this proportional increase resulted in large part from a loss in the number of naive and resting MBCs rather than an increase in the number of atypical and activated cells. The loss of resting MBCs and naive B cells was mirrored in a population of cells specific for an Ag to which these individuals were unlikely to have been chronically exposed. Together, the data show that changes in P. falciparum Ag-specific B cell subsets in HIV-infected individuals mirror those in the overall B cell population, and suggest that the increased proportion of atypical MBC phenotypes found in HIV-1-infected individuals results from the loss of naive and resting MBCs. Copyright © 2017 by The American Association of Immunologists, Inc.

Interannual Variability of Asian Tropopause Aerosol Layer (ATAL) and Asian Summer Monsoon Evolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuan, C.; Lau, W. K. M.; Li, Z.

2017-12-01

The Asian Tropopause Aerosol Layer (ATAL), recently discovered from satellite observations, has drawn much attention on the need to study and better understand processes of atmospheric constituents' transportation in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere (UTLS) and the variability of the Asian Monsoon Anticyclone (AMA). In this paper, based on analysis of 15 years (2001 - 2015) MERRA2 reanalysis data, we have investigated the interaction between the ATAL and monsoon dynamics and aerosol transport processes with respect to the variability of the AMA on interannual and intraseasonal time scales. Here, we present results showing that: (1) during pre- monsoon season, carbonaceous aerosols (CA), dust and carbon monoxide (CO)) accumulate along the southern slope of Tibetan Plateau (TP) and the Sichuan Basin of southwestern China. Surface pollutants are lofted up to UTLS by strong vertical convection, advected by the anticyclonic flow within the AMA forming ATAL during peak monsoon season, (2) during strong monsoon years (2001, 2005, 2007, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2015) the AMA peaks later, with stronger heating over TP and stronger ATAL, compared to weak monsoon years (2002, 2003, 2004, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2013). Enhanced vertical transport was also found over the top of TP during strong monsoon years, in conjunction with an enlarged and northward-shifted AMA, while near surface region was suppressed because of heavy rainout, (3) inspite of stronger precipitation wash out more dust and are transported to Indo-Gangetic Plain, and from the top of the TP to the UTLS, during peak monsoon season due to the stronger westerlies. (4) spectral analysis of aerosol and monsoon winds, shows that the ATAL can be modulated by UTLS transport processes on monsoon intraseasonal oscillations with strong quasi- biweekly time scales during strong monsoon, and strong 20-30 day quasi-periodicity during weak monsoon years.

KSC-2014-4648

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-12-02

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – From left, Mike Bolger, Ground Systems Development and Operations program manager and Mark Geyer, Orion program manager, participate in a live online Ask Me Anything, or AMA, session for reddit.com followers during Orion preflight activities at NASA Kennedy Space Center's News Center in Florida. Not shown, but also participating is Todd May, Space Launch System program manager. Discussion topics include Mars and technology. Photo credit: NASA/Frankie Martin

KSC-2014-4647

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-12-02

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – NASA managers participate in a live online Ask Me Anything, or AMA, session for reddit.com followers during Orion preflight activities at NASA Kennedy Space Center's News Center in Florida. At left, is Mike Bolger, Ground Systems Development and Operations program manager. Not shown, but also participating were Mark Geyer, Orion program manager, and Todd May, Space Launch System program manager. Discussion topics include Mars and technology. Photo credit: NASA/Frankie Martin

Technology assessment in medicine. The role of the American Medical Association.

PubMed

McGivney, W T; Hendee, W R

1988-12-01

Public policy decisions about health care and decisions about an individual patient's care are only as sound as the data and information on which they are founded. The formal systematic evaluation of the safety, effectiveness, and cost-effectiveness of a medical technology provides such information and is essential to the appropriate application of technology in patient care. The American Medical Association (AMA) historically has recognized the need for the practicing medical community to develop and communicate accurate and balanced evaluative information to physicians and other health care professionals. In recent years, the association has established formal programs to accomplish this objective. This article describes the AMA's three major assessment programs, the Diagnostic and Therapeutic Technology Assessment program, the Council on Scientific Affairs, and AMA Drug Evaluations. The implications of these activities for patient care and public policy are discussed.

The nutrition advisor expert system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Huse, Scott M.; Shyne, Scott S.

1991-01-01

The Nutrition Advisor Expert System (NAES) is an expert system written in the C Language Integrated Production System (CLIPS). NAES provides expert knowledge and guidance into the complex world of nutrition management by capturing the knowledge of an expert and placing it at the user's fingertips. Specifically, NAES enables the user to: (1) obtain precise nutrition information for food items; (2) perform nutritional analysis of meal(s), flagging deficiencies based upon the U.S. Recommended Daily Allowances; (3) predict possible ailments based upon observed nutritional deficiency trends; (4) obtain a top ten listing of food items for a given nutrient; and (5) conveniently upgrade the data base. An explanation facility for the ailment prediction feature is also provided to document the reasoning process.

Integrated Intelligent training and job aiding for combustion turbine engines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mckeithan, Clifford M., Jr.; Quentin, George H.

1993-01-01

This paper describes an ongoing program to augment such an expert system gas turbine startup advisor, known as the EPRI SA VANT System, by including an intelligent training package. It will give a brief background on the SA VANT development and an overview of its evolution into a full-blown Gas Turbine Information System (GTIS) for rapid access of on-line documentation, diagnostics, and training. In particular, the paper will address: (1) the conversion of the knowledge base used by the SA VANT startup advisor so that it can be used for both training and job aiding; and (2) the hypertext-oriented user manuals being incorporated into the system for rapidly accessing on-line documentation at the job site.

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

Deline, C.

Computer modeling is able to predict the performance of distributed power electronics (microinverters, power optimizers) in PV systems. However, details about partial shade and other mismatch must be known in order to give the model accurate information to go on. This talk will describe recent updates in NREL’s System Advisor Model program to model partial shading losses with and without distributed power electronics, along with experimental validation results. Computer modeling is able to predict the performance of distributed power electronics (microinverters, power optimizers) in PV systems. However, details about partial shade and other mismatch must be known in order tomore » give the model accurate information to go on. This talk will describe recent updates in NREL’s System Advisor Model program to model partial shading losses.« less

Secure Military Communications on 3G, 4G and WiMAX

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-09-01

per bit, low latency, good quality of service, good coverage and support for mobility at high speeds. Thus, 4G wireless technologies are based on 3G ...security for military communications. 87 LIST OF REFERENCES [1] C. Blanchard, “Security for the third generation ( 3G ) mobile system,” Elsevier Science...COMMUNICATIONS ON 3G , 4G AND WIMAX by Panagiotis Schoinas September 2013 Thesis Advisor: Gurminder Singh Co-Advisor: John H. Gibson

Test Score Stability and Construct Validity of the Adult Manifest Anxiety Scale-College Version Scores among College Students: A Brief Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lowe, Patricia A.; Papanastasiou, Elena C.; DeRuyck, Kimberly A.; Reynolds, Cecil R.

2005-01-01

In this study, the authors investigated the temporal stability and construct validity of the Adult Manifest Anxiety Scale-College Version (AMAS-C; C. R. Reynolds, B. O. Richmond, & P. A. Lowe, 2003b) scores. Results indicated that the AMAS-C scores had adequate to excellent test score stability, and evidence supported the construct validity of the…

Australia Ama Ata Aidoo's Diagnose and Representation of the Dilemma of the African American Diaspora in Her Play "Dilemma of a Ghost"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Al-Khafaji, Ammar Shamil Kadhim

2018-01-01

The research investigates in details about the influence of cultural differences in Postcolonial Ghana as presented in Ama Ata Aidoo's "Dilemma of a Ghost". The play centers on the cross cultural marriage of young couple; Ato Yawson, a Ghanaian who recently completed his studies in the United States and returns home, and Eulali, his…

77 FR 54571 - President's Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-09-05

... DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION President's Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities AGENCY: President's Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities (Board), U.S... agenda of the meeting of the President's Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and...

The introduction of forensic advisors in Belgium and their role in the criminal justice system.

PubMed

Bitzer, Sonja; Heudt, Laetitia; Barret, Aurélie; George, Lore; Van Dijk, Karolien; Gason, Fabrice; Renard, Bertrand

2018-05-01

Forensic advisors (FA) at the National Institute for Criminalistics and Criminology (NICC), generalists in forensic science, act as an advising body to the magistrate to improve communication between the various parties involved in the investigation: magistrate, police and crime scene investigators, and forensic experts. Their role is manifold, but their main objectives are to optimise trace processing by selecting the most pertinent traces in the context of the case and by advising magistrates on the feasibility of forensic analyses in particular circumstances in regards to the latest technical advances. Despite the absence of a legal framework governing their role and involvement in judicial cases, the demand for their services has increased over the years. Initially, forensic advisors were called for complex homicide cases. Due to the proximity with the Public Prosecutor's Office, the types of offences for which their expertise was sought have become more diverse (mainly including robbery, burglary and sexual assault cases), leading to a diversity in the types of cases handled by the forensic advisors (complex, simple and review). In many of the cases they are requested for, in addition to consulting on the best analytical strategy, forensic advisors also assume the role of case coordinator regarding the seized objects and their respective analyses. Indeed, in the majority of cases treated by the FAs, two or more types of expertise have been requested and performed, either at the internal laboratories of NICC or at external laboratories. This paper explains the role of the forensic advisors in Belgium, the path that let to their current status and problems encountered. Copyright © 2017 The Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

75 FR 80034 - Privacy Act of 1974: Notice of Proposed Privacy Act System of Records Revision and Proposed New...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-12-21

... purpose of enforcing the U.S. Grain Standards Act (USGSA) and certain provisions of the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 (AMA). GIPSA's Federal Grain Inspection Service (FGIS) administers the USGSA and... . Follow the online instructions for submitting comments. E-mail: [email protected] . Fax: (202) 690...

75 FR 53279 - President's Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-08-31

... DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION President's Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities AGENCY: U.S. Department of Education, President's Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges... schedule and agenda of the meeting of the President's Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and...

78 FR 31910 - President's Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-05-28

... DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION President's Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities AGENCY: U.S. Department of Education, President's Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges... schedule and agenda of the meeting of the President's Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and...

77 FR 4289 - President's Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-01-27

... DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION President's Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities AGENCY: U.S. Department of Education, President's Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges... schedule and agenda of the meeting of the President's Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and...

76 FR 30323 - President's Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-05-25

... DEARTMENT OF EDUCATION President's Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities AGENCY: U.S. Department of Education, President's Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges... schedule and agenda of the meeting of the President's Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and...

A Business Advisor's Guide to Counseling Theories.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boyd, John A.

For the small business advisor, consulting and counseling are part of the same continuum. Advisors' roles can be aligned hierarchically: (1) advisors may need simply to provide business information or expertise; (2) they may need to facilitate the business process, helping clients identify problems and discover their own solutions; (3) for clients…

77 FR 74837 - President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST)

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-12-18

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) AGENCY... Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST), and describes the functions of the Council. Notice of this...: The President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) is an advisory group of the...

17 CFR 4.41 - Advertising by commodity pool operators, commodity trading advisors, and the principals thereof.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... operators, commodity trading advisors, and the principals thereof. 4.41 Section 4.41 Commodity and Securities Exchanges COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING COMMISSION COMMODITY POOL OPERATORS AND COMMODITY TRADING ADVISORS Advertising § 4.41 Advertising by commodity pool operators, commodity trading advisors, and the...

Unit Level Variations And Peer Influences In Mental Health Diagnoses In The U.S. Army

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-12-01

INFLUENCES IN MENTAL HEALTH DIAGNOSES IN THE U.S. ARMY by Zhi Wen Tan Kian Wee Evwin Lee December 2017 Thesis Advisor: Yu-Chu Shen Co-Advisor...DATES COVERED Master’s thesis 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE UNIT-LEVEL VARIATIONS AND PEER INFLUENCES IN MENTAL HEALTH DIAGNOSES IN THE U.S. ARMY 5... health care system, to examine how unit-level variations in incidents of mental health diagnoses affect the likelihood of an individual developing

Small Tactical Unmanned Aerial System (STUAS) Rapid Integration and Fielding Process (RAIN)

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-09-01

121A4 September 2013 Thesis Advisor: Rama Gehris Co-Advisor: Bonnie Young THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK i REPORT...11~ ... . , - ... $tlo.rotfydle:IW#hlt I •:tl ~dciwolloCII’fil -K ~IOI’I.,....UMdto~~h..,orj ’Bj ~ $11owh~t:~I) Cft .... l’utopK i7, MtM rf Mtdlar...Trndc-off Anolysis Rcsulls ’ll•c trnde-ofl’ Analysis results will be a summary of tho conclusions derived from incorporating aml analyzing tho

Automated Control of a Solar Microgrid-Powered Air Compressor for Use in a Small-Scale Compressed Air Energy Storage System

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-06-01

in the form of fossil fuels for ships, tanks, and aircraft; however, there was still a significant consumption of fossil fuel by means of electrical...Thesis Advisor: Anthony J. Gannon Co-Advisor: Andrea Holmes THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK i REPORT DOCUMENTATION PAGE Form Approved OMB...Unclassified 19. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF ABSTRACT Unclassified 20. LIMITATION OF ABSTRACT UU NSN 7540-01-280-5500 Standard Form 298 (Rev. 2

Plan execution monitoring with distributed intelligent agents for battle command

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Allen, James P.; Barry, Kevin P.; McCormick, John M.; Paul, Ross A.

2004-07-01

As military tactics evolve toward execution centric operations the ability to analyze vast amounts of mission relevant data is essential to command and control decision making. To maintain operational tempo and achieve information superiority we have developed Vigilant Advisor, a mobile agent-based distributed Plan Execution Monitoring system. It provides military commanders with continuous contingency monitoring tailored to their preferences while overcoming the network bandwidth problem often associated with traditional remote data querying. This paper presents an overview of Plan Execution Monitoring as well as a detailed view of the Vigilant Advisor system including key features and statistical analysis of resource savings provided by its mobile agent-based approach.

Time-based air traffic management using expert systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tobias, L.; Scoggins, J. L.

1986-01-01

A prototype expert system has been developed for the time scheduling of aircraft into the terminal area. The three functions of the air-traffic-control schedule advisor are as follows: (1) for each new arrival, it develops an admisible flight plan for that aircraft; (2) as the aircraft progresses through the terminal area, it monitors deviations from the aircraft's flight plan and provides advisories to return the aircraft to its assigned schedule; and (3) if major disruptions such as missed approaches occur, it develops a revised plan. The advisor is operational on a Symbolics 3600, and is programmed in MRS (a logic programming language), Lisp, and Fortran.

Time-based air traffic management using expert systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tobias, L.; Scoggins, J. L.

1986-01-01

A prototype expert system was developed for the time scheduling of aircraft into the terminal area. The three functions of the air traffic control schedule advisor are as follows: first, for each new arrival, it develops an admissible flight plan for that aircraft. Second, as the aircraft progresses through the terminal area, it monitors deviations from the flight plan and provides advisories to return the aircraft to its assigned schedule. Third, if major disruptions such as missed approaches occur, it develops a revised plan. The advisor is operational on a Symbolics 3600, and is programed in MRS (a logic programming language), Lisp, and FORTRAN.

Asymptotic modal analysis of a rectangular acoustic cavity and characterization of its intensification zones

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Peretti, Linda F.; Dowell, Earl H.

1989-01-01

Asymptotic modal analysis (AMA) is used to study a rectangular cavity with a flexible vibrating portion on one wall and five rigid walls. The agreement between mean square pressure levels of the cavity interior calculated from classical modal analysis and from the AMA method improved as the number of responding modes increased. It is shown that intensification effects were due to both the excitation location and the response location.

KSC-2014-4645

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-12-02

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – NASA managers participate in a live online Ask Me Anything, or AMA, session for reddit.com followers during Orion preflight activities at NASA Kennedy Space Center's News Center in Florida. From left, are Mike Bolger, Ground Systems Development and Operations program manager and Mark Geyer, Orion program manager. Also participating, but not shown in the photo is Todd May, Space Launch System program manager. Discussion topics include Mars and technology. Photo credit: NASA/Frankie Martin

KSC-2014-4644

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-12-02

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – NASA managers participate in a live online Ask Me Anything, or AMA, session for reddit.com followers during Orion preflight activities at NASA Kennedy Space Center's News Center in Florida. From left, are Mike Bolger, Ground Systems Development and Operations program manager and Mark Geyer, Orion program manager. Across from them, in the plaid shirt is Todd May, Space Launch System program manager. Discussion topics include Mars and technology. Photo credit: NASA/Frankie Martin

75 FR 26815 - AdvisorShares Investments, LLC and AdvisorShares Trust; Notice of Application

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-05-12

... SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION [Investment Company Act Release No. 29264; 812-13677] AdvisorShares Investments, LLC and AdvisorShares Trust; Notice of Application May 6, 2010. AGENCY: Securities... 6(c) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (``Act'') for an exemption from sections 2(a)(32), 5(a)(1...

Advisor-Advisee Three: Graduate Students' Perceptions of Verbal Aggression, Credibility, and Conflict Styles in the Advising Relationship

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Punyanunt-Carter, Narissra M.; Wrench, Jason S.

2008-01-01

The current study looked at the relation between advisee perceptions of advisor's verbal aggression, credibility, and conflict styles. Participants were 153 graduate students who reported their perceptions concerning their advisor. First, the study found that advisee perceptions of their advisor's credibility (competence, caring/goodwill, &…

Determinants of physical activity promotion by smoking cessation advisors.

PubMed

Mas, Sébastien; Bernard, Paquito; Gourlan, Mathieu

2018-05-17

To investigate the cross-sectional association between personal physical activity (PA) level, Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) constructs toward PA promotion, and PA promotion behavior among smoking cessation advisors. 149 smoking cessation advisors were invited to complete online questionnaires. Hypotheses were tested using Bayesian path analysis. Attitudes and perceived behavioral control (PBC) of smoking cessation advisors were related to PA promotion intentions; intentions were in turn related to PA promotion behaviors. Advisors' personal PA level was indirectly associated with PA promotion behaviors through PBC and PA promotion intentions. The TPB is a relevant theoretical framework with which to explore determinants of PA promotion behavior among smoking cessation advisors. The PA level of health care professionals may be linked to PA promotion behavior through some TPB constructs. Smoking cessation advisor training should include education on attitude development (e.g., PA benefits on smoking cessation), PBC (e.g., modality of PA prescription) and PA promotion intentions (e.g., goal setting). Smoking cessation advisors should also be encouraged to regularly practice PA in order to improve their PA promotion behaviors. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

How do incentives lead to deception in advisor-client interactions? Explicit and implicit strategies of self-interested deception.

PubMed

Mackinger, Barbara; Jonas, Eva

2012-01-01

When confronted with important questions we like to rely on the advice of experts. However, uncertainty can occur regarding advisors' motivation to pursue self-interest and deceive the client. This can especially occur when the advisor has the possibility to receive an incentive by recommending a certain alternative. We investigated how the possibility to pursue self-interest led to explicit strategic behavior (bias in recommendation and transfer of information) and to implicit strategic behavior (bias in information processing: evaluation and memory). In Study 1 explicit strategic behavior could be identified: self-interested advisors recommended more often the self-serving alternative and transferred more self-interested biased information to their client compared to the advisor without specific interest. Also deception through implicit strategic behavior was identified: self-interested advisors biased the evaluation of information less in favor of the client compared to the control group. Self-interested advisors also remembered conflicting information regarding their self-interest worse compared to advisors without self-interest. In Study 2 beside self-interest we assessed accountability which interacted with self-interest and increased the bias: when accountability was high advisor's self-interest led to higher explicit strategic behavior (less transfer of conflicting information), and to higher implicit strategic behavior (devaluated and remembered less conflicting information). Both studies identified implicit strategic behavior as mediator which can explain the relation between self-interest and explicit strategic behavior. Results of both studies suggest that self-interested advisors use explicit and implicit strategic behavior to receive an incentive. Thus, advisors do not only consciously inform their clients "self-interested," but they are influenced unconsciously by biased information processing - a tendency which even increased with high accountability.

The Generic Resolution Advisor and Conflict Evaluator (GRACE) for Unmanned Aircraft Detect-And-Avoid Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Abramson, Michael; Refai, Mohamad; Santiago, Confesor

2017-01-01

The paper describes the Generic Resolution Advisor and Conflict Evaluator (GRACE), a novel alerting and guidance algorithm that combines flexibility, robustness, and computational efficiency. GRACE is generic since it was designed without any assumptions regarding temporal or spatial scales, aircraft performance, or its sensor and communication systems. Therefore, GRACE was adopted as a core component of the Java Architecture for Detect-And-Avoid (DAA) Extensibility and Modeling, developed by NASA as a research and modeling tool for Unmanned Aerial Systems Integration in the National Airspace System (NAS). GRACE has been used in a number of real-time and fast-time experiments supporting evolving requirements of DAA research, including parametric studies, NAS-wide simulations, human-in-the-loop experiments, and live flight tests.

Strain-specific Plasmodium falciparum growth inhibition among Malian children immunized with a blood-stage malaria vaccine.

PubMed

Laurens, Matthew B; Kouriba, Bourema; Bergmann-Leitner, Elke; Angov, Evelina; Coulibaly, Drissa; Diarra, Issa; Daou, Modibo; Niangaly, Amadou; Blackwelder, William C; Wu, Yukun; Cohen, Joe; Ballou, W Ripley; Vekemans, Johan; Lanar, David E; Dutta, Sheetij; Diggs, Carter; Soisson, Lorraine; Heppner, D Gray; Doumbo, Ogobara K; Plowe, Christopher V; Thera, Mahamadou A

2017-01-01

The blood-stage malaria vaccine FMP2.1/AS02A, comprised of recombinant Plasmodium falciparum apical membrane antigen 1 (AMA1) and the adjuvant system AS02A, had strain-specific efficacy against clinical malaria caused by P. falciparum with the vaccine strain 3D7 AMA1 sequence. To evaluate a potential correlate of protection, we measured the ability of participant sera to inhibit growth of 3D7 and FVO strains in vitro using high-throughput growth inhibition assay (GIA) testing. Sera from 400 children randomized to receive either malaria vaccine or a control rabies vaccine were assessed at baseline and over two annual malaria transmission seasons after immunization. Baseline GIA against vaccine strain 3D7 and FVO strain was similar in both groups, but more children in the malaria vaccine group than in the control group had 3D7 and FVO GIA activity ≥15% 30 days after the last vaccination (day 90) (49% vs. 16%, p<0.0001; and 71.8% vs. 60.4%, p = 0.02). From baseline to day 90, 3D7 GIA in the vaccine group was 7.4 times the mean increase in the control group (p<0.0001). In AMA1 vaccinees, 3D7 GIA activity subsequently returned to baseline one year after vaccination (day 364) and did not correlate with efficacy in the extended efficacy time period to day 730. In Cox proportional hazards regression models with time-varying covariates, there was a slight suggestion of an association between 3D7 GIA activity and increased risk of clinical malaria between day 90 and day 240. We conclude that vaccination with this AMA1-based malaria vaccine increased inhibition of parasite growth, but this increase was not associated with allele-specific efficacy in the first malaria season. These results provide a framework for testing functional immune correlates of protection against clinical malaria in field trials, and will help to guide similar analyses for next-generation malaria vaccines. Clinical trials registry: This clinical trial was registered on clinicaltrials.gov, registry number NCT00460525.

Strain-specific Plasmodium falciparum growth inhibition among Malian children immunized with a blood-stage malaria vaccine

PubMed Central

Kouriba, Bourema; Bergmann-Leitner, Elke; Angov, Evelina; Coulibaly, Drissa; Diarra, Issa; Daou, Modibo; Niangaly, Amadou; Blackwelder, William C.; Wu, Yukun; Cohen, Joe; Ballou, W. Ripley; Vekemans, Johan; Lanar, David E.; Dutta, Sheetij; Diggs, Carter; Soisson, Lorraine; Heppner, D. Gray; Doumbo, Ogobara K.; Plowe, Christopher V.; Thera, Mahamadou A.

2017-01-01

The blood-stage malaria vaccine FMP2.1/AS02A, comprised of recombinant Plasmodium falciparum apical membrane antigen 1 (AMA1) and the adjuvant system AS02A, had strain-specific efficacy against clinical malaria caused by P. falciparum with the vaccine strain 3D7 AMA1 sequence. To evaluate a potential correlate of protection, we measured the ability of participant sera to inhibit growth of 3D7 and FVO strains in vitro using high-throughput growth inhibition assay (GIA) testing. Sera from 400 children randomized to receive either malaria vaccine or a control rabies vaccine were assessed at baseline and over two annual malaria transmission seasons after immunization. Baseline GIA against vaccine strain 3D7 and FVO strain was similar in both groups, but more children in the malaria vaccine group than in the control group had 3D7 and FVO GIA activity ≥15% 30 days after the last vaccination (day 90) (49% vs. 16%, p<0.0001; and 71.8% vs. 60.4%, p = 0.02). From baseline to day 90, 3D7 GIA in the vaccine group was 7.4 times the mean increase in the control group (p<0.0001). In AMA1 vaccinees, 3D7 GIA activity subsequently returned to baseline one year after vaccination (day 364) and did not correlate with efficacy in the extended efficacy time period to day 730. In Cox proportional hazards regression models with time-varying covariates, there was a slight suggestion of an association between 3D7 GIA activity and increased risk of clinical malaria between day 90 and day 240. We conclude that vaccination with this AMA1-based malaria vaccine increased inhibition of parasite growth, but this increase was not associated with allele-specific efficacy in the first malaria season. These results provide a framework for testing functional immune correlates of protection against clinical malaria in field trials, and will help to guide similar analyses for next-generation malaria vaccines. Clinical trials registry: This clinical trial was registered on clinicaltrials.gov, registry number NCT00460525. PMID:28282396

The Advisor and Instructor as a Dynamic Duo: Academic Motivation and Basic Psychological Needs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burt, Tracie D.; Young-Jones, Adena D.; Yadon, Carly A.; Carr, Michael T.

2013-01-01

Students learn in and out of a formal classroom, and instructors and academic advisors play key roles in academic motivation and learning. Therefore, through the lens of self-determination theory, we examined the ways perceived support from instructors and advisors relates to satisfaction of college students' basic psychological needs. Advisor and…

In Defense of the Formula Essay

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haluska, Jan Charles

2007-01-01

In 1970, the author learned a simple step in making essays from his advisor. His advisor used a drawing of the Parthenon to illustrate the creation of a five-paragraph essay. It was obvious that his advisor was hesitant on teaching them a very simple concept of essay writing because it was pretty mechanical. Like his advisor, a lot of teachers…

Bahrain-Iran Relations in Modern Times

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-09-01

IN MODERN TIMES by Mohamed A. Al Khalifa September 2014 Thesis Co-Advisors: James Russell Mohammed Hafez THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY... Russell Thesis Advisor Mohammed Hafez Thesis Advisor Mohammed Hafez Chair, Department of National Security Affairs iii THIS PAGE...advisors, associate professor James Russell , associate professor and chair Mohammed Hafez, and assistant professor Abbas Khadim at the Department of

Technical assistance from state health departments for communities engaged in policy, systems, and environmental change: the ACHIEVE Program.

PubMed

Hefelfinger, Jenny; Patty, Alice; Ussery, Ann; Young, Walter

2013-10-24

This study assessed the value of technical assistance provided by state health department expert advisors and by the staff of the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors (NACDD) to community groups that participated in the Action Communities for Health, Innovation, and Environmental Change (ACHIEVE) Program, a CDC-funded health promotion program. We analyzed quantitative and qualitative data reported by community project coordinators to assess the nature and value of technical assistance provided by expert advisors and NACDD staff and the usefulness of ACHIEVE resources in the development and implementation of community action plans. A grounded theory approach was used to analyze and categorize phrases in text data provided by community coordinators. Open coding placed conceptual labels on text phrases. Frequency distributions of the quantitative data are described and discussed. The most valuable technical assistance and program support resources were those determined to be in the interpersonal domain (ie, interactions with state expert advisors, NACDD staff, and peer-to-peer support). The most valuable technical assistance events were action institutes, coaches' meetings, webinars, and technical assistance conference calls. This analysis suggests that ACHIEVE communities valued the management and training assistance provided by expert advisors and NACDD staff. State health department expert advisors provided technical guidance and support, including such skills or knowledge-based services as best-practice strategies, review and discussion of community assessment data, sustainability planning, and identification of possible funding opportunities. NACDD staff led development and implementation of technical assistance events.

Design of Center-TRACON Automation System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Erzberger, Heinz; Davis, Thomas J.; Green, Steven

1993-01-01

A system for the automated management and control of terminal area traffic, referred to as the Center-TRACON Automation System (CTAS), is being developed at NASA Ames Research Center. In a cooperative program, NASA and FAA have efforts underway to install and evaluate the system at the Denver area and Dallas/Ft. Worth area air traffic control facilities. This paper will review CTAS architecture, and automation functions as well as the integration of CTAS into the existing operational system. CTAS consists of three types of integrated tools that provide computer-generated advisories for both en-route and terminal area controllers to guide them in managing and controlling arrival traffic efficiently. One tool, the Traffic Management Advisor (TMA), generates runway assignments, landing sequences and landing times for all arriving aircraft, including those originating from nearby feeder airports. TMA also assists in runway configuration control and flow management. Another tool, the Descent Advisor (DA), generates clearances for the en-route controllers handling arrival flows to metering gates. The DA's clearances ensure fuel-efficient and conflict free descents to the metering gates at specified crossing times. In the terminal area, the Final Approach Spacing Tool (FAST) provides heading and speed advisories that help controllers produce an accurately spaced flow of aircraft on the final approach course. Data bases consisting of several hundred aircraft performance models, airline preferred operational procedures, and a three dimensional wind model support the operation of CTAS. The first component of CTAS, the Traffic Management Advisor, is being evaluated at the Denver TRACON and the Denver Air Route Traffic Control Center. The second component, the Final Approach Spacing Tool, will be evaluated in several stages at the Dallas/Fort Worth Airport beginning in October 1993. An initial stage of the Descent Advisor tool is being prepared for testing at the Denver Center in late 1994. Operational evaluations of all three integrated CTAS tools are expected to begin at the two field sites in 1995.

The American Medical Association Older Driver Curriculum for health professionals: changes in trainee confidence, attitudes, and practice behavior.

PubMed

Meuser, Thomas M; Carr, David B; Irmiter, Cheryl; Schwartzberg, Joanne G; Ulfarsson, Gudmundur F

2010-01-01

Few gerontology and geriatrics professionals receive training in driver fitness evaluation, state reporting of unfit drivers, or transportation mobility planning yet are often asked to address these concerns in the provision of care to older adults. The American Medical Association (AMA) developed an evidence-based, multi-media Curriculum to promote basic competences. This study evaluated reported changes in practice behaviors 3 months posttraining in 693 professionals trained via the AMA approach. Eight Teaching Teams, designated and trained by AMA staff, offered 22 training sessions across the United States in 2006 to 2007. Trainees (67% female; mean age 46) completed a pretest questionnaire and a posttest administered by mail. Physicians were the largest professional group (32%). Although many trainees acknowledged having conversations with patients about driving at pretest, few endorsed utilizing specific techniques recommended by the AMA prior to this training. The posttest response rate was 34% (n = 235). Significant improvements in reported attitudes, confidence, and practices were found across measured items. In particular, posttest data indicated new adoption of in-office screening techniques, chart documentation of driver safety concerns, and transportation alternative planning strategies. Findings suggest that a well-designed, one-time continuing education intervention can enhance health professional confidence and clinical practice concerning driver fitness evaluation and mobility planning. Targeted dissemination of this Curriculum (in-person and online) will allow more to benefit in the future.

Why Work with Undergraduate Researchers? Differences in Research Advisors' Motivations and Outcomes by Career Stage.

PubMed

Hayward, Charles N; Laursen, Sandra L; Thiry, Heather

2017-01-01

Undergraduate research is often hailed as a solution to increasing the number and quality of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics graduates needed to fill the high-tech jobs of the future. Student benefits of research are well documented but the emerging literature on advisors' perspectives is incomplete: only a few studies have included the graduate students and postdocs who often serve as research advisors, and not much is known about why research advisors choose to work with undergraduate researchers. We report the motivations for advising undergraduate researchers, and the related costs and benefits of doing so, from 30 interviews with research advisors at various career stages. Many advisors stated intrinsic motivations, but a small group of early-career advisors expressed only instrumental motivations. We explore what this means for how advisors work with student researchers, the benefits students may or may not gain from the experience, and the implications for training and retaining research advisors who can provide high-quality research experiences for undergraduate students. © 2017 C. N. Hayward et al. CBE—Life Sciences Education © 2017 The American Society for Cell Biology. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). It is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

Student goal orientation in learning inquiry skills with modifiable software advisors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shimoda, Todd A.; White, Barbara Y.; Frederiksen, John R.

2002-03-01

A computer support environment (SCI-WISE) for learning and doing science inquiry projects was designed. SCI-WISE incorporates software advisors that give general advice about a skill such as hypothesizing. By giving general advice (rather than step-by-step procedures), the system is intended to help students conduct experiments that are more epistemologically authentic. Also, students using SCI-WISE can select the type of advice the advisors give and when they give advice, as well as modify the advisors' knowledge bases. The system is based partly on a theoretical framework of levels of agency and goal orientation. This framework assumes that giving students higher levels of agency facilitates higher-level goal orientations (such as mastery or knowledge building as opposed to task completion) that in turn produce higher levels of competence. A study of sixth grade science students was conducted. Students took a pretest questionnaire that measured their goal orientations for science projects and their inquiry skills. The students worked in pairs on an open-ended inquiry project that requires complex reasoning about human memory. The students used one of two versions of SCI-WISE - one that was modifiable and one that was not. After finishing the project, the students took a posttest questionnaire similar to the pretest, and evaluated the version of the system they used. The main results showed that (a) there was no correlation of goal orientation with grade point average, (b) knowledge-oriented students using the modifiable version tended to rate SCI-WISE more helpful than task-oriented students, and (c) knowledge-oriented pairs using the nonmodifiable version tended to have higher posttest inquiry skills scores than other pair types.

Why Work with Undergraduate Researchers? Differences in Research Advisors’ Motivations and Outcomes by Career Stage

PubMed Central

Hayward, Charles N.; Laursen, Sandra L.; Thiry, Heather

2017-01-01

Undergraduate research is often hailed as a solution to increasing the number and quality of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics graduates needed to fill the high-tech jobs of the future. Student benefits of research are well documented but the emerging literature on advisors’ perspectives is incomplete: only a few studies have included the graduate students and postdocs who often serve as research advisors, and not much is known about why research advisors choose to work with undergraduate researchers. We report the motivations for advising undergraduate researchers, and the related costs and benefits of doing so, from 30 interviews with research advisors at various career stages. Many advisors stated intrinsic motivations, but a small group of early-career advisors expressed only instrumental motivations. We explore what this means for how advisors work with student researchers, the benefits students may or may not gain from the experience, and the implications for training and retaining research advisors who can provide high-quality research experiences for undergraduate students. PMID:28213583

Special Issue on Expert Systems for Department of Defense Training.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ahlers, Robert H., Ed.; And Others

1986-01-01

Features articles on topics related to use of expert systems for training: machine intelligence effectiveness in military systems applications; automated maneuvering board training system; intelligent tutoring system for electronic troubleshooting; technology development for intelligent maintenance advisors; design of intelligent computer assisted…

European organic dairy farmers' preference for animal health management within the farm management system.

PubMed

van Soest, F J S; Mourits, M C M; Hogeveen, H

2015-11-01

The expertise and knowledge of veterinary advisors on improving animal health management is key towards a better herd health status. However, veterinary advisors are not always aware of the goals and priorities of dairy farmers. To dairy farmers animal health is only one aspect of farm management and resources may be allocated to other more preferred areas. Veterinary advisors may experience this as non-compliant with their advice. To explore the preferences of European Union (EU) organic dairy farmers for improved animal health management relative to other farm management areas an adaptive conjoint analysis (ACA) was performed. A total of 215 farmers participated originating from organic dairy farms in France (n = 70), Germany (n = 60), Spain (n = 28) and Sweden (n = 57). The management areas udder health and claw health represented animal health management whereas barn, calf and pasture management represented potential conflicting management areas. Results indicate that EU organic dairy farmers differ in their preferences for improved animal health management within the farming system. In general, improved calf management was the most preferred area and improved claw health management was found to be least preferred, the remaining areas were of intermediate interest. Cluster analyses on claw health measures and udder health measures resulted in respectively seven and nine distinct preference profiles. The results indicate a high degree of variation in farmers' preference, which cannot be explained by the typical herd characteristics. With the individual preferences revealed by ACA, a veterinary advisor can now find out whether his intended advice is directed at a favourable or unfavourable management area of the farmer. If the latter is the case the veterinarian should first create awareness of the problem to the farmer. Insights in individual farmers preferences will allow veterinary advisors to better understand why farmers were incompliant with their advice and improve their advice by showing, for example, the potential benefits of their advice.

The Plasma Proteome Is Associated with Anthropometric Status of Undernourished Nepalese School-Aged Children.

PubMed

Lee, Sun Eun; Stewart, Christine P; Schulze, Kerry J; Cole, Robert N; Wu, Lee S-F; Yager, James D; Groopman, John D; Khatry, Subarna K; Adhikari, Ramesh Kant; Christian, Parul; West, Keith P

2017-03-01

Background: Malnutrition affects body growth, size, and composition of children. Yet, few functional biomarkers are known to be associated with childhood morphology. Objective: This cross-sectional study examined associations of anthropometric indicators of height, musculature, and fat mass with plasma proteins by using proteomics in a population cohort of school-aged Nepalese children. Methods: Height, weight, midupper arm circumference (MUAC), triceps and subscapular skinfolds, upper arm muscle area (AMA), and arm fat area (AFA) were assessed in 500 children 6-8 y of age. Height-for-age z scores (HAZs), weight-for-age z scores (WAZs), and body mass index-for-age z scores (BAZs) were derived from the WHO growth reference. Relative protein abundance was quantified by using tandem mass spectrometry. Protein-anthropometry associations were evaluated by linear mixed-effects models and identified as having a false discovery rate ( q ) <5%. Results: Among 982 proteins, 1, 10, 14, and 17 proteins were associated with BAZ, HAZ, MUAC, and AMA, respectively ( q < 0.05). Insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I, 2 IGF-binding proteins, and carnosinase-1 were associated with both HAZ and AMA. Proteins involved in nutrient transport, activation of innate immunity, and bone mineralization were associated with HAZ. Several extracellular matrix proteins were positively associated with AMA alone. The proteomes of MUAC and AMA substantially overlapped, whereas no proteins were associated with AFA or triceps and subscapular skinfolds. Myosin light-chain kinase, possibly reflecting leakage from muscle, was inversely associated with BAZ. The proteome of WAZ was the largest ( n = 33) and most comprehensive, including proteins involved in neural development and oxidative stress response, among others. Conclusions: Plasma proteomics confirmed known biomarkers of childhood growth and revealed novel proteins associated with lean mass in chronically undernourished children. Identified proteins may serve as candidates for assessing growth and nutritional status of children in similar undernourished settings. The antenatal micronutrient supplementation trial yielding the study cohort of children was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT00115271.

Prediction of merozoite surface protein 1 and apical membrane antigen 1 vaccine efficacies against Plasmodium chabaudi malaria based on prechallenge antibody responses.

PubMed

Lynch, Michelle M; Cernetich-Ott, Amy; Weidanz, William P; Burns, James M

2009-03-01

For the development of blood-stage malaria vaccines, there is a clear need to establish in vitro measures of the antibody-mediated and the cell-mediated immune responses that correlate with protection. In this study, we focused on establishing correlates of antibody-mediated immunity induced by immunization with apical membrane antigen 1 (AMA1) and merozoite surface protein 1(42) (MSP1(42)) subunit vaccines. To do so, we exploited the Plasmodium chabaudi rodent model, with which we can immunize animals with both protective and nonprotective vaccine formulations and allow the parasitemia in the challenged animals to peak. Vaccine formulations were varied with regard to the antigen dose, the antigen conformation, and the adjuvant used. Prechallenge antibody responses were evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and were tested for a correlation with protection against nonlethal P. chabaudi malaria, as measured by a reduction in the peak level of parasitemia. The analysis showed that neither the isotype profile nor the avidity of vaccine-induced antibodies correlated with protective efficacy. However, high titers of antibodies directed against conformation-independent epitopes were associated with poor vaccine performance and may limit the effectiveness of protective antibodies that recognize conformation-dependent epitopes. We were able to predict the efficacies of the P. chabaudi AMA1 (PcAMA1) and P. chabaudi MSP1(42) (PcMSP1(42)) vaccines only when the prechallenge antibody titers to both refolded and reduced/alkylated antigens were considered in combination. The relative importance of these two measures of vaccine-induced responses as predictors of protection differed somewhat for the PcAMA1 and the PcMSP1(42) vaccines, a finding confirmed in our final immunization and challenge study. A similar approach to the evaluation of vaccine-induced antibody responses may be useful during clinical trials of Plasmodium falciparum AMA1 and MSP1(42) vaccines.

Prediction of Merozoite Surface Protein 1 and Apical Membrane Antigen 1 Vaccine Efficacies against Plasmodium chabaudi Malaria Based on Prechallenge Antibody Responses▿

PubMed Central

Lynch, Michelle M.; Cernetich-Ott, Amy; Weidanz, William P.; Burns, James M.

2009-01-01

For the development of blood-stage malaria vaccines, there is a clear need to establish in vitro measures of the antibody-mediated and the cell-mediated immune responses that correlate with protection. In this study, we focused on establishing correlates of antibody-mediated immunity induced by immunization with apical membrane antigen 1 (AMA1) and merozoite surface protein 142 (MSP142) subunit vaccines. To do so, we exploited the Plasmodium chabaudi rodent model, with which we can immunize animals with both protective and nonprotective vaccine formulations and allow the parasitemia in the challenged animals to peak. Vaccine formulations were varied with regard to the antigen dose, the antigen conformation, and the adjuvant used. Prechallenge antibody responses were evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and were tested for a correlation with protection against nonlethal P. chabaudi malaria, as measured by a reduction in the peak level of parasitemia. The analysis showed that neither the isotype profile nor the avidity of vaccine-induced antibodies correlated with protective efficacy. However, high titers of antibodies directed against conformation-independent epitopes were associated with poor vaccine performance and may limit the effectiveness of protective antibodies that recognize conformation-dependent epitopes. We were able to predict the efficacies of the P. chabaudi AMA1 (PcAMA1) and P. chabaudi MSP142 (PcMSP142) vaccines only when the prechallenge antibody titers to both refolded and reduced/alkylated antigens were considered in combination. The relative importance of these two measures of vaccine-induced responses as predictors of protection differed somewhat for the PcAMA1 and the PcMSP142 vaccines, a finding confirmed in our final immunization and challenge study. A similar approach to the evaluation of vaccine-induced antibody responses may be useful during clinical trials of Plasmodium falciparum AMA1 and MSP142 vaccines. PMID:19116303

The Generic Resolution Advisor and Conflict Evaluator (GRACE) for Detect-And-Avoid (DAA) Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Abramson, Michael; Refai, Mohamad; Santiago, Confesor

2017-01-01

The paper describes the Generic Resolution Advisor and Conflict Evaluator (GRACE), a novel alerting and guidance algorithm that combines flexibility, robustness, and computational efficiency. GRACE is "generic" in that it makes no assumptions regarding temporal or spatial scales, aircraft performance, or its sensor and communication systems. Accordingly, GRACE is well suited to research applications where alerting and guidance is a central feature and requirements are fluid involving a wide range of aviation technologies. GRACE has been used at NASA in a number of real-time and fast-time experiments supporting evolving requirements of DAA research, including parametric studies, NAS-wide simulations, human-in-the-loop experiments, and live flight tests.

40 CFR 35.4215 - What if my group can't find an adequate number of potential sources for a technical advisor or...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... number of potential sources for a technical advisor or other contractor? 35.4215 Section 35.4215... ASSISTANCE Grants for Technical Assistance Procuring A Technical Advisor Or Other Contractor with Tag Funds § 35.4215 What if my group can't find an adequate number of potential sources for a technical advisor...

Simulation Test Of Descent Advisor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Davis, Thomas J.; Green, Steven M.

1991-01-01

Report describes piloted-simulation test of Descent Advisor (DA), subsystem of larger automation system being developed to assist human air-traffic controllers and pilots. Focuses on results of piloted simulation, in which airline crews executed controller-issued descent advisories along standard curved-path arrival routes. Crews able to achieve arrival-time precision of plus or minus 20 seconds at metering fix. Analysis of errors generated in turns resulted in further enhancements of algorithm to increase accuracies of its predicted trajectories. Evaluations by pilots indicate general support for DA concept and provide specific recommendations for improvement.

Unrealistic optimism in advice taking: A computational account.

PubMed

Leong, Yuan Chang; Zaki, Jamil

2018-02-01

Expert advisors often make surprisingly inaccurate predictions about the future, yet people heed their suggestions nonetheless. Here we provide a novel, computational account of this unrealistic optimism in advice taking. Across 3 studies, participants observed as advisors predicted the performance of a stock. Advisors varied in their accuracy, performing reliably above, at, or below chance. Despite repeated feedback, participants exhibited inflated perceptions of advisors' accuracy, and reliably "bet" on advisors' predictions more than their performance warranted. Participants' decisions tightly tracked a computational model that makes 2 assumptions: (a) people hold optimistic initial expectations about advisors, and (b) people preferentially incorporate information that adheres to their expectations when learning about advisors. Consistent with model predictions, explicitly manipulating participants' initial expectations altered their optimism bias and subsequent advice-taking. With well-calibrated initial expectations, participants no longer exhibited an optimism bias. We then explored crowdsourced ratings as a strategy to curb unrealistic optimism in advisors. Star ratings for each advisor were collected from an initial group of participants, which were then shown to a second group of participants. Instead of calibrating expectations, these ratings propagated and exaggerated the unrealistic optimism. Our results provide a computational account of the cognitive processes underlying inflated perceptions of expertise, and explore the boundary conditions under which they occur. We discuss the adaptive value of this optimism bias, and how our account can be extended to explain unrealistic optimism in other domains. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

A Workflow-based Intelligent Network Data Movement Advisor with End-to-end Performance Optimization

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

Zhu, Michelle M.; Wu, Chase Q.

2013-11-07

Next-generation eScience applications often generate large amounts of simulation, experimental, or observational data that must be shared and managed by collaborative organizations. Advanced networking technologies and services have been rapidly developed and deployed to facilitate such massive data transfer. However, these technologies and services have not been fully utilized mainly because their use typically requires significant domain knowledge and in many cases application users are even not aware of their existence. By leveraging the functionalities of an existing Network-Aware Data Movement Advisor (NADMA) utility, we propose a new Workflow-based Intelligent Network Data Movement Advisor (WINDMA) with end-to-end performance optimization formore » this DOE funded project. This WINDMA system integrates three major components: resource discovery, data movement, and status monitoring, and supports the sharing of common data movement workflows through account and database management. This system provides a web interface and interacts with existing data/space management and discovery services such as Storage Resource Management, transport methods such as GridFTP and GlobusOnline, and network resource provisioning brokers such as ION and OSCARS. We demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed transport-support workflow system in several use cases based on its implementation and deployment in DOE wide-area networks.« less

Unmanned Tactical Autonomous Control and Collaboration Measures of Performance and Measures of Effectiveness

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-09-01

September 2016 Thesis Advisor: Dan Boger Co-Advisor: Scot Miller THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK i REPORT DOCUMENTATION PAGE Form Approved... Scot Miller Co-Advisor Dan Boger Chair, Information Sciences Department iv THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK v ABSTRACT As the technological...The authors would like to thank their advisors, Scot Miller and Dr. Dan Boger, for their incredibly helpful guidance and feedback on the development

The role of religious advisors in mental health care in the World Mental Health surveys.

PubMed

Kovess-Masfety, Vivianne; Evans-Lacko, Sara; Williams, David; Andrade, Laura Helena; Benjet, Corina; Ten Have, Margreet; Wardenaar, Klaas; Karam, Elie G; Bruffaerts, Ronny; Abdumalik, Jibril; Haro Abad, Josep Maria; Florescu, Silvia; Wu, Benjamin; De Jonge, Peter; Altwaijri, Yasmina; Hinkov, Hristo; Kawakami, Norito; Caldas-de-Almeida, Jose Miguel; Bromet, Evelyn; de Girolamo, Giovanni; Posada-Villa, José; Al-Hamzawi, Ali; Huang, Yueqin; Hu, Chiyi; Viana, Maria Carmen; Fayyad, John; Medina-Mora, Maria Elena; Demyttenaere, Koen; Lepine, Jean-Pierre; Murphy, Samuel; Xavier, Miguel; Takeshima, Tadashi; Gureje, Oye

2017-03-01

To examine the role of religious advisors in mental health care (MHC) according to disorder severity, socio-demographics, religious involvement and country income groups. Face to face household surveys in ten high income (HI), six upper-middle income (UMI) and five low/lower-middle (LLMI) income countries totalling 101,258 adults interviewed with the WMH CIDI plus questions on use of care for mental health problems and religiosity. 1.1% of participants turned to religious providers for MHC in the past year. Among those using services, 12.3% used religious services; as much as 30% in some LLMI countries, around 20% in some UMI; in the HI income countries USA, Germany, Italy and Japan are between 15 and 10% whenever the remaining countries are much lower. In LLMI 20.9% used religious advisors for the most severe mental disorders compared to 12.3 in UMI and 9.5% in HI. For severe cases most of religious providers use occurred together with formal care except in Nigeria, Iraq and Ukraine where, respectively, 41.6, 25.7 and 17.7% of such services are outside any formal care. Frequency of attendance at religious services was a strong predictor of religious provider usage OR 6.5 for those who attended over once a week (p < 0.0001); as seeking comfort "often" through religion in case of difficulties OR was 3.6 (p = 0.004) while gender and individual income did not predict use of religious advisors nor did the type of religious affiliation; in contrast young people use them more as well as divorced and widowed OR 1.4 (p = 0.02). Some country differences persisted after controlling for all these factors. Religious advisors play an important role in mental health care and require appropriate training and collaboration with formal mental healthcare systems. Religious attitudes are strong predictors of religious advisors usage.

Transgenic approach to improve wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) nutritional quality.

PubMed

Tamás, Cecília; Kisgyörgy, Boglárka N; Rakszegi, Mariann; Wilkinson, Mark D; Yang, Moon-Sik; Láng, László; Tamás, László; Bedo, Zoltán

2009-07-01

An amaranth (Amaranthus hypochondriacus) albumin gene, encoding the 35-kDa AmA1 protein of the seed, with a high content of essential amino acids, was used in the biolistic transformation of bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) variety Cadenza. The transformation cassette carried the ama1 gene under the control of a powerful wheat endosperm-specific promoter (1Bx17 HMW-GS). Southern-blot analysis of T(1) lines confirmed the integration of the foreign gene, while RT-PCR and Western-blot analyses of the samples confirmed the transcription and translation of the transgene. The effects of the extra albumin protein on the properties of flour, produced from bulked T(2) seeds, were calculated using total protein and essential amino acid content analysis, polymeric/monomeric protein and HMW/LMW glutenin subunit ratio measurements. The results indicated that not only can essential amino acid content be increased, but some parameters associated with functional quality may also be improved because of the expression of the AmA1 protein.

Experimental verification of the asymtotic modal analysis method as applied to a rectangular acoustic cavity excited by structural vibration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Peretti, L. F.; Dowell, E. H.

1992-01-01

An experiment was performed on a rigid wall rectangular acoustic cavity driven by a flexible plate mounted in a quarter of one end wall and excited by white noise. The experiment was designed so that the assumptions of Asymptotic Modal Analysis (AMA) were satisfied for certain bandwidths and center frequencies. Measurements of sound pressure levels at points along the boundaries and incrementally into tbe interior were taken. These were compared with the theoretical results predicted with AMA, and found to be in good agreement, particularly for moderate (1/3 octave) bandwidths and sufficiently high center frequencies. Sound pressure level measurements were also taken well into the cavity interior at various points along the 5 totally rigid walls. The AMA theory, including boundary intensification effects, was shown to be accurate provided the assumption of large number of acoustic modes is satisfied, and variables such as power spectra of the wall acceleration, frequency, and damping are slowly varying in the frequency of bandwidth.

Effects of tributyltin on metamorphosis and gonadal differentiation of Xenopus laevis at environmentally relevant concentrations.

PubMed

Shi, Huahong; Zhu, Pan; Guo, Suzhen

2014-05-01

Tributyltin (TBT), a well known endocrine disruptor, has high teratogenicity to embryos of amphibian (Xenopus tropicalis). An amphibian metamorphosis assay (AMA) and a complete AMA (CAMA) were conducted for TBT. In AMA, the body weight, the snout-to-vent length and the hind limb length of X. laevis tadpoles were decreased in tributyltin chloride (TBTCl; 12.5-200 ng/L) treatment groups after 7 days exposure. TBT greatly retarded the development of tadpoles, decreased the number of follicle and induced thyroid follicle cell hyperplasia after 19 days exposure. In CAMA, 10 and 100 ng/L TBTCl led to various malformations of gonad, including intersex, segmental aplasia and multiple ovary cavities of X. laevis following exposure from stages 46 to stage 66. The sex ratio was male-biased in TBT treatment groups. These results suggest that TBT delayed the metamorphosis, inhibited the growth of tadpoles and disrupted the gonadal differentiation of X. laevis at environmentally relevant concentrations.

Technical Assistance From State Health Departments for Communities Engaged in Policy, Systems, and Environmental Change: The ACHIEVE Program

PubMed Central

Hefelfinger, Jenny; Patty, Alice; Ussery, Ann

2013-01-01

Introduction This study assessed the value of technical assistance provided by state health department expert advisors and by the staff of the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors (NACDD) to community groups that participated in the Action Communities for Health, Innovation, and Environmental Change (ACHIEVE) Program, a CDC-funded health promotion program. Methods We analyzed quantitative and qualitative data reported by community project coordinators to assess the nature and value of technical assistance provided by expert advisors and NACDD staff and the usefulness of ACHIEVE resources in the development and implementation of community action plans. A grounded theory approach was used to analyze and categorize phrases in text data provided by community coordinators. Open coding placed conceptual labels on text phrases. Frequency distributions of the quantitative data are described and discussed. Results The most valuable technical assistance and program support resources were those determined to be in the interpersonal domain (ie, interactions with state expert advisors, NACDD staff, and peer-to-peer support). The most valuable technical assistance events were action institutes, coaches’ meetings, webinars, and technical assistance conference calls. Conclusion This analysis suggests that ACHIEVE communities valued the management and training assistance provided by expert advisors and NACDD staff. State health department expert advisors provided technical guidance and support, including such skills or knowledge-based services as best-practice strategies, review and discussion of community assessment data, sustainability planning, and identification of possible funding opportunities. NACDD staff led development and implementation of technical assistance events. PMID:24157078

System Engineering Concept Demonstration, Process Model. Volume 3

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-12-01

Process or Process Model The System Engineering process must be the enactment of the aforementioned definitions. Therefore, a process is an enactment of a...Prototype Tradeoff Scenario demonstrates six levels of abstraction in the Process Model. The Process Model symbology is explained within the "Help" icon ...dnofing no- ubeq t"vidi e /hn -am-a. lmi IzyuO ..pu Row _e._n au"c.ue-w’ ’- anuiildyidwile b ie htplup ?~imsav D symbo ,,ue,.dvu ,,dienl Flw s--..,fu..I

KSC-2014-4646

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-12-02

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – NASA managers participate in a live online Ask Me Anything, or AMA, session for reddit.com followers during Orion preflight activities at NASA Kennedy Space Center's News Center in Florida. Participating are Mike Bolger, Ground Systems Development and Operations program manager Mark Geyer, Orion program manager and Todd May, Space Launch System program manager. Discussion topics include Mars and technology. Monitoring the live discussion is Brandi Dean, public affairs specialist from Johnson Space Center in Houston. Photo credit: NASA/Frankie Martin

Returning to Our Small Wars Roots: Preparing Marine Advisors to Help Other Lands Meet Future Threats

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-04-26

1918 uprising. Not surprisingly, the best qualified Marines like Smedley Butler were sent to France, adding to these challenges. When confronted... Robert S. McNamara authorized advisors for each province and advisory teams for each combat battalion. In addition to the increased role advisors...University of Pennsylvania Press, 2009), 51. 17 Ibid, 40. 18 Ibid. 19 Ramsey III, Robert D., Advising Indigenous Forces: American Advisors in

Math Anxiety Assessment with the Abbreviated Math Anxiety Scale: Applicability and Usefulness: Insights from the Polish Adaptation

PubMed Central

Cipora, Krzysztof; Szczygieł, Monika; Willmes, Klaus; Nuerk, Hans-Christoph

2015-01-01

Math anxiety has an important impact on mathematical development and performance. However, although math anxiety is supposed to be a transcultural trait, assessment instruments are scarce and are validated mainly for Western cultures so far. Therefore, we aimed at examining the transcultural generality of math anxiety by a thorough investigation of the validity of math anxiety assessment in Eastern Europe. We investigated the validity and reliability of a Polish adaptation of the Abbreviated Math Anxiety Scale (AMAS), known to have very good psychometric characteristics in its original, American-English version as well as in its Italian and Iranian adaptations. We also observed high reliability, both for internal consistency and test-retest stability of the AMAS in the Polish sample. The results also show very good construct, convergent and discriminant validity: The factorial structure in Polish adult participants (n = 857) was very similar to the one previously found in other samples; AMAS scores correlated moderately in expected directions with state and trait anxiety, self-assessed math achievement and skill as well temperamental traits of emotional reactivity, briskness, endurance, and perseverance. Average scores obtained by participants as well as gender differences and correlations with external measures were also similar across cultures. Beyond the cultural comparison, we used path model analyses to show that math anxiety relates to math grades and self-competence when controlling for trait anxiety. The current study shows transcultural validity of math anxiety assessment with the AMAS. PMID:26648893

Math Anxiety Assessment with the Abbreviated Math Anxiety Scale: Applicability and Usefulness: Insights from the Polish Adaptation.

PubMed

Cipora, Krzysztof; Szczygieł, Monika; Willmes, Klaus; Nuerk, Hans-Christoph

2015-01-01

Math anxiety has an important impact on mathematical development and performance. However, although math anxiety is supposed to be a transcultural trait, assessment instruments are scarce and are validated mainly for Western cultures so far. Therefore, we aimed at examining the transcultural generality of math anxiety by a thorough investigation of the validity of math anxiety assessment in Eastern Europe. We investigated the validity and reliability of a Polish adaptation of the Abbreviated Math Anxiety Scale (AMAS), known to have very good psychometric characteristics in its original, American-English version as well as in its Italian and Iranian adaptations. We also observed high reliability, both for internal consistency and test-retest stability of the AMAS in the Polish sample. The results also show very good construct, convergent and discriminant validity: The factorial structure in Polish adult participants (n = 857) was very similar to the one previously found in other samples; AMAS scores correlated moderately in expected directions with state and trait anxiety, self-assessed math achievement and skill as well temperamental traits of emotional reactivity, briskness, endurance, and perseverance. Average scores obtained by participants as well as gender differences and correlations with external measures were also similar across cultures. Beyond the cultural comparison, we used path model analyses to show that math anxiety relates to math grades and self-competence when controlling for trait anxiety. The current study shows transcultural validity of math anxiety assessment with the AMAS.

Back to the future: The AMA and religion, 1961-1974.

PubMed

Kim, Daniel T; Curlin, Farr A; Wolenberg, Kelly M; Sulmasy, Daniel P

2014-12-01

U.S. medical scholarship and education regarding religion and spirituality has been growing rapidly in recent years. This rising interest, however, is not new; it is a renewal of significant interweavings that date back to the mid-20th century. In this Perspective, the authors draw attention to the little-known history of organized medicine's engagement with religion from 1961 to 1974. Relying on primary source documents, they recount the dramatic rise and fall of the Committee on Medicine and Religion (CMR) at the American Medical Association (AMA). At its height, there were state-level committees on medicine and religion in 49 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico, and there were county-level committees in over 800 county medical societies. Thousands of physicians attended annual conferences for clinicians and clergy, and direct outreach to patients included a film viewed by millions. The CMR arose in the context of rapid medical advances, the growth of professional chaplaincy, and concern for declining "humanism" in medicine-conditions with parallels in medicine today. The CMR was brought to a puzzling end in 1972 by the AMA's Board of Trustees. The authors argue that this termination was linked to the AMA's long and contentious debate on abortion. They conclude with the story's significance for today's explorations of the intersection of spirituality, religion, and medicine, focusing on the need for mutual respect, transparency, and dialogue around the needs of patients and physicians.

Molecular Basis of Allele-Specific Efficacy of a Blood-Stage Malaria Vaccine: Vaccine Development Implications

PubMed Central

Ouattara, Amed; Takala-Harrison, Shannon; Thera, Mahamadou A.; Coulibaly, Drissa; Niangaly, Amadou; Saye, Renion; Tolo, Youssouf; Dutta, Sheetij; Heppner, D. Gray; Soisson, Lorraine; Diggs, Carter L.; Vekemans, Johan; Cohen, Joe; Blackwelder, William C.; Dube, Tina; Laurens, Matthew B.; Doumbo, Ogobara K.; Plowe, Christopher V.

2013-01-01

The disappointing efficacy of blood-stage malaria vaccines may be explained in part by allele-specific immune responses that are directed against polymorphic epitopes on blood-stage antigens. FMP2.1/AS02A, a blood-stage candidate vaccine based on apical membrane antigen 1 (AMA1) from the 3D7 strain of Plasmodium falciparum, had allele-specific efficacy against clinical malaria in a phase II trial in Malian children. We assessed the cross-protective efficacy of the malaria vaccine and inferred which polymorphic amino acid positions in AMA1 were the targets of protective allele-specific immune responses. FMP2.1/AS02A had the highest efficacy against AMA1 alleles that were identical to the 3D7 vaccine-type allele at 8 highly polymorphic amino acid positions in the cluster 1 loop (c1L) but differed from 3D7 elsewhere in the molecule. Comparison of the incidence of vaccine-type alleles before and after vaccination in the malaria vaccine and control groups and examination of the patterns of allele change at polymorphic positions in consecutive malaria episodes suggest that the highly polymorphic amino acid position 197 in c1L was the most critical determinant of allele-specific efficacy. These results indicate that a multivalent AMA1 vaccine with broad efficacy could include only a limited set of key alleles of this extremely polymorphic antigen. PMID:23204168

Yellow flowers generated by expression of the aurone biosynthetic pathway

PubMed Central

Ono, Eiichiro; Fukuchi-Mizutani, Masako; Nakamura, Noriko; Fukui, Yuko; Yonekura-Sakakibara, Keiko; Yamaguchi, Masaatsu; Nakayama, Toru; Tanaka, Takaharu; Kusumi, Takaaki; Tanaka, Yoshikazu

2006-01-01

Flower color is most often conferred by colored flavonoid pigments. Aurone flavonoids confer a bright yellow color on flowers such as snapdragon (Antirrhinum majus) and dahlia (Dahlia variabilis). A. majus aureusidin synthase (AmAS1) was identified as the key enzyme that catalyzes aurone biosynthesis from chalcones, but transgenic flowers overexpressing AmAS1 gene failed to produce aurones. Here, we report that chalcone 4′-O-glucosyltransferase (4′CGT) is essential for aurone biosynthesis and yellow coloration in vivo. Coexpression of the Am4′CGT and AmAS1 genes was sufficient for the accumulation of aureusidin 6-O-glucoside in transgenic flowers (Torenia hybrida). Furthermore, their coexpression combined with down-regulation of anthocyanin biosynthesis by RNA interference (RNAi) resulted in yellow flowers. An Am4′CGT-GFP chimeric protein localized in the cytoplasm, whereas the AmAS1(N1-60)-RFP chimeric protein was localized to the vacuole. We therefore conclude that chalcones are 4′-O-glucosylated in the cytoplasm, their 4′-O-glucosides transported to the vacuole, and therein enzymatically converted to aurone 6-O-glucosides. This metabolic pathway is unique among the known examples of flavonoid, including anthocyanin biosynthesis because, for all other compounds, the carbon backbone is completed before transport to the vacuole. Our findings herein not only demonstrate the biochemical basis of aurone biosynthesis but also open the way to engineering yellow flowers for major ornamental species lacking this color variant. PMID:16832053

77 FR 25210 - Advisors Series Trust and Orinda Asset Management, LLC; Notice of Application

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-04-27

.... FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Laura L. Solomon, Senior Counsel, at (202) 551-6915, or Jennifer L..., and the four managing partners of the Advisor each have a minority interest in the Advisor. The...

What Are Faculty Advisors To Do When Their Own Career Path Does Not Satisfy Their Students?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McManus, D. A.

2001-12-01

As graduate students seek advice on broad career options, many faculty advisors do not know what to do. It is easy for them to do nothing. They may do nothing because they assume that their own students are interested only in an academic research career like theirs. The mistake here can be that the advisors' verbal and non-verbal communication deters students from mentioning their interests in the first place or pursuing those interests, if mentioned. Or advisors may do nothing by assuming that it is not their responsibility to advise students about career options other than being an academic researcher. The advisors' lack of knowledge about other careers may lead them to avoid the issue. The mistake here is obvious. So what are advisors to do? They can encourage students to think of their graduate study as part of their career preparation, not just a task to obtain a research degree. Creating a risk-free environment for career discussion will enable faculty advisors to learn each student's career priorities and validate exploration of broad career options. Advisors should not feel inadequate by being unable to advise about everything. No one expects them to. They can encourage their students to meet together, on their own if necessary, to discuss common career concerns, even to invite speakers, including alums, to talk about different careers and the preparation required. They can encourage their students to seek additional mentors, people more knowledgeable about careers of interest to the students. They can encourage students to take courses for career preparation, particularly courses outside of science, even though these courses "take them away from their research." And advisors should not hold students at fault if they change their minds about career paths. More information often changes minds. These are a few of the many things that advisors can do. It is essential that faculty advisors not resent students' decisions to follow a career path different from the advisors' or, for students wanting a faculty position, decisions to prepare themselves for teaching as well as research. Conflicts that do arise can at least be alleviated if these differences of opinion or goals are taken to be like the conflicts between offspring and parents, a normal part of maturing into one's own person.

Informing Mexico's Distributed Generation Policy with System Advisor Model (SAM) Analysis

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

Aznar, Alexandra Y; Zinaman, Owen R; McCall, James D

The Government of Mexico recognizes the potential for clean distributed generation (DG) to meaningfully contribute to Mexico's clean energy and emissions reduction goals. However, important questions remain about how to fairly value DG and foster inclusive and equitable market growth that is beneficial to investors, electricity ratepayers, electricity distributors, and society. The U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has partnered with power sector institutions and stakeholders in Mexico to provide timely analytical support and expertise to help inform policymaking processes on clean DG. This document describes two technical assistance interventions that used the System Advisor Model (SAM) to inform Mexico'smore » DG policymaking processes with a focus on rooftop solar regulation and policy.« less

MVP-CA Methodology for the Expert System Advocate's Advisor (ESAA)

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1997-11-01

The Multi-Viewpoint Clustering Analysis (MVP-CA) tool is a semi-automated tool to provide a valuable aid for comprehension, verification, validation, maintenance, integration, and evolution of complex knowledge-based software systems. In this report,...

Recent Updates to the System Advisor Model (SAM)

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

DiOrio, Nicholas A

The System Advisor Model (SAM) is a mature suite of techno-economic models for many renewable energy technologies that can be downloaded for free as a desktop application or software development kit. SAM is used for system-level modeling, including generating performance pro the release of the code as an open source project on GitHub. Other additions that will be covered include the ability to download data directly into SAM from the National Solar Radiation Database (NSRDB) and up- dates to a user-interface macro that assists with PV system sizing. A brief update on SAM's battery model and its integration with themore » detailed photovoltaic model will also be discussed. Finally, an outline of planned work for the next year will be presented, including the addition of a bifacial model, support for multiple MPPT inputs for detailed inverter modeling, and the addition of a model for inverter thermal behavior.« less

Ethnographic interviews to elicit patients' reactions to an intelligent interactive telephone health behavior advisor system.

PubMed

Kaplan, B; Farzanfar, R; Friedman, R H

1999-01-01

Information technology is being used to collect data directly from patients and to provide educational information to them. Concern over patient reactions to this use of information technology is especially important in light of the debate over whether computers dehumanize patients. This study reports reactions that patient users expressed in ethnographic interviews about using a computer-based telecommunications system. The interviews were conducted as part of a larger evaluation of Telephone-Linked Care (TLC)-HealthCall, an intelligent interactive telephone advisor, that advised individuals about how to improve their health through changes in diet or exercise. Interview findings suggest that people formed personal relationships with the TLC system. These relationships ranged from feeling guilty about their diet or exercise behavior to feeling love for the voice. The findings raise system design and user interface issues as well as research and ethical questions.

Ethnographic interviews to elicit patients' reactions to an intelligent interactive telephone health behavior advisor system.

PubMed Central

Kaplan, B.; Farzanfar, R.; Friedman, R. H.

1999-01-01

Information technology is being used to collect data directly from patients and to provide educational information to them. Concern over patient reactions to this use of information technology is especially important in light of the debate over whether computers dehumanize patients. This study reports reactions that patient users expressed in ethnographic interviews about using a computer-based telecommunications system. The interviews were conducted as part of a larger evaluation of Telephone-Linked Care (TLC)-HealthCall, an intelligent interactive telephone advisor, that advised individuals about how to improve their health through changes in diet or exercise. Interview findings suggest that people formed personal relationships with the TLC system. These relationships ranged from feeling guilty about their diet or exercise behavior to feeling love for the voice. The findings raise system design and user interface issues as well as research and ethical questions. PMID:10566420

Expert Maintenance Advisor Development for Navy Shipboard Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-01-01

Estoril (EDEN) Chair: Xavier Alaman, Instituto de Ingenieria del Conocimiento, SPAIN "A Model of Handling Uncertainty in Expert Systems," 01 Zhao...for Supervisory Process Control," Xavier Alaman, Instituto de Ingenieria del Conocimiento, SPAIN - (L) INTEGRATED KNOWLEDGE BASED SYSTEMS IN POWER

Social Science Advising.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Geis, Gilbert; Huston, Ted L.

1995-01-01

Faculty advisors must help social sciences students understand their many options, from immediate postbaccalaureate fieldwork to graduate-level professoriate preparation. Social sciences advisors should use their interest in human behavior to design research identifying crucial ingredients of a successful advisor-advisee relationship and to match…

Pilot vehicle interface on the advanced fighter technology integration F-16

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dana, W. H.; Smith, W. B.; Howard, J. D.

1986-01-01

This paper focuses on the work load aspects of the pilot vehicle interface in regard to the new technologies tested during AMAS Phase II. Subjects discussed in this paper include: a wide field-of-view head-up display; automated maneuvering attack system/sensor tracker system; master modes that configure flight controls and mission avionics; a modified helmet mounted sight; improved multifunction display capability; a voice interactive command system; ride qualities during automated weapon delivery; a color moving map; an advanced digital map display; and a g-induced loss-of-consciousness and spatial disorientation autorecovery system.

Exploring Earthquakes in Real-Time

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bravo, T. K.; Kafka, A. L.; Coleman, B.; Taber, J. J.

2013-12-01

Earthquakes capture the attention of students and inspire them to explore the Earth. Adding the ability to view and explore recordings of significant and newsworthy earthquakes in real-time makes the subject even more compelling. To address this opportunity, the Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology (IRIS), in collaboration with Moravian College, developed ';jAmaSeis', a cross-platform application that enables students to access real-time earthquake waveform data. Students can watch as the seismic waves are recorded on their computer, and can be among the first to analyze the data from an earthquake. jAmaSeis facilitates student centered investigations of seismological concepts using either a low-cost educational seismograph or streamed data from other educational seismographs or from any seismic station that sends data to the IRIS Data Management System. After an earthquake, students can analyze the seismograms to determine characteristics of earthquakes such as time of occurrence, distance from the epicenter to the station, magnitude, and location. The software has been designed to provide graphical clues to guide students in the analysis and assist in their interpretations. Since jAmaSeis can simultaneously record up to three stations from anywhere on the planet, there are numerous opportunities for student driven investigations. For example, students can explore differences in the seismograms from different distances from an earthquake and compare waveforms from different azimuthal directions. Students can simultaneously monitor seismicity at a tectonic plate boundary and in the middle of the plate regardless of their school location. This can help students discover for themselves the ideas underlying seismic wave propagation, regional earthquake hazards, magnitude-frequency relationships, and the details of plate tectonics. The real-time nature of the data keeps the investigations dynamic, and offers students countless opportunities to explore.

Self-assembling cyclic tetrapeptide from alternating C-linked carbo-beta-amino acid [(S)-beta-Caa] and alpha-aminoxy acid [(R)-Ama]: a selective chloride ion receptor.

PubMed

Sharma, Gangavaram V M; Manohar, Vennampalli; Dutta, Samit Kumar; Sridhar, Bojja; Ramesh, Venna; Srinivas, Ragampeta; Kunwar, Ajit C

2010-02-19

A cyclic tetrapeptide is prepared from alternating (S)-beta-Caa (C-linked carbo-beta-amino acid) and (R)-Ama (alpha-aminoxy acid). Extensive NMR (in CDCl(3) solution) and mass spectral (MS) studies show its halide binding capacity, with a special affinity to the chloride ion. At higher concentration it was found to form molecular aggregates as evidenced from transmission electron microscopic and atomic force microscopic analysis, confirming the formation of nanorods.

Study of the true performance limits of the Astrometric Multiplexing Area Scanner (AMAS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Frederick, L. W.; Mcalister, H. A.

1975-01-01

The Astrometric Multiplexing Area Scanner (AMAS) is an instrument designed to perform photoelectric long focus astrometry of small fields. Modulation of a telescope focal plane with a rotating Ronchi ruling produces a frequency modulated signal from which relative positions and magnitudes can be extracted. Evaluation instrumental precision, accuracy and resolution characteristics with respect to a variety of instrumental and cosmical parameters indicates 1.5 micron precision and accuracy for single stars under specific conditions. This value decreases for increased number of field stars, particularly for fainter stars.

An intelligent, knowledge-based multiple criteria decision making advisor for systems design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Yongchang

In systems engineering, design and operation of systems are two main problems which always attract researcher's attentions. The accomplishment of activities in these problems often requires proper decisions to be made so that the desired goal can be achieved, thus, decision making needs to be carefully fulfilled in the design and operation of systems. Design is a decision making process which permeates through out the design process, and is at the core of all design activities. In modern aircraft design, more and more attention is paid to the conceptual and preliminary design phases so as to increase the odds of choosing a design that will ultimately be successful at the completion of the design process, therefore, decisions made during these early design stages play a critical role in determining the success of a design. Since aerospace systems are complex systems with interacting disciplines and technologies, the Decision Makers (DMs) dealing with such design problems are involved in balancing the multiple, potentially conflicting attributes/criteria, transforming a large amount of customer supplied guidelines into a solidly defined set of requirement definitions. Thus, one could state with confidence that modern aerospace system design is a Multiple Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) process. A variety of existing decision making methods are available to deal with this type of decision problems. The selection of the most appropriate decision making method is of particular importance since inappropriate decision methods are likely causes of misleading engineering design decisions. With no sufficient knowledge about each of the methods, it is usually difficult for the DMs to find an appropriate analytical model capable of solving their problems. In addition, with the complexity of the decision problem and the demand for more capable methods increasing, new decision making methods are emerging with time. These various methods exacerbate the difficulty of the selection of an appropriate decision making method. Furthermore, some DMs may be exclusively using one or two specific methods which they are familiar with or trust and not realizing that they may be inappropriate to handle certain classes of the problems, thus yielding erroneous results. These issues reveal that in order to ensure a good decision a suitable decision method should be chosen before the decision making process proceeds. The first part of this dissertation proposes an MCDM process supported by an intelligent, knowledge-based advisor system referred to as Multi-Criteria Interactive Decision-Making Advisor and Synthesis process (MIDAS), which is able to facilitate the selection of the most appropriate decision making method and which provides insight to the user for fulfilling different preferences. The second part of this dissertation presents an autonomous decision making advisor which is capable of dealing with ever-evolving real time information and making autonomous decisions under uncertain conditions. The advisor encompasses a Markov Decision Process (MDP) formulation which takes uncertainty into account when determines the best action for each system state. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

THE GODFATHER DOCTRINE SECURITY FORCE ASSISTANCE (SFA) TRAINING - AN OFFER THE MARINE CORPS CAN’T REFUSE

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-02-16

additional duty. Proven advisors can be assigned to training or policy billets where advisor advocacy is desired. Additionally , they serve as advisors...USMC SFA success has history from the Philippines through Banana Wars, WWII, Vietnam, and most recently Iraq and Afghanistan. The current de-emphasis... values . An individual who is too quick, (Sonny), or too slow, (Fredo), to make a decision will fail as an advisor. The Marine Corps must identify and

Big Data: Big Confusion? Big Challenges?

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-05-01

ENERGY. ·•1•·•1•· ~ CISCO ~ ~ ~~ Carolinas HcalthCarc System ........•••••••............•••••••••••••••••••••.......................•. 12th Annual...making operational efficiency • Generating new data sources • Predictive analytics • Market research (AMA Survey top 5) 12th Annual

Automation of Armored Four Wheel Counter Steer Vehicles

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-08-28

designed and implemented with an operator ease-of-use approach, allowing the simple transition between manual control and autonomous operation. Automation...Public Release The U.S. Army’s efforts in vehicle auto- mation are designed in part to protect soldiers in the field as they traverse poten- tially...System (AMAS) convoy autonomy, sensor, and drive-by-wire kits, to ground-up autonomous vehicle designs , such as TARDEC’s Autonomous Platform

77 FR 29621 - President's Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-05-18

... (Secretary) on all matters pertaining to strengthening the educational capacity of Historically Black... DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION President's Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities AGENCY: U.S. Department of Education, President's Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges...

76 FR 55368 - President's Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-09-07

... all matters pertaining to strengthening the educational capacity of Historically Black Colleges and... DEARTMENT OF EDUCATION President's Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities AGENCY: U.S. Department of Education, President's Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges...

76 FR 7550 - President's Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-02-10

... all matters pertaining to strengthening the educational capacity of Historically Black Colleges and... DEARTMENT OF EDUCATION President's Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities AGENCY: U.S. Department of Education, President's Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges...

31 CFR 10.33 - Best practices for tax advisors.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE Duties and Restrictions Relating to Practice Before the Internal Revenue... Internal Revenue Service. (b) Procedures to ensure best practices for tax advisors. Tax advisors with... or assisting in the preparation of submissions to the Internal Revenue Service should take reasonable...

Mentoring Support and Relational Uncertainty in the Advisor-Advisee Relationship

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mansson, Daniel H.; Myers, Scott A.

2013-01-01

We examine the extent to which career mentoring and psychosocial mentoring received from their advisors relates to advisee perceptions of advisor-advisee relational uncertainty. Doctoral students (N = 378) completed the "Academic Mentoring Behaviors Scale" (Schrodt, Cawyer, & Sanders, 2003), the "Mentoring and Communication…

Partnering With a Family Advisor to Improve Communication in a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit.

PubMed

Czulada, Laura; Leino, Patience; Willis, Tina Schade

2016-11-01

Inadequate communication between medical teams and families can lead to errors and poor-quality care. The objective was to understand why communication between the clinical team and families was not occurring consistently in the pediatric intensive care unit and improve the system using a multidisciplinary improvement team including a family advisor. This improvement project used Lean Six Sigma. The team observed updates and collected documented communication, survey, interview, and focus group data from families and staff. Root causes of failures included lack of assigned responsibility, lack of defined daily update, and lack of a daily communication standard. Process changes were implemented, resulting in an increased mean documented communication rate from 13% pre intervention to 65% post intervention that was sustained for more than 2 years (P < .001). Including a family advisor as an equal member of an improvement team provides family empowerment and a greater chance of success in complex areas. © The Author(s) 2015.

Analyzing Automated Instructional Systems: Metaphors from Related Design Professions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jonassen, David H.; Wilson, Brent G.

Noting that automation has had an impact on virtually every manufacturing and information operation in the world, including instructional design (ID), this paper suggests three basic metaphors for automating instructional design activities: (1) computer-aided design and manufacturing (CAD/CAM) systems; (2) expert system advisor systems; and (3)…

Methane production from coal by a single methanogen

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sakata, S.; Mayumi, D.; Mochimaru, H.; Tamaki, H.; Yamamoto, K.; Yoshioka, H.; Suzuki, Y.; Kamagata, Y.

2017-12-01

Previous geochemical studies indicate that biogenic methane greatly contributes to the formation of coalbed methane (CBM). It is unclear, however, what part of coal is used for the methane production and what types of microbes mediate the process. Here we hypothesized that methylotrophic methanogens use methoxylated aromatic compounds (MACs) derived from lignin. We incubated 11 species of methanogens belonging to order Methanosarcinales with 7 types of MACs. Two strains of methanogens, i.e., Methermicoccus shengliensis AmaM and ZC-1, produced methane from the MACs. In fact, these methanogens used over 30 types of commercially available MACs in addition to methanol and methylamines. To date, it is widely believed that methanogens use very limited number of small compounds such as hydrogen plus carbon dioxide, acetate, and methanol, and only three methanogenic pathways are recognized accordingly. Here, in contrast, two Methermicoccus strains used many types of MACs. We therefore propose this "methoxydotrophic" process as the fourth methanogenic pathway. Incubation of AmaM with 2-methoxybenzoate resulted in methanogenesis associated with the stoichiometric production of 2-hydroxybenzoate. Incubation with 2-methoxy-[7-13C] benzoate and with [13C] bicarbonate indicated that two thirds of methane carbon derived from the methoxy group and one third from CO2. Furthermore, incubation with [2-13C] acetate resulted in significant increases of 13C in both methane and CO2. These results suggest the occurrence of O-demethylation, CO2 reduction and acetyl-CoA metabolism in the methoxydotrophic methanogenesis. Furthermore, incubation of AmaM with lignite, subbituminous or bituminous coals in the bicarbonate-buffered media revealed that AmaM produced methane directly from coals via the methoxydotrophic pathway. Although 4 types of MACs were detected in the coal media in addition to methanol and methylamines, their total concentrations were too low to account for the methane production, suggesting that AmaM produced methane from MACs in the media not analyzed this time and/or MACs bound to the coal surface. In conclusion, the contribution of methoxydotrophic methanogenesis may be important not only to the formation of CBM but also to the global carbon cycle.

Genetic diversity of three surface protein genes in Plasmodium malariae from three Asian countries.

PubMed

Srisutham, Suttipat; Saralamba, Naowarat; Sriprawat, Kanlaya; Mayxay, Mayfong; Smithuis, Frank; Nosten, Francois; Pukrittayakamee, Sasithon; Day, Nicholas P J; Dondorp, Arjen M; Imwong, Mallika

2018-01-11

Genetic diversity of the three important antigenic proteins, namely thrombospondin-related anonymous protein (TRAP), apical membrane antigen 1 (AMA1), and 6-cysteine protein (P48/45), all of which are found in various developmental stages of Plasmodium parasites is crucial for targeted vaccine development. While studies related to the genetic diversity of these proteins are available for Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax, barely enough information exists regarding Plasmodium malariae. The present study aims to demonstrate the genetic variations existing among these three genes in P. malariae by analysing their diversity at nucleotide and protein levels. Three surface protein genes were isolated from 45 samples collected in Thailand (N = 33), Myanmar (N = 8), and Lao PDR (N = 4), using conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay. Then, the PCR products were sequenced and analysed using BioEdit, MEGA6, and DnaSP programs. The average pairwise nucleotide diversities (π) of P. malariae trap, ama1, and p48/45 were 0.00169, 0.00413, and 0.00029, respectively. The haplotype diversities (Hd) of P. malariae trap, ama1, and p48/45 were 0.919, 0.946, and 0.130, respectively. Most of the nucleotide substitutions were non-synonymous, which indicated that the genetic variations of these genes were maintained by positive diversifying selection, thus, suggesting their role as a potential target of protective immune response. Amino acid substitutions of P. malariae TRAP, AMA1, and P48/45 could be categorized to 17, 20, and 2 unique amino-acid variants, respectively. For further vaccine development, carboxyl terminal of P48/45 would be a good candidate according to conserved amino acid at low genetic diversity (π = 0.2-0.3). High mutational diversity was observed in P. malariae trap and ama1 as compared to p48/45 in P. malariae samples isolated from Thailand, Myanmar, and Lao PDR. Taken together, these results suggest that P48/45 might be a good vaccine candidate against P. malariae infection because of its sufficiently low genetic diversity and highly conserved amino acids especially on the carboxyl end.

Safety and Immunogenicity of an AMA-1 Malaria Vaccine in Malian Adults: Results of a Phase 1 Randomized Controlled Trial

PubMed Central

Thera, Mahamadou A.; Doumbo, Ogobara K.; Coulibaly, Drissa; Diallo, Dapa A.; Kone, Abdoulaye K.; Guindo, Ando B.; Traore, Karim; Dicko, Alassane; Sagara, Issaka; Sissoko, Mahamadou S.; Baby, Mounirou; Sissoko, Mady; Diarra, Issa; Niangaly, Amadou; Dolo, Amagana; Daou, Modibo; Diawara, Sory I.; Heppner, D. Gray; Stewart, V. Ann; Angov, Evelina; Bergmann-Leitner, Elke S.; Lanar, David E.; Dutta, Sheetij; Soisson, Lorraine; Diggs, Carter L.; Leach, Amanda; Owusu, Alex; Dubois, Marie-Claude; Cohen, Joe; Nixon, Jason N.; Gregson, Aric; Takala, Shannon L.; Lyke, Kirsten E.; Plowe, Christopher V.

2008-01-01

Background The objective was to evaluate the safety, reactogenicity and immunogenicity of the AMA-1-based blood-stage malaria vaccine FMP2.1/AS02A in adults exposed to seasonal malaria. Methodology/Principal Findings A phase 1 double blind randomized controlled dose escalation trial was conducted in Bandiagara, Mali, West Africa, a rural town with intense seasonal transmission of Plasmodium falciparum malaria. The malaria vaccine FMP2.1/AS02A is a recombinant protein (FMP2.1) based on apical membrane antigen-1 (AMA-1) from the 3D7 clone of P. falciparum, adjuvanted with AS02A. The comparator vaccine was a cell-culture rabies virus vaccine (RabAvert). Sixty healthy, malaria-experienced adults aged 18–55 y were recruited into 2 cohorts and randomized to receive either a half dose or full dose of the malaria vaccine (FMP2.1 25 µg/AS02A 0.25 mL or FMP2.1 50 µg/AS02A 0.5 mL) or rabies vaccine given in 3 doses at 0, 1 and 2 mo, and were followed for 1 y. Solicited symptoms were assessed for 7 d and unsolicited symptoms for 30 d after each vaccination. Serious adverse events were assessed throughout the study. Titers of anti-AMA-1 antibodies were measured by ELISA and P. falciparum growth inhibition assays were performed on sera collected at pre- and post-vaccination time points. Transient local pain and swelling were common and more frequent in both malaria vaccine dosage groups than in the comparator group. Anti-AMA-1 antibodies increased significantly in both malaria vaccine groups, peaking at nearly 5-fold and more than 6-fold higher than baseline in the half-dose and full-dose groups, respectively. Conclusion/Significance The FMP2.1/AS02A vaccine had a good safety profile, was well-tolerated, and was highly immunogenic in malaria-exposed adults. This malaria vaccine is being evaluated in Phase 1 and 2 trials in children at this site. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00308061 PMID:18213374

An evaluation of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid in the Amphibian Metamorphosis Assay and the Fish Short-Term Reproduction Assay.

PubMed

Coady, Katherine; Marino, Troy; Thomas, Johnson; Sosinski, Lindsay; Neal, Barbara; Hammond, Larry

2013-04-01

2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) was evaluated in both the Amphibian Metamorphosis Assay (AMA) and the Fish Short Term Reproduction Assay (FSTRA). In the AMA, tadpoles were exposed to mean measured 2,4-D concentrations of 0 (water control), 0.273, 3.24, 38.0 and 113 mg acid equivalents (ae)/L for either seven or 21 days. In the FSTRA, fathead minnows were exposed to mean measured 2,4-D concentrations of 0 (water control), 0.245, 3.14, 34.0, and 96.5 mg ae/L for 21 days. The respective concentrations of 2,4-D were not overtly toxic to either Xenopus laevis tadpoles or fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas). In the AMA, there were no signs of either advanced or delayed development, asynchronous development, or significant histopathological effects of the thyroid gland among 2,4-D exposed tadpoles evaluated on either day seven or day 21 of the exposure. Therefore, following the AMA decision logic, 2,4-D is considered "likely thyroid inactive" in the AMA with a No Observable Effect Concentration (NOEC) of 113 mg ae 2,4-D/L. In the FSTRA, there were no significant differences between control and 2,4-D exposed fish in regard to fertility, wet weight, length, gonado-somatic indices, tubercle scores, or blood plasma concentrations of vitellogenin. Furthermore, there were no treatment-related histopathologic changes in the testes or ovaries in any 2,4-D exposed group. The only significant effect was a decrease in fecundity among fish exposed to 96.5 mg ae 2,4-D/L. The cause of the reduced fecundity at the highest concentration of 2,4-D tested in the assay was most likely due to a generalized stress response in the fish, and not due to a specific endocrine mode of action of 2,4-D. Based on fish reproduction, the NOEC in the FSTRA was 34.0 mg ae 2,4-D/L. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Students' Motivation to Access Academic Advising Services

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Henning, Marcus A.

2009-01-01

The interrelationships between motivation for choosing a program of study, intention to access academic advisors, academic difficulty, and actual appointments with academic advisors were based on student self-reports of motivation and intentions. In addition, academic achievement measures and data on student access to academic advisors were…

Explaining Doctoral Students' Relational Maintenance with Their Advisor: A Psychosocial Development Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldman, Zachary W.; Goodboy, Alan K.

2017-01-01

This study explored how psychosocial development affects doctoral students' relationship and communication with their advisor. Chickering and Reisser's vectors of psychosocial development were examined in the doctoral context to understand how students preserve communicatively satisfying relationships with their advisor through the use of…

77 FR 38277 - President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-06-27

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology Meeting AGENCY... Technology (PCAST), and describes the functions of the Council. Notice of this meeting is required under the... basis. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST...

The Evolving Leadership Role of the Faculty Advisor in Building a Successful Student Organization.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Banks, McRae C.; Combs, Howard W.

1989-01-01

Examines the changing role of the faculty advisor in the development of a successful student organization. Analyzes student organizations using a life-cycle perspective and presents leadership theory for suggesting the most effective leader roles that faculty advisors may adopt. (JOW)

Attitudes of women of advanced maternal age undergoing invasive prenatal diagnosis and the impact of genetic counselling

PubMed Central

Godino, Lea; Pompilii, Eva; D'Anna, Federica; Morselli-Labate, Antonio M; Nardi, Elena; Seri, Marco; Rizzo, Nicola; Pilu, Gianluigi; Turchetti, Daniela

2016-01-01

Despite the increasing availability and effectiveness of non-invasive screening for foetal aneuploidies, most women of advanced maternal age (AMA) still opt for invasive tests. A retrospective cross-sectional survey was performed on women of AMA undergoing prenatal invasive procedures, in order to explore their motivations and the outcome of preliminary genetic counselling according to the approach (individual or group) adopted. Of 687 eligible women, 221 (32.2%) participated: 117 had received individual counselling, while 104 had attended group sessions. The two groups did not differ by socio-demographic features. The commonest reported reason to undergo invasive tests was AMA itself (67.4%), while only 10.4% of women mentioned the opportunity of making informed choices. The majority perceived as clear and helpful the information received at counselling, and only 12.7% had doubts left that, however, often concerned non-pertinent issues. The impact of counselling on risk perception and decisions was limited: a minority stated their perceived risk of foetal abnormalities had either increased (6.8%) or reduced (3.6%), and only one eventually declined invasive test. The 52.6% of women expressed a preference toward individual counselling, which also had a stronger impact on perceived risk reduction (P=0.003). Nevertheless, group counselling had a more favourable impact on both clarity of understanding and helpfulness (P=0.0497 and P=0.035, respectively). The idea that AMA represents an absolute indication for invasive tests appears deeply rooted; promotion of non-invasive techniques may require extensive educational efforts targeted to both the general population and health professionals. PMID:26014424

Comparative sequence analysis of domain I of Plasmodium falciparum apical membrane antigen 1 from Saudi Arabia and worldwide isolates.

PubMed

Al-Qahtani, Ahmed A; Abdel-Muhsin, Abdel-Muhsin A; Dajem, Saad M Bin; AlSheikh, Adel Ali H; Bohol, Marie Fe F; Al-Ahdal, Mohammed N; Putaporntip, Chaturong; Jongwutiwes, Somchai

2016-04-01

The apical membrane antigen 1 of Plasmodium falciparum (PfAMA1) plays a crucial role in erythrocyte invasion and is a target of protective antibodies. Although domain I of PfAMA1 has been considered a promising vaccine component, extensive sequence diversity in this domain could compromise an effective vaccine design. To explore the extent of sequence diversity in domain I of PfAMA1, P. falciparum-infected blood samples from Saudi Arabia collected between 2007 and 2009 were analyzed and compared with those from worldwide parasite populations. Forty-six haplotypes and a novel codon change (M190V) were found among Saudi Arabian isolates. The haplotype diversity (0.948±0.004) and nucleotide diversity (0.0191±0.0008) were comparable to those from African hyperendemic countries. Positive selection in domain I of PfAMA1 among Saudi Arabian parasite population was observed because nonsynonymous nucleotide substitutions per nonsynonymous site (dN) significantly exceeded synonymous nucleotide substitutions per synonymous site (dS) and Tajima's D and its related statistics significantly deviated from neutrality in the positive direction. Despite a relatively low prevalence of malaria in Saudi Arabia, a minimum of 17 recombination events occurred in domain I. Genetic differentiation was significant between P. falciparum in Saudi Arabia and parasites from other geographic origins. Several shared or closely related haplotypes were found among parasites from different geographic areas, suggesting that vaccine derived from multiple shared epitopes could be effective across endemic countries. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Do alterations in follicular fluid proteases contribute to human infertility?

PubMed

Cookingham, Lisa Marii; Van Voorhis, Bradley J; Ascoli, Mario

2015-05-01

Cathepsin L and ADAMTS-1 are known to play critical roles in follicular rupture, ovulation, and fertility in mice. Similar studies in humans are limited; however, both are known to increase during the periovulatory period. No studies have examined either protease in the follicular fluid of women with unexplained infertility or infertility related to advanced maternal age (AMA). We sought to determine if alterations in cathepsin L and/or ADAMTS-1 existed in these infertile populations. Patients undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) for unexplained infertility or AMA-related infertility were prospectively recruited for the study; patients with tubal or male factor infertility were recruited as controls. Follicular fluid was collected to determine gene expression (via quantitative polymerase chain reaction), enzyme concentrations (via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays), and enzymatic activities (via fluorogenic enzyme cleavage assay or Western blot analysis) of cathepsin L and ADAMTS-1. The analysis included a total of 42 patients (14 per group). We found no statistically significant difference in gene expression, enzyme concentration, or enzymatic activity of cathepsin L or ADAMTS-1 in unexplained infertility or AMA-related infertility as compared to controls. We also found no statistically significant difference in expression or concentration with advancing age. Cathepsin L and ADAMTS-1 are not altered in women with unexplained infertility or AMA-related infertility undergoing IVF, and they do not decline with advancing age. It is possible that differences exist in natural cycles, contributing to infertility; however, our findings do not support a role for protease alterations as a common cause of infertility.

48 CFR 316.505 - Ordering.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 4 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Ordering. 316.505 Section 316.505 Federal Acquisition Regulations System HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES CONTRACTING METHODS AND... NIH: Senior Scientific Advisor for Extramural Research, Office of Extramural Research (R & D) and...

48 CFR 316.505 - Ordering.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 4 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Ordering. 316.505 Section 316.505 Federal Acquisition Regulations System HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES CONTRACTING METHODS AND... NIH: Senior Scientific Advisor for Extramural Research, Office of Extramural Research (R & D) and...

48 CFR 316.505 - Ordering.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 4 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Ordering. 316.505 Section 316.505 Federal Acquisition Regulations System HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES CONTRACTING METHODS AND... NIH: Senior Scientific Advisor for Extramural Research, Office of Extramural Research (R & D) and...

The Role of the Middle School Counselor in Teacher-Advisor Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Henderson, Phyllis; La Forge, Jan

1989-01-01

Discusses three roles of the middle school counselor in developing, coordinating, and implementing a teacher-advisor program: (1) assessing and reporting the school's readiness for such a program; (2) establishing a teacher advisory committee; and (3) training teachers for their role as teacher-advisors. (TE)

75 FR 54673 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board; Notice of Filing of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-09-08

... financial journal soliciting nominations for municipal advisor candidates, with the Nominating Committee... must be associated with a municipal advisor. For the first time, the MSRB has been authorized to promulgate rules governing the conduct of municipal advisors who must be fairly represented on the Board...

75 FR 61806 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board; Notice of Filing of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-10-06

... under MSRB Rule A-3(i), to allow the Nominating Committee to solicit nominations for municipal advisor... Independent Public Finance Advisors, dated September 22, 2010 (``NAIPFA Letter''); letter from Michael Decker... No. 1, to address concerns raised by commenters, MSRB proposes that advisor representatives (as...

40 CFR 35.4190 - How does my group identify a qualified technical advisor?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... technical advisor? 35.4190 Section 35.4190 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY GRANTS AND OTHER FEDERAL ASSISTANCE STATE AND LOCAL ASSISTANCE Grants for Technical Assistance Procuring A Technical Advisor Or Other Contractor with Tag Funds § 35.4190 How does my group identify a qualified...

Perceptions of Effectiveness and Job Satisfaction of Pre-Law Advisors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Knotts, H. Gibbs; Wofford, Claire B.

2017-01-01

Despite playing an important role, preprofessional advising has received little research attention. For this study, 313 U.S. preprofessional advisors were surveyed in 2015. Drawing on work adjustment and social cognitive career theories, we analyzed the job satisfaction and perceived effectiveness of pre-law advisors. The major findings reveal…

17 CFR 4.14 - Exemption from registration as a commodity trading advisor.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... of exemption from commodity trading advisor registration with the National Futures Association... its principal office and place of business outside of the United States, its territories or...; a commodity trading advisor that has its principal office and place of business in the United States...

17 CFR 4.14 - Exemption from registration as a commodity trading advisor.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... of exemption from commodity trading advisor registration with the National Futures Association... its principal office and place of business outside of the United States, its territories or...; a commodity trading advisor that has its principal office and place of business in the United States...

Advisors, Faculty, and Librarians: Collaborating for Student Success

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guy, Ashley; Eimer, Lisa

2016-01-01

Librarians have continuously struggled with developing quality relationships with faculty and advisors to support students online. In 2014, Rasmussen College introduced a one-stop student support model of service that makes a student's advisor their primary point of contact for library resources, academic support, financial aid, course scheduling,…

Working with Youth on LGBT Issues: Why Gay-Straight Alliance Advisors Become Involved

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Valenti, Maria; Campbell, Rebecca

2009-01-01

This phenomenological qualitative study explores motivation for citizen participation in a local context by exploring the experiences of Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) club advisors from public high schools. Fourteen advisors from one midwestern state were randomly recruited for participation. Inductive and deductive qualitative analyses elucidated…

Who Are Athletic Advisors? State of the Profession

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rubin, Lisa M.

2017-01-01

The field of athletic advising has existed since the 1970s. In the early 1990s, the National Collegiate Athletic Association mandated that higher education institutions provide academic support for student-athletes. Few researchers have identified those serving as athletic advisors, so the literature features little data on advisor demographics,…

17 CFR 4.14 - Exemption from registration as a commodity trading advisor.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

..., main facsimile number and main email address of the trading advisor claiming the exemption; (2) Contain... notify its clients in written communication physically delivered or delivered through electronic... advisor with respect to the clients so described; Provided, That the person furnishes in writing to each...

75 FR 33369 - EQ Advisors Trust, et al.; Notice of Application

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-06-11

...] EQ Advisors Trust, et al.; Notice of Application June 4, 2010. AGENCY: Securities and Exchange... trusts (``UITs'') that are within or outside the same group of investment companies, and (b) permit... to invest in certain financial instruments. Applicants: EQ Advisors Trust, AXA Premier VIP Trust...

Perceptions and experiences of using automated bolus advisors amongst people with type 1 diabetes: a longitudinal qualitative investigation.

PubMed

Lawton, J; Kirkham, J; Rankin, D; Barnard, K; Cooper, C L; Taylor, C; Heller, S; Elliott, J

2014-12-01

We explored people's reasons for, and experiences of, using bolus advisors to determine insulin doses; and, their likes/dislikes of this technology. 42 people with type 1 diabetes who had received instruction in use of bolus advisors during a structured education course were interviewed post-course and 6 months later. Data were analysed thematically. Participants who considered themselves to have poor mathematical skills highlighted a gratitude for, and heavy reliance on, advisors. Others liked and chose to use advisors because they saved time and effort calculating doses and/or had a data storage facility. Follow-up interviews highlighted that, by virtue of no longer calculating their doses, participants could become deskilled and increasingly dependent on advisors. Some forgot what their mealtime ratios were; others reported a misperception that, because they were pre-programmed during courses, these parameters never needed changing. Use of data storage facilities could hinder effective review of blood glucose data and some participants reported an adverse impact on glycaemic control. While participants liked and perceived benefits to using advisors, there may be unintended consequences to giving people access to this technology. To promote effective use, on-going input and education from trained health professionals may be necessary. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Gene family encoding the major toxins of lethal Amanita mushrooms

PubMed Central

Hallen, Heather E.; Luo, Hong; Scott-Craig, John S.; Walton, Jonathan D.

2007-01-01

Amatoxins, the lethal constituents of poisonous mushrooms in the genus Amanita, are bicyclic octapeptides. Two genes in A. bisporigera, AMA1 and PHA1, directly encode α-amanitin, an amatoxin, and the related bicyclic heptapeptide phallacidin, a phallotoxin, indicating that these compounds are synthesized on ribosomes and not by nonribosomal peptide synthetases. α-Amanitin and phallacidin are synthesized as proproteins of 35 and 34 amino acids, respectively, from which they are predicted to be cleaved by a prolyl oligopeptidase. AMA1 and PHA1 are present in other toxic species of Amanita section Phalloidae but are absent from nontoxic species in other sections. The genomes of A. bisporigera and A. phalloides contain multiple sequences related to AMA1 and PHA1. The predicted protein products of this family of genes are characterized by a hypervariable “toxin” region capable of encoding a wide variety of peptides of 7–10 amino acids flanked by conserved sequences. Our results suggest that these fungi have a broad capacity to synthesize cyclic peptides on ribosomes. PMID:18025465

From Lydia Pinkham to Bob Dole: what the changing face of direct-to-consumer drug advertising reveals about the professionalism of medicine.

PubMed

Pinkus, Rosa Lynn

2002-06-01

From its founding in 1847, the AMA divided drugs into "ethical" and "unethical" preparations. Those that were ethical had a known composition and were advertised only to the profession. Other, patent medicines (technically proprietary drugs, whose trademarks were protected by copyright), were sold directly to the public. In spite of the AMA's efforts to ban the advertising and sale of those nostrums, proprietary drugs flourished during the nineteenth century. Starting in 1900, however, three major societal trends combined to bolster the AMA's campaign, and by 1920 almost all advertising was directed to physicians, who would then prescribe medications to their patients. This ban on advertising pharmaceuticals directly to the public remained virtually unchanged until approximately 1980. Since then, it has slowly eroded and, as recently as 1997, the FDA created guidelines for pharmaceutical companies to advertise on television. What does this change say about the profession of medicine, the role of the physician in society, and the doctor-patient relationship? Using a comparative historical approach, this paper examines these issues.

Reference Manual for the System Advisor Model's Wind Power Performance Model

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

Freeman, J.; Jorgenson, J.; Gilman, P.

2014-08-01

This manual describes the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's System Advisor Model (SAM) wind power performance model. The model calculates the hourly electrical output of a single wind turbine or of a wind farm. The wind power performance model requires information about the wind resource, wind turbine specifications, wind farm layout (if applicable), and costs. In SAM, the performance model can be coupled to one of the financial models to calculate economic metrics for residential, commercial, or utility-scale wind projects. This manual describes the algorithms used by the wind power performance model, which is available in the SAM user interface andmore » as part of the SAM Simulation Core (SSC) library, and is intended to supplement the user documentation that comes with the software.« less

NATO Special Operations Forces Medical Engagements and Partnering Course: Initial Curriculum Recommendations from the NSHQ SOFMEP Committee.

PubMed

Alderman, Shawn M; Arvidsson, C Jimmy; Boedecker, Ben H; Durck, Craig H; Ferguson, Jason L; Harreld, Chad E; House, John H; Irizarry, Daniel J; Oshiki, Michael S; Sanchack, Kristian E; Torres, John E

2012-01-01

Military partnering operations and military engagements with host nation civil infrastructure are fundamental missions for NATO Special Operations Forces (SOF) conducting military assistance operations. Unit medical advisors are frequently called upon to support partnering operations and execute medical engagements with host nation health systems. As a primary point of NATO SOF medical capability development and coordination, the NATO Special Operations Headquarters (NSHQ) sought to create a practical training opportunity in which medical advisors are taught how to prepare for, plan, and execute these complex military assistance operations. An international committee of SOF medical advisors, planners and teachers was assembled to research and develop the curriculum for the first NSHQ SOF Medical Engagement and Partnering (SOFMEP) course. The committee found no other venues offering the necessary training. Furthermore, a lack of a common operating language and inadequate outcome metrics were identified as sources of knowledge deficits that create confusion and inhibit process improvement. These findings provided the foundation of this committee?s curricular recommendations. The committee constructed operational definitions to improve understanding and promote dialogue between medical advisors and commanders. Active learning principles were used to construct a curriculum that engages learners and enhances retention of new material. This article presents the initial curriculum recommendations for the SOFMEP course, which is currently scheduled for October 2012. 2012.

Validation of PV-RPM Code in the System Advisor Model.

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

Klise, Geoffrey Taylor; Lavrova, Olga; Freeman, Janine

2017-04-01

This paper describes efforts made by Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) to validate the SNL developed PV Reliability Performance Model (PV - RPM) algorithm as implemented in the NREL System Advisor Model (SAM). The PV - RPM model is a library of functions that estimates component failure and repair in a photovoltaic system over a desired simulation period. The failure and repair distributions in this paper are probabilistic representations of component failure and repair based on data collected by SNL for a PV power plant operating in Arizona. The validation effort focuses on whethermore » the failure and repair dist ributions used in the SAM implementation result in estimated failures that match the expected failures developed in the proof - of - concept implementation. Results indicate that the SAM implementation of PV - RPM provides the same results as the proof - of - concep t implementation, indicating the algorithms were reproduced successfully.« less

In vitro activity of carumonam (Ro 17-2301; AMA-1080) versus enteropathogenic and nonfermentative gram-negative rods and Legionella pneumophila.

PubMed Central

Hohl, P; von Graevenitz, A; Zollinger-Iten, J

1988-01-01

The in vitro activity of carumonam (Ro 17-2301; AMA-1080) was tested against 355 single-patient isolates, by and large enteropathogenic or nonfermentative rods. The new monobactam was inhibitory and bactericidal against the majority of diarrhea-causing members of the family Enterobacteriaceae at concentrations of less than and equal to 8 micrograms/ml. Although known to be active against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, it generally did not exhibit clinically useful activity against other nonfermenters or against Legionella pneumophila, thus confirming its narrow spectrum of activity. PMID:3190188

Intelligent Counseling System: A 24 x 7 Academic Advisor

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leung, Chun Ming; Tsang, Eva Y. M.; Lam, S. S.; Pang, Dominic C. W.

2010-01-01

Universities are increasingly looking into self-service systems with intelligent digital agents to supplement or replace labor-intensive services, such as academic counseling. The Open University of Hong Kong has developed an intelligent online system that instantly responds to enquiries about career development, learning modes, program/course…

An Example of Planning/Management Reports Produced at Delaware County Community College in Conjunction with American Management Association (AMA) Processes and National Center for Education Management Systems (NCHEMS) Products.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spencer, Richard L.; And Others

Within this document, and presented in their entirety, are five reports which depict differing views of Delaware County Community College (DCCC) from 1974 through 1980. The reports consist of both historical and predictive data, evolved from staff work related to long and short range planning. The general framework for this activity revolved about…

How Can Medical Students Add Value? Identifying Roles, Barriers, and Strategies to Advance the Value of Undergraduate Medical Education to Patient Care and the Health System.

PubMed

Gonzalo, Jed D; Dekhtyar, Michael; Hawkins, Richard E; Wolpaw, Daniel R

2017-09-01

As health systems evolve, the education community is seeking to reimagine student roles that combine learning with meaningful contributions to patient care. The authors sought to identify potential stakeholders regarding the value of student work, and roles and tasks students could perform to add value to the health system, including key barriers and associated strategies to promote value-added roles in undergraduate medical education. In 2016, 32 U.S. medical schools in the American Medical Association's (AMA's) Accelerating Change in Education Consortium met for a two-day national meeting to explore value-added medical education; 121 educators, systems leaders, clinical mentors, AMA staff leadership and advisory board members, and medical students were included. A thematic qualitative analysis of workshop discussions and written responses was performed, which extracted key themes. In current clinical roles, students can enhance value by performing detailed patient histories to identify social determinants of health and care barriers, providing evidence-based medicine contributions at the point-of-care, and undertaking health system research projects. Novel value-added roles include students serving as patient navigators/health coaches, care transition facilitators, population health managers, and quality improvement team extenders. Six priority areas for advancing value-added roles are student engagement, skills, and assessments; balance of service versus learning; resources, logistics, and supervision; productivity/billing pressures; current health systems design and culture; and faculty factors. These findings provide a starting point for collaborative work to positively impact clinical care and medical education through the enhanced integration of value-added medical student roles into care delivery systems.

Expert Systems: A Challenge for the Reading Profession.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Balajthy, Ernest

The expert systems are designed to imitate the reasoning of a human expert in a content area field. Designed to be advisors, these software systems combine the content area knowledge and decision-making ability of an expert with the user's understanding and knowledge of particular circumstances. The reading diagnosis system, the RD2P System…

More than Just Advice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olson, Cathy Applefeld

2013-01-01

Career counselor. Life coach. Holder of the occasional tissue box. It is all part of being a National Association for Music Education (NAfME) Collegiate advisor. Carla Jo Maltas, collegiate chapter advisor for the University of Central Missouri, would not have it any other way. Although the duties of an advisor vary depending on the institution…

Perceptions of the Community College of High School Counselors and Advisors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mitkos, Yvonne M.; Bragg, Debra D.

2008-01-01

Using the case study method, this research investigated how the community college is perceived by high school counselors and advisors. The research considered how high school counselors' and advisors' perceptions of the community college were informed by selected school leaders, faculty, and students, and it explored how those perceptions were…

The Teacher Advisor Program: An Innovative Approach to School Guidance.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Myrick, Robert D.; And Others

The Teacher Advisor Program (TAP) is an innovative developmental approach to counseling that directly involves teachers as advisors to 18 to 20 students, with whom they meet both individually and in group sessions. An introductory chapter that cites the need for a developmental approach to counseling in contemporary schools and the potential role…

Using Mentoring Enactment Theory to Explore the Doctoral Student-Advisor Mentoring Relationship

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mansson, Daniel H.; Myers, Scott A.

2012-01-01

The purposes of this study were (a) to develop a new measure to assess doctoral advisees' use of relational maintenance behaviors with their advisors, and (b) to examine both advisees' (n = 636) and advisors' (n = 141) perceptions of their mentoring relationship using mentoring enactment theory (MET; Kalbfleisch, 2002). The results of…

The Lived Experience of Having a Trusted Advisor for Female Corporate Executives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kruger, Yolanda

2017-01-01

This study addressed the lived experience of corporate executive women who have had a trusted advisor. The relayed impact and significance of trusted advisors for their career development was portrayed. Traditionally, women lagged behind men in numbers in key corporate positions. Due to increased international efforts to level the playing field…

17 CFR 240.15Ba1-7 - Registration of successor to municipal advisor.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... the registration of the successor if the successor, within 30 days after the succession, files an... registered predecessor municipal advisor, and the succession is based solely on a change in the predecessor's... may, within 30 days after the succession, amend the registration of the predecessor municipal advisor...

Student Organization Advisor Motives to Volunteer at Four-Year Institutions of Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meyer, Robert A.; Kroth, Michael

2010-01-01

Many higher education institutions require student organization advisors to be employees. Such requirements can be interpreted as barriers to students and can limit the number and types of groups found on college campuses. Using quantitative analysis, this study investigates the motivation of student organization advisors at six public…

Frequency of First-Year Student Interactions with Advisors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fosnacht, Kevin; McCormick, Alexander C.; Nailos, Jennifer N.; Ribera, Amy K.

2017-01-01

Although acknowledged that academic advising helps students adjust to and deal with the challenges of college, little is known about students' frequency of interactions with advisors. Using data from 52,546 full-time, first-year students at 209 diverse institutions, we examined the frequency with which students met with academic advisors and the…

The Attribution Theory of Learning and Advising Students on Academic Probation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Demetriou, Cynthia

2011-01-01

Academic advisors need to be knowledgeable of the ways students learn. To aid advisors in their exploration of learning theories, I provide an overview of the attribution theory of learning, including recent applications of the theory to research in college student learning. An understanding of this theory may help advisors understand student…

An Exploration of Preferred Advising Styles at Baptist Affiliated Institutions of Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wyatt, Eric L.

2016-01-01

The purpose of the current study was to determine if there was congruence between college students' perceptions of their current academic advisor's advising style and their preferred advisor's academic advising style; examine if the relationship between current and preferred advisor's academic advising styles predicted a student's level of…

78 FR 77175 - Catalyst Capital Advisors LLC and Mutual Fund Series Trust; Notice of Application

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-12-20

... Capital Advisors LLC and Mutual Fund Series Trust; Notice of Application December 16, 2013. ACTION: Notice... shareholder approval. APPLICANTS: Catalyst Capital Advisors LLC (``CCA'' or the ``Adviser'') and Mutual Fund Series Trust (formerly Catalyst Funds) (the ``Trust''). DATES: Filing Dates: The application was filed on...

The Development of an International Student Advisor: A Grounded Theory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sparaco, Kathleen Keenan

2012-01-01

This qualitative study explored the professional experience of international student advisors. The statement of problem for this research was that the professional role of international student advisors has not been clearly defined or understood within U.S. higher education. The research questions asked (1) what encompassed the lived experience of…

"What Haven't I Learned?" Learning Resulting from the Resident Advisor Role

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Benjamin, Mimi; Davis, Laura

2016-01-01

Employment can enhance learning for many college students, and on-campus jobs provide unique opportunities for this experience. The resident advisor position is one on-campus position offering the potential for learning experiences. This qualitative study highlights learning noted by 78 resident advisors at a large research institution during a…

75 FR 71760 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; NYSE Arca, Inc.; Order Granting Approval of Proposed Rule Change...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-24

... with the Commission as an open-end management investment company.\\5\\ The investment advisor to the Fund is AdvisorShares Investments, LLC (``Advisor''), and Peritus I Asset Management, LLC is the Fund's... other things, represents an interest in an investment company registered under the Investment Company...

78 FR 59735 - The KP Funds and Callan Associates Inc., et al.;

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-09-27

... expected impact on the profitability of the Advisor. 14. The Advisor will provide the Board, no less frequently than quarterly, with information about the profitability of the Advisor on a per Fund basis. The information will reflect the impact on profitability of the hiring or termination of any subadvisor during the...

78 FR 15062 - Cohen & Steers Real Assets Fund, Inc., et al.; Notice of Application

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-03-08

... profitability of the Advisor. 14. Each Advisor will provide the Board, no less frequently than quarterly, with information about the profitability of the Advisor on a per Corporation basis. The information will reflect the impact on profitability of the hiring or termination of any subadvisor during the applicable...

Shifting from Empowered Agencies to Empowered People: Neighbours, Inc.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walker, Pam; Cory, Rebecca

This report describes Neighbours, Inc., a nonprofit organization based in Franklin Park, New Jersey, that offers individualized supports for people with disabilities. In addition to the CEO and the director, the agency employs five advisors. These advisors each work to coordinate support for between five and seven people. Advisors, who typically…

77 FR 20014 - President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST): Correction

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-04-03

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST): Correction... call for the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST). The notice is being corrected to change the time and to add an additional purpose. Correction In the Federal Register of March...

Community Health Advisor Programs. An Issue Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Rural Health Association, Kansas City, MO.

Third World countries have used community health advisors (CHAs) for many years to deliver health services, health education, and linkages to isolated and underserved communities. In 1998 the National Community Health Advisor Study estimated there were at least 600 such programs in the United States using about 12,500 CHAs. Program activities and…

Supporting Rape Survivors Through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme: An Exploration of English and Welsh Independent Sexual Violence Advisors' Experiences.

PubMed

Smith, Olivia; Galey, Jessica

2018-07-01

English and Welsh responses to rape have long been critically examined, leading to attempted improvements in the criminal justice system. Despite this, little attention has been paid to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme (CICS) and the difficulties applying it to rape. To begin addressing this gap, researchers interviewed three, and qualitatively surveyed 22, Independent Sexual Violence Advisors. The findings suggest that CICS may not only reinforce rape myths and disadvantage vulnerable survivors, but is also a source of validation and contributes to survivor justice. The study, while exploratory, therefore, highlights the need for further discussion about rape survivor compensation.

Dangerous Substance Advisor: Een Expert Systeem voor het Classificeren van Gevaarlijke Stoffen (Dangerous Substance Advisor: An Expert System for the Classification of Dangerous Substances)

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-06-01

acid-chloride 5. - acid-fluoride 6. - acid-dibromidde 7. - acid-dichioride 8. - acid-difluoride 9 . - acid-tribromide 10. - acid-trichloride 11 ...zeer 3 1 3 gewoon 3 11 4 weinig 3 111 5 Brandbare vaste stof zeer 4.1 1 6 gewoon 4.1 11 7 weinig 4.1 111 8 Zeif ontbrandbare stof zeer 4.2 1 9 gewoon...I (S) 31 gewoon 8 11 (S) 33 weinig 8 111 (S) 35 Overige gevaren 9 36 TNO rapport Bijiage B Pgn B.1 BULAGE B: RANGORDE VAN GEVAARSEIGENSCHAPPEN

From Diagnosis to Action: An Automated Failure Advisor for Human Deep Space Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Colombano, Silvano; Spirkovska, Lilly; Baskaran, Vijayakumar; Morris, Paul; Mcdermott, William; Ossenfort, John; Bajwa, Anupa

2015-01-01

The major goal of current space system development at NASA is to enable human travel to deep space locations such as Mars and asteroids. At that distance, round trip communication with ground operators may take close to an hour, thus it becomes unfeasible to seek ground operator advice for problems that require immediate attention, either for crew safety or for activities that need to be performed at specific times for the attainment of scientific results. To achieve this goal, major reliance will need to be placed on automation systems capable of aiding the crew in detecting and diagnosing failures, assessing consequences of these failures, and providing guidance in repair activities that may be required. We report here on the most current step in the continuing development of such a system, and that is the addition of a Failure Response Advisor. In simple terms, we have a system in place the Advanced Caution and Warning System (ACAWS) to tell us what happened (failure diagnosis) and what happened because that happened (failure effects). The Failure Response Advisor will tell us what to do about it, how long until something must be done and why its important that something be done and will begin to approach the complex reasoning that is generally required for an optimal approach to automated system health management. This advice is based on the criticality and various timing elements, such as durations of activities and of component repairs, failure effects delay, and other factors. The failure advice is provided to operators (crew and mission controllers) together with the diagnostic and effects information. The operators also have the option to drill down for more information about the failure and the reasons for any suggested priorities.

Retrospective Review of Student Research Projects in a Canadian Master of Science in Physical Therapy Programme and the Perceived Impact on Advisors' Research Capacity, Education, Clinical Practice, Knowledge Translation, and Health Policy.

PubMed

Lacey, Courtney; Scodras, Stephanie; Ardron, Julie; Sellan, Ryan; Garbaczewska, Martyna; O'Brien, Kelly K; Salbach, Nancy M

2018-01-01

Purpose: This study's aim was to characterize the nature of students' research conducted for a Master of Science in Physical Therapy (MScPT) degree programme at a Canadian university and evaluate the lead advisors' perspectives of its impact on their research capacity, education, clinical practice, knowledge translation, and health policy. Methods: We conducted a quantitative, cross-sectional, retrospective review of research reports from 2003 to 2014 to characterize the MScPT students' research and a quantitative, cross-sectional e-survey of lead research advisors to evaluate the impact of this research. Results: Data were abstracted from reports of 201 research projects completed between 2003 and 2014. Projects were conducted primarily in university-affiliated hospitals (41.6%) or the university's physical therapy department (41.1%), and the majority (52.5%) had a clinical focus. Of the 95 lead advisors of 201 projects, 59 advisors (response rate 62.1%) of 119 projects completed the survey questionnaire. The respondents most frequently identified clinical practice (45.1%) and advisors' research capacity (31.4%) as areas positively affected by the students' research. Conclusions: The MScPT students' research projects facilitate the conduct of extensive research internally and across affiliated hospitals. This research appears to advance not only clinical practice but also the ability of lead advisors to undertake research.

Bring Farm Advisors into the Sustainability Conversation: Results from a Nitrogen Workshop in the U.S. Midwest

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Doll, Julie E.; Reimer, Adam

2017-01-01

Increasingly, farmers are looking to private sector advisors to inform their nitrogen decisions, but little is known about these important actors. We held a Sustainable Nitrogen Roundtable workshop to bring together important groups--private sector farm advisors, Extension educators, scientists, and farmers--to discuss new research and more…

Advisor Influence Strategies: 10 Cross-Cultural Scenarios for Self-Assessment and Reflection

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-10-01

a meeting or the advisor may merely say that other people are “on board” with the advisor’s point of view. Thus, giving someone the perception that...Iraqis can judge the sincerity and authenticity of an advisor by his intonation and body language. D-34 Scenario Eight 1. Of the influence

77 FR 38117 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; NYSE Amex LLC; Order Granting Approval of Proposed Rule Change To...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-06-26

... monitoring of the Fund's sub-advisors; (ii) the assessment of performance and potential needs to modify strategy or change sub- advisors; (iii) the determination of the Fund's administrative policies; (iv) the... trading advisor (``CTA'') with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (``CFTC'') and is a member of the...

75 FR 22557 - Federal Advisory Committee; Department of Defense Military Family Readiness Council; Charter...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-29

... membership, and the Secretary of Defense's decision to appoint a senior flag officer's spouse as an advisor... appointed by the Secretary of Defense. c. The senior enlisted advisors of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force, or the spouse of a senior enlisted advisor in lieu of that Military Services' senior listed...

A Matter of Alignment: An Organizational Analysis of the Advisor Role in Three Small Urban High Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Phillippo, Katherine L.

2009-01-01

Recent research literature suggests that students benefit from positive relationships with their teachers. Small high schools attempt to formalize expectations for such relationships through a variety of organizational structures, including the advisor role. As advisors, teachers work with a group of students in order to guide and support them.…

75 FR 17912 - Sunshine Act; Notice of Virtual Public Forum for EAC Board of Advisors

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-08

... ELECTION ASSISTANCE COMMISSION Sunshine Act; Notice of Virtual Public Forum for EAC Board of...: EAC Board of Advisors Virtual Meeting Room at http://www.eac.gov . Once at the main page of EAC's Web site, viewers should click the link to the Board of Advisors Virtual Meeting Room. The virtual meeting...

Roles and Responsibilities of International Student Advisors and Counselors in the United States.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dalili, Farid

The separate but complementary roles of the international student advisor and counselor are discussed, and foreign student personnel services are addressed. It is suggested that the increasing number of international students indicates a need for a full-time foreign student advisor. The job is complicated by the different cultures and different…

Academic Advisee Motives for Pursuing Out-of-Class Communication with the Faculty Academic Advisor

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leach, Rebecca B.; Wang, Tiffany R.

2015-01-01

This study examined advisee communication motives for engaging in out-of-class communication (OCC) with the faculty academic advisor. Undergraduate students (n = 21) were interviewed about their motives for engaging in OCC with their faculty academic advisors. In a thematic analysis, six motives emerged for engaging in OCC with faculty academic…

76 FR 44324 - Environmental Laboratory Advisory Board; Notice of Charter Renewal

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-07-25

... imposed on the Agency by law. Inquiries may be directed to Lara P. Autry, Senior Advisor, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of the Science Advisor, 109 T W Alexander Drive (E243-05), Research... Science Advisor. [FR Doc. 2011-18709 Filed 7-22-11; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6560-50-P ...

Contextualizing Gay-straight Alliances: Student, Advisor, and Structural Factors Related to Positive Youth Development among Members

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Poteat, V. Paul; Yoshikawa, Hirokazu; Calzo, Jerel P.; Gray, Mary L.; DiGiovanni, Craig D.; Lipkin, Arthur; Mundy-Shephard, Adrienne; Perrotti, Jeff; Scheer, Jillian R.; Shaw, Matthew P.

2015-01-01

Gay-straight alliances (GSAs) may promote resilience. Yet, what GSA components predict well-being? Among 146 youth and advisors in 13 GSAs (58% lesbian, gay, bisexual, or questioning; 64% White; 38% received free/reduced-cost lunch), student (demographics, victimization, attendance frequency, leadership, support, control), advisor (years served,…

40 CFR 35.4185 - What does my group do with reports our technical advisor prepares for us?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... technical advisor prepares for us? 35.4185 Section 35.4185 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY GRANTS AND OTHER FEDERAL ASSISTANCE STATE AND LOCAL ASSISTANCE Grants for Technical Assistance Managing Your Tag § 35.4185 What does my group do with reports our technical advisor prepares for...

77 FR 5585 - Northwestern Mutual Series Fund, Inc. and Mason Street Advisors, LLC; Notice of Application

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-03

...] Northwestern Mutual Series Fund, Inc. and Mason Street Advisors, LLC; Notice of Application January 30, 2012... instruments. Applicants: Northwestern Mutual Series Fund, Inc. (``Company'') and Mason Street Advisors, LLC... Funds'') in reliance on section 12(d)(1)(G) of the Act; and (iii) is also eligible to invest in...

A Preliminary Report of Advisor Perceptions of Advising and of a Profession

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aiken-Wisniewski, Sharon A.; Johnson, Anna; Larson, Joshua; Barkemeyer, Jason

2015-01-01

Practicing advisors may not agree, know, or understand that advising does not meet the scholarly definition of a profession. Through a phenomenological study, members of NACADA: The Global Community for Academic Advising were invited to describe the position of academic advisor. The data gathered were used to address two research questions:…

76 FR 60564 - President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology; Notice of Meeting: Open Regional...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-09-29

... OFFICE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY POLICY President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology; Notice of Meeting: Open Regional Meeting of the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology... Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP). PCAST is co-chaired by Dr. John P. Holdren, Assistant to...

78 FR 56764 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; NYSE Arca, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-09-13

... Delaware and registered with the Commission as an open-end management investment company.\\5\\ The investment advisor to the Fund is AdvisorShares Investments, LLC (``Adviser''). Commerce Asset Management is the sub-advisor (``Sub- Adviser'') to the Fund and provides day-to-day portfolio management of the Fund. \\5\\ The...

Throw Me the Online Life Vest: Advising Support as Perceived by Online Students and Advisors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Phillips, Cassetta L.

2016-01-01

This qualitative case study examined the perceptions of advisors and students enrolled in online courses regarding the effectiveness of academic advising services as they affect student success and persistence. This study applied Tinto's model of student integration to understand the interaction between online students and advisors. The data was…

GSA Advisors' Self-Efficacy Related to LGBT Youth of Color and Transgender Youth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Poteat, V. Paul; Scheer, Jillian R.

2016-01-01

Gay-Straight Alliances (GSAs) serve lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) and heterosexual youth from diverse backgrounds. Although some attention has been given to youth members in general, little attention has been given to adult advisors. Among 47 GSA advisors from 33 high schools (39 cisgender female, 8 cisgender male), the authors…

Academic Advisors of Military and Student Veterans: An Ethnographic Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Michelle A.

2015-01-01

With the introduction of the Post-9/11 GI Bill, there is an influx of active-duty military and student veterans enrolling in postsecondary and graduate-level education. The role of an academic advisor increases significantly with this influx of enrollment. The purpose of this study was to determine how a graduate-level academic advisor perceives…

3 CFR 13539 - Executive Order 13539 of April 21, 2010. President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... Council of Advisors on Science and Technology 13539 Order 13539 Presidential Documents Executive Orders Executive Order 13539 of April 21, 2010 EO 13539 President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology... America, and in order to establish an advisory council on science, technology, and innovation, it is...

Undergraduate Students' Perceptions of the Communication Behaviors of Their Advisors and Perceptions of Relational Satisfaction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Punyanunt-Carter, Narissra; Carter, Stacy

2015-01-01

This study examined the specific interpersonal communication styles and behaviors of advisors and the expectations they have on their advisee's level of satisfaction, as well as what characteristics lead to higher relational satisfaction in the advisor-advisee relationship. A combination of convenience and snowball sampling were utilized to obtain…

System Advisor Model, SAM 2011.12.2: General Description

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

Gilman, P.; Dobos, A.

2012-02-01

This document describes the capabilities of the U.S. Department of Energy and National Renewable Energy Laboratory's System Advisor Model (SAM), Version 2011.12.2, released on December 2, 2011. SAM is software that models the cost and performance of renewable energy systems. Project developers, policy makers, equipment manufacturers, and researchers use graphs and tables of SAM results in the process of evaluating financial, technology, and incentive options for renewable energy projects. SAM simulates the performance of solar, wind, geothermal, biomass, and conventional power systems. The financial model can represent financing structures for projects that either buy and sell electricity at retail ratesmore » (residential and commercial) or sell electricity at a price determined in a power purchase agreement (utility). Advanced analysis options facilitate parametric, sensitivity, and statistical analyses, and allow for interfacing SAM with Microsoft Excel or with other computer programs. SAM is available as a free download at http://sam.nrel.gov. Technical support and more information about the software are available on the website.« less

[Increasing the resolution of chromosome analysis using pyrido[1,2alpha]benzimidazoles].

PubMed

Rachinskaia, O A; Popov, K V; Ryzvanovich, G A; Bol'sheva, N L; Begunov, R S; Iurkevich, O Iu; Zelenin, A V; Muravlenko, O V

2012-10-01

We studied the influence of three derivatives of pyrido[1,2alpha]benzimidazoles (PBIs), which have DNA-intercalating properties, on plant mitotic chromosome condensation, in order to increase the resolution of chromosome analysis. The efficiency of the influence of these agents was assessed using the median chromosome length on chromosome slides, as well as by the number and size of chromosome DAPI bands. We used the third chromosome of Linum grandiflorum Desf. in these experiments. The chromosome was identified on the slides using its DAPI band pattern and a molecular marker, viz., the 5S rDNA site, which is located in the proximal region of the long arm of the chromosome. The influence of the well-known 9-aminoacridine (9-AMA) DNA intercalator, which is widely used in karyotype studies of short-chromosome organisms, was used as a control in all of the experiments. It was found that the influence of each of the three PBIs in the study on the root meristem of L. grandiflorum resulted in an increase in the median length of the third chromosome, the linear centromeric DAPI band size, and the number ofintercalary DAPI bands. All three PBIs acted more efficiently than 9-AMA. The median chromosome length was increased by 15-40% and the number of intercalary bands increased by 1.5-3 times after PBI treatment, as compared to 9-AMA treatment. At the same time, 7-CF3-PBI, in a similar manner to 9-AMA, did not change the relative size of the centromeric DAPI band, while 7-NH2-PBI and 7-CF3-9-NH2-PBI gradually increased this parameter. It is concluded that these substances can be used as intercalating agents in cytogenetic studies in order to increase the resolution of chromosome analysis.

A Field Trial to Assess a Blood-Stage Malaria Vaccine

PubMed Central

Thera, Mahamadou A.; Doumbo, Ogobara K.; Coulibaly, Drissa; Laurens, Matthew B.; Ouattara, Amed; Kone, Abdoulaye K.; Guindo, Ando B.; Traore, Karim; Traore, Idrissa; Kouriba, Bourema; Diallo, Dapa A.; Diarra, Issa; Daou, Modibo; Dolo, Amagana; Tolo, Youssouf; Sissoko, Mahamadou S.; Niangaly, Amadou; Sissoko, Mady; Takala-Harrison, Shannon; Lyke, Kirsten E.; Wu, Yukun; Blackwelder, William C.; Godeaux, Olivier; Vekemans, Johan; Dubois, Marie-Claude; Ballou, W. Ripley; Cohen, Joe; Thompson, Darby; Dube, Tina; Soisson, Lorraine; Diggs, Carter L.; House, Brent; Lanar, David E.; Dutta, Sheetij; Heppner, D. Gray; Plowe, Christopher V.

2011-01-01

BACKGROUND Blood-stage malaria vaccines are intended to prevent clinical disease. The malaria vaccine FMP2.1/AS02A, a recombinant protein based on apical membrane antigen 1 (AMA1) from the 3D7 strain of Plasmodium falciparum, has previously been shown to have immunogenicity and acceptable safety in Malian adults and children. METHODS In a double-blind, randomized trial, we immunized 400 Malian children with either the malaria vaccine or a control (rabies) vaccine and followed them for 6 months. The primary end point was clinical malaria, defined as fever and at least 2500 parasites per cubic millimeter of blood. A secondary end point was clinical malaria caused by parasites with the AMA1 DNA sequence found in the vaccine strain. RESULTS The cumulative incidence of the primary end point was 48.4% in the malaria-vaccine group and 54.4% in the control group; efficacy against the primary end point was 17.4% (hazard ratio for the primary end point, 0.83; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.63 to 1.09; P = 0.18). Efficacy against the first and subsequent episodes of clinical malaria, as defined on the basis of various parasite-density thresholds, was approximately 20%. Efficacy against clinical malaria caused by parasites with AMA1 corresponding to that of the vaccine strain was 64.3% (hazard ratio, 0.36; 95% CI, 0.08 to 0.86; P = 0.03). Local reactions and fever after vaccination were more frequent with the malaria vaccine. CONCLUSIONS On the basis of the primary end point, the malaria vaccine did not provide significant protection against clinical malaria, but on the basis of secondary results, it may have strain-specific efficacy. If this finding is confirmed, AMA1 might be useful in a multicomponent malaria vaccine. PMID:21916638

Export of a Toxoplasma gondii Rhoptry Neck Protein Complex at the Host Cell Membrane to Form the Moving Junction during Invasion

PubMed Central

Poncet, Joël; Dubremetz, Jean-François; Lebrun, Maryse

2009-01-01

One of the most conserved features of the invasion process in Apicomplexa parasites is the formation of a moving junction (MJ) between the apex of the parasite and the host cell membrane that moves along the parasite and serves as support to propel it inside the host cell. The MJ was, up to a recent period, completely unknown at the molecular level. Recently, proteins originated from two distinct post-Golgi specialised secretory organelles, the micronemes (for AMA1) and the neck of the rhoptries (for RON2/RON4/RON5 proteins), have been shown to form a complex. AMA1 and RON4 in particular, have been localised to the MJ during invasion. Using biochemical approaches, we have identified RON8 as an additional member of the complex. We also demonstrated that all RON proteins are present at the MJ during invasion. Using metabolic labelling and immunoprecipitation, we showed that RON2 and AMA1 were able to interact in the absence of the other members. We also discovered that all MJ proteins are subjected to proteolytic maturation during trafficking to their respective organelles and that they could associate as non-mature forms in vitro. Finally, whereas AMA1 has previously been shown to be inserted into the parasite membrane upon secretion, we demonstrated, using differential permeabilization and loading of RON-specific antibodies into the host cell, that the RON complex is targeted to the host cell membrane, where RON4/5/8 remain associated with the cytoplasmic face. Globally, these results point toward a model of MJ organization where the parasite would be secreting and inserting interacting components on either side of the MJ, both at the host and at its own plasma membranes. PMID:19247437

Activin Decoy Receptor ActRIIB:Fc Lowers FSH and Therapeutically Restores Oocyte Yield, Prevents Oocyte Chromosome Misalignments and Spindle Aberrations, and Increases Fertility in Midlife Female SAMP8 Mice.

PubMed

Bernstein, Lori R; Mackenzie, Amelia C L; Lee, Se-Jin; Chaffin, Charles L; Merchenthaler, István

2016-03-01

Women of advanced maternal age (AMA) (age ≥ 35) have increased rates of infertility, miscarriages, and trisomic pregnancies. Collectively these conditions are called "egg infertility." A root cause of egg infertility is increased rates of oocyte aneuploidy with age. AMA women often have elevated endogenous FSH. Female senescence-accelerated mouse-prone-8 (SAMP8) has increased rates of oocyte spindle aberrations, diminished fertility, and rising endogenous FSH with age. We hypothesize that elevated FSH during the oocyte's FSH-responsive growth period is a cause of abnormalities in the meiotic spindle. We report that eggs from SAMP8 mice treated with equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG) for the period of oocyte growth have increased chromosome and spindle misalignments. Activin is a molecule that raises FSH, and ActRIIB:Fc is an activin decoy receptor that binds and sequesters activin. We report that ActRIIB:Fc treatment of midlife SAMP8 mice for the duration of oocyte growth lowers FSH, prevents egg chromosome and spindle misalignments, and increases litter sizes. AMA patients can also have poor responsiveness to FSH stimulation. We report that although eCG lowers yields of viable oocytes, ActRIIB:Fc increases yields of viable oocytes. ActRIIB:Fc and eCG cotreatment markedly reduces yields of viable oocytes. These data are consistent with the hypothesis that elevated FSH contributes to egg aneuploidy, declining fertility, and poor ovarian response and that ActRIIB:Fc can prevent egg aneuploidy, increase fertility, and improve ovarian response. Future studies will continue to examine whether ActRIIB:Fc works via FSH and/or other pathways and whether ActRIIB:Fc can prevent aneuploidy, increase fertility, and improve stimulation responsiveness in AMA women.

How Do Incentives Lead to Deception in Advisor–Client Interactions? Explicit and Implicit Strategies of Self-Interested Deception

PubMed Central

Mackinger, Barbara; Jonas, Eva

2012-01-01

When confronted with important questions we like to rely on the advice of experts. However, uncertainty can occur regarding advisors’ motivation to pursue self-interest and deceive the client. This can especially occur when the advisor has the possibility to receive an incentive by recommending a certain alternative. We investigated how the possibility to pursue self-interest led to explicit strategic behavior (bias in recommendation and transfer of information) and to implicit strategic behavior (bias in information processing: evaluation and memory). In Study 1 explicit strategic behavior could be identified: self-interested advisors recommended more often the self-serving alternative and transferred more self-interested biased information to their client compared to the advisor without specific interest. Also deception through implicit strategic behavior was identified: self-interested advisors biased the evaluation of information less in favor of the client compared to the control group. Self-interested advisors also remembered conflicting information regarding their self-interest worse compared to advisors without self-interest. In Study 2 beside self-interest we assessed accountability which interacted with self-interest and increased the bias: when accountability was high advisor’s self-interest led to higher explicit strategic behavior (less transfer of conflicting information), and to higher implicit strategic behavior (devaluated and remembered less conflicting information). Both studies identified implicit strategic behavior as mediator which can explain the relation between self-interest and explicit strategic behavior. Results of both studies suggest that self-interested advisors use explicit and implicit strategic behavior to receive an incentive. Thus, advisors do not only consciously inform their clients “self-interested,” but they are influenced unconsciously by biased information processing – a tendency which even increased with high accountability. PMID:23440297

MAPP (Monitoring Academic Progress Policy): Providing Advising Direction Through the Use of a Degree Auditing System.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Severy, Lawrence J.; Slinger, Peter J.

1996-01-01

Describes a computerized partial degree auditing system, MAPP (Monitoring Academic Progress Policy), developed at the University of Florida to monitor students' progress into appropriate majors and apply institutional policy concerning degrees. The system generates letters directing students to advisors when needed. Discusses advantages for…

Product Lifecycle Management: A Collaborative Tool for Defense Acquisitions

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-09-01

by Christopher M. Schindler September 2010 Thesis Advisor: Thomas Housel Second Reader: William Solitario Approved for public release...September 2010 Author: Christopher M. Schindler Approved by: Thomas Housel, PhD Thesis Advisor William Solitario Second Reader...Ben Kassel, Randy Langmead, Michael Schwind, and Jeff Watson. I also must thank my advisors, Thomas Housel and Bill Solitario, for guiding me

A Survey on Advisor Perceptions of the Academic Advising Program at the University of Alaska Anchorage Anchorage, Alaska

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Willis-Haslip, Shirlee

2011-01-01

This survey research was the basis of the dissertation for the researcher's doctoral program at George Fox University, and was conducted at the University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA). The purpose of this study was to measure the perception of faculty advisors and professional academic advisors in regard to the importance, responsibility for and…

17 CFR 249.1300T - Form MA-T-For temporary registration as a municipal advisor, and for amendments to, and...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 17 Commodity and Securities Exchanges 3 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Form MA-T-For temporary registration as a municipal advisor, and for amendments to, and withdrawals from, temporary registration. 249...) FORMS, SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 Forms for Registration of Municipal Advisors § 249.1300T Form MA...

40 CFR 35.4185 - What does my group do with reports our technical advisor prepares for us?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... Assistance Managing Your Tag § 35.4185 What does my group do with reports our technical advisor prepares for... 40 Protection of Environment 1 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false What does my group do with reports our technical advisor prepares for us? 35.4185 Section 35.4185 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL...

40 CFR 35.4185 - What does my group do with reports our technical advisor prepares for us?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... Assistance Managing Your Tag § 35.4185 What does my group do with reports our technical advisor prepares for... 40 Protection of Environment 1 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false What does my group do with reports our technical advisor prepares for us? 35.4185 Section 35.4185 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL...

40 CFR 35.4185 - What does my group do with reports our technical advisor prepares for us?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... Assistance Managing Your Tag § 35.4185 What does my group do with reports our technical advisor prepares for... 40 Protection of Environment 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false What does my group do with reports our technical advisor prepares for us? 35.4185 Section 35.4185 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL...

40 CFR 35.4185 - What does my group do with reports our technical advisor prepares for us?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... Assistance Managing Your Tag § 35.4185 What does my group do with reports our technical advisor prepares for... 40 Protection of Environment 1 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false What does my group do with reports our technical advisor prepares for us? 35.4185 Section 35.4185 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL...

A Training Program for College Residence Hall Advisors: Rincon Hall, California State University, Northridge.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Matthias, Ruth

This program was devised in an attempt to train more effective resident advisors for the 1972-73 school year at a dormitory at California State University. The special characteristics of the dormitory--racially mixed and discordant--seemed to indicate a need for a special kind of resident advisor training program, one that attempted to better…

40 CFR 35.4195 - Are there certain people my group cannot select to be our technical advisor, grant administrator...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... cannot select to be our technical advisor, grant administrator, or other contractor under the grant? 35... ASSISTANCE STATE AND LOCAL ASSISTANCE Grants for Technical Assistance Procuring A Technical Advisor Or Other Contractor with Tag Funds § 35.4195 Are there certain people my group cannot select to be our technical...

75 FR 53958 - Meeting of the Board of Advisors to the Presidents of the Naval Postgraduate School and the Naval...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-09-02

... DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Department of the Navy Meeting of the Board of Advisors to the Presidents of the Naval Postgraduate School and the Naval War College AGENCY: Department of the Navy, DoD. ACTION... of Advisors (BOA) to the Presidents of the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) and the Naval War College...

17 CFR 5.4 - Applicability of part 4 of this chapter to commodity pool operators and commodity trading advisors.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... this chapter to commodity pool operators and commodity trading advisors. 5.4 Section 5.4 Commodity and Securities Exchanges COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING COMMISSION OFF-EXCHANGE FOREIGN CURRENCY TRANSACTIONS § 5.4 Applicability of part 4 of this chapter to commodity pool operators and commodity trading advisors. Part 4 of...

17 CFR 5.4 - Applicability of part 4 of this chapter to commodity pool operators and commodity trading advisors.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... this chapter to commodity pool operators and commodity trading advisors. 5.4 Section 5.4 Commodity and Securities Exchanges COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING COMMISSION OFF-EXCHANGE FOREIGN CURRENCY TRANSACTIONS § 5.4 Applicability of part 4 of this chapter to commodity pool operators and commodity trading advisors. Part 4 of...

The Relationship of Worldviews of Advisors and Students and Satisfaction with Advising: A Case of Homogenous Group Impact

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coll, Jose E.; Zalaquett, Carlos

2008-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether differences in world-views between academic advisors and their advisees (both traditional and non-traditional students) impact students' use of and satisfaction with the advising process. This study surveyed 115 students and 5 advisors from a four-year liberal arts university in southeastern…

[Glimpsing undergraduate research from the view of the advisors of Nursing scholarships].

PubMed

Erdmann, Alacoque Lorenzini; Leite, Joséte Luzia; Nascimento, Keyla Cristiane do; Lanzoni, Gabriela Marcellino de Melo

2011-01-01

This research aimed at understanding the meaning of undergraduate research for supervisors of Nursing scholarship students in a university in the South of Brazil. The methodological reference used was the Grounded Theory, by the means of interviews with seven undergraduate research scholarship advisors forming two sample groups. The phenomenon "glimpsing undergraduate research activities of research groups coordinated by nursing advisors, the basis of competency formation in research of the scholarships" emerged form the interrelation of six categories. To be a advisor and researcher of human resources in research form undergraduation requires pedagogical, instrumental, and managerial competencies associated to research policies of nursing and health.

An evaluation of training for lay providers in the use of Motivational Interviewing to promote academic achievement among urban youth

PubMed Central

Simon, Patricia; Ward, Nadia L.

2015-01-01

This study examined training outcomes for lay service providers who participated in a Motivational Interviewing (MI) training program designed to help increase intrinsic motivation and academic achievement among urban low-income and minority youth. Seventeen lay academic advisors received 16 hours of training in MI. Two, two-hour booster sessions plus five, two- hour weekly group supervision sessions were conducted with lay advisors over a period of seven months. One-hundred percent of lay advisors (n =17) participated in all training, booster sessions and assessments. Seventy-one percent of lay advisors (n=12) completed all group supervision sessions and submitted tapes for review. MI training was associated with increased knowledge of MI principles among lay service providers; increased proficiency in responding to simulated clients in an MI consistent style; increased use of MI adherent behaviors in sessions with real clients and maintenance of high motivation to use MI from pretest to posttest. Although lay advisors increased their knowledge of MI, further training is required for advisors to increase competence in delivering MI. Overall, Implications for using MI in the context of school-based settings is discussed. PMID:26356248

An evaluation of training for lay providers in the use of Motivational Interviewing to promote academic achievement among urban youth.

PubMed

Simon, Patricia; Ward, Nadia L

This study examined training outcomes for lay service providers who participated in a Motivational Interviewing (MI) training program designed to help increase intrinsic motivation and academic achievement among urban low-income and minority youth. Seventeen lay academic advisors received 16 hours of training in MI. Two, two-hour booster sessions plus five, two- hour weekly group supervision sessions were conducted with lay advisors over a period of seven months. One-hundred percent of lay advisors (n =17) participated in all training, booster sessions and assessments. Seventy-one percent of lay advisors (n=12) completed all group supervision sessions and submitted tapes for review. MI training was associated with increased knowledge of MI principles among lay service providers; increased proficiency in responding to simulated clients in an MI consistent style; increased use of MI adherent behaviors in sessions with real clients and maintenance of high motivation to use MI from pretest to posttest. Although lay advisors increased their knowledge of MI, further training is required for advisors to increase competence in delivering MI. Overall, Implications for using MI in the context of school-based settings is discussed.

An advisory program for first- and second-year medical students: the Weill Cornell experience

PubMed Central

Drusin, Lewis M.; Gerber, Linda M.; Miller, Carlyle H.; Storey-Johnson, Carol L.; Ballard, Bruce L.

2013-01-01

Purpose First-year students negotiate new professional culture with a certain amount of excitement and anxiety. There are different approaches for offering guidance. In this study, the authors present Weill Cornell Medical College's experience with an advising program for first- and second-year students. Methods Fifty faculty advisors were each assigned 1–3 first-year students who they would follow for 2 years. The responsibilities were outlined to both faculty and students. The program was evaluated using an anonymous questionnaire. Results For the two classes surveyed (2011 and 2012), most students met their advisors once. For both classes, the most frequently discussed issues were general adjustment to medical school, academic life, and the professional life of the advisor. Summer research and career opportunities were also discussed. Most students were satisfied with the advising program. Satisfaction increased with an increase in visits. Most students who did not meet their advisors established an advisor relationship on their own. Conclusions An advising program was established at Weill Cornell Medical College that satisfied most of the students. It is important to evaluate its format regularly, from both student and advisor perspectives, in order to ensure its continued success. PMID:24290314

Combat Casualty Hand Burns: Evaluating Impairment and Disability during Recovery

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-06-01

impairment guidelines would correlate with disability as mea- sured by the DASH. However, a study by Mink van der Molen et al. found only a weak correlation (r...Mink van der Molen AB, Ettema AM, Hovius SER. Outcome of hand trauma: the hand injury severity scoring system (HISS) and subsequent impairment and...0.38) between AMA and DASH scores at six months after hand trauma.16 In another study, van Oosterom et al. reported no statistically significant

Casemix--an AMA perspective.

PubMed

Nelson, B

1994-09-05

The introduction of casemix payment systems into Australia's public hospitals is an inevitability which the Australian Medical Association has now begun to address. A greater involvement of clinicians in the design and implementation of casemix can add substantial quality to these systems. However, there is concern that a proliferation of separate casemix systems may be contrary to overall health policy developments and that governments will not understand the limits of casemix. Recent attempts to include medical payments within a casemix payment system in the private sector faced our united opposition. Finally, special care needs to be taken to ensure that the introduction of a casemix payment system does not further disadvantage access to high quality health care for Aborigines.

Creation of the American Board of Ophthalmology: The Role of the American Medical Association.

PubMed

Williams, Ruth D

2016-09-01

In the early 20th century, the American Medical Association (AMA), specifically its Section on Ophthalmology, played a central role in the founding of America's first medical specialty board, the American Board of Ophthalmology. With the American Ophthalmological Society and the American Academy of Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology, the AMA's contributions to the formation of the American Board of Ophthalmology led to the establishment of sound educational standards for practicing ophthalmologists and helped to advance the culture of medical excellence within the profession that is synonymous with board certification today. Copyright © 2016 American Academy of Ophthalmology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Efficient extraction of vaccines formulated in aluminum hydroxide gel by including surfactants in the extraction buffer

PubMed Central

Zhu, Daming; Huang, Shuhui; McClellan, Holly; Dai, Weili; Syed, Najam R; Gebregeorgis, Elizabeth; Mullen, Gregory E. D.; Long, Carole; Martin, Laura B.; Narum, David; Duffy, Patrick; Miller, Louis H.; Saul, Allan

2011-01-01

Efficient antigen extraction from vaccines formulated on aluminum hydroxide gels is a critical step for the evaluation of the quality of vaccines following formulation. It has been shown in our laboratory that the efficiency of antigen extraction from vaccines formulated on Alhydrogel decreased significantly with increased storage time. To increase antigen extraction efficiency, the present study determined the effect of surfactants on antigen recovery from vaccine formulations. The Plasmodium falciparum apical membrane antigen 1 (AMA1) formulated on Alhydrogel and stored at 2-8 °C for three years was used as a model in this study. The AMA1 on Alhydrogel was extracted in the presence or absence of 30 mM sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) or 20 mM cetylpyridinium chloride in the extraction buffer (0.60 M citrate, 0.55 M phosphate, pH 8.5) using our standard antigen extraction protocols. Extracted AMA1 antigen was analyzed by 4-20% Tris-glycine SDS-PAGE followed by silver staining or western blotting. The results showed that inclusion of SDS or cetylpyridinium chloride in extraction buffer increased the antigen recovery dramatically and can be used for efficient characterization of Alhydrogel vaccines. PMID:22107848

α-Thalassaemia trait is associated with antibody prevalence against malaria antigens AMA-1 and MSP-1.

PubMed

Daou, Modibo; Kituma, Elimsaada; Kavishe, Reginald; Chilongola, Jaffu; Mosha, Frank; van der Ven, André; Kouriba, Bourema; Bousema, Teun; Sauerwein, Robert; Doumbo, Ogobaro

2015-04-01

A longitudinal study was conducted in a low endemic area in northern Tanzania to examine the influence of the α-thalassaemia trait on malaria incidence and antibody responses to malaria apical membrane antigen-1 (AMA-1) and merozoite surface protein1-19 (MSP-119). Out of 394 children genotyped for α-thalassaemia trait, 4.1% (16 of 394) and 30.7% (121 of 394) were homozygous and heterozygous, respectively. During the 1 year follow-up, four incidents of malaria cases were detected without an evident association with α-thalassaemia. Being heterozygous or homozygous for α-thalassaemia was associated with an increased prevalence of antibodies to AMA-1 [odds ratio (OR): 1.83, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.07-3.12, p = 0.027] and MSP-1 (OR: 2.04, 95% CI: 1.16-3.60, p = 0.013) after adjustment for age and reported bednet use. The observed association between α-thalassaemia and malaria antibody responses may reflect longer-term differences in antigen exposure or differences in antibody acquisition upon exposure in this low endemic setting. © The Author [2015]. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Medical and Safety Reforms in Boxing

PubMed Central

Jordan, Barry D.

1988-01-01

The continued existence of boxing as an accepted sport in civilized society has been long debated. The position of the American Medical Association (AMA) has evolved from promoting increased safety and medical reform to recommending total abolition of both amateur and professional boxing. In response to the AMA opposition to boxing, the boxing community has attempted to increase the safeguards in amateur and professional boxing. The United States of America Amateur Boxing Federation, which is the national regulatory agency for all amateur boxing in the United States, has taken several actions to prevent the occurrence of acute brain injury and is currently conducting epidemiologic studies to assess the long-term neuropsychologic consequences of amateur boxing. In professional boxing, state regulatory agencies such as the New York State Athletic Commission have introduced several medical interventions to prevent and reduce neurologic injury. The lack of a national regulatory agency to govern professional boxing has stimulated the formation of the Association of Boxing Commissions and potential legislation for the federal regulation of professional boxing by a federally chartered organization called the United States Boxing Commission. The AMA's opposition to boxing and the medical and safety reforms implemented by the proponents of boxing are discussed. PMID:3385788

A primer for workers' compensation.

PubMed

Bible, Jesse E; Spengler, Dan M; Mir, Hassan R

2014-07-01

A physician's role within a workers' compensation injury extends far beyond just evaluation and treatment with several socioeconomic and psychological factors at play compared with similar injuries occurring outside of the workplace. Although workers' compensation statutes vary among states, all have several basic features with the overall goal of returning the injured worker to maximal function in the shortest time period, with the least residual disability and shortest time away from work. To help physicians unfamiliar with the workers' compensation process accomplish these goals. Review. Educational review. The streamlined review addresses the topics of why is workers' compensation necessary; what does workers' compensation cover; progression after work injury; impairment and maximum medical improvement, including how to use the sixth edition of American Medical Association's (AMA) Guides to the evaluation of permanent impairment (Guides); completion of work injury claim after impairment rating; independent medical evaluation; and causation. In the "no-fault" workers' compensation system, physicians play a key role in progressing the claim along and, more importantly, getting the injured worker back to work as soon as safely possible. Physicians should remain familiar with the workers' compensation process, along with how to properly use the AMA Guides. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Toxoplasma aldolase is required for metabolism but dispensable for host-cell invasion.

PubMed

Shen, Bang; Sibley, L David

2014-03-04

Gliding motility and host-cell invasion by apicomplexan parasites depend on cell-surface adhesins that are translocated via an actin-myosin motor beneath the membrane. The current model posits that fructose-1,6-bisphosphate aldolase (ALD) provides a critical link between the cytoplasmic tails of transmembrane adhesins and the actin-myosin motor. Here we tested this model using the Toxoplasma gondii apical membrane protein 1 (TgAMA1), which binds to aldolase in vitro. TgAMA1 cytoplasmic tail mutations that disrupt ALD binding in vitro showed no correlation with host-cell invasion, indicating this interaction is not essential. Furthermore, ALD-depleted parasites were impaired when grown in glucose, yet they showed normal gliding and invasion in glucose-free medium. Depletion of ALD in the presence of glucose led to accumulation of fructose-1,6-bisphosphate, which has been associated with toxicity in other systems. Finally, TgALD knockout parasites and an ALD mutant that specifically disrupts adhesin binding in vitro also supported normal invasion when cultured in glucose-free medium. Taken together, these results suggest that ALD is primarily important for energy metabolism rather than interacting with microneme adhesins, challenging the current model for apicomplexan motility and invasion.

Publication of a thesis: the relationship between graduate student and thesis advisor.

PubMed

Giefer, C

1996-01-01

Identifying the roles the graduate student and the thesis advisor will undertake when preparing the thesis helps when the thesis is published. Such issues as bylines and copyrights should be agreed upon before embarking on the thesis work. The author, an Associate Professor in the nursing department at a state university, clarifies the roles of the graduate student and thesis advisor.

Mission Accomplished Rebuilding the Iraqi and Afghan Armies

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-06-01

ACCOMPLISHED? REBUILDING THE IRAQI AND AFGHAN ARMIES by James F. Beal June 2016 Thesis Advisor : James Russell Second Reader: Daniel Moran THIS...and the withdrawal of combat advisors from Afghanistan in 2014, the Islamic State has gained control of significant territory in Iraq including Mosul...Afghanistan National Army, ANA, ISF, IA, counterinsurgency, COIN, military advisor , legitimacy, nation-building 15. NUMBER OF PAGES 103 16. PRICE

The Role of the Graduate-Level Academic Advisor for Military and Student Veterans: An Ethnographic Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Michelle A.

2013-01-01

The role of a graduate-level academic advisor is essential to all levels of higher education. With the introduction of the Post 9/11 GI Bill, there has been an influx of military and student veterans enrolling in postsecondary and graduate-level education programs. The role of the academic advisor has increased significantly with the influx of…

Prudent methods for evaluating, selecting and monitoring professional advisors.

PubMed

Ondrasik, P J; Walters, D A

1997-03-01

Multiemployer fund trustees have a significant responsibility to the plans and beneficiaries they serve. Fortunately, the law allows trustees to retain professionals to assist them in this important function. This article reviews trustees' relationships with these professional advisors, provides an overview of the general legal standards that govern this area and offers a brief description of the types of services trustees can expect from their advisors.

Prototype Development of Low-Cost, Augmented Reality Trainer for Crew Service Weapons

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-09-01

2008 Thesis Co- Advisors : Mathias Kolsch Joseph Sullivan THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK i NSN 7540-01-280-5500 Standard Form 298 (Rev. 2-89...by: Mathias Kölsch Thesis Co- Advisor Joseph Sullivan Thesis Co- Advisor Mathias Kölsch, Ph.D. Chair, MOVES Academic Committee iv...CURRENT QUALIFICATION AND TRAINING METHODS .........9 1. Weapon Qualification / Killer Tomato ..........9 2. Robo -Ski

Testing and Evaluation of the EOSDIS Core System: An ECS Science Advisor Proposal

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Welch, Ronald M.; Christopher, Sundar A.

1997-01-01

The major goal of this project was to: 1) perform hands on testing of the evaluation packages, 2) provide feedback in the design of the EOSDIS Core System, and 3) test the effectiveness of the DAAC's by acquiring and testing remote sensing data sets.

Solar Research | NREL

Science.gov Websites

the System Advisor Model (SAM) PV engineering PV performance reliability and safety Solar resource Research Photo of a city landscape with a sun in the background. Solar energy research at NREL includes photovoltaics, concentrating solar power, solar grid and systems integration, and market research

Improving Advising Using Technology and Data Analytics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Phillips, Elizabeth D.

2013-01-01

Traditionally, the collegiate advising system provides each student with a personal academic advisor who designs a pathway to the degree for that student in face-to-face meetings. Ideally, this is a supportive mentoring relationship. In truth, however, this system is highly inefficient, error prone, expensive, and a source of ubiquitous student…

Critical Building Blocks: Mandatory Prerequisite Registration Systems and Student Success

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Soria, Krista M.; Mumpower, Lori

2012-01-01

Many colleges and universities require prerequisites prior to enrollment in introductory composition courses; however, enforcement of prerequisites is not consistent across institutions. In this study, we examine the impact of an automated, mandatory prerequisite enforcement system on students and advisors at a public comprehensive university.…

Methodes d'amas quantiques a temperature finie appliquees au modele de Hubbard

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Plouffe, Dany

Depuis leur decouverte dans les annees 80, les supraconducteurs a haute temperature critique ont suscite beaucoup d'interet en physique du solide. Comprendre l'origine des phases observees dans ces materiaux, telle la supraconductivite, est l'un des grands defis de la physique theorique du solide des 25 dernieres annees. L'un des mecanismes pressentis pour expliquer ces phenomenes est la forte interaction electron-electron. Le modele de Hubbard est l'un des modeles les plus simples pour tenir compte de ces interactions. Malgre la simplicite apparente de ce modele, certaines de ses caracteristiques, dont son diagramme de phase, ne sont toujours pas bien etablies, et ce malgre plusieurs avancements theoriques dans les dernieres annees. Cette etude se consacre a faire une analyse de methodes numeriques permettant de calculer diverses proprietes du modele de Hubbard en fonction de la temperature. Nous decrivons des methodes (la VCA et la CPT) qui permettent de calculer approximativement la fonction de Green a temperature finie sur un systeme infini a partir de la fonction de Green calculee sur un amas de taille finie. Pour calculer ces fonctions de Green, nous allons utiliser des methodes permettant de reduire considerablement les efforts numeriques necessaires pour les calculs des moyennes thermodynamiques, en reduisant considerablement l'espace des etats a considerer dans ces moyennes. Bien que cette etude vise d'abord a developper des methodes d'amas pour resoudre le modele de Hubbard a temperature finie de facon generale ainsi qu'a etudier les proprietes de base de ce modele, nous allons l'appliquer a des conditions qui s'approchent de supraconducteurs a haute temperature critique. Les methodes presentees dans cette etude permettent de tracer un diagramme de phase pour l'antiferromagnetisme et la supraconductivite qui presentent plusieurs similarites avec celui des supraconducteurs a haute temperature. Mots-cles : modele de Hubbard, thermodynamique, antiferromagnetisme, supraconductivite, methodes numeriques, larges matrices

Genetic Mapping Identifies Novel Highly Protective Antigens for an Apicomplexan Parasite

PubMed Central

Blake, Damer P.; Billington, Karen J.; Copestake, Susan L.; Oakes, Richard D.; Quail, Michael A.; Wan, Kiew-Lian; Shirley, Martin W.; Smith, Adrian L.

2011-01-01

Apicomplexan parasites are responsible for a myriad of diseases in humans and livestock; yet despite intensive effort, development of effective sub-unit vaccines remains a long-term goal. Antigenic complexity and our inability to identify protective antigens from the pool that induce response are serious challenges in the development of new vaccines. Using a combination of parasite genetics and selective barriers with population-based genetic fingerprinting, we have identified that immunity against the most important apicomplexan parasite of livestock (Eimeria spp.) was targeted against a few discrete regions of the genome. Herein we report the identification of six genomic regions and, within two of those loci, the identification of true protective antigens that confer immunity as sub-unit vaccines. The first of these is an Eimeria maxima homologue of apical membrane antigen-1 (AMA-1) and the second is a previously uncharacterised gene that we have termed ‘immune mapped protein-1’ (IMP-1). Significantly, homologues of the AMA-1 antigen are protective with a range of apicomplexan parasites including Plasmodium spp., which suggest that there may be some characteristic(s) of protective antigens shared across this diverse group of parasites. Interestingly, homologues of the IMP-1 antigen, which is protective against E. maxima infection, can be identified in Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum. Overall, this study documents the discovery of novel protective antigens using a population-based genetic mapping approach allied with a protection-based screen of candidate genes. The identification of AMA-1 and IMP-1 represents a substantial step towards development of an effective anti-eimerian sub-unit vaccine and raises the possibility of identification of novel antigens for other apicomplexan parasites. Moreover, validation of the parasite genetics approach to identify effective antigens supports its adoption in other parasite systems where legitimate protective antigen identification is difficult. PMID:21347348

Rule based artificial intelligence expert system for determination of upper extremity impairment rating.

PubMed

Lim, I; Walkup, R K; Vannier, M W

1993-04-01

Quantitative evaluation of upper extremity impairment, a percentage rating most often determined using a rule based procedure, has been implemented on a personal computer using an artificial intelligence, rule-based expert system (AI system). In this study, the rules given in Chapter 3 of the AMA Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment (Third Edition) were used to develop such an AI system for the Apple Macintosh. The program applies the rules from the Guides in a consistent and systematic fashion. It is faster and less error-prone than the manual method, and the results have a higher degree of precision, since intermediate values are not truncated.

Learning Strategy Preferences, Decision-Making Styles, Ways of Knowing, and Cultural Awareness of Members of the National Academic Advising Association

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trout, Donna K.

2009-01-01

Academic advisors help students with the process of decision making, of making sense of their world, of understanding how they go about learning, and of understanding how to appreciate diversity in their world. If advisors are to help students in these areas, academic advisors should be aware of the cognitive processes of how they make sense of…

Neal Lane: Confessions of a President's Science Advisor

ScienceCinema

Lane, Neal

2018-01-24

Former science advisor to president Bill Clinton Neal Lane briefly reviews the history of the job of Science Advisor to the President and give some examples of issues he had to deal with when he was in that position, including climate change, stem cell research, the human genome, nanotechnology and research funding. He will also give his opinions about the present and future state of science in the U.S.

Creating Rural Allied Health Leadership Structures Using District Advisors: An Action Research Project Using Program Logic.

PubMed

Schmidt, David; Kurtz, Megan; Davidson, Stuart

2017-01-01

District advisors in five allied health disciplines were introduced in a local health district in rural Australia in 2013. These strategic leadership roles provide support to clinicians and managers. As there is little research exploring allied health leadership models from a strategic and operational perspective, the coordinated commencement of these roles provided opportunity to study the creation of this leadership structure. Four advisors participated in this action research study which used focus groups and program logic processes to explore the inputs, outputs, barriers, outcomes to date, and preferred future outcomes of the leadership model. A purpose-built questionnaire was sent to 134 allied health clinicians or managers with questionnaire responses used by advisors to visualise the leadership model. Advisors prioritised policy development, representing the profession outside the organisation, and supporting department managers, whilst clinicians prioritised communication and connection-building within the organisation. Outcomes of the leadership model included connection, coordination, and advocacy for clinicians. Future preferred outcomes included increased strategic and workforce planning. Barriers included limited time, a widespread workforce and limited resourcing. Instituting a leadership model improved communication, cohesion, and coordination within the organisation. Future increases in workforce planning and coordination are limited by advisor capacity and competing workloads.

To Whistleblow or Not to Whistleblow: Affective and Cognitive Differences in Reporting Peers and Advisors.

PubMed

McIntosh, Tristan; Higgs, Cory; Turner, Megan; Partlow, Paul; Steele, Logan; MacDougall, Alexandra E; Connelly, Shane; Mumford, Michael D

2017-09-20

Traditional whistleblowing theories have purported that whistleblowers engage in a rational process in determining whether or not to blow the whistle on misconduct. However, stressors inherent to whistleblowing often impede rational thinking and act as a barrier to effective whistleblowing. The negative impact of these stressors on whistleblowing may be made worse depending on who engages in the misconduct: a peer or advisor. In the present study, participants are presented with an ethical scenario where either a peer or advisor engages in misconduct, and positive and the negative consequences of whistleblowing are either directed to the wrongdoer, department, or university. Participant responses to case questions were evaluated for whistleblowing intentions, moral intensity, metacognitive reasoning strategies, and positive and negative, active and passive emotions. Findings indicate that participants were less likely to report the observed misconduct of an advisor compared to a peer. Furthermore, the findings also suggest that when an advisor is the source of misconduct, greater negative affect results. Post-hoc analyses were also conducted examining the differences between those who did and did not intend to blow the whistle under the circumstances of either having to report an advisor or peer. The implications of these findings for understanding the complexities involved in whistleblowing are discussed.

78 FR 21946 - Request for Nominations of Candidates to the EPA's Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-04-12

... expertise in the following disciplines: Landscape ecology; terrestrial ecology; systems ecology; and... regulation. The form may be viewed and downloaded through the ``Ethics Requirements for Advisors'' link on...

VAS: A Vision Advisor System combining agents and object-oriented databases

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eilbert, James L.; Lim, William; Mendelsohn, Jay; Braun, Ron; Yearwood, Michael

1994-01-01

A model-based approach to identifying and finding the orientation of non-overlapping parts on a tray has been developed. The part models contain both exact and fuzzy descriptions of part features, and are stored in an object-oriented database. Full identification of the parts involves several interacting tasks each of which is handled by a distinct agent. Using fuzzy information stored in the model allowed part features that were essentially at the noise level to be extracted and used for identification. This was done by focusing attention on the portion of the part where the feature must be found if the current hypothesis of the part ID is correct. In going from one set of parts to another the only thing that needs to be changed is the database of part models. This work is part of an effort in developing a Vision Advisor System (VAS) that combines agents and objected-oriented databases.

The Challenges of Field Testing the Traffic Management Advisor (TMA) in an Operational Air Traffic Control Facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hoang, Ty; Swenson, Harry N.

1997-01-01

The Traffic Management Advisor (TMA), the sequence and schedule tool of the Center/TRACON Automation System (CTAS), was evaluated at the Fort Worth Center (ZFW) in the summer of 1996. This paper describes the challenges encountered during the various phases of the TMA field evaluation, which included system (hardware and software) installation, personnel training, and data collection. Operational procedures were developed and applied to the evaluation process that would ensure air safety. The five weeks of field evaluation imposed minimal impact on the hosting facility and provided valuable engineering and human factors data. The collection of data was very much an opportunistic affair, due to dynamic traffic conditions. One measure of the success of the TMA evaluation is that, rather than remove TMA after the evaluation until it could be fully implemented, the prototype TMA is in continual use at ZFW as the fully operational version is readied for implementation.

Doing the math. Groups say the debt-ceiling law's $11.1 billion hit to Medicare would lead to mass layoffs in healthcare.

PubMed

Zigmond, Jessica; Daly, Rich

2012-09-17

As Washington wrestles with looming mandatory cuts forced by a deficit agreement, the AMA, AHA and ANA are warning of massive job cuts. "If I've got a choice of maintaining these beneficial programs or contract them for my core mission, you're going to choose your core mission. And that will cost the community more in terms of health and of dollars," says Rich Morrison, of Adventist Health System.

NASA personnel in a control room during the successful second flight of the X-43A aircraft

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-03-27

NASA personnel in a control room during the successful second flight of the X-43A aircraft. front row, left to right: Randy Voland, LaRC Propulsion; Craig Christy, Boeing Systems; Dave Reubush, NASA Hyper-X Deputy Program Manager; and Vince Rausch, NASA Hyper-X Program Manager. back row, left to right: Bill Talley, DCI/consultant; Pat Stoliker, DFRC Director (Acting) of Research Engineering; John Martin, LaRC G&C; and Dave Bose, AMA/Controls.

BASIC BIOCHEMICAL AND CLINICAL ASPECTS OF NONINVASIVE TESTS HELIC.

PubMed

Dmitrienko, M A; Dmitrienko, V S; Kornienko, E A; Parolova, N I; Colomina, E O; Aronov, E B

Biochemical process that lay in the core of non-invasive detection of Helico ho cter pylod with the help of HELIC Ammonia breath test, manufactured by AMA Co Ltd., St.Petersburg, is shown. Patents from various countries, describing ammonia as H.pyiori diagnostic marker, are reviewed. Approaches for evaluation of efficacy of the test-system are analyzed, validation and verification data is provided. High diagnostic characteristics are confirmed by the results of comparative studies on patients of different age groups, reaching 97% sensitivity and 96% specificity.

The anti-trust suit against the AMA, 1939-1943: background for today's health planning.

PubMed

Puder, K L; Pumphrey, R E

1978-01-01

Today, prepaid group medical schemes form a significant component of many legislative health care proposals. Although the concept is over 60 years old, its legality was not established until 1943 by a United States Supreme Court decision that convicted the American Medical Association and the District of Columbia Medical Society for restraint of trade. The history of that suit highlights the antagonisms that exist between prepaid group medical care and the more traditional fee-for-service system.

Anchoring our Practice: Perspectives, Partnerships, Projections. Proceedings of the 2006 Annual International Conference of the Association of Tertiary Learning Advisors Aotearoa/New Zealand (ATLAANZ) (Tauranga, New Zealand, November 21-23, 2006). Volume 2

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fraser, Cath, Ed.; Ayo, Lin, Ed.

2007-01-01

This volume comprises the refereed proceedings of the 2006 ATLAANZ (Association of Tertiary Learning Advisors of Aotearoa/New Zealand) conference. The 11 articles are arranged according to the conference's sub-themes of perspectives, partnerships and projections relating to the work of learning advisors. In Chapter 1, Susan Crozier explores the…

Patients who leave the hospital against medical advice: the role of the psychiatric consultant.

PubMed

Holden, P; Vogtsberger, K N; Mohl, P C; Fuller, D S

1989-01-01

Previous studies have identified characteristics of patients who threaten to leave non-psychiatric units against medical advice, but few have described the role of the psychiatric consultant in the patient's decision. This study compared the medical records of 31 patients who threatened to leave the hospital against medical advice (AMA) and who were seen in consultation with the records of AMA-discharged patients who were not seen by a psychiatric consultant. Most patients who received consultations remained hospitalized or were discharged in regular fashion. Those seen soon after admission were most likely to stay. Patients were more likely to remain hospitalized if the consultant's recommendations had a practical, rather than a psychological, orientation.

Progress & Frontiers in PV Performance

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

Deline, Chris; DiOrio, Nick; Jordan, Dirk

2016-09-12

PowerPoint slides for a presentation given at Solar Power International 2016. Presentation includes System Advisor Model (SAM) introduction and battery modeling, bifacial PV modules and modeling, shade modeling and module level power electronics (MLPE), degradation rates, and PVWatts updates and validation.

Grazing systems research: Focusing on the managers-introduction

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Translating experimental results into management guidelines or as bases for specific decisions presents a substantial challenge for scientists, advisors and land managers. While inductive reasoning can be a valuable tool in developing general guidelines, particular wholly science-based relationships...

Environment Behavior Models for Real-Time Reactive System Testing Automation

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-09-01

by Muharrem Ugur Aksu September 2006 Co-Advisors: Mikhail Auguston Man-Tak Shing Approved for public release; distribution is......Muharrem Ugur Aksu Naval Postgraduate School Computer Science Department Date: 20 July 2006 File Name: Shuttle.cpp

Development of a Knowledge Base for Use in an Expert System Advisor for Aircraft Maintenance Scheduling (ESAAMS)

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-03-01

Cliffs, New Jersey, 1989. Merritt, Dennis, "Forward Chaining in Prolog," Al Expert, v.7 November 1986. Minsky , Marvin ., "A Framework for Representing... Minsky , Marvin , (editor), Semantic Information Processing, MIT Press, 1968. Rychener, M. D., Production Systems as a Programming Language for Artificial

Organizational Issues Involved in the Development and Operation of Farm Informational Systems for Modernizing Agriculture.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lionberger, Herbert F.

The need for an information development system for farmers is discussed in this paper. Issues and alternatives are described in terms of the research-extension-teaching trinity, extension services, role combinations, specialist advisor issues, innovations, research orientation, reward structures, and information services. Information gathered in…

An expert system for wind shear avoidance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stengel, Robert F.; Stratton, D. Alexander

1990-01-01

A study of intelligent guidance and control concepts for protecting against the adverse effects of wind shear during aircraft takeoffs and landings is being conducted, with current emphasis on developing an expert system for wind shear avoidance. Principal objectives are to develop methods for assessing the likelihood of wind shear encounter (based on real-time information in the cockpit), for deciding what flight path to pursue (e.g., takeoff abort, landing go-around, or normal climbout or glide slope), and for using the aircraft's full potential for combating wind shear. This study requires the definition of both deterministic and statistical techniques for fusing internal and external information , for making go/no-go decisions, and for generating commands to the manually controlled flight. The program has begun with the development of the WindShear Safety Advisor, an expert system for pilot aiding that is based on the FAA Windshear Training Aid; a two-volume manual that presents an overview , pilot guide, training program, and substantiating data provides guidelines for this initial development. The WindShear Safety Advisor expert system currently contains over 200 rules and is coded in the LISP programming language.

Research Traffic Management Advisor (rTMA) Up-level Final Report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Capps, Richard A.

2013-01-01

The FAA Time Based Flow Management (TBFM) Program provides for operational use and continued development of the Traffic Management Advisor (TMA) technology that NASA demonstrated in 1996. Although NASA's Center-TRACON Automation System (CTAS) software baseline includes advanced versions of TMA, some research activities are better served by a version of TMA that more closely matches the FAA's TBFM software. Beginning in 2009, NASA created Research TMA (rTMA) to enable researchers to work with FAA TBFM software in a research environment. The original rTMA was derived from TBFM v3.10 and later up-leveled to TBFM v3.12. This report documents the most recent up-level effort in which rTMA was re-derived from TBFM v4.00.07.

Computer-Assisted Monitoring Of A Complex System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Beil, Bob J.; Mickelson, Eric M.; Sterritt, John M.; Costantino, Rob W.; Houvener, Bob C.; Super, Mike A.

1995-01-01

Propulsion System Advisor (PSA) computer-based system assists engineers and technicians in analyzing masses of sensory data indicative of operating conditions of space shuttle propulsion system during pre-launch and launch activities. Designed solely for monitoring; does not perform any control functions. Although PSA developed for highly specialized application, serves as prototype of noncontrolling, computer-based subsystems for monitoring other complex systems like electric-power-distribution networks and factories.

What secondary school career advisors in New Zealand Know about pharmacy and how that knowledge affects student career choices.

PubMed

Aspden, Trudi; Cooper, Rachel; Liu, Yue; Marowa, Munyaradzi; Rubio, Christine; Waterhouse, Elisabeth-Jane; Sheridan, Janie

2015-02-17

To explore what career advisors at secondary schools (high schools) in New Zealand know about the pharmacy profession, how they obtain that knowledge, and what their potential influence is on students' decisions to study pharmacy. This study employed a cross sectional questionnaire design. A postal questionnaire was sent to 250 randomly selected secondary schools in New Zealand. The response rate was 112/248 (45%). Responding career advisors were familiar with many of the roles of pharmacists (mean knowledge score 11.5 out of 16). Over 90% of career advisors were familiar with the roles of pharmacists in the community setting; however, many had a poorer understanding of other pharmacist roles. One suggestion for improving the promotion of pharmacy within secondary schools was a greater involvement of pharmacists and pharmacy students in the promotion of pharmacy as a profession. Career advisors need a broader understanding of the potential roles of pharmacists. Increasing contact from practicing pharmacists and undergraduate pharmacy students are potential ways of increasing student interest in pharmacy.

7 CFR 1465.2 - Administration.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... leadership for AMA; (2) Establish policies, procedures, priorities, and guidance for implementation; (3... and contracts with selected participants; (6) Provide technical leadership for implementation, quality...

7 CFR 1465.2 - Administration.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... leadership for AMA; (2) Establish policies, procedures, priorities, and guidance for implementation; (3... and contracts with selected participants; (6) Provide technical leadership for implementation, quality...

7 CFR 1465.2 - Administration.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... leadership for AMA; (2) Establish policies, procedures, priorities, and guidance for implementation; (3... and contracts with selected participants; (6) Provide technical leadership for implementation, quality...

7 CFR 1465.2 - Administration.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... leadership for AMA; (2) Establish policies, procedures, priorities, and guidance for implementation; (3... and contracts with selected participants; (6) Provide technical leadership for implementation, quality...

7 CFR 1465.2 - Administration.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... leadership for AMA; (2) Establish policies, procedures, priorities, and guidance for implementation; (3... and contracts with selected participants; (6) Provide technical leadership for implementation, quality...

Factors Associated with Malaria Parasitemia, Anemia and Serological Responses in a Spectrum of Epidemiological Settings in Uganda

PubMed Central

Yeka, Adoke; Nankabirwa, Joaniter; Mpimbaza, Arthur; Kigozi, Ruth; Arinaitwe, Emmanuel; Drakeley, Chris; Greenhouse, Bryan; Kamya, Moses R.; Dorsey, Grant; Staedke, Sarah G.

2015-01-01

Background Understanding the current epidemiology of malaria and the relationship between intervention coverage, transmission intensity, and burden of disease is important to guide control activities. We aimed to determine the prevalence of anemia, parasitemia, and serological responses to P. falciparum antigens, and factors associated with these indicators, in three different epidemiological settings in Uganda. Methods and Findings In 2012, cross-sectional surveys were conducted in 200 randomly selected households from each of three sites: Walukuba, Jinja district (peri-urban); Kihihi, Kanungu district (rural); and Nagongera, Tororo district (rural) with corresponding estimates of annual entomologic inoculation rates (aEIR) of 3.8, 26.6, and 125.0, respectively. Of 2737 participants, laboratory testing was done in 2227 (81.4%), including measurement of hemoglobin, parasitemia using microscopy, and serological responses to P. falciparum apical membrane antigen 1 (AMA-1) and merozoite surface protein 1, 19 kilodalton fragment (MSP-119). Analysis of laboratory results was restricted to 1949 (87.5%) participants aged ≤ 40 years. Prevalence of anemia (hemoglobin < 11.0 g/dL) was significantly higher in Walukuba (18.9%) and Nagongera (17.4%) than in Kihihi (13.1%), and was strongly associated with decreasing age for those ≤ 5 years at all sites. Parasite prevalence was significantly higher in Nagongera (48.3%) than in Walukuba (12.2%) and Kihihi (12.8%), and significantly increased with age to 11 years, and then significantly decreased at all sites. Seropositivity to AMA-1 was 53.3% in Walukuba, 63.0% in Kihihi, and 83.7% in Nagongera and was associated with increasing age at all sites. AMA-1 seroconversion rates strongly correlated with transmission intensity, while serological responses to MSP-119 did not. Conclusion Anemia was predominant in young children and parasitemia peaked by 11 years across 3 sites with varied transmission intensity. Serological responses to AMA-1 appeared to best reflect transmission intensity, and may be a more accurate indicator for malaria surveillance than anemia or parasitemia. PMID:25768015

Radiation Oncology and Online Patient Education Materials: Deviating From NIH and AMA Recommendations.

PubMed

Prabhu, Arpan V; Hansberry, David R; Agarwal, Nitin; Clump, David A; Heron, Dwight E

2016-11-01

Physicians encourage patients to be informed about their health care options, but much of the online health care-related resources can be beneficial only if patients are capable of comprehending it. This study's aim was to assess the readability level of online patient education resources for radiation oncology to conclude whether they meet the general public's health literacy needs as determined by the guidelines of the United States National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the American Medical Association (AMA). Radiation oncology-related internet-based patient education materials were downloaded from 5 major professional websites (American Society for Radiation Oncology, American Association of Physicists in Medicine, American Brachytherapy Society, RadiologyInfo.org, and Radiation Therapy Oncology Group). Additional patient education documents were downloaded by searching for key radiation oncology phrases using Google. A total of 135 articles were downloaded and assessed for their readability level using 10 quantitative readability scales that are widely accepted in the medical literature. When all 10 assessment tools for readability were taken into account, the 135 online patient education articles were written at an average grade level of 13.7 ± 2.0. One hundred nine of the 135 articles (80.7%) required a high school graduate's comprehension level (12th-grade level or higher). Only 1 of the 135 articles (0.74%) met the AMA and NIH recommendations for patient education resources to be written between the third-grade and seventh-grade levels. Radiation oncology websites have patient education material written at an educational level above the NIH and AMA recommendations; as a result, average American patients may not be able to fully understand them. Rewriting radiation oncology patient education resources would likely contribute to the patients' understanding of their health and treatment options, making each physician-patient interaction more productive and efficient. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Radiation Oncology and Online Patient Education Materials: Deviating From NIH and AMA Recommendations

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

Prabhu, Arpan V.; Hansberry, David R.; Agarwal, Nitin

Purpose: Physicians encourage patients to be informed about their health care options, but much of the online health care–related resources can be beneficial only if patients are capable of comprehending it. This study's aim was to assess the readability level of online patient education resources for radiation oncology to conclude whether they meet the general public's health literacy needs as determined by the guidelines of the United States National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the American Medical Association (AMA). Methods: Radiation oncology–related internet-based patient education materials were downloaded from 5 major professional websites (American Society for Radiation Oncology, American Associationmore » of Physicists in Medicine, American Brachytherapy Society, (RadiologyInfo.org), and Radiation Therapy Oncology Group). Additional patient education documents were downloaded by searching for key radiation oncology phrases using Google. A total of 135 articles were downloaded and assessed for their readability level using 10 quantitative readability scales that are widely accepted in the medical literature. Results: When all 10 assessment tools for readability were taken into account, the 135 online patient education articles were written at an average grade level of 13.7 ± 2.0. One hundred nine of the 135 articles (80.7%) required a high school graduate's comprehension level (12th-grade level or higher). Only 1 of the 135 articles (0.74%) met the AMA and NIH recommendations for patient education resources to be written between the third-grade and seventh-grade levels. Conclusion: Radiation oncology websites have patient education material written at an educational level above the NIH and AMA recommendations; as a result, average American patients may not be able to fully understand them. Rewriting radiation oncology patient education resources would likely contribute to the patients' understanding of their health and treatment options, making each physician-patient interaction more productive and efficient.« less

Anthropometric changes in adolescents with anorexia nervosa in response to resistance training.

PubMed

Fernandez-del-Valle, Maria; Larumbe-Zabala, Eneko; Graell-Berna, Montserrat; Perez-Ruiz, Margarita

2015-09-01

The follow-up of anthropometric percentiles such as triceps and mid-thigh skinfold thickness (TSF, MTSF), mid-upper arm and mid-thigh circumferences (MUAC, MTC), and arm and mid-thigh muscle areas (AMA, MTMA) after a resistance training might allow for detecting nutritional progress of fat and muscular tissue during the treatment of anorexia nervosa restricting (AN-R) type patients. A total of 44 AN-R patients were randomized for control (CG 13.0 ± 0.6 years) and intervention (IG 12.7 ± 0.7 years) groups after hospitalization. The intervention group underwent a resistance training program of 8 weeks following the guidelines for healthy adolescents (3 days/week; 70 % of 6 RM). All measurements were obtained prior to starting the program (PRE) and after 8 weeks of training (POST) in both groups. TSF, MTSF, MUAC, and MTC were measured, and AMA and MTMA were calculated. Data were matched with percentile tables for general population. Changes were assessed using statistical tests for categorical data. The distribution of percentile categories within the groups did not differ statistically after 8 weeks (p > 0.05). After training, 73 % of the patients were at the same percentile interval of MUAC, 18 % higher and 9 % lower, while 30 % of CG was at lower percentile categories. Further, 54 % of the IG patients remained at the same percentile interval of MTC after training, and 36 % higher, while 20 % were at lower categories in the CG. The AMA increased (32 %) after training or remained at the same interval (59 %) in the IG, while the IG showed greater frequency of percentile decreases (45 %). Anthropometric measurements could be useful for assessing muscle status in AN-R patients during the treatment process. However, exact standard deviation scores should be used instead of percentile categories to increase the sensitivity to changes in TSF, MTSF, MUAC, MTC or AMA.

Rituximab is Ineffective for Treatment of Fatigue in Primary Biliary Cholangitis: A phase-2 Randomised Controlled Trial.

PubMed

Khanna, Amardeep; Jopson, Laura; Howel, Denise; Bryant, Andrew; Blamire, Andrew; Newton, Julia L; Jones, David E

2018-05-23

Primary Biliary Cholangitis (PBC) is a chronic cholestatic liver disease. Half of patients experience debilitating fatigue which is currently untreatable. Previous studies have shown muscle bioenergetic abnormalities in PBC, including increased muscle acidosis with exercise linked to the anti-mitochondrial antibody (AMA) diagnostic of the disease, and reduced anaerobic threshold. In this study we addressed the hypothesis that fatigue in PBC is driven by muscle bioenergetic abnormality related to AMA, and that AMA reduction with B-cell depletion therapy will improve fatigue. In our single-centred Phase II randomised controlled trial (RCT) 57 participants aged ≥18 years with PBC and moderate or severe fatigue were randomized to receive 2 doses of either rituximab (1000mg) or saline (placebo). The primary outcome measure was fatigue severity assessed using the PBC-40 fatigue domain at 3 months. Secondary outcomes measures included patient-reported outcomes, immunological and bioenergetics disease parameters. Experimental outcomes included biochemical markers of disease severity. Improvement in fatigue score at 3 months was seen in both arms, with no significant difference (adjusted mean difference -0.9 95%CI -4.6 to 3.1). Little difference was observed in other patient reported outcomes or physical activity. Significant anaerobic threshold improvement was seen in the Rituximab group only but this was not associated with fatigue improvement. No treatment-emergent SAEs were seen. Rituximab was safe over the 12 month study period but showed no evidence of effectiveness for the treatment of fatigue in PBC. Anaerobic threshold improvement was seen; potentially linking AMA with muscle bioenergetics dysfunction, however, this was not related to improvement in fatigue. Rituximab had some evidence of a beneficial effect on alkaline phosphatase levels in this largely UDCA-responding, early disease stage cohort. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. © 2018 by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.

Mechanical and microbiological properties and drug release modeling of an etch-and-rinse adhesive containing copper nanoparticles.

PubMed

Gutiérrez, M F; Malaquias, P; Matos, T P; Szesz, A; Souza, S; Bermudez, J; Reis, A; Loguercio, A D; Farago, P V

2017-03-01

To evaluate the effect of addition of copper nanoparticles (CN) at different concentrations into a two-step etch-and-rinse (2-ER) adhesive on antimicrobial activity (AMA), copper release (CR), ultimate tensile strength (UTS), degree of conversion (DC), water sorption (WS), solubility (SO), as well as the immediate (IM) and 1-year resin-dentin bond strength (μTBS) and nanoleakage (NL). Seven adhesives were formulated according to the addition of CN (0, 0.0075, 0.015, 0.06, 0.1, 0.5 and 1wt%) in adhesive. The AMA was evaluated against Streptococcus mutans using agar diffusion assay. For CR, WS and SO, specimens were constructed and tested for 28 days. For UTS, specimens were tested after 24h and 28 days. For DC, specimens were constructed and tested after 24h by FTIR. After enamel removal, the ER was applied to dentin. After composite resin build-ups, specimens were sectioned to obtain resin-dentin sticks. For μTBS and NL, specimens were tested after 24h and 1-year periods. All data were submitted to statistical analysis (α=0.05). The addition of CN provided AMA to the adhesives at all concentrations. Higher CR was observed in adhesives with higher concentration of CN. UTS, DC, WS and SO were not influenced. For μTBS an increase was observed in 0.1 and 0.5% copper group. For NL, a significant decrease was observed in all groups in comparison with control group. After 1-year, no significant reductions of μTBS and no significant increases of NL were observed for copper containing adhesives compared to the control group. The addition of CN in concentrations up to 1wt% in the 2-ER adhesive may be an alternative to provide AMA and preserve the bonding to dentin, without reducing adhesives' mechanical properties evaluated. Copyright © 2016 The Academy of Dental Materials. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Chemoselective, Stereospecific, and Living Polymerization of Polar Divinyl Monomers by Chiral Zirconocenium Catalysts.

PubMed

Vidal, Fernando; Gowda, Ravikumar R; Chen, Eugene Y-X

2015-07-29

This contribution reports the first chemoselective, stereospecific, and living polymerization of polar divinyl monomers, enabled by chiral ansa-zirconocenium catalysts through an enantiomorphic-site controlled coordination-addition polymerization mechanism. Silyl-bridged-ansa-zirconocenium ester enolate 2 has been synthesized and structurally characterized, but it exhibits low to negligible activity and stereospecificity in the polymerization of polar divinyl monomers including vinyl methacrylate (VMA), allyl methacrylate (AMA), 4-vinylbenzyl methacrylate (VBMA), and N,N-diallyl acrylamide (DAA). In contrast, ethylene-bridged-ansa-zirconocenium ester enolate 1 is highly active and stereospecific in the polymerization of such monomers including AMA, VBMA, and DAA. The polymerization by 1 is perfectly chemoselective for all four polar divinyl monomers, proceeding exclusively through conjugate addition across the methacrylic C═C bond, while leaving the pendant C═C bonds intact. The polymerization of DAA is most stereospecific and controlled, producing essentially stereoperfect isotactic PDAA with [mmmm] > 99%, M(n) matching the theoretical value (thus a quantitative initiation efficiency), and a narrow molecular weight distribution (Đ = 1.06-1.16). The stereospecificity is slightly lower for the AMA polymerization but still leading to highly isotactic poly(allyl methacrylate) (PAMA) with 95-97% [mm]. The polymerization of VBMA is further less stereospecific, affording PVBMA with 90-94% [mm], while the polymerization VMA is least stereospecific. Several lines of evidence from both homo- and block copolymerization results have demonstrated living characteristics of the AMA polymerization by 1. Mechanistic studies of this polymerization have yielded a monometallic coordination-addition polymerization mechanism involving the eight-membered chelating intermediate. Post-functionalization of isotactic polymers bearing the pendant vinyl group on every repeating unit via the thiol-ene "click" reaction achieves a full conversion of all the pendant double bonds to the corresponding thioether bonds. Photocuring of such isotactic polymers is also successful, producing an elastic material readily characterizable by dynamic mechanical analysis.

Controlled Human Malaria Infection (CHMI) differentially affects cell-mediated and antibody responses to CSP and AMA1 induced by adenovirus vaccines with and without DNA-priming.

PubMed

Sedegah, Martha; Hollingdale, Michael R; Farooq, Fouzia; Ganeshan, Harini; Belmonte, Maria; Huang, Jun; Abot, Esteban; Limbach, Keith; Chuang, Ilin; Tamminga, Cindy; Epstein, Judith E; Villasante, Eileen

2015-01-01

We have previously shown that a DNA-prime followed by an adenovirus-5 boost vaccine containing CSP and AMA1 (DNA/Ad) successfully protected 4 of 15 subjects to controlled human malaria infection (CHMI). However, the adenovirus-5 vaccine alone (AdCA) failed to induce protection despite eliciting cellular responses that were often higher than those induced by DNA/Ad. Here we determined the effect of CHMI on pre-CHMI cellular and antibody responses against CSP and AMA1 expressed as fold-changes in activities. Generally, in the DNA/Ad trial, CHMI caused pre-CHMI ELISpot IFN-γ and CD8+ T cell IFN-γ responses of the protected subjects to fall but among non-protected subjects, CHMI caused rises of pre-CHMI ELISpot IFN-γ but falls of CD8+ T cell IFN-γ responses. In contrast in the AdCA trial, CHMI caused both pre-CHMI ELISpot IFN-γ and CD8+ T cell IFN-γ responses of the AdCA subjects to fall. We suggest that the falls in activities are due to migration of peripheral CD8+ T cells to the liver in response to developing liver stage parasites, and this fall, in the DNA/Ad trial, is masked in ELISpot responses of the non-protected subjects by rises in other immune cell types. In addition, CHMI caused falls in antibody activities of protected subjects, but rises in non-protected subjects in both trials to CSP, and dramatically in the AdCA trial to AMA1, reaching 380 μg/ml that is probably due to boosting by transient blood stage infection before chloroquine treatment. Taken together, these results further define differences in cellular responses between DNA/Ad and AdCA trials, and suggest that natural transmission may boost responses induced by these malaria vaccines especially when protection is not achieved.

Increased numbers of circulating ICOS⁺ follicular helper T and CD38⁺ plasma cells in patients with newly diagnosed primary biliary cirrhosis.

PubMed

Wang, Li; Sun, Xiguang; Qiu, Jinpeng; Cai, Yanjun; Ma, Liang; Zhao, Pingwei; Jiang, Yanfang

2015-02-01

Aberrant activation of follicular helper T (TFH) and B cells is associated with the development of autoimmune diseases. However, little is known about the potential role of these cells in the development of primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC). This study aimed at characterizing the numbers of different subsets of circulating Tfh and B cells as well as evaluating their potential association with the levels of immunoglobulins and autoantibodies in newly diagnosed PBC patients. The numbers of circulating CD27(+), CD38(+), CD86(+) and CD95(+) B cells as well as inducible T cell costimulator (ICOS)(+) and programmed death-1 (PD-1)(+), IL-21(+) TFH cells were examined in 58 patients with newly diagnosed PBC and 30 matched healthy controls (HCs). The numbers of circulating CD38(+)CD19(+), CD86(+)CD19(+), and CD95(+)CD19(+) B cells; CD3(+)CD4(+)CXCR5(+)ICOS(+) and CD3(+)CD4(+)CXCR5(+)PD-1(+) Tfh cells; and the levels of serum IL-21 in the PBC patients were significantly greater, but the numbers of CD27(+)CD19(+) B cells were significantly less than those in the HCs (p < 0.05). The numbers of CD3(+)CD4(+)CXCR5(+)ICOS(+) Tfh cells were positively correlated with the numbers of CD38(+)CD19(+) and CD86(+)CD38(+)CD19(+) B cells and the levels of serum anti-mitochondrial antibodies against M2 antigen (AMA-M2), AMA and immunolgubin M (IgM) in the PBC patients. The levels of serum IL-21 were positively correlated with the levels of serum AMA-M2, AMA, IgG and IgM, but negatively with the numbers of CD27(+)CD19(+) B cells in the PBC patients. Increased numbers of circulating ICOS(+) and IL-21(+) Tfh and CD38(+) plasma cells may be exhibited by patients with recent diagnoses of PBC.

Lunar farside volcanism in and around the South Pole-Aitken basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pasckert, Jan Hendrik; Hiesinger, Harald; van der Bogert, Carolyn H.

2018-01-01

We identified and mapped 129 mare basalt deposits in and around the South Pole-Aitken (SPA) basin, and determined absolute model ages (AMAs) for 101 of these units by performing crater size-frequency distribution (CSFD) measurements. The derived AMAs range from 2.2 Ga to 3.7 Ga, with the youngest deposits within Antoniadi crater and the oldest deposits at Jules Verne crater. Our investigations indicate a major peak in volcanic activity between 3.6 Ga and 3.2 Ga, which is a similar time range as the major volcanic activity on the nearside, and the rest of the farside. However, a second peak in volcanic activity (2.2-2.5 Ga), as observed for the nearside and parts of the farside, is not observed for the mare deposits within the SPA basin. Combining all AMAs derived for farside mare basalts reveals that volcanic activity was more abundant and lasted longer on the nearside than on the farside. We propose that the stripping of insulating crust by the large SPA-forming impact event, in combination with lower amounts of heat producing elements like Th, might be responsible for the reduced volcanic activity in the SPA basin. In addition, we estimated the thicknesses and volumes of the investigated mare deposits. With thicknesses between ∼31 m and ∼273 m and volumes of ∼1 km³ to ∼2630 km³, the mare basalt deposits in and around the SPA basin show a wide range of dimensions, similar to other mare basalts of the near- and farsides. A trend between the AMAs and the estimated volumes was not observed, but the mare deposits within the large northern craters (e.g., Apollo, Ingenii, or Leibnitz) seem to be generally larger and more voluminous than the mare basalt deposits at the center of the SPA basin.

The preliminary assessment of anti-microbial activity of HPLC separated components of Kirkia wilmsii.

PubMed

Chigayo, K; Mojapelo, P E L; Bessong, P; Gumbo, J R

2014-01-01

Most communities in developing countries rely on traditional medicines for the treatment of diseases. In South Africa, the Limpopo province, within the Lebowakgomo district, uses tuberous roots of Kirkia wilmsii, after infusion in water for the treatment of a wide range of diseases by Sotho communities. The main objective of the study was to assess the anti-microbial activity of separated aqueous components of the Kirkia wilmsii tuberous roots. The clear aqueous extracts that were obtained after a 0.45 µm membrane filtration (Millipore Millex-HV Hydrophillic PVDF filter), were then injected into a preparative high performance liquid chromatography instrument in which pure components, as shown by peaks, were collected and evaluated for anti-microbial activity against a range of microorganisms. The eight separated components were obtained, out of which four components showed anti-microbial activity (AMA). The freeze dried components were re-dissolved in deionised water and then evaluated for AMA against Vibrio cholerae, Shigella dysenteriae, Aeromonas hydrophilia, Salmonella typhi Proteus mirabilis, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Candida albicans and Enterobacter aerogenes. Component one exhibited antimicrobial activity against Shigella dysenteriae, Aeromonas hydrophilia, Salmonella typhi, Proteus mirabilis, Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), of 3.445 mg/ml. Component five was only active against Proteus mirabilis with a MIC of 0.08 mg/ml. Component 7, was active against Shigella dysenteriae, Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli with a MIC of 0.365 mg/ml against both Shigella dysenteriae and Staphylococcus aureus and 0.091 mg/ml against Escherichia coli. Component 8, was active against Shigella, Aeromonas hydrophilia, Salmonella, Proteus mirabilis, Escherichia coli with a MIC of 155 mg/ml. Only four out of eight aqueous extracts showed AMA against both gram negative and positive bacteria and showed no AMA against Candida albicans, Enterobacter aerogenes and Vibrio cholerae. Therefore the Kirkia wilmsii plant root may be used as a broad spectrum antibiotic.

75 FR 17380 - Patents Ombudsman Pilot Program

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-06

... Private Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system, or contact the various help desks for... before April 6, 2011. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mindy Fleisher, Special Programs Advisor... Ombudsman Pilot Program. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The majority of patent applications filed with the USPTO...

Contextualizing Gay-Straight Alliances: Student, Advisor, and Structural Factors Related to Positive Youth Development Among Members

PubMed Central

Poteat, V. Paul; Yoshikawa, Hirokazu; Calzo, Jerel P.; Gray, Mary L.; DiGiovanni, Craig. D.; Lipkin, Arthur; Mundy-Shephard, Adrienne; Perrotti, Jeff; Scheer, Jillian R.; Shaw, Mathew P.

2014-01-01

Gay-Straight Alliances (GSAs) may promote resilience. Yet, what GSA components predict wellbeing? Among 146 youth and advisors in 13 GSAs (58% lesbian, gay, bisexual, or questioning; 64% white; 38% received free/reduced-cost lunch), student (demographics, victimization, attendance frequency, leadership, support, control), advisor (years served, training, control) and contextual factors (overall support or advocacy, outside support for the GSA) that predicted purpose, mastery, and self-esteem were tested. In multilevel models, GSA support predicted all outcomes. Racial/ethnic minority youth reported greater wellbeing, yet lower support. Youth in GSAs whose advisors served longer and perceived more control and were in more supportive school contexts reported healthier outcomes. GSA advocacy also predicted purpose. Ethnographic notes elucidated complex associations and variability in how GSAs operated. PMID:25176579

The Foreign Area Officer Program. Volume I. The Role of the Military Advisor

DTIC Science & Technology

1973-05-01

attended the MAPA or MAO C&SC, and are not MAOP members. Some of these positions are advisory posi- tions. For purposes of this report, we did not...determine whether there is a comparable problem at the MAAG end--i.e. , requisitioning MAPA or MAO C&SC graduates and not getting them—or to what...U. S. Army training in advisor functions and roles is incorporated in the Military Assistance Programmer/Advisor ( MAPA ) and Military Assistance

Graduates of Lebanese medical schools in the United States: an observational study of international migration of physicians.

PubMed

Akl, Elie A; Maroun, Nancy; Major, Stella; Chahoud, Bechara; Schünemann, Holger J

2007-04-05

As healthcare systems around the world are facing increasing physician shortages, more physicians are migrating from low to high income countries. As an illustrative case of international migration of physicians, we evaluated the current number and historical trends of Lebanese medical graduates (LMG) in the US, and compared their characteristics to those of US medical graduates (USMG) and other international medical graduates (IMG). We evaluated the number of LMG using the 2004 the American Medical Association Physicians' Professional Data (AMA-PPD) and then compared it to the number of graduates of other countries. We evaluated the historical trends using the 1978-2004 historical files of the AMA-PPD. We analyzed the characteristics of all LMG and compared them to a random sample of 1000 USMG and a random sample of 1000 IMG using the 2004 AMA-PPD. In 2004, there were 2,796 LMG in the US, constituting 1.3% of all IMG. Compared to other foreign countries contributing to the US physician workforce, Lebanon ranked 2nd after adjusting for country population size (about 4 million) and 21st overall. About 40% of those who graduated from Lebanese medical schools in the last 25 years are currently active physicians in the US. Since 1978, the number of LMG in the US showed a consistent upward trend at a rate of approximately 71 additional graduates per year. Compared with USMG and IMG, LMG were more likely to work in medical research (OR = 2.31; 95% Confidence Interval (CI) = 1.21; 4.43 and OR = 2.63; 95% CI = 1.34; 5.01, respectively) and to be board certified (OR = 1.43; 95% CI = 1.14; 1.78 and OR = 2.04; 95% CI = 1.65;2.53, respectively) and less likely to be in family practice (OR = 0.14; 95% CI = 0.10; 0.19 and OR = 0.18; 95% CI = 0.12; 0.26, respectively). Given the magnitude and historical trends of migration of LMG to the US, further exploration of its causes and impact is warranted. High income countries should consider the consequences of their human resources policies on both low income countries' and their own healthcare systems.

Effectiveness of Online Advising on Honors Student Retention and Engagement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

VanDieren, Monica

2016-01-01

Academic advising is an important component of a student's education, and more often universities are turning to technology to aid in this task. This paper presents a case study of an online advising system that complements a university degree audit system by providing honors students and advisors up-to-date details on individual progress towards…

Performance Enhancement of the NPS Transient Electromagnetic Scattering Laboratory

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-09-01

MASTER OF SCIENCE IN ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING MASTER OF SCIENCE IN SYSTEMS ENGINEERING (ELECTRONIC WARFARE) from NAVAL POSTGRADUATE S OOL Author: JvAlo...Bresani Approved by: Michael A. Morgan, Thesis Advisor Jeffrey B. Knorr, Second Reader Michael A. Morgan, Chairman, Department of Electrical & Computer...SYSTEM REPRESENTATION ... .......... 13 B. MATHEMATICAL MODEL ......... ..... 15 C. TRANSIENT RESPONSE EVALUATION .. ......... . 17 IV. MEASUREMENT

Closing the Gap: Cybersecurity for U.S. Forces and Commands

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-03-30

Dickson, Ph.D. Professor of Military Studies , JAWS Thesis Advisor Kevin Therrien, Col, USAF Committee Member Stephen Rogers, Colonel, USA Director...infrastructures, and includes the Internet, telecommunications networks, computer systems, and embedded processors and controllers in critical industries.”5...of information technology infrastructures, including the Internet, telecommunications networks, computer systems, and embedded processors and

An Analysis Of Cyber Security And How It Is Affecting A Contract Writing System, Seaport

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-06-01

CONTRACT WRITING SYSTEM, SEAPORT June 2016 By: Bill Turner Daniel Belcher Danielle Allen Advisors: Raymond Jones Stacy McQuage...A CONTRACT WRITING SYSTEM, SEAPORT 5. FUNDING NUMBERS 6. AUTHOR(S) Bill Turner, Daniel Belcher, & Danielle Allen 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S...business support for the DOD—specifically, the contract writing system SeaPort. Is cybersecurity becoming too restrictive, making the ability to support the

Resident research associateships. Postdoctoral and senior research awards

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1984-01-01

Opportunities for research at Marshall Space Flight Center's Materials and Processes Laboratory, Space Sciences Laboratory, and Systems Dynamics Laboratory are described. Information is provided for applicants desiring designation as a research associate and a list of laboratory directors and research advisors is provided.

Selecting Appropriate Functionality and Technologies for EPSS.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGraw, Karen L.

1995-01-01

Presents background information that describes the major components of an embedded performance support system, compares levels of functionality, and discusses some of the required technologies. Highlights include the human-computer interface; online help; advisors; training and tutoring; hypermedia; and artificial intelligence techniques. (LRW)

Allowing the Advantaged User in a Network Centric System to Get Through the Disadvantaged Interface

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-09-01

ADVANTAGED USER IN A NETWORK CENTRIC SYSTEM TO GET THROUGH THE DISADVANTAGED INTERFACE by Lawrence Brandon September 2009 Thesis Advisor...Through the Disadvantaged Interface 6. AUTHOR(S) Lawrence Brandon 5. FUNDING NUMBERS 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) Naval...identify those factors that cause disadvantaged interfaces within network centric systems and provides recommendations to these challenges so that

System Behavior Models: A Survey of Approaches

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-06-01

MODELS: A SURVEY OF APPROACHES by Scott R. Ruppel June 2016 Thesis Advisor: Kristin Giammarco Second Reader: John M. Green THIS PAGE...Thesis 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE SYSTEM BEHAVIOR MODELS: A SURVEY OF APPROACHES 5. FUNDING NUMBERS 6. AUTHOR(S) Scott R. Ruppel 7. PERFORMING...Monterey Phoenix, Petri nets, behavior modeling, model-based systems engineering, modeling approaches, modeling survey 15. NUMBER OF PAGES 85 16

12 CFR 611.210 - Director qualifications and training.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... periodically updated and provided to the institution's nominating committee. (2) Each Farm Credit institution... advisor who is a financial expert. The financial advisor must report to the board of directors and be free...

Thomas Sinks, Director, Office of the Science Advisor

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Biography of the Director of the Office of the Science Advisor which is responsible for is responsible for EPA’s human subject research ethics, scientific integrity, and developing cross-agency science policy guidance.

31 CFR 10.33 - Best practices for tax advisors.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... engagement. For example, the advisor should determine the client's expected purpose for and use of the advice... steps to ensure that the firm's procedures for all members, associates, and employees are consistent...

Programs of the Office of the Science Advisor (OSA)

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Office of the Science Advisor provides leadership in cross-Agency science and science policy. Program areas: Risk Assessment, Science and Technology Policy, Human Subjects Research, Environmental Measurement and Modeling, Scientific Integrity.

Antimitochondrial antibody

MedlinePlus

... page: //medlineplus.gov/ency/article/003529.htm Antimitochondrial antibody To use the sharing features on this page, please enable JavaScript. Antimitochondrial antibodies (AMA) are substances ( antibodies ) that form against mitochondria. ...

Trusted Advisors, Decision Models and Other Keys to Communicating Science to Decision Makers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Webb, E.

2006-12-01

Water resource management decisions often involve multiple parties engaged in contentious negotiations that try to navigate through complex combinations of legal, social, hydrologic, financial, and engineering considerations. The standard approach for resolving these issues is some form of multi-party negotiation, a formal court decision, or a combination of the two. In all these cases, the role of the decision maker(s) is to choose and implement the best option that fits the needs and wants of the community. However, each path to a decision carries the risk of technical and/or financial infeasibility as well as the possibility of unintended consequences. To help reduce this risk, decision makers often rely on some type of predictive analysis from which they can evaluate the projected consequences of their decisions. Typically, decision makers are supported in the analysis process by trusted advisors who engage in the analysis as well as the day to day tasks associated with multi-party negotiations. In the case of water resource management, the analysis is frequently a numerical model or set of models that can simulate various management decisions across multiple systems and output results that illustrate the impact on areas of concern. Thus, in order to communicate scientific knowledge to the decision makers, the quality of the communication between the analysts, the trusted advisor, and the decision maker must be clear and direct. To illustrate this concept, a multi-attribute decision analysis matrix will be used to outline the value of computer model-based collaborative negotiation approaches to guide water resources decision making and communication with decision makers. In addition, the critical role of the trusted advisor and other secondary participants in the decision process will be discussed using examples from recent water negotiations.

Spot and Runway Departure Advisor (SARDA)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jung, Yoon

2016-01-01

Spot and Runway Departure Advisor (SARDA) is a decision support tool to assist airline ramp controllers and ATC tower controllers to manage traffic on the airport surface to significantly improve efficiency and predictability in surface operations. The core function of the tool is the runway scheduler which generates an optimal solution for runway sequence and schedule of departure aircraft, which would minimize system delay and maximize runway throughput. The presentation also discusses the latest status of NASA's current surface research through a collaboration with an airline partner, where a tool is developed for airline ramp operators to assist departure pushback operations. The presentation describes the concept of the SARDA tool and results from human-in-the-loop simulations conducted in 2012 for Dallas-Ft. Worth International Airport and 2014 for Charlotte airport ramp tower.

Modular projects and 'mean questions': best practices for advising an International Genetically Engineered Machines team.

PubMed

Tsui, Jennifer; Meyer, Anne S

2016-07-01

In the yearly Internationally Genetically Engineered Machines (iGEM) competition, teams of Bachelor's and Master's students design and build an engineered biological system using DNA technologies. Advising an iGEM team poses unique challenges due to the inherent difficulties of mounting and completing a new biological project from scratch over the course of a single academic year; the challenges in obtaining financial and structural resources for a project that will likely not be fully realized; and conflicts between educational and competition-based goals. This article shares tips and best practices for iGEM team advisors, from two team advisors with very different experiences with the iGEM competition. © FEMS 2016. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Implications For The Military Health Care System in Utilizing Non- Physician Providers. Part I. The Cost Implications

DTIC Science & Technology

1979-03-01

perogative to speak for any other profession, nor should the AMA attempt to solve its own shortage of phy- sicians by exacerbating the shortage of nurses...NIN had been consulted, the NI1N believed one profession should not be depleted to meet the needs of another, and finally the NLN believed that problems...assistant should not be applied to any of the nurie practitioners being prepared to function in an extension of the nursing role", is still valid today

Facing page test for the astronaut science advisor presentation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Compton, Michael M.

1991-01-01

The goal of the Astronaut Science Advisor (ASA) project is to improve the scientific return of experiments performed in space by providing astronaut experimenters with an 'intelligent assistant' that encapsulates much of the domain- and experiment-related knowledge commanded by the Principal Investigator (PI) on the ground. By using expert systems technology and the availability of flight-qualified personal computers, it is possible to encode the requisite knowledge and make it available to astronauts as they perform experiments in space. The system performs four major functions: diagnosis and troubleshooting of experiment apparatus, data collection, protocol management, and detection of interesting data. The experiment used for development of the system measures human adaptation to weightlessness in the context of the neurovestibular system. This so-called 'Rotating Dome' experiment was flown on the recent Spacelab Life Sciences One (SLS-1) Mission. This mission was used as an opportunity to test some of the system's functionality. Experiment data was downlinked from the orbiter, and the system then captured the data and analyzed it in real time. The system kept track of the time being used by the experiment, recognized occurrences of interesting data, summarized data statistically and generated potential new protocols that could be used to optimize the course of the experiment.

77 FR 40947 - Motor Carrier Safety Advisory Committee (MCSAC): Membership Solicitation

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-07-11

.... Shannon L. Watson, Senior Advisor to the Associate Administrator for Policy, Federal Motor Carrier Safety....fmcsa.dot.gov/ , completed on-line and emailed to Shannon L. Watson, Senior Advisor to the Associate...