Generalisability in economic evaluation studies in healthcare: a review and case studies.

PubMed

Sculpher, M J; Pang, F S; Manca, A; Drummond, M F; Golder, S; Urdahl, H; Davies, L M; Eastwood, A

2004-12-01

To review, and to develop further, the methods used to assess and to increase the generalisability of economic evaluation studies. Electronic databases. Methodological studies relating to economic evaluation in healthcare were searched. This included electronic searches of a range of databases, including PREMEDLINE, MEDLINE, EMBASE and EconLit, and manual searches of key journals. The case studies of a decision analytic model involved highlighting specific features of previously published economic studies related to generalisability and location-related variability. The case-study involving the secondary analysis of cost-effectiveness analyses was based on the secondary analysis of three economic studies using data from randomised trials. The factor most frequently cited as generating variability in economic results between locations was the unit costs associated with particular resources. In the context of studies based on the analysis of patient-level data, regression analysis has been advocated as a means of looking at variability in economic results across locations. These methods have generally accepted that some components of resource use and outcomes are exchangeable across locations. Recent studies have also explored, in cost-effectiveness analysis, the use of tests of heterogeneity similar to those used in clinical evaluation in trials. The decision analytic model has been the main means by which cost-effectiveness has been adapted from trial to non-trial locations. Most models have focused on changes to the cost side of the analysis, but it is clear that the effectiveness side may also need to be adapted between locations. There have been weaknesses in some aspects of the reporting in applied cost-effectiveness studies. These may limit decision-makers' ability to judge the relevance of a study to their specific situations. The case study demonstrated the potential value of multilevel modelling (MLM). Where clustering exists by location (e.g. centre or country), MLM can facilitate correct estimates of the uncertainty in cost-effectiveness results, and also a means of estimating location-specific cost-effectiveness. The review of applied economic studies based on decision analytic models showed that few studies were explicit about their target decision-maker(s)/jurisdictions. The studies in the review generally made more effort to ensure that their cost inputs were specific to their target jurisdiction than their effectiveness parameters. Standard sensitivity analysis was the main way of dealing with uncertainty in the models, although few studies looked explicitly at variability between locations. The modelling case study illustrated how effectiveness and cost data can be made location-specific. In particular, on the effectiveness side, the example showed the separation of location-specific baseline events and pooled estimates of relative treatment effect, where the latter are assumed exchangeable across locations. A large number of factors are mentioned in the literature that might be expected to generate variation in the cost-effectiveness of healthcare interventions across locations. Several papers have demonstrated differences in the volume and cost of resource use between locations, but few studies have looked at variability in outcomes. In applied trial-based cost-effectiveness studies, few studies provide sufficient evidence for decision-makers to establish the relevance or to adjust the results of the study to their location of interest. Very few studies utilised statistical methods formally to assess the variability in results between locations. In applied economic studies based on decision models, most studies either stated their target decision-maker/jurisdiction or provided sufficient information from which this could be inferred. There was a greater tendency to ensure that cost inputs were specific to the target jurisdiction than clinical parameters. Methods to assess generalisability and variability in economic evaluation studies have been discussed extensively in the literature relating to both trial-based and modelling studies. Regression-based methods are likely to offer a systematic approach to quantifying variability in patient-level data. In particular, MLM has the potential to facilitate estimates of cost-effectiveness, which both reflect the variation in costs and outcomes between locations and also enable the consistency of cost-effectiveness estimates between locations to be assessed directly. Decision analytic models will retain an important role in adapting the results of cost-effectiveness studies between locations. Recommendations for further research include: the development of methods of evidence synthesis which model the exchangeability of data across locations and allow for the additional uncertainty in this process; assessment of alternative approaches to specifying multilevel models to the analysis of cost-effectiveness data alongside multilocation randomised trials; identification of a range of appropriate covariates relating to locations (e.g. hospitals) in multilevel models; and further assessment of the role of econometric methods (e.g. selection models) for cost-effectiveness analysis alongside observational datasets, and to increase the generalisability of randomised trials.

Location in the right hemi-colon is an independent risk factor for delayed post-polypectomy hemorrhage: a multi-center case-control study.

PubMed

Buddingh, K Tim; Herngreen, Thomas; Haringsma, Jelle; van der Zwet, Wil C; Vleggaar, Frank P; Breumelhof, Ronald; Ter Borg, Frank

2011-06-01

Delayed hemorrhage is an infrequent, but serious complication of colonoscopic polypectomy. Large size is the only polyp-related factor that has been unequivocally proven to increase the risk of delayed bleeding. It has been suggested that location in the right hemi-colon is also a risk factor. The objective of this study was to determine whether polyp location is an independent risk factor for delayed post-polypectomy hemorrhage. A retrospective case-control study was conducted in two university hospitals and two community hospitals. Thirty-nine cases and 117 controls were identified. In multivariate analysis, size and location were found to be independent polyp-related risk factors for delayed type hemorrhage. The risk increased by 13% for every 1 mm increase in polyp diameter (odds ratio (OR) 1.13, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.05-1.20, P<0.001). Polyps located in the right hemi-colon had an OR of 4.67 (1.88-11.61, P=0.001) for delayed hemorrhage. Polyps in the cecum seemed to be especially at high risk in univariate analysis (OR 13.82, 95% CI 2.66-71.73), but this could not be assessed in multivariate analysis as the number of cases was too small. Polyp type (sessile or pedunculated) was not a risk factor. Polyp location in the right hemi-colon seems to be an independent and substantial risk factor for delayed post-polypectomy hemorrhage. A low threshold for preventive hemostatic measures is advised when removing polyps from this region.

[Solitary fibrous hemangiopericytoma of atypical location: importance of immunohistochemical study].

PubMed

Soriano-Hernández, María Isabel; Husein-ElAhmed, Husein; Ruíz-Molina, Inmaculada

2014-01-01

The rare cutaneous solitary fibrous tumor was initially described in the thoracic cavity in relation to the pleura and subsequently been associated with other serous membranes. It has been described in other extraserosal locations including the skin. Knowledge of its existence along with fairly typical histological features and the immunohistochemical expression pattern with intense positivity for CD34 allow the increasing diagnosis of this condition, which suggests that these cases were not previously diagnosed as such. We report the case of a 43 year-old male with a painless nodule in the first left finger pad clinically suggestive of pyogenic granuloma or nodular melanoma, which was diagnosed by excisional biopsy and immunohistochemical study as a solitary fibrous tumor. Only 11 cases of cutaneous solitary fibrous tumor have been published in the following locations: head, cheek, thigh, chest, back and nose. Our work describes the first case of cutaneous solitary fibrous tumor in the hand. The solitary fibrous tumor derived from mesenchymal cells expresses CD34 and hence its presentation in any location. In our case it was in the hand. It explains the problems encountered in the clinical differential diagnosis with other tumors as nodular melanoma, pyogenic granuloma, giant cell tumor of tendon sheath, fibroma, benign peripheral nerve sheath tumors, etc. As we consider the histology, differential diagnosis should be made with other tumors that also express CD34. Solitary fibrous tumors derived from mesenchymal cells express CD34 and hence its presentation in any location. In our case it was in the finger pad.

Alternative Fuels Data Center: Propane Fueling Stations

Science.gov Websites

Fueling Station Locations by State More Propane Data | All Maps & Data Case Studies Michigan School Prisons Adopt Propane, Establish Fuel Savings for Years to Come More Propane Case Studies | All Case Studies Publications The Growing Presence of Propane in Pupil Transportation Costs Associated With Propane

Alternative Fuels Data Center: Biodiesel Fueling Infrastructure Development

Science.gov Websites

Biodiesel Fueling Station Locations by State More Biodiesel Data | All Maps & Data Case Studies Recycled Fuels Help Ensure America's National Parks Stay Green for Another Century More Biodiesel Case Studies | All Case Studies Publications 2016 Vehicle Technologies Market Report Biodiesel Handling and Use Guide

[Study on computed tomography features of nasal septum cellule and its clinical significance].

PubMed

Huang, Dingqiang; Li, Wanrong; Gao, Liming; Xu, Guanqiang; Ou, Xiaoyi; Tang, Guangcai

2008-03-01

To investigate the features of nasal septum cellule in computed tomographic (CT) images and its clinical significance. CT scans data of nasal septum in 173 patients were randomly obtained from January 2001 to June 2005. Prevalence and clinical features were summarized in the data of 19 patients with nasal septum cellule retrospectively. (1) Nineteen cases with nasal septum cellule were found in 173 patients. (2) All nasal septum cellule of 19 cases located in perpendicular plate of the ethmoid bone, in which 8 cases located in upper part of nasal septum and 11 located in middle. (3) There were totally seven patients with nasal diseases related to nasal septum cellule, in which 3 cases with inflammation, 2 cases with bone fracture, 1 case with cholesterol granuloma, 1 case with mucocele. Nasal septum cellule is an anatomic variation of nasal septum bone, and its features can provide further understanding of some diseases related to nasal septum cellule.

Evaluation of Viewpoints of Health Care Professionals on the Role of Ethics Committees and Hospitals in the Resolution of Clinical Ethical Dilemmas Based on Practice Environment.

PubMed

Marcus, Brian S; Carlson, Jestin N; Hegde, Gajanan G; Shang, Jennifer; Venkat, Arvind

2016-03-01

We sought to evaluate whether health care professionals' viewpoints differed on the role of ethics committees and hospitals in the resolution of clinical ethical dilemmas based on practice location. We conducted a survey study from December 21, 2013 to March 15, 2014 of health care professionals at six hospitals (one tertiary care academic medical center, three large community hospitals and two small community hospitals). The survey consisted of eight clinical ethics cases followed by statements on whether there was a role for the ethics committee or hospital in their resolution, what that role might be and case specific queries. Respondents used a 5-point Likert scale to express their degree of agreement with the premises posed. We used the ANOVA test to evaluate whether respondent views significantly varied based on practice location. 240 health care professionals (108-tertiary care center, 92-large community hospitals, 40-small community hospitals) completed the survey (response rate: 63.6 %). Only three individual queries of 32 showed any significant response variations across practice locations. Overall, viewpoints did not vary across practice locations within question categories on whether the ethics committee or hospital had a role in case resolution, what that role might be and case specific queries. In this multicenter survey study, the viewpoints of health care professionals on the role of ethics committees or hospitals in the resolution of clinical ethics cases varied little based on practice location.

Retrospective Case Study in Northeastern Pennsylvania

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The EPA chose Bradford County, and parts of neighboring Susquehanna County, as a retrospective case study location because of the extensive hydraulic fracturing activities occurring there, coincident with the large number of homeowner complaints.

An Instrumental Case Study of Administrative Smart Practices for Fully Online Programs and Degrees

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gregory, Charles V.

2017-01-01

The purpose of this instrumental case study was to explore administrators' responses to significant administrative challenges of fully online programs and degrees. The case was a single public community college located in the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System Plains Region. In this study Bardach's (1994) method to identify and…

Real Time Locations Systems or Outsourcing: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lawrence, Cameron; Firth, David; Khumalo, Floyd

2013-01-01

Information Technology has transformed almost all aspects of modern healthcare and is playing a vital role in the administration of hospitals around the world. This case study examines one hospital's struggle to solve crucial operational problems related to the efficient management of medical equipment inventory. This case study is the result of…

Breech presentation and the cornual-fundal location of the placenta

PubMed Central

Sekulić, Slobodan; Ilinčić, Marko; Radeka, Gordana; Novakov-Mikić, Aleksandra; Simić, Svetlana; Podgorac, Jelena; Keković, Goran

2013-01-01

Aim To investigate the association of cornual-fundal location of the placenta and breech presentation at term delivery. Methods This study was conducted at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Novi Sad, in 2011. The inclusion criteria were delivery at ≥37 weeks of gestation, singleton gestation, and cornual-fundal location of the placenta determined by ultrasonography at ≥37 weeks of gestation when 3/4 or more of the placenta was in the cornual-fundal region. Results Out of 2750 ultrasound examinations performed, 143 showed cornual-fundal location of the placenta (frequency 5.2%). Eighty six cases had cephalic presentation (60.14%) and 57 (39.86%) had breech presentation. Of the remaining cases with non- cornual-fundal location, 2585 had cephalic presentation and 22 (0.84%) had breech presentation. The difference in the frequency of breech presentation between the cornual-fundal and non-cornual-fundal groups was significant (χ2 = 77.78, P < 0.001). Conclusion Cornual-fundal location of the placenta may be an important clue in resolving the etiology of a number of cases of breech presentation at term delivery. PMID:23630148

Combining Advanced Turbulent Mixing and Combustion Models with Advanced Multi-Phase CFD Code to Simulate Detonation and Post-Detonation Bio-Agent Mixing and Destruction

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-10-01

perturbations in the energetic material to study their effects on the blast wave formation. The last case also makes use of the same PBX, however, the...configuration, Case A: Spore cloud located on the top of the charge at an angle 45 degree, Case B: Spore cloud located at an angle 45 degree from the charge...theoretical validation. The first is the Sedov case where the pressure decay and blast wave front are validated based on analytical solutions. In this test

Defining and describing birth centres in the Netherlands - a component study of the Dutch Birth Centre Study.

PubMed

Hermus, M A A; Boesveld, I C; Hitzert, M; Franx, A; de Graaf, J P; Steegers, E A P; Wiegers, T A; van der Pal-de Bruin, K M

2017-07-03

During the last decade, a rapid increase of birth locations for low-risk births, other than conventional obstetric units, has been seen in the Netherlands. Internationally some of such locations are called birth centres. The varying international definitions for birth centres are not directly applicable for use within the Dutch obstetric system. A standard definition for a birth centre in the Netherlands is lacking. This study aimed to develop a definition of birth centres for use in the Netherlands, to identify these centres and to describe their characteristics. International definitions of birth centres were analysed to find common descriptions. In July 2013 the Dutch Birth Centre Questionnaire was sent to 46 selected Dutch birth locations that might qualify as birth centre. Questions included: location, reason for establishment, women served, philosophies, facilities that support physiological birth, hotel-facilities, management, environment and transfer procedures in case of referral. Birth centres were visited to confirm the findings from the Dutch Birth Centre Questionnaire and to measure distance and time in case of referral to obstetric care. From all 46 birth locations the questionnaires were received. Based on this information a Dutch definition of a birth centre was constructed. This definition reads: "Birth centres are midwifery-managed locations that offer care to low risk women during labour and birth. They have a homelike environment and provide facilities to support physiological birth. Community midwives take primary professional responsibility for care. In case of referral the obstetric caregiver takes over the professional responsibility of care." Of the 46 selected birth locations 23 fulfilled this definition. Three types of birth centres were distinguished based on their location in relation to the nearest obstetric unit: freestanding (n = 3), alongside (n = 14) and on-site (n = 6). Transfer in case of referral was necessary for all freestanding and alongside birth centres. Birth centres varied in their reason for establishment and their characteristics. Twenty-three Dutch birth centres were identified and divided into three different types based on location according to the situation in September 2013. Birth centres differed in their reason for establishment, facilities, philosophies, staffing and service delivery.

Strategic planning and marketing research for older, inner-city health care facilities: a case study.

PubMed

Wood, V R; Robertson, K R

1992-01-01

Numerous health care facilities, located in downtown metropolitan areas, now find themselves surrounded by a decaying inner-city environment. Consumers may perceive these facilities as "old," and catering to an "urban poor" consumer. These same consumers may, therefore, prefer to patronize more modern facilities located in suburban areas. This paper presents a case study of such a health care facility and how strategic planning and marketing research were conducted in order to identify market opportunities and new strategic directions.

Using genetic algorithms to optimise current and future health planning--the example of ambulance locations.

PubMed

Sasaki, Satoshi; Comber, Alexis J; Suzuki, Hiroshi; Brunsdon, Chris

2010-01-28

Ambulance response time is a crucial factor in patient survival. The number of emergency cases (EMS cases) requiring an ambulance is increasing due to changes in population demographics. This is decreasing ambulance response times to the emergency scene. This paper predicts EMS cases for 5-year intervals from 2020, to 2050 by correlating current EMS cases with demographic factors at the level of the census area and predicted population changes. It then applies a modified grouping genetic algorithm to compare current and future optimal locations and numbers of ambulances. Sets of potential locations were evaluated in terms of the (current and predicted) EMS case distances to those locations. Future EMS demands were predicted to increase by 2030 using the model (R2 = 0.71). The optimal locations of ambulances based on future EMS cases were compared with current locations and with optimal locations modelled on current EMS case data. Optimising the location of ambulance stations locations reduced the average response times by 57 seconds. Current and predicted future EMS demand at modelled locations were calculated and compared. The reallocation of ambulances to optimal locations improved response times and could contribute to higher survival rates from life-threatening medical events. Modelling EMS case 'demand' over census areas allows the data to be correlated to population characteristics and optimal 'supply' locations to be identified. Comparing current and future optimal scenarios allows more nuanced planning decisions to be made. This is a generic methodology that could be used to provide evidence in support of public health planning and decision making.

Telework Centers. An Evaluation of the North American and Japanese Experience. Workscape 21: The Ecology of New Ways of Working.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Becker, Franklin; Rappaport, Andrew J.; Quinn, Kristen L.; Sims, William R.

Telework Centers are work locations used by firms to acommodate staff who live near the telework center location. A study examined the impact of using telework centers on communication, work groups/departments, performance, supervision, travel/environment, and type of work done in various locations. A case study approach was used to investigate 10…

Comparative analysis of maize (Zea mays) crop performance: natural variation, incremental improvements and economic impacts.

PubMed

Leibman, Mark; Shryock, Jereme J; Clements, Michael J; Hall, Michael A; Loida, Paul J; McClerren, Amanda L; McKiness, Zoe P; Phillips, Jonathan R; Rice, Elena A; Stark, Steven B

2014-09-01

Grain yield from maize hybrids continues to improve through advances in breeding and biotechnology. Despite genetic improvements to hybrid maize, grain yield from distinct maize hybrids is expected to vary across growing locations due to numerous environmental factors. In this study, we examine across-location variation in grain yield among maize hybrids in three case studies. The three case studies examine hybrid improvement through breeding, introduction of an insect protection trait or introduction of a transcription factor trait associated with increased yield. In all cases, grain yield from each hybrid population had a Gaussian distribution. Across-location distributions of grain yield from each hybrid partially overlapped. The hybrid with a higher mean grain yield typically outperformed its comparator at most, but not all, of the growing locations (a 'win rate'). These results suggest that a broad set of environmental factors similarly impacts grain yields from both conventional- and biotechnology-derived maize hybrids and that grain yields among two or more hybrids should be compared with consideration given to both mean yield performance and the frequency of locations at which each hybrid 'wins' against its comparators. From an economic standpoint, growers recognize the value of genetically improved maize hybrids that outperform comparators in the majority of locations. Grower adoption of improved maize hybrids drives increases in average U.S. maize grain yields and contributes significant value to the economy. © 2014 Society for Experimental Biology, Association of Applied Biologists and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Benefits of Model Updating: A Case Study Using the Micro-Precision Interferometer Testbed

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Neat, Gregory W.; Kissil, Andrew; Joshi, Sanjay S.

1997-01-01

This paper presents a case study on the benefits of model updating using the Micro-Precision Interferometer (MPI) testbed, a full-scale model of a future spaceborne optical interferometer located at JPL.

Continuing use of antithrombotic medications for patients with bleeding gastroduodenal ulcer requiring endoscopic hemostasis: a case-control study.

PubMed

Kawasaki, Keisuke; Nakamura, Shotaro; Kurahara, Koichi; Nagasue, Tomohiro; Yanai, Shunichi; Harada, Akira; Yaita, Hiroki; Fuchigami, Tadahiko; Matsumoto, Takayuki

2017-09-01

The aim of this study was to compare clinical characteristics and outcomes of bleeding gastroduodenal ulcer between patients taking antithrombotic medications and those not taking antithrombotic medications. We performed a case-control study of 346 patients with endoscopically verified bleeding gastroduodenal ulcer, which included 173 cases taking antithrombotic medications throughout peri-bleeding period and 173 age- and sex-matched controls not taking antithrombotic medications. The cases showed less frequent Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infections (45.1% versus 60.7%, p = .005), more frequent duodenal location (31.8% versus 19.1%, p = .009), and more frequent rebleeding (13.9% versus 5.8%, p = .02) than the controls. Multivariate analysis revealed that duodenal location (odds ratio [OR] 3.01, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.37-6.65) and use of antithrombotic medications (OR 2.47, 95% CI 1.13-5.77) were independent factors for rebleeding. However, there were no differences in clinical outcomes, including final successful endoscopic hemostasis, need for surgical intervention, and mortality between cases and controls. Thromboembolic events did not occur in any cases and controls during the periendoscopic period. Low prevalence of H. pylori infection, frequent duodenal location, and high rebleeding rate are characteristics of patients with bleeding gastroduodenal ulcer under antithrombotic medications. Continuation of antithrombotic medications can be accepted for bleeding gastroduodenal ulcer.

Factors Affecting Herd Status for Bovine Tuberculosis in Dairy Cattle in Northern Thailand

PubMed Central

Singhla, Tawatchai; Punyapornwithaya, Veerasak; VanderWaal, Kimberly L.; Alvarez, Julio; Sreevatsan, Srinand; Phornwisetsirikun, Somphorn; Sankwan, Jamnong; Srijun, Mongkol; Wells, Scott J.

2017-01-01

The objective of this case-control study was to identify farm-level risk factors associated with bovine tuberculosis (bTB) in dairy cows in northern Thailand. Spatial analysis was performed to identify geographical clustering of case-farms located in Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai provinces in northern Thailand. To identify management factors affecting bTB status, a matched case-control study was conducted with 20 case-farms and 38 control-farms. Case-farms were dairy farms with at least single intradermal tuberculin test- (SIT-) reactor(s) in the farms during 2011 to 2015. Control-farms were dairy farms with no SIT-reactors in the same period and located within 5 km from case-farms. Questionnaires were administered for data collection with questions based on epidemiological plausibility and characteristics of the local livestock industry. Data were analyzed using multiple logistic regressions. A significant geographic cluster was identified only in Chiang Mai province (p < 0.05). The risk factor associated with presence of SIT-reactors in dairy herds located in this region was purchasing dairy cows from dealers (OR = 5.85, 95% CI = 1.66–20.58, and p = 0.006). From this study, it was concluded that geographic clustering was identified for dairy farms with SIT-reactors in these provinces, and the cattle movements through cattle dealers increased the risks for SIT-reactor farm status. PMID:28553557

Avulsion fracture of the posterior cruciate ligament in an uncommon location associated with distal injury to the patellar ligament☆

PubMed Central

e Albuquerque, Rodrigo Pires; da Palma, Idemar Monteiro; Cobra, Hugo; de Paula Mozella, Alan; Vaques, Victor

2015-01-01

Avulsion fractures of the posterior cruciate ligament in unusual locations are rare injuries. We report the first case in the literature of an avulsion fracture of the posterior cruciate ligament associated with distal injury to the patellar ligament. The aim of this study was to present a novel case, the therapy used and the clinical follow-up. PMID:27218089

Response of Ocean Circulation to Different Wind Forcing in Puerto Rico and US Virgin Islands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Solano, Miguel; Garcia, Edgardo; Leonardi, Stafano; Canals, Miguel; Capella, Jorge

2013-11-01

The response of the ocean circulation to various wind forcing products has been studied using the Regional Ocean Modeling System. The computational domain includes the main islands of Puerto Rico, Saint John and Saint Thomas, located on the continental shelf dividing the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. Data for wind forcing is provided by an anemometer located in a moored buoy, the Coupled Ocean-Atmosphere Mesoscale Prediction System (COAMPS) model and the National Digital Forecast Database (NDFD). Hindcast simulations have been validated using hydrographic data at different locations in the area of study. Three cases are compared to quantify the impact of high resolution wind forcing on the ocean circulation and the vertical structure of salinity, temperature and velocity. In the first case a constant wind velocity field is used to force the model as measured by an anemometer on top of a buoy. In the second case, a forcing field provided by the Navy's COAMPS model is used and in the third case, winds are taken from NDFD in collaboration with the National Centers for Environmental Prediction. Validated results of ocean currents against data from Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers at different locations show better agreement using high resolution wind data as expected. Thanks to CariCOOS and NOAA.

Growing skull fracture of the posterior cranial fossa and of the orbital roof.

PubMed

Caffo, M; Germanò, A; Caruso, G; Meli, F; Calisto, A; Tomasello, F

2003-03-01

Growing Skull Fractures (GSF) are rare complications of head trauma, primarily reported in infancy and early childhood. GSF are commonly located on calvaria, and rarely in other locations, including the skull base. In this study, we report two cases of GSF occurring in unusual locations. The first, a 8-month old girl, with a GSF of the suboccipital posterior fossa region, and the second, a 4-year old boy with a GSF of the right orbital roof. Both cases underwent operative treatment of the GSF, with microsurgical dissection and excision of the protruding gliotic brain tissue, watertight duraplasty and autologous bone cranial repair. The authors conducted a Medline search of the relevant English literature from 1966 to 2002. From the search, three cases of suboccipital posterior fossa region GSF and twelve series of orbital GSF, describing a total of 22 cases, have been found. A survey of the pathogenic mechanisms underlying this entity in these locations is reported. A review of suboccipital posterior fossa and orbital roof GSF cases, of nosological, ophthalmological and neurological data, neuroradiological and operative findings, and results of different treatment strategies are described.

Optical Sensor/Actuator Locations for Active Structural Acoustic Control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Padula, Sharon L.; Palumbo, Daniel L.; Kincaid, Rex K.

1998-01-01

Researchers at NASA Langley Research Center have extensive experience using active structural acoustic control (ASAC) for aircraft interior noise reduction. One aspect of ASAC involves the selection of optimum locations for microphone sensors and force actuators. This paper explains the importance of sensor/actuator selection, reviews optimization techniques, and summarizes experimental and numerical results. Three combinatorial optimization problems are described. Two involve the determination of the number and position of piezoelectric actuators, and the other involves the determination of the number and location of the sensors. For each case, a solution method is suggested, and typical results are examined. The first case, a simplified problem with simulated data, is used to illustrate the method. The second and third cases are more representative of the potential of the method and use measured data. The three case studies and laboratory test results establish the usefulness of the numerical methods.

Incorrect Responses to Locative Commands: A Case Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duchan, Judith; Siegel, Leo

1979-01-01

A six-year-old with a language problem responded consistently to 100 locative commands by putting objects in containers and on flat surfaces regardless of the preposition or order of the nouns in the commands. (Author/CL)

City Green: Innovative Green Infrastructure Solutions for Downtowns and Infill Locations

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

City Green uses case studies to illustrate how green infrastructure techniques can be used in downtowns and infill locations, where space is limited, to protect water quality and bring other environmental and community benefits.

Frictions between Formal Education Policy and Actual School Choice: Case Studies in an International Comparative Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Teelken, Christine; Driessen, Geert; Smit, Frederik

2005-01-01

This contribution is based on comparative case studies of secondary schools in England, the Netherlands and Scotland. The authors conclude that although opportunities for school choice are offered in a formal sense in each of the locations studied, in certain cases choice is not particularly encouraged. In order to explain this disparity between…

A Case Study of Spirituality in Senior Center Education: Qualitative Research in Adult Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Demarse, Laura

2016-01-01

This article presents a case study on the role of spirituality in adult education at a suburban senior center located in the southeast region of the country. The purpose of the case study was to understand the deeply personal role of spirituality in adult education as seen through teaching seniors and examine the personal manifestation of…

Access Management Awareness Program. Phase II Report

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1997-01-01

This report presents the results of a number of detailed Iowa access management case studies. Case studies were selected to provide a cross-section of locations and community sizes in Iowa as well as a variety of project types. Projects were analyzed...

Spatial overlap links seemingly unconnected genotype-matched TB cases in rural Uganda

PubMed Central

Kato-Maeda, Midori; Emperador, Devy M.; Wandera, Bonnie; Mugagga, Olive; Crandall, John; Janes, Michael; Marquez, Carina; Kamya, Moses R.; Charlebois, Edwin D.; Havlir, Diane V.

2018-01-01

Introduction Incomplete understanding of TB transmission dynamics in high HIV prevalence settings remains an obstacle for prevention. Understanding where transmission occurs could provide a platform for case finding and interrupting transmission. Methods From 2012–2015, we sought to recruit all adults starting TB treatment in a Ugandan community. Participants underwent household (HH) contact investigation, and provided names of social contacts, sites of work, healthcare and socializing, and two sputum samples. Mycobacterium tuberculosis culture-positive specimens underwent 24-loci MIRU-VNTR and spoligotyping. We sought to identify epidemiologic links between genotype-matched cases by analyzing social networks and mapping locations where cases reported spending ≥12 hours over the one-month pre-treatment. Sites of spatial overlap (≤100m) between genotype-matched cases were considered potential transmission sites. We analyzed social networks stratified by genotype clustering status, with cases linked by shared locations, and compared network density by location type between clustered vs. non-clustered cases. Results Of 173 adults with TB, 131 (76%) were enrolled, 108 provided sputum, and 84/131 (78%) were MTB culture-positive: 52% (66/131) tested HIV-positive. Of 118 adult HH contacts, 105 (89%) were screened and 3 (2.5%) diagnosed with active TB. Overall, 33 TB cases (39%) belonged to 15 distinct MTB genotype-matched clusters. Within each cluster, no cases shared a HH or reported shared non-HH contacts. In 6/15 (40%) clusters, potential epidemiologic links were identified by spatial overlap at specific locations: 5/6 involved health care settings. Genotype-clustered TB social networks had significantly greater network density based on shared clinics (p<0.001) and decreased density based on shared marketplaces (p<0.001), compared to non-clustered networks. Conclusions In this molecular epidemiologic study, links between MTB genotype-matched cases were only identifiable via shared locations, healthcare locations in particular, rather than named contacts. This suggests most transmission is occurring between casual contacts, and emphasizes the need for improved infection control in healthcare settings in rural Africa. PMID:29438413

Urban simulation evaluation with study case of the Singapore Management University, Singapore

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seanders, O.

2018-01-01

This paper reports and discusses about the urban simulation evaluation with a study case, The Singapore Managemant University (SMU), the first major university to be located in the city centre. It is located in Bras Basah District, with some controversy on the geographical establishment, the physical realization of the University in the original plan required some demolishes, urban historical building, a public park and in the end will impact the lose of some certain qualities of the urban space. From this case we can see that the urban design and cultural heritage principles could come into conflicts with the more practical concerns of space constraints and transportation efficiency. This SMU case reflect the problem of the developing countries that have to decide between conservation of buildings and green spaces and space demands. In this case, for Singapore, it marks a progress in the step of greater community involvement in the planning process.

Computed tomography of adult colonic intussusception: clinical and experimental studies

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

Iko, B.O.; Teal, J.S.; Siram, S.M.

1984-10-01

The CT features of a case of adult ileocolic intussusception and of experimentally induced ileocolic, cecocolic, and colocolic intussusceptions are presented. Both the clinical and experimental cases demonstrated (1) target masses with enveloped, eccentrically located areas of low density and (2) interspersed low- and high-density stripes within the intussusception producing a layered or stratified pattern. This layered pattern of abdominal masses may be characteristic of intussusceptions regardless of location.

Correlations and clustering in wholesale electricity markets

DOE PAGES

Cui, Tianyu; Caravelli, Francesco; Ududec, Cozmin

2017-11-24

We study the structure of locational marginal prices in day-ahead and real-time wholesale electricity markets. In particular, we consider the case of two North American markets and show that the price correlations contain information on the locational structure of the grid. We study various clustering methods and introduce a type of correlation function based on event synchronization for spiky time series, and another based on string correlations of location names provided by the markets. As a result, this allows us to reconstruct aspects of the locational structure of the grid.

Correlations and clustering in wholesale electricity markets

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

Cui, Tianyu; Caravelli, Francesco; Ududec, Cozmin

We study the structure of locational marginal prices in day-ahead and real-time wholesale electricity markets. In particular, we consider the case of two North American markets and show that the price correlations contain information on the locational structure of the grid. We study various clustering methods and introduce a type of correlation function based on event synchronization for spiky time series, and another based on string correlations of location names provided by the markets. As a result, this allows us to reconstruct aspects of the locational structure of the grid.

Correlations and clustering in wholesale electricity markets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cui, Tianyu; Caravelli, Francesco; Ududec, Cozmin

2018-02-01

We study the structure of locational marginal prices in day-ahead and real-time wholesale electricity markets. In particular, we consider the case of two North American markets and show that the price correlations contain information on the locational structure of the grid. We study various clustering methods and introduce a type of correlation function based on event synchronization for spiky time series, and another based on string correlations of location names provided by the markets. This allows us to reconstruct aspects of the locational structure of the grid.

Retrospective Case Study in Wise County, Texas, Study of the Potential Impacts of Hydraulic Fracturing on Drinking Water Resources

EPA Science Inventory

This report describes the retrospective case study in north central Texas, conducted at three locations in Wise County where both conventional and unconventional gas production occurred in the past. Currently unconventional gas production occurs from the Mississippian-aged Barne...

Retrospective Case Study in Southwestern Pennsylvania, Study of the Potential Impacts of Hydraulic Facturing on Drinking Water Resources

EPA Science Inventory

This report describes the retrospective case study for southwestern Pennsylvania, which was conducted in Amwell, Cross Creek, Hopewell, and Mount Pleasant Townships in Washington County, locations that have witnessed unconventional gas production from the Devonian-age Marcellus S...

Distributed Leadership in Elementary Schools: An Exploratory Multiple Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Valdez, Vidal

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore distributed leadership and how leadership practices are actualized in three selected schools in Southern California. This qualitative, multiple case study used survey research and interviews to assess how distributed leadership was practiced in three selected elementary schools located within one school…

Transversing the Vertical Case Study: A Methodological Approach to Studies of Educational Policy as Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bartlett, Lesley; Vavrus, Frances

2014-01-01

How can scholars trace the global production and circulation of educational policies? The vertical case study incorporates three elements: "vertical" attention across micro-, meso-, and macro-levels, or scales; a "horizontal" comparison of how policies unfold in distinct locations; and a "transversal," processual…

Well-Being Outcomes in Bolivia: Accounting for the Effects of Ethnicity and Regional Location

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liberato, Ana S. Q.; Pomeroy, Carlton; Fennell, Dana

2006-01-01

This study assesses well-being differences in Bolivia. We specifically investigate whether ethnicity and regional location explain differences in housing quality, material wealth, sanitation, and educational achievement in Bolivia. We use the 1994 and 1998 DHS surveys of 9114 and 12109 cases, respectively, to test the study hypotheses, which…

Electrical voltages and resistances measured to inspect metallic cased wells and pipelines

DOEpatents

Vail, III, William Banning; Momii, Steven Thomas

2001-01-01

A cased well in the earth is electrically energized with A.C. current. Voltages are measured from three voltage measurement electrodes in electrical contact with the interior of the casing while the casing is electrically energized. In a measurement mode, A.C. current is conducted from a first current carrying electrode within the cased well to a remote second current carrying electrode located on the surface of the earth. In a calibration mode, current is passed from the first current carrying electrode to a third current carrying electrode located vertically at a different position within the cased well, where the three voltage measurement electrodes are located vertically in between the first and third current carrying electrodes. Voltages along the casing and resistances along the casing are measured to determine wall thickness and the location of any casing collars present so as to electrically inspect the casing. Similar methods are employed to energize a pipeline to measure the wall thickness of the pipeline and the location of pipe joints to electrically inspect the pipeline.

Electrical voltages and resistances measured to inspect metallic cased wells and pipelines

DOEpatents

Vail III, William Banning; Momii, Steven Thomas

2003-06-10

A cased well in the earth is electrically energized with A.C. current. Voltages are measured from three voltage measurement electrodes in electrical contact with the interior of the casing while the casing is electrically energized. In a measurement mode, A.C. current is conducted from a first current carrying electrode within the cased well to a remote second current carrying electrode located on the surface of the earth. In a calibration mode, current is passed from the first current carrying electrode to a third current carrying electrode located vertically at a different position within the cased well, where the three voltage measurement electrodes are located vertically in between the first and third current carrying electrodes. Voltages along the casing and resistances along the casing are measured to determine wall thickness and the location of any casing collars present so as to electrically inspect the casing. Similar methods are employed to energize a pipeline to measure the wall thickness of the pipeline and the location of pipe joints to electrically inspect the pipeline.

Orofacial pain of cardiac origin: Review literature and clinical cases

PubMed Central

Garcia-Vicente, Laia; Jané-Salas, Enric; Estrugo-Devesa, Albert; Chimenos-Küstner, Eduardo; Roca-Elias, Josep

2012-01-01

The most common types of orofacial pain originate at the dental or periodontal level or in the musculoskeletal structures. However, the patient may present pain in this region even though the source is located elsewhere in the body. One possible source of heterotopic pain is of cardiac origin. Objectives: Report two cases of orofacial pain of cardiac origin and review the clinical cases described in the literature. Study Design: Description of clinical cases and review of clinical cases. Results and conclusions: Nine cases of atypical pain of cardiac origin are recorded, which include 5 females and 4 males. In craniofacial structures, pain of cardiac origin is usually bilateral. At the craniofacial level, the most frequent location described is in the throat and jaw. Pain of cardiac origin is considered atypical due to its location, although roughly 10% of the cases of cardiac ischemia manifest primarily in craniofacial structures. Finally, the differential diagnosis of pain of odontogenic origin must be taken into account with pain of non-odontogenic origin (muscle, psychogenic, neuronal, cardiac, sinus and neurovascular pain) in order to avoid diagnostic errors in the dental practice as well as unnecessary treatments. Key words:Orofacial pain, ischemic heart disease, heterotopic pain, odontalgia. PMID:22322488

Retrospective Case Study in Killdeer, North Dakota, Study of the Potential Impacts of Hydraulic Fracturing on Drinking Water Resources.

EPA Science Inventory

This report describes the retrospective case study conducted near Killdeer, Dunn County, North Dakota. The Killdeer study area is the location of historical oil and gas production, with current unconventional oil and gas production occurring in the late Devonian/early Mississipp...

Hemangiopericytoma in the central nervous system. A study of eight cases.

PubMed

Mekni, A; Kourda, J; Chelly, I; Ferchichi, L; Bellil, K; Hammouda, K B; Kchir, N; Zitouna, M; Khaldi, M; Haouet, S

2008-02-01

Most hemangiopericytomas (HPC) are located in the musculoskeletal system and the skin, while the location in the central nervous system (CNS) is rare. The latter represents 2 to 4% in large series of meningeal tumors, thus accounting for less than 1% of all CNS tumors. In the central nervous system, tumors with a hemangiopericytomatous histolopathological pattern can be either hemangiopericytomas or solitary fibrous tumors. CNS-HPCs have a relentless tendency for local recurrence and metastases outside the CNS. Metastasis can also appear many years after adequate treatment of the primary tumor. We present a pathological study of eight patients with CNS-HPC and compare our results with corresponding published data. The CNS-HPC group consisted of three males and five females with a mean age of 36.75 years. The tumors were supratentorial in four cases, infratentorial in two cases, tentorial in one case and located in the spinal cord in the last one. Histologically, CNS-HPCs were similar to their soft tissue counterparts. One case demonstrated increased cellularity, marked nuclear hyperchromasia and marked cellular pleomorphism with infiltration of the cerebellum. All patients underwent surgery with gross-total resection in all cases. No patients received postoperative radiation therapy. Only four patients recurred locally after six, seven and eight months, and five years. Our study presents the pathological features of CNS-HPC as a distinct entity from both meningioma and solitary fibrous tumors. A comparative review of literature with our results is discussed.

Myocardial infarction size and location: a comparative study of epicardial isopotential mapping, thallium-201 scintigraphy, electrocardiography and vectorcardiography

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

Toyama, S.; Suzuki, K.; Takahashi, T.

1987-07-01

Based on epicardial isopotential mapping (the Ep Map), which was calculated from body surface isopotential mapping (the Body Map) with Yamashita's method, using the finite element technique, we predicted the location and size of the abnormal depolarized area (the infarcted area) in 19 clinical cases of anterior and 18 cases of inferoposterior infarction. The prediction was done using Toyama's diagnostic method, previously reported. The accuracy of the prediction by the Ep Map was assessed by comparing it with findings from thallium-201 scintigraphy (SCG), electrocardiography (ECG) and vectorcardiography (VCG). In all cases of anterior infarction, the location of the abnormal depolarizedmore » areas determined on the Ep Map, which was localized at the anterior wall along the anterior intraventricular septum, agreed with the location of the abnormal findings obtained by SCG, ECG and VCG. For all inferoposterior infarction cases, the abnormal depolarized areas were localized at the posterior wall and the location also coincided with that of the abnormal findings obtained by SCG, ECG and VCG. Furthermore, we ranked and ordered the size of the abnormal depolarized areas, which were predicted by the Ep Map for both anterior and inferoposterior infarction cases. In the cases of anterior infarction, the order of the size of the abnormal depolarized area by the Ep Map was correlated to the size of the abnormal findings by SCG, as well as to the results from Selvester's QRS scoring system in ECG and to the angle of the maximum QRS vector in the horizontal plane in VCG.« less

Best Practices Case Study: Urbane Homes - Crestwood, KY, Various Locations, Greater Louisville, KY

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

None

Case study of Urbane Homes, who worked with Building America to build market rate homes with HERS scores of 57 to 62. Despite a down market they’ve sold every home within 3 weeks of listing, without any advertising.

Cystic echinococcosis: A neglected disease at usual and unusual locations.

PubMed

Sarkar, Soma; Roy, Himansu; Saha, Puranjay; Sengupta, Mallika; Sarder, Krisnendu; Sengupta, Manideepa

2017-01-01

Echinococcus granulosus causes a zoonotic infection called cystic echinococcosis (CE) or more commonly known as hydatid disease. Although the two most common locations of hydatid cyst are liver and lung, it may also appear in other parts of the body. Clinical presentation of the hydatid disease depends on the site and size of the lesion. A retrospective study was done in Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata, from January 2012 to June 2014, to find the site of involvement, distribution, clinical features, history of contact, mode of presentation, laboratory diagnosis, and treatment modalities of the cases of hydatid cyst. The cases were identified by radiological and laboratory methods, the data were entered in Excel spreadsheet, and analysis was done. Among the 21 cases of hydatid cyst included in the study, solitary hepatic involvement was seen in 11 (52.38%), pulmonary involvement in 4 (19%), and 6 (28.71%) were in unusual locations such as liver cyst extending as retroperitoneal, omental cyst, choledochal cyst, splenic cyst, and in hepatorenal pouch. History of contact with dog was seen in 15 (71.43%). All the patients were treated with surgery and albendazole and were discharged in healthy condition. CE may be present in usual and unusual locations with a lot of variations in the clinical features. Hence, proper radiological and laboratory diagnosis is required for accurate diagnosis and appropriate management of these cases.

Numerical analysis of flow in a centrifugal compressor with circumferential grooves: influence of groove location and number on flow instability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, X.; Qin, G.; Ai, Z.; Ji, Y.

2017-08-01

As an effective and economic method for flow range enhancement, circumferential groove casing treatment (CGCT) is widely used to increase the stall margin of compressors. Different from traditional grooved casing treatments, in which the grooves are always located over the rotor in both axial and radial compressors, one or several circumferential grooves are located along the shroud side of the diffuser passage in this paper. Numerical investigations were conducted to predict the performance of a low flow rate centrifugal compressor with CGCT in diffuser. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis is performed under stage environment in order to find the optimum location of the circumferential casing groove in consideration of stall margin enhancement and efficiency gain at design point, and the impact of groove number to the effect of this grooved casing treatment configuration in enhancing the stall margin of the compressor stage is studied. The results indicate that the centrifugal compressor with circumferential groove in vaned diffuser can obtain obvious improvement in the stall margin with sacrificing design efficiency a little. Efforts were made to study blade level flow mechanisms to determine how the CGCT impacts the compressor’s stall margin (SM) and performance. The flow structures in the passage, the tip gap, and the grooves as well as their mutual interactions were plotted and analysed.

A Hazard Assessment and Proposed Risk Index for Art, Architecture, Archive and Artifact Protection: Case Studies for Assorted International Museums

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kirk, Clara J.

This study proposes a hazard/risk index for environmental, technological, and social hazards that may threaten a museum or other place of cultural storage and accession. This index can be utilized and implemented to measure the risk at the locations of these storage facilities in relationship to their geologic, geographic, environmental, and social settings. A model case study of the 1966 flood of the Arno River and its impact on the city of Florence and the Uffizi Gallery was used as the index focus. From this focus an additional eleven museums and their related risk were assessed. Each index addressed a diverse range of hazards based on past frequency and magnitude. It was found that locations nearest a hazard had exceptionally high levels of risk, however more distant locations could have influences that would increase their risk to levels similar to those locations near the hazard. Locations not normally associated with a given natural hazard can be susceptible should the right conditions be met and this research identified, complied and assessed those factions found to influence natural hazard risk at these research sites.

[Municipal landfill site in Krzyz near Tarnów as source of microbiological factors harmful to environment and human health].

PubMed

Fraczek, Krzysztof; Barabasz, Wiesław

2004-01-01

The present study aimed to evaluate microbiological pollution of air with microorganisms belonging to different taxonomic and physiological groups, and to examine whether the effect of the municipal landfill site in Krzyz changes at various study sites located: in so called "zero zone" (operating landfill), at different distances from the landfill and in Tarnów. Microbiological studies of atmospheric air were carried out from May 1998 to April 2001. Measurements were taken at 10 study sites located at the operating municipal landfill site in Krzyz, inside and outside of its protection zone. Microbial air pollution standard (PN-89/Z-04111/02 and PN-89/Z-04111/03) were used to evaluate the impact of municipal landfill site on the atmospheric environment. The standards were most often exceeded by hemolytic bacteria, (277 cases out of 360 measurements) i.e. 76.9%, and Actinomycetes (213 cases out of 360 measurements) i.e 59.1%, while by fungi (26 cases out of 360 measurements) i.e 7.2% and bacteria (42 cases out of 360 measurements) i.e 11.6% in a lesser degree. The standards were most often exceeded in operating land fill site sector, at the gateway to the land fill site and in partially reclaimed sector. Fewest cases of standard exceedance were recorded in control site (located outside the landfill site), near built-up area and before the entrance to the land fill site.

An Analysis of 19 International Case Studies of Stress Prevention Through Work Reorganization Using the Demand/Control Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karasek, Robert A.

2004-01-01

Nineteen international case studies of workplace stress prevention initiatives are analyzed. The focus of these cases, which span a variety of workplaces and locations, is on preventing stress through work reorganization rather than remedial approaches for stress relief. It is found that the majority of the occupations represented in the case…

A power comparison of generalized additive models and the spatial scan statistic in a case-control setting.

PubMed

Young, Robin L; Weinberg, Janice; Vieira, Verónica; Ozonoff, Al; Webster, Thomas F

2010-07-19

A common, important problem in spatial epidemiology is measuring and identifying variation in disease risk across a study region. In application of statistical methods, the problem has two parts. First, spatial variation in risk must be detected across the study region and, second, areas of increased or decreased risk must be correctly identified. The location of such areas may give clues to environmental sources of exposure and disease etiology. One statistical method applicable in spatial epidemiologic settings is a generalized additive model (GAM) which can be applied with a bivariate LOESS smoother to account for geographic location as a possible predictor of disease status. A natural hypothesis when applying this method is whether residential location of subjects is associated with the outcome, i.e. is the smoothing term necessary? Permutation tests are a reasonable hypothesis testing method and provide adequate power under a simple alternative hypothesis. These tests have yet to be compared to other spatial statistics. This research uses simulated point data generated under three alternative hypotheses to evaluate the properties of the permutation methods and compare them to the popular spatial scan statistic in a case-control setting. Case 1 was a single circular cluster centered in a circular study region. The spatial scan statistic had the highest power though the GAM method estimates did not fall far behind. Case 2 was a single point source located at the center of a circular cluster and Case 3 was a line source at the center of the horizontal axis of a square study region. Each had linearly decreasing logodds with distance from the point. The GAM methods outperformed the scan statistic in Cases 2 and 3. Comparing sensitivity, measured as the proportion of the exposure source correctly identified as high or low risk, the GAM methods outperformed the scan statistic in all three Cases. The GAM permutation testing methods provide a regression-based alternative to the spatial scan statistic. Across all hypotheses examined in this research, the GAM methods had competing or greater power estimates and sensitivities exceeding that of the spatial scan statistic.

A power comparison of generalized additive models and the spatial scan statistic in a case-control setting

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background A common, important problem in spatial epidemiology is measuring and identifying variation in disease risk across a study region. In application of statistical methods, the problem has two parts. First, spatial variation in risk must be detected across the study region and, second, areas of increased or decreased risk must be correctly identified. The location of such areas may give clues to environmental sources of exposure and disease etiology. One statistical method applicable in spatial epidemiologic settings is a generalized additive model (GAM) which can be applied with a bivariate LOESS smoother to account for geographic location as a possible predictor of disease status. A natural hypothesis when applying this method is whether residential location of subjects is associated with the outcome, i.e. is the smoothing term necessary? Permutation tests are a reasonable hypothesis testing method and provide adequate power under a simple alternative hypothesis. These tests have yet to be compared to other spatial statistics. Results This research uses simulated point data generated under three alternative hypotheses to evaluate the properties of the permutation methods and compare them to the popular spatial scan statistic in a case-control setting. Case 1 was a single circular cluster centered in a circular study region. The spatial scan statistic had the highest power though the GAM method estimates did not fall far behind. Case 2 was a single point source located at the center of a circular cluster and Case 3 was a line source at the center of the horizontal axis of a square study region. Each had linearly decreasing logodds with distance from the point. The GAM methods outperformed the scan statistic in Cases 2 and 3. Comparing sensitivity, measured as the proportion of the exposure source correctly identified as high or low risk, the GAM methods outperformed the scan statistic in all three Cases. Conclusions The GAM permutation testing methods provide a regression-based alternative to the spatial scan statistic. Across all hypotheses examined in this research, the GAM methods had competing or greater power estimates and sensitivities exceeding that of the spatial scan statistic. PMID:20642827

Priming cases disturb visual search patterns in screening mammography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lewis, Sarah J.; Reed, Warren M.; Tan, Alvin N. K.; Brennan, Patrick C.; Lee, Warwick; Mello-Thoms, Claudia

2015-03-01

Rationale and Objectives: To investigate the effect of inserting obvious cancers into a screening set of mammograms on the visual search of radiologists. Previous research presents conflicting evidence as to the impact of priming in scenarios where prevalence is naturally low, such as in screening mammography. Materials and Methods: An observer performance and eye position analysis study was performed. Four expert breast radiologists were asked to interpret two sets of 40 screening mammograms. The Control Set contained 36 normal and 4 malignant cases (located at case # 9, 14, 25 and 37). The Primed Set contained the same 34 normal and 4 malignant cases (in the same location) plus 2 "primer" malignant cases replacing 2 normal cases (located at positions #20 and 34). Primer cases were defined as lower difficulty cases containing salient malignant features inserted before cases of greater difficulty. Results: Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test indicated no significant differences in sensitivity or specificity between the two sets (P > 0.05). The fixation count in the malignant cases (#25, 37) in the Primed Set after viewing the primer cases (#20, 34) decreased significantly (Z = -2.330, P = 0.020). False-Negatives errors were mostly due to sampling in the Primed Set (75%) in contrast to in the Control Set (25%). Conclusion: The overall performance of radiologists is not affected by the inclusion of obvious cancer cases. However, changes in visual search behavior, as measured by eye-position recording, suggests visual disturbance by the inclusion of priming cases in screening mammography.

Reliability centered maintenance : a case study of railway transit maintenance to achieve optimal performance.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2010-12-01

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to identify the types of obstacles and patterns experienced by a single heavy rail transit agency located in North America that embedded a Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM) Process. The outcome of t...

A Case Study of Why Teachers Write Office Discipline Referrals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Etheridge, Derek A.

2017-01-01

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to understand why 12 teachers write office discipline referrals for elementary school students in a Title I elementary school located in the Southwestern United States. This study explored the experiences of 12 teachers using the following research questions: (1) What classroom management approaches…

Errors in Representing Regional Acid Deposition with Spatially Sparse Monitoring: Case Studies of the Eastern US Using Model Predictions

EPA Science Inventory

The current study uses case studies of model-estimated regional precipitation and wet ion deposition to estimate errors in corresponding regional values derived from the means of site-specific values within regions of interest located in the eastern US. The mean of model-estimate...

A History and Case Study at a Selected Tribal College

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oltrogge, Micheal P.

2010-01-01

"A History and Case Study at a Selected Tribal College" focuses on a tribally chartered two-year institution of higher education. The selected Tribal College serves Native American and non-Native American populations on two separate and distinct reservations and one urban location. This study surveys the history to answer basic foundational and…

[The Value of High Frequency Color Doppler Ultrasonography in the Diagnosis of Solid Skin Tumorsa-a Preliminary Study].

PubMed

Zhong, Lin; Tang, Yuan-Jiao; Yang, Yu-Jia; Qiu, Li

2017-01-01

To explore the value of high frequency color doppler ultrasonography in differentiating benign and malignant skin solid tumors. Clinical and ultrasonic data of cutaneous solid tumors confirmed by pathology in our hospital were collected. The differences in clinical and sonographic features between benign and malignant tumors were statistically analyzed. A total of 512 patients, involving 527 cases of skin solid tumors, were enrolled in this study. The ultrasonic detected 99.43% of the cases, with 99.02% accuracy in locating the lesions. The benign and malignant tumors showed differences in patient age, location, multiple occurance, location and depth, surface skin condition, tumor size, echo, morphology, uniformity, calcification, blood flow status, tumor rear area and peripheral echo, and pathological requests ( P <0.05). High frequency ultrasound has excellent detection rate of skin tumors, which can locate invasion depth of skin accurately. Benign and malignant skin tumors show differences in a number of clinical and ultrasound features.

Improved Location of Microseismic Events in Borehole Monitoring by Inclusion of Particle Motion Analysis: a Case Study at a CBM Field in Indonesia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Verdhora Ry, Rexha; Septyana, T.; Widiyantoro, S.; Nugraha, A. D.; Ardjuna, A.

2017-04-01

Microseismic monitoring and constraining its hypocenters in and around hydrocarbon reservoirs provides insight into induced deformation related to hydraulic fracturing. In this study, we used data from a single vertical array of sensors in a borehole, providing measures of arrival times and polarizations. Microseismic events are located using 1-D velocity models and arrival times of P- and S-waves. However, in the case of all the sensors being deployed in a near-vertical borehole, there is a high ambiguity in the source location. Herein, we applied a procedure using azimuth of P-wave particle motion to constrain and improve the source location. We used a dataset acquired during 1-day of fracture stimulation at a CBM field in Indonesia. We applied five steps of location procedure to investigate microseismic events induced by these hydraulic fracturing activities. First, arrival times for 1584 candidate events were manually picked. Then we refined the arrival times using energy ratio method to obtain high consistency picking. Using these arrival times, we estimated back-azimuth using P-wave polarization analysis. We also added the combination of polarities analysis to remove 180° ambiguity. In the end, we determined hypocenter locations using grid-search method that guided in the back-azimuth trace area to minimize the misfit function of arrival times. We have successfully removed the ambiguity and produced a good solution for hypocenter locations as indicated statistically by small RMS. Most of the events clusters highlight coherent structures around the treatment well site and revealed faults. The same procedure can be applied to various other cases such as microseismic monitoring in the field of geothermal and shale gas/oil exploration, also CCS (Carbon Capture and Storage) development.

A method for locating potential tree-planting sites in urban areas: a case study of Los Angeles, USA

Treesearch

Chunxia Wua; Qingfu Xiaoa; Gregory E. McPherson

2008-01-01

A GIS-based method for locating potential tree-planting sites based on land cover data is introduced. Criteria were developed to identify locations that are spatially available for potential tree planting based on land cover, sufficient distance from impervious surfaces, a minimum amount of pervious surface, and no crown overlap with other trees. In an ArcGIS...

Event Locations in Extra-Familial Child Sexual Molestation Cases: The Istanbul Example.

PubMed

Gönültaş, Burak M; Sahin, Bahadir

2018-04-01

A great deal of attention has been devoted to sexual molestation cases, both in theory and in practice. Child molesters are versatile and are not easily identified. Various theories and tactics, the most contemporary of which is environmental criminology, have been developed to find those criminals. Locations of victims, crime scenes, and distances among them as well as other situational variables are used to predict possible future offences in environmental criminology. This study applies the theory to sexual molestation crimes in Istanbul. Dependent distance variables are found to be correlated with several situational variables in a selected sample of 127 extra-familial child sexual molestation cases.

Clinical and ultrasonographic implications of uterine leiomyomatosis in pregnancy.

PubMed

Piazze Garnica, J; Gallo, G; Marzano, P F; Vozzi, G; Mazzocco, M; Anceschi, M M; Rolfini, G

1995-01-01

To study the complications related to leiomyomatosis in pregnancy by clinical and ultrasonographic assessment. A retrospective study. All pregnancies admitted to the 2nd Institute of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Policlinico Umberto I, in the period between January 1992 to December 1993 were surveyed. Gestational age at the time of ultrasonographic neoplasm diagnosis was 25.1 +/- 13.4 weeks, 'we found no correlation between maternal age or parity affecting pregnancy outcome, Leiomyomatosis complicated pregnancy rate was 1.68%. Myomatosis was diagnosed clinically in 25 of 67 cases (37.3%). Regarding the location of the neoplasm, 59% was located in the corpus-uteri, 21% was considered a diffuse neoplasm and the 14% was located in the fundus. Threatened abortion was the most frequent complication (20%), abortion was the second (16.4%). We observed an increased abortion threat rate (p < 0.001) in those cases where the leiomyoma was in relation with the placenta. We had a surgery rate of 76% in pregnancies complicated by myomatosis, and the indication for surgery was given either primarily or exclusively by the presence of myomatous formation in 19 cases (50%). Our study suggests that location of the leiomyoma in relation to the placenta is a higher risk factor than its size, and that there is a higher risk for threats of abortion and abortion rates in pregnancies complicated by leiomyomatosis. We recommend that every pregnant woman with a suspected myoma should be ultrasonographically scanned.

[Bone hydatidosis. 12 cases].

PubMed

Jlidi, R; Yaakoubi, M T; Ladeb, M F; Ben Ayeche, M L; Ghannouchi, G; Moula, T

1992-01-01

The hydatic cyst is a parasitic disease caused by the development in man of the larval form of echinococcus granulosus. All parts of the body may be involved, but the liver and lungs are the main locations of the disease. The bone site is rare, accounting for 0.9 to 2% of all hydatic lesions. Between 1982 and 1988, we have compiled 12 cases of hydatic disease of bone. They were located in the skull (4 cases), the iliac bone (4 cases), the omoplate (1 case), the ribs (1 case), the femur (1 case) and the fibula (1 case). These lesions are generally considered as primary, but association with visceral locations was noted in 3 cases in our series.

Crescent Evaluation : appendix F : state-line beacon project : user case studies

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1994-02-01

The essence of the AVI "Beacon" concept as it applies to the HELP organization would be to provide location, date, and tune information from the roadside to the on-board computer (OBC). A roadside transmit beacon would be located on the state lines a...

Angiolymphoid hyperplasia with eosinophilia: a clinicopathologic study of 9 cases.

PubMed

Guinovart, R M; Bassas-Vila, J; Morell, L; Ferrándiz, C

2014-03-01

Angiolymphoid hyperplasia with eosinophilia (ALHE) is a rare disease characterized by single or multiple angiomatous lesions typically located on the scalp and the face. We present a retrospective analysis of 9 cases of ALHE. The lesions appeared largely as multiple grouped papules or, in some cases, subcutaneous nodules, located mainly on the scalp, particularly around the ear. We also observed lesions in atypical locations, such as areas of the head other than the scalp, and the shoulder, neck, and forearm. At these sites the lesions had an atypical clinical appearance that made diagnosis difficult; this should be borne in mind in patients with single, well-delimited lesions with a vascular appearance and superficial ulceration or crusting. Surgery was the most common treatment in our series, and even though ALHE is considered a benign condition, recurrence was common. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier España, S.L. and AEDV. All rights reserved.

Computation of Three-Dimensional Compressible Flow From a Rectangular Nozzle with Delta Tabs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reddy, D. R.; Steffen, C. J., Jr.; Zaman, K. B. M. Q.

1999-01-01

A three-dimensional viscous flow analysis is performed using a time-marching Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes code for a 3:1 rectangular nozzle with two delta tabs located at the nozz1e exit plane to enhance mixing. Two flow configurations, a subsonic jet case and a supersonic jet case using the same rate configuration, which were previously studied experimentally, are computed and compared with the experimental data. The experimental data include streamwise velocity and vorticity distributions for the subsonic case, and Mach number distributions for the supersonic case, at various axial locations downstream of the nozzle exit. The computational results show very good agreement with the experimental data. In addition, the effect of compressibility on vorticity dynamics is examined by comparing the vorticity contours of the subsonic jet case with those of the supersonic jet case which were not measured in the experiment.

Oral proliferative verrucous leucoplakia: are there particular features for such an ambiguous entity? A systematic review.

PubMed

Pentenero, M; Meleti, M; Vescovi, P; Gandolfo, S

2014-05-01

Proliferative verrucous leucoplakia (PVL) is a distinct, particularly aggressive form of oral leucoplakia. Given the low prevalence of PVL, data are sparse and are mostly from case reports, case series and only a few case-control studies, meaning that the literature is able to provide only weak evidence. The present systematic literature review aims to collate the available evidence on the following issues: patient demographics, aetiology, lesion location(s), malignant potential, location and histopathological features of transformed lesions, disease-specific survival rates and treatment response. Electronic databases were searched for studies in the English language reporting original data from at least 10 patients with PVL on the target issues of the present review. The retrieved data were merged and a descriptive analysis performed. The 20 studies selected indicated that PVL does not seem to be correlated with the major risk factors for oral carcinoma (tobacco, alcohol and/or areca nut/betel leaf chewing). The disorder affects mainly adult/elderly women and has a very high malignant transformation rate, particular site distribution and particular location and histopathological features of transformed lesions. The present results may be limited by some articles being unintentionally excluded as they were not found during the electronic search, a lack of worldwide accepted diagnostic criteria for PVL, and overlapping data from multiple studies performed in a limited number of centres. Despite these potential drawbacks, the present results demonstrate that PVL does have particular features. © 2014 British Association of Dermatologists.

Peasant Identity: Contributions towards a Rural Psychology from an Argentinean Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Landini, Fernando

2012-01-01

Within the field of psychology, little attention has been paid to studying the identity of rural people, in particular the peasantry. To explore this issue, a case study was undertaken in a community located in Argentina. The research identified three different dimensions of peasants' identity. The first one, positive identity, is based on…

Coaching Tutors: An Instrumental Case Study on Testing an Integrated Framework for Tutoring Sessions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holland, Alicia L.; Grant, Chris; Donthamsetty, Reshema

2017-01-01

The objective for the current qualitative case study was to examine participants' perceptions on the tutor coaching and session review frameworks. The location of the study was at the tutor coaches' place of business. At the beginning of the study, tutor coaches were trained on how to implement the tutoring coaching framework with their tutors,…

Off-Site Distance Education Faculty: A Checklist of Considerations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stewart, Barbara L.; Goodson, Carole; Miertschin, Susan

2012-01-01

Case studies informed the development of a checklist for use in determining whether to engage in online educational practices whereby the family and consumer sciences (FCS) instructor teaches from a location distant from campus.Objective and subjective case details were recorded and analyzed for commonality and variance. From cross-case analysis,…

The Epidemiological Characteristics and Dynamic Transmission of Dengue in China, 2013

PubMed Central

lu, Liang; Bi, Peng; Lv, Ming; Liu, Qiyong

2016-01-01

Background There was a dengue epidemic in several regions of China in 2013. No study has explored the dynamics of dengue transmission between different geographical locations with dengue outbreaks in China. The purpose of the study is to analyze the epidemiological characteristics and to explore the dynamic transmission of dengue in China, 2013. Methodology and Principal Findings Records of dengue cases of 2013 were obtained from the China Notifiable Disease Surveillance System. Full E-gene sequences of dengue virus detected from the outbreak regions of China were download from GenBank. Geographical Information System and heatmaps were used to describe the epidemiological characteristics. Maximum Likelihood phylogenetic and Bayesian phylogeographic analyses were conducted to explore the dengue dynamic transmission. Yunnan Province and Guangdong Province had the highest imported cases in the 2013 epidemic. In the locations with local dengue transmission, most of imported cases occurred from June to November 2013 while local dengue cases developed from July to December, 2013. There were significant variations for the incidences of dengue, in terms of age distributions, among different geographic locations. However, gender differences were identified in Guangzhou, Foshan and Xishuangbanna. DENV 1–3 were detected in all locations with the disease outbreaks. Some genotypes were detected in more than one locations and more than one genotypes have been detected in several locations. The dengue viruses introduced to outbreak areas were predominantly from Southeast Asia. In Guangdong Province, the phylogeographical results indicated that dengue viruses of DENV 1 were transmitted to neighboring cities Foshan and Zhongshan from Guangzhou city, and then transmitted to Jiangmen city. The virus in DENV 3 was introduced to Guangzhou city, Guangdong Province from Xishuangbanna prefecture, Yunnan Province. Conclusions Repeated dengue virus introductions from Southeast Asia and subsequent domestic dengue transmission within different regions may have contributed to the dengue epidemics in China, 2013. PMID:27820815

Case Studies of Selected Cooperative Adult Education Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moore, Allen B., Ed.; And Others

Third in a series of five, the document presents case study reports of site visits to cooperative adult education programs. The five locations visited included programs between: (1) Wharton County Junior College and Johnson Testers, Inc. (Texas); (2) Louisiana State Department of Education and B. F. Trappey and Sons (Louisiana); (3) Grand Rapids…

Interpersonal Consulting Skills for Instructional Technology Consultants: A Multiple Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van Leusen, Peter; Ottenbreit-Lefwich, Anne T.; Brush, Thomas

2016-01-01

Building a trust-based relationship with faculty is one of the most important attributes of effective Instructional Technology Consultants (ITC) in order to integrate emerging technologies into higher education. Utilizing a multiple case study research design, four experienced ITCs at a large urban research university located in the Midwest showed…

Schools Located Near Highways: Problems and Prospects. Final Report [and] Case Studies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wells, Leslie J.; Shapiro, Richard; Felsburg, Robert W.

In this 1977 publication, findings and recommendations are presented from 22 case studies involving the impact on schools adjacent to highway systems in the states of California, New Mexico, Colorado, Texas, Missouri, Maryland, and Virginia. The impacts described include: noise; vehicular and pedestrian safety; air pollution; access; circulation…

The Cultural Roots of Teacher Associations: A Case Study from India

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Padwad, Amol

2016-01-01

Teacher associations (TAs) are communities located in complex cultural spaces that may affect their functioning, vision, priorities, and policies. This case study of the English Language Teachers' Association of India (ELTAI) attempts to examine the relationship between the Association and the cultural space it inhabits, with specific reference to…

Case Studies on Location: Taking to the Field in Economics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Mark Griffin

2007-01-01

The author describes how to conceptualize and organize a successful, multi-day field trip organized around a case study problem. By doing so, the instructor exposes students to diverse perspectives and leads them through the process of policy analysis from collecting and organizing information to identifying the relevant economic concepts and…

Epidemiological Evaluation of Head and Neck Sarcomas in Iran (the Study of 105 Cases Over 13 Years).

PubMed

Alishahi, Batoul; Kargahi, Neda; Homayouni, Solmaz

2015-08-01

Head and neck sarcomas are exceedingly rare and they include 4% - 10% of all sarcomas and less than 1% of all neoplasm of head and neck. The aim of this study is to evaluate the epidemiological characteristics of head and neck sarcomas of patients in Isfahan, Iran. In this retrospective study, from the 16000 patients whose files were evaluated, the total number of 105 head and neck sarcomas were collected. They were evaluated with due attention to age, gender of the patients and the most common location of the lesion. From the total number of 105 (0.6%) patients with sarcomas, 56 were men (53.33%) and 49 women (46.66%). The most common head and neck sarcomas among this population were Osteosarcoma (32 cases, 30.47%), Chondrosarcoma (14 cases, 13.33%), and Ewing sarcoma (11 cases, 10.47%).The most common soft tissue sarcoma was Rabdomiosarcoma. Mandible was the most common location for these lesions. In this study, the hard tissue sarcomas were more prevalent than soft tissue ones. Hence, special attention should be paid to the patients when being diagnosed.

Methodology or method? A critical review of qualitative case study reports.

PubMed

Hyett, Nerida; Kenny, Amanda; Dickson-Swift, Virginia

2014-01-01

Despite on-going debate about credibility, and reported limitations in comparison to other approaches, case study is an increasingly popular approach among qualitative researchers. We critically analysed the methodological descriptions of published case studies. Three high-impact qualitative methods journals were searched to locate case studies published in the past 5 years; 34 were selected for analysis. Articles were categorized as health and health services (n=12), social sciences and anthropology (n=7), or methods (n=15) case studies. The articles were reviewed using an adapted version of established criteria to determine whether adequate methodological justification was present, and if study aims, methods, and reported findings were consistent with a qualitative case study approach. Findings were grouped into five themes outlining key methodological issues: case study methodology or method, case of something particular and case selection, contextually bound case study, researcher and case interactions and triangulation, and study design inconsistent with methodology reported. Improved reporting of case studies by qualitative researchers will advance the methodology for the benefit of researchers and practitioners.

Tumors of the salivary gland in Mexicans. A retrospective study of 360 cases.

PubMed

Mejía-Velázquez, C-P; Durán-Padilla, M-A; Gómez-Apo, E; Quezada-Rivera, D; Gaitán-Cepeda, L-A

2012-03-01

To establish distribution frequency and demographic characteristics of salivary gland tumours (SGT) in order to identify possible risk profiles. The present report constitutes an eight year retrospective study (January 2000-August 2007). The archives of the Clinical and Experimental Pathology Laboratory (Graduate and Research Division, Dental School, National Autonomous University of Mexico) as well as archives of the Surgical Pathology Service (General Hospital, Mexico City) were subject to revision in order to select all cases where SGT tumour diagnoses were emitted. Age and gender of patients as well as SGT topography were obtained from medical records. Selected cases were classified according to location of the lesion, histological lineage and biological behaviour. 360 cases of SGT were included, 227 (67%) cases were benign tumours, while 83 cases (23%) were malignant tumours. SGT were most frequent in women with ages ranging from their 3rd to 5th decades of life. 275 tumours were located in major salivary glands, 78.9% of them were identified in the parotid gland. The most frequent location of tumours arising from minor salivary glands (33 cases, 38%) was found in the palatine glands. Tumours of epithelial lineage were the predominant histological type. The most frequent benign tumours were pleomorphic adenomas (86.1%) and papillary cystadenoma lymphomatosum (7.3%). The most frequent malignant tumours were adenoid cystic carcinomas (25%) and mucoepidermoid carcinomas (23.6%). Salivary gland tumours in Mexican population appear principally in major salivary glands of women in their 3rd to 5th decade of life.

A Comparison of the Local Flap and Skin Graft by Location of Face in Reconstruction after Resection of Facial Skin Cancer.

PubMed

Lee, Kyung Suk; Kim, Jun Oh; Kim, Nam Gyun; Lee, Yoon Jung; Park, Young Ji; Kim, Jun Sik

2017-12-01

Surgery for reconstruction of defects after surgery should be performed selectively and the many points must be considered. The authors conducted this study to compare the local flap and skin graft by facial location in the reconstruction after resection of facial skin cancer. The authors performed the study in patients that had received treatment in Department of Plastic Surgery, Gyeongsang National University. The cases were analyzed according to the reconstruction methods for the defects after surgery, sex, age, tumor site, and tumor size. Additionally, the authors compared differences of aesthetic satisfaction (out of 5 points) of patients in the local flap and skin graft by facial location after resection of facial skin cancer by dividing the face into eight areas. A total of 153 cases were confirmed. The most common facial skin cancer was basal cell carcinoma (56.8%, 87 cases), followed by squamous cell carcinoma (37.2%, 57 cases) and bowen's disease (5.8%, 9 cases). The most common reconstruction method was local flap 119 cases (77.7%), followed by skin graft 34 cases (22.3%). 86 patients answered the questionnaire and mean satisfaction of the local flap and skin graft were 4.3 and 3.5 ( p =0.04), respectively, indicating that satisfaction of local flap was significantly high. When comparing satisfaction of patients according to results, local flap shows excellent effects in functional and cosmetic aspects would be able to provide excellent results rather than using a skin graft with poor touch and tone compared to the surrounding normal skin.

A Study on Preschoolers' Conceptual Perceptions of States of Matter: A Case Study of Turkish Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Demirbas, Murat; Ertuðrul, Nurcan

2014-01-01

The purpose of the present study is to identify preschoolers' conceptual perceptions of states of matter, this issue that they often come across in their daily and social life. The study was designed as a qualitative case study. The population of the study was comprised of 25 preschoolers studying at two primary schools located in Kýrýkkale and…

How to locate and appraise qualitative research in complementary and alternative medicine

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background The aim of this publication is to present a case study of how to locate and appraise qualitative studies for the conduct of a meta-ethnography in the field of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). CAM is commonly associated with individualized medicine. However, one established scientific approach to the individual, qualitative research, thus far has been explicitly used very rarely. This article demonstrates a case example of how qualitative research in the field of CAM studies was identified and critically appraised. Methods Several search terms and techniques were tested for the identification and appraisal of qualitative CAM research in the conduct of a meta-ethnography. Sixty-seven electronic databases were searched for the identification of qualitative CAM trials, including CAM databases, nursing, nutrition, psychological, social, medical databases, the Cochrane Library and DIMDI. Results 9578 citations were screened, 223 articles met the pre-specified inclusion criteria, 63 full text publications were reviewed, 38 articles were appraised qualitatively and 30 articles were included. The search began with PubMed, yielding 87% of the included publications of all databases with few additional relevant findings in the specific databases. CINHAL and DIMDI also revealed a high number of precise hits. Although CAMbase and CAM-QUEST® focus on CAM research only, almost no hits of qualitative trials were found there. Searching with broad text terms was the most effective search strategy in all databases. Conclusions This publication presents a case study on how to locate and appraise qualitative studies in the field of CAM. The example shows that the literature search for qualitative studies in the field of CAM is most effective when the search is begun in PubMed followed by CINHAL or DIMDI using broad text terms. Exclusive CAM databases delivered no additional findings to locate qualitative CAM studies. PMID:23731997

How to locate and appraise qualitative research in complementary and alternative medicine.

PubMed

Franzel, Brigitte; Schwiegershausen, Martina; Heusser, Peter; Berger, Bettina

2013-06-03

The aim of this publication is to present a case study of how to locate and appraise qualitative studies for the conduct of a meta-ethnography in the field of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). CAM is commonly associated with individualized medicine. However, one established scientific approach to the individual, qualitative research, thus far has been explicitly used very rarely. This article demonstrates a case example of how qualitative research in the field of CAM studies was identified and critically appraised. Several search terms and techniques were tested for the identification and appraisal of qualitative CAM research in the conduct of a meta-ethnography. Sixty-seven electronic databases were searched for the identification of qualitative CAM trials, including CAM databases, nursing, nutrition, psychological, social, medical databases, the Cochrane Library and DIMDI. 9578 citations were screened, 223 articles met the pre-specified inclusion criteria, 63 full text publications were reviewed, 38 articles were appraised qualitatively and 30 articles were included. The search began with PubMed, yielding 87% of the included publications of all databases with few additional relevant findings in the specific databases. CINHAL and DIMDI also revealed a high number of precise hits. Although CAMbase and CAM-QUEST® focus on CAM research only, almost no hits of qualitative trials were found there. Searching with broad text terms was the most effective search strategy in all databases. This publication presents a case study on how to locate and appraise qualitative studies in the field of CAM. The example shows that the literature search for qualitative studies in the field of CAM is most effective when the search is begun in PubMed followed by CINHAL or DIMDI using broad text terms. Exclusive CAM databases delivered no additional findings to locate qualitative CAM studies.

A Narratological Heuristic Case Study of Teachers Teaching in a Blended Learning Classroom Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thies, Philip Andrew

2017-01-01

The purpose of this narratological heuristic multiple case study is to describe the specific components that teachers need in both their knowledge and skills to meet the individual needs of their students in a blended learning classroom. The study was conducted in six schools--elementary, middle, and high schools--located in a suburban district.…

Immediacy and Distance in Teacher Talk--A Comparative Case Study in German Elementary- and Outdoor School-Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sahrakhiz, Sarah

2017-01-01

This case study examines authentic speech acts by a German primary school teacher in the classroom context and the outdoor learning location of a forest. The study will compare the degree of linguistic immediacy or distance in these two contexts, respectively. Once a week, the class is doing "outdoor school" ["Draußenschule"]…

Direct Marketing Alternatives in an Urban Setting: A Case Study of Seattle Youth Garden Works

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taylor, Mykel; Young, Doug; Miles, Carol

2010-01-01

The focus of this study is direct marketing of produce from an urban market garden. Rather than discussing broad issues of direct marketing, we use a case study to frame the decisions a market gardener is likely to face in developing both production and marketing plans. The garden featured in this study is located in Seattle, Washington, a city…

Causes of Low Graduation Rates in a Rural High School Located in South Carolina: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sumter, Pamela Robinson

2013-01-01

This qualitative case study examined causes of low graduation rates for young adults. The purpose of this study was to evaluate students participating in an after-school program and reflect on their perceptions of that program a year after they graduated. The theoretical framework for this study reflected upon an open social system. The research…

SU-F-J-119: Pilot Study On the Location-Based Lung Motion Assessment

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

Lee, TK; Ewald, A

2016-06-15

Purpose: In most of lung treatment cases with various radiotherapy beam modalities, 4DCT images are obtained in order to define ITV. ITV is defined with the signal from motion monitoring system, e.g. RPM. However, the signal is not consistent with tumor motion because it varies with location, its size, age, gender, etc. In the present study, the location-based motion assessment is presented. Methods: 4DCT images of 70 patients were reviewed: 28-left-lung and 42-right-lung patients; 36-female and 34-male patients; the age range of 51.2–89.9; tumor-size range of 0.75–9.50cm with 25% of these adherent to bony-anatomy. Philips Big-Bore Simulation CT and RPMmore » systems were used. The study was performed as follows. First, RPM signal and tumor motion in superior-inferior direction was compared. Second, the tumor size and its motion amplitude in all directions were measured at multiple locations. Third, the average tumor motion was calculated to assess general motion amplitudes at various locations. Results: RPM amplitude is not consistent with lung tumor motion amplitude. The tumors of similar sizes at similar location present various motion amplitude up to 1.1cm difference, but in average, the standard deviation was <0.5cm. Almost regardless of tumor sizes, the tumor motion was greatest at lower lobe location (>=1.0cm), and the smallest at upper lobe location and when adherent to bony-anatomy (<=0.5cm). Conclusion: The tumor size affects the motion amplitude less than does the tumor location. However, as the study results indicate that tumor motion has noticeable variation and so further study with more patient cases is needed. Also, for the same patient, the RPM signal presents instability of breathing, and clinically the patient with the instability of RPM breathing of <=10% is selected for respiratory-gated radiotherapy and ∼25% of patients under current study was treated. Patient-specific motion-uncertainty margins are considered to be added following further study.« less

USE OF CASE HISTORIES IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF STUDENT UNDERSTANDING OF SCIENCE AND SCIENTISTS.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

COOLEY, WILLIAM W.; KLOPFER, LEOPOLD E.

THE USE OF CASES DRAWN FROM THE HISTORY OF SCIENCE WAS EVALUATED AS AN INSTRUCTIONAL PROCEDURE USING 108 SECONDARY SCHOOL CLASSES IN BIOLOGY, CHEMISTRY, AND PHYSICS LOCATED IN WIDELY DISTRIBUTED GEOGRAPHICAL AREAS. THE PURPOSE OF THE STUDY WAS TO DETERMINE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE HISTORY OF SCIENCE CASES INSTRUCTION METHOD (HOSC) IN CHANGING…

Comparative genomic hybridisation as a supportive tool in diagnostic pathology

PubMed Central

Weiss, M M; Kuipers, E J; Meuwissen, S G M; van Diest, P J; Meijer, G A

2003-01-01

Aims: Patients with multiple tumour localisations pose a particular problem to the pathologist when the traditional combination of clinical data, morphology, and immunohistochemistry does not provide conclusive evidence to differentiate between metastasis or second primary, or does not identify the primary location in cases of metastases and two primary tumours. Because this is crucial to decide on further treatment, molecular techniques are increasingly being used as ancillary tools. Methods: The value of comparative genomic hybridisation (CGH) to differentiate between metastasis and second primary, or to identify the primary location in cases of metastases and two primary tumours was studied in seven patients. CGH is a cytogenetic technique that allows the analysis of genome wide amplifications, gains, and losses (deletions) in a tumour within a single experiment. The patterns of these chromosomal aberrations at the different tumour localisations were compared. Results: In all seven cases, CGH patterns of gains and losses supported the differentiation between metastasis and second primary, or the identification of the primary location in cases of metastases and two primary tumours. Conclusion: The results illustrate the diagnostic value of CGH in patients with multiple tumours. PMID:12835298

Comparison of radiographic joint space width and magnetic resonance imaging for prediction of knee replacement: A longitudinal case-control study from the Osteoarthritis Initiative.

PubMed

Eckstein, Felix; Boudreau, Robert; Wang, Zhijie; Hannon, Michael J; Duryea, Jeff; Wirth, Wolfgang; Cotofana, Sebastian; Guermazi, Ali; Roemer, Frank; Nevitt, Michael; John, Markus R; Ladel, Christoph; Sharma, Leena; Hunter, David J; Kwoh, C Kent

2016-06-01

To evaluate whether change in fixed-location measures of radiographic joint space width (JSW) and cartilage thickness by MRI predict knee replacement. Knees replaced between 36 and 60 months' follow-up in the Osteoarthritis Initiative were each matched with one control by age, sex and radiographic status. Radiographic JSW was determined from fixed flexion radiographs and subregional femorotibial cartilage thickness from 3 T MRI. Changes between the annual visit before replacement (T0) and 2 years before T0 (T-2) were compared using conditional logistic regression. One hundred and nineteen knees from 102 participants (55.5 % women; age 64.2 ± 8.7 [mean ± SD] years) were studied. Fixed-location JSW change at 22.5 % from medial to lateral differed more between replaced and control knees (case-control [cc] OR = 1.57; 95 % CI: 1.23-2.01) than minimum medial JSW change (ccOR = 1.38; 95 % CI: 1.11-1.71). Medial femorotibial cartilage loss displayed discrimination similar to minimum JSW, and central tibial cartilage loss similar to fixed-location JSW. Location-independent thinning and thickening scores were elevated prior to knee replacement. Discrimination of structural progression between knee pre-placement cases versus controls was stronger for fixed-location than minimum radiographic JSW. MRI displayed similar discrimination to radiography and suggested greater simultaneous cartilage thickening and loss prior to knee replacement. • Fixed-location JSW predicts surgical knee replacement more strongly than minimum JSW. • MRI predicts knee replacement with similar accuracy to radiographic JSW. • MRI reveals greater cartilage thinning and thickening prior to knee replacement.

Lumbar hernia in South Korea: different from that in foreign literature?

PubMed

Park, S H; Chung, H S; Song, S H

2015-10-01

This study aimed to analyze the clinical features of lumbar hernia reported in South Korea and compare these features with those reported in foreign literature. From January 1968 through December 2013, 13 cases reported in South Korea were included in the study. The variables compared were age, sex, main symptoms at hospital visit, etiology, location, herniated contents, lateralization, defect size, diagnostic methods, surgical methods, surgical opinions, and recurrence. In the South Korean cases, women outnumbered men (3.3:1) and no significant differences were found in the herniated side (left:right, 1.1:1). In contrast, in the foreign cases, men outnumbered women (3:1) and left-sided hernia was dominant (2:1). Moreover, in most of the foreign cases, patients were aged 50-70 years, whereas in the South Korean cases, none of the patients were in their 50 s. However, no substantial differences were found in etiology, anatomical locations, symptoms, and herniated contents. This research revealed that few clinical features of lumbar hernias in South Korea differ from those reported in foreign literature. Thirteen cases were analyzed in the present study, and results obtained from such a small sample size cannot be generalized with certainty. Therefore, more cases should be collected for a definitive analysis. Despite this limitation, this study is important because it is the first attempt to collect and analyze the clinical features of lumbar hernia in South Korea. This study will serve as a basis for future studies investigating the clinical features of lumbar hernia cases in South Korea.

Locating an imaging radar in Canada for identifying spaceborne objects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schick, William G.

1992-12-01

This research presents a study of the maximal coverage p-median facility location problem as applied to the location of an imaging radar in Canada for imaging spaceborne objects. The classical mathematical formulation of the maximal coverage p-median problem is converted into network-flow with side constraint formulations that are developed using a scaled down version of the imaging radar location problem. Two types of network-flow with side constraint formulations are developed: a network using side constraints that simulates the gains in a generalized network; and a network resembling a multi-commodity flow problem that uses side constraints to force flow along identical arcs. These small formulations are expanded to encompass a case study using 12 candidate radar sites, and 48 satellites divided into three states. SAS/OR PROC NETFLOW was used to solve the network-flow with side constraint formulations. The case study show that potential for both formulations, although the simulated gains formulation encountered singular matrix computational difficulties as a result of the very organized nature of its side constraint matrix. The multi-commodity flow formulation, when combined with equi-distribution of flow constraints, provided solutions for various values of p, the number of facilities to be selected.

Rare cases of disorders of sex development (DSD) in adolescents with female phenotype.

PubMed

Kristesashvili, Jenara; Chipashvili, Mariam; Jorbenadze, Teimuraz; Greydanus, Donald E

2012-01-01

Disorders of sex development (DSD) belong to uncommon pathologies; in addition, there are especially rare forms, such are ovotesticular disorders (OT), Turner syndrome and early malignisation of intraabdominal located gonads in the cases of androgen insensitivity syndrome. In this article we present four rare cases of DSD in female phenotype adolescents: two cases of ovotesticular DSD with 46,XX and 46,XY karyotypes; one familial case of androgen insensitivity syndrome (AIS) with early malignancy (19-year-old) of intra-abdominally-located testicle in older siblings, and a case of spontaneous menstruation in a patient with Turner syndrome and mosaic karyotype 45,X/47,XXX. Rare cases of DSD are connected with diagnostic and management difficulties and so description of each such case and collection of data in this field is very important from a scientific, as well as a practical, point of view. Determination of prognosis and adequate management of each individual patient are also essential. Study of this issue is especially sensitive in the case of adolescent patients in order to avoid physiological stress, to reduce health risks and to improve quality of life.

Domestic violence, poverty, and social services: does location matter?

PubMed

Hetling, Andrea; Zhang, Haiyan

2010-01-01

Objective. This study investigates whether or not domestic violence agencies are located in areas of need. Recent research indicates that community economic disadvantage is a risk factor for intimate partner violence, but related questions regarding the geographic location of social service agencies have not been investigated.Methods. Using Connecticut as a case study, we analyze the relationship of agency location and police-reported domestic violence incidents and assaults using OLS regression and correcting for spatial autocorrelation.Results. The presence of an agency within a town has no relationship with the rates of domestic violence. However, regional patterns are evident.Conclusion. Findings indicate that programs are not geographically mismatched with need, but neither are programs located in towns with higher rates of incidents or assaults. Future research and planning efforts should consider the geographic location of agencies.

InfoPlace: A Case Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bosl, Rebecca

InfoPlace is a state-of-the-art vocational education program and special library. As part of the Cuyahoga County Library System of Greater Cleveland (Ohio), its resource center is located in the Maple Heights regional library. Although the resource center has one location, the staff of InfoPlace travels to the many branches of the Cuyahoga County…

Library Facility Siting and Location Handbook. The Greenwood Library Management Collection.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koontz, Christine M.

This handbook is a guide to the complex process of library facility siting and location. It includes relevant research and professionals' siting experiences, as well as actual case studies of closures, openings, mergers, and relocations of library facilities. While the bulk of the volume provides practical information, the work also presents an…

John Flynn Scholarship Students: Case Studies of Useful Contributions to Remote Health Care.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mak, Donna; Plant, Aileen J.

2001-01-01

To recruit doctors to rural areas, an Australian scholarship program enables undergraduate medical students to spend 2 weeks each year for 4 years at the same rural location. Case studies illustrate how four such students' participation in trichiasis and diabetic retinopathy screening benefitted the Aboriginal communities in which they worked and…

Usability Assessment of Educational Software by Students: Case of "?Pón-Ìm?`" in Osun State, Nigeria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tijani, O. K.

2016-01-01

This study investigated usability of educational software: case of "?pón-Ìm?`" in Osun state, Nigeria. Specifically, the study investigated influences of gender and school locations on students' assessment of "?pón-Ìm?`" Technology Enhanced Learning System (OTELS) based on selected usability parameters. 701 students were…

The Delivery of Business Courses via the African Virtual University: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Graber, Mark; Bolt, Susan

2011-01-01

In this case study the delivery of business courses as a result of the partnership between the African Virtual University (AVU) and Curtin University in Western Australia is described. From 2004 to 2008, degree and diploma business courses were delivered using WebCT in the four AVU partner locations: Addis Ababa University (Ethiopia), Kigali…

Project-Based Learning in Education: Integrating Business Needs and Student Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cho, Yonjoo; Brown, Catherine

2013-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this case study was to investigate how project-based learning (PBL) is being practiced in Columbus Signature Academy (CSA), a high school located in Columbus, Indiana, USA. Design/methodology/approach: The authors used the case study method to provide qualitative details about CSA's use of PBL that is being practiced in a…

Policy and Persistence: An Exploratory Mixed Methods Case Study of "Last Mile" Students at Portland State University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wubbold, Joseph Mark

2012-01-01

In an extension of educational attainment research, this exploratory mixed- methods case study examines the influence of institutional policies on the behavior of five cohorts (n = 925) of traditional first time, full time (FTFT) freshmen--called "Last Mile" students--at one urban research university located in the Pacific Northwest.…

Racism in Interracial Dating: A Case Study in Southern Culture and Fundamentalism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rose, Stephanie Firebaugh; Firmin, Michael W.

2016-01-01

This article presents a case study of Bob Jones University (BJU), a fundamentalist Christian institution located in South Carolina that is known within the context of U.S. higher education for its conservatism on multiple levels. Our analysis traces the beliefs of the institution's founder and subsequent leaders, in addition to particular…

Safer Schools in the UK--A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hayden, Carol; Holt, Amanda; Martin, Denise; Nee, Claire

2011-01-01

This article reports a research that is based on a European Safer Schools Partnership that included ten countries and specifically the UK case study which was located in London. The initiators of this partnership had been involved in early SSPs in the UK and the educationalists were very much focussed on work that would address problematic…

Influence of Topographic and Hydrographic Factors on the Spatial Distribution of Leptospirosis Disease in São Paulo County, Brazil: An Approach Using Geospatial Techniques and GIS Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferreira, M. C.; Ferreira, M. F. M.

2016-06-01

Leptospirosis is a zoonosis caused by Leptospira genus bacteria. Rodents, especially Rattus norvegicus, are the most frequent hosts of this microorganism in the cities. The human transmission occurs by contact with urine, blood or tissues of the rodent and contacting water or mud contaminated by rodent urine. Spatial patterns of concentration of leptospirosis are related to the multiple environmental and socioeconomic factors, like housing near flooding areas, domestic garbage disposal sites and high-density of peoples living in slums located near river channels. We used geospatial techniques and geographical information system (GIS) to analysing spatial relationship between the distribution of leptospirosis cases and distance from rivers, river density in the census sector and terrain slope factors, in Sao Paulo County, Brazil. To test this methodology we used a sample of 183 geocoded leptospirosis cases confirmed in 2007, ASTER GDEM2 data, hydrography and census sectors shapefiles. Our results showed that GIS and geospatial analysis techniques improved the mapping of the disease and permitted identify the spatial pattern of association between location of cases and spatial distribution of the environmental variables analyzed. This study showed also that leptospirosis cases might be more related to the census sectors located on higher river density areas and households situated at shorter distances from rivers. In the other hand, it was not possible to assert that slope terrain contributes significantly to the location of leptospirosis cases.

Location tests for biomarker studies: a comparison using simulations for the two-sample case.

PubMed

Scheinhardt, M O; Ziegler, A

2013-01-01

Gene, protein, or metabolite expression levels are often non-normally distributed, heavy tailed and contain outliers. Standard statistical approaches may fail as location tests in this situation. In three Monte-Carlo simulation studies, we aimed at comparing the type I error levels and empirical power of standard location tests and three adaptive tests [O'Gorman, Can J Stat 1997; 25: 269 -279; Keselman et al., Brit J Math Stat Psychol 2007; 60: 267- 293; Szymczak et al., Stat Med 2013; 32: 524 - 537] for a wide range of distributions. We simulated two-sample scenarios using the g-and-k-distribution family to systematically vary tail length and skewness with identical and varying variability between groups. All tests kept the type I error level when groups did not vary in their variability. The standard non-parametric U-test performed well in all simulated scenarios. It was outperformed by the two non-parametric adaptive methods in case of heavy tails or large skewness. Most tests did not keep the type I error level for skewed data in the case of heterogeneous variances. The standard U-test was a powerful and robust location test for most of the simulated scenarios except for very heavy tailed or heavy skewed data, and it is thus to be recommended except for these cases. The non-parametric adaptive tests were powerful for both normal and non-normal distributions under sample variance homogeneity. But when sample variances differed, they did not keep the type I error level. The parametric adaptive test lacks power for skewed and heavy tailed distributions.

[Geographical factors in the epidemiology of intoxication with Karwinskia (tullidora) in Mexico].

PubMed

Nava, M E; Castellanos, J L; Castañeda, M E

2000-01-01

Consumption of fruits from the genus Karwinskia may cause a flaccid paralysis that can be confused with the Guillan-Barré syndrome or poliomyelitis. Paralysis resulting from consumption of such fruit has emerged as a public health problem in certain regions of Mexico. The purpose of this study was to investigate geographical factors associated with this intoxication in the 72 cases reported in Mexico from 1990 to 1994. Location of cases coincides with the distribution of the 11 reported species of Karwinskia in the country. The majority of reported cases were related to the consumption of K. humboldtiana, with a smaller number involving K. mollis, K. parvifolia, K. johnstonii, and K. rzedowskii. Most cases were located in regions with dry climates (79.2%), arid vegetation (41. 7%), and altitudes under 1,000 meters above sea level (54.1%). The study establishes three different risk areas: the Balsas river region in the southwestern central part of the country; the arid northern area; and the arid and dry central area. Cases were from rural communities with low levels of schooling and poor socioeconomic conditions.

Landslide hazard analysis for pipelines: The case of the Simonette river crossing

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

Grivas, D.A.; Schultz, B.C.; O`Neil, G.

1995-12-31

The overall objective of this study is to develop a probabilistic methodology to analyze landslide hazards and their effects on the safety of buried pipelines. The methodology incorporates a range of models that can accommodate differences in the ground movement modes and the amount and type of information available at various site locations. Two movement modes are considered, namely (a) instantaneous (catastrophic) slides, and (b) gradual ground movement which may result in cumulative displacements over the pipeline design life (30--40 years) that are in excess of allowable values. Probabilistic analysis is applied in each case to address the uncertainties associatedmore » with important factors that control slope stability. Availability of information ranges from relatively well studied, instrumented installations to cases where data is limited to what can be derived from topographic and geologic maps. The methodology distinguishes between procedures applied where there is little information and those that can be used when relatively extensive data is available. important aspects of the methodology are illustrated in a case study involving a pipeline located in Northern Alberta, Canada, in the Simonette river valley.« less

Paediatric case mix in a rural clinical school is relevant to future practice.

PubMed

Wright, Helen M; Maley, Moira A L; Playford, Denese E; Nicol, Pam; Evans, Sharon F

2017-11-29

Exposure to a representative case mix is essential for clinical learning, with logbooks established as a way of demonstrating patient contacts. Few studies have reported the paediatric case mix available to geographically distributed students within the same medical school. Given international interest in expanding medical teaching locations to rural contexts, equitable case exposure in rural relative to urban settings is topical. The Rural Clinical School of Western Australia locates students up to 3500 km from the urban university for an academic year. There is particular need to examine paediatric case mix as a study reported Australian graduates felt unprepared for paediatric rotations. We asked: Does a rural clinical school provide a paediatric case mix relevant to future practice? How does the paediatric case mix as logged by rural students compare with that by urban students? The 3745 logs of 76 urban and 76 rural consenting medical students were categorised by presenting symptoms and compared to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) database Major Diagnostic Categories (MDCs). Rural and urban students logged core paediatric cases, in similar order, despite the striking difference in geographic locations. The pattern of overall presenting problems closely corresponded to Australian paediatric hospital admissions. Rural students logged 91% of cases in secondary healthcare settings; urban students logged 90% of cases in tertiary settings. The top four presenting problems were ENT/respiratory, gastrointestinal/urogenital, neurodevelopmental and musculoskeletal; these made up 60% of all cases. Rural and urban students logged similar proportions of infants, children and adolescents, with a variety of case morbidity. Rural clinical school students logged a mix of core paediatric cases relevant to illnesses of Australian children admitted to public hospitals, with similar order and pattern by age group to urban students, despite major differences in clinical settings. Logged cases met the curriculum learning outcomes of graduates. Minor variations were readily addressed via recommendations about logging. This paper provides evidence of the legitimacy of student logs as useful tools in affirming appropriate paediatric case mix. It validates the rural clinical school context as appropriate for medical students to prepare for future clinical paediatric practice.

Condom deserts: geographical disparities in condom availability and their relationship with rates of sexually transmitted infections.

PubMed

Shacham, Enbal; Nelson, Erik J; Schulte, Lauren; Bloomfield, Mark; Murphy, Ryan

2016-05-01

Identifying predictors that contribute to geographical disparities in sexually transmitted infections (STIs) is necessary. This study assesses the spatial relationship between condom availability to locations of STIs in order to better understand these geographical disparities. We conducted a condom availability audit among potential condom-selling establishments. New gonorrhoea and chlamydia cases in 2011 (n=6034) and HIV infection cases from 2006 to 2011 (n=565) were collected by census tract in St Louis, Missouri. 829 potential condom-selling establishments participated in the condom availability audit in St Louis City; 242 of which sold condoms. A negative linear relationship exists between condom vendors and cases of gonorrhoea and chlamydia, after adjusting for concentrated disadvantage and free condom locations. Higher concentrated disadvantage, higher proportions of convenience vendors and free locations were associated with higher rates of HIV. This study was conducted to provide evidence that lack of condom availability is associated with STI rates, and likely is an integral component to influencing the subjective norms surrounding condom use and STI rates. Condom distribution interventions may be addressing availability needs and social norms, yet are more likely to be effective when placed in locations with the highest STI rates. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

A Study of the Nontraditional and Social Impact of Vocational Education on Individuals in Illinois.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carvell Education Managment Planning, Inc., Los Angeles, CA.

This final report concludes a three-year project to identify the program impact on 125 youths and adults who took vocational education in eight locations in Illinois. The longitudinal case study began in 1978-79 when the subjects were still enrolled in their vocational programs. Many of the students who became case subjects for the study were…

Contribution of Geographic Information Systems and location models to planning of wastewater systems.

PubMed

Leitão, J P; Matos, J S; Gonçalves, A B; Matos, J L

2005-01-01

This paper presents the contributions of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and location models towards planning regional wastewater systems (sewers and wastewater treatment plants) serving small agglomerations, i.e. agglomerations with less than 2,000 inhabitants. The main goal was to develop a decision support tool for tracing and locating regional wastewater systems. The main results of the model are expressed in terms of number, capacity and location of Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTP) and the length of main sewers. The decision process concerning the location and capacity of wastewater systems has a number of parameters that can be optimized. These parameters include the total sewer length and number, capacity and location of WWTP. The optimization of parameters should lead to the minimization of construction and operation costs of the integrated system. Location models have been considered as tools for decision support, mainly when a geo-referenced database can be used. In these cases, the GIS may represent an important role for the analysis of data and results especially in the preliminary stage of planning and design. After selecting the spatial location model and the heuristics, two greedy algorithms were implemented in Visual Basic for Applications on the ArcGIS software environment. To illustrate the application of these algorithms a case study was developed, in a rural area located in the central part of Portugal.

Risk factors for massive postpartum bleeding in pregnancies in which incomplete placenta previa are located on the posterior uterine wall

PubMed Central

Lee, Hyun Jung; Lee, Young Jai; Ahn, Eun Hee; Kim, Hyeon Chul; Jung, Sang Hee; Chang, Sung Woon

2017-01-01

Objective To identify factors associated with massive postpartum bleeding in pregnancies complicated by incomplete placenta previa located on the posterior uterine wall. Methods A retrospective case-control study was performed. We identified 210 healthy singleton pregnancies with incomplete placenta previa located on the posterior uterine wall, who underwent elective or emergency cesarean section after 24 weeks of gestation between January 2006 and April 2016. The cases with intraoperative blood loss (≥2,000 mL) or transfusion of packed red blood cells (≥4) or uterine artery embolization or hysterectomy were defined as massive bleeding. Results Twenty-three women experienced postpartum profuse bleeding (11.0%). After multivariable analysis, 4 variables were associated with massive postpartum hemorrhage (PPH): experience of 2 or more prior uterine curettage (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 4.47; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.29 to 15.48; P=0.018), short cervical length before delivery (<2.0 cm) (aOR, 7.13; 95% CI, 1.01 to 50.25; P=0.049), fetal non-cephalic presentation (aOR, 12.48; 95% CI, 1.29 to 121.24; P=0.030), and uteroplacental hypervascularity (aOR, 6.23; 95% CI, 2.30 to 8.83; P=0.001). Conclusion This is the first study of cases with incomplete placenta previa located on the posterior uterine wall, which were complicated by massive PPH. Our findings might be helpful to guide obstetric management and provide useful information for prediction of massive PPH in pregnancies with incomplete placenta previa located on the posterior uterine wall. PMID:29184859

Risk factors for massive postpartum bleeding in pregnancies in which incomplete placenta previa are located on the posterior uterine wall.

PubMed

Lee, Hyun Jung; Lee, Young Jai; Ahn, Eun Hee; Kim, Hyeon Chul; Jung, Sang Hee; Chang, Sung Woon; Lee, Ji Yeon

2017-11-01

To identify factors associated with massive postpartum bleeding in pregnancies complicated by incomplete placenta previa located on the posterior uterine wall. A retrospective case-control study was performed. We identified 210 healthy singleton pregnancies with incomplete placenta previa located on the posterior uterine wall, who underwent elective or emergency cesarean section after 24 weeks of gestation between January 2006 and April 2016. The cases with intraoperative blood loss (≥2,000 mL) or transfusion of packed red blood cells (≥4) or uterine artery embolization or hysterectomy were defined as massive bleeding. Twenty-three women experienced postpartum profuse bleeding (11.0%). After multivariable analysis, 4 variables were associated with massive postpartum hemorrhage (PPH): experience of 2 or more prior uterine curettage (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 4.47; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.29 to 15.48; P =0.018), short cervical length before delivery (<2.0 cm) (aOR, 7.13; 95% CI, 1.01 to 50.25; P =0.049), fetal non-cephalic presentation (aOR, 12.48; 95% CI, 1.29 to 121.24; P =0.030), and uteroplacental hypervascularity (aOR, 6.23; 95% CI, 2.30 to 8.83; P =0.001). This is the first study of cases with incomplete placenta previa located on the posterior uterine wall, which were complicated by massive PPH. Our findings might be helpful to guide obstetric management and provide useful information for prediction of massive PPH in pregnancies with incomplete placenta previa located on the posterior uterine wall.

Retrospective Case Study in the Raton Basin, Colorado

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Study site locations in Las Animas and Huerfano Counties were selected in response to ongoing complaints about changes in appearance, odor, and taste associated with drinking water in domestic wells. \

The Multiscale Interaction of Vibrational Energy Transfer and Turbulent Combustion in Supersonic Flows

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-04-04

cases for this study were subsonic. For all cases the stoichiometric mixture fraction, Zstoich, is relatively small and so the flame resides mainly on ...spectra rapidly collected at one location near the center of the shear layer. Samples were taken first with the air-air mixing case presented above and...has the same vibrationally participating species on both sides of the layer. High-speed jet flame experiments In the following study , the same

Methodology or method? A critical review of qualitative case study reports

PubMed Central

Hyett, Nerida; Kenny, Amanda; Dickson-Swift, Virginia

2014-01-01

Despite on-going debate about credibility, and reported limitations in comparison to other approaches, case study is an increasingly popular approach among qualitative researchers. We critically analysed the methodological descriptions of published case studies. Three high-impact qualitative methods journals were searched to locate case studies published in the past 5 years; 34 were selected for analysis. Articles were categorized as health and health services (n=12), social sciences and anthropology (n=7), or methods (n=15) case studies. The articles were reviewed using an adapted version of established criteria to determine whether adequate methodological justification was present, and if study aims, methods, and reported findings were consistent with a qualitative case study approach. Findings were grouped into five themes outlining key methodological issues: case study methodology or method, case of something particular and case selection, contextually bound case study, researcher and case interactions and triangulation, and study design inconsistent with methodology reported. Improved reporting of case studies by qualitative researchers will advance the methodology for the benefit of researchers and practitioners. PMID:24809980

Scheduling for anesthesia at geographic locations remote from the operating room.

PubMed

Dexter, Franklin; Wachtel, Ruth E

2014-08-01

Providing general anesthesia at locations away from the operating room, called remote locations, poses many medical and scheduling challenges. This review discusses how to schedule procedures at remote locations to maximize anesthesia productivity (see Video, Supplemental Digital Content 1). Anesthesia labour productivity can be maximized by assigning one or more 8-h or 10-h periods of allocated time every 2 weeks dedicated specifically to each remote specialty that has enough cases to fill those periods. Remote specialties can then schedule their cases themselves into their own allocated time. Periods of allocated time (called open, unblocked or first come first served time) can be used by remote locations that do not have their own allocated time. Unless cases are scheduled sequentially into allocated time, there will be substantial extra underutilized time (time during which procedures are not being performed and personnel sit idle even though staffing has been planned) and a concomitant reduction in percent productivity. Allocated time should be calculated on the basis of usage. Remote locations with sufficient hours of cases should be allocated time reserved especially for them in which to schedule their cases, with a maximum waiting time of 2 weeks, to achieve an average wait of 1 week.

Using eye-tracking to study the on-line processing of case-marking information among intermediate L2 learners of German

PubMed Central

Jackson, Carrie N.; Dussias, Paola E.; Hristova, Adelina

2012-01-01

This study uses eye-tracking to examine the processing of case-marking information in ambiguous subject- and object-first wh-questions in German. The position of the lexical verb was also manipulated via verb tense to investigate whether verb location influences how intermediate L2 learners process L2 sentences. Results show that intermediate L2 German learners were sensitive to case-marking information, exhibiting longer processing times on subject-first than object-first sentences, regardless of verb location. German native speakers exhibited the opposite word order preference, with longer processing times on object-first than subject-first sentences, replicating previous findings. These results are discussed in light of current L2 processing research, highlighting how methodological constraints influence researchers’ abilities to measure the on-line processing of morphosyntactic information among intermediate L2 learners. PMID:23493761

Challenges to tracking subjects for follow-up research: a case study.

PubMed

Fenster, Judy

2009-01-01

This narrative presents issues faced by the author and her research assistants in attempting to locate 40 subjects who had participated in a child welfare research study two decades earlier. The experience of the researchers suggests that attempting to locate subjects, especially where contact has not been maintained over the years, may not be accomplished without considerable time and expense. The author reflects on possible contributors to the difficulties in contacting these participants, highlights some recent developments in techniques for locating subjects after long periods of time have elapsed, and discusses some relevant ethical dilemmas.

Geographic profiling as a novel spatial tool for targeting infectious disease control.

PubMed

Le Comber, Steven C; Rossmo, D Kim; Hassan, Ali N; Fuller, Douglas O; Beier, John C

2011-05-18

Geographic profiling is a statistical tool originally developed in criminology to prioritise large lists of suspects in cases of serial crime. Here, we use two data sets--one historical and one modern--to show how it can be used to locate the sources of infectious disease. First, we re-analyse data from a classic epidemiological study, the 1854 London cholera outbreak. Using 321 disease sites as input, we evaluate the locations of 13 neighbourhood water pumps. The Broad Street pump--the outbreak's source--ranks first, situated in the top 0.2% of the geoprofile. We extend our study with an analysis of reported malaria cases in Cairo, Egypt, using 139 disease case locations to rank 59 mosquitogenic local water sources, seven of which tested positive for the vector Anopheles sergentii. Geographic profiling ranks six of these seven sites in positions 1-6, all in the top 2% of the geoprofile. In both analyses the method outperformed other measures of spatial central tendency. We suggest that geographic profiling could form a useful component of integrated control strategies relating to a wide variety of infectious diseases, since evidence-based targeting of interventions is more efficient, environmentally friendly and cost-effective than untargeted intervention.

4SPPIces: A Case Study of Factors in a Scripted Collaborative-Learning Blended Course across Spatial Locations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perez-Sanagustin, Mar; Santos, Patricia; Hernandez-Leo, Davinia; Blat, Josep

2012-01-01

Computer-Supported Collaborative Blended Learning (CSCBL) scripts are complex learning situations in which formal and informal activities conducted at different spatial locations are coordinated and integrated into one unique learning setting through the use of technology. We define a conceptual model identifying four factors to be considered when…

Influence of Number of Implants and Attachment Type on Stress Distribution in Mandibular Implant-Retained Overdentures: Finite Element Analysis

PubMed Central

El-Anwar, Mohamed I.; El-Taftazany, Eman A.; Hamed, Hamdy A.; ElHay, Mohamed A. Abd

2017-01-01

AIM: This study aimed to compare the stresses generated by using two or four root form dental implants supporting mandibular overdentures that were retained with ball and locator attachments. METHODS: Under ANSYS environment, four 3D finite element models were prepared. These models simulated complete overdentures supported by two or four implants with either ball or locator attachments as a connection mechanism. The models’ components were created by CAD/CAM package then were imported to ANSYS. Load of 100 N was applied at the right premolar/molar region vertically and at an oblique angle of 110° from lingual direction. RESULTS: Within the conditions of this research, in all cases, it was found that cortical and cancellous bone regions were the least to be stressed. Also, the ball attachment produced higher stresses. CONCLUSION: Caps deformation and stresses are negligible in cases of using locator attachment in comparison to ball attachments. This may indicate longer lifetime and less repair/maintenance operations in implant overdentures retained by locator attachments. Although the study revealed that bone was insensitive to a number of implants or attachment type, it may be recommended to use two implants in the canine region than using four, where the locator attachments were found to be better. PMID:28507636

Influence of Number of Implants and Attachment Type on Stress Distribution in Mandibular Implant-Retained Overdentures: Finite Element Analysis.

PubMed

El-Anwar, Mohamed I; El-Taftazany, Eman A; Hamed, Hamdy A; ElHay, Mohamed A Abd

2017-04-15

This study aimed to compare the stresses generated by using two or four root form dental implants supporting mandibular overdentures that were retained with ball and locator attachments. Under ANSYS environment, four 3D finite element models were prepared. These models simulated complete overdentures supported by two or four implants with either ball or locator attachments as a connection mechanism. The models' components were created by CAD/CAM package then were imported to ANSYS. Load of 100 N was applied at the right premolar/molar region vertically and at an oblique angle of 110° from lingual direction. Within the conditions of this research, in all cases, it was found that cortical and cancellous bone regions were the least to be stressed. Also, the ball attachment produced higher stresses. Caps deformation and stresses are negligible in cases of using locator attachment in comparison to ball attachments. This may indicate longer lifetime and less repair/maintenance operations in implant overdentures retained by locator attachments. Although the study revealed that bone was insensitive to a number of implants or attachment type, it may be recommended to use two implants in the canine region than using four, where the locator attachments were found to be better.

DIORAMA Location Type User's Guide

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

Terry, James Russell

2015-01-29

The purpose of this report is to present the current design and implementation of the DIORAMA location type object (LocationType) and to provide examples and use cases. The LocationType object is included in the diorama-app package in the diorama::types namespace. Abstractly, the object is intended to capture the full time history of the location of an object or reference point. For example, a location may be speci ed as a near-Earth orbit in terms of a two-line element set, in which case the location type is capable of propagating the orbit both forward and backward in time to provide amore » location for any given time. Alternatively, the location may be speci ed as a xed set of geodetic coordinates (latitude, longitude, and altitude), in which case the geodetic location of the object is expected to remain constant for all time. From an implementation perspective, the location type is de ned as a union of multiple independent objects defi ned in the DIORAMA tle library. Types presently included in the union are listed and described in subsections below, and all conversions or transformation between these location types are handled by utilities provided by the tle library with the exception of the \\special-values" location type.« less

Teacher Perceptions and Self-Reported Practices of Education for Sustainability in the Early Years of Primary School: An Australian Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lasen, Michelle; Skamp, Keith; Simoncini, Kym

2017-01-01

This Australian case study provides a snapshot of Education for Sustainability (EfS) practice of early years teachers in the school sector (Preparatory to Year 3), during the first phase of implementation of the Australian national curriculum. Interviews with teachers, located in government, Catholic and independent schools, were conducted by…

The Business of Creating Small Businesses: A Case Study of the Springfield Business Incubator at Springfield Technical Community College

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Klauber, James Shuler, Sr.

2009-01-01

The purpose of this case study is to understand and explain the characteristics of a small business incubator located on the campus of a community college. Business incubation and entrepreneurship programs are increasing in number on community college campuses across the country (Montoya, 2009). As community colleges have traditionally played a…

A Case Study on the Personal Constructs of How Stakeholders of a Regional Alternative Day School Facility Make Meaning of the Physical Plant

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schultz, Penny D.

2011-01-01

This case study involved an examination of stakeholders' (parents, community members, staff members, students) perceptions of how they made meaning of a regional alternative day school located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Individual interviews were conducted with the parents, community members, and students. One focus group interview was…

Telling Our Story: A Case Study of a Collaborative Departmental Blog at Syracuse University Libraries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rauh, Anne E.; McReynolds, Stephanie J. H.

2016-01-01

This case study will take readers through the planning and publication process of a collaborative departmental library blog at Syracuse University, which is a large private, non-profit research intensive university located in central New York State. It will provide an overview of the history of the project and the mission of the blog. It will…

Freedom to Hate: Weighing First Amendment Rights against School Violence--A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaplan, H. Roy

2007-01-01

River Run High School, located in rural west central Florida, was the site for a case study of student conflict precipitated by the wearing and display of Confederate flags on campus. Following a series of tense student encounters over Confederate and other racist symbols, a conflict resolution team was invited to intervene. Team members created a…

Land Application of Wastes: An Educational Program. Case Studies Reviewed - Module 14.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clarkson, W. W.; And Others

This module provides information about 14 existing land application systems. Each case study gives the location and description of the system, volume treated, climate and soil type, cost, land area, and other data. A brief comment about the system is given as well as a more detailed discussion. References are cited which may be used to examine 100…

Epidemiological Evaluation of Head and Neck Sarcomas in Iran (the Study of 105 Cases Over 13 Years)

PubMed Central

Alishahi, Batoul; Kargahi, Neda; Homayouni, Solmaz

2015-01-01

Background: Head and neck sarcomas are exceedingly rare and they include 4% - 10% of all sarcomas and less than 1% of all neoplasm of head and neck. Objectives: The aim of this study is to evaluate the epidemiological characteristics of head and neck sarcomas of patients in Isfahan, Iran. Patients and Methods: In this retrospective study, from the 16000 patients whose files were evaluated, the total number of 105 head and neck sarcomas were collected. They were evaluated with due attention to age, gender of the patients and the most common location of the lesion. Results: From the total number of 105 (0.6%) patients with sarcomas, 56 were men (53.33%) and 49 women (46.66%). The most common head and neck sarcomas among this population were Osteosarcoma (32 cases, 30.47%), Chondrosarcoma (14 cases, 13.33%), and Ewing sarcoma (11 cases, 10.47%).The most common soft tissue sarcoma was Rabdomiosarcoma. Mandible was the most common location for these lesions. Conclusions: In this study, the hard tissue sarcomas were more prevalent than soft tissue ones. Hence, special attention should be paid to the patients when being diagnosed. PMID:26478791

Multiple schwannomas of the digital nerves and superficial radial nerve: two unusual cases of segmental schwannomatosis.

PubMed

Gosk, Jerzy; Gutkowska, Olga; Kuliński, Sebastian; Urban, Maciej; Hałoń, Agnieszka

2015-01-01

Two cases of segmental sporadic schwannomatosis characterized by unusual location of multiple schwannomas in digital nerves (case 1) and the superficial radial nerve (case 2) are described in this paper. In the first of the described cases, 6 tumours located at the base of the middle finger and in its distal portion were excised from both digital nerves. In the second case, 3 tumours located in the proximal 1/3 and halfway down the forearm were removed from the superficial radial nerve. In both cases, symptoms such as palpable tumour mass, pain, paraesthesias, and positive Tinel-Hoffman sign resolved after operative treatment. Final diagnoses were made based on histopathological examination results. In the second of the described cases, the largest of the excised lesions had features enabling diagnosis of a rare tumour type - ancient schwannoma.

Salivary gland tumours in a Mexican sample. A retrospective study.

PubMed

Ledesma-Montes, C; Garces-Ortiz, M

2002-01-01

Salivary gland tumours are an important part of the Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, unfortunately, only few studies on these tumours have been done in Latin-American population. The aim of this study was to compare demographic data on salivary gland tumours in a Mexican sample with those previously published from Latin American and non-Latin American countries. All cases of salivary gland tumours or lesions diagnosed in our service were reviewed. Of the reviewed cases,67 were confirmed as salivary gland tumours. Out of these 64.2% were benign neoplasms, 35.8% were malignant and a slight female predominance (56.7%) was found. The most common location was palate followed by lips and floor of the mouth. Mean age for benign tumours was 40.6 years with female predominance (60.5%). Mean age for malignant tumours was 41 years and female predominance was found again. Palate followed by retromolar area were the usual locations. Pleomorphic adenoma (58.2%), mucoepidermoid carcinoma (17.9%) and adenoid cystic carcinoma (11.9%) were the more frequent neoplasms. All retromolar cases were malignant and all submandibular gland tumours were benign. We found a high proportion of salivary gland neoplasms in children. Our results showed that differences of the studied tumours among our sample and previously reported series exist. These differences can be related to race and geographical location.

Northwood High School: A Good Place To Work? Final Deliverable.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Louis, Karen Seashore

Prepared to assist teachers who are using the case in class discussion, this case study describes a suburban, college-preparatory high school located in the pseudonymously named "Northwood," a midwestern "rust belt" city characterized by rapidly shifting demographics and a growing commercial tax base. Although the city is now…

Assessing spatial heterogeneity of MDR-TB in a high burden country

PubMed Central

Jenkins, Helen E.; Plesca, Valeriu; Ciobanu, Anisoara; Crudu, Valeriu; Galusca, Irina; Soltan, Viorel; Serbulenco, Aliona; Zignol, Matteo; Dadu, Andrei; Dara, Masoud; Cohen, Ted

2013-01-01

Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) is a major concern in countries of the former Soviet Union. The reported risk of resistance among TB cases in the Republic of Moldova is among the highest in the world. We aimed to produce high-resolution spatial maps of MDR-TB risk and burden in this setting. We analyzed national TB surveillance data collected between 2007 and 2010 in Moldova. High drug susceptibility testing coverage and detailed location data permitted identification of sub-regional areas of higher MDR-TB risk. We investigated whether the distribution of cases with MDR-TB risk factors could explain this observed spatial variation in MDR-TB. 3,447 MDR-TB cases were notified during this period; 24% of new and 62% of previously treated patients had MDR-TB. Nationally, the estimated annual MDR-TB incidence was 54 cases/100,000 persons and >1,000 cases/100,000 persons within penitentiaries. We identified substantial geographic variation in MDR-TB burden and hotspots of MDR-TB. Locations with a higher percentage of previously incarcerated TB cases were at greater risk of being MDR-TB hotspots. Spatial analyses revealed striking geographic heterogeneity of MDR-TB. Methods to identify locations of high MDR-TB risk and burden should allow for better resource allocation and more appropriate targeting of studies to understand local mechanisms driving resistance. PMID:23100496

Context and Learning Factors in the Development of Teacher Identity: A Case Study of Newly Qualified Teachers during Their Induction Year

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Findlay, Kate

2006-01-01

This paper reports on a small-scale case study of five newly qualified teachers in one school. The aim of the study was to identify the context and learning factors that enable and constrain the professional growth of new teachers, and to locate the place of formal induction arrangements within the broader experiences of the first year in…

Basic concepts and development of an all-purpose computer interface for ROC/FROC observer study.

PubMed

Shiraishi, Junji; Fukuoka, Daisuke; Hara, Takeshi; Abe, Hiroyuki

2013-01-01

In this study, we initially investigated various aspects of requirements for a computer interface employed in receiver operating characteristic (ROC) and free-response ROC (FROC) observer studies which involve digital images and ratings obtained by observers (radiologists). Secondly, by taking into account these aspects, an all-purpose computer interface utilized for these observer performance studies was developed. Basically, the observer studies can be classified into three paradigms, such as one rating for one case without an identification of a signal location, one rating for one case with an identification of a signal location, and multiple ratings for one case with identification of signal locations. For these paradigms, display modes on the computer interface can be used for single/multiple views of a static image, continuous viewing with cascade images (i.e., CT, MRI), and dynamic viewing of movies (i.e., DSA, ultrasound). Various functions on these display modes, which include windowing (contrast/level), magnifications, and annotations, are needed to be selected by an experimenter corresponding to the purpose of the research. In addition, the rules of judgment for distinguishing between true positives and false positives are an important factor for estimating diagnostic accuracy in an observer study. We developed a computer interface which runs on a Windows operating system by taking into account all aspects required for various observer studies. This computer interface requires experimenters to have sufficient knowledge about ROC/FROC observer studies, but allows its use for any purpose of the observer studies. This computer interface will be distributed publicly in the near future.

Sonographic findings of localized Castleman disease of the abdomen and pelvis.

PubMed

Zhou, Wei; Zhan, Weiwei; Zhou, Jianqiao; Zhu, Ying; Yao, Jiejie

2015-09-01

The purpose of this study was to sonographically evaluate the diagnosis of localized Castleman disease in the abdomen and pelvis. This was a retrospective analysis of 18 cases of Castleman disease localized in the abdomen and pelvis. The following features of the lesions were assessed on sonography (US): location, size, margin, echogenicity, echotexture, intralesional cystic necrosis, intralesional calcification, posterior acoustic enhancement, and blood supply. Of the 18 tumors, 16 were located in the abdomen and 2 were located in the pelvis close to iliac vessels. The most frequent appearance of localized Castleman disease in the abdomen and pelvis on US was of a single, well-defined, hypoechoic solid mass with no intralesional cystic necrosis. The internal echotexture was homogeneous in 4 cases and heterogeneous in 14 cases, with thin hyperechoic septa (n = 14) or calcifications (n = 3). Posterior acoustic enhancement was seen in 17 of the 18 cases (94%). Ninety-four percent of the lesions (17/18) had marked vascularity on color Doppler US. Localized Castleman disease in the abdomen and pelvis usually appears on US as a heterogeneously hypoechoic lesion containing thin septa, and more commonly than not, demonstrates posterior acoustic enhancement and marked vascularity. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Association between vestibular schwannomas and mobile phone use.

PubMed

Moon, In Seok; Kim, Bo Gyung; Kim, Jinna; Lee, Jong Dae; Lee, Won-Sang

2014-01-01

Vestibular schwannomas (VSs) grow in the region where the energy from mobile phone use is absorbed. We examined the associations of VSs with mobile phone use. This study included 119 patients who had undergone surgical tumor removal. We used two approaches in this investigation. First, a case-control study for the association of mobile phone use and incidence of VSs was conducted. Both cases and controls were investigated with questions based on INTERPHONE guidelines. Amount of mobile phone use according to duration, daily amount, and cumulative hours were compared between two groups. We also conducted a case-case study. The location and volume of the tumors were investigated by MRI. Associations between the estimated amount of mobile phone use and tumor volume and between the laterality of phone use and tumor location were analyzed. In a case-control study, the odds ratio (OR) of tumor incidence according to mobile phone use was 0.956. In the case-case study, tumor volume and estimated cumulative hours showed a strong correlation (r(2) = 0.144, p = 0.002), and regular mobile phone users showed tumors of a markedly larger volume than those of non-regular users (p < 0.001). When the analysis was limited to regular users who had serviceable hearing, laterality showed a strong correlation with tumor side (OR = 4.5). We found that tumors may coincide with the more frequently used ear of mobile phones and tumor volume that showed strong correlation with amount of mobile phone use, thus there is a possibility that mobile phone use may affect tumor growth.

The utilization of automated external defibrillators in Taiwan.

PubMed

Wang, Tsung-Hsi; Wu, Hsi-Wen; Hou, Peter C; Tseng, Hao-Jui

2018-03-24

Increasing attention to care of patient succumbed to out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) and evidence for improved survival have resulted in many countries to encourage the use automated external defibrillators (AEDs) by legislation. In Taiwan, the amendment of the Emergency Medical Services Act mandated the installation of AEDs in designated areas in 2013. Since then, 6151 AEDs have been installed and registered in mandated and non-mandated locations. The purpose of this study was to investigate the utilization of AEDs at mandated and non-mandated locations. This paper analyzed 217 cases in whom AEDs was used between July 11, 2013 and July 31, 2015. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data. The highest frequency of AEDs used was in long-term care facilities, accounting for 34 (15.7%) cases. The second and third highest was in schools and commuting stations. The highest utilization rate of registered AED was in long-term care facilities (73.9%), the second was in residential areas, and the third was in hot spring areas. Employees at the designated locations or medical personnel operated the AED in 143 cases (84.6%), and bystanders, relatives, friends or others operated the AEDs in 26 cases (15.4%). On-site Return of Spontaneous Circulation (ROSC) after applying AEDs occurred in 76 cases (45.8%). Long-term care facilities had the highest utilization of AEDs and government should pay more attention to enforce the installing of AEDs in these places. The government also needs to promote the education public on how to search the AEDs locations. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

A smart rotary technique versus conventional pulpectomy for primary teeth: A randomized controlled clinical study

PubMed Central

Mokhtari, Negar; Shirazi, Alireza-Sarraf

2017-01-01

Background Techniques with adequate accuracy of working length determination along with shorter duration of treatment in pulpectomy procedure seems to be essential in pediatric dentistry. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the accuracy of root canal length measurement with Root ZX II apex locator and rotary system in pulpectomy of primary teeth. Material and Methods In this randomized control clinical trial complete pulpectomy was performed on 80 mandibular primary molars in 80, 4-6-year-old children. The study population was randomly divided into case and control groups. In control group conventional pulpectomy was performed and in the case group working length was determined by electronic apex locator Root ZXII and instrumented with Mtwo rotary files. Statistical evaluation was performed using Mann-Whitney and Chi-Square tests (P<0.05). Results There were no significant differences between electronic apex locator Root ZXII and conventional method in accuracy of root canal length determination. However significantly less time was needed for instrumenting with rotary files (P=0.000). Conclusions Considering the comparable results in accuracy of root canal length determination and the considerably shorter instrumentation time in Root ZXII apex locator and rotary system, it may be suggested for pulpectomy in primary molar teeth. Key words:Rotary technique, conventional technique, pulpectomy, primary teeth. PMID:29302280

A smart rotary technique versus conventional pulpectomy for primary teeth: A randomized controlled clinical study.

PubMed

Mokhtari, Negar; Shirazi, Alireza-Sarraf; Ebrahimi, Masoumeh

2017-11-01

Techniques with adequate accuracy of working length determination along with shorter duration of treatment in pulpectomy procedure seems to be essential in pediatric dentistry. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the accuracy of root canal length measurement with Root ZX II apex locator and rotary system in pulpectomy of primary teeth. In this randomized control clinical trial complete pulpectomy was performed on 80 mandibular primary molars in 80, 4-6-year-old children. The study population was randomly divided into case and control groups. In control group conventional pulpectomy was performed and in the case group working length was determined by electronic apex locator Root ZXII and instrumented with Mtwo rotary files. Statistical evaluation was performed using Mann-Whitney and Chi-Square tests ( P <0.05). There were no significant differences between electronic apex locator Root ZXII and conventional method in accuracy of root canal length determination. However significantly less time was needed for instrumenting with rotary files ( P =0.000). Considering the comparable results in accuracy of root canal length determination and the considerably shorter instrumentation time in Root ZXII apex locator and rotary system, it may be suggested for pulpectomy in primary molar teeth. Key words: Rotary technique, conventional technique, pulpectomy, primary teeth.

How Can Flood Affect the Real Estate Market?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trejo Rangel, Miguel Angel; Sapač, Klaudija; Brilly, Mitja

2016-04-01

The purpose of this paper is to examine how actual flood events can affect the real estate for different case studies. Therefore, we have analysed the impact for two cases, the first is the flood event which occurred in 2013 in Boulder, Colorado, United States, city that is located in the eastern part of the Rocky Mountains, and the second event was the flood which occurred in 2010 the city of Ljubljana, capital and largest city of Slovenia, that is located between the Alpine and Balkan mountains.. The methodology that was used is comparison of mean prices of real estate, taking into account the flood events which have been chosen in accordance with the available data and previous studies, furthermore for the case study of Ljubljana, Slovenia questionnaires were sent through one civil organization which is actively working in the area (Civil Initiative for Flood Security SW part of Ljubljana). Analysed sales prices during the period 2009-2014 in the case study of Boulder, Colorado, United States showed that the flood event in 2013 did not significantly affect the mean price of real estate within the flooded area, besides prices inside the flood plain tended to stay above the prices outside the floodplain. Nevertheless, we have found that the flood event affected the real estate sector in terms of number of sales, being that after the flood event in 2013 sales decreased 52% regarding the previous years. For the case study of Ljubljana, Slovenia the results were unexpected somehow. In fact we expected that the prices of real estate located within the flooded areas, on average, would be lower than those located outside the flooded areas, and that was what shown in the results, which is actually opposite to what occurred for the case study of Boulder City. However the research showed that the flood event in 2010 did not affect the change in prices of real estate within the flooded areas and the trend was considerable similar to previous years the flood event in 2010, where property prices within the flooded area were during the whole period for approximately 10.6% lower than those outside the flooded area. This shows that there is a constant influence of the flood-prone area which is also confirm by the respondents of the questionnaires which were sent, however they tended to underestimate even more the actual value of the properties inside this area almost half the price of a similar property outside the flood-prone area.

Fixation and its role in the causation, laterality and location of pterygium: a study in amblyopes and non-amblyopes.

PubMed

Sudhalkar, A

2012-03-01

To evaluate the role of fixation in causing pterygium and determining its laterality and location. This is a prospective, observational, case-control study. Cases were defined as patients with primary pterygium who had unilateral amblyopia with eccentric fixation. Controls were age-matched patients with primary pterygium, but without amblyopia and eccentric fixation. All patients underwent complete ocular, orthoptic, and systemic examination and a detailed risk-factor assessment (latitude of residence, exposure to sunlight, sand, and a high-reflectance environment). The role of fixation in the causation, laterality and location of pterygium was evaluated. Fisher's exact test, the unpaired t-test, and odds ratio (OR) were carried out to determine the significance of the observations. The mean age of subjects was 47.1±5.25 years in cases (n=107) and 48.2±4.75 years in controls (n=310; P=0.78). As far as known risk factors were concerned, both groups were evenly matched. Among the cases, 88 (82.2%) patients demonstrated suppression of the amblyopic eye and 19 (17.8%) patients had abnormal retinal correspondence (ARC). Patients with suppression had a unilateral pterygium in the better (fixating) eye, whereas those with ARC had bilateral pterygia. Among the controls, 192 (61.9%) eyes had bilateral pterygia and 118 (38.1%) eyes had unilateral pterygium. In controls, the dominant eye had a higher prevalence of pterygium. All patients in both groups had a nasal pterygium. Pterygium and fixation were strongly associated (P=0.007; Fisher's exact test; OR -15.98; P=0.008). Fixation appears to have an important role in causing pterygium and determining its location and laterality.

Projectile metallic foreign bodies in the orbit: a retrospective study of epidemiologic factors, management, and outcomes.

PubMed

Finkelstein, M; Legmann, A; Rubin, P A

1997-01-01

Intraorbital projectile metallic foreign bodies are associated with significant ocular and orbital injuries. The authors sought to evaluate epidemiologic factors, the incidence of associated ocular and orbital injury, and the nature and necessity of surgical intervention in these cases. Charts of all patients with projectile intraorbital metallic foreign bodies seen at our institution (27) over the preceding 7 years were evaluated with respect to age, sex, type of injury, associated ocular and orbital injuries, location of the projectile (anterior, epibulbar, or posterior), postinjury visual acuity, and surgical intervention. The majority of patients were male, between the ages of 11 and 30, and had BB pellet injuries. Thirteen projectiles were lodged anteriorly, 4 were in an epibulbar position, and the remaining 10 were posterior to the equator. Twelve of 13 anterior, and 4 of 4 epibulbar foreign bodies were removed surgically, whereas only 2 of 10 posterior foreign bodies required surgery. No case of surgical intervention resulted in a decrease of visual acuity. Associated ocular injuries were both more common and severe in patients with posteriorly located foreign bodies. Final visual acuity was better at presentation and at discharge in patients with anteriorly located foreign bodies. Intraorbital projectile metallic foreign bodies can be a source of significant ocular morbidity. Management of these cases is dependent on the location of the projectile. Ancillary radiographic studies can be helpful. Surgery to remove the projectile should be considered in each case, but foreign bodies that are not readily accessible often may be left safely in place. Closer regulation of the pellet gun industry, with an emphasis on education and protective eyewear use, would be helpful in reducing these injuries.

The biology and ecology of Necrodes littoralis, a species of forensic interest in Europe.

PubMed

Charabidze, Damien; Vincent, Benoît; Pasquerault, Thierry; Hedouin, Valéry

2016-01-01

Necrodes littoralis (Linnaeus, 1758) (Coleoptera: Silphidae), also known as the "shore sexton beetle," is a common silphid beetle that visits and breeds on large vertebrate cadavers. This study describes, for the first time, the involvement of N. littoralis on human corpses based on a large dataset of 154 French forensic cases. Various parameters regarding corpse location, decomposition stages, and entomofauna were extracted from each file. Compared to all of the forensic entomology cases analyzed between 1990 and 2013 (1028), N. littoralis was observed, on average, in one case out of eight; most of these cases occurred during spring and summer (73.5%). More than 90% of the cases were located outdoors, especially in woodlands, bushes, and fields. The decomposition stage of the corpse varied among cases, with more than 50% in the advanced decomposition stage, 36% in the early decomposition stage, and less than 10% in the fresh, mummified, or skeletonized stages. Regarding other necrophagous species sampled with N. littoralis, Calliphorid flies were found in 94% of the cases and Fanniidae/Muscidae in 65% of the cases. Chrysomya albiceps, a heliophilic species mostly located in the Mediterranean area, was present in 34% of the cases (only 20% in the whole dataset). The most common coleopteran species were Necrobia spp. (Coleoptera: Cleridae) and Creophilus maxillosus (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae); these beetles were observed in 27% of the cases. The over-representation of these species is likely due to similar requirements regarding the climate and decomposition stage. As N. littoralis is frequently observed and tends to become more common, we conclude that the developmental data for this species would be a precious tool for forensic entomologists in Europe.

Practical Considerations When Using Perturbed Forest Inventory Plot Locations To Develop Spatial Models: A Case Study

Treesearch

John W. Coulston; Gregory A. Reams; Ronald E. McRoberts; William D. Smith

2006-01-01

U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service Forest Inventory and Analysis plot information is used in many capacities including timber inventories, forest health assessments, and environmental risk analyses. With few exceptions, actual plot locations cannot be revealed to the general public. The public does, however, have access to perturbed plot coordinates. The...

A Quasi-Dynamic Approach to modelling Hydrodynamic Focusing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kommajosula, Aditya; Xu, Songzhe; Wu, Chueh-Yu; di Carlo, Dino; Ganapathysubramanian, Baskar; ComPM Lab Team; Di Carlo Lab Collaboration

2016-11-01

We examine a particle's tendency at different spatial locations to shift/rotate towards the equilibrium location, by constrained simulation. Although studies in the past have used this procedure in conjunction with FSI methods to great effect, the current work in 2D explores an alternative approach by utilizing a modified trust-region-based root-finding algorithm to solve for particle position and velocities at equilibrium, using "snapshots" of finite-element solutions to the steady-state Navier-Stokes equations iteratively over a computational domain attached to the particle reference frame. Through an assortment of test cases comprising circular and non-circular particle geometries, an incorporation of stability theory as applicable to dynamical systems is demonstrated, to locate the final focusing location and velocities. The results are compared with previous experimental/numerical reports, and found to be in close agreement. A thousand-fold increase is observed in computational time for the current workflow from its transient counterpart, for an illustrative case. The current framework is formulated in 2D for 3 Degrees-of-Freedom, and will be extended to 3D. This framework potentially allows for quick, high-throughput parametric space studies of equilibrium scaling laws.

Joint location, inventory, and preservation decisions for non-instantaneous deterioration items under delay in payments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsao, Yu-Chung

2016-02-01

This study models a joint location, inventory and preservation decision-making problem for non-instantaneous deteriorating items under delay in payments. An outside supplier provides a credit period to the wholesaler which has a distribution system with distribution centres (DCs). The non-instantaneous deteriorating means no deterioration occurs in the earlier stage, which is very useful for items such as fresh food and fruits. This paper also considers that the deteriorating rate will decrease and the reservation cost will increase as the preservation effort increases. Therefore, how much preservation effort should be made is a crucial decision. The objective of this paper is to determine the optimal locations and number of DCs, the optimal replenishment cycle time at DCs, and the optimal preservation effort simultaneously such that the total network profit is maximised. The problem is formulated as piecewise nonlinear functions and has three different cases. Algorithms based on piecewise nonlinear optimisation are provided to solve the joint location and inventory problem for all cases. Computational analysis illustrates the solution procedures and the impacts of the related parameters on decisions and profits. The results of this study can serve as references for business managers or administrators.

Defense Infrastructure: The Enhanced Use Lease Program Requires Management Attention

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-06-01

included in our EUL case studies, the escrow agreements executed by the Army in connection with the EUL at Yuma Proving Ground , Arizona, and the EUL at...research park. 6 Army Redstone Arsenal, Alabama 2009 50 468 acres Site for office and research center development. 7 Army Yuma Proving Ground ...9The three Army EUL case studies were located at Aberdeen Proving Ground , Maryland; Fort

Does the Lack of Reference Ecosystems Limit Our Science? A Case Study in Nonnative Invasive Plants as Forest Fuels

Treesearch

Alison C. Dibble; Catherine A. Rees

2005-01-01

In forest experiments the problem of inadequate controls often arises. True controls might not be required in case studies, comparisons along an environmental gradient, or comparisons of multiple treated and untreated areas. In a recent characterization of fuels in invaded and uninvaded forest conditions for four forest types at 12 locations in Maine, Maryland,...

No Need to Wait for Superman: A Case Study of One Unique High School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ratcliff, N. J.; Jones, C. R.; Costner, R. H.; Knight, C.; Disney, G.; Savage-Davis, E.; Sheehan, H.; Hunt, G. H.

2012-01-01

Based on a theoretical model developed by Schlechty, this case study focuses on a small high school, located on a college campus and designed to address the educational needs of gifted 9th- through 12th-grade students. Eight teachers who taught 9th- and 12th-grade classes and their 60 students were observed. Each teacher was observed during six…

Court-Led Educational Reforms in Political Third Rails: Lessons from the Litigation over Ultra-Religious Jewish Schools in Israel

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perry-Hazan, Lotem

2015-01-01

This paper offers a model for evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of judicial involvement in educational reforms. It uses the model to analyze two case studies of court-led educational reforms in the third rail of Israeli politics--the curricula and the admission policies of ultra-Othodox (Haredi) schools. These case studies are located at the…

Characterisation of Best Practices in the Development of Cross-Curricular Competences in Vocational Education and Training: Case Study in the Basque Country

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eizagirre Sagardia, Ana; Imaz Bengoetxea, Jose Inazio; Rekalde Rodríguez, Itziar

2018-01-01

This paper presents the most important results of a research project aimed at gathering empirical evidence on current efforts to foster and develop cross-curricular competences (CCC) in Vocational Education and Training (VET) Centres located in the Basque Country (Spain). The case study research method was used, with data being gathered by means…

Orbital blowout fracture location in Japanese and Chinese patients.

PubMed

Sun, Michelle T; Wu, Wencan; Watanabe, Akihide; Kakizaki, Hirohiko; Chen, Ben; Ueda, Kosuke; Katori, Nobutada; Takahashi, Yasuhiro; Selva, Dinesh

2015-01-01

To characterize the location of orbital blowout fractures in Asian individuals. This was a retrospective review of 470 consecutive Asian patients with orbital blowout fractures who presented to four tertiary care hospitals in Japan and China. Computed tomography (CT) characterized the location and severity of fractures involving the medial wall, the orbital floor, and/or the maxilloethmoidal strut. A total of 475 orbital blowout fractures were identified. More than one fracture location was involved in 19% of all cases. The medial orbital wall was the most commonly involved location, presenting in 29 cases (61%), of which 204 (43%) were isolated medial blowout fractures. The orbital floor was the second most common location involved, present in 226 cases (48%) with 150 isolated orbital floor fractures (32%), while the maxilloethmoidal strut was involved in 45 cases (9%) with 30 of those being isolated strut fractures (6%). The majority of fractures (62%) were classified as moderately severe, whilst 14% were mild, and 24% were severe. Associated nasal fractures were present in 16% of the cases. Orbital blowout fractures in Japanese and Chinese individuals occur most commonly in the medial wall. This is in contrast to previous reports on white individuals, who tend to sustain fractures involving the orbital floor rather than the medial wall.

The Special Place Project: Efficacy of a Place-Based Case Study Approach for Teaching Geoscience

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moosavi, Sadredin

2014-05-01

Achieving geoscience literacy of the general population has become increasingly important world wide as ever more connected and growing societies depend more and more on our planet's limited natural resource base. Building citizen understanding of their dependence on the local environment, and the geologic processes which created and continue to change it, has become a great challenge to educators at all levels of the education system. The Special Place Project described in this presentation explores use of a place-based case study approach combining instruction in geoscience content with development of observation, reasoning, writing and presentation skills. The approach allows students to select the locations for their individual case studies affording development of personal connections between the learner and his environment. The approach gives instructors at many grade levels the ability to develop core pedagogical content and skills while exploring the unique geologic environments relevant to the local population including such critical issues as land use, resource depletion, energy, climate change and the future of communities in a changing world. The geologic reasons for the location of communities and key events in their histories can be incorporated into the students' case studies as appropriate. The project is unique in placing all course instruction in the context of the quest to explore and gain understanding of the student's chosen location by using the inherently more generalized course content required by the curriculum. By modeling how scientists approach their research questions, this pedagogical technique not only integrates knowledge and skills from across the curriculum, it captures the excitement of scientific thinking on real world questions directly relevant to students' lives, increasing student engagement and depth of learning as demonstrated in the case study reports crafted by the students and exam results. Student learning of topics directly touched upon by the case study, such as geomorphologic features and processes observable at Earth's surface, is compared to learning on more abstract topics, such as subsurface Earth structure and tectonic processes, to provide a quantitative assessment of this pedagogical approach.

Lymphoscintigraphy mapping of truncal malignant melanoma: A study of 212 patients at the Christie NHS Foundation Trust.

PubMed

El Muntasar, Ahmed; Oudit, Deems

2017-01-01

Malignant melanoma (MM) on the trunk, because of its anatomical location, has multiple potential lymphatic basins to which to drain. The aim of this study is to map the location of the sentinel lymph node (SLN) on the basis of the anatomical location of the primary malignant melanoma on the trunk. Patients diagnosed with MM on the trunk who had undergone a SLN biopsy from January 2006 to March 2015 were identified in the Christie NHS Foundation Trust through a computer database search. The anterior and posterior surfaces of the trunk were divided into four sections each. A total of 212 patients were evaluated. MM was more common on the posterior trunk, accounting for 73% of cases, and 57% of melanomas were on the right side of the trunk. The axillary basins were involved in drainage in 91.5% of all truncal melanomas. Drainage was to a single lymphatic basin in 68.3% of cases. The incidence of drainage to multiple lymphatic basins was not uniform for the anterior and posterior surfaces of the trunks. One-third of MM on the posterior surface of the trunk will drain to multiple basins. Around 50% of the melanomas of the upper back drain to a contralateral basin. Independent of the location of the MM, the axillary basins were the most common location of drainage, with a total of 91% of the cohort. Therefore, the location of the SLN could be predicted, depending on the location of the MM on the trunk. Crown Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Development of Storm Surge Ensemble Prediction System and Case Study of Typhoon Meranti in 2016

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsai, Y. L.; Wu, T. R.; Terng, C. T.; Chu, C. H.

2017-12-01

Taiwan is under the threat of storm surge and associated inundation, which is located at a potentially severe storm generation zone. The use of ensemble prediction can help forecasters to know the characteristic of storm surge under the uncertainty of track and intensity. In addition, it can help the deterministic forecasting. In this study, the kernel of ensemble prediction system is based on COMCOT-SURGE (COrnell Multi-grid COupled Tsunami Model - Storm Surge). COMCOT-SURGE solves nonlinear shallow water equations in Open Ocean and coastal regions with the nested-grid scheme and adopts wet-dry-cell treatment to calculate potential inundation area. In order to consider tide-surge interaction, the global TPXO 7.1 tide model provides the tidal boundary conditions. After a series of validations and case studies, COMCOT-SURGE has become an official operating system of Central Weather Bureau (CWB) in Taiwan. In this study, the strongest typhoon in 2016, Typhoon Meranti, is chosen as a case study. We adopt twenty ensemble members from CWB WRF Ensemble Prediction System (CWB WEPS), which differs from parameters of microphysics, boundary layer, cumulus, and surface. From box-and-whisker results, maximum observed storm surges were located in the interval of the first and third quartile at more than 70 % gauge locations, e.g. Toucheng, Chengkung, and Jiangjyun. In conclusion, the ensemble prediction can effectively help forecasters to predict storm surge especially under the uncertainty of storm track and intensity

Urolithiasis in Tunisian children: a study of 100 cases.

PubMed

Alaya, Akram; Nouri, Abdellatif; Najjar, Mohamed Fadhel

2009-11-01

The aim of this study is to assess the clinical and biological characteristics of renal stone disease among children living in the coastal region of Tunisia. This retrospective multi-center study included 100 children under the age of 16 years, who presented with urinary stones. The patients' charts were reviewed with regard to age at diagnosis, sex, history and physical examination as well as laboratory and radiologic findings. Stone analysis was performed by infrared spectrophotometry. The male/female sex ratio was 1.5 to 1. The clinical presentation of this pathology was dominated by dysuria. Stones were located in the upper urinary tract in 76 cases (76%). A total of 13% of the study subjects had positive urine cultures. Metabolic investigations were performed in all patients and were normal in 80 cases. Whewellite (calcium oxalate) was found in 77 stones (77.0%). Stone section was made of whewellite in 69.0% of cases and ammonium urate in 47.0%. Struvite stones were more frequently seen in the lower urinary tract. Our study suggests that the epidemiological profile of renal stones in Tunisia has changed towards a predominance of calcium oxalate stones and upper tract location. Also, the male predominance of pediatric urolithiasis is becoming less obvious in Tunisia.

Primary Intracranial Myoepithelial Neoplasm: A Potential Mimic of Meningioma.

PubMed

Choy, Bonnie; Pytel, Peter

2016-05-01

Myoepithelial neoplasms were originally described in the salivary glands but their spectrum has been expanding with reports in other locations, including soft tissue. Intracranial cases are exceptionally rare outside the sellar region where they are assumed to be arising from Rathke pouch rests. Two cases of pediatric intracranial myoepithelial neoplasm in the interhemispheric fissure and the right cerebral hemisphere are reported here. Imaging studies suggest that the second case was associated with cerebrospinal fluid dissemination. Both cases showed typical variation in morphology and immunophenotype between more epithelioid and more mesenchymal features. The differential diagnosis at this particular anatomic location includes meningioma, which can show some overlap in immunophenotype since both tumors express EMA as well as GLUT1. One case was positive for EWSR1 rearrangement by fluorescence in situ hybridization. One patient is disease free at last follow-up while the other succumbed to the disease within days illustrating the clinical spectrum of these tumors. © The Author(s) 2015.

Public Address Set AN/UIQ-10 (XLW-1)

DTIC Science & Technology

1972-01-01

case. /,320 Hz No visible indication. Major Horizontal Broadband Resonance Resonance center located 300 to 500 peak at on case over relay bracket. ’ 375 ... Hz No visible indication. Minor Horizontal Broadband Resonance Resonance center located 150 to 190 peak at case over relay bracket. � Hz Slight

Epidemiology of Feature-Specific Injuries Sustained by Skiers in a Snow Park.

PubMed

Carús, Luis; Escorihuela, María

2016-09-01

The objective of the present case series study was to analyze injury types and injured anatomic locations resulting from skiing in snow park (SP) features and to determine potential risk factors for ski injuries in an SP. The study was conducted during the 2013-2014 winter season in the SP of a major winter resort located in the Spanish Pyrenees. Cases involved skiers who experienced feature-related injuries in the SP. A total of 113 cases met the inclusion criteria. Logistic regression was used to calculate the odds of injury types and injury to anatomic locations on aerial versus nonaerial features. The overall injury rate was 0.9 per 1000 skier runs. The proportion of injuries was higher for aerials (1.18% of uses) than for nonaerials (0.66% of uses). Results revealed that the upper extremities were the most commonly injured body region, and sprains/strains/dislocations and fractures were the most common injury type. The most commonly injured anatomic location on nonaerial features was the face, while on aerial features it was the head. A higher proportion of fractures was observed on aerial features, while a higher proportion of sprains/strains/dislocations was observed on nonaerial features. Prevention strategies to reduce injury risk include SP redesign, safety and communication policies, instruction on technical skills, and promotion of the use of protective equipment. Copyright © 2016 Wilderness Medical Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Study of the Air Force’s Current Method of Training Individuals to Use Contractor Developed Software in Information Management and the Perceived Effectiveness of Training

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-12-01

and only one Navy study was located. Lt. Cynthia S. Lassnoff (USN) conducted a case analysis of the training requirements of Navy microcomputer users...effectiveness of the training. The study found that greater emphasis must be placed on developing and supporting the use of a standardized training...recommends areas of further research based on the findings of this research. 1-8 II. Background No previous studies were located that evaluated how the Air

Novel imaging detailing the origins of a pneumothorax.

PubMed

Nakanishi, Kozo; Goto, Hidenori; Ito, Tomokazu; Nagata, Yasuhito; Hayashi, Shinichi; Ishihara, Toshihiro

2018-01-01

This is a prospective clinical study aimed at introducing a method to visualise the location of an air leak and to identify the bulla responsible on three-dimensional (3-D) cine CT. In 10 patients with spontaneous pneumothorax, dynamic 320-detector row CT was performed with injection of 0.9% saline into the affected pleural cavity via a preplaced chest tube. In eight cases, 3-D cine CT thoracography revealed the location of the air leak and the bulla responsible (7 cases: air stream sign; 1 case: repeated collapse and expansion of a bulla with the patient's breathing). Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Examining DNA fingerprinting as an epidemiology tool in the tuberculosis program in the Northwest Territories, Canada

PubMed Central

Case, Cheryl; Kandola, Kami; Chui, Linda; Li, Vincent; Nix, Nancy; Johnson, Rhonda

2013-01-01

Background Tuberculosis (TB) is an important public health problem in the Northwest Territories (NWT), particularly among Canadian Aboriginal people. Objective To analyse the transmission patterns of tuberculosis among the population living in the NWT, a territorial jurisdiction located within Northern Canada. Methods This population-based retrospective study examined the DNA fingerprints of all laboratory confirmed cases of TB in the NWT, Canada, between 1990 and 2009. An isolate of each lab-confirmed case had genotyping done using IS6110 Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism. DNA patterns were assigned to each DNA fingerprint, and indistinguishable fingerprints patterns were assigned a cluster. Social network analysis (SNA) was used to examine direct linkages among cases determined through conventional contact tracing (CCT), their DNA fingerprint and home community. Results Of the 225 lab-confirmed cases identified, the study was limited to 195 subjects due to DNA fingerprinting data availability. The mean age of the cases was 43.8 years (±22.6) and 120 (61.5%) males. The Dene (First Nations) encompassed 120 of the cases (87.7%), 8 cases (4.1%) were Inuit, 2 cases (1.0%) were Metis, 7 cases (3.6%) were Immigrants and 1 case had unknown ethnicity. One hundred and eighty six (95.4%) subjects were clustered, resulting in 8 clusters. Trend analysis showed significant relationships between with risk factors for unemployment (p=0.020), geographic location (p≤0.001) and homelessness (p≤0.001). Other significant risk factors included excessive alcohol consumption, prior infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis and prior contact with a case of TB. Conclusions This study demonstrates how DNA fingerprinting and SNA can be additional epidemiological tools, along with CCT method, to determine transmission patterns of TB. PMID:23671837

Identification of Urban Leprosy Clusters

PubMed Central

Paschoal, José Antonio Armani; Paschoal, Vania Del'Arco; Nardi, Susilene Maria Tonelli; Rosa, Patrícia Sammarco; Ismael, Manuela Gallo y Sanches; Sichieri, Eduvaldo Paulo

2013-01-01

Overpopulation of urban areas results from constant migrations that cause disordered urban growth, constituting clusters defined as sets of people or activities concentrated in relatively small physical spaces that often involve precarious conditions. Aim. Using residential grouping, the aim was to identify possible clusters of individuals in São José do Rio Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil, who have or have had leprosy. Methods. A population-based, descriptive, ecological study using the MapInfo and CrimeStat techniques, geoprocessing, and space-time analysis evaluated the location of 425 people treated for leprosy between 1998 and 2010. Clusters were defined as concentrations of at least 8 people with leprosy; a distance of up to 300 meters between residences was adopted. Additionally, the year of starting treatment and the clinical forms of the disease were analyzed. Results. Ninety-eight (23.1%) of 425 geocoded cases were located within one of ten clusters identified in this study, and 129 cases (30.3%) were in the region of a second-order cluster, an area considered of high risk for the disease. Conclusion. This study identified ten clusters of leprosy cases in the city and identified an area of high risk for the appearance of new cases of the disease. PMID:24288467

General Aviation Weather Encounter Case Studies

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-09-01

METARs),.terminal.aerodrome.forecasts. ( TAFs ),.airmen’s.meteorological.information.(AIRMETs),. significant.meteorological.information/advisories.(SIG...and. TAFs . were. collected.for.the.departure,.destination,.and.encounter/ diversion.times.and.locations.in.each.case ..The.AIRMETs,. SIGMETs...These.data.included.the.METARs,. TAFs ,. AIR/SIGMETs,. NEXRAD. echoes,. and. pilot. reports. (PIREPs).of.the.hazard ..The.following.analysis.outlines

Risk factors for calcium carbonate urolithiasis in goats.

PubMed

Nwaokorie, Eugene E; Osborne, Carl A; Lulich, Jody P; Fletcher, Thomas F; Ulrich, Lisa K; Koehler, Lori A; Buettner, Michelle T

2015-08-01

To identify demographic or signalment factors associated with calcium carbonate urolith formation in goats. Retrospective case series and case-control study. 354 goats with calcium carbonate uroliths (case animals) and 16,366 goats without urinary tract disease (control animals). Medical records of the Minnesota Urolith Center were reviewed to identify case goats for which samples were submitted between January 1, 1984, and December 31, 2012. Control goats evaluated at US veterinary teaching hospitals in the same time period were identified by searching Veterinary Medical Database records. Age, breed, sex, reproductive status, geographic location, season, and anatomic location of collected uroliths were analyzed to identify risk or protective factors associated with calcium carbonate urolithiasis. Nigerian dwarf goats had higher odds of developing calcium carbonate uroliths than did Pygmy goats (reference group). Several breeds had lower odds of this finding, compared with Pygmy goats; odds were lowest for mixed, Anglo-Nubian, and Toggenburg breeds. Breeds of African origin (Pygmy, Nigerian Dwarf, and Boer) comprised 146 of 275 (53%) case goats with data available. Goats of African descent had a higher risk of developing calcium carbonate uroliths than did goats of non-African descent (reference group). Males and neutered goats had higher odds of calcium carbonate urolithiasis, compared with females and sexually intact goats, respectively. Age category, geographic location, and season were associated with detection of calcium carbonate uroliths. Goats with calcium carbonate uroliths were typically neutered males, > 1 year of age, and of African descent. This study identified factors associated with calcium carbonate urolithiasis in goats; however, these associations do not allow conclusions regarding cause-and-effect relationships.

Proportion of various types of thyroid disorders among newborns with congenital hypothyroidism and normally located gland: a regional cohort study.

PubMed

Gaudino, Rossella; Garel, Catherine; Czernichow, Paul; Léger, Juliane

2005-04-01

To determine the proportion of the various types of thyroid disorders among newborns detected by the neonatal TSH screening programme, with a normally located thyroid gland. Patients and methods Of the 882 575 infants screened in our centre between 1981 and 2002, 85 infants with a normally located gland had persistent elevation of serum TSH values (an incidence of 1/10 383). Six of these 85 patients were lost to follow-up and were therefore excluded from the study. During follow-up, patients were classified as having permanent or transient hypothyroidism. Among the 79 patients included in the study, transient (n = 30, 38% of cases) and permanent (n = 49, 62% of cases) congenital hypothyroidism (CH) was demonstrated during the follow-up at the age of 0.7 +/- 0.6 years and 2.6 +/- 1.8 years (P < 0.0001), respectively. The proportion of premature births was significantly higher in the group with transient CH (57%) than in the group with permanent CH (2%) (P < 0.0001). A history of iatrogenic iodine overload was identified during the neonatal period in 69% of transient cases. Among permanent CH cases (n = 49), patients were classified as having a goitre (n = 27, 55% of cases), a normal sized and shaped thyroid gland (n = 14, 29% of cases) or a hypoplastic gland (n = 8, 16% of cases). The latter patients demonstrated global thyroid hypoplasia (n = 3), a right hemithyroid (n = 2), hypoplasia of the left lobe (n = 2), or asymmetry in the location of the two lobes (n = 1). Patients with a normal sized and shaped thyroid gland showed a significantly less severe form of hypothyroidism than those with a goitre or a hypoplastic thyroid gland (P < 0.0002). Among permanent CH cases, those with a goitre (n = 27) had an iodine organification defect (n = 10), Pendred syndrome (n = 1), a defect of thyroglobulin synthesis (n = 8), or a defect of sodium iodine symporter (n = 1), and in seven patients no aetiology could be determined. Among permanent cases with a normal sized and shaped thyroid gland (n = 14), a specific aetiology was found in only one patient (pseudohypoparathyroidism) and two patients had Down's syndrome. Among those with a globally hypoplastic gland, a TSH receptor gene mutation was found in two patients. A precise description of the phenotype can enhance our understanding of various forms of neonatal hypothyroidism as well as their prevalence and management. It also helps to identify cases of congenital hypothyroidism of unknown aetiology, which will need to be investigated in collaboration with molecular biologists.

The effect of holes in long-lasting insecticidal nets on malaria in Malawi: results from a case-control study.

PubMed

Minta, Anna A; Landman, Keren Z; Mwandama, Dyson A; Shah, Monica P; Eng, Jodi L Vanden; Sutcliffe, James F; Chisaka, Joseph; Lindblade, Kim A; Mathanga, Don P; Steinhardt, Laura C

2017-10-02

Long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) are a cornerstone of malaria prevention. Holes develop in LLINs over time and compromise their physical integrity, but how holes affect malaria transmission risk is not well known. After a nationwide mass LLIN distribution in July 2012, a study was conducted to assess the relationship between LLIN damage and malaria. From March to September 2013, febrile children ages 6-59 months who consistently slept under LLINs (every night for 2 weeks before illness onset) were enrolled in a case-control study at Machinga District Hospital outpatient department. Cases were positive for Plasmodium falciparum asexual parasites by microscopy while controls were negative. Digital photographs of participants' LLINs were analysed using an image-processing programme to measure holes. Total hole area was classified by quartiles and according to the World Health Organization's proportionate hole index (pHI) cut-offs [< 79 cm 2 (good), 80-789 cm 2 (damaged), and > 790 cm 2 (too torn)]. Number of holes by location and size, and total hole area, were compared between case and control LLINs using non-parametric analyses and logistic regression. Of 248 LLINs analysed, 97 (39%) were from cases. Overall, 86% of LLINs had at least one hole. The median number of holes of any size was 9 [interquartile range (IQR) 3, 22], and most holes were located in the lower halves of the nets [median 7 (IQR 2, 16)]. There were no differences in number or location of holes between LLINs used by cases and controls. The median total hole area was 10 cm 2 (IQR 2, 125) for control LLINs and 8 cm 2 (IQR 2, 47) for case LLINs (p = 0.10). Based on pHI, 109 (72%) control LLINs and 83 (86%) case LLINs were in "good" condition. Multivariable modeling showed no association between total hole area and malaria, controlling for child age, caregiver education, and iron versus thatched roof houses. LLIN holes were not associated with increased odds of malaria in this study. However, most of the LLINs were in relatively good condition 1 year after distribution. Future studies should examine associations between LLIN holes and malaria risk with more damaged nets.

Association between osteoporosis and urinary calculus: evidence from a population-based study.

PubMed

Keller, J J; Lin, C-C; Kang, J-H; Lin, H-C

2013-02-01

This population-based case-control analysis investigated the association between osteoporosis and prior urinary calculus (UC) in Taiwan. We succeeded in detecting an association between osteoporosis and prior UC (adjusted odds ratio = 1.66). This association was consistent and significant regardless of stone location. UC has been demonstrated to be a risk factor for osteoporotic fractures, but no studies to date have directly investigated the association between UC and osteoporosis. This case-control analysis aimed to investigate the association of osteoporosis with prior UC using a population-based dataset in Taiwan. We first identified 39,840 cases ≥40 years who received their first-time diagnosis of osteoporosis between 2002 and 2009 and then randomly selected 79,680 controls. We used conditional logistic regression analyses to compute the odds ratio (OR) and the corresponding 95 % confidence interval (CI) for having been previously diagnosed with UC between cases and controls. The OR of having been previously diagnosed with UC for patients with osteoporosis was 1.66 (95 % CI = 1.59-1.73) when compared to controls after adjusting for geographic location, urbanization level, type I diabetes mellitus, coronary heart disease, hyperlipidemia, rheumatoid arthritis, stroke, renal disease, Parkinson's disease, hyperthyroidism, chronic hepatopathy, Cushing's syndrome, malabsorption, gastrectomy, obesity, and alcohol abuse/alcohol dependence syndrome. The results consistently showed that osteoporosis was significantly associated with a previous diagnosis of UC regardless of stone location; the adjusted ORs of prior kidney calculus, ureter calculus, bladder calculus, and unspecified calculus when compared to controls were 1.71 (95 % CI = 1.61-1.81), 1.60 (95 % CI = 1.47-1.74), 1.59 (95 % CI = 1.23-2.04), and 1.69 (95 % CI = 1.59-1.80), respectively. This study succeeded in detecting an association between osteoporosis and prior UC. In addition, our findings were consistent and significant regardless of stone location.

A 12-Year Retrospective Study of Avulsion Cases in a Public Brazilian Dental Trauma Service.

PubMed

Mesquita, Gabriela Campos; Soares, Priscilla Barbosa Ferreira; Moura, Camilla Christian Gomes; Roscoe, Marina Guimarães; Paiva, Saul Martins; Soares, Carlos José

2017-01-01

This study assessed the epidemiological characteristics and management of the permanent teeth avulsion cases attended in a Brazilian dental trauma service from December 2005 to August 2016. A retrospective study was conducted of case records of 93 patients involving 139 avulsed teeth. Data included sex, age, trauma etiology, location of the accident, number and position of avulsed teeth, and presence and type of associated traumatic lesions. Management of the avulsed teeth was addressed as: time elapsed until teeth were retrieved from the accident's location; teeth's cleaning method and storage media; time elapsed until seeking treatment and replantation. The majority of the patients were children from 6-10 (31.2%) and 11-15 years old (26.9%). Male patients were more affected than female. Bicycle accident was the main etiological factor (31.2%). In 56 (60.2%) cases, traumatic lesions to neighboring teeth were present. In 55 (59.1%) cases, lesions to adjacent soft tissues were reported. In 82 (88.2%) cases, patients requested treatment at the same day of the accident. Sixty-four teeth (46.0%) were immediately retrieved and 28 (20.1%) were not found. Forty-two teeth (30.2%) were kept dry. Only one tooth (0.7%) was immediately replanted at the accident's site, while 51 teeth (36.7%) were not replanted. Numerous avulsed teeth were inappropriately managed and immediate replantation was not frequent. Public policies must be created to raise awareness towards the particularities of avulsion cases.

Intraosseous Lipoma of the Mandibula: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

PubMed Central

Waśkowska, Jadwiga; Wójcik, Sylwia; Koszowski, Rafał; Drozdzowska, Bogna

2017-01-01

Abstract Lipoma is a benign tumour originating from mature adipose tissue. It can occur in any place in the body where adipose tissue is located. Intraosseous lipoma is a very rare bone tumour. The authors present an infrequent case involving intraosseous lipoma of the mandible in a 32-year old man and provide a review of case studies documented earlier in the literature. PMID:28401200

Complications of Non-Operating Room Procedures: Outcomes From the National Anesthesia Clinical Outcomes Registry.

PubMed

Chang, Beverly; Kaye, Alan D; Diaz, James H; Westlake, Benjamin; Dutton, Richard P; Urman, Richard D

2015-04-07

This study examines the impact of procedural locations and types of anesthetics on patient outcomes in non-operating room anesthesia (NORA) locations. The National Anesthesia Clinical Outcomes Registry database was examined to compare OR to NORA anesthetic complications and patient demographics. The National Anesthesia Clinical Outcomes Registry database was examined for all patient procedures from 2010 to 2013. A total of 12,252,846 cases were analyzed, with 205 practices contributing information, representing 1494 facilities and 7767 physician providers. Cases were separated on the basis of procedure location, OR, or NORA. Subgroup analysis examined outcomes from specific subspecialties. Non-OR anesthesia procedures were performed on a higher percentage of patients older than 50 years (61.92% versus 55.56%, P < 0.0001). Monitored anesthesia care (MAC) (20.15%) and sedation (2.05%) were more common in NORA locations. The most common minor complications were postoperative nausea and vomiting (1.06%), inadequate pain control (1.01%), and hemodynamic instability (0.62%). The most common major complications were serious hemodynamic instability (0.10%) and upgrade of care (0.10%). There was a greater incidence of complications in cardiology and radiology locations. Overall mortality was higher in OR versus NORA (0.04% versus 0.02%, P < 0.0001). Subcategory analysis showed increased incidence of death in cardiology and radiology locations (0.05%). Non-OR anesthesia procedures have lower morbidity and mortality rates than OR procedures, contrary to some previously published studies. However, the increased complication rates in both the cardiology and radiology locations may need to be the target of future safety investigations. Providers must ensure proper monitoring of patients, and NORA locations need to be held to the same standard of care as the main operating room. Further studies need to identify at-risk patients and procedures that may predispose patients to complications.

Interventional Procedures Outside of the Operating Room: Results From the National Anesthesia Clinical Outcomes Registry.

PubMed

Chang, Beverly; Kaye, Alan D; Diaz, James H; Westlake, Benjamin; Dutton, Richard P; Urman, Richard D

2018-03-01

This study examines the impact of procedural locations and types of anesthetics on patient outcomes in non-operating room anesthesia (NORA) locations. The National Anesthesia Clinical Outcomes Registry database was examined to compare OR to NORA anesthetic complications and patient demographics. The National Anesthesia Clinical Outcomes Registry database was examined for all patient procedures from 2010 to 2013. A total of 12,252,846 cases were analyzed, with 205 practices contributing information, representing 1494 facilities and 7767 physician providers. Cases were separated on the basis of procedure location, OR, or NORA. Subgroup analysis examined outcomes from specific subspecialties. NORA procedures were performed on a higher percentage of patients older than 50 years (61.92% versus 55.56%, P < 0.0001). Monitored anesthesia care (MAC) (20.15%) and sedation (2.05%) were more common in NORA locations. The most common minor complications were postoperative nausea and vomiting (1.06%), inadequate pain control (1.01%), and hemodynamic instability (0.62%). The most common major complications were serious hemodynamic instability (0.10%) and upgrade of care (0.10%). There was a greater incidence of complications in cardiology and radiology locations. Overall mortality was higher in OR versus NORA (0.04% versus 0.02%, P < 0.0001). Subcategory analysis showed increased incidence of death in cardiology and radiology locations (0.05%). NORA procedures have lower morbidity and mortality rates than OR procedures, contrary to some previously published studies. However, the increased complication rates in both the cardiology and radiology locations may need to be the target of future safety investigations. Providers must ensure proper monitoring of patients, and NORA locations need to be held to the same standard of care as the main operating room. Further studies need to identify at-risk patients and procedures that may predispose patients to complications.

Angiomyofibroblastoma of the Broad Ligament: A Case Report.

PubMed

Huang, Hsiao-Chin; Chen, Ying-Ren; Tsai, Horng-Der; Cheng, Ya-Min; Hsiao, Yi-Hsuan

2017-09-01

Angiomyofibroblastoma (AMF) is a distinctive, rare, benign mesenchymal tumor that often occurs in the lower genital region of women. The most commonly reported location of an AMF is in the vulvovaginal area. We describe a rare case of an AMF located in the broad ligament in a 47-yr-old woman. The patient experienced menorrhagia, dysmenorrhea, and subsequent menstrual spotting. She sought help at the National Cheng Kung University Hospital. Ultrasonography showed an echo-complex mass in the left adnexal area. The patient underwent laparoscopic surgery to remove the soft tissue mass located in the left broad ligament. The final pathology of the mass was reported as an AMF. We reviewed all of the AMF cases reported in the English-language literature found in Pubmed. This case is the first of AMF located in the broad ligament.

Estimation of inlet flow rates for image-based aneurysm CFD models: where and how to begin?

PubMed

Valen-Sendstad, Kristian; Piccinelli, Marina; KrishnankuttyRema, Resmi; Steinman, David A

2015-06-01

Patient-specific flow rates are rarely available for image-based computational fluid dynamics models. Instead, flow rates are often assumed to scale according to the diameters of the arteries of interest. Our goal was to determine how choice of inlet location and scaling law affect such model-based estimation of inflow rates. We focused on 37 internal carotid artery (ICA) aneurysm cases from the Aneurisk cohort. An average ICA flow rate of 245 mL min(-1) was assumed from the literature, and then rescaled for each case according to its inlet diameter squared (assuming a fixed velocity) or cubed (assuming a fixed wall shear stress). Scaling was based on diameters measured at various consistent anatomical locations along the models. Choice of location introduced a modest 17% average uncertainty in model-based flow rate, but within individual cases estimated flow rates could vary by >100 mL min(-1). A square law was found to be more consistent with physiological flow rates than a cube law. Although impact of parent artery truncation on downstream flow patterns is well studied, our study highlights a more insidious and potentially equal impact of truncation site and scaling law on the uncertainty of assumed inlet flow rates and thus, potentially, downstream flow patterns.

Geographic profiling as a novel spatial tool for targeting infectious disease control

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Geographic profiling is a statistical tool originally developed in criminology to prioritise large lists of suspects in cases of serial crime. Here, we use two data sets - one historical and one modern - to show how it can be used to locate the sources of infectious disease. Results First, we re-analyse data from a classic epidemiological study, the 1854 London cholera outbreak. Using 321 disease sites as input, we evaluate the locations of 13 neighbourhood water pumps. The Broad Street pump - the outbreak's source- ranks first, situated in the top 0.2% of the geoprofile. We extend our study with an analysis of reported malaria cases in Cairo, Egypt, using 139 disease case locations to rank 59 mosquitogenic local water sources, seven of which tested positive for the vector Anopheles sergentii. Geographic profiling ranks six of these seven sites in positions 1-6, all in the top 2% of the geoprofile. In both analyses the method outperformed other measures of spatial central tendency. Conclusions We suggest that geographic profiling could form a useful component of integrated control strategies relating to a wide variety of infectious diseases, since evidence-based targeting of interventions is more efficient, environmentally friendly and cost-effective than untargeted intervention. PMID:21592339

Regional Differences in Collecting Freethought Books in American Public Libraries: A Case of Self-Censorship?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sloan, Stephen

2012-01-01

This study was conducted to determine if American public libraries located in an area of the country hostile to atheist (freethought) ideas collect atheist books at a lower rate than a region of the country more open to such ideas. The US General Social Survey was consulted to locate the contrasting regions. "New York Times" Best Seller…

A fire-affected community: the case of the West Melton fire, December 2003

Treesearch

Laura Kelly; Pamela J. Jakes; E.R. Langer

2008-01-01

A study of a fire-affected community was conducted to gain an understanding of the social ramifications of a wildfire event and to analyse how one community responded to this type of disaster. The research focused on the West Melton community, located just west of Christchurch, in the Selwyn District. This is the first in a series of case studies planned by the Scion...

Recommendations to Commander, Naval Surface Forces, for Achieving a Strategic Approach to the Acquisition of Information Systems and Services

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-09-01

policy or position of the Department of Defense or the U.S. government . IRB Protocol number _______N/A______. 12a. DISTRIBUTION / AVAILABILITY...72 3. GAO Case Study of Commercial Transformation in Decision Making on IS Acquisition Spending (Case Study Located in Appendix C...Program FRE Fleet Readiness Enterprise GAO government Accountability Office IOC Initial Operating Capability xvi IS Information

"I Made Her Realise that I Could Be There for Her, that I Could Support Her": Child Protection Practices with Women in Domestic Violence Cases

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lapierre, Simon; Cote, Isabelle

2011-01-01

This article presents findings from a study that investigated child protection policies and practices, and focuses on data gathered in a child protection agency located in Quebec, Canada. This research project draws upon a qualitative case-study methodology, involving a documentary analysis of both national and local child protection policies, as…

Study of the histopathological types of cutaneous melanoma in Palmas-TO from 2001 to 2011.

PubMed

Costa, Nilo Fernandes da; Fernandes, Nurimar Conceição; Borges, Myrlena Regina Machado Mescouto

2015-01-01

Cutaneous melanoma (CM) is considered serious for causing frequent metastasis, presenting high mortality, resistance to available therapies and incidences in laboring activity. To study the histopathological types of cutaneous melanoma in Palmas-TO from 2001 to 2011, according to risk factors, location of lesions, Clark levels and Breslow thickness. A descriptive, retrospective and quantitative research in reports of the Serviços de Anatomia Patológica in Palmas (SAPP) and Registro de Câncer de Base Populacional de Palmas (RCBPP). The years of highest incidences were: 2004 (8 cases/17.8%), 2008 and 2011 (7 cases each/15.6%) and 2010 (6 cases/13.3%). Among the 45 cases studied, there were predominance in patients between 41 and 60 years old, women, caucasians, farmers, located in trunk, in situ type, superficial extensive and metastatic cutaneous, Clark levels I (20%) and IV (17.7%), Breslow thickness ≤1 mm (35.5%) and 2.01 to 4 mm (24.4%). The most common histopathological types were: cutaneous melanoma in situ, superficial extensive and metastatic, followed by nodular cutaneous melanoma, and finally, by other forms. In this study, Clark levels and Breslow thickness pointed to greater importance of thin melanomas and sun exposure without appropriate protection in farmers.

Perivascular epithelioid cell tumor (PEComa) of gynecologic origin: a clinicopathological study of three cases.

PubMed

Ye, H Y; Chen, J G; Luo, D L; Jiang, Z M; Chen, Z H

2012-01-01

Perivascular epithelioid cell tumors (PEComas), occasionally associated with the tuberous sclerosis complex, are characterized by varying amounts of spindle and epithelioid cells with clear to eosinophilic cytoplasm that display immunoreactivity for melanocytic markers, most frequently HMB-45. Perivascular epithelioid cell tumor of gynecologic origin is very rare, and there have been only a few reported cases. This study describes the clinical, histological, and immunohistochemical features and prognoses of three cases of gynecologic origin. Two of the three tumors were confined to the uterus and one to the vagina. None of the patients had tuberous sclerosis complex. Immunohistochemistry indicated that all three cases expressed at least one melanocytic marker, and HMB45 was a positive marker for all of them. These markers can be found in both epithelial cells and spindle cells. Except for MiTF, which was located in the nucleus, all the other antibodies were located in the cytoplasm. The three cases have been followed up for 26, 22, and three months, respectively, with disease-free survival in all cases. We conclude that PEComas of gynecologic origin have morphological and immunohistochemical features of the PEComa family, which are rare and should be included in the differential diagnosis with other tumors. Until more cases of this rare tumor are evaluated with longer follow-up, firm criteria for malignancy remain uncertain.

Lesion location and cognitive impact of cerebral small vessel disease.

PubMed

Biesbroek, J Matthijs; Weaver, Nick A; Biessels, Geert Jan

2017-04-25

Cerebral small vessel disease (SVD) is an important cause of cognitive impairment. Important MRI manifestations of SVD include white matter hyperintensities (WMH) and lacunes. This narrative review addresses the role of anatomical lesion location in the impact of SVD on cognition, integrating findings from early autopsy studies with emerging findings from recent studies with advanced image analysis techniques. Early autopsy and imaging studies of small case series indicate that single lacunar infarcts in, for example the thalamus, caudate nucleus or internal capsule can cause marked cognitive impairment. However, the findings of such case studies may not be generalizable. Emerging location-based image analysis approaches are now being applied to large cohorts. Recent studies show that WMH burden in strategic white matter tracts, such as the forceps minor or anterior thalamic radiation (ATR), is more relevant in explaining variance in cognitive functioning than global WMH volume. These findings suggest that the future diagnostic work-up of memory clinic patients could potentially be improved by shifting from a global assessment of WMH and lacune burden towards a quantitative assessment of lesion volumes within strategic brain regions. In this review, a summary of currently known strategic regions for SVD-related cognitive impairment is provided, highlighting recent technical developments in SVD research. The potential and challenges of location-based approaches for diagnostic purposes in clinical practice are discussed, along with their potential prognostic and therapeutic applications. © 2017 The Author(s). published by Portland Press Limited on behalf of the Biochemical Society.

Disinfectant Residual – Representative Monitoring & Maintaining Residuals

EPA Science Inventory

In this presentation we will: review history of distribution system chlorine monitoring siting, review State regulations and guidance, and present a case study demonstrating a chlorine monitoring locations evaluation

Disinfectant Residual – Representative Monitoring & Maintaining Residuals

EPA Science Inventory

In this presentation we will: review history of distribution system chlorine monitoring siting, review State regulations and guidance, and present a case study demonstrating a chlorine monitoring locations evaluation.

An Airlift Hub-and-Spoke Location-Routing Model with Time Windows: Case Study of the CONUS-to-Korea Airlift Problem

DTIC Science & Technology

1998-03-01

a point of embarkation to a point of debarkation. This study develops an alternative hub-and-spoke combined location-routing integer linear...programming prototype model, and uses this model to determine what advantages a hub-and-spoke system offers, and in which scenarios it is better-suited than the...extension on the following works: the hierarchical model of Perl and Daskin (1983), time windows features of Chan (1991), combining subtour-breaking and range

Earthquake location in transversely isotropic media with a tilted symmetry axis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Aihua; Ding, Zhifeng

2009-04-01

The conventional intersection method for earthquake location in isotropic media is developed in the case of transversely isotropic media with a tilted symmetry axis (TTI media). The hypocenter is determined using its loci, which are calculated through a minimum travel time tree algorithm for ray tracing in TTI media. There are no restrictions on the structural complexity of the model or on the anisotropy strength of the medium. The location method is validated by its application to determine the hypocenter and origin time of an event in a complex TTI structure, in accordance with four hypotheses or study cases: (a) accurate model and arrival times, (b) perturbed model with randomly variable elastic parameter, (c) noisy arrival time data, and (d) incomplete set of observations from the seismic stations. Furthermore, several numerical tests demonstrate that the orientation of the symmetry axis has a significant effect on the hypocenter location when the seismic anisotropy is not very weak. Moreover, if the hypocentral determination is based on an isotropic reference model while the real medium is anisotropic, the resultant location errors can be considerable even though the anisotropy strength does not exceed 6.10%.

Indoor tanning in businesses and homes and risk of melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer in two US case-control studies

PubMed Central

Ferrucci, Leah M.; Vogel, Rachel Isaksson; Cartmel, Brenda; Lazovich, DeAnn; Mayne, Susan T.

2014-01-01

Background Indoor tanning increases skin cancer risk. Beyond early research describing melanoma and sun lamps, few recent reports describe where individuals indoor tan and whether skin cancer risk varies by location (business, home-based). Objective Assess where individuals tanned indoors and skin cancer risk by tanning device location. Methods Multivariate logistic regression in two US case-control studies of melanoma (1,161 cases, 1,083 controls, ages 25–59) and early-onset basal cell carcinoma (BCC) (375 cases, 382 controls, under age 40) conducted between 2004 and 2010. Results Most indoor tanners (86.4–95.1%), especially younger individuals, tanned exclusively in businesses. Persons who used indoor tanning exclusively in businesses were at increased risk of melanoma (OR=1.82, 95% CI=1.47–2.26) and BCC (OR=1.69, 95% CI=1.15–2.48) compared to non-users. Melanoma risk was also increased in the small number who reported tanning indoors only at home relative to non-users (OR=4.14, 95% CI=1.75–9.78); 67.6% used sun lamps. Limitations Self-reported tanning, potential recall bias. Conclusion Business only tanning, despite claims of “safe" tanning, was positively associated with a significant risk of melanoma and BCC. Home tanning was uncommon and mostly from sun lamps which were rarely used by younger participants. Regardless of location, indoor tanning was associated with increased risk of skin cancer. PMID:25062934

Automated microaneurysm detection method based on double ring filter in retinal fundus images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mizutani, Atsushi; Muramatsu, Chisako; Hatanaka, Yuji; Suemori, Shinsuke; Hara, Takeshi; Fujita, Hiroshi

2009-02-01

The presence of microaneurysms in the eye is one of the early signs of diabetic retinopathy, which is one of the leading causes of vision loss. We have been investigating a computerized method for the detection of microaneurysms on retinal fundus images, which were obtained from the Retinopathy Online Challenge (ROC) database. The ROC provides 50 training cases, in which "gold standard" locations of microaneurysms are provided, and 50 test cases without the gold standard locations. In this study, the computerized scheme was developed by using the training cases. Although the results for the test cases are also included, this paper mainly discusses the results for the training cases because the "gold standard" for the test cases is not known. After image preprocessing, candidate regions for microaneurysms were detected using a double-ring filter. Any potential false positives located in the regions corresponding to blood vessels were removed by automatic extraction of blood vessels from the images. Twelve image features were determined, and the candidate lesions were classified into microaneurysms or false positives using the rule-based method and an artificial neural network. The true positive fraction of the proposed method was 0.45 at 27 false positives per image. Forty-two percent of microaneurysms in the 50 training cases were considered invisible by the consensus of two co-investigators. When the method was evaluated for visible microaneurysms, the sensitivity for detecting microaneurysms was 65% at 27 false positives per image. Our computerized detection scheme could be improved for helping ophthalmologists in the early diagnosis of diabetic retinopathy.

Non-ferromagnetic overburden casing

DOEpatents

Vinegar, Harold J.; Harris, Christopher Kelvin; Mason, Stanley Leroy

2010-09-14

Systems, methods, and heaters for treating a subsurface formation are described herein. At least one system for electrically insulating an overburden portion of a heater wellbore is described. The system may include a heater wellbore located in a subsurface formation and an electrically insulating casing located in the overburden portion of the heater wellbore. The casing may include at least one non-ferromagnetic material such that ferromagnetic effects are inhibited in the casing.

Differences between dentitions with palatally and labially located maxillary canines observed in incisor width, dental morphology and space conditions.

PubMed

Artmann, L; Larsen, H J; Sørensen, H B; Christensen, I J; Kjaer, I

2010-06-01

To analyze the interrelationship between incisor width, deviations in the dentition and available space in the dental arch in palatally and labially located maxillary ectopic canine cases. Size: On dental casts from 69 patients (mean age 13 years 6 months) the mesiodistal widths of each premolar, canine and incisor were measured and compared with normal standards. Dental deviations: Based on panoramic radiographs from the same patients the dentitions were grouped accordingly: Group I: normal morphology; Group IIa: deviations in the dentition within the maxillary incisors only; Group IIb: deviations in the dentition in general. Descriptive statistics for the tooth sizes and dental deviations were presented by the mean and 95% confidence limits for the mean and the p-value for the T-statistic. Space: Space was expresses by subtracting the total tooth sizes of incisors, canines and premolars from the length of the arch segments. Size of lateral maxillary incisor: The widths of the lateral incisors were significantly different in groups I, IIa and IIb (p=0.016) and in cases with labially located ectopic canines on average 0.65 (95% CI:0.25-1.05, p=0.0019) broader than lateral incisors in cases with palatally located ectopic canines. Space: Least available space was observed in cases with labially located canines. The linear model did show a difference between palatally and labially located ectopic canines (p=0.03). Space related to deviations in the dentition: When space in the dental arch was related to dental deviations (groups I, IIa and IIb), the cases in group IIb with palatally located canines had significantly more space compared with I and IIa. Two subgroups of palatally located ectopic maxillary canine cases based on registration of space, incisor width and deviations in the morphology of the dentition were identified.

A Case of Bilateral Descemet's Membrane and Subepithelial Opacity: In vivo Laser Confocal Microscopic Study

PubMed Central

Hatta, Yukiko; Yokogawa, Hideaki; Kobayashi, Akira; Torisaki, Makoto; Sugiyama, Kazuhisa

2013-01-01

Purpose To report the in vivo laser confocal microscopy findings from a patient with Descemet's membrane and subepithelial opacity OU. Case Report A healthy 41-year-old male with Descemet's membrane and subepithelial opacity OU was studied. Routine ophthalmic examination, standard slit-lamp biomicroscopy, and in vivo laser confocal microscopic analysis of the entire corneal layer were performed. Slit-lamp biomicroscopy revealed subepithelial opacity in the mid-peripheral to peripheral cornea and numerous opacities located at the level of Descemet's membrane. It was difficult to distinguish the precise histological location of the opacity. In vivo laser confocal microscopy showed numerous hyperreflective particles in the subepithelium to superficial stroma and hyperreflectivity of Descemet's membrane. No abnormalities could be detected in the epithelial cell layer, midstromal layer, deep stromal layer, or endothelial cell layer. Conclusion Although the origin of the corneal opacities was unclear, in vivo laser confocal microscopy was useful for observing microstructural abnormalities in a case of Descemet's membrane and subepithelial opacity. PMID:23626574

Expanding the first link in the chain of survival - Experiences from dispatcher referral of callers to AED locations.

PubMed

Fredman, David; Svensson, Leif; Ban, Yifang; Jonsson, Martin; Hollenberg, Jacob; Nordberg, Per; Ringh, Mattias; Rosenqvist, Mårten; Lundén, Margareta; Claesson, Andreas

2016-10-01

Early use of automated external defibrillators (AED) increases survival in cases of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). Dispatchers play important roles in identifying OHCA, dispatching ambulances and providing callers with telephone-assisted cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Guidelines recommend that AED registries be linked to dispatch centres as tools to refer callers to nearby AED. The aim of this study was to investigate to what extent dispatchers, when provided with a tool to display AED locations and accessibility, referred callers to nearby AED. An application providing real-time visualization of AED locations and accessibility was implemented at four dispatch centres in Sweden. Dispatchers were instructed to refer callers to nearby AED when OHCA was suspected. Such cases were prospectively collected, and geographic information systems were used to identify those located ≤100m from an AED. Audio recordings of emergency calls were assessed to evaluate the AED referral rate. Between February and August 2014, 3009 suspected OHCA calls were received. In 6.6% of those calls (200/3009), an AED was ≤100m from the suspected OHCA. The AED was accessible and the caller was not alone on scene in 24% (47/200) of these cases. In two of those 47 cases (4.3%), the dispatcher referred the caller to the AED. Despite a tool for dispatchers to refer callers to a nearby AED, referral was rare. Only a minority of the suspected OHCA cases occurred ≤100m from an AED. We identified AED accessibility and callers being alone on scene as obstacles for AED referral. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Drivers of wetland conversion: a global meta-analysis.

PubMed

van Asselen, Sanneke; Verburg, Peter H; Vermaat, Jan E; Janse, Jan H

2013-01-01

Meta-analysis of case studies has become an important tool for synthesizing case study findings in land change. Meta-analyses of deforestation, urbanization, desertification and change in shifting cultivation systems have been published. This present study adds to this literature, with an analysis of the proximate causes and underlying forces of wetland conversion at a global scale using two complementary approaches of systematic review. Firstly, a meta-analysis of 105 case-study papers describing wetland conversion was performed, showing that different combinations of multiple-factor proximate causes, and underlying forces, drive wetland conversion. Agricultural development has been the main proximate cause of wetland conversion, and economic growth and population density are the most frequently identified underlying forces. Secondly, to add a more quantitative component to the study, a logistic meta-regression analysis was performed to estimate the likelihood of wetland conversion worldwide, using globally-consistent biophysical and socioeconomic location factor maps. Significant factors explaining wetland conversion, in order of importance, are market influence, total wetland area (lower conversion probability), mean annual temperature and cropland or built-up area. The regression analyses results support the outcomes of the meta-analysis of the processes of conversion mentioned in the individual case studies. In other meta-analyses of land change, similar factors (e.g., agricultural development, population growth, market/economic factors) are also identified as important causes of various types of land change (e.g., deforestation, desertification). Meta-analysis helps to identify commonalities across the various local case studies and identify which variables may lead to individual cases to behave differently. The meta-regression provides maps indicating the likelihood of wetland conversion worldwide based on the location factors that have determined historic conversions.

Drivers of Wetland Conversion: a Global Meta-Analysis

PubMed Central

van Asselen, Sanneke; Verburg, Peter H.; Vermaat, Jan E.; Janse, Jan H.

2013-01-01

Meta-analysis of case studies has become an important tool for synthesizing case study findings in land change. Meta-analyses of deforestation, urbanization, desertification and change in shifting cultivation systems have been published. This present study adds to this literature, with an analysis of the proximate causes and underlying forces of wetland conversion at a global scale using two complementary approaches of systematic review. Firstly, a meta-analysis of 105 case-study papers describing wetland conversion was performed, showing that different combinations of multiple-factor proximate causes, and underlying forces, drive wetland conversion. Agricultural development has been the main proximate cause of wetland conversion, and economic growth and population density are the most frequently identified underlying forces. Secondly, to add a more quantitative component to the study, a logistic meta-regression analysis was performed to estimate the likelihood of wetland conversion worldwide, using globally-consistent biophysical and socioeconomic location factor maps. Significant factors explaining wetland conversion, in order of importance, are market influence, total wetland area (lower conversion probability), mean annual temperature and cropland or built-up area. The regression analyses results support the outcomes of the meta-analysis of the processes of conversion mentioned in the individual case studies. In other meta-analyses of land change, similar factors (e.g., agricultural development, population growth, market/economic factors) are also identified as important causes of various types of land change (e.g., deforestation, desertification). Meta-analysis helps to identify commonalities across the various local case studies and identify which variables may lead to individual cases to behave differently. The meta-regression provides maps indicating the likelihood of wetland conversion worldwide based on the location factors that have determined historic conversions. PMID:24282580

Vertebral pneumatocyst. A case report.

PubMed

Laufer, L; Schulman, H; Hertzanu, Y

1996-02-01

This study illustrates intraosseous pneumatocyst of the vertebral body, a benign lesion. To review the incidence and location of this benign lesion during a 1-year period. Intraosseous pneumatocyst is a rare benign condition, commonly seen in iliac bone or sacrum. The etiology of this entity is unclear. Other locations of these lesions are very rare, and only a few isolated cases are reported in the literature. In the last year (1994-1995), vertebral pneumatocyst was incidentally found in four patients who underwent computed tomography examination for presumptive discal lesion. Axial computed tomography with 2- and 4-mm slice thickness was performed. The typical computed tomography patterns of intraosseous pneumatocyst involving the cervical, dorsal, or lumbar spine were found. The bony structure and joints were normal. To the best of our knowledge, intraosseous pneumatocyst located in the spinal process has not been reported. Intraosseous pneumatocyst is a benign lesion. Biopsy and follow-up are unnecessary.

Two-Step Optimization for Spatial Accessibility Improvement: A Case Study of Health Care Planning in Rural China

PubMed Central

Luo, Jing; Tian, Lingling; Luo, Lei; Yi, Hong

2017-01-01

A recent advancement in location-allocation modeling formulates a two-step approach to a new problem of minimizing disparity of spatial accessibility. Our field work in a health care planning project in a rural county in China indicated that residents valued distance or travel time from the nearest hospital foremost and then considered quality of care including less waiting time as a secondary desirability. Based on the case study, this paper further clarifies the sequential decision-making approach, termed “two-step optimization for spatial accessibility improvement (2SO4SAI).” The first step is to find the best locations to site new facilities by emphasizing accessibility as proximity to the nearest facilities with several alternative objectives under consideration. The second step adjusts the capacities of facilities for minimal inequality in accessibility, where the measure of accessibility accounts for the match ratio of supply and demand and complex spatial interaction between them. The case study illustrates how the two-step optimization method improves both aspects of spatial accessibility for health care access in rural China. PMID:28484707

Two-Step Optimization for Spatial Accessibility Improvement: A Case Study of Health Care Planning in Rural China.

PubMed

Luo, Jing; Tian, Lingling; Luo, Lei; Yi, Hong; Wang, Fahui

2017-01-01

A recent advancement in location-allocation modeling formulates a two-step approach to a new problem of minimizing disparity of spatial accessibility. Our field work in a health care planning project in a rural county in China indicated that residents valued distance or travel time from the nearest hospital foremost and then considered quality of care including less waiting time as a secondary desirability. Based on the case study, this paper further clarifies the sequential decision-making approach, termed "two-step optimization for spatial accessibility improvement (2SO4SAI)." The first step is to find the best locations to site new facilities by emphasizing accessibility as proximity to the nearest facilities with several alternative objectives under consideration. The second step adjusts the capacities of facilities for minimal inequality in accessibility, where the measure of accessibility accounts for the match ratio of supply and demand and complex spatial interaction between them. The case study illustrates how the two-step optimization method improves both aspects of spatial accessibility for health care access in rural China.

Ovarian ectopic pregnancy: diagnosis, treatment, correlation to Carnegie stage 16 and review based on a clinical case.

PubMed

Kraemer, Bernhard; Kraemer, Elizabeth; Guengoer, Ersin; Juhasz-Boess, Ingolf; Solomayer, Erich-Franz; Wallwiener, Diethelm; Rajab, Taufiek Konrad

2009-07-01

To present a case of a vital ectopic pregnancy after 8 weeks that was located in the right ovary. Case study and literature review. Hospital outpatient clinic. A 29-year-old primigravida presented with lower abdominal pain and mild vaginal bleeding at 8 weeks after her last menstrual period. Wedge resection of the ovary which did not affect subsequent fertility. Conservative treatment options and preservation of patient's reproductive capacity. The embryo was laparoscopically removed in toto and visualized. Therefore, macroscopic correlation to Carnegie stage 16 of development was possible. Approximately 3% of all ectopic pregnancies are located in the ovaries. Preoperative diagnosis of this extremely rare condition is challenging, because the ectopic tumor often resembles cysts of the corpus luteum. At surgery, the trophoblast tissue or the embryo can rarely be visualized completely.

Linking Satellite Derived Land Surface Temperature with Cholera: A Case Study for South Sudan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aldaach, H. S. V.; Jutla, A.; Akanda, A. S.; Colwell, R. R.

2014-12-01

A sudden onset of cholera in South Sudan, in April 2014 in Northern Bari in Juba town resulted in more than 400 cholera cases after four weeks of initial outbreak with a case of fatality rate of CFR 5.4%. The total number of reported cholera cases for the period of April to July, 2014 were 5,141 including 114 deaths. With the limited efficacy of cholera vaccines, it is necessary to develop mechanisms to predict cholera occurrence and thereafter devise intervention strategies for mitigating impacts of the disease. Hydroclimatic processes, primarily precipitation and air temperature are related to epidemic and episodic outbreak of cholera. However, due to coarse resolution of both datasets, it is not possible to precisely locate the geographical location of disease. Here, using Land Surface Temperature (LST) from MODIS sensors, we have developed an algorithm to identify regions susceptible for cholera. Conditions for occurrence of cholera were detectable at least one month in advance in South Sudan and were statistically sensitive to hydroclimatic anomalies of land surface and air temperature, and precipitation. Our results indicate significant spatial and temporal averaging required to infer usable information from LST over South Sudan. Preliminary results that geographically location of cholera outbreak was identifiable within 1km resolution of the LST data.

Influence of the fire location and the size of a compartment on the heat and smoke flow out of the compartment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wegrzyński, Wojciech; Konecki, Marek

2018-01-01

This paper presents results of CFD and scale modelling of the flow of heat and smoke inside and outside of a compartment, in case of fire. Estimation of mass flow out of a compartment is critical, as it is the boundary condition in further considerations related to the exhaust of the smoke from a building - also in analysis related to the performance of natural ventilation in wind conditions. Both locations of the fire and the size of compartment were addressed as possible variables, which influence the mass and the temperature of smoke that leaves the room engulfed in fire. Results of the study show small to none influence of both size of the compartment and the location of the fire, on the mass flow of smoke exiting the room. On the same time, both of these parameters influence the temperature of the smoke - in larger compartments lower average temperatures of the smoke layer, but higher maximum values were observed. Results of this study may be useful also in the determination of the worst case scenarios for structural analysis, or in the investiga tion of the spread of fire through the compartment. Based on the results presented in this study, researchers can attribute an expert judgement choice of fire location, as a single scenario that is representative of a larger amount of probable scenarios.

Perianesthetic and Anesthesia-Related Mortality in a Southeastern United States Population: A Longitudinal Review of a Prospectively Collected Quality Assurance Data Base.

PubMed

Pollard, Richard J; Hopkins, Thomas; Smith, C Tyler; May, Bryan V; Doyle, James; Chambers, C Labron; Clark, Reese; Buhrman, William

2018-05-21

Perianesthetic mortality (death occurring within 48 hours of an anesthetic) continues to vary widely depending on the study population examined. The authors study in a private practice physician group that covers multiple anesthetizing locations in the Southeastern United States. This group has in place a robust quality assurance (QA) database to follow all patients undergoing anesthesia. With this study, we estimate the incidence of anesthesia-related and perianesthetic mortality in this QA database. Following institutional review board approval, data from 2011 to 2016 were obtained from the QA database of a large, community-based anesthesiology group practice. The physician practice covers 233 anesthetizing locations across 20 facilities in 2 US states. All detected cases of perianesthetic death were extracted from the database and compared to the patients' electronic medical record. These cases were further examined by a committee of 3 anesthesiologists to determine whether the death was anesthesia related (a perioperative death solely attributable to either the anesthesia provider or anesthetic technique), anesthetic contributory (a perioperative death in which anesthesia role could not be entirely excluded), or not due to anesthesia. A total of 785,467 anesthesia procedures were examined from the study period. A total of 592 cases of perianesthetic deaths were detected, giving an overall death rate of 75.37 in 100,000 cases (95% CI, 69.5-81.7). Mortality judged to be anesthesia related was found in 4 cases, giving a mortality rate of 0.509 in 100,000 (95% CI, 0.198-1.31). Mortality judged to be anesthesia contributory were found in 18 cases, giving a mortality of 2.29 in 100,000 patients (95% CI, 1.45-3.7). A total of 570 cases were judged to be nonanesthesia related, giving an incidence of 72.6 per 100,000 anesthetics (95% CI, 69.3-75.7). In a large, comprehensive database representing the full range of anesthesia practices and locations in the Southeastern United States, the rate of perianesthestic death was 0.509 in 100,000 (95% CI, 0.198-1.31). Future in-depth analysis of the epidemiology of perianesthetic deaths will be reported in later studies.

Modeling the Dynamic Interrelations between Mobility, Utility, and Land Asking Price

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hidayat, E.; Rudiarto, I.; Siegert, F.; Vries, W. D.

2018-02-01

Limited and insufficient information about the dynamic interrelation among mobility, utility, and land price is the main reason to conduct this research. Several studies, with several approaches, and several variables have been conducted so far in order to model the land price. However, most of these models appear to generate primarily static land prices. Thus, a research is required to compare, design, and validate different models which calculate and/or compare the inter-relational changes of mobility, utility, and land price. The applied method is a combination of analysis of literature review, expert interview, and statistical analysis. The result is newly improved mathematical model which have been validated and is suitable for the case study location. This improved model consists of 12 appropriate variables. This model can be implemented in the Salatiga city as the case study location in order to arrange better land use planning to mitigate the uncontrolled urban growth.

Demographic patterns in the peacock grouper (Cephalopholis argus), an introduced Hawaiian reef fish

USGS Publications Warehouse

Donovan, Mary K.; Friedlander, Alan M.; DeMartini, Edward E.; Donahue, Megan J.; Williams, Ivor D.

2013-01-01

This study took advantage of a unique opportunity to collect large sample sizes of a coral reef fish species across a range of physical and biological features of the Hawaiian Archipelago to investigate variability in the demography of an invasive predatory coral reef fish, Cephalopholis argus (Family: Epinephelidae). Age-based demographic analyses were conducted at 10 locations in the main Hawaiian Islands and estimates of weight-at-length, size-at-age, and longevity were compared among locations. Each metric differed among locations, although patterns were not consistent across metrics. Length-weight relationships for C. argus differed among locations and individuals weighed less at a given length at Hilo, the southernmost location studied. Longevity differed among and within islands and was greater at locations on Maui and Hawaii compared to the more northern locations on Oahu and Kauai. Within-island growth patterns differed at Kauai, Oahu, and Hawaii. This work provides a case study of fundamental life history information from distant and/or spatially limited locations that are critical for developing robust fishery models. The differences observed both among and within islands indicate that variability may be driven by cross-scale mechanisms that need to be considered in fisheries stock assessments and ecosystem-based management.

Warthin tumor within the superficial lobe of the parotid gland: a suggested criterion for diagnosis.

PubMed

Sagiv, Doron; Witt, Robert L; Glikson, Eran; Mansour, Jobran; Shalmon, Bruria; Yakirevitch, Arkadi; Wolf, Michael; Alon, Eran E; Slonimsky, Guy; Talmi, Yoav P

2017-04-01

The location of Warthin tumor (WT) in the parotid gland impacts the surgical approach and may be indicative of the elusive origin of this intriguing entity. Location in the deep versus superficial lobe of the gland is not directly addressed when defining WT characteristics. Our observation, of rare occurrence of deep lobe WT, if at all, led to the current investigation. The study design is cohort study. This is a retrospective chart review of all patients undergoing parotidectomy for WT in two tertiary academic referral centers: the Sheba Medical Center (SMC), Israel, and the Christiana Care (CC), Newark, Delaware, USA. 122 consecutive adult patients underwent parotidectomy for WT (72 from SMC and 50 from CC). Seventy percent were males, with a mean age of 60.6 years. Bilateral WT or multi-centric WT were found in 9.8 and 17.2% of the cases, respectively. In one case, the tumor was described as originating in the deep lobe. In all other cases, the tumor originated and was limited to the superficial lobe. 99.2% of WT originated in the superficial lobe, corresponding with the few reports directly addressing its location in the gland. The reason for the tumor to be limited almost uniformly to the superficial lobe is unknown, and could be related to the etiopathogenesis of this elusive entity. We suggest adding tumor location within the superficial lobe to the common characteristics of WT (male, smoking, and lower pole) that serve as "common criterion" while evaluating a parotid lesion.

Search protocols for hidden forensic objects beneath floors and within walls.

PubMed

Ruffell, Alastair; Pringle, Jamie K; Forbes, Shari

2014-04-01

The burial of objects (human remains, explosives, weapons) below or behind concrete, brick, plaster or tiling may be associated with serious crime and are difficult locations to search. These are quite common forensic search scenarios but little has been published on them to-date. Most documented discoveries are accidental or from suspect/witness testimony. The problem in locating such hidden objects means a random or chance-based approach is not advisable. A preliminary strategy is presented here, based on previous studies, augmented by primary research where new technology or applications are required. This blend allows a rudimentary search workflow, from remote desktop study, to non-destructive investigation through to recommendations as to how the above may inform excavation, demonstrated here with a case study from a homicide investigation. Published case studies on the search for human remains demonstrate the problems encountered when trying to find and recover sealed-in and sealed-over locations. Established methods include desktop study, photography, geophysics and search dogs: these are integrated with new technology (LiDAR and laser scanning; photographic rectification; close-quarter aerial imagery; ground-penetrating radar on walls and gamma-ray/neutron activation radiography) to propose this possible search strategy. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Pathology of ear hematomas in swine.

PubMed

Drolet, Richard; Hélie, Pierre; D'Allaire, Sylvie

2016-05-01

The objectives of our study were to describe the pathology of ear hematomas in swine and to add to the comprehension of the pathogenesis of this condition. The pathogenesis of aural hematomas has been studied mainly in dogs; however, disagreements exist about the precise anatomic location of the hemorrhage. Sixteen pigs with ear hematoma at various stages of development were included in this study. The pigs were submitted for routine autopsy for various and unrelated reasons over a period of several years. Based on gross examination, the 16 cases of aural hematomas were subjectively classified as acute (n = 6), subacute (n = 3), and chronic (n = 7). The age of the animals at the time of autopsy ranged from 2 weeks to adulthood, with all acute cases being <7 weeks of age. Morphologic examination of all acute cases revealed that the hematoma developed predominantly in a subperichondral location on both sides of the cartilaginous plate simultaneously. Within these same cases, there were also some areas in which blood-filled clefts had formed within the cartilage itself. Besides fibroplasia, neoformation of cartilage was found to represent a significant part of the repair process. All chronic cases were characterized on cross-section of the ear by the presence of at least 2 distinct, wavy, focally folded, and roughly parallel plates of cartilage separated from each other by fibrous tissue. © 2016 The Author(s).

Spatial variation in mortality risk for haematological malignancies near a petrochemical refinery: a population-based case-control study

PubMed Central

Di Salvo, Francesca; Meneghini, Elisabetta; Vieira, Veronica; Baili, Paolo; Mariottini, Mauro; Baldini, Marco; Micheli, Andrea; Sant, Milena

2015-01-01

Introduction The study investigated the geographic variation of mortality risk for hematological malignancies (HMs) in order to identify potential high-risk areas near an Italian petrochemical refinery. Material and methods A population-based case-control study was conducted and residential histories for 171 cases and 338 sex- and age-matched controls were collected. Confounding factors were obtained from interviews with consenting relatives for 109 HM deaths and 267 controls. To produce risk mortality maps, two different approaches were applied. We mapped (1) adptive kernel density relative risk estimation (KDE) for case-control studies which estimates a spatial relative risk function using the ratio between cases and controls’ densities, and (2) estimated odds ratios for case-control study data using generalized additive models (GAMs) to smooth the effect of location, a proxy for exposure, while adjusting for confounding variables. Results No high-risk areas for HM mortality were identified among all subjects (men and women combined), by applying both approaches. Using the adaptive KDE approach, we found a significant increase in death risk only among women in a large area 2–6 km southeast of the refinery and the application of GAMs also identified a similarly-located significant high-risk area among women only (global p-value<0.025). Potential confounding risk factors we considered in the GAM did not alter the results. Conclusion Both approaches identified a high-risk area close to the refinery among women only. Those spatial methods are useful tools for public policy management to determine priority areas for intervention. Our findings suggest several directions for further research in order to identify other potential environmental exposures that may be assessed in forthcoming studies based on detailed exposure modeling. PMID:26073202

Geophysical methods for locating abandoned wells

USGS Publications Warehouse

Frischknecht, Frank C.; Muth, L.; Grette, R.; Buckley, T.; Kornegay, B.

1983-01-01

A preliminary study of the feasibility of using geophysical exploration methods to locate abandoned wells containing steel casing indicated that magnetic methods promise to be effective and that some electrical techniques might be useful as auxiliary methods. Ground magnetic measurements made in the vicinity of several known cased wells yielded total field anomalies with peak values ranging from about 1,500 to 6,000 gammas. The anomalies measured on the ground are very narrow and, considering noise due to other cultural and geologic sources, a line spacing on the order of 50 feet (15.2 m) would be necessary to locate all casings in the test area. The mathematical model used to represent a casing was a set of magnetic pole pairs. By use of a non-linear least squares curve fitting (inversion) program, model parameters which characterize each test casing were determined. The position and strength of the uppermost pole was usually well resolved. The parameters of lower poles were not as well resolved but it appears that the results are adequate for predicting the anomalies which would be observed at aircraft altitudes. Modeling based on the parameters determined from the ground data indicates that all of the test casings could be detected by airborne measurements made at heights of 150 to 200 feet (45.7-61.0 m) above the ground, provided lines spaced as closely as 330 feet (100 m) were used and provided noise due to other cultural and geologic sources is not very large. Given the noise levels of currently available equipment and assuming very low magnetic gradients due to geologic sources, the detection range for total field measurements is greater than that for measurements of the horizontal or vertical gradient of the total intensity. Electrical self-potential anomalies were found to be associated with most of the casings where measurements were made. However, the anomalies tend to be very narrow and, in several cases, they are comparable in magnitude to other small anomalies which are not directly associated with casings. Measurements made with a terrain conductivity meter and slingram system were negative. However, from other work it is known that electrical resistivity and induced polarization measurements can be influenced significantly by the presence of a casing. It is concluded that detailed ground magnetic surveys would be effective in locating casings within relatively small areas. It would be very costly to cover large areas with ground surveys but it appears that airborne surveys may be a cost-effective means of locating wells when the search area is on the order of a few square miles or more. Also, airborne methods could be used in some areas where access to the area on the ground is difficult or impossible.

Fiberglass distribution poles: A case study

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

Miller, M.F.; Hosford, G.S.; Boozer, J.F. III

1995-01-01

This paper addresses the design considerations and manufacturing techniques along with mechanical test results of fiberglass reinforced composite (FRC) primary distribution poles. With it`s light weight, and virtually no maintenance it offers a viable alternative for use in remote and inaccessible locations. This paper also discusses a case study where seventy five FRC primary distribution poles have been installed on a distribution system in a remote area accessible only by foot and helicopter.

Best Practices Case Study: Pulte Homes and Communities of Del Webb, Las Vegas Division

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

None

2009-10-01

Case study of Pulte Homes Las Vegas Division, who certified nearly 1,200 homes to the DOE Builders Challenge between 2008 and 2012. All of the homes by Las Vegas’ biggest builder achieved HERS scores of lower than 70, and many floor plans got down to the mid 50s, with ducts located in sealed attics insulated along the roof line, advanced framing, and extra attention to air sealing.

Dynamic test results for the CASES ground experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bukley, Angelia P.; Patterson, Alan F.; Jones, Victoria L.

1993-01-01

The Controls, Astrophysics, and Structures Experiment in Space (CASES) Ground Test Facility (GTF) has been developed at Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) to provide a facility for the investigation of Controls/Structures Interaction (CSI) phenomena, to support ground testing of a potential shuttle-based CASES flight experiment, and to perform limited boom deployment and retraction dynamics studies. The primary objectives of the ground experiment are to investigate CSI on a test article representative of a Large Space Structure (LSS); provide a platform for Guest Investigators (GI's) to conduct CSI studies; to test and evaluate LSS control methodologies, system identification (ID) techniques, failure mode analysis; and to compare ground test predictions and flight results. The proposed CASES flight experiment consists of a 32 meter deployable/retractable boom at the end of which is an occulting plate. The control objective of the experiment is to maintain alignment of the tip plate (occulter) with a detector located at the base of the boom in the orbiter bay. The tip plate is pointed towards a star, the sun, or the galactic center to collect high-energy X-rays emitted by these sources. The tip plate, boom, and detector comprise a Fourier telescope. The occulting holes in the tip plate are approximately one millimeter in diameter making the alignment requirements quite stringent. Control authority is provided by bidirectional linear thrusters located at the boom tip and Angular Momentum Exchange Devices (AMED's) located at mid-boom and at the tip. The experiment embodies a number of CSI control problems including vibration suppression, pointing a long flexible structure, and disturbance rejection. The CASES GTF is representative of the proposed flight experiment with identical control objectives.

Machining fixture layout optimization using particle swarm optimization algorithm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dou, Jianping; Wang, Xingsong; Wang, Lei

2011-05-01

Optimization of fixture layout (locator and clamp locations) is critical to reduce geometric error of the workpiece during machining process. In this paper, the application of particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm is presented to minimize the workpiece deformation in the machining region. A PSO based approach is developed to optimize fixture layout through integrating ANSYS parametric design language (APDL) of finite element analysis to compute the objective function for a given fixture layout. Particle library approach is used to decrease the total computation time. The computational experiment of 2D case shows that the numbers of function evaluations are decreased about 96%. Case study illustrates the effectiveness and efficiency of the PSO based optimization approach.

Architecture for multi-technology real-time location systems.

PubMed

Rodas, Javier; Barral, Valentín; Escudero, Carlos J

2013-02-07

The rising popularity of location-based services has prompted considerable research in the field of indoor location systems. Since there is no single technology to support these systems, it is necessary to consider the fusion of the information coming from heterogeneous sensors. This paper presents a software architecture designed for a hybrid location system where we can merge information from multiple sensor technologies. The architecture was designed to be used by different kinds of actors independently and with mutual transparency: hardware administrators, algorithm developers and user applications. The paper presents the architecture design, work-flow, case study examples and some results to show how different technologies can be exploited to obtain a good estimation of a target position.

Protective effect of intradermal BCG against leprosy; a case-control study in central Brazil.

PubMed

Rodrigues, M L; Silva, S A; Neto, J C; de Andrade, A L; Martelli, C M; Zicker, F

1992-09-01

A case-control study was undertaken to evaluate the protective efficacy of intradermal BCG against leprosy in a high-endemic area of leprosy in central Brazil. Sixty-two cases and 186 controls were included in the study. Cases were all newly diagnosed leprosy patients under 16 years of age attending an outpatient health service, and all of them were schoolchildren. Three controls under 16 years old, frequency matched by sex and age group, were selected from schools geographically located in the area from which the cases came. The presence of BCG was negatively associated with leprosy, indicating a 5.3 risk of leprosy for those nonvaccinated and protective efficacy of 81%. Paucibacillary patients were more likely to have a BCG scar than multibacillary patients.

An outbreak of carbon monoxide poisoning after a major ice storm in Maine.

PubMed

Daley, W R; Smith, A; Paz-Argandona, E; Malilay, J; McGeehin, M

2000-01-01

Unintentional carbon monoxide (CO) exposure kills over 500 people in the U.S. annually. Outbreaks of CO poisoning have occurred after winter storms. The objective of this study was to describe clinical features and identify important risk factors of a CO poisoning outbreak occurring after a major ice storm. The study design included a case series of CO poisoning patients, a telephone survey of the general community, and a case-controlled study of households using specific CO sources. The setting was the primary service area of four hospital emergency departments located in the heavily storm-impacted interior region of Maine. Participants included all patients with a laboratory-confirmed diagnosis of CO poisoning during the 2 weeks after the storm onset, and a population-based comparison group of 522 households selected by random digit dialing. There were 100 cases identified, involving 42 common-source exposure incidents, most of them during the first week. Though classic CO symptoms of headache, dizziness, and nausea predominated, 9 patients presented with chest pain and 10 were asymptomatic. One patient died and 5 were transferred for hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Gasoline-powered electric generators were a CO source in 30 incidents, kerosene heaters in 8, and propane heaters in 4. In the community, 31.4% of households used a generator after the ice storm. The strongest risk factor for poisoning was locating a generator in a basement or an attached structure such as a garage. Cases of CO poisoning with various presentations can be expected in the early aftermath of a severe ice storm. Generators are a major CO source and generator location an important risk factor for such disasters.

Intraocular osseous metaplasia. A clinico-pathological study.

PubMed

Vemuganti, Geeta K; Honavar, Santosh G; Jalali, Subhadra

2002-09-01

To evaluate the clinico-pathologic features of intraocular osseous metaplasia. Pathology specimens of enucleated eyes submitted to the ophthalmic pathology service at a tertiary eye-care referral center between January 1995 and June 1999 were studied for intraocular osseous metaplasia. Specific histopathologic features noted in specimens with osseous metaplasia were the presence of retinal detachment, gliosis, retinal pigment epithelial hyperplasia, drusen, epiretinal membrane, fibrovascular proliferation and inflammation. Immunohistochemistry using monoclonal antibody against glial fibrillary acidic protein was performed to assess the glial component within the membranes and the proliferative vitreoretinal mass. Clinical records were reviewed and correlated with histopathologic findings. Osseous metaplasiaS was noted in 8 of 151 (5.2%) eyes examined. Clinical diagnosis in these was phthisis bulbi, staphyloma, absolute glaucoma and microphthalmos. Enucleation was performed for relief of symptoms (in painful blind eyes) or for cosmesis, and in an eye inciting sympathetic ophthalmia. Retinal detachment, gliosis and retinal pigment epithelial hyperplasia were noted in all the cases. Drusen with calcification or ossification (5 of 8), fibrovascular proliferation in the vitreous (5 of 8) and active inflammation (4 of 8) were the other associated histologic features. Location of ossification was subretinal in 3 cases, preretinal (ora serrata) in 1 case and in both locations in 4 cases. The eyes with subretinal osseous metaplasia had associated calcified drusen, while preretinal ossification was seen within the fibrovascular membranes. Chronic retinal detachment, hyperplasia and transdifferentiation of retinal pigment epithelium appear to be a few of the prerequisites for intraocular osseous metaplasia. Ossification can occur at isolated subretinal and preretinal locations or can involve both. Though a larger study is required to postulate the chronology of events, in this small series, isolated subretinal ossification appears to be initiated by calcification and ossification of drusen, while in the pre-retinal region it is associated with vitreoretinal proliferation.

[Analysis of human cyst echinococcosis in a northern Chilean region from 2008 to 2012].

PubMed

Soto-Aguilar, Andrea; Junod, Tania; Campillay, Mauricio; Acosta-Jamett, Gerardo; Landaeta-Aqueveque, Carlos

2017-05-01

The Coquimbo Region in Chile has the highest incidence of hydatidosis in central and northern Chile. To analyze the incidence of human cystic echinococcosis (CE) in the Coquimbo Region between 2008 and 2012. Official records of reported cases were analyzed. The association of the location, age and sex with the presence/absence of CE was analyzed by means of logistic regressions. The incidence was reported as cases per 100,000 inhabitants. The mean annual incidence was 2.6 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, which ranged from 3.1 (2010) to 1.9 (2012) cases. The districts with higher incidence were Punitaqui (21.2 cases), Paihuano (9 cases), Rio Hurtado (8 cases), Canela (8.1 cases), Monte Patria (7.9 cases), Vicuña (6.9 cases) and Combarbalá (6.9 cases). The incidence in these locations was significantly higher than elsewhere in the region. Males had a significantly higher incidence than females (3.3 and 1.8 respectively). Incidence increased significantly with age, notably increasing after 45 years of age. Rural locations had the highest incidences of CE in the Coquimbo Region. The disease was reported more commonly in adults and mainly in men.

Numerical modelling for quantitative environmental risk assessment for the disposal of drill cuttings and mud

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wahab, Mohd Amirul Faiz Abdul; Shaufi Sokiman, Mohamad; Parsberg Jakobsen, Kim

2017-10-01

To investigate the fate of drilling waste and their impacts towards surrounding environment, numerical models were generated using an environmental software; MIKE by DHI. These numerical models were used to study the transportation of suspended drill waste plumes in the water column and its deposition on seabed in South China Sea (SCS). A random disposal site with the model area of 50 km × 25 km was selected near the Madalene Shoal in SCS and the ambient currents as well as other meteorological conditions were simulated in details at the proposed location. This paper was focusing on sensitivity study of different drill waste particle characteristics on impacts towards marine receiving environment. The drilling scenarios were obtained and adapted from the oil producer well at offshore Sabah (Case 1) and data from actual exploration drilling case at Pumbaa location (PL 469) in the Norwegian Sea (Case 2). The two cases were compared to study the effect of different drilling particle characteristics and their behavior in marine receiving environment after discharged. Using the Hydrodynamic and Sediment Transport models simulated in MIKE by DHI, the variation of currents and the behavior of the drilling waste particles can be analyzed and evaluated in terms of multiple degree zones of impacts.

The Style As a Factor of Office Building Concentration Locations in European Cities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bocian, Anna

2017-03-01

Where should office building concentrations be located in cities? What kind of factors has an influence on its locations? The aim of the research is to examine factors of office locations in cities. Selected office building concentrations in European cities were investigated as case studies. The research method was the spatial decision paradigm. The style, one of the main elements of the paradigm, was selected to answer the research question. The style was defined a composition of existing urban structures. Basic elements of urban composition in selected European cities were examined closely. Research results are conditions of office building concentration locations in European cities in term of urban composition. Such knowledge should be a base of decision-making processe during preparing master plans and city development plans.

Flexible public transportation services in Florida.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-08-01

This synthesis research provides an overview of the current use of flexible transportation services in Florida through administration of a survey and subsequent identification and examination of case study locations. The research included a literatur...

The discrimination of geoforensic trace material from close proximity locations by organic profiling using HPLC and plant wax marker analysis by GC.

PubMed

McCulloch, G; Dawson, L A; Ross, J M; Morgan, R M

2018-07-01

There is a need to develop a wider empirical research base to expand the scope for utilising the organic fraction of soil in forensic geoscience, and to demonstrate the capability of the analytical techniques used in forensic geoscience to discriminate samples at close proximity locations. The determination of wax markers from soil samples by GC analysis has been used extensively in court and is known to be effective in discriminating samples from different land use types. A new HPLC method for the analysis of the organic fraction of forensic sediment samples has also been shown recently to add value in conjunction with existing inorganic techniques for the discrimination of samples derived from close proximity locations. This study compares the ability of these two organic techniques to discriminate samples derived from close proximity locations and finds the GC technique to provide good discrimination at this scale, providing quantification of known compounds, whilst the HPLC technique offered a shorter and simpler sample preparation method and provided very good discrimination between groups of samples of different provenance in most cases. The use of both data sets together gave further improved accuracy rates in some cases, suggesting that a combined organic approach can provide added benefits in certain case scenarios and crime reconstruction contexts. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Theorizing Social Justice Ambiguities in an Era of Neoliberalism: The Case of Postapartheid South Africa

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Subreenduth, Sharon

2013-01-01

In this essay, Sharon Subreenduth explores how social justice policies have both global-local and historical dynamics and maintains that, as a result, dominant Western models of social justice limit engagement with alternative modes of understanding social justice in non-Western locations. She uses the South African experience as a case study for…

40 CFR Appendix D to Part 58 - Network Design Criteria for Ambient Air Quality Monitoring

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... residential district. In this case, one location is representative of a neighborhood of small scale sites and... least one of the required FRM/FEM/ARM monitors is itself a continuous FEM or ARM monitor in which case... studies. 4.7.5Special Network Considerations Required When Using PM2.5 Spatial Averaging Approaches. (a...

40 CFR Appendix D to Part 58 - Network Design Criteria for Ambient Air Quality Monitoring

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... residential district. In this case, one location is representative of a neighborhood of small scale sites and... least one of the required FRM/FEM/ARM monitors is itself a continuous FEM or ARM monitor in which case... studies. 4.7.5Special Network Considerations Required When Using PM2.5 Spatial Averaging Approaches. (a...

40 CFR Appendix D to Part 58 - Network Design Criteria for Ambient Air Quality Monitoring

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... residential district. In this case, one location is representative of a neighborhood of small scale sites and... least one of the required FRM/FEM/ARM monitors is itself a continuous FEM or ARM monitor in which case... studies. 4.7.5Special Network Considerations Required When Using PM2.5 Spatial Averaging Approaches. (a...

Employee Time-Off for Public Schools: Stories of Five Corporate Trailblazers and Two Chambers of Commerce.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Soussou, Helen

This monograph looks at five cases in which corporations have developed programs that permit their employees to take time off for their children's schooling. Three major corporations, one mid-sized business, and a small business are included. All of the case studies involve North Carolina-based institutions in two geographic locations, one urban…

Management of Ingested Hijab-Pin.

PubMed

Hubara, Evyatar; Ling, Galina; Pinsk, Vered; Lior, Yotam; Daniel, Sharon; Zuckerman, Shalev; Yerushalmi, Baruch

2017-06-01

Accidental swallowing of hijab (or turban) pin was reported mainly among adolescent girls. Current guidelines indicate emergent intervention endoscopy in case a long sharp object is found in the gastrointestinal tract. The aims of the current study are to present the results of an observational approach and to assess the need for intervention. A retrospective cohort study was conducted including all 5-18-year-old patients who presented with hijab-pin ingestion between 2003 and 2014. The need for intervention was assessed using both univariable and multivariable statistical analyses. Two hundred three cases of hijab-pin ingestion were documented. In the majority of cases, the pin was observed in the stomach (137/203, 67.4%) upon arrival. Most pins that were located at the upper gastrointestinal tract (proximal to the ligament of Treitz) ejected spontaneously (120/169, 71%, Pv = 0.005). The absence of pin progression in an X-ray performed 12 h following presentation was significantly more frequent in the intervention group (46/51, 90%, Pv = 0.001). In most cases, the outcome is spontaneous ejection from the digestive tract. However, if needle location remains unchanged on two consecutive X-rays, an endoscopic intervention is recommended.

A case-case study of mobile phone use and acoustic neuroma risk in Japan.

PubMed

Sato, Yasuto; Akiba, Suminori; Kubo, Osami; Yamaguchi, Naohito

2011-02-01

Results of case-control studies of mobile phone use and acoustic neuroma have been inconsistent. We conducted a case-case study of mobile phone use and acoustic neuroma using a self-administered postal questionnaire. A total of 1589 cases identified in 22 hospitals throughout Japan were invited to participate, and 787 cases (51%) actually participated. Associations between laterality of mobile phone use prior to the reference dates (1 and 5 years before diagnosis) and tumor location were analyzed. The overall risk ratio was 1.08 (95% confidence interval (CI), 0.93-1.28) for regular mobile phone use until 1 year before diagnosis and 1.14 (95% CI, 0.96-1.40) for regular mobile phone use until 5 years before diagnosis. A significantly increased risk was identified for mobile phone use for >20 min/day on average, with risk ratios of 2.74 at 1 year before diagnosis, and 3.08 at 5 years before diagnosis. Cases with ipsilateral combination of tumor location and more frequently used ear were found to have tumors with smaller diameters, suggesting an effect of detection bias. Furthermore, analysis of the distribution of left and right tumors suggested an effect of tumor-side-related recall bias for recall of mobile phone use at 5 years before diagnosis. The increased risk identified for mobile phone users with average call duration >20 min/day should be interpreted with caution, taking into account the possibilities of detection and recall biases. However, we could not conclude that the increased risk was entirely explicable by these biases, leaving open the possibility that mobile phone use increased the risk of acoustic neuroma. Copyright © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Opportunities for co-location of solar PV with agriculture for cost reductions and carbon, water, and energy footprint mitigation in the tropics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choi, C. S.; Macknick, J.; Ravi, S.

2017-12-01

Recently, co-locating the production of agricultural crops or biofuels with solar photovoltaics (PV) installations has been studied as a possible strategy to mitigate the environmental impacts and the high cost of solar PV in arid and semi-arid regions. Co-located PV and agricultural systems can provide multiple benefits in these areas related to water savings, erosion control, energy access, and rural economic development. However, such studies have been rare for water-rich, land-limited tropical countries, where ideal agricultural growing conditions can be substantially different from those in arid regions. We consider a case study in Indonesia to address this research gap. As the fourth most populous nation with an ever-growing energy demand and high vulnerability to the effects of climate change, Indonesia is being prompted to develop means to electrify approximately one-fifth of its population that still lacks access to the grid without incurring increases in its carbon footprint. We address the following questions to explore the feasibility and the benefits of co-location of solar PV with patchouli cultivation and essential oil production: i) How do the lifetime carbon, water, and energy footprints per unit land area of co-located solar PV/patchouli compare to those of standalone diesel microgrid, solar PV or patchouli cultivation? ii) Does energy production from standalone solar PV, diesel/solar PV microgrid, or co-located solar PV/patchouli systems satisfy energy demands of a typical rural Indonesian village? iii) How does the net economic return of the co-located system compare to each standalone land use? iv) How can surplus energy from the co-located system benefit rural socioeconomics? To answer these questions, life cycle assessment and economic analysis are performed for each of the standalone and the co-located land uses utilizing known values and data collected from a field visit to the island of Java in Indonesia. Then, sensitivity analyses and Monte Carlo simulations are performed to examine the range of possible economic outcomes and net carbon, water, and energy footprints per unit area. Interviews and existing case studies are used to examine the rural socioeconomic outcomes and opportunities of the surplus energy.

A firefly algorithm for solving competitive location-design problem: a case study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sadjadi, Seyed Jafar; Ashtiani, Milad Gorji; Ramezanian, Reza; Makui, Ahmad

2016-12-01

This paper aims at determining the optimal number of new facilities besides specifying both the optimal location and design level of them under the budget constraint in a competitive environment by a novel hybrid continuous and discrete firefly algorithm. A real-world application of locating new chain stores in the city of Tehran, Iran, is used and the results are analyzed. In addition, several examples have been solved to evaluate the efficiency of the proposed model and algorithm. The results demonstrate that the performed method provides good-quality results for the test problems.

General practitioners: Between integration and co-location. The case of primary care centers in Tuscany, Italy.

PubMed

Barsanti, Sara; Bonciani, Manila

2018-01-01

Healthcare systems have followed several strategies aimed at integrating primary care services and professionals. Medical homes in the USA and Canada, and primary care centres across Europe have collocated general practitioners and other health and social professionals in the same building in order to boost coordination among services and the continuity of care for patients. However, in the literature, the impact of co-location on primary care has led to controversial results. This article analyses the possible benefits of the co-location of services in primary care focusing on the Italian model of primary care centres (Case della Salute) in terms of general practitioners' perception. We used the results of a web survey of general practitioners in Tuscany to compare the experiences and satisfaction of those general practitioners involved and not involved in a primary care centre, performed a MONAVA and ANOVA analysis. Our case study highlights the positive impact of co-location on the integration of professionals, especially with nurses and social workers, and on organizational integration, in terms of frequency of meeting to discuss about quality of care. Conversely, no significant differences were found in terms of either clinical or system integration. Furthermore, the collaboration with specialists is still weak. Considering the general practitioners' perspective in terms of experience and satisfaction towards primary care, co-location strategies is a necessary step in order to facilitate the collaboration among professionals and to prevent unintended consequences in terms of an even possible isolation of primary care as an involuntary 'disintegration of the integration'.

To what extent does climate explain variations in reported malaria cases in early 20th century Uganda?

PubMed

Tompkins, Adrian M; Larsen, Laragh; McCreesh, Nicky; Taylor, David

2016-03-31

Malaria case statistics were analysed for the period 1926 to 1960 to identify inter-annual variations in malaria cases for the Uganda Protectorate. The analysis shows the mid-to-late 1930s to be a period of increased reported cases. After World War II, malaria cases trend down to a relative minimum in the early 1950s, before increasing rapidly after 1953 to the end of the decade. Data for the Western Province confirm these national trends, which at the time were attributed to a wide range of causes, including land development and management schemes, population mobility, interventions and misdiagnosis. Climate was occasionally proposed as a contributor to enhanced case numbers, and unusual precipitation patterns were held responsible; temperature was rarely, if ever, considered. In this study, a dynamical malaria model was driven with available precipitation and temperature data from the period for five stations located across a range of environments in Uganda. In line with the historical data, the simulations produced relatively enhanced transmission in the 1930s, although there is considerable variability between locations. In all locations, malaria transmission was low in the late 1940s and early 1950s, steeply increasing after 1954. Results indicate that past climate variability explains some of the variations in numbers of reported malaria cases. The impact of multiannual variability in temperature, while only on the order of 0.5°C, was sufficient to drive some of the trends observed in the statistics and thus the role of climate was likely underestimated in the contemporary reports. As the elimination campaigns of the 1960s followed this partly climate-driven increase in malaria, this emphasises the need to account for climate when planning and evaluating intervention strategies.

A GWAS meta-analysis and replication study identifies a novel locus within CLPTM1L/TERT associated with nasopharyngeal carcinoma in individuals of Chinese ancestry

PubMed Central

Yu, Kai; Chin, Yoon-Ming; Lou, Pei-Jen; Hsu, Wan-Lun; McKay, James D.; Chen, Chien-Jen; Chang, Yu-Sun; Chen, Li-Zhen; Chen, Ming-Yuan; Cui, Qian; Feng, Fu-Tuo; Feng, Qi-Shen; Guo, Yun-Miao; Jia, Wei-Hua; Khoo, Alan Soo-Beng; Liu, Wen-Sheng; Mo, Hao-Yuan; Pua, Kin-Choo; Teo, Soo-Hwang; Tse, Ka-Po; Xia, Yun-Fei; Zhang, Hongxin; Zhou, Gang-Qiao; Liu, Jian-Jun; Zeng, Yi-Xin; Hildesheim, Allan

2015-01-01

Background Genetic loci within the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) have been associated with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), an Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-associated cancer, in several GWAS. Results outside this region have varied. Methods We conducted a meta-analysis of four NPC GWAS among Chinese individuals (2,152 cases;3,740 controls). 43 noteworthy findings outside the MHC region were identified and targeted for replication in a pooled analysis of 4 independent case-control studies across 3 regions in Asia (4,716 cases;5,379 controls). A meta-analysis that combined results from the initial GWA and replication studies was performed. Results In the combined meta-analysis, rs31489, located within the CLPTM1L/TERT region on chromosome 5p15.33, was strongly associated with NPC (OR=0.81;p-value 6.3*10−13). Our results also provide support for associations reported from published NPC GWAS - rs6774494 (p = 1.5*10−12;located in the MECOM gene region), rs9510787 (p = 5.0*10−10;located in the TNFRSF19 gene region), and rs1412829/rs4977756/rs1063192 (p = 2.8*10−8,p = 7.0*10−7,and p = 8.4*10−7 respectively;located in the CDKN2A/B gene region). Conclusion We have identified a novel association between genetic variation in the CLPTM1L/TERT region and NPC. Supporting our finding, rs31489 and other SNPs in this region have been reported to be associated with multiple cancer sites, candidate-based studies have reported associations between polymorphisms in this region and NPC, the TERT gene is important for telomere maintenance and has been reported to be over-expressed in NPC, and an EBV protein expressed in NPC (LMP1) modulates TERT expression/telomerase activity. Impact Our finding suggests that factors involved in telomere length maintenance are involved in NPC pathogenesis. PMID:26545403

Neoplastic disease in a medicolegal autopsy material. A retrospective study in northern Sweden.

PubMed

Gezelius, C; Eriksson, A

1988-01-01

Only a small fraction of sudden unexpected deaths are caused by neoplastic disease and thus subject ot medicolegal autopsy. The medicolegal autopsy forms an opportunity to study not only medically diagnosed and treated neoplasms, but also the natural evolution of untreated disease. In a series of 7,020 consecutive medicolegal autopsies in northern Sweden, we found 171 cases with malignant and/or intracranial neoplasms. In 41 cases, sudden death was caused by previously unknown tumors. The most common mechanisms of death in this group were disseminated cancer, intracranial tumors, pulmonary thromboembolism, hemoptysis, and aspiration of blood, and the most common locations were the bronchi and the lung. In some of these cases, the mechanism was sometimes dramatic, raising a question of violent death or intoxication. In 30 cases, sudden unexpected death was caused by previously known tumors, and also in this group disseminated cancer was the most common cause of death, and the most common locations were the bronchi and the lung. In 22 cases, tumors were found suicidal cases; in 14 of these, the tumor was considered to be a major causative factor to the suicide, while in eight cases the tumor was considered to be an incidental finding. The expected number of cancers in the 1,060 suicides investigated in this series was 27, according to the official cancer prevalence data. Thus, a possible over-representation of suicides among persons with cancer seems doubtful and needs further exploration.

Evaluation of Tsunami Hazards in Kuwait from Possible Earthquake and Landslide Sources considering Effect of Natural Tide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Latcharote, P.

2016-12-01

Kuwait is one of the most important oil producers to the world and most of population and many vital facilities are located along the coasts. However, even with low or unknown tsunami risk, it is important to investigate tsunami hazards in this country to ensure safety of life and sustain the global economy. This study aimed to evaluate tsunami hazards along the coastal areas of Kuwait from both earthquake and landslide sources using numerical modeling. Tsunami generation and propagation was simulated using the two-layer model and the TUNAMI model. Four cases of earthquake scenarios are expected to generate tsunami along the Makran Subduction Zone (MSZ) based on historical events and worst cases possible to simulate tsunami propagation to the coastal areas of the Arabian Gulf. Case 1 (Mw 8.3) and Case 2 (Mw 8.3) are the replication of the 1945 Makran earthquake, whereas Case 3 (Mw 8.6) and Case 4 (Mw 9.0) are the worst-case scenarios. Tsunami numerical simulation was modelled with mesh size 30 arc-second using bathymetry and topography data from GEBCO. Preliminary results suggested that tsunamis generated by Case 1 and Case 2 will impose very small effects to Kuwait (< 0.1 m) while Case 3 and Case 4 can generate maximum tsunami amplitude up to 0.3 m to 1.0 m after 12 hours from the earthquake. In addition, this study considered tsunamis generated by landslide along the opposite Iranian coast of Kuwait bay. To preliminarily assess tsunami hazards, coastal landslides were assumed occurred at the volume of 1.0-2.0 km3 at three possible locations from their topographic features. The preliminary results revealed that tsunami generated by coastal landslides could impose a significant tsunami impact to Kuwait having maximum tsunami amplitude at the Falika Island in front of Kuwait bay and Azzour power and desalination plant about 0.5 m- 1.1 m depending on landslide volume and energy dissipation. Future works will include more accuracy of tsunami numerical simulation with higher resolution of bathymetry and topography data in order to investigate tsunami inundation. Furthermore, detailed analysis on possible landslide sources will be performed by means of 3D-slope stability analysis in order to know the exact locations and landslide volumes taking into account the geological conditions, such as surface elevation and soil property data.

Anonymity and Historical-Anonymity in Location-Based Services

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bettini, Claudio; Mascetti, Sergio; Wang, X. Sean; Freni, Dario; Jajodia, Sushil

The problem of protecting user’s privacy in Location-Based Services (LBS) has been extensively studied recently and several defense techniques have been proposed. In this contribution, we first present a categorization of privacy attacks and related defenses. Then, we consider the class of defense techniques that aim at providing privacy through anonymity and in particular algorithms achieving “historical k- anonymity” in the case of the adversary obtaining a trace of requests recognized as being issued by the same (anonymous) user. Finally, we investigate the issues involved in the experimental evaluation of anonymity based defense techniques; we show that user movement simulations based on mostly random movements can lead to overestimate the privacy protection in some cases and to overprotective techniques in other cases. The above results are obtained by comparison to a more realistic simulation with an agent-based simulator, considering a specific deployment scenario.

The Study of Attachment between Distribution Pattern of Land Price and Apartments Price (Case Study: Vertical Housing Development in Administration City of South Jakarta)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sugiyantoro; Christian, B.; Arianto, R.

2018-05-01

Land and it’s utilization on housing development undoubtedly have become an essential issue in various studies. The comprehension on each locations of the case has allowed several important studies of particular patterns related to the capacity of land and housing market. Especially Jakarta as the most promising area for property business, also has the highest lands and apartments price in Indonesia. Land and apartment are considered as the most unique commodities, highly profitable. But since 2014, there has been lots of warnings about possibility of apartments oversupply; stagnation of apartment sales also has been indicated in locations at the edge of this city, which will enable the demand’s transition from landed house to apartment, as form of vertical housing. Based on fundamental theories of land and apartment pricing, the research presumes that apartment development is considered as an effort of land intensifications, to trigger the enhancement of land prices in particular locations. Therefore, this research means to comprehend the correlation of distribution pattern of lands price with apartments price. The location’s selection is based on expansion of the urban development of Jakarta Metropolitan Area to southern region which has become a general tendency.

Indoor tanning in businesses and homes and risk of melanoma and nonmelanoma skin cancer in 2 US case-control studies.

PubMed

Ferrucci, Leah M; Vogel, Rachel Isaksson; Cartmel, Brenda; Lazovich, DeAnn; Mayne, Susan T

2014-11-01

Indoor tanning increases skin cancer risk. Beyond early research describing melanoma and sun lamps, few recent reports describe where individuals indoor tan and whether skin cancer risk varies by location (business, home-based). We sought to assess where individuals tanned indoors and skin cancer risk by tanning device location. Multivariate logistic regression was conducted in 2 US case-control studies of melanoma (1161 cases, 1083 controls, ages 25-59 years) and early-onset basal cell carcinoma (375 cases, 382 controls, age<40 years) conducted between 2004 and 2010. Most indoor tanners (86.4%-95.1%), especially younger individuals, tanned exclusively in businesses. Persons who used indoor tanning exclusively in businesses were at increased risk of melanoma (odds ratio 1.82, 95% confidence interval 1.47-2.26) and basal cell carcinoma (odds ratio 1.69, 95% confidence interval 1.15-2.48) compared with non-users. Melanoma risk was also increased in the small number who reported tanning indoors only at home relative to non-users (odds ratio 4.14, 95% confidence interval 1.75-9.78); 67.6% used sun lamps. Self-reported tanning and potential recall bias are limitations. Business-only tanning, despite claims of "safe" tanning, was positively associated with a significant risk of melanoma and basal cell carcinoma. Home tanning was uncommon and mostly from sun lamps, which were rarely used by younger participants. Regardless of location, indoor tanning was associated with increased risk of skin cancer. Copyright © 2014 American Academy of Dermatology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The use of a geographic information system to identify a dairy goat farm as the most likely source of an urban Q-fever outbreak.

PubMed

Schimmer, Barbara; Ter Schegget, Ronald; Wegdam, Marjolijn; Züchner, Lothar; de Bruin, Arnout; Schneeberger, Peter M; Veenstra, Thijs; Vellema, Piet; van der Hoek, Wim

2010-03-16

A Q-fever outbreak occurred in an urban area in the south of the Netherlands in May 2008. The distribution and timing of cases suggested a common source. We studied the spatial relationship between the residence locations of human cases and nearby small ruminant farms, of which one dairy goat farm had experienced abortions due to Q-fever since mid April 2008. A generic geographic information system (GIS) was used to develop a method for source detection in the still evolving major epidemic of Q-fever in the Netherlands. All notified Q-fever cases in the area were interviewed. Postal codes of cases and of small ruminant farms (size >40 animals) located within 5 kilometres of the cluster area were geo-referenced as point locations in a GIS-model. For each farm, attack rates and relative risks were calculated for 5 concentric zones adding 1 kilometre at a time, using the 5-10 kilometres zone as reference. These data were linked to the results of veterinary investigations. Persons living within 2 kilometres of an affected dairy goat farm (>400 animals) had a much higher risk for Q-fever than those living more than 5 kilometres away (Relative risk 31.1 [95% CI 16.4-59.1]). The study supported the hypothesis that a single dairy goat farm was the source of the human outbreak. GIS-based attack rate analysis is a promising tool for source detection in outbreaks of human Q-fever.

NARDAC (Naval Regional Data Automation Command) Operations: A Case Study.

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-09-01

Long Beach, 1974 Sutmitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER CF SCIENCI IN INFORMATION SYSTIES from the NAVAL...various pirts of the material Command. Therefore, it is appropriate to Zonsider centralizing the execution of these functions in NAVMAT. An...the Nance Committee recommended that the new ADP command be located under Chief of Naval Material (CNM) with a residual staff located under OP-094 to

Protein self-marking by ectoparasites: a case study using bed bugs

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

1. The ability to mark individuals is a critical feature of many ecological and evolutionary investigations, including dispersal studies. Insect dispersal is generally investigated using mark-release-recapture techniques, whereby marked individuals are released at a known location and then captured ...

Ownership reform and the changing manufacturing landscape in Chinese cities: The case of Wuxi.

PubMed

Zhou, Lei; Yang, Shan; Wang, Shuguang; Xiong, Liyang

2017-01-01

Since the economic transition, manufacturing in China has undergone profound changes not only in number of enterprises, but also in ownership structure and intra-urban spatial distribution. Investigating the changing manufacturing landscape from the perspective of ownership structure is critical to a deep understanding of the changing role of market and government in re-shaping manufacturing location behavior. Through a case study of Wuxi, a city experiencing comprehensive ownership reform, this paper presents a detailed analysis of the intra-urban spatial shift of manufacturing, identifies the location discrepancies, and examines the underlying forces responsible for the geographical differentiations. Through zone- and district-based analysis, a distinctive trend of decentralization and suburbanization, as well as an uneven distribution of manufacturing, is unveiled. The results of Location Quotient analysis show that the distribution of manufacturing by ownership exhibits distinctive spatial patterns, which is characterized by a historically-based, market-led, and institutionally-created spatial variation. By employing Hot Spot analysis, the role of development zones in attracting manufacturing enterprises of different ownerships is established. Overall, the location behavior of the diversified manufacturing has been increasingly based on the forces of market since the land marketization began. A proactive role played by local governments has also guided the enterprise location decision through spatial planning and regulatory policies.

Ownership reform and the changing manufacturing landscape in Chinese cities: The case of Wuxi

PubMed Central

Zhou, Lei; Yang, Shan; Wang, Shuguang

2017-01-01

Since the economic transition, manufacturing in China has undergone profound changes not only in number of enterprises, but also in ownership structure and intra-urban spatial distribution. Investigating the changing manufacturing landscape from the perspective of ownership structure is critical to a deep understanding of the changing role of market and government in re-shaping manufacturing location behavior. Through a case study of Wuxi, a city experiencing comprehensive ownership reform, this paper presents a detailed analysis of the intra-urban spatial shift of manufacturing, identifies the location discrepancies, and examines the underlying forces responsible for the geographical differentiations. Through zone- and district-based analysis, a distinctive trend of decentralization and suburbanization, as well as an uneven distribution of manufacturing, is unveiled. The results of Location Quotient analysis show that the distribution of manufacturing by ownership exhibits distinctive spatial patterns, which is characterized by a historically-based, market-led, and institutionally-created spatial variation. By employing Hot Spot analysis, the role of development zones in attracting manufacturing enterprises of different ownerships is established. Overall, the location behavior of the diversified manufacturing has been increasingly based on the forces of market since the land marketization began. A proactive role played by local governments has also guided the enterprise location decision through spatial planning and regulatory policies. PMID:28278284

Roundabouts : an Arizona case study and design guidelines

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2003-07-01

The roundabouts controlling traffic at the I-17/Happy Valley Road interchange represent Arizona's first application of modern roundabout traffic control in this manner. The construction of roundabouts at this interchange location served to alleviate ...

Influence of trap location on the efficiency of trapping in dendrimers and regular hyperbranched polymers.

PubMed

Lin, Yuan; Zhang, Zhongzhi

2013-03-07

The trapping process in polymer systems constitutes a fundamental mechanism for various other dynamical processes taking place in these systems. In this paper, we study the trapping problem in two representative polymer networks, Cayley trees and Vicsek fractals, which separately model dendrimers and regular hyperbranched polymers. Our goal is to explore the impact of trap location on the efficiency of trapping in these two important polymer systems, with the efficiency being measured by the average trapping time (ATT) that is the average of source-to-trap mean first-passage time over every staring point in the whole networks. For Cayley trees, we derive an exact analytic formula for the ATT to an arbitrary trap node, based on which we further obtain the explicit expression of ATT for the case that the trap is uniformly distributed. For Vicsek fractals, we provide the closed-form solution for ATT to a peripheral node farthest from the central node, as well as the numerical solutions for the case when the trap is placed on other nodes. Moreover, we derive the exact formula for the ATT corresponding to the trapping problem when the trap has a uniform distribution over all nodes. Our results show that the influence of trap location on the trapping efficiency is completely different for the two polymer networks. In Cayley trees, the leading scaling of ATT increases with the shortest distance between the trap and the central node, implying that trap's position has an essential impact on the trapping efficiency; while in Vicsek fractals, the effect of location of the trap is negligible, since the dominant behavior of ATT is identical, respective of the location where the trap is placed. We also present that for all cases of trapping problems being studied, the trapping process is more efficient in Cayley trees than in Vicsek fractals. We demonstrate that all differences related to trapping in the two polymer systems are rooted in their underlying topological structures.

Repairing casing at a gas storage field

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

Hollenbaugh, B.

1992-09-01

This paper reports on the Leyden gas storage field which is a 1.5-Bcf working volume underground gas storage facility locating at the northwest edge of the Denver, Colo., metropolitan area. The field is owned by Public Service Co. of Colorado and operated by its wholly owned subsidiary, Western Gas Supply Co. Logging technology was instrumental in locating casing damage at two wells, identifying the extent of the damage and ensuring a successful repair. The well casings were repaired by installing a liner between two packers, with one packer set above the damage and the other set below it. Special equipmentmore » and procedures were required for workover and drilling operations because of the complications associated with cavern storage. Logging technology can locate damaged casing and evaluate the type and extent of the damage, and also predict the probability of gas migration behind the casing.« less

Mid-Season Influenza Vaccine Effectiveness Estimates for the 2016-2017 Influenza Season (Open Access Publisher’s Version)

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-08-01

controls ; AFHSB used healthy controls (matched to cases by sex, age, date [+/– 3 days] and location). bAFHSB-AF adjusted for age group , month of illness...presented in this report. M E T H O D S The AFHSB–Air Force Satellite Cell (AFHSB-AF) conducted a test-negative case- control study using data from the...ILI). Influenza cases were identified using reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) or viral culture; controls were ILI patients

Optimization of location routing inventory problem with transshipment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghani, Nor Edayu Abd; Shariff, S. Sarifah Radiah; Zahari, Siti Meriam

2015-05-01

Location Routing Inventory Problem (LRIP) is a collaboration of the three components in the supply chain. It is confined by location-allocation, vehicle routing and inventory management. The aim of the study is to minimize the total system cost in the supply chain. Transshipment is introduced in order to allow the products to be shipped to a customer who experiences a shortage, either directly from the supplier or from another customer. In the study, LRIP is introduced with the transshipment (LRIPT) and customers act as the transshipment points. We select the transshipment point by using the p-center and we present the results in two divisions of cases. Based on the analysis, the results indicated that LRIPT performed well compared to LRIP.

Improved resource use decisions and actions through remote sensing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hill-Rowley, R.; Boylan, M.; Enslin, W.; Vlasin, R. D.

1975-01-01

Operational uses of remote sensing for improving management decisions and actions concerning resource uses are considered in terms of first generation, or direct-action; and second generation or indirect, delayed-action applications. From among applications completed during 1974-75, seven case studies are offered in illustration of the many contrasts which can be drawn between first and second generation application studies. These include: (1) multi-agency river basin planning; (2) corridor assessment and route location for highway location together with improvement of county-level planning decisions; (3) improving timber management practices; (4) enforcement of new state statutes; (5) county-wide open space preservation; (6) land value reappraisal relative to property tax equalization; and (7) optimizing agri-business processing plant locations.

ASSESSING CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS ON THE STABILITY OF SMALL TIDAL INLETS: Part 2- DATA RICH ENVIRONMENTS.

PubMed

Duong, Trang Minh; Ranasinghe, Roshanka; Thatcher, Marcus; Mahanama, Sarith; Wang, Zheng Bing; Dissanayake, Pushpa Kumara; Hemer, Mark; Luijendijk, Arjen; Bamunawala, Janaka; Roelvink, Dano; Walstra, Dirkjan

2018-01-01

Climate change (CC) is likely to affect the thousands of bar-built or barrier estuaries (here referred to as Small tidal inlets - STIs) around the world. Any such CC impacts on the stability of STIs, which governs the dynamics of STIs as well as that of the inlet-adjacent coastline, can result in significant socio-economic consequences due to the heavy human utilisation of these systems and their surrounds. This article demonstrates the application of a process based snap-shot modelling approach, using the coastal morphodynamic model Delft3D , to 3 case study sites representing the 3 main STI types; Permanently open, locationally stable inlets (Type 1), Permanently open, alongshore migrating inlets (Type 2) and Seasonally/Intermittently open, locationally stable inlets (Type 3). The 3 case study sites (Negombo lagoon - Type 1, Kalutara lagoon - Type 2, and Maha Oya river - Type 3) are all located along the southwest coast of Sri Lanka. After successful hydrodynamic and morphodynamic model validation at the 3 case study sites, CC impact assessment are undertaken for a high end greenhouse gas emission scenario. Future CC modified wave and riverflow conditions are derived from a regional scale application of spectral wave models (WaveWatch III and SWAN) and catchment scale applications of a hydrologic model (CLSM) respectively, both of which are forced with IPCC Global Climate Model output dynamically downscaled to ~ 50 km resolution over the study area with the stretched grid Conformal Cubic Atmospheric Model CCAM. Results show that while all 3 case study STIs will experience significant CC driven variations in their level of stability, none of them will change Type by the year 2100. Specifically, the level of stability of the Type 1 inlet will decrease from 'Good' to 'Fair to poor' by 2100, while the level of (locational) stability of the Type 2 inlet will also decrease with a doubling of the annual migration distance. Conversely, the stability of the Type 3 inlet will increase, with the time till inlet closure increasing by ~75%. The main contributor to the overall CC effect on the stability of all 3 STIs is CC driven variations in wave conditions and resulting changes in longshore sediment transport, not Sea level rise as commonly believed.

[Investigation of geographic relationship between farmer's market with live birds and human infections with avian influenza A(H7N9)virus based on internet data analysis].

PubMed

Yu, Weiwen; Du, Pengcheng; Chen, Chen; Lu, Shan; Kan, Biao; Du, Xiaoping; Xu, Jianguo

2014-03-01

Farmer's markets with live birds (FMLB) are key sites where human infections by influenza A virus subtype H7N9 happened. Approximately 80% cases have exposed to FMLB. This study is to investigate the geographic relationship between FMLB and human cases based on analysis of internet data of their geographic locations. Using big data from internet, we searched all FMLB in the cities where the human cases have been reported, then analyzed geographic relations, and evaluated the possibility of visits of the patients to the FMLB around them. The densities of FMLB, population and live poultries were also analyzed. Forty-two cities and 10 615 markets were included in the study. It is indicated that the number of human cases has positive correlations with the population density, the number and density of markets. Except three markets in Foshan, human cases have been reported within 5 km of 10 of 13 markets, which shows that the live bird trading is highly relevant with the distribution of cases. We identified 13 hot spots in the cities including Hangzhou, Shenzhen, et al, where clustered cases have emerged. The numbers of human cases are significantly high in cities where FMLB are detected positive for H7N9 virus. These virus positive markets usually affect the people's residence within 5km area. The number and location of FMLB in cities should be re-evaluated and re-planed for healthy city where the risk of residents infecting avian influenza virus is greatly reduced or eliminated.

DNS study of the ignition of n-heptane fuel spray under high pressure and lean conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Yunliang; Rutland, Christopher J.

2005-01-01

Direct numerical simulations (DNS) are used to investigate the ignition of n-heptane fuel spray under high pressure and lean conditions. For the solution of the carrier gas fluid, the Eulerian method is employed, while for the fuel spray, the Lagrangian method is used. A chemistry mechanism for n-heptane with 33 species and 64 reactions is adopted to describe the chemical reactions. Initial carrier gas temperature and pressure are 926 K and 30.56 atmospheres, respectively. Initial global equivalence ratio is 0.258. Two cases with droplet radiuses of 35.5 and 20.0 macrons are simulated. Evolutions of the carrier gas temperature and species mass fractions are presented. Contours of the carrier gas temperature and species mass fractions near ignition and after ignition are presented. The results show that the smaller fuel droplet case ignites earlier than the larger droplet case. For the larger droplet case, ignition occurs first at one location; for the smaller droplet case, however, ignition occurs first at multiple locations. At ignition kernels, significant NO is produced when temperature is high enough at the ignition kernels. For the larger droplet case, more NO is produced than the smaller droplet case due to the inhomogeneous distribution and incomplete mixing of fuel vapor.

Performance Measurement of Location Enabled e-Government Processes: A Use Case on Traffic Safety Monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vandenbroucke, D.; Vancauwenberghe, G.

2016-12-01

The European Union Location Framework (EULF), as part of the Interoperable Solutions for European Public Administrations (ISA) Programme of the EU (EC DG DIGIT), aims to enhance the interactions between governments, businesses and citizens by embedding location information into e-Government processes. The challenge remains to find scientific sound and at the same time practicable approaches to estimate or measure the impact of location enablement of e-Government processes on the performance of the processes. A method has been defined to estimate process performance in terms of variables describing the efficiency, effectiveness, as well as the quality of the output of the work processes. A series of use cases have been identified, corresponding to existing e-Government work processes in which location information could bring added value. In a first step, the processes are described by means of BPMN (Business Process Model and Notation) to better understand the process steps, the actors involved, the spatial data flows, as well as the required input and the generated output. In a second step the processes are assessed in terms of the (sub-optimal) use of location information and the potential enhancement of the process by better integrating location information and services. The process performance is measured ex ante (before using location enabled e-Government services) and ex-post (after the integration of such services) in order to estimate and measure the impact of location information. The paper describes the method for performance measurement and highlights how the method is applied to one use case, i.e. the process of traffic safety monitoring. The use case is analysed and assessed in terms of location enablement and its potential impact on process performance. The results of applying the methodology on the use case revealed that performance is highly impacted by factors such as the way location information is collected, managed and shared throughout the process, and the degree to which spatial data are harmonized. The work led also to the formulation of some recommendations to enrich the BPMN standard with additional methods for annotating processes, and to the proposal of the development of some tools for automatic process performance. In that context some planned future work is highlighted as well.

The course of the buccal nerve: relationships with the temporalis muscle during the prenatal period

PubMed Central

MÉRIDA-VELASCO, J. R.; RODRÍGUEZ-VÁZQUEZ, J. F.; CUADRA, C.; MÉRIDA-VELASCO, J. A.; JIMÉNEZ-COLLADO, J.

2001-01-01

The aim of this study was to describe the course of the buccal nerve and its relationships with the temporalis muscle during the prenatal period. Serial sections of 90 human fetal specimens ranging from 9 to 17 wk development were studied by light microscopy. Each fetal specimen was studied on both right and left sides, making a total of 180 cases for study. A 3-D reconstruction of the region analysed in one of the specimens was made. In 89 cases the buccal nerve was located medial to the temporalis muscle; in 73 cases it penetrated the muscle; in 15 cases it lay in a canal formed by the muscle fibres and was covered by fascia, and finally, in 3 cases it was a branch of the inferior alveolar nerve. The study has revealed that in a large number of cases the buccal nerve maintains an intimate association with the temporalis muscle. PMID:11327204

Looking forward: the effects of photographs on the qualities of future thinking.

PubMed

Bays, Rebecca B; Wellen, Brianna C M; Greenberg, Katherine S

2018-04-01

Future episodic thinking relies on the reconstruction of remembered experiences. Photographs provide one means of remembering, acting as a "cognitive springboard" for generating related memory qualities. We wondered whether photographs would also invite embellishment of future thought qualities, particularly in the presence (or absence) of associated memories. In two studies participants generated future events in familiar (associated memories) and novel (no associated memories) locations. Half of the participants viewed scene location photographs during event generation. All participants then imagined the events for one minute and completed a self-report measure of content qualities. Results of the current set of studies suggested that for novel locations, no differences in qualities emerged; however, for familiar locations, photographs did not enhance qualities and, in some cases, actually constrained perceptual (Experiments 1 and 2) and sensory (Experiment 1) detail ratings of future thoughts. Thus, photographs did not invite embellishment of future thought details.

Barriers to telephone cardiopulmonary resuscitation in public and residential locations.

PubMed

Fukushima, Hidetada; Panczyk, Micah; Spaite, Daniel W; Chikani, Vatsal; Dameff, Christian; Hu, Chengcheng; Birkenes, Tonje S; Myklebust, Helge; Sutter, John; Langlais, Blake; Wu, Zhixin; Bobrow, Bentley J

2016-12-01

Emergency medical telecommunicators can play a key role in improving outcomes from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) by providing instructions for cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) to callers. Telecommunicators, however, frequently encounter barriers that obstruct the Telephone CPR (TCPR) process. The nature and frequency of these barriers in public and residential locations have not been well investigated. The aim of this study is to identify the barriers to TCPR in public and residential locations. We conducted a retrospective study of audio recordings of EMS-confirmed OHCAs from eight regional 9-1-1 dispatch centers between January 2012 and December 2013. We reviewed 1850 eligible cases (public location OHCAs: N=223 and residential location OHCAs: N=1627). Telecommunicators less frequently encountered barriers such as inability to calm callers in public than in residential locations (2.1% vs 8.5%, p=0.002) or inability to place victims on a hard flat surface (13.9% vs 25.4%, p<0.001). However, the barrier where callers were not with patients was more frequently observed in public than in residential locations (11.8% vs 2.7%, p<0.001). This study revealed that barriers to TCPR are distributed differently across public and residential locations. Understanding these differences can aid in the development of strategies to enhance bystander CPR and improve overall patient outcomes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Eye position changes during reading fixations are spatially selective.

PubMed

Inhoff, Albrecht W; Solomon, Matthew S; Seymour, Bradley A; Radach, Ralph

2008-03-01

Intra-fixation location changes were measured when one-line sentences written in lower or aLtErNaTiNg case were read. Intra-fixation location changes were common and their size was normally distributed except for a relatively high proportion of fixations without a discernible location change. Location changes that did occur were systematically biased toward the right when alternating case was read. Irrespective of case type, changes of the right eye were biased toward the right at the onset of sentence reading, and this spatial bias decreased as sentence reading progressed from left to right. The left eye showed a relatively stable right-directed bias. These results show that processing demands can pull the two fixated eyes in the same direction and that the response to this pull can differ for the right and left eye.

Incidence of genital warts in adolescents and young adults in an integrated health care delivery system in the United States before human papillomavirus vaccine recommendations.

PubMed

Camenga, Deepa R; Dunne, Eileen F; Desai, Mayur M; Gee, Julianne; Markowitz, Lauri E; Desiliva, Ajit; Klein, Nicola P

2013-07-01

Information on genital wart incidence in adolescents and young adults before human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination is important for understanding the impact of the vaccine on the epidemiology of this early outcome of HPV infection. The study population included 11- to 29-year-old enrollees of Northern California Kaiser Permanente between July 1, 2000, and July 1, 2005, before the availability of the HPV vaccine. We identified genital warts with an algorithm combining genital wart-specific International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification codes (078.10, 078.11, and 078.19) with physician-recorded anatomic locations. We calculated sex- and age-specific incidence rates of genital warts and described the specific anatomic location of presentation, as well as recurrences of genital warts. We identified 1,682 cases of genital warts among 181,264 individuals. The incidence rate was highest among women (6.3/1000 person-years) and men (2.9/1000 person-years) aged 20 to 24 years old. Among women (n = 96,792), 63.4% of the 1240 incident genital wart cases occurred on the vulva and 21.1% on the cervix. Among men (n = 84,472), 91.6% of the 442 incident genital wart cases did not have a specific anatomic location recorded. Most people with an incident genital wart diagnosis (87.2%) did not have a recurrence during the observation period. Our study found that the incidence of genital warts was highest among persons aged 20 to 24 years using a unique method to identify the location of the wart. Information on incidence of genital warts before vaccine use provides baseline data that can be used to measure HPV vaccine impact.

Determining resistivity of a geological formation using circuitry located within a borehole casing

DOEpatents

Vail III, William Banning

2006-01-17

Geological formation resistivity is determined. Circuitry is located within the borehole casing that is adjacent to the geological formation. The circuitry can measure one or more voltages across two or more voltage measurement electrodes associated with the borehole casing. The measured voltages are used by a processor to determine the resistivity of the geological formation. A common mode signal can also be reduced using the circuitry.

Outsourcing a High Speed Internet Access Project: An Information Technology Class Case Study in Three Parts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Platt, Richard G.; Carper, William B.; McCool, Michael

2010-01-01

In early 2004, the Hilton Hotels Corporation (HHC) required that all of its hotels (both owned and franchised) install high-speed Internet access (HSIA) in all of their rooms by June 2004. This case focuses on how one of its franchise properties located on the northern gulf coast of Florida (the Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort &…

Clinicopathological analysis of colorectal cancer: a comparison between emergency and elective surgical cases.

PubMed

Ghazi, Sam; Berg, Elisabeth; Lindblom, Annika; Lindforss, Ulrik

2013-06-11

Approximately 15 to 30% of colorectal cancers present as an emergency, most often as obstruction or perforation. Studies report poorer outcome for patients who undergo emergency compared with elective surgery, both for their initial hospital stay and their long-term survival. Advanced tumor pathology and tumors with unfavorable histologic features may provide the basis for the difference in outcome. The aim of this study was to compare the clinical and pathologic profiles of emergency and elective surgical cases for colorectal cancer, and relate these to gender, age group, tumor location, and family history of the disease. The main outcome measure was the difference in morphology between elective and emergency surgical cases. In total, 976 tumors from patients treated surgically for colorectal cancer between 2004 and 2006 in Stockholm County, Sweden (8 hospitals) were analyzed in the study. Seventeen morphological features were examined and compared with type of operation (elective or emergency), gender, age, tumor location, and family history of colorectal cancer by re-evaluating the histopathologic features of the tumors. In a univariate analysis, the following characteristics were found more frequently in emergency compared with elective cases: multiple tumors, higher American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC), tumor (T) and node (N) stage, peri-tumor lymphocytic reaction, high number of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, signet-ring cell mucinous carcinoma, desmoplastic stromal reaction, vascular and perineural invasion, and infiltrative tumor margin (P<0.0001 for AJCC stage III to IV, N stage 1 to 2/3, and vascular invasion). In a multivariate analysis, all these differences, with the exception of peri-tumor lymphocytic reaction, remained significant (P<0.0001 for multiple tumors, perineural invasion, infiltrative tumor margin, AJCC stage III, and N stage 1 to 2/3). Colorectal cancers that need surgery as an emergency case generally show a more aggressive histopathologic profile and a more advanced stage than do elective cases. Essentially, no difference was seen in location, and therefore it is likely there would be no differences in macro-environment either. Our results could indicate that colorectal cancers needing emergency surgery belong to an inherently specific group with a different etiologic or genetic background.

Architecture for Multi-Technology Real-Time Location Systems

PubMed Central

Rodas, Javier; Barral, Valentín; Escudero, Carlos J.

2013-01-01

The rising popularity of location-based services has prompted considerable research in the field of indoor location systems. Since there is no single technology to support these systems, it is necessary to consider the fusion of the information coming from heterogeneous sensors. This paper presents a software architecture designed for a hybrid location system where we can merge information from multiple sensor technologies. The architecture was designed to be used by different kinds of actors independently and with mutual transparency: hardware administrators, algorithm developers and user applications. The paper presents the architecture design, work-flow, case study examples and some results to show how different technologies can be exploited to obtain a good estimation of a target position. PMID:23435050

Multiple Giant Cell Tumor of Tendon Sheath Involving Both Flexor and Extensor Tendons in a Single Digit: A Case Report and Review of the Literatures.

PubMed

Min, Hak Jin; Kim, Jeong Hwan; Kim, Jae Woo; Yeom, Jae Woo

2018-06-01

Giant cell tumor of the tendon sheath (GCTTS) is a common neoplasm of the hand. This tumor is usually solitary. Multi focal origin of the tumor is considered unusual and very few cases of multiple GCTTS have been reported. We report a 48-year-old female patient who presented with three separate painless nodules in same index finger since three years. The two masses located on dorsal aspect, and the other one located on volar aspect. The imaging studies revealed three separated masses without any connection. We performed excisional biopsy and found multiple tumors, attached to flexor and extensor tendon. The final histopathologic diagnosis was GCTTS.

A case study of multi-seam coal mine entry stability analysis with strength reduction method

PubMed Central

Tulu, Ihsan Berk; Esterhuizen, Gabriel S; Klemetti, Ted; Murphy, Michael M.; Sumner, James; Sloan, Michael

2017-01-01

In this paper, the advantage of using numerical models with the strength reduction method (SRM) to evaluate entry stability in complex multiple-seam conditions is demonstrated. A coal mine under variable topography from the Central Appalachian region is used as a case study. At this mine, unexpected roof conditions were encountered during development below previously mined panels. Stress mapping and observation of ground conditions were used to quantify the success of entry support systems in three room-and-pillar panels. Numerical model analyses were initially conducted to estimate the stresses induced by the multiple-seam mining at the locations of the affected entries. The SRM was used to quantify the stability factor of the supported roof of the entries at selected locations. The SRM-calculated stability factors were compared with observations made during the site visits, and the results demonstrate that the SRM adequately identifies the unexpected roof conditions in this complex case. It is concluded that the SRM can be used to effectively evaluate the likely success of roof supports and the stability condition of entries in coal mines. PMID:28239503

A case study of multi-seam coal mine entry stability analysis with strength reduction method.

PubMed

Tulu, Ihsan Berk; Esterhuizen, Gabriel S; Klemetti, Ted; Murphy, Michael M; Sumner, James; Sloan, Michael

2016-03-01

In this paper, the advantage of using numerical models with the strength reduction method (SRM) to evaluate entry stability in complex multiple-seam conditions is demonstrated. A coal mine under variable topography from the Central Appalachian region is used as a case study. At this mine, unexpected roof conditions were encountered during development below previously mined panels. Stress mapping and observation of ground conditions were used to quantify the success of entry support systems in three room-and-pillar panels. Numerical model analyses were initially conducted to estimate the stresses induced by the multiple-seam mining at the locations of the affected entries. The SRM was used to quantify the stability factor of the supported roof of the entries at selected locations. The SRM-calculated stability factors were compared with observations made during the site visits, and the results demonstrate that the SRM adequately identifies the unexpected roof conditions in this complex case. It is concluded that the SRM can be used to effectively evaluate the likely success of roof supports and the stability condition of entries in coal mines.

Trauma management in Homer's Iliad.

PubMed

Koutserimpas, Christos; Alpantaki, Kalliopi; Samonis, George

2017-08-01

Homer's Iliad is one of the highest intellectual products of the early ancient Greek civilisation. A plethora of medical information lies within Iliad's 24 rhapsodies, and a total of 147 injuries are described. The present study records and evaluates all cases of trauma management included in this epic poem. Not only Iliad's original text but also all myths related to Iliad from the five-volume Greek Mythology by Ioannis Kakridis were meticulously studied to locate the injured person, the type of trauma, the care provider and the type of given care as well as the outcome of each case. A total of 21 cases were found and evaluated with a 5% mortality rate. The majority of these injuries were caused by an arrow (43%) and were located to the upper extremity (43%). Injuries of the head, neck and trunk were not treated as all of them were lethal. Many of the recorded trauma management techniques can be correlated to modern medicine. Furthermore, the role and skills of military doctors and paramedics, mentioned by Homer, is discussed. © 2016 Medicalhelplines.com Inc and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Use of Activity Space in a Tuberculosis Outbreak: Bringing Homeless Persons Into Spatial Analyses.

PubMed

Worrell, Mary Claire; Kramer, Michael; Yamin, Aliya; Ray, Susan M; Goswami, Neela D

2017-01-01

Tuberculosis (TB) causes significant morbidity and mortality in US cities, particularly in poor, transient populations. During a TB outbreak in Fulton County, Atlanta, GA, we aimed to determine whether local maps created from multiple locations of personal activity per case would differ significantly from traditional maps created from single residential address. Data were abstracted for patients with TB disease diagnosed in 2008-2014 and receiving care at the Fulton County Health Department. Clinical and activity location data were abstracted from charts. Kernel density methods, activity space analysis, and overlay with homeless shelter locations were used to characterize case spatial distribution when using single versus multiple addresses. Data were collected for 198 TB cases, with over 30% homeless US-born cases included. Greater spatial dispersion of cases was found when utilizing multiple versus single addresses per case. Activity spaces of homeless and isoniazid (INH)-resistant cases were more spatially congruent with one another than non-homeless and INH-susceptible cases ( P < .0001 and P < .0001, respectively). Innovative spatial methods allowed us to more comprehensively capture the geography of TB-infected homeless persons, who made up a large portion of the Fulton County outbreak. We demonstrate how activity space analysis, prominent in exposure science and chronic disease, supports that routine capture of multiple location TB data may facilitate spatially different public health interventions than traditional surveillance maps. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Infectious Diseases Society of America.

Methods for Finding Legacy Wells in Large Areas

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

Hammack, Richard W.; Veloski, Garret A.; Hodges, D. Greg

United States. When abandoned, many wells were not adequately sealed and now provide a potential conduit for the vertical movement of liquids and gases. Today, groundwater aquifers can be contaminated by surface pollutants flowing down wells or by deep, saline water diffusing upwards. Likewise, natural gas, carbon dioxide (CO2), or radon can travel upwards via these wells to endanger structures or human health on the surface. Recently, the need to find and plug wells has become critical with the advent of carbon dioxide injection into geologic formations for enhanced oil recovery (EOR) or carbon storage. The potential for natural gasmore » or brine leakage through existing wells has also been raised as a concern in regions where shale resources are hydraulically fractured for hydrocarbon recovery. In this study, the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) updated existing, effective well finding techniques to be able to survey large areas quickly using helicopter or ground-vehicle-mounted magnetometers, combined with mobile methane detection. For this study, magnetic data were collected using airborne and ground vehicles equipped with two boom-mounted magnetometers, or on foot using a hand-held magnetometer with a single sensor. Data processing techniques were employed to accentuate well-casing-type magnetic signatures. To locate wells with no magnetic signature (wells where the steel well casing had been removed), the team monitored for anomalous concentrations of methane, which could indicate migration of volatile compounds from deeper sedimentary strata along a well or fracture pathway. Methane measurements were obtained using the ALPIS DIfferential Absorption Lidar (DIAL) sensor for helicopter surveys and the Apogee leak detection system (LDS) for ground surveys. These methods were evaluated at a 100-year-old oilfield in Wyoming, where a helicopter magnetic survey accurately located 93% of visible wells. In addition, 20% of the wells found by the survey were previously unknown or inaccurately located. This study found helicopter magnetic surveys to be an accurate, cost- and time-effective means to locate steel-cased wells in large areas, and is a first step in evaluating whether well detection techniques can be applied effectively for well location screening across broad geographic areas.« less

Optimal siting of solid waste-to-value-added facilities through a GIS-based assessment.

PubMed

Khan, Md Mohib-Ul-Haque; Vaezi, Mahdi; Kumar, Amit

2018-01-01

Siting a solid waste conversion facility requires an assessment of solid waste availability as well as ensuring compliance with environmental, social, and economic factors. The main idea behind this study was to develop a methodology to locate suitable locations for waste conversion facilities considering waste availability as well as environmental and social constraints. A geographic information system (GIS) spatial analysis was used to identify the most suitable areas and to screen out unsuitable lands. The analytic hierarchy process (AHP) was used for a multi-criteria evaluation of relative preferences of different environmental and social factors. A case study was conducted for Alberta, a western province in Canada, by performing a province-wide waste availability assessment. The total available waste considered in this study was 4,077,514tonnes/year for 19 census divisions collected from 79 landfills. Finally, a location-allocation analysis was performed to determine suitable locations for 10 waste conversion facilities across the province. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Pre-radiographic MRI findings are associated with onset of knee symptoms: the most study

PubMed Central

Javaid, M. K.; Lynch, J. A.; Tolstykh, I.; Guermazi, A.; Roemer, F.; Aliabadi, P.; McCulloch, C.; Curtis, J.; Felson, D.; Lane, N. E.; Torner, J.; Nevitt, M.

2010-01-01

Summary Objective Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has greater sensitivity to detect osteoarthritis (OA) damage than radiographs but it is uncertain which MRI findings in early OA are clinically important. We examined MRI abnormalities detected in knees without radiographic OA and their association with incident knee symptoms. Method Participants from the Multicenter Osteoarthritis Study (MOST) without frequent knee symptoms (FKS) at baseline were eligible if they also lacked radiographic features of OA at baseline. At 15 months, knees that developed FKS were defined as cases while control knees were drawn from those that remained without FKS. Baseline MRIs were scored at each subregion for cartilage lesions (CARTs); osteophytes (OST); bone marrow lesions (BML) and cysts. We compared cases and controls using marginal logistic regression models, adjusting for age, gender, race, body mass index (BMI), previous injury and clinic site. Results 36 case knees and 128 control knees were analyzed. MRI damage was common in both cases and controls. The presence of a severe CART (P = 0.03), BML (P = 0.02) or OST (P = 0.02) in the whole knee joint was more common in cases while subchondral cysts did not differ significantly between cases and controls (P > 0.1). Case status at 15 months was predicted by baseline damage at only two locations; a BML in the lateral patella (P = 0.047) and at the tibial subspinous subregions (P = 0.01). Conclusion In knees without significant symptoms or radiographic features of OA, MRI lesions of OA in only a few specific locations preceded onset of clinical symptoms and suggest that changes in bone play a role in the early development of knee pain. Confirmation of these findings in other prospective studies of knee OA is warranted. PMID:19919856

Study on installation of the submersible mixer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tian, F.; Shi, W. D.; He, X. H.; Jiang, H.; Xu, Y. H.

2013-12-01

Study on installation of the submersible mixer for sewage treatment has been limited. In this article, large-scale computational fluid dynamics software FLUENT6.3 was adopted. ICEM software was used to build an unstructured grid of sewage treatment pool. After that, the sewage treatment pool was numerically simulated by dynamic coordinate system technology and RNG k-ε turbulent model and PIOS algorithm. Agitation pools on four different installation location cases were simulated respectively, and the external characteristic of the submersible mixer and the velocity cloud of the axial section were respectively comparatively analyzed. The best stirring effect can be reached by the installation location of case C, which is near the bottom of the pool 600 mm and blade distance the bottom at least for 200 mm wide and wide edge and narrow edge distance by 4:3. The conclusion can guide the engineering practice.

Using an Interdisciplinary Approach to Teach About Climate Change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schafer, K.; Spenner, C.

2017-12-01

The traditional methods of teaching science, or any particular discipline, are not necessarily well suited for preparing students to solve big messy problems like sustainable development, climate change and resource management. We have developed a summer course entitled, "Human Ecology: Our Place in Nature," with the goal of addressing such issues through a series of case studies. The goal of these case studies is to explore how people interact with nature through Agriculture, Fisheries and Energy Use issues and could easily be adapted to specific geographical regions with different land use challenges. The course was divided into two segments: the first took place at locations near our school in San Jose, California and the second piece at various locations in Southeastern Alaska. Students learned about the interdisciplinary nature of these issues and developed an individual project of their choosing to explore some aspect of the course in greater depth.

Duodenal and jejunal Dieulafoy’s lesions: optimal management

PubMed Central

Yılmaz, Tonguç Utku; Kozan, Ramazan

2017-01-01

Dieulafoy’s lesions (DLs) are rare and cause gastrointestinal bleeding resulting from erosion of dilated submucosal vessels. The most common location for DL is the stomach, followed by duodenum. There is little information about duodenal and jejunal DLs. Challenges for diagnosis and treatment of Dieulafoy’s lesions include the rare nature of the disease, asymptomatic patients, bleeding symptoms often requiring rapid diagnosis and treatment in symptomatic patients, variability in the diagnosis and treatment methods resulting from different lesion locations, and the risk of re-bleeding. For these reasons, there is no universal consensus about the diagnosis and treatment approach. There are few published case reports and case series recently published. Most duodenal DLs are not evaluated seperately in the studies, which makes it difficult to determine the optimal model. In this study, we summarize the general aspects and recent approaches used to treat duodenal DL. PMID:29158686

Inflammatory fibroid polyp of the gastrointestinal tract: 10 years of experience at the Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán.

PubMed

Romano-Munive, A F; Barreto-Zuñiga, R; Rumoroso-García, J A; Ramos-Martínez, P

2016-01-01

Inflammatory fibroid polyp (lFP) is a rare, benign, and solitary neoplasm predominantly located in the gastric antrum and small bowel. Its clinical symptoms are heterogeneous and essentially depend on the location and size of the tumor. Definitive diagnosis is made through histopathology and this pathology has excellent long-term prognosis. To identify the cases of IFP seen at the Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán over a 10-year period. A retrospective, cross-sectional, descriptive, and observational study was conducted that included patients with histopathologic diagnosis of IFP within the time frame of January 2001 and December 2011. Six cases were found and 5/6 (83.3%) of them were women. The median age was 41 years (minimum-maximum range of 19-56 years). The most frequent symptoms were weight loss (n=3), fever (n=2), nausea (n=2), and vomiting (n=2). Three patients presented with iron deficiency anemia and 2 cases with intussusception. The IFPs were located at the following sites: esophagus (n=1), stomach (n=2), small bowel (n=2), and colon (n=1). Treatment was surgical in 5/6 (83.3%) of the patients. IFPs are extremely rare in our population. They usually present with weight loss and iron deficiency anemia and are more frequently located in the stomach and small bowel. This is the largest reported IFP case series in a Mexican population. Copyright © 2016 Asociación Mexicana de Gastroenterología. Publicado por Masson Doyma México S.A. All rights reserved.

Comparison of intra-aortic computed tomography angiography to conventional angiography in the presurgical visualization of the Adamkiewicz artery: first results in patients with thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms.

PubMed

Clarençon, Frédéric; Di Maria, Federico; Cormier, Evelyne; Gaudric, Julien; Sourour, Nader; Gabrieli, Joseph; Iosif, Christina; Jenny, Catherine; Koskas, Fabien; Chiras, Jacques

2013-11-01

The aim of this study was to compare the sensitivity of intra-aortic computed tomography angiography (IA-CTA) to that of regular spinal digital subtraction angiography for the presurgical location of the Adamkiewicz artery (AKA). Thirty patients (21 males, 9 females; mean age 64 years) had an IA-CTA for the location of the AKA before surgery of aneurysm (n = 24) or dissection (n = 6) of the thoracoabdominal aorta. After femoral artery puncture, a pigtail catheter was positioned at the origin of the descending aorta. CT acquisition was performed with an intra-aortic iodinated contrast media injection (15 mL/s, 120 mL). The visualization of the AKA and the location of the feeder(s) to the AKA were independently evaluated by two observers. Interrater agreement was calculated using a kappa test. Spinal angiogram by selective catheterization was systematically performed to confirm the results of the IA-CTA. The AKA was visualized by the IA-CTA in 27/30 cases (90 %); in 26/31 (84 %) cases, the continuity with the aorta was satisfactorily seen. Interrater agreement was good for the visualization of the AKA and its feeder(s): 0.625 and 0.87, respectively. In 75 % of the cases for which the AKA was visualized, the selective catheterization confirmed the results of the IA-CTA. In the remaining 25 % of the cases, the selective catheterization could not be performed due to marked vessels' tortuosity or ostium stenosis. IA-CTA is a feasible technique in a daily practice that presents a good sensitivity for the location of the AKA.

Measuring the Impact of AGN Outflows via Intensive UV and X-ray Monitoring Campaigns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kriss, Gerard

2015-08-01

Observations of AGN outflows have progressed from the era of single-object surveys to intensive monitoring campaigns spanning weeks to months. The combination of multiple observations, improved temporal coverage, multi-wavelength monitoring in both the X-ray and UV bands, and the baseline of prior historical observations has enabled determinations of the locations, mass flux, and kinetic luminosities of the outflowing absorbing gas in several AGN, notably Mrk 509, NGC 5548, Mrk 335, and NGC 985. Another intensive campaign is planned for 2015-2016 on NGC 7469. In all cases, the mass flux and kinetic energy is dominated by the higher-ionization X-ray absorbing gas. But the higher-resolution UV observations give a kinematically resolved picture of the overall outflow. In most cases, the outflowing gas is located at parsec to kpc scales, with insufficient kinetic luminosity to have an evolutionary impact on the host galaxy. Typically, the kinetic luminosity is less than a percent of the Eddington luminosity. In some cases, transient, broad UV absorption troughs have appeared (e.g., Mrk 335 and NGC 5548), with variability timescales suggesting locations near the broad-line region of the AGN. Yet these higher-velocity outflows also have low-impact kinetic luminosities. In the best-studied case of NGC 5548, the strength of the broad UV absorption lines varies with the degree of soft X-ray obscuration first revealed by XMM-Newton spectra. The lower-ionization, narrow associated absorption lines in the UV spectrum of NGC 5548 that appeared concurrently with the soft X-ray obscuration vary in response to the changing UV flux on a daily basis. The intensive monitoring allows us to fit time-dependent photoionization models to the UV-absorbing gas, allowing precise determinations of the locations, mass flux, and kinetic luminosities of the absorbers.

Safety analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Knight, John C.

1995-01-01

We are engaged in a research program in safety-critical computing that is based on two case studies. We use these case studies to provide application-specific details of the various research issues, and as targets for evaluation of research ideas. The first case study is the Magnetic Stereotaxis System (MSS), an investigational device for performing human neurosurgery being developed in a joint effort between the Department of Physics at the University of Virginia and the Department of Neurosurgery at the University of Iowa. The system operates by manipulating a small permanent magnet (known as a 'seed') within the brain using an externally applied magnetic field. By varying the magnitude and gradient of the external magnetic field, the seed can be moved along a non-linear path and positioned at a site requiring therapy, e.g., a tumor. The magnetic field required for movement through brain tissue is extremely high, and is generated by a set of six superconducting magnets located in a housing surrounding the patient's head. The system uses two X-ray cameras positioned at right angles to detect in real time the locations of the seed and of X-ray opaque markers affixed to the patient's skull. the X-ray images are used to locate the objects of interest in a canonical frame of reference. the second case study is the University of Virginia Research Nuclear Reactor (UVAR). It is a 2 MW thermal, concrete-walled pool reactor. The system operates using 20 to 25 plate-type fuel assemblies placed on a rectangular grid plate. There are three scramable safety rods, and one non-scramable regulating rod that can be put in automatic mode. It was originally constructed in 1959 as a 1 MW system, and it was upgraded to 2 MW in 1973. Though only a research reactor rather than a power reactor, the issues raised are significant and can be related to the problems faced by full-scale reactor systems.

Pyloric localisation in 57 dogs of breeds susceptible to gastric dilatation-volvulus in the UK using computed tomography.

PubMed

Tomlinson, A W; Lillis, S M; German, A J; Burrow, R D

2016-12-17

Describe the location of the pylorus using CT in dog breeds susceptible to gastric dilatation-volvulus in the UK. Descriptive anatomical study. Abdominal CT scans of 57 client-owned dogs were reviewed to assess pyloric position relative to the 9th, 10th, 11th and 13th ribs and 2 and 3 cm caudal to the 13th rib at the 8, 9 and 10 o'clock positions. The angle of the pylorus from the centre of the abdominal cavity relative to the sagittal plane was also determined. In 88 per cent of cases, the pylorus was located in the right cranioventral abdomen with 63 per cent positioned at the 9-10 o'clock position. The overall distance between the pylorus and right abdominal wall (RAW) at the 13th rib 10 o'clock position was equivalent to 29 per cent of ventral abdominal length, significantly greater than the median overall distance of ∼14 per cent of ventral abdominal length between the pylorus and RAW at the 9th or 10th rib 10 o'clock position (P<0.0001). Common gastropexy locations may result in considerable displacement of the pylorus relative to its natural anatomic location. Further case-control studies are required to assess the clinical significance of this finding. British Veterinary Association.

Analysis of Ground Penetrating Radar’s Capability for Detecting Underground Cavities: A Case Study in Japan Cave of Taman Hutan Raya, Bandung

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Azimmah, Azizatun; Widodo

2017-04-01

Underground cavities or voids detection is essential especially when it comes to building construction. By knowing the presence of void lying underground, one could consider whether the subsidence is likely to be prevented or not. Ground penetrating radar is a high-frequency electromagnetic sounding technique that has been developed to investigate the shallow subsurface using the contrast of dielectric properties. This geophysical method is suitable to be used to detect and locate voids beneath the surface especially those that lie in shallow depth. This research focused on how GPR could be implemented as void detector using model simulation or forward modelling. The models applied in the forward modelling process are to be made as similar as the real condition in the case study location which took place in Tahura Japan Cave, Bandung, Indonesia. Forward modelling needs to be done so in the future, we might use the modelling results as the references in measuring real GPR data in the location. We used three models that we considered fairly representative to prove that GPR is capable of detecting and locating voids underneath the ground. This research resulted in the different amplitude region around the considerably homogeneous region. The different amplitude region is characterized having an arc shape and is considered to be air which is known as the key component of voids.

Lesions Associated With Calcium Gluconate Extravasation: Presentation of 5 Clinical Cases and Analysis of Cases Published.

PubMed

Pacheco Compaña, Francisco Javier; Midón Míguez, José; de Toro Santos, Francisco Javier

2017-11-01

Calcium gluconate extravasation is a process, which, while not common, occurs more frequently in neonatal intensive care units. The aim of this study is to present a number of cases of calcium gluconate extravasation, which have occurred in our hospital, and to carry out a review of those clinical cases published in the literature to obtain relevant epidemiological data. Data were gathered on the medical histories of 5 patients who presented lesions secondary to calcium gluconate extravasation in our center. A review of the literature was also performed to include clinical cases of calcium gluconate extravasation already published. Data were collected on 60 cases published in 37 articles. Most patients (55%) were neonates. The average age of these neonates was 8 days. The commonest location of injuries was the back of the hand and wrist (42%). The 2 most frequent symptoms were the appearance of erythema (65%) and swelling/edema (48%) followed by the appearance of skin necrosis (47%), indurated skin (33%), and yellow-white plaques or papules (33%). Most cases are cured within a period of 3 to 6 months. Fifty percent of patients required surgery, and in 13% of cases, skin grafts were performed. The most frequent histological finding was the presence of calcium deposits. Other histological findings described were the presence of necrosis, lymphohistiocytic infíltrate, and granulomas. Most histological findings were located in the dermis. Most x-rays showing calcium deposits had been performed at 3 to 4 weeks. Calcium gluconate extravasation is a process, which, although infrequent, is associated with serious skin and soft-tissue lesions, mainly affecting infants. Further studies are needed to determine possible specific procedures to be carried out in these cases.

Effects of Natural Disaster Trends: A Case Study for Expanding the Pre-Positioning Network of CARE International

PubMed Central

Bozkurt, Melda; Duran, Serhan

2012-01-01

The increasing number of natural disasters in the last decade necessitates the increase in capacity and agility while delivering humanitarian relief. A common logistics strategy used by humanitarian organizations to respond this need is the establishment of pre-positioning warehouse networks. In the pre-positioning strategy, critical relief inventories are located near the regions at which they will be needed in advance of the onset of the disaster. Therefore, pre-positioning reduces the response time by totally or partially eliminating the procurement phase and increasing the availability of relief items just after the disaster strikes. Once the pre-positioning warehouse locations are decided and warehouses on those locations become operational, they will be in use for a long time. Therefore, the chosen locations should be robust enough to enable extensions, and to cope with changing trends in disaster types, locations and magnitudes. In this study, we analyze the effects of natural disaster trends on the expansion plan of pre-positioning warehouse network implemented by CARE International. We utilize a facility location model to identify the additional warehouse location(s) for relief items to be stored as an extension of the current warehouse network operated by CARE International, considering changing natural disaster trends observed over the past three decades. PMID:23066402

Effects of natural disaster trends: a case study for expanding the pre-positioning network of CARE International.

PubMed

Bozkurt, Melda; Duran, Serhan

2012-08-01

The increasing number of natural disasters in the last decade necessitates the increase in capacity and agility while delivering humanitarian relief. A common logistics strategy used by humanitarian organizations to respond this need is the establishment of pre-positioning warehouse networks. In the pre-positioning strategy, critical relief inventories are located near the regions at which they will be needed in advance of the onset of the disaster. Therefore, pre-positioning reduces the response time by totally or partially eliminating the procurement phase and increasing the availability of relief items just after the disaster strikes. Once the pre-positioning warehouse locations are decided and warehouses on those locations become operational, they will be in use for a long time. Therefore, the chosen locations should be robust enough to enable extensions, and to cope with changing trends in disaster types, locations and magnitudes. In this study, we analyze the effects of natural disaster trends on the expansion plan of pre-positioning warehouse network implemented by CARE International. We utilize a facility location model to identify the additional warehouse location(s) for relief items to be stored as an extension of the current warehouse network operated by CARE International, considering changing natural disaster trends observed over the past three decades.

Sialolipoma of salivary glands: Two case reports and review of the literature

PubMed Central

Khazaeni, Kamran; Jafarian, Amir Hosein; Khajehahmadi, Saeedeh; Rahpeyma, Amin; Asadi, Ladan

2013-01-01

Sialolipoma is a rare neoplasm of salivary glands, described as a distinct entity by Nagao et al. in 2001. Thirty-six cases of sialolipoma in minor and major salivary glands have been reported thus far in addition to the two new cases of sialolipoma arising in the major salivary glands in this study. Thirty-six cases of sialolipoma published in English language reports were analyzed considering gender, age, location, size, duration of symptoms, treatment mode, follow-up, and histologic findings. Congenital sialolipomas were considered in this study. The first case occurred in a 45-year-old female and presented as a localized swelling in right parotid area. The second case occurred in an 18-year-old female as a swelling in the left parotid region. On histopathological examination, these lesions were diagnosed as sialolipoma. PMID:23878570

A rockfall hazard assessment for a residential area by using 2D and 3D simulation models: A case study from North Turkey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akgün, Aykut; Yakut, Mehmet

2017-04-01

Rockfalls are one of the most common and important mass movement type encountered throughout both the World and Turkey. In Turkey, especially in Black Sea Region, rock fall cases frequently occur due to the steep topography, lithological characteristics, improper land use and structural elements such as discontinuity density. As a consequence of rock fall cases, serious injury and loss of lives can be observed in the area. In this study, a residential area located in Trabzon city (Northeast part of Black Sea Region, Turkey) was handled in point of rock fall hazard assessment. In the area, several rock fall cases occurred, and one of them occurred in year of 2009, resulted two people died. The last one also occurred in year of 2016, and the source of both cases are the same location. In the area, several houses and working places are available, and up to now any effective protection measurements have been installed. The area is also located near a highway connecting Trabzon city to the southeast region of Turkey, and daily vehicle number is highly considerable. Due to all these sensitive issues, the area was selected to be study location. In order to make a rock fall hazard assessment in the area to determine and propose an effective mitigation system, a 2D and 3D simulation models were applied. Initially a digital elevation model (DEM) of the area was obtained by a 1:1000 scale digital topographical sheets. By using the obtained digital terrain data, detailed cross sections of the slope profiles were created. Then, a detailed field and photo survey was carried out to detect the dangerous and hanging rock blocks that may be source for a possible rock fall cases. The physico-mechanical properties of the intact rock material were determined so that they can be used to be input parameters for the rock fall simulation models. To create simulation models, Rocfall 6.0®, Rockfall Analyst for ArcGIS and CONEFALL softwares were used. Using the Rockfall Analyst extension for ArcGIS and CONEFALL software, propagation and runout distances of possible rock fall cases were evaluated. By Rocfall 6.0® software, possible rock fall paths and proper mitigation measurements such as protection barriers or ditches were also assessed. At the end of the assessment processes, a detailed rock fall hazard map was produced for the area. With the help of this map, an important extent of area was determined to be under rock fall threat. This obtained map is also expected to be considered by the local governmental authorities to make persistent hazard mitigation measurements in the area. Keywords: Rock fall, simulation, hazard, Turkey

Remote sensing of a NTC radio source from a Cluster tilted spacecraft pair

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Décréau, Pierrette; Kougblénou, Séna; Lointier, Guillaume; Rauch, Jean Louis; Trotignon, Jean Gabriel; Vallières, Xavier; Canu, Patrick; Rochel Grimald, Sandrine; El-Lemdani Mazouz, Farida; Darrouzet, Fabien

2014-05-01

The non-thermal continuum (NTC) radiation is a radio wave produced within the magnetosphere of a planet. It has been observed in space around Earth since the '70s, and within the magnetospheres of other planets since the late '80s. A new study using ESA's Cluster mission has shown improved precision in determining the source of various radio emissions produced by the Earth. The experiment involved tilting one of the four identical Cluster spacecraft to measure the electric field of this emission in three dimensions for the first time. Our analysis of a NTC case event pinpointed a small deviation from the generally assumed (circular) polarization of this emission. We show that classical triangulation, in this case using three of the spacecraft located thousands of kilometres apart, can lead to an erroneous source location. A second method, using the new 3D electric field measurements, indicated a source located along the plasmapause at medium geomagnetic latitude, far away from the source location estimated by triangulation. Cluster observations reveal that this NTC source emits from the flank of the plasmapause towards the polar cap. Understanding the source of NTC waves will help with the broader understanding of their generation, amplification, and propagation.

Case study of lean manufacturing application in a die casting manufacturing company

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ching, Ng Tan; Hoe, Clarence Chan Kok; Hong, Tang Sai; Ghobakhloo, Morteza; Pin, Chen Kah

2015-05-01

The case study of lean manufacturing aims to study the application of lean manufacturing in a die casting manufacturing company located in Pulau Penang, Malaysia. This case study describes mainly about the important concepts and applications of lean manufacturing which could gradually help the company in increasing the profit by studying and analyzing their current manufacturing process and company culture. Many approaches of lean manufacturing are studied in this project which includes: 5S housekeeping, Kaizen, and Takt Time. Besides, the lean tools mentioned, quality tool such as the House of Quality is being used as an analysis tool to continuously improve the product quality. In short, the existing lean culture in the company is studied and analyzed, with recommendations written at the end of this paper.

Xp11.2 translocation renal carcinoma with placental metastasis: a case report.

PubMed

Bovio, Ian M; Allan, Robert W; Oliai, Bahram R; Hampton, Troy; Rush, Demaretta S

2011-02-01

Renal cell carcinomas with sporadic Xp11.2 translocations are uncommon malignancies in children and young adults associated with several different reciprocal translocations involving the TFE3 gene located on chromosome Xp11.2. Placental metastases are extremely rare, with only a handful of cases reported. This study reports the case of a 20-year-old woman with an Xp11.2 translocation renal carcinoma that metastasized to the placenta. This is the first reported case of a renal cell carcinoma metastatic to the placenta and highlights the aggressive behavior of Xp11 translocation renal cell carcinomas.

Clinical manifestations of colorectal cancer patients from a large multicenter study in Colombia.

PubMed

Bohorquez, Mabel; Sahasrabudhe, Ruta; Criollo, Angel; Sanabria-Salas, María Carolina; Vélez, Alejandro; Castro, Jorge Mario; Marquez, Juan Ricardo; Mateus, Gilbert; Bolaños, Fernando; Panqueva, Cesar; Restrepo, Jose Ignacio; Puerta, Juan Dario; Murillo, Raul; Bravo, María Mercedes; Hernández, Gustavo; Rios, Angela; Prieto, Rodrigo; Tomlinson, Ian; Echeverry, Magdalena; Carvajal-Carmona, Luis G

2016-10-01

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a major public health problem, and its incidence is rising in developing countries. However, studies characterizing CRC clinicopathological features in cases from developing countries are still lacking. The goal of this study was to evaluate clinicopathological and demographic features in one of the largest CRC studies in Latin America.The study involved over 1525 CRC cases recruited in a multicenter study in Colombia between 2005 and 2014 as part of ongoing genetic and epidemiological studies. We gathered clinicopathological data such as age at diagnosis, sex, body mass index, tobacco and alcohol consumption, family history of cancer, and tumor features including location, histological type, and stage. Statistical analyses were performed to test the association between age of onset, sex, and clinical manifestations.The average age at CRC diagnosis was 57.4 years, with 26.5% of cases having early-onset CRC (diagnosed by age 50 years). Most cases were women (53.2%; P = 0.009), 49.2% were overweight or obese, 49.1% were regular alcohol drinkers, 52% were smokers/former smokers, and 12.2% reported relatives with cancer. Most tumors in the study were located in the rectum (42.7%), were adenocarcinomas (91.5%), and had advanced stage (T3-T4, 79.8%). Comparisons by sex found that male cases were more likely to be obese (36.5% vs 31.1%; P = 0.001), less likely to have a family history of cancer (9.7% vs 15.3%; P = 0.016), and more likely to have advanced-stage tumors (83.9% vs 76.1%; P = 0.036). Comparisons by age of onset found that early-onset cases were more likely to be women (59.3% vs 51.0%; P = 0.005) and report a family history of cancer (17.4% vs 10.2%; P = 0.001).To our knowledge, our study is the largest report of clinicopathological characterization of Hispanic CRC cases, and we suggest that further studies are needed to understand CRC etiology in diverse Hispanic populations.

Clinical manifestations of colorectal cancer patients from a large multicenter study in Colombia

PubMed Central

Bohorquez, Mabel; Sahasrabudhe, Ruta; Criollo, Angel; Sanabria-Salas, María Carolina; Vélez, Alejandro; Castro, Jorge Mario; Marquez, Juan Ricardo; Mateus, Gilbert; Bolaños, Fernando; Panqueva, Cesar; Restrepo, Jose Ignacio; Puerta, Juan Dario; Murillo, Raul; Bravo, María Mercedes; Hernández, Gustavo; Rios, Angela; Prieto, Rodrigo; Tomlinson, Ian; Echeverry, Magdalena; Carvajal-Carmona, Luis G.

2016-01-01

Abstract Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a major public health problem, and its incidence is rising in developing countries. However, studies characterizing CRC clinicopathological features in cases from developing countries are still lacking. The goal of this study was to evaluate clinicopathological and demographic features in one of the largest CRC studies in Latin America. The study involved over 1525 CRC cases recruited in a multicenter study in Colombia between 2005 and 2014 as part of ongoing genetic and epidemiological studies. We gathered clinicopathological data such as age at diagnosis, sex, body mass index, tobacco and alcohol consumption, family history of cancer, and tumor features including location, histological type, and stage. Statistical analyses were performed to test the association between age of onset, sex, and clinical manifestations. The average age at CRC diagnosis was 57.4 years, with 26.5% of cases having early-onset CRC (diagnosed by age 50 years). Most cases were women (53.2%; P = 0.009), 49.2% were overweight or obese, 49.1% were regular alcohol drinkers, 52% were smokers/former smokers, and 12.2% reported relatives with cancer. Most tumors in the study were located in the rectum (42.7%), were adenocarcinomas (91.5%), and had advanced stage (T3–T4, 79.8%). Comparisons by sex found that male cases were more likely to be obese (36.5% vs 31.1%; P = 0.001), less likely to have a family history of cancer (9.7% vs 15.3%; P = 0.016), and more likely to have advanced-stage tumors (83.9% vs 76.1%; P = 0.036). Comparisons by age of onset found that early-onset cases were more likely to be women (59.3% vs 51.0%; P = 0.005) and report a family history of cancer (17.4% vs 10.2%; P = 0.001). To our knowledge, our study is the largest report of clinicopathological characterization of Hispanic CRC cases, and we suggest that further studies are needed to understand CRC etiology in diverse Hispanic populations. PMID:27749544

The Effectiveness of the Italian Seismic Code NT08 Prescriptions in Reproducing the Observed Site Amplification: the City of Rome and the Acquasanta Terme Town, Italy, Case Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caserta, A.; Doumaz, F.; Pischiutta, M.; Costanzo, A.

2017-12-01

In the European design code EU08 used in Italy as NT08, site effects are accounted through several scaling factors, depending on the Vs30 and topographic conditions. The effectiveness of such approach has been tested in two case studies. The first one is located in the Tiber valley, the main sedimentary basin of the city of Rome. The second one is located in Acquasanta Terme town (central Appennines). In both cases, the expected amplification levels according to the Italian design code, was calculated on the basis of the velocity profile and other geological information collected in-situ. The expected values were compared in the former case (Rome) with data recorded during the seismic sequence following the 2009 April 6th, Mw=6.3 L'Aquila earthquake (mainshock, and aftershocks) and in the latter case (Acquasanta Terme) with moderate-magnitude aftershocks following the 2016 August 24th, Mw = 6.0, Amatrice missed main shock. Our results highlight that the parameterizations adopted by the design code are not sufficient to reproduce the real ground shaking occurring during earthquakes. These means that the Vs30 parameter ignores three-dimensional and frequency-dependent effects, as well as the influence of the near surface geology deeper than 30 meters.

Characteristics of the group of radiologists that benefits the most using Breast Screen Reader Assessment Strategy (BREAST)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ganesan, A.; Alakhras, M.; Brennan, P. C.; Lee, W.; Tapia, K.; Mello-Thoms, C.

2018-03-01

Purpose: To determine the impact of Breast Screen Reader Assessment Strategy (BREAST) over time in improving radiologists' breast cancer detection performance, and to identify the group of radiologists that benefit the most by using BREAST as a training tool. Materials and Methods: Thirty-six radiologists who completed three case-sets offered by BREAST were included in this study. The case-sets were arranged in radiologists' chronological order of completion and five performance measures (sensitivity, specificity, location sensitivity, receiver operating characteristics area under the curve (ROC AUC) and jackknife alternative free-response receiver operating characteristic (JAFROC) figure-of-merit (FOM)), available from BREAST, were compared between case-sets to determine the level of improvement achieved. The radiologists were then grouped based on their characteristics and the above performance measures between the case-sets were compared. Paired t-tests or Wilcoxon signed-rank tests with statistical significance set at p < 0.05 were used to compare the performance measures. Results: Significant improvement was demonstrated in radiologists' case-set performance in terms of location sensitivity and JAFROC FOM over the years, and radiologists' location sensitivity and JAFROC FOM showed significant improvement irrespective of their characteristics. In terms of ROC AUC, significant improvement was shown for radiologists who were reading screen mammograms for more than 7 years and spent more than 9 hours per week reading mammograms. Conclusion: Engaging with case-sets appears to enhance radiologists' performance suggesting the important value of initiatives such as BREAST. However, such performance enhancement was not shown for everyone, highlighting the need to tailor the BREAST platform to benefit all radiologists.

Locating People Diagnosed With HIV for Public Health Action: Utility of HIV Case Surveillance and Other Data Sources.

PubMed

Padilla, Mabel; Mattson, Christine L; Scheer, Susan; Udeagu, Chi-Chi N; Buskin, Susan E; Hughes, Alison J; Jaenicke, Thomas; Wohl, Amy Rock; Prejean, Joseph; Wei, Stanley C

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) case surveillance and other health care databases are increasingly being used for public health action, which has the potential to optimize the health outcomes of people living with HIV (PLWH). However, often PLWH cannot be located based on the contact information available in these data sources. We assessed the accuracy of contact information for PLWH in HIV case surveillance and additional data sources and whether time since diagnosis was associated with accurate contact information in HIV case surveillance and successful contact. The Case Surveillance-Based Sampling (CSBS) project was a pilot HIV surveillance system that selected a random population-based sample of people diagnosed with HIV from HIV case surveillance registries in 5 state and metropolitan areas. From November 2012 through June 2014, CSBS staff members attempted to locate and interview 1800 sampled people and used 22 data sources to search for contact information. Among 1063 contacted PLWH, HIV case surveillance data provided accurate telephone number, address, or HIV care facility information for 239 (22%), 412 (39%), and 827 (78%) sampled people, respectively. CSBS staff members used additional data sources, such as support services and commercial people-search databases, to locate and contact PLWH with insufficient contact information in HIV case surveillance. PLWH diagnosed <1 year ago were more likely to have accurate contact information in HIV case surveillance than were PLWH diagnosed ≥1 year ago ( P = .002), and the benefit from using additional data sources was greater for PLWH with more longstanding HIV infection ( P < .001). When HIV case surveillance cannot provide accurate contact information, health departments can prioritize searching additional data sources, especially for people with more longstanding HIV infection.

Rail vs truck transport of biomass.

PubMed

Mahmudi, Hamed; Flynn, Peter C

2006-01-01

This study analyzes the economics of transshipping biomass from truck to train in a North American setting. Transshipment will only be economic when the cost per unit distance of a second transportation mode is less than the original mode. There is an optimum number of transshipment terminals which is related to biomass yield. Transshipment incurs incremental fixed costs, and hence there is a minimum shipping distance for rail transport above which lower costs/km offset the incremental fixed costs. For transport by dedicated unit train with an optimum number of terminals, the minimum economic rail shipping distance for straw is 170 km, and for boreal forest harvest residue wood chips is 145 km. The minimum economic shipping distance for straw exceeds the biomass draw distance for economically sized centrally located power plants, and hence the prospects for rail transport are limited to cases in which traffic congestion from truck transport would otherwise preclude project development. Ideally, wood chip transport costs would be lowered by rail transshipment for an economically sized centrally located power plant, but in a specific case in Alberta, Canada, the layout of existing rail lines precludes a centrally located plant supplied by rail, whereas a more versatile road system enables it by truck. Hence for wood chips as well as straw the economic incentive for rail transport to centrally located processing plants is limited. Rail transshipment may still be preferred in cases in which road congestion precludes truck delivery, for example as result of community objections.

Intramuscular communicating branches in the flexor digitorum profundus: dissection and Sihler's staining.

PubMed

Won, Sung-Yoon; Choi, Da-Yae; Lee, Jae-Gi; Yoon, Kwan-Hyun; Kwak, Hyun-Ho; Hu, Kyung-Seok; Kim, Hee-Jin

2010-03-01

This study was designed to clarify the anatomy of the intramuscular communicating branch (ICb) between the median and ulnar nerves in the flexor digitorum profundus (FDP), and morphologically demonstrate the location of connection. Twenty Korean cadavers were dissected and a further 8 were subjected to modified Sihler's staining to investigate the pattern of innervation of the ICb and the location of its communicating points in muscle. The median and ulnar nerves divided into small branches before entering FDP muscle. Of these small branches, one or two met inside the muscle. This communicating pattern could be classified into three types: type I, communicating branches in both the proximal and distal regions; type II, at least one communicating branch in the proximal region; type III, at least one communicating branch in the distal region. Of 20 dissected specimens, no case of type I was observed, but 3 cases of type II and 15 cases of type III were found. No ICbs at all were found in two of the dissected specimens. In eight stained specimens, one was classified as type I, two as type II, and five as type III. The proximal communicating branches were located at 34.1% from the interepicondylar line, inside the third muscle bundle. The distal communicating branches were located at 66.0% from the interepicondylar line, between third and fourth muscle bundles. These findings could provide critical anatomical information regarding the nerve distribution of FDP focused on the ICbs.

Incidental Becomes Visible: A Comparison of School- and Community-Based Field Experience Narratives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holder, K. C.; Downey, Jayne A.

2008-01-01

The purpose of this study was to describe and compare student learning documented using written field experience summary narratives and occurring in community-based or school-based locations. Utilizing a hybrid portraiture--instrumental case study design, two researchers selected participants from undergraduate educational psychology courses using…

Micro-dynamics of business location and growth and its effects on the transportation network and congestion in Georgia and the southeast region.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-08-01

The project explored the linkages between industry dynamics and economic activity, and the : macro-congestion aspects of freight transport. The Kia Motors manufacturing plant near West Point, : Georgia was selected for case study. The principal study...

A Christian Value? Faculty Diversity at Southern Evangelical Campuses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Marquita; Mamiseishvili, Ketevan

2016-01-01

This case study research project examined efforts at three member institutions of the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities (CCCU), all located in the southern United States, to increase faculty diversity. The study also explored how these efforts related to institutional mission and what aspects within the history of evangelicalism…

Vibration reduction in helicopter rotors using an actively controlled partial span trailing edge flap located on the blade

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Millott, T. A.; Friedmann, P. P.

1994-01-01

This report describes an analytical study of vibration reduction in a four-bladed helicopter rotor using an actively controlled, partial span, trailing edge flap located on the blade. The vibration reduction produced by the actively controlled flap (ACF) is compared with that obtained using individual blade control (IBC), in which the entire blade is oscillated in pitch. For both cases a deterministic feedback controller is implemented to reduce the 4/rev hub loads. For all cases considered, the ACF produced vibration reduction comparable with that obtained using IBC, but consumed only 10-30% of the power required to implement IBC. A careful parametric study is conducted to determine the influence of blade torsional stiffness, spanwise location of the control flap, and hinge moment correction on the vibration reduction characteristics of the ACF. The results clearly demonstrate the feasibility of this new approach to vibration reduction. It should be emphasized than the ACF, used together with a conventional swashplate, is completely decoupled from the primary flight control system and thus it has no influence on the airworthiness of the helicopter. This attribute is potentially a significant advantage when compared to IBC.

Mesopause region wind, temperature and airglow irradiance above Eureka, Nunavut

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kristoffersen, Samuel; Ward, William E.; Vail, Christopher; Shepherd, Marianna

2016-07-01

The PEARL All Sky Imager (PASI, airglow images), the Spectral Airglow Temperature Imager (SATI, airglow irradiance and temperature) and the E-Region Wind Interferometer II (ERWIN2, wind, airglow irradiance and temperature) are co-located at the Polar Environment Atmospheric Research Laboratory (PEARL)in Eureka, Nunavut (80 N, 86 W). These instruments view the wind, temperature and airglow irradiance of hydroxyl (all three) O2 (ERWIN2 and SATI), sodium (PASI), and oxygen green line (PASI and ERWIN2). The viewing locations and specific emissions of the various instruments differ. Nevertheless, the co-location of these instruments provides an excellent opportunity for case studies of specific events and for intercomparison between the different techniques. In this paper we discuss the approach we are using to combine observations from the different instruments. Case studies show that at times the various instruments are in good agreement but at other times they differ. Of particular interest are situations where gravity wave signatures are evident for an extended period of time and one such situation is presented. The discussion includes consideration of the filtering effect of viewing through airglow layers and the extent to which wind, airglow and temperature variations can be associated with the same gravity wave.

Effectiveness of time of sowing and cultivar choice for managing climate change: wheat crop phenology and water use efficiency.

PubMed

Luo, Qunying; O'Leary, Garry; Cleverly, James; Eamus, Derek

2018-06-01

Climate change (CC) presents a challenge for the sustainable development of wheat production systems in Australia. This study aimed to (1) quantify the impact of future CC on wheat grain yield for the period centred on 2030 from the perspectives of wheat phenology, water use and water use efficiency (WUE) and (2) evaluate the effectiveness of changing sowing times and cultivars in response to the expected impacts of future CC on wheat grain yield. The daily outputs of CSIRO Conformal-Cubic Atmospheric Model for baseline and future periods were used by a stochastic weather generator to derive changes in mean climate and in climate variability and to construct local climate scenarios, which were then coupled with a wheat crop model to achieve the two research aims. We considered three locations in New South Wales, Australia, six times of sowing (TOS) and three bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars in this study. Simulation results show that in 2030 (1) for impact analysis, wheat phenological events are expected to occur earlier and crop water use is expected to decrease across all cases (the combination of three locations, six TOS and three cultivars), wheat grain yield would increase or decrease depending on locations and TOS; and WUE would increase in most of the cases; (2) for adaptation considerations, the combination of TOS and cultivars with the highest yield varied across locations. Wheat growers at different locations will require different strategies in managing the negative impacts or taking the opportunities of future CC.

Effectiveness of time of sowing and cultivar choice for managing climate change: wheat crop phenology and water use efficiency

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luo, Qunying; O'Leary, Garry; Cleverly, James; Eamus, Derek

2018-06-01

Climate change (CC) presents a challenge for the sustainable development of wheat production systems in Australia. This study aimed to (1) quantify the impact of future CC on wheat grain yield for the period centred on 2030 from the perspectives of wheat phenology, water use and water use efficiency (WUE) and (2) evaluate the effectiveness of changing sowing times and cultivars in response to the expected impacts of future CC on wheat grain yield. The daily outputs of CSIRO Conformal-Cubic Atmospheric Model for baseline and future periods were used by a stochastic weather generator to derive changes in mean climate and in climate variability and to construct local climate scenarios, which were then coupled with a wheat crop model to achieve the two research aims. We considered three locations in New South Wales, Australia, six times of sowing (TOS) and three bread wheat ( Triticum aestivum L .) cultivars in this study. Simulation results show that in 2030 (1) for impact analysis, wheat phenological events are expected to occur earlier and crop water use is expected to decrease across all cases (the combination of three locations, six TOS and three cultivars), wheat grain yield would increase or decrease depending on locations and TOS; and WUE would increase in most of the cases; (2) for adaptation considerations, the combination of TOS and cultivars with the highest yield varied across locations. Wheat growers at different locations will require different strategies in managing the negative impacts or taking the opportunities of future CC.

Effectiveness of time of sowing and cultivar choice for managing climate change: wheat crop phenology and water use efficiency

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luo, Qunying; O'Leary, Garry; Cleverly, James; Eamus, Derek

2018-02-01

Climate change (CC) presents a challenge for the sustainable development of wheat production systems in Australia. This study aimed to (1) quantify the impact of future CC on wheat grain yield for the period centred on 2030 from the perspectives of wheat phenology, water use and water use efficiency (WUE) and (2) evaluate the effectiveness of changing sowing times and cultivars in response to the expected impacts of future CC on wheat grain yield. The daily outputs of CSIRO Conformal-Cubic Atmospheric Model for baseline and future periods were used by a stochastic weather generator to derive changes in mean climate and in climate variability and to construct local climate scenarios, which were then coupled with a wheat crop model to achieve the two research aims. We considered three locations in New South Wales, Australia, six times of sowing (TOS) and three bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars in this study. Simulation results show that in 2030 (1) for impact analysis, wheat phenological events are expected to occur earlier and crop water use is expected to decrease across all cases (the combination of three locations, six TOS and three cultivars), wheat grain yield would increase or decrease depending on locations and TOS; and WUE would increase in most of the cases; (2) for adaptation considerations, the combination of TOS and cultivars with the highest yield varied across locations. Wheat growers at different locations will require different strategies in managing the negative impacts or taking the opportunities of future CC.

Secondary intracranial neoplasia in the dog: 177 cases (1986-2003).

PubMed

Snyder, J M; Lipitz, L; Skorupski, K A; Shofer, F S; Van Winkle, T J

2008-01-01

This study investigates the frequency, location, and clinical findings associated with 177 secondary brain tumors in dogs. Secondary intracranial neoplasia is more common than primary intracranial neoplasia in dogs during the time period studied, and hemangiosarcoma (HSA) is the most common secondary intracranial tumor. One hundred and seventy-seven client-owned dogs presented to the Matthew J. Ryan Veterinary Hospital between 1986 and 2003. Medical records were searched for a diagnosis of intracranial neoplasia in dogs who underwent complete postmortem examination. Of these dogs, those with a diagnosis of primary intracranial neoplasia were excluded. Of the 177 secondary brain tumors, 51 (29%) were HSAs, 44 (25%) were pituitary tumors, 21 (12%) were lymphosarcomas, and 21 (12%) were metastatic carcinomas. The average age at diagnosis was 9.6 +/- 3.0 years. Most tumors were located in the cerebrum, and a mentation change was the most common presenting clinical sign. On postmortem examination, the same tumor that was in the brain was also present in the lung in 84 cases (47%), in the kidney in 62 cases (35%), and in the heart in 55 cases (31%). Secondary intracranial neoplasia in dogs was more common than primary intracranial neoplasia during the time period studied. Many of these dogs had related disease in other body systems that was apparent on diagnostic tests such as thoracic radiography.

47 CFR 101.129 - Transmitter location.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Transmitter location. 101.129 Section 101.129... SERVICES Technical Standards § 101.129 Transmitter location. (a) The applicant must determine, prior to... adequate to render the service proposed. In cases of questionable antenna locations, it is desirable to...

Analysis of 153 cases of odontogenic cysts in a South Indian sample population: a retrospective study over a decade.

PubMed

Selvamani, Manickam; Donoghue, Mandana; Basandi, Praveen Shivappa

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of odontogenic cysts and to identify their clinico-pathological features among patients by studying biopsy specimens obtained from the archives of the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, College of Dental Sciences, Davangere, Karnataka, India, during the past 10 years. Data for the study were retrieved from the case records of patients fitting the histological classification of the World Health Organization (1992). Analyzed clinical variables included age, gender, anatomical location, and histological diagnosis. Of the 2275 biopsy reports analyzed, 194 cases (8.5%) were jaw cysts, including odontogenic (6.7%) and nonodontogenic cysts (0.25%). Odontogenic cysts included 69.3% radicular, 20.3% dentigerous, 5.2% keratinizing odontogenic, 3.3% residual, and 1.9% other cysts, such as lateral periodontal, botryoid odontogenic, and gingival cysts. The most frequent clinical manifestation was swelling, followed by a combination of pain and swelling. Age, gender, and location were related to the etiopathologic characteristics of the cyst type. A definitive diagnosis can be made on the basis of clinical, radiological, and histological findings, which makes a good interdepartmental relationship between the clinicians and pathologists essential. Knowledge of the biological and histological behavior of the odontogenic cysts is required for their early detection and treatment.

OUTER LOOP LANDFILL CASE STUDY

EPA Science Inventory

This presentation will describe the interim data reaulting from a CRADA between USEPA and Waste Management, Inc. at the outer Loop Landfill Bioreactor research project located in Louisville, KY. Recently updated data will be presented covering landfill solids, gas being collecte...

NASA's Meteoroid Environments Office's Response to Three Significant Bolide Events Over North America

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Blaauw, Rhiannon C.; Cooke, William J.; Kingery, Aaron M.

2015-01-01

Being the only U.S. Government entity charged with monitoring the meteor environment, the Meteoroid Environment Office has deployed a network of all sky and wide field meteor cameras, along with the appropriate software tools to quickly analyze data from these systems. However, the coverage of this network is still quite limited, forcing the incorporation of data from other cameras posted to the internet in analyzing many of the fireballs reported by the public and media. A procedure has been developed that determines the analysis process for a given fireball event based on the types and amount of data available. The differences between these analysis process will be explained and outlined by looking at three bolide events, all of which were large enough to produce meteorites. The first example is an ideal event - a bright meteor that occurred over NASA's All Sky Camera Network on August 2, 2014. With clear video of the event from various angles, a high-accuracy trajectory, beginning and end heights, orbit and approximate brightness/size of the event are able to be found very quickly using custom software. The bolide had the potential to have dropped meteorites, so dark flight analysis and modeling was performed, allowing potential fall locations to be mapped as a function of meteorite mass. The second case study was a bright bolide that occurred November 3, 2014 over West Virginia. This was just north of the NASA southeastern all-sky network, and just south of the Ohio-Pennsylvania network. This case study showcases the MEO's ability to use social media and various internet sources to locate videos of the event from obscure sources (including the Washington Monument) for anything that will permit a determination of a basic trajectory and fireball light curve The third case study will highlight the ability to use doppler weather radar in helping locate meteorites, which enable a definitive classification of the impactor. The input data and analysis steps differ for each case study, but the goals remain the same - a trajectory, orbit, and mass estimate for the bolide within hours of the event, and, for events with a high probability of producing meteorites, a location of the strewn field within a day.

Canine, feline, and equine corneal vascular neoplasia: A retrospective study (2007-2015).

PubMed

Shank, Alba Maria M; Teixeria, Leandro B C; Dubielzig, Richard R

2018-04-24

Corneal vascular neoplasms (hemangioma and hemangiosarcoma) are rare in all species. Reported cases are single case reports in a single species. Archived cases of corneal hemangioma and hemangiosarcoma from dogs, cats, and horses were obtained from the Comparative Ocular Pathology Lab of Wisconsin (COPLOW, Madison, WI), tabulated, and examined. This retrospective study describes the breeds, ages, tumor types, and characteristics of vascular neoplasms that appeared to be primarily corneal in location, in feline, canine, and equine patients, with gross and histologic images. There is a discussion of predisposing factors and speculated association with chronic ocular surface disease. © 2018 American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists.

Fuzzy Inference System Approach for Locating Series, Shunt, and Simultaneous Series-Shunt Faults in Double Circuit Transmission Lines

PubMed Central

Swetapadma, Aleena; Yadav, Anamika

2015-01-01

Many schemes are reported for shunt fault location estimation, but fault location estimation of series or open conductor faults has not been dealt with so far. The existing numerical relays only detect the open conductor (series) fault and give the indication of the faulty phase(s), but they are unable to locate the series fault. The repair crew needs to patrol the complete line to find the location of series fault. In this paper fuzzy based fault detection/classification and location schemes in time domain are proposed for both series faults, shunt faults, and simultaneous series and shunt faults. The fault simulation studies and fault location algorithm have been developed using Matlab/Simulink. Synchronized phasors of voltage and current signals of both the ends of the line have been used as input to the proposed fuzzy based fault location scheme. Percentage of error in location of series fault is within 1% and shunt fault is 5% for all the tested fault cases. Validation of percentage of error in location estimation is done using Chi square test with both 1% and 5% level of significance. PMID:26413088

Goethe's Phenomenological Optics: The Point Where Language Ends and Experience Begins in Science.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Junker, Kirk

This paper explores whether phenomenology, in general, and the case of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's phenomenological optics in particular, provides a case and a location for "minimal realism," located between the extreme positions of absolute scientific realists and "radical rhetoricians." The paper begins with a description of…

Dedifferentiated liposarcoma arising from the sigmoid mesocolon: A case report

PubMed Central

Winn, Brody; Gao, John; Akbari, Homayoon; Bhattacharya, Baishali

2007-01-01

Dedifferentiated liposarcoma is a variant of liposarcoma with a more aggressive course. It occurs most commonly in the retroperitoneum and rarely in other anatomic locations. In the present report, we describe a case of dedifferentiated liposarcoma that occurred in an unusual location, sigmoid mesocolon, which has not yet been documented. PMID:17696239

An Optimal Algorithm towards Successive Location Privacy in Sensor Networks with Dynamic Programming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Baokang; Wang, Dan; Shao, Zili; Cao, Jiannong; Chan, Keith C. C.; Su, Jinshu

In wireless sensor networks, preserving location privacy under successive inference attacks is extremely critical. Although this problem is NP-complete in general cases, we propose a dynamic programming based algorithm and prove it is optimal in special cases where the correlation only exists between p immediate adjacent observations.

The second fracture of the same clavicle: prevalence and fracture configurations.

PubMed

Asavamongkolkul, Apichat; Harnroongroj, Thos; Suteeraporn, Wuttipon; Sudjai, Narumol; Harnroongroj, Thossart

2012-12-01

To study second fracture at the same clavicle including prevalence, fracture configurations related to malunion types of the first fracture, and healing. Between 2008 and 2011, the authors reviewed medical records and radiographs of the clavicles of patients who sustained acute clavicular fractures from motorcycle accident. Second fracture at the same clavicle and prevalence were studied. Malunion of the first fracture of the same clavicle were typed and configurations of the second fracture at the same clavicles were described related to type of the malunion. There were 552 clavicular fractures. Four cases of which sustained a second fracture at the same clavicles. Malunion of the first clavicular fracture of the four cases were typed: type I, extension, type II, flexion, and type III, bayonet. There were one, two, and one case of second clavicular fractures of the type I, II, and III clavicular malunion. The configuration of second clavicular fracture of the type I malunion clavicle is located at lateral fragment, inferior displacement, and dorsal angulation with dorsal cortex conminution. The type II malunion clavicle is located at lateral fragment with minimal displacement. For the type III malunion clavicle, the second fracture is located at medial fragment with mild inferior displacement and inferior angulation. The four cases of the second fractures of the same clavicles healed within two months without complication. The prevalence of second fracture at the same clacicles was 7.2:1000. The three types of the first fracture malunion were extension, flexion, and bayonet. The configuration of the second fracture at the same clavicles depends on malunion types of the first clavicular fracture. They healed without complication.

[Presence of intramammary lymph nodes in the preoperative lymphoscintigraphy to locate the sentinel lymph node. Clinical significance].

PubMed

Nogareda, Z; Álvarez, A; Perlaza, P; Caparrós, F X; Alonso, I; Paredes, P; Vidal-Sicart, S

2015-01-01

The routes of lymphatic drainage from a breast cancer are the axilla (the most frequent) and the extra axillary regions. Among the latter, there are the so-called intrammamary lymph nodes (IMLN). This study has aimed to assess the incidence of IMLNs in our patients and study the evolution of these cases with IMLN in the lymphoscintigraphy. Thirty-eight patients (out of 1725) with IMLN in the pre-operative lymphoscintigraphy were assessed. During the surgical procedure, using a gamma probe, IMLNs were located and excised. After their harvesting, a meticulous surgical field scan was performed. When the axillary sentinel node was positive for metastasis, a complete axillary lymphadenectomy was performed. In those where the axillary sentinel node was negative and IMLN was positive (IMLN+), axillary lymphadenectomy was also performed, except for one case. Thirty-four out of the 38 IMLNs were obtained (89.5%), because no lymphatic tissue was found in pathology analysis in three cases (8%) and in one patient (3%) IMLN was not found during surgery. Ten (26%) metastatic IMLNs were located and the remaining 24 IMLNs cases (63%) were metastasis-free. During the clinical follow-up, one patient with IMLN+ developed hepatic metastases. The remaining 33 patients did not present any recurrence. No follow-up data were available for three patients. IMLN and axillary sentinel node biopsy are recommended when both are depicted in preoperative lymphoscintigraphy. The axilla treatment will only depend on the axillary sentinel node status. Based on the data from other authors and our own experience, avoiding the axillary lymphadenectomy when a metastatic IMLN without axillary involvement seems reasonable. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier España, S.L.U. and SEMNIM. All rights reserved.

Applications of ground penetrating radar (GPR) in bridge deck monitoring and assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alani, Amir M.; Aboutalebi, Morteza; Kilic, Gokhan

2013-10-01

This paper presents the essence of two case studies by the authors on two major bridges in the UK. The first case study reports on the applications of GPR and associated work carried out on the Forth Road Bridge near Edinburgh, Scotland, with the main objective of identifying possible structural defects including damaged rebar and moisture ingress at specific locations of the bridge deck. The second case study focuses on a full assessment of the Pentagon Road Bridge, in Chatham, Kent, England with particular emphasis on the identification of possible defects including structural cracks within the deck structure and establishing the layout of the upper and lower rebar positions throughout the bridge. These studies present interesting results in terms of locations of rebar and an accurate estimate of concrete cover condition as well as reporting on a remarkable similarity in the processed data concerning areas affected by ingress of moisture within the deck structures of the two bridges under investigation. It is believed that this paper will be of particular interest to bridge engineers and structural engineering practitioners with enthusiasm for adopting non-destructive testing methods such as GPR in the health monitoring and assessment of bridge structures. The observed similarities in the processed data between the two reported case studies present an interesting concept within the general context of the interpretation of GPR data, with the potential for use in many other forthcoming cases. The paper also reports on the adopted method for the GPR survey with emphasis on difficulties and challenges encountered during the actual survey. The presented results benefit from advanced processing and presentation techniques.

Effect of Turbulence Models on Two Massively-Separated Benchmark Flow Cases

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rumsey, Christopher L.

2003-01-01

Two massively-separated flow cases (the 2-D hill and the 3-D Ahmed body) were computed with several different turbulence models in the Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes code CFL3D as part of participation in a turbulence modeling workshop held in Poitiers, France in October, 2002. Overall, results were disappointing, but were consistent with results from other RANS codes and other turbulence models at the workshop. For the 2-D hill case, those turbulence models that predicted separation location accurately ended up yielding a too-long separation extent downstream. The one model that predicted a shorter separation extent in better agreement with LES data did so only by coincidence: its prediction of earlier reattachment was due to a too-late prediction of the separation location. For the Ahmed body, two slant angles were computed, and CFD performed fairly well for one of the cases (the larger slant angle). Both turbulence models tested in this case were very similar to each other. For the smaller slant angle, CFD predicted massive separation, whereas the experiment showed reattachment about half-way down the center of the face. These test cases serve as reminders that state- of-the-art CFD is currently not a reliable predictor of massively-separated flow physics, and that further validation studies in this area would be beneficial.

Clinicopathological importance of anterior prostate cancer in Japanese Men.

PubMed

Sato, Shun; Takahashi, Hiroyuki; Kimura, Takahiro; Egawa, Shin; Furusato, Bungo; Ikegami, Masahiro

2017-03-01

Prostate cancer of transition zone origin or anterior location has been recognized as infrequent, smaller in size and indolent, whereas, our previous report showed that transition zone/anterior cancer was frequently experienced in Japanese men. The current study was conducted to show clinicopathological characteristics of transition zone/anterior cancer. A total of 201 radical prostatectomy specimens were categorized as cancer of anterior or posterior prostate where more than two thirds of the tumor existed in the specific area. Clinicopathological characteristics including Gleason score, pathological stage, lymph node metastasis, extraprostatic extension, surgical incision into the prostate (shown as pT2+), and surgical margin status were compared between anterior and posterior cases. Cases were divided as 83, 73, and 45 of anterior, posterior cancer, and no dominance, respectively. Anterior cancers included significant numbers of high grade tumors (13/83 cases: 15.7%), which was less than posterior cancers (28.8%: 21/73). The cases in pT2+ were significantly more frequent in anterior cases than posterior ones (22.9% vs. 4.1%). No seminal vesicle invasion was shown in anterior cases. Thus, although anterior cancers are less aggressive than posterior cancers, a significant numbers of clinically important cancers were located in the anterior portion in Japanese men. © 2017 Japanese Society of Pathology and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

Language Use in Six Study Abroad Programs: An Exploratory Analysis of Possible Predictors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dewey, Dan P.; Bown, Jennifer; Baker, Wendy; Martinsen, Rob A.; Gold, Carrie; Eggett, Dennis

2014-01-01

A common predictor of language gains during study abroad (SA) is amount of language use. Yet little attention has been given to determining what factors influence the extent of language use while abroad. Studies in this area have mainly been case studies of learners in single locations. In this larger study, we seek to determine variables…

Intraparenchymal epidermoid cyst: proper surgical management may lead to satisfactory outcome.

PubMed

Zheng, Jian; Wang, Chun; Liu, Fengqiang

2018-03-12

Intraparenchymal epidermoid cysts (IECs) are rare lesions, thus the preoperative diagnosis and proper surgical management are still a challenge. We searched the database at our institution and performed a search of English literature in PubMed and Google Scholar. Keywords used were as follows: "intraparenchymal"; "intracerebral"; "intraaxial"; "epidermoid cyst"; "brainstem"; "cholesteatoma"; "pearly tumor". Only cases that were true intraparenchymally located and contained adequate clinical information were included. Six cases of IECs were recorded at our institution. Total removal was achieved in all the six patients with good outcomes. 29 cases meeting the above criteria were found in the literature. Including ours, a total of 35 patients were analyzed. Females were more frequently affected (F/M ratio, 1.9:1). Most of them were located in the brainstem (42.9%) and temporal lobe (22.9%). While in children, all were located in the brainstem. 45.2% showed subtle peripheral enhancement on Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), and all appeared hyperintense on Diffusion Weighted Imaging (DWI). In the subgroup of cerebral lobes and cerebellums, total resection was achieved in 89.5%, and they all showed good outcomes. While in the subgroup of brainstem, 46.7% (seven cases) underwent total resection and 50% (three cases) of them died postoperatively. MRI with DWI is helpful in the preoperative diagnosis. Total resection should be achieved for the IECs located in cerebral lobes and cerebellums, while subtotal resection is a wise and safe strategy for the IECs located in the brainstem.

Randomized trial of supplementary interviewing techniques to enhance recall of sexual partners in contact interviews.

PubMed

Brewer, Devon D; Potterat, John J; Muth, Stephen Q; Malone, Patricia Z; Montoya, Pamela; Green, David L; Rogers, Helen L; Cox, Patricia A

2005-03-01

People with multiple sex partners tend to forget a significant proportion when recalling them. Randomized trial of supplementary interviewing techniques during routine partner notification contact interviews for chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis in Colorado Springs, CO. Cases with multiple sex partners in the last 3 months (n = 123) participated. Interviewers prompted nonspecifically and read back the list of elicited partners after cases recalled partners on their own. We then randomly assigned cases to receive 1 of 3 sets of recall cues: (1) an experimental set of cues consisting of locations where people meet partners, role relationships, network ties, and first letters of names; (2) another experimental set including common first names; and (3) control cues referring to individual characteristics (e.g., physical appearance). Nonspecific prompting and reading back the list each increased the number of additional partners elicited and located by 3% to 5% on average. On average, the combined location/role/letter/network cues elicited more additional partners (0.57) than did the first-name (0.29) and individual characteristics (0.28) cues. The location and first-name cues were the most effective in eliciting located partners. The supplementary techniques increased the number of new cases found by 12% and, importantly, identified branches of the sexual network that would not otherwise have been discovered. Elicitation of sex partners can be enhanced in contact interviews with simple interviewing techniques, resulting in improved network ascertainment and sexually transmitted disease case finding.

Real-time porphyrin detection in plaque and caries: a case study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Timoshchuk, Mari-Alina I.; Ridge, Jeremy S.; Rugg, Amanda L.; Nelson, Leonard Y.; Kim, Amy S.; Seibel, Eric J.

2015-02-01

An ultrathin scanning fiber endoscope, originally developed for cancer diagnosis, was used in a case study to locate plaque and caries. The imaging system incorporated software mitigation of background auto-fluorescence (AF). In conventional fluorescence imaging, varying AF across a tooth surface can mask low-level porphyrin signals. Laser-induced auto-fluorescence signals of dental tissue excited using a 405-nm laser typically produce fluorescence over a wavelength range extending from 440-nm to 750-nm. Anaerobic bacterial metabolism produces various porphyrin species (eg. protoporphyrin IX) that are located in carious enamel, dentin, gingivitis sites, and plaque. In our case study, these porphyrin deposits remained as long as one day after prophylaxis. Imaging the tooth surface using 405-nm excitation and subtracting the natural AF enhances the image contrast of low-level porphyrin deposits, which would otherwise be masked by the high background AF. In a case study, healthy tissues as well as sites of early and advanced caries formations were scanned for visual and quantitative signs of red fluorescence associated with porphyrin species using a background mitigation algorithm. Initial findings show increasing amplitudes of red fluorescence as caries severity increases from early to late stages. Sites of plaque accumulation also displayed red fluorescence similar to that found in carious dental tissue. The use of real-time background mitigation of natural dental AF can enhance the detection of low porphyrin concentrations that are indicators of early stage caries formation.

Evaluation of information-theoretic similarity measures for content-based retrieval and detection of masses in mammograms.

PubMed

Tourassi, Georgia D; Harrawood, Brian; Singh, Swatee; Lo, Joseph Y; Floyd, Carey E

2007-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate image similarity measures employed in an information-theoretic computer-assisted detection (IT-CAD) scheme. The scheme was developed for content-based retrieval and detection of masses in screening mammograms. The study is aimed toward an interactive clinical paradigm where physicians query the proposed IT-CAD scheme on mammographic locations that are either visually suspicious or indicated as suspicious by other cuing CAD systems. The IT-CAD scheme provides an evidence-based, second opinion for query mammographic locations using a knowledge database of mass and normal cases. In this study, eight entropy-based similarity measures were compared with respect to retrieval precision and detection accuracy using a database of 1820 mammographic regions of interest. The IT-CAD scheme was then validated on a separate database for false positive reduction of progressively more challenging visual cues generated by an existing, in-house mass detection system. The study showed that the image similarity measures fall into one of two categories; one category is better suited to the retrieval of semantically similar cases while the second is more effective with knowledge-based decisions regarding the presence of a true mass in the query location. In addition, the IT-CAD scheme yielded a substantial reduction in false-positive detections while maintaining high detection rate for malignant masses.

Evaluation of information-theoretic similarity measures for content-based retrieval and detection of masses in mammograms

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

Tourassi, Georgia D.; Harrawood, Brian; Singh, Swatee

The purpose of this study was to evaluate image similarity measures employed in an information-theoretic computer-assisted detection (IT-CAD) scheme. The scheme was developed for content-based retrieval and detection of masses in screening mammograms. The study is aimed toward an interactive clinical paradigm where physicians query the proposed IT-CAD scheme on mammographic locations that are either visually suspicious or indicated as suspicious by other cuing CAD systems. The IT-CAD scheme provides an evidence-based, second opinion for query mammographic locations using a knowledge database of mass and normal cases. In this study, eight entropy-based similarity measures were compared with respect to retrievalmore » precision and detection accuracy using a database of 1820 mammographic regions of interest. The IT-CAD scheme was then validated on a separate database for false positive reduction of progressively more challenging visual cues generated by an existing, in-house mass detection system. The study showed that the image similarity measures fall into one of two categories; one category is better suited to the retrieval of semantically similar cases while the second is more effective with knowledge-based decisions regarding the presence of a true mass in the query location. In addition, the IT-CAD scheme yielded a substantial reduction in false-positive detections while maintaining high detection rate for malignant masses.« less

Fishery Resource Utilization of a Restored Estuarine Borrow Pit: A Beneficial Use of Dredged Material Case Study

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-08-01

W) is a 75-square-mile shallow estuary located in Ocean County, New Jersey. Situated behind a barrier spit and Long Beach Island, the estuary’s...primary connection to the ocean is via Barnegat Inlet (Figure 1). Dredged Holes #5 and #6 are located less than 30.5 m (100 ft) from shore along the...included oyster toadfish (Opsanus tau) (CPUE = 20-25 fish trawl/hr) and summer flounder (Paralichthys dentatus) (CPUE 8 fish trawl/hr), both of

Development of a Prediction Model Based on RBF Neural Network for Sheet Metal Fixture Locating Layout Design and Optimization.

PubMed

Wang, Zhongqi; Yang, Bo; Kang, Yonggang; Yang, Yuan

2016-01-01

Fixture plays an important part in constraining excessive sheet metal part deformation at machining, assembly, and measuring stages during the whole manufacturing process. However, it is still a difficult and nontrivial task to design and optimize sheet metal fixture locating layout at present because there is always no direct and explicit expression describing sheet metal fixture locating layout and responding deformation. To that end, an RBF neural network prediction model is proposed in this paper to assist design and optimization of sheet metal fixture locating layout. The RBF neural network model is constructed by training data set selected by uniform sampling and finite element simulation analysis. Finally, a case study is conducted to verify the proposed method.

Development of a Prediction Model Based on RBF Neural Network for Sheet Metal Fixture Locating Layout Design and Optimization

PubMed Central

Wang, Zhongqi; Yang, Bo; Kang, Yonggang; Yang, Yuan

2016-01-01

Fixture plays an important part in constraining excessive sheet metal part deformation at machining, assembly, and measuring stages during the whole manufacturing process. However, it is still a difficult and nontrivial task to design and optimize sheet metal fixture locating layout at present because there is always no direct and explicit expression describing sheet metal fixture locating layout and responding deformation. To that end, an RBF neural network prediction model is proposed in this paper to assist design and optimization of sheet metal fixture locating layout. The RBF neural network model is constructed by training data set selected by uniform sampling and finite element simulation analysis. Finally, a case study is conducted to verify the proposed method. PMID:27127499

The lack of selection bias in a snowball sampled case-control study on drug abuse.

PubMed

Lopes, C S; Rodrigues, L C; Sichieri, R

1996-12-01

Friend controls in matched case-control studies can be a potential source of bias based on the assumption that friends are more likely to share exposure factors. This study evaluates the role of selection bias in a case-control study that used the snowball sampling method based on friendship for the selection of cases and controls. The cases selected fro the study were drug abusers located in the community. Exposure was defined by the presence of at least one psychiatric diagnosis. Psychiatric and drug abuse/dependence diagnoses were made according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-III-R) criteria. Cases and controls were matched on sex, age and friendship. The measurement of selection bias was made through the comparison of the proportion of exposed controls selected by exposed cases (p1) with the proportion of exposed controls selected by unexposed cases (p2). If p1 = p2 then, selection bias should not occur. The observed distribution of the 185 matched pairs having at least one psychiatric disorder showed a p1 value of 0.52 and a p2 value of 0.51, indicating no selection bias in this study. Our findings support the idea that the use of friend controls can produce a valid basis for a case-control study.

[An exceptional association between retroperitoneal dedifferentiated liposarcoma and well differentiated pericolonic liposarcoma: about a case].

PubMed

Sinaa, Mohamed

2016-01-01

Liposarcoma is an extremely rare malignant adipose mesenchymal tumor. World Health Organization classifies liposarcomas into five subtypes: well differentiated, myxoid, pleomorphic, dedifferentiated and mixed. The association between multiple and synchronous location of several subtypes of liposarcomas is exceptional. Only 34 cases have been reported in the literature. We report the case of synchronous association between retroperitoneal dedifferentiated liposarcoma and two small well-differentiated lipoma-like pericolic liposarcomas. Anatomopathological aspects, therapeutic options and prognostic factors of liposarcomas have been reviewed in this study.

Characteristics of Rib Fractures in Child Abuse-The Role of Low-Dose Chest Computed Tomography.

PubMed

Sanchez, Thomas R; Grasparil, Angelo D; Chaudhari, Ruchir; Coulter, Kevin P; Wootton-Gorges, Sandra L

2018-02-01

Our aim is to describe the radiologic characteristics of rib fractures in clinically diagnosed cases of child abuse and suggest a complementary imaging for radiographically occult injuries in highly suspicious cases of child abuse. Retrospective analysis of initial and follow-up skeletal surveys and computed tomography (CT) scans of 16 patients younger than 12 months were reviewed after obtaining approval from our institutional review board. The number, location, displacement, and age of the rib fractures were recorded. Out of a total 105 rib fractures, 84% (87/105) were detected on the initial skeletal survey. Seventeen percent (18/105) were seen only after follow-up imaging, more than half of which (11/18) were detected on a subsequent CT. Majority of the fractures were posterior (43%) and anterior (30%) in location. An overwhelming majority (96%) of the fractures are nondisplaced. Seventeen percent of rib fractures analyzed in the study were not documented on the initial skeletal survey. Majority of fractures are nondisplaced and located posteriorly or anteriorly, areas that are often difficult to assess especially in the acute stage. The CT scan is more sensitive in evaluating these types of fractures. Low-dose chest CT can be an important imaging modality for suspicious cases of child abuse when initial radiographic findings are inconclusive.

Communicating the location of potential skin neoplasms for excision between the referring and the operating doctor--an audit of skin lesion referrals in Whanganui, New Zealand.

PubMed

Welsh, Fraser; Bullen, Naomi; Aiono, Semisi

2013-08-30

The importance of correctly defining the location of potential skin cancer when surgical treatment may be required is self-evident. Clear communication is essential if the professional diagnosing potential skin cancer is not the same professional providing treatment. We aimed to assess the nature of the localising information provided in referrals to the local anaesthetic skin lesion theatre in our institution. Information localising target lesions for new patients seen in our local anaesthetic skin excision theatre was recorded during a 2-month period April to May 2012 inclusive 100 patients were seen in our skin excision theatre during the study period; 16 patients were not able to identify the target skin lesion at the time they entered the operating theatre. The target lesion could not be determined from the referral text in 30/100 cases. Diagrams were provided in 19/100 cases. Photographs were provided in 3/100 cases. Pictorial and photographic means of communicating the location of suspicious lesions are under-utilised in our service. Relying on the patient or the referral text to correctly identify the lesion leaves considerable room for error. We suggest that photographic information for skin lesion referrals is adopted as a minimum standard.

Synovial tumefactive extramedullary hematopoiesis associated to polycythemia vera.

PubMed

Alvarez-Argüelles Cabrera, Hugo; Carrasco Juan, José Luis; García Castro, María Candelaria; González Gaitano, Manuel; Bonilla Arjona, Alfonso; Díaz-Flores, Lucio

2007-01-01

The case of a 66-year-old male patient with a chronic myeloproliferative type polycythemia vera disorder, who after 2 years of evolution is developing a tumefactive extramedullary hematopoiesis (TEH) located in the synovial of the articulation in the right knee, is described. The tumor histologically consists of a relatively lax and edematous synovial structure diffusely infiltrated by mature and semimature hematopoietic cellular population. The simultaneous study of the bone marrow reveals medullar spaces full of hematopoietic cellularity, with a predominance of megakaryocytic and red series, and with the addition of severe reticulin fibrosis, facts that suggest a progression toward myelofibrosis. The TEH developed in tissues without a reticulum endothelial system is very uncommon. We provide data about the first case located in the synovial membrane and we review the literature regarding this pathologic entity.

Locating Gender: Occupational Segregation, Wages and Domestic Responsibilities. Cambridge Studies in Work and Social Inequality 1.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Siltanen, Janet

This text combines a case-study approach with significant theoretical development to challenge existing explanations of occupational segregation. Chapter 1 reviews issues raised by the conceptual status of "gender" in attempting to explain women's and men's employment experience and introduces the study that forms the core of the…

Blaming and Framing the Family: Urban Schools and School Officials Talk of Neglecting Parents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Odenbring, Ylva; Johansson, Thomas; Lunneblad, Johannes

2016-01-01

This article explores Swedish secondary school's strategies for supporting students who lack parental care. The study was designed as a case study of six Swedish urban secondary schools located in different demographic areas in southern Sweden. The study draws from individual interviews with school officials, focus group interviews with schools…

Reading and Writing from Textbooks in Higher Education: A Case Study from Economics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Richardson, Paul W.

2004-01-01

Reading and writing at university is infused by the cultural context of a particular discipline or field so that academic literacies are located, described, interpreted and studied in disciplinary contexts. This study explores the roles and functions textbooks have in the disciplinary culture of Economics in the academy, where there are many…

A Case Study of an Ameliorable Career/Technical School: An Exploration of Principal/Teacher Relationships

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Glover, Joan

2012-01-01

This participatory action research study explored principal/teacher relationships in an ameliorable career/technical school located in the mid-west United States. This study examined how teachers in this school perceive their relationship with the principal and how a principal perceives her relationship with the teachers. This empirical inquiry…

Making Their Way: An Interpretive Case Study of Male First-Generation Students Attending a Highly Selective Liberal Arts College

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peltz, Mark R.

2013-01-01

This qualitative study focused on the experiences of eight male first-generation college students attending Kenmont College (pseudonym), a highly selective, residential liberal arts college located in the Midwestern United States. While first-generation college students have been studied in various contexts, very little is known about what…

Spirituality and Respect: Study of a Model School-Church-Community Collaboration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tripses, Jenny; Scroggs, Lori

2009-01-01

This interpretive case study focused upon the outcomes of a 14-year collaboration between a PreK-4 elementary school serving a high percentage of low-income students and a church located in the same urban neighborhood. The purposes of the investigation were to (1) perform a qualitative study that identified central themes underlying this…

Cuckoo search via Levy flights applied to uncapacitated facility location problem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mesa, Armacheska; Castromayor, Kris; Garillos-Manliguez, Cinmayii; Calag, Vicente

2017-11-01

Facility location problem (FLP) is a mathematical way to optimally locate facilities within a set of candidates to satisfy the requirements of a given set of clients. This study addressed the uncapacitated FLP as it assures that the capacity of every selected facility is finite. Thus, even if the demand is not known, which often is the case, in reality, organizations may still be able to take strategic decisions such as locating the facilities. There are different approaches relevant to the uncapacitated FLP. Here, the cuckoo search via Lévy flight (CS-LF) was used to solve the problem. Though hybrid methods produce better results, this study employed CS-LF to determine first its potential in finding solutions for the problem, particularly when applied to a real-world problem. The method was applied to the data set obtained from a department store in Davao City, Philippines. Results showed that applying CS-LF yielded better facility locations compared to particle swarm optimization and other existing algorithms. Although these results showed that CS-LF is a promising method to solve this particular problem, further studies on other FLP are recommended to establish a strong foundation of the capability of CS-LF in solving FLP.

Optimal power distribution for minimizing pupil walk in a 7.5X afocal zoom lens

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Wanyue; Zhao, Yang; Berman, Rebecca; Bodell, S. Yvonne; Fennig, Eryn; Ni, Yunhui; Papa, Jonathan C.; Yang, Tianyi; Yee, Anthony J.; Moore, Duncan T.; Bentley, Julie L.

2017-11-01

An extensive design study was conducted to find the best optimal power distribution and stop location for a 7.5x afocal zoom lens that controls the pupil walk and pupil location through zoom. This afocal zoom lens is one of the three components in a VIS-SWIR high-resolution microscope for inspection of photonic chips. The microscope consists of an afocal zoom, a nine-element objective and a tube lens and has diffraction limited performance with zero vignetting. In this case, the required change in object (sample) size and resolution is achieved by the magnification change of the afocal component. This creates strict requirements for both the entrance and exit pupil locations of the afocal zoom to couple the two sides successfully. The first phase of the design study looked at conventional four group zoom lenses with positive groups in the front and back and the stop at a fixed location outside the lens but resulted in significant pupil walk. The second phase of the design study focused on several promising unconventional four-group power distribution designs with moving stops that minimized pupil walk and had an acceptable pupil location (as determined by the objective and tube lens).

The Caspar Creek Watersheds--a case study

Treesearch

R. R. Ziemer

1990-01-01

Caspar Creek experimental watersheds are located on the Jackson Demonstration State Forest. Sponsors are the Pacific Southwest Research Station (PSW), USDA Forest Service, and the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CDF). Both organizations have been working cooperatively since 1962

HOV Project Case Studies, History and Institutional Arrangements

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1990-12-01

The Texas Transportation Institute (TTI), a part of The Texas A&M University : System, is conducting an assessment of high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) projects : located either on freeways or in separate rights-of-way in North America. The : three-year r...

Disinfectant Residual: Representative Monitoring and Minimum Residual Implications

EPA Science Inventory

In this presentation we will: review history of distribution system chlorine monitoring siting, review State regulations and guidance, present a case study demonstrating a chlorine monitoring locations evaluation, and present an evaluation of Six–Year Review 3 (SYR3) disinfectant...

The incubation period of Buruli ulcer (Mycobacterium ulcerans infection) in Victoria, Australia - Remains similar despite changing geographic distribution of disease.

PubMed

Loftus, Michael J; Trubiano, Jason A; Tay, Ee Laine; Lavender, Caroline J; Globan, Maria; Fyfe, Janet A M; Johnson, Paul D R

2018-03-01

Buruli ulcer (BU) is a geographically-restricted infection caused by Mycobacterium ulcerans; contact with an endemic region is the primary risk factor for disease acquisition. Globally, efforts to estimate the incubation period of BU are often hindered as most patients reside permanently in endemic areas. However, in the south-eastern Australian state of Victoria, a significant proportion of people who acquire BU are visitors to endemic regions. During a sustained outbreak of BU on the Bellarine peninsula we estimated a mean incubation period of 4.5 months. Since then cases on the Bellarine peninsula have declined but a new endemic area has developed centred on the Mornington peninsula. Retrospective review of 443 cases of BU notified in Victoria between 2013 and 2016. Telephone interviews were performed to identify all cases with a single visit to an endemic region, or multiple visits within a one month period. The incubation period was defined as the time between exposure to an endemic region and symptom onset. Data were subsequently combined with those from our earlier study incorporating cases from 2002 to 2012. Among the 20 new cases identified in short-term visitors, the mean incubation period was 143 days (4.8 months), very similar to the previous estimate of 135 days (4.5 months). This was despite the predominant exposure location shifting from the Bellarine peninsula to the Mornington peninsula. We found no association between incubation period and age, sex, location of exposure, duration of exposure to an endemic region or location of BU lesion. Our study confirms the mean incubation period of BU in Victoria to be between 4 and 5 months. This knowledge can guide clinicians and suggests that the mode of transmission of BU is similar in different geographic regions in Victoria.

Sporadic pediatric meningiomas: a neuroradiological and neuropathological study of 15 cases.

PubMed

Huntoon, Kristin; Pluto, Charles P; Ruess, Lynne; Boué, Daniel R; Pierson, Christopher R; Rusin, Jerome A; Leonard, Jeffrey

2017-08-01

OBJECTIVE Sporadic meningiomas have been classified in many different ways. Radiographically, these lesions can be described as occurring in either typical or atypical locations. The purpose of this study was to determine if there are any histopathological differences between sporadic meningiomas that arise in these varying locations in children. METHODS The neuroimaging, histopathological findings, and clinical records in patients with sporadic pediatric meningiomas not associated with neurofibromatosis Type 2 or prior radiation therapy were retrospectively reviewed. Tumors were classified by radiological findings as either typical or atypical, and they were categorized histopathologically by using the latest WHO nomenclature and grading criteria. RESULTS Fifteen sporadic meningiomas in pediatric patients were biopsied or resected at the authors' institution between 1989 and 2013. Five (33%) were typical in radiographic appearance and/or location and 10 (67%) were atypical. Four (80%) typical meningiomas were WHO Grade I tumors. Most (60%) of the atypical meningiomas were WHO Grade II or III. CONCLUSIONS This study is the largest series of sporadic pediatric meningiomas in atypical locations to date. Although sporadic meningiomas are relatively infrequent in children, those with atypical imaging, specifically those with apparently intraparenchymal and intraosseous locations, may be more common than previously recognized. In this study, pediatric sporadic meningiomas arising in atypical locations, in particular intraparenchymal meningiomas, may be of higher histopathological grade. The authors' findings should alert clinicians to the potential for more aggressive clinical behavior in these tumors.

Research of the relationship of pedestrian injury to collision speed, car-type, impact location and pedestrian sizes using human FE model (THUMS Version 4).

PubMed

Watanabe, Ryosuke; Katsuhara, Tadasuke; Miyazaki, Hiroshi; Kitagawa, Yuichi; Yasuki, Tsuyoshi

2012-10-01

Injuries in car to pedestrian collisions are affected by various factors such as the vehicle body type, pedestrian body size and impact location as well as the collision speed. This study aimed to investigate the influence of such factors taking a Finite Element (FE) approach. A total of 72 collision cases were simulated using three different vehicle FE models (Sedan, SUV, Mini-Van), three different pedestrian FE models (AM50, AF05, AM95), assuming two different impact locations (center and the corner of the bumper) and at four different collision speeds (20, 30, 40 and 50 km/h). The impact kinematics and the responses of the pedestrian model were validated against those in the literature prior to the simulations. The relationship between the collision speed and the predicted occurrence of head and chest injuries was examined for each case, analyzing the impact kinematics of the pedestrian against the vehicle body and resultant loading to the head and the chest. Strain based indicators were used in the simulation model to estimate skeletal injury (bony fracture) and soft tissue (brain and internal organs) injury. The study results primarily showed that the injury risk became higher with the collision speed, but was also affected by the combination of the factors such as the pedestrian size and the impact location. The study also discussed the injury patterns and trends with respect to the factors examined. In all of the simulated conditions, the model did not predict any severe injury at a collision speed of 20 km/h.

Statistical properties of interval mapping methods on quantitative trait loci location: impact on QTL/eQTL analyses

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Quantitative trait loci (QTL) detection on a huge amount of phenotypes, like eQTL detection on transcriptomic data, can be dramatically impaired by the statistical properties of interval mapping methods. One of these major outcomes is the high number of QTL detected at marker locations. The present study aims at identifying and specifying the sources of this bias, in particular in the case of analysis of data issued from outbred populations. Analytical developments were carried out in a backcross situation in order to specify the bias and to propose an algorithm to control it. The outbred population context was studied through simulated data sets in a wide range of situations. The likelihood ratio test was firstly analyzed under the "one QTL" hypothesis in a backcross population. Designs of sib families were then simulated and analyzed using the QTL Map software. On the basis of the theoretical results in backcross, parameters such as the population size, the density of the genetic map, the QTL effect and the true location of the QTL, were taken into account under the "no QTL" and the "one QTL" hypotheses. A combination of two non parametric tests - the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test and the Mann-Whitney-Wilcoxon test - was used in order to identify the parameters that affected the bias and to specify how much they influenced the estimation of QTL location. Results A theoretical expression of the bias of the estimated QTL location was obtained for a backcross type population. We demonstrated a common source of bias under the "no QTL" and the "one QTL" hypotheses and qualified the possible influence of several parameters. Simulation studies confirmed that the bias exists in outbred populations under both the hypotheses of "no QTL" and "one QTL" on a linkage group. The QTL location was systematically closer to marker locations than expected, particularly in the case of low QTL effect, small population size or low density of markers, i.e. designs with low power. Practical recommendations for experimental designs for QTL detection in outbred populations are given on the basis of this bias quantification. Furthermore, an original algorithm is proposed to adjust the location of a QTL, obtained with interval mapping, which co located with a marker. Conclusions Therefore, one should be attentive when one QTL is mapped at the location of one marker, especially under low power conditions. PMID:22520935

Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors with Unusual Localization: Report of Three Cases with a Brief Literature Review

PubMed Central

Yucel, Ahmet Fikret; Sunar, Haldun; Hut, Adnan; Kocakusak, Ahmet; Pergel, Ahmet; Barut, Gul; Dikici, Suleyman

2010-01-01

The most common tumors derived from the mesenchyme of the gastrointestinal system are stromal tumors. These tumors are typically seen in the stomach and small intestine and less frequently in the colon, rectum and esophagus and are very rarely located outside the gastrointestinal system. Cure is provided with complete surgical resection with resection borders free of tumor. Tumor size, mitotic index, localization, CD117 and CD34 negativity in immunohistochemical studies, mucosal ulceration and presence of necrosis help to predict recurrence of the illness and patient survival. In high-risk gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) there is an increased rate of recurrence and shortened survival despite complete surgical resection. Thus patients with a high-risk GIST should be given adjuvant therapy with imatinib mesylate. Sunitinib maleate is another FDA-approved agent only for cases who cannot tolerate imatinib or who are resistant to it. Herein we present three cases with GISTs in different locations of the gastrointestinal system with a review of the relevant literature. PMID:20805952

Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors with Unusual Localization: Report of Three Cases with a Brief Literature Review.

PubMed

Yucel, Ahmet Fikret; Sunar, Haldun; Hut, Adnan; Kocakusak, Ahmet; Pergel, Ahmet; Barut, Gul; Dikici, Suleyman

2010-07-26

The most common tumors derived from the mesenchyme of the gastrointestinal system are stromal tumors. These tumors are typically seen in the stomach and small intestine and less frequently in the colon, rectum and esophagus and are very rarely located outside the gastrointestinal system. Cure is provided with complete surgical resection with resection borders free of tumor. Tumor size, mitotic index, localization, CD117 and CD34 negativity in immunohistochemical studies, mucosal ulceration and presence of necrosis help to predict recurrence of the illness and patient survival. In high-risk gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) there is an increased rate of recurrence and shortened survival despite complete surgical resection. Thus patients with a high-risk GIST should be given adjuvant therapy with imatinib mesylate. Sunitinib maleate is another FDA-approved agent only for cases who cannot tolerate imatinib or who are resistant to it. Herein we present three cases with GISTs in different locations of the gastrointestinal system with a review of the relevant literature.

Mandibular first and second molars with three mesial canals: a case series

PubMed Central

Aminsobhani, Mohsen; Bolhari, Behnam; Shokouhinejad, Noushin; Ghorbanzadeh, Abdollah; Ghabraei, Sholeh; Rahmani, Mohamad Bagher

2010-01-01

Adequate cleaning, shaping and filling of the root canal system are mandatory for successful root canal treatment. Thorough knowledge of root canal morphology and unusual anatomy of the tooth is critical for the practitioner. The occurrence and location of the third mesial canal (Middle Mesial Canal) in mandibular first and second molars in relation to other two mesial canals that were treated in private practice were studied. In 27 clinical cases, the presence of a middle mesial canal was demonstrated. The third canal was located in the middle of the distance between the mesiobuccal and mesiolingual canals. This canal configuration was found in six second lower molars and twenty one first molars. Middle mesial canal in all of our cases joined to mesiobuccal or mesiolingual canals. None of the teeth consisted of three independent canals with three apical foramina. In conclusion, every attempt should be made to find and treat all root canals of a tooth. PMID:24778681

Theoretical prediction of gold vein location in deposits originated by a wall magma intrusion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martin, Pablo; Maass-Artigas, Fernando; Cortés-Vega, Luis

2016-05-01

The isotherm time-evolution resulting from the intrusion of a hot dike in a cold rock is analized considering the general case of nonvertical walls. This is applied to the theoretical prediction of the gold veins location due to isothermal evolution. As in previous treatments earth surface effects are considered and the gold veins are determined by the envelope of the isotherms. The locations of the gold veins in the Callao mines of Venezuela are now well predicted. The new treatment is now more elaborated and complex that in the case of vertical walls, performed in previous papers, but it is more adequated to the real cases as the one in El Callao, where the wall is not vertical.

Ciliated median raphe cyst of perineum presenting as perianal polyp: a case report with immunohistochemical study, review of literature, and pathogenesis.

PubMed

Sagar, Jayesh; Sagar, Bethani; Patel, Adam F; Shak, D K

2006-03-05

Median raphe cyst is a very rare, benign congenital lesion occurring mainly on the ventral aspect of the penis, but can develop anywhere in the midline between the external urethral meatus and anus. We report a case of median raphe cyst in the perineum presenting as a perianal polyp in a 65-year-old, English white male with exceptionally rare ciliated epithelium. According to our knowledge, this is the third such case of ciliated median raphe cyst in the English literature. This case, also the first case of ciliated median raphe cyst in the perineum location, focuses on pathogenesis of median raphe cyst.

Propagation of the velocity model uncertainties to the seismic event location

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gesret, A.; Desassis, N.; Noble, M.; Romary, T.; Maisons, C.

2015-01-01

Earthquake hypocentre locations are crucial in many domains of application (academic and industrial) as seismic event location maps are commonly used to delineate faults or fractures. The interpretation of these maps depends on location accuracy and on the reliability of the associated uncertainties. The largest contribution to location and uncertainty errors is due to the fact that the velocity model errors are usually not correctly taken into account. We propose a new Bayesian formulation that integrates properly the knowledge on the velocity model into the formulation of the probabilistic earthquake location. In this work, the velocity model uncertainties are first estimated with a Bayesian tomography of active shot data. We implement a sampling Monte Carlo type algorithm to generate velocity models distributed according to the posterior distribution. In a second step, we propagate the velocity model uncertainties to the seismic event location in a probabilistic framework. This enables to obtain more reliable hypocentre locations as well as their associated uncertainties accounting for picking and velocity model uncertainties. We illustrate the tomography results and the gain in accuracy of earthquake location for two synthetic examples and one real data case study in the context of induced microseismicity.

On singular cases in the design derivative of Green's functional

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reiss, Robert

1987-01-01

The author's prior development of a general abstract representation for the design sensitivities of Green's functional for linear structural systems is extended to the case where the structural stiffness vanishes at an internal location. This situation often occurs in the optimal design of structures. Most optimality criteria require that optimally designed beams be statically determinate. For clamped-pinned beams, for example, this is possible only if the flexural stiffness vanishes at some intermediate location. The Green's function for such structures depends upon the stiffness and the location where it vanishes. A precise representation for Green's function's sensitivity to the location of vanishing stiffness is presented for beams and axisymmetric plates.

Osteolysis of the clavicle

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

Ahmad, A.

1988-12-02

A letter to the editor and reply from the author are presented dealing with a radiology case-of-the-month. The superficial location of the clavicle makes it more prone to radiation effects only if low-energy roentgen rays or an electron beam is used. Since the case history does not describe the equipment used. The letter writer was not certain if the superficial location of the clavicle was a factor. If high-energy roentgen rays are used, the superficial location of the clavicle was a factor. If high-energy roentgen rays are used, the superficial location of the clavicle is advantageous since it will absorbmore » a lesser dose compared with the deeper tissues.« less

Case management: developing practice through action research.

PubMed

Smith, Annetta; Mackay, Seonaid; McCulloch, Kathleen

2013-09-01

This article is a report of an action research study carried out with community nurses to help develop case management within their practice. Using action research principles, nurses reviewed and analysed their current practice and developed recommendations for further embedding case management as a means of supporting patients with complex care needs in their own homes. Findings indicate that a number of factors can influence the community nurse's ability to implement case management. These factors include approaches to case finding, availability of resources and interprofessional working. Important considerations for nurses were the influence of the context of care, the geographical location and the health needs of the local patient population, which meant that case management may need to be adapted to meet local circumstances.

End-User Searching in a Large Library Network: A Case Study of Patent Attorneys.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vollaro, Alice J.; Hawkins, Donald T.

1986-01-01

Reports results of study of a group of end users (patent attorneys) doing their own online searching at AT&T Bell Laboratories. Highlights include DIALOG databases used by the attorneys, locations and searching modes, characteristics of patent attorney searchers, and problem areas. Questionnaire is appended. (5 references) (EJS)

Wind Turbine Acoustic Investigation: Infrasound and Low-Frequency Noise--A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ambrose, Stephen E.; Rand, Robert W.; Krogh, Carmen M. E.

2012-01-01

Wind turbines produce sound that is capable of disturbing local residents and is reported to cause annoyance, sleep disturbance, and other health-related impacts. An acoustical study was conducted to investigate the presence of infrasonic and low-frequency noise emissions from wind turbines located in Falmouth, Massachusetts, USA. During the…

High School Department Chairs--Perspectives on Instructional Supervision

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zepeda, Sally J.; Kruskamp, Bill

2007-01-01

A case study approach was used to examine the perspectives of three high school department chairs and their work at providing instructional supervision to the teachers in their departments: math, science, and social studies. We sought to discover the beliefs and practices of three department chairs in one high school, located in a southeastern…

Locating and Building Knowledges outside of the Academy: Approaches to Engaged Teaching at the University of Sheffield

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Udall, Julia; Forrest, David; Stewart, Katie

2015-01-01

This article draws on three case studies, which illuminate a number of practical, ethical and intellectual issues that arise from "engaged" teaching activities within the curriculum. Projects from the disciplines of Architecture, English and Journalism Studies illustrate the possibilities offered by learning and teaching projects which…

Teaching across Cultures: Canada and Qatar

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Prowse, Jacqueline; Goddard, J. Tim

2010-01-01

Findings from a comparative case study conducted in Canada and Qatar are presented in this article. The study examined the cultural context of a transnational post-secondary program offered by the Faculty of Business at a Canadian college, with campuses located in both St. John's and Doha. The instructors' perceptions of their students' cultures…

Patriarchy: A Case of Women in Institutions of Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dlamini, Eunice Tressa; Adams, Jabulile Dorothy

2014-01-01

This article presents research on women's experiences of patriarchy in a Higher Education Institution X. This is a qualitative study located within the interpretivists' paradigm. The research problem of this study is articulated through the following research questions: how do female academics experience patriarchy? How does patriarchy…

Tropical Rainforests: A Case Study of UK, 13-Year-Olds' Knowledge and Understanding of These Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dove, Jane

2012-01-01

Tropical rainforests are biologically rich ecosystems, which are threatened by a variety of different human activities. This study focuses on students' knowledge and understanding of rainforest locations, their reasons for protecting these environments and their familiarity with selected concepts about rainforest vegetation and soil. These…

Project ACTIVate: Innovations from New Zealand

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yelas, Janet; Engles, Paul

2010-01-01

This case study discusses a collaborative three year project involving two school clusters located in the North Island and South Island of New Zealand. The project was named "Project ACTIVate" and its main thrust was to study how the use of the interactive whiteboard (IWB) combined with teaching, learning and research across schools. The…

Elements of Leading Collegiate Choral Programs in the United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garrett, Jennifer M.

2010-01-01

This study explored the attributes of three leading choral programs in the United States using interview and observation data. It extrapolated attributes from case studies of highly respected programs located at St. Olaf College, the University of Southern California (USC), and Florida State University (FSU). The first attribute identified at each…

A Distributed Perspective on Instructional Leadership in International Baccalaureate (IB) Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Moosung; Hallinger, Philip; Walker, Allan

2012-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to provide a better understanding of how instructional leadership responsibilities are distributed in International Baccalaureate (IB) schools in East Asia. Research Design: Case studies were conducted in five international schools located in Thailand, Vietnam, Hong Kong, and China. These schools were selected…

Formal Service Practitioners' Views of Family Caregivers' Responsibilities and Difficulties

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guberman, Nancy; Lavoie, Jean-Pierre; Pepin, Jacinthe; Lauzon, Sylvie; Montejo, Maria-Elisa

2006-01-01

This article identifies home care practitioners' perceptions of the responsibilities, difficulties, and needs for support of caregivers. It is based on a study undertaken in Quebec with 55 practitioners and 10 administrators from 10 CLSCs located in rural, urban, and metropolitan areas. The study had a qualitative, multiple-case design and used…

Saprinus planiusculus (Motschulsky' 1849) (Coleoptera: Histeridae), a beetle species of forensic importance in Khuzetan Province, Iran.

PubMed

Fakoorziba, M R; Assareh, M; Keshavarzi, D; Soltani, A; Moemenbellah-Fard, M D; Zarenezhad, M

2017-01-01

Medico legal forensic entomology is the science and study of cadaveric arthropods related to criminal investigations. The study of beetles is particularly important in forensic cases. This can be important in determining the time of death and also obtain qualitative information about the location of the crime. The aim of this study was to introduce the Saprinus planiusculus on a rat carrion as a beetle species of forensic importance in Khuzestan province. This study was carried out using a laboratory bred rat (Wistar rat) as a model for human decomposition. The rat was killed by contusion and placed in a location adjacent to the Karun River. Observations and collections of beetles were made daily during May to July 2015. Decomposition time for rat carrion lasted 38 days and S. planiusculus was seen in the fresh to post decay stages of body decomposition and the largest number of this species caught in the decay stage. The species of beetle found in this case could be used in forensic investigations, particularly during the warm season in the future.

A simple procedure for retrieval of a cement-retained implant-supported crown: a case report.

PubMed

Buzayan, Muaiyed Mahmoud; Mahmood, Wan Adida; Yunus, Norsiah Binti

2014-02-01

Retrieval of cement-retained implant prostheses can be more demanding than retrieval of screw-retained prostheses. This case report describes a simple and predictable procedure to locate the abutment screw access openings of cementretained implant-supported crowns in cases of fractured ceramic veneer. A conventional periapical radiography image was captured using a digital camera, transferred to a computer, and manipulated using Microsoft Word document software to estimate the location of the abutment screw access.

The Development of Instructional Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

1970-12-01

of the behaviorsI which were the objectives of the system, the system is an effective one . In many cases , the results of the administration of all...of Maintenance Staff (including conference on duties located and "laying on " interview requir~mnts) 2. Study of Nominee Records 3. Selection of Job...unnecessary burden on supervisory personnel for on -the-job training. In such cases , the training program is not serving the enterprise as it should. On

Key techniques and risk management for the application of the Pile-Beam-Arch (PBA) excavation method: a case study of the Zhongjie subway station.

PubMed

Guan, Yong-ping; Zhao, Wen; Li, Shen-gang; Zhang, Guo-bin

2014-01-01

The design and construction of shallow-buried tunnels in densely populated urban areas involve many challenges. The ground movements induced by tunneling effects pose potential risks to infrastructure such as surface buildings, pipelines, and roads. In this paper, a case study of the Zhongjie subway station located in Shenyang, China, is examined to investigate the key construction techniques and the influence of the Pile-Beam-Arch (PBA) excavation method on the surrounding environment. This case study discusses the primary risk factors affecting the environmental safety and summarizes the corresponding risk mitigation measures and key techniques for subway station construction using the PBA excavation method in a densely populated urban area.

Ste. Genevieve, Missouri Feasibility Report (Flood Control Study for Historic Ste. Genevieve - 80061). Volume 2. Appendices.

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-06-01

A greater seismic risk may be posed by two other zones: the *-."Southern Illinois - Wabash Zone and the New Madrid Zone. Earthquake ground motions...A-3 S 0I The study area is located in the Ozark Random Source Zone. This *seismotectonic zone is a region of moderate seismicity ( earthquake activity...40 inches, so that the tops of the casings are now 57 inches above the 1973 flood height. The new well casings’ elevations are approximately 395 feet

Utility of contrast-enhanced computed tomography in the evaluation of canine insulinoma location.

PubMed

Buishand, Floryne O; Vilaplana Grosso, Federico R; Kirpensteijn, Jolle; van Nimwegen, Sebastiaan A

2018-06-05

To determine 1) the sensitivity of contrast-enhanced CT (CECT) for detection of primary canine insulinomas and metastases 2) the sensitivity of CECT to locate canine insulinomas within the pancreas and 3) the CECT attenuation pattern of canine insulinomas and post-contrast phase in which insulinomas have the best visibility. A retrospective review was performed of the medical records of 27 canine insulinoma patients. Simultaneous occurrence of blood glucose < 3.5 mmol/L (reference interval: 4.2-5.8 mmol/L) and plasma insulin > 10 mIU/L (reference interval: 1.4-24.5 mIU/L) were considered diagnostic for insulinoma. The dogs had a mean age of 9.0 ± 1.7 (SD) years and comprised 11 males and 17 females. Using CECT-scans, 26/27 insulinomas were successfully detected. However, CECT-scans predicted the correct location of insulinomas within the pancreas in only 14/27 dogs. In 9/13 inaccurately located insulinoma cases, the location error was major. There was no significant difference between triple, double and single-phase CECT-scans with location accuracies of 54%, 50% and 50%, respectively. Also, there was no specific post-contrast phase in which insulinomas could be visualised best. Detection of lymph node metastases with CECT-scans had a sensitivity of 67% (10/15 lymph node metastases). Detection of liver metastases had a sensitivity of 75% (6/8 liver metastases). This study highlights that major location errors mainly occurred if single- or double-phase CECT-scans were used (6/9 cases). It is suggested that triple-phase CECT-scans have superior outcome over single- or double-phase CECT-scans in pre-operative imaging of canine insulinomas.

Electron affinity of perhalogenated benzenes: A theoretical DFT study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Volatron, François; Roche, Cécile

2007-10-01

The potential energy surfaces (PES) of unsubstituted and perhalogenated benzene anions ( CX6-, X = F, Cl, Br, and I) were explored by means of DFT-B3LYP calculations. In the F and Cl cases seven extrema were located and characterized. In the Br and I cases only one minimum and two extrema were found. In each case the minimum was recomputed at the CCSD(T) level. The electron affinities of C 6X 6 were calculated (ZPE included). The results obtained agree well with the experimental determinations when available. The values obtained in the X = Br and the X = I cases are expected to be valuable predictions.

A GWAS Meta-analysis and Replication Study Identifies a Novel Locus within CLPTM1L/TERT Associated with Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma in Individuals of Chinese Ancestry.

PubMed

Bei, Jin-Xin; Su, Wen-Hui; Ng, Ching-Ching; Yu, Kai; Chin, Yoon-Ming; Lou, Pei-Jen; Hsu, Wan-Lun; McKay, James D; Chen, Chien-Jen; Chang, Yu-Sun; Chen, Li-Zhen; Chen, Ming-Yuan; Cui, Qian; Feng, Fu-Tuo; Feng, Qi-Shen; Guo, Yun-Miao; Jia, Wei-Hua; Khoo, Alan Soo-Beng; Liu, Wen-Sheng; Mo, Hao-Yuan; Pua, Kin-Choo; Teo, Soo-Hwang; Tse, Ka-Po; Xia, Yun-Fei; Zhang, Hongxin; Zhou, Gang-Qiao; Liu, Jian-Jun; Zeng, Yi-Xin; Hildesheim, Allan

2016-01-01

Genetic loci within the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) have been associated with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), an Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-associated cancer, in several GWAS. Results outside this region have varied. We conducted a meta-analysis of four NPC GWAS among Chinese individuals (2,152 cases; 3,740 controls). Forty-three noteworthy findings outside the MHC region were identified and targeted for replication in a pooled analysis of four independent case-control studies across three regions in Asia (4,716 cases; 5,379 controls). A meta-analysis that combined results from the initial GWA and replication studies was performed. In the combined meta-analysis, rs31489, located within the CLPTM1L/TERT region on chromosome 5p15.33, was strongly associated with NPC (OR = 0.81; P value 6.3 × 10(-13)). Our results also provide support for associations reported from published NPC GWAS-rs6774494 (P = 1.5 × 10(-12); located in the MECOM gene region), rs9510787 (P = 5.0 × 10(-10); located in the TNFRSF19 gene region), and rs1412829/rs4977756/rs1063192 (P = 2.8 × 10(-8), P = 7.0 × 10(-7), and P = 8.4 × 10(-7), respectively; located in the CDKN2A/B gene region). We have identified a novel association between genetic variation in the CLPTM1L/TERT region and NPC. Supporting our finding, rs31489 and other SNPs in this region have been reported to be associated with multiple cancer sites, candidate-based studies have reported associations between polymorphisms in this region and NPC, the TERT gene has been shown to be important for telomere maintenance and has been reported to be overexpressed in NPC, and an EBV protein expressed in NPC (LMP1) has been reported to modulate TERT expression/telomerase activity. Our finding suggests that factors involved in telomere length maintenance are involved in NPC pathogenesis. ©2015 American Association for Cancer Research.

Place-Making AN Approach to the Rationale Behind the Location Choice of Power Places. Iowa State University Campus as Case Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Poplin, A.; Yamu, C.; Rico-Gutierrez, L.

2017-09-01

This paper concentrates on power places as perceived by the students in a 60,000 people college town in the United States. Power places are favourite outdoor locations that evoke positive emotions, and are conducive to relaxation and reduction of stress. Further understanding how location affects those places and the feelings of students will help planners and designers be more intentional as they create conditions favourable to the development of cities that are healthy, sustainable, resilient and smart. Research methodologies used in this paper include empirical cartography, mapping and space syntax. We conclude the paper with a discussion of the presented results and further research directions.

Report on the Results of Site Testing to Determine National Register Eligibility for Sites 39GR32, 39GR53, 39LM33 and 39LM39, in the Lake Francis Case Area, South Dakota. Volume 2. Appendices

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-06-01

WESTERN STUDIES AUGUSTANA COLLEGE, SIOUX FALLS, SOUTH DAKOTA 57105 ARCHEOLOGICAL CONTRACT SERIES NUMBER 29 VOLUME 2 APPENDICES 1. Location of Sites...Specialist Report - Report on the Soils at Sites 39GR53 and 39LM33, by Dr. Frederick Westin APPENDIX I Location of Sites on UGSG 7.5’ Quadrangle Maps...QUADANGL LOCTIO / (r\\\\ 2~0 SCALE 12000 0~ 1 0IL QUDANL OATO 1PPROXLOMETERA 51ONOU INTRVA 10LNAIN FEET DAU 1S MEILEALEE Location of site 39LM39. J~27 . ~ FIt

Kinematic Simulation of a universal rescue vehicle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vasiliev, I. A.; Smirnova, E. Y.; Krasheninnikov, M. S.; Koshurina, A. A.; Dorofeev, R. A.; E Gai, V.

2017-01-01

The rescue of people in disaster through autonomous means of evacuation in some cases is the only way to save their lives. Rescue Mission often takes place in remote locations. The paper studies modeling of a universal rescue vehicle with a rotary-screw propeller.

Access to Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Briscoe, Felecia; De Oliver, Miguel

2006-01-01

This case study researches the degree to which the location and services offered by a multicampus university, geographically situated consistent with the commercial principles of a large mass-market enterprise, facilitate access for educationally underserved groups. First, the necessity of democratizing educational access to an underprivileged…

Urinary Biomarkers KIM-1 and NGAL for Detection of Chronic Kidney Disease of Uncertain Etiology (CKDu) among Agricultural Communities in Sri Lanka.

PubMed

De Silva, Pallagae Mangala C S; Mohammed Abdul, Khaja Shameem; Eakanayake, Eakanayake M D V; Jayasinghe, Sudheera Sammanthi; Jayasumana, Channa; Asanthi, Hewa Bandulage; Perera, Hettiarachigae S D; Chaminda, Gamage G Tushara; Chandana, Ediriweera P S; Siribaddana, Sisira H

2016-09-01

Chronic Kidney Disease of uncertain etiology (CKDu) is an emerging epidemic among farming communities in rural Sri Lanka. Victims do not exhibit common causative factors, however, histopathological studies revealed that CKDu is a tubulointerstitial disease. Urine albumin or albumin-creatinine ratio is still being used as a traditional diagnostic tool to identify CKDu, but accuracy and prevalence data generated are questionable. Urinary biomarkers have been used in similar nephropathy and are widely recognised for their sensitivity, specificity and accuracy in determining CKDu and early renal injury. However, these biomarkers have never been used in diagnosing CKDu in Sri Lanka. Male farmers (n = 1734) were recruited from 4 regions in Sri Lanka i.e. Matara and Nuwara Eliya (farming locations with no CKDu prevalence) and two CKDu emerging locations from Hambantota District in Southern Sri Lanka; Angunakolapelessa (EL1) and Bandagiriya (EL2). Albuminuria (ACR ≥ 30mg/g); serum creatinine based estimation of glomerular filtration rate (eGFR); creatinine normalized urinary kidney injury molecule (KIM-1) and neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) were measured. Fourteen new CKDu cases (18%) from EL1 and nine CKDu cases (9%) from EL2 were recognized for the first time from EL1, EL2 locations, which were previously considered as non-endemic of the disease and associated with persistent albuminuria (ACR ≥ 30mg/g Cr). No CKDu cases were identified in non-endemic study locations in Matara (CM) and Nuwara Eliya (CN). Analysis of urinary biomarkers showed urinary KIM-1 and NGAL were significantly higher in new CKDu cases in EL1 and EL2. However, we also reported significantly higher KIM-1 and NGAL in apparently healthy farmers in EL 1 and EL 2 with comparison to both control groups. These observations may indicate possible early renal damage in absence of persistent albuminuria and potential capabilities of urinary KIM-1 and NGAL in early detection of renal injury among farming communities in Southern Sri Lanka.

Urinary Biomarkers KIM-1 and NGAL for Detection of Chronic Kidney Disease of Uncertain Etiology (CKDu) among Agricultural Communities in Sri Lanka

PubMed Central

Mohammed Abdul, Khaja Shameem; Eakanayake, Eakanayake M. D. V.; Jayasinghe, Sudheera Sammanthi; Jayasumana, Channa; Asanthi, Hewa Bandulage; Perera, Hettiarachigae S. D.; Chaminda, Gamage G. Tushara; Chandana, Ediriweera P. S.; Siribaddana, Sisira H.

2016-01-01

Chronic Kidney Disease of uncertain etiology (CKDu) is an emerging epidemic among farming communities in rural Sri Lanka. Victims do not exhibit common causative factors, however, histopathological studies revealed that CKDu is a tubulointerstitial disease. Urine albumin or albumin-creatinine ratio is still being used as a traditional diagnostic tool to identify CKDu, but accuracy and prevalence data generated are questionable. Urinary biomarkers have been used in similar nephropathy and are widely recognised for their sensitivity, specificity and accuracy in determining CKDu and early renal injury. However, these biomarkers have never been used in diagnosing CKDu in Sri Lanka. Male farmers (n = 1734) were recruited from 4 regions in Sri Lanka i.e. Matara and Nuwara Eliya (farming locations with no CKDu prevalence) and two CKDu emerging locations from Hambantota District in Southern Sri Lanka; Angunakolapelessa (EL1) and Bandagiriya (EL2). Albuminuria (ACR ≥ 30mg/g); serum creatinine based estimation of glomerular filtration rate (eGFR); creatinine normalized urinary kidney injury molecule (KIM-1) and neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) were measured. Fourteen new CKDu cases (18%) from EL1 and nine CKDu cases (9%) from EL2 were recognized for the first time from EL1, EL2 locations, which were previously considered as non-endemic of the disease and associated with persistent albuminuria (ACR ≥ 30mg/g Cr). No CKDu cases were identified in non-endemic study locations in Matara (CM) and Nuwara Eliya (CN). Analysis of urinary biomarkers showed urinary KIM-1 and NGAL were significantly higher in new CKDu cases in EL1 and EL2. However, we also reported significantly higher KIM-1 and NGAL in apparently healthy farmers in EL 1 and EL 2 with comparison to both control groups. These observations may indicate possible early renal damage in absence of persistent albuminuria and potential capabilities of urinary KIM-1 and NGAL in early detection of renal injury among farming communities in Southern Sri Lanka. PMID:27643785

Study of Groundwater Physical Characteristics: A Case Study at District of Pekan, Pahang

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hashim, M. M. M.; Zawawi, M. H.; Samuding, K.; Dominic, J. A.; Zulkurnain, M. H.; Mohamad, K.

2018-04-01

A study of groundwater physical characteristic has been conducted at Pahang Tua, Pekan, Tanjung Batu and Nenasi, Pahang. There are several locations of tube well selected in this study. Four of five locations are situated in the coastal area and another one is located outside of coastal line. The purposes of this study are to identify the physical characteristic of groundwater (temperature, pH, electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS) and salinity) and to identify the influence of sampling location and tube well depth to its physical characteristics. The results from the in-situ measurement were identified the physical characteristic groundwater for each tube well location. The result shows that temperature and pH for all groundwater samples almost in the same value but for the electrical conductivity, salinity and total dissolved solid have significant difference that related to location and depth of the tube well. The Pekan tube well with 80m depth and 2km distance from the sea have the highest value of EC, TDS and salinity (14460.53µS/cm, 7230.63 ppm and 8.32 PSU) compared to Nenasi with 30m depth of tube well and 0.65km distance from the sea. The EC, TDS and salinity value recorded are 1454.3253µS/cm, 727.00 ppm and 0.72 PSU. From the result of EC, TDS and salinity, it shows that the deeper tube well in the coastal area will obtained higher value of EC, TDS and salinity.

Middle infratemporal fossa less invasive approach for radical resection of parapharyngeal tumors: surgical microanatomy and clinical application.

PubMed

Nonaka, Yoichi; Fukushima, Takanori; Watanabe, Kentaro; Sakai, Jun; Friedman, Allan H; Zomorodi, Ali R

2016-01-01

Surgery of the infratemporal fossa (ITF) and parapharyngeal area presents a formidable challenge to the surgeon due to its anatomical complexity and limited access. Conventional surgical approaches to these regions were often too invasive and necessitate sacrifice of normal function and anatomy. To describe a less invasive transcranial extradural approach to ITF parapharyngeal lesions and to determine its advantages, 17 patients with ITF parapharyngeal neoplasms who underwent tumor resection via this approach were enrolled in the study. All lesions located in the ITF precarotid parapharyngeal space were resected through a small operative corridor between the trigeminal nerve third branch (V3) and the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). Surgical outcomes and postoperative complications were evaluated. Pathological diagnosis included schwannoma in eight cases, paraganglioma in two cases, gangliocytoma in two cases, carcinosarcoma in one case, giant cell tumor in one case, pleomorphic adenoma in one case, chondroblastoma in one case, and juvenile angiofibroma in one case. Gross total resection was achieved in 12 cases, near-total and subtotal resection were in 3 and 2 cases, respectively. The most common postoperative complication was dysphagia. Surgical exposure can be customized from minimal (drilling of retrotrigeminal area) to maximal (full skeletonization of V3, removal of all structures lying lateral to the petrous segment of internal carotid artery) according to tumor size and location. Since the space between the V3 and TMJ is the main corridor of this approach, the key maneuver is the anterior translocation of V3 to obtain an acceptable surgical field.

[Hand eczema in children. Clinical and epidemiological study of the population referred to a tertiary hospital].

PubMed

Ortiz-Salvador, José María; Subiabre-Ferrer, Daniela; García Rabasco, Ana; Esteve-Martínez, Altea; Zaragoza-Ninet, Violeta; Alegre de Miquel, Víctor

2017-08-21

Hand eczema is a frequent disease in adults. Diagnosing the cause of hand eczema is difficult due to different classifications. There is lack of evidence on hand eczema and its causes in children. A total of 389 children between 0 and 16 years were identified between 1996 and 2016, from whom 42 (10.8%) with exclusively hand eczema were selected. In all cases a standard battery of epicutaneous patch tests was performed, as well as additional batteries depending on the clinical suspicion. The clinical and epidemiological features of these children were recorded and compared against children with eczema in other locations. The 42 children with hand eczema included 25 (60.5%) girls, and 17 (40.5%) boys, with a mean age of 10.6 +- 3.9 years, and did not differ from that of children with eczema in other locations. The definitive diagnosis after patch-testing was Atopic Dermatitis in 15 cases, Allergic Contact Dermatitis in 14 patients, Endogenous Vesiculous Eczema in 6 cases, Endogenous Hyperkeratotic Eczema in 5 cases, and Irritant Contact Dermatitis in 2 cases. The most frequent allergens detected were thiomersal (9 cases), nickel (5 cases), mercury (5 cases), and cobalt (4 cases). Hand eczema is a common condition in children. The most common cause is atopic dermatitis, although cases of allergic contact dermatitis manifesting as hand eczema are not uncommon. Any child with eczema of hands in whom an allergic cause is suspected should be referred for patch- testing. Copyright © 2017. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U.

A smartphone application for dispatch of lay responders to out-of-hospital cardiac arrests.

PubMed

Berglund, Ellinor; Claesson, Andreas; Nordberg, Per; Djärv, Therese; Lundgren, Peter; Folke, Fredrik; Forsberg, Sune; Riva, Gabriel; Ringh, Mattias

2018-05-01

Dispatch of lay volunteers trained in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and equipped with automated external defibrillators (AEDs) may improve survival in cases of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). The aim of this study was to investigate the functionality and performance of a smartphone application for locating and alerting nearby trained laymen/women in cases of OHCA. A system using a smartphone application activated by Emergency Dispatch Centres was used to locate and alert laymen/women to nearby suspected OHCAs. Lay responders were instructed either to perform CPR or collect a nearby AED. An online survey was carried out among the responders. From February to August 2016, the system was activated in 685 cases of suspected OHCA. Among these, 224 cases were Emergency Medical Services (EMSs)-treated OHCAs (33%). EMS-witnessed cases (n = 11) and cases with missing survey data (n = 15) were excluded. In the remaining 198 OHCAs, lay responders arrived at the scene in 116 cases (58%), and prior to EMSs in 51 cases (26%). An AED was attached in 17 cases (9%) and 4 (2%) were defibrillated. Lay responders performed CPR in 54 cases (27%). Median distance to the OHCA was 560 m (IQR 332-860 m), and 1280 m (IQR 748-1776 m) via AED pick-up. The survey-answering rate was 82%. A smartphone application can be used to alert CPR-trained lay volunteers to OHCAs for CPR. Further improvements are needed to shorten the time to defibrillation before EMS arrival. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The accuracy of colonoscopic localisation of colorectal tumours: a prospective, multi-centred observational study.

PubMed

Johnstone, M S; Moug, S J

2014-05-01

Colonoscopy is essential for accurate pre-operative colorectal tumour localisation, but its accuracy for localisation remains undetermined due to limitations of previous work. This study aimed to establish the accuracy of colonoscopic localisation and to determine how frequently inaccuracy results in altered surgical management. A prospective, multi-centred, powered observational study recruited 79 patients with colorectal tumours that underwent curative surgical resection. Patient and colonoscopic factors were recorded. Pre-operative colonoscopic and radiological lesion localisations were compared to intra-operative localisation using pre-defined anatomical bowel segments to determine accuracy, with changes in planned surgical management documented. Colonoscopy accurately located the colorectal tumour in 64/79 patients (81%). Five out of 15 inaccurately located patients required on-table alteration in planned surgical management. Pre-operative imaging was unable to visualise the primary tumour in 23.1% of cases, a finding that was more prevalent amongst bowel screener patients compared to symptomatic patients (45.8% vs. 13%; p = 0.003). Colonoscopic lesion localisation is inaccurate in 19.0% of cases and occurred throughout the colon with a change in on-table surgical management in 6.3%. With CT unable to visualise lesions in just under a quarter of cases, particularly in the screening population, preoperative localisation is heavily reliant on colonoscopy.

A case study of the thermospheric neutral wind response to geomagnetic storm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, Guoying; Zhang, Shunrong; Wang, Wenbin; Yuan, Wei; Wu, Qian; Xu, Jiyao

A minor geomagnetic storm (Kp=5) occurred on March 27-28, 2012. The response of the thermospheric neutral wind at ~ 250 km to this storm was investigated by the 630.0 nm nightglow measurements of Fabry-Perot interferometers (FPIs) over Xinglong (geographic location: 40.2N, 117.4E; geomagnetic location: 29.8N, 193.2E) and Millstone Hill (geographic location: 42.6N, 71.5W; geomagnetic location: 53.1N, 65.1W). Our results show that the minor storm on March 27-28, 2012 obviously effected on the thermospheric neutral winds over Xinglong and Millstone Hill, especially Millstone Hill had larger response because of its higher geomagnetic latitude. Another interesting result is that a small variation in geomagnetic activity (Kp=2.7) could enough introduce a clear disturbance in the nighttime thermospheric neutral wind over Millstone hill. NCAR-TIME-GCM (National Center for Atmospheric Research-Thermosphere Ionosphere Mesosphere Electrodynamics-General Circulation Model) was employed to study the evolution and mechanism of the thermospheric neutral wind response.

The Response Time of the Magnetopause Reconnection Location to Changes in the Solar Wind: MMS Case Study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Trattner, K. J.; Burch, J. L.; Ergun, R.; Fuselier, S. A.; Gomez, R. G.; Grimes, E. W.; Lewis, W. S.; Mauk, B.; Petrinec, S. M.; Pollock, C. J.

2016-01-01

Reconnection at the Earth's magnetopause is the mechanism by which magnetic fields in different regions change topology to create open magnetic field lines that allow energy, mass, and momentum to flow into the magnetosphere. It is the primary science goal of the recently launched MMS mission to unlock the mechanism of magnetic reconnection with a novel suite of plasma and field instruments. This study investigates several magnetopause crossings in the vicinity of the X-line on 19 September 2015 and compares the observed X-line location with predictions from the Maximum Magnetic Shear model. Rotations of the interplanetary magnetic field OMF) during the magnetopause crossings together with the close proximity of the four MMS satellites are used to determine the response time of the reconnection X-line location to changes in the IMF. The reconnection location exhibits a continuous motion during slow changes in the IMF but a delayed response to sudden changes in the IMF.

Preoperative percutaneous cranial nerve mapping in head and neck surgery.

PubMed

Park, Jung I

2003-01-01

To identify and map the course of the peripheral branches of the cranial nerve preoperatively and percutaneously. Prospective study. Preoperative percutaneous nerve mapping performed prior to the operation under deep sedation or general anesthesia without muscle paralysis. Private office surgery suite, freestanding surgery center, and regional medical centers. A total of 142 patients undergoing head and neck surgery and facial plastic surgery between August 1994 and July 1999. Monopolar probe was used for nerve stimulation. Electromyographic reading was done through intramuscular bipolar recording electrodes. The equipment used was a nerve monitor. The mandibular divisions were tested in 142 cases, the frontal division in 60 cases, the accessory nerve in 12 cases, and the hypoglossal nerve in 3 cases. Satisfactory mappings were obtained in 115 cases of the mandibular division, 49 cases of the frontal division, 8 cases of the accessory division, and 1 case of the hypoglossal nerve. Preoperative percutaneous nerve mapping is a new method of identifying the location of the peripheral branches of the cranial nerves. Identifying and mapping the course of peripheral branches of the cranial nerves safely assists the head and neck surgeon in the placement of incisions in a favorable location and in the dissection of the area involving the nerves. Mapping alerts the surgeon to an area containing a nerve and allows the surgeon to avoid just the specific area where a nerve is present, preventing large-scale abandonment of unmapped areas for fear of potential nerve damage.

Location of colorectal cancer: colonoscopy versus surgery. Yield of colonoscopy in predicting actual location.

PubMed

Blum-Guzman, Juan Pablo; Wanderley de Melo, Silvio

2017-07-01

 Recent studies suggest that differences in biological characteristics and risk factors across cancer site within the colon and rectum may translate to differences in survival. It can be challenging at times to determine the precise anatomical location of a lesion with a luminal view during colonoscopy. The aim of this study is to determine if there is a significant difference between the location of colorectal cancers described by gastroenterologists in colonoscopies and the actual anatomical location noted on operative and pathology reports after colon surgery.  A single-center retrospective analysis of colonoscopies of patient with reported colonic masses from January 2005 to April 2014 (n = 380) was carried. Assessed data included demography, operative and pathology reports. Findings were compared: between the location of colorectal cancers described by gastroenterologists in colonoscopies and the actual anatomical location noted on operative reports or pathology samples.  We identified 380 colonic masses, 158 were confirmed adenocarcinomas. Of these 123 underwent surgical resection, 27 had to be excluded since no specific location was reported on their operative or pathology report. An absolute difference between endoscopic and surgical location was found in 32 cases (33 %). Of these, 22 (23 %) differed by 1 colonic segment, 8 (8 %) differed by 2 colonic segments and 2 (2 %) differed by 3 colonic segments.  There is a significant difference between the location of colorectal cancers reported by gastroenterologists during endoscopy and the actual anatomical location noted on operative or pathology reports after colon surgery. Endoscopic tattooing should be used when faced with any luminal lesions of interest.

Anatomic Relationship Between Right Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve and Cervical Fascia and Its Application Significance in Anterior Cervical Spine Surgical Approach.

PubMed

Shan, Jianlin; Jiang, Heng; Ren, Dajiang; Wang, Chongwei

2017-04-15

An anatomic study of anterior cervical dissection of 42 embalmed cadavers. The aim was to study the anatomic relationship between recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) and cervical fascia combined with the requirements in anterior cervical spine surgery (ACSS). There has been no systematic research about how to avoid RLN injury in anterior cervical spine surgical approach from the aspect of the anatomic relationship between RLN and cervical fascia. Forty-two adult cadavers were dissected to observe the relationships between RLN and different cervical fascia layers. RLN pierced out the alar fascia from the inner edge of the carotid sheath in all cases, and the piercing position in 22 cases (52.4%) was located at the lower segment of T1. The enter point into visceral fascia of RLN was located at C7-T1 in 25 cases (59.5%). The middle layer of deep cervical fascia exhibited the most stable anatomic relationship with RLN at the carotid sheath confluence site. Pulling visceral sheath leftwards would significantly increase the RLN tension. Using the close and stable relationship between RLN and cervical fascia could help to avoid RLN injury in anterior cervical spine surgical approach. 4.

Lesion network localization of criminal behavior

PubMed Central

Darby, R. Ryan; Horn, Andreas; Fox, Michael D.

2018-01-01

Following brain lesions, previously normal patients sometimes exhibit criminal behavior. Although rare, these cases can lend unique insight into the neurobiological substrate of criminality. Here we present a systematic mapping of lesions with known temporal association to criminal behavior, identifying 17 lesion cases. The lesion sites were spatially heterogeneous, including the medial prefrontal cortex, orbitofrontal cortex, and different locations within the bilateral temporal lobes. No single brain region was damaged in all cases. Because lesion-induced symptoms can come from sites connected to the lesion location and not just the lesion location itself, we also identified brain regions functionally connected to each lesion location. This technique, termed lesion network mapping, has recently identified regions involved in symptom generation across a variety of lesion-induced disorders. All lesions were functionally connected to the same network of brain regions. This criminality-associated connectivity pattern was unique compared with lesions causing four other neuropsychiatric syndromes. This network includes regions involved in morality, value-based decision making, and theory of mind, but not regions involved in cognitive control or empathy. Finally, we replicated our results in a separate cohort of 23 cases in which a temporal relationship between brain lesions and criminal behavior was implied but not definitive. Our results suggest that lesions in criminals occur in different brain locations but localize to a unique resting state network, providing insight into the neurobiology of criminal behavior. PMID:29255017

Finite element analysis of 6 large PMMA skull reconstructions: A multi-criteria evaluation approach

PubMed Central

Ridwan-Pramana, Angela; Marcián, Petr; Borák, Libor; Narra, Nathaniel; Forouzanfar, Tymour; Wolff, Jan

2017-01-01

In this study 6 pre-operative designs for PMMA based reconstructions of cranial defects were evaluated for their mechanical robustness using finite element modeling. Clinical experience and engineering principles were employed to create multiple plan options, which were subsequently computationally analyzed for mechanically relevant parameters under 50N loads: stress, strain and deformation in various components of the assembly. The factors assessed were: defect size, location and shape. The major variable in the cranioplasty assembly design was the arrangement of the fixation plates. An additional study variable introduced was the location of the 50N load within the implant area. It was found that in smaller defects, it was simpler to design a symmetric distribution of plates and under limited variability in load location it was possible to design an optimal for expected loads. However, for very large defects with complex shapes, the variability in the load locations introduces complications to the intuitive design of the optimal assembly. The study shows that it can be beneficial to incorporate multi design computational analyses to decide upon the most optimal plan for a clinical case. PMID:28609471

Finite element analysis of 6 large PMMA skull reconstructions: A multi-criteria evaluation approach.

PubMed

Ridwan-Pramana, Angela; Marcián, Petr; Borák, Libor; Narra, Nathaniel; Forouzanfar, Tymour; Wolff, Jan

2017-01-01

In this study 6 pre-operative designs for PMMA based reconstructions of cranial defects were evaluated for their mechanical robustness using finite element modeling. Clinical experience and engineering principles were employed to create multiple plan options, which were subsequently computationally analyzed for mechanically relevant parameters under 50N loads: stress, strain and deformation in various components of the assembly. The factors assessed were: defect size, location and shape. The major variable in the cranioplasty assembly design was the arrangement of the fixation plates. An additional study variable introduced was the location of the 50N load within the implant area. It was found that in smaller defects, it was simpler to design a symmetric distribution of plates and under limited variability in load location it was possible to design an optimal for expected loads. However, for very large defects with complex shapes, the variability in the load locations introduces complications to the intuitive design of the optimal assembly. The study shows that it can be beneficial to incorporate multi design computational analyses to decide upon the most optimal plan for a clinical case.

HOW THE LEED VENTILATION CREDIT IMPACTS ENERGY CONSUMPTION OF GSHP SYSTEMS A CASE STUDY FOR PRIMARY SCHOOLS

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

Liu, Xiaobing

2011-01-01

This paper presents a study on the impacts of increased outdoor air (OA) ventilation on the performance of ground-source heat pump (GSHP) systems that heat and cool typical primary schools. Four locations Phoenix, Miami, Seattle, and Chicago are selected in this study to represent different climate zones in the United States. eQUEST, an integrated building and HVAC system energy analysis program, is used to simulate a typical primary school and the GSHP system at the four locations with minimum and 30% more than minimum OA ventilation. The simulation results show that, without an energy recovery ventilator, the 30% more OAmore » ventilation results in an 8.0 13.3% increase in total GSHP system energy consumption at the four locations. The peak heating and cooling loads increase by 20.2 30% and 14.9 18.4%, respectively, at the four locations. The load imbalance of the ground heat exchanger is increased in hot climates but reduced in mild and cold climates.« less

The use of engineered biomaterial Bone Plexur M® in benign epiphyseal tumors: our experience at 20 months of follow-up.

PubMed

Zoccali, C; Anelli, V; Chichierchia, G; Erba, F; Biagini, R

2014-01-01

The objective is to reconstruct the subchondral bone after curettage of benign tumors located in the epiphysis, a relevant topic in oncological orthopedics. Several bones substituted are commercially available, yet none of these are suitably moldable to repair or be placed in the bone defect; although autologous bone for little defects and homologous for bigger defects are still considered the standard in reconstruction, we verify the ability to adapt and support articular cartilage through the application of Plexur M (Registered Trademark), a newly engineered biomaterial bone. In the present study, we enrolled the first ten consecutive cases referred to our department, where patients were affected by a benign epiphyseal tumor destroying the subchondral bone through to the articular cartilage. Every patient underwent curettage of the disease, apposition of a newly engineered biomaterial bone and filling with homologous morselized bone. The quality of reconstruction was evaluated by two surgeons and by a radiologist based on the achievement of surgical objectives and comparing pre and postoperative imaging. In seven out of eight cases of lesions located in the lower limbs the quality of reconstruction was considered good, restoring an adequate support to the articular cartilage. The quality of the remaining case was considered poor probably due to the extent of the spread of the disease, which destroyed the entire proximal tibial epiphysis. In the two cases where the disease was located in the upper limbs, the Plexur M application restored support to the articular cartilage sufficiently well. However, in the case of a giant cell tumor of the distal radial epiphysis there was a slight reabsorption of the morselized homologous bone. Our series suggest that Plexur M should be considered a valid option for orthopedic surgeons in restoring adequate mechanical support to the articular cartilage; nevertheless, considering its high cost, its use might be reserved to selected cases until further studies can verify the integration process, the effects on the survival of the articular cartilage and on the prevention of premature osteoarthritis.

Gastrointestinal stromal tumours of stomach: Robot-assisted excision with the da Vinci Surgical System regardless of size and location site.

PubMed

Furbetta, Niccolo; Palmeri, Matteo; Guadagni, Simone; Di Franco, Gregorio; Gianardi, Desirée; Latteri, Saverio; Marciano, Emanuele; Moglia, Andrea; Cuschieri, Alfred; Di Candio, Giulio; Mosca, Franco; Morelli, Luca

2018-03-23

The role of minimally invasive surgery of gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GISTs) of the stomach remains uncertain especially for large and/or difficult located tumours. We are hereby presenting a single-centre series of robot-assisted resections using the da Vinci Surgical System (Si or Xi). Data of patients undergoing robot-assisted treatment of gastric GIST were retrieved from the prospectively collected institutional database and a retrospective analysis was performed. Patients were stratified according to size and location of the tumour. Difficult cases (DCs) were considered for size if tumour was> 50 mm and/or for location if the tumour was Type II, III or IV sec. Privette/Al-Thani classification. Between May 2010 and February 2017, 12 consecutive patients underwent robot-assisted treatment of GIST at our institution. DCs were 10/12 cases (83.3%), of which 6/10 (50%) for location, 2/10 (25%) for size and 2/10 (25%) for both. The da Vinci Si was used in 8 patients, of which 6 (75%) were DC, and the da Vinci Xi in 4, all of which (100%) were DC. In all patients, excision was by wedge resection. All lesions had microscopically negative resection margins. There was no conversion to open surgery, no tumour ruptures or spillage and no intraoperative complications. Our experience suggests a positive role of the robot da Vinci in getting gastric GIST removal with a conservative approach, regardless of size and location site. Comparative studies with a greater number of patients are necessary for a more robust assessment.

The potential of photodynamic therapy to treat esophageal candidiasis coexisting with esophageal cancer.

PubMed

Qiu, Haixia; Mao, Yongping; Gu, Ying; Zhu, Jianguo; Wang, Ying; Zeng, Jing; Huang, Naiyan; Liu, Qingsen; Yang, Yunsheng

2014-01-05

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) has been used in recent years to deal with fungal infections because of the prevalence of fungi resistance to drugs. However, PDT for gastrointestinal fungal infection has not been reported. This study was conducted to assess the potential of PDT to deal with esophageal candidiasis. Two male patients with histological evidence of esophageal candidiasis coexisting with esophageal cancer were included in this retrospective study. Both patients were treated with PDT. This treatment was repeated at least 1month after the initial PDT if the patient still had residual cancer or esophageal candidiasis. Short-term efficacy was evaluated on the basis of endoscopy and histology findings. Further follow-up data were obtained from endoscopy results or telephone conversation. The esophageal candidiasis located 21-24cm and 25-28cm from the incisors of case 1 reached complete remission after one and two PDT sessions, respectively. The esophageal cancer coexisting with esophageal candidiasis located 21-24cm from the incisors reached complete remission after two PDT sessions. No recurrence was found at a 14-month follow-up. The esophageal cancer located 30-35cm from the incisors reached partial response after three PDT sessions. Both of the esophageal candidiasis and the coexisting esophageal cancer at 23-26cm from the incisors of case 2 reached complete remission and the esophageal cancer at 34-37cm from the incisors reached complete remission after one PDT session. No recurrence was found at a 24-month follow-up. There were no serious adverse events found in either of the two cases. Results of this preliminary study indicate that PDT may be a potential method to deal with esophageal candidiasis. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[Solid cystic papillary tumor of the pancreas].

PubMed

Bahri, I; Njim, L; Khabir, A; Mahmoudi, H; Ghorbel, A; Zakhama, A; Jlidi, R

2001-11-01

Solid cystic papillary tumors of the pancreas are rare; they occur most commonly in young women. Despite their characteristic microscopic appearance, their immunophenotype is not specific. Their prognosis is excellent after complete surgical resection. The study aim was to report two cases in female patients who were 15 and 20 years old; the first tumor was discovered fortuitously and the second girl presented with abdominal pain and vomiting. Both tumors were encapsulated and located in the tail of the pancreas. The histological study showed the papillary architecture mixed with solid areas. Immunohistochemical staining was positive only for vimentin in one case and positive for cytokeratin, chromogranin, synaptophysin, neuron specific enolase, vimentin and protein S100 in the second case.

Thymic pathology and cardiac myxomas: Coincidence or a closer relationship?

PubMed

Moraitis, Sotirios D; Agrafiotis, Apostolos C; Pappas, Dimitrios; Pothitakis, Chrysovalantis; Stergianni, Maria; Koukis, Ioannis

2018-04-30

Myxomas are the most common benign cardiac tumors and are located more frequently in the left atrium. In the literature there are cases describing the coexistence of thymic tumors and cardiac myxomas. In the case reported herein, during the resection of a cardiac myxoma, an enlarged thymus gland was encountered and resected. The histological exam revealed a thymic hyperplasia. The aim of this case study is to assess the need of conducting further studies in order to identify a common histological pathway between thymic lesions and cardiac myxomas. The diagnosis of a cardiac myxoma could justify a further workup of the anterior mediastinum in order not to overlook a lesion of thymic origin.

A coccidioidomycosis outbreak following the Northridge, Calif, earthquake

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schneider, E.; Hajjeh, R.A.; Spiegel, R.A.; Jibson, R.W.; Harp, E.L.; Marshall, G.A.; Gunn, R.A.; McNeil, M.M.; Pinner, R.W.; Baron, R.C.; Burger, R.C.; Hutwagner, L.C.; Crump, C.; Kaufman, L.; Reef, S.E.; Feldman, G.M.; Pappagianis, D.; Werner, S.B.

1997-01-01

Objective. - To describe a coccidioidomycosis outbreak in Ventura County following the January 1994 earthquake, centered in Northridge, Calif, and to identify factors that increased the risk for acquiring acute coccidioidomycosis infection. Design. - Epidemic investigation, population- based skin test survey, and case-control study. Setting. - Ventura County, California. Results. - In Ventura County, between January 24 and March 15, 1994, 203 outbreak-associated coccidioidomycosis cases, including 3 fatalities, were identified (attack rate [AR], 30 cases per 100 000 population). The majority of cases (56%) and the highest AR (114 per 100 000 population) occurred in the town of Simi Valley, a community located at the base of a mountain range that experienced numerous landslides associated with the earthquake. Disease onset for cases peaked 2 weeks after the earthquake. The AR was 2.8 times greater for persons 40 years of age and older than for younger persons (relative risk, 2.8; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.1-3.7; P<.001). Environmental data indicated that large dust clouds, generated by landslides following the earthquake and strong aftershocks in the Santa Susana Mountains north of Simi Valley, were dispersed into nearby valleys by northeast winds. Simi Valley case-control study data indicated that physically being in a dust cloud (odds ratio, 3.0; 95% CI, 1.6-5.4; P<.001) and time spent in a dust cloud (P<.001) significantly increased the risk for being diagnosed with acute coccidioidomycosis. Conclusions. - Both the location and timing of cases strongly suggest that the coccidioidomycosis outbreak in Ventura County was caused when arthrospores were spread in dust clouds generated by the earthquake. This is the first report of a coccidioidomycosis outbreak following an earthquake. Public and physician awareness, especially in endemic areas following similar dust cloud- generating events, may result in prevention and early recognition of acute coccidioidomycosis.

Framework for the mapping of the monthly average daily solar radiation using an advanced case-based reasoning and a geostatistical technique.

PubMed

Lee, Minhyun; Koo, Choongwan; Hong, Taehoon; Park, Hyo Seon

2014-04-15

For the effective photovoltaic (PV) system, it is necessary to accurately determine the monthly average daily solar radiation (MADSR) and to develop an accurate MADSR map, which can simplify the decision-making process for selecting the suitable location of the PV system installation. Therefore, this study aimed to develop a framework for the mapping of the MADSR using an advanced case-based reasoning (CBR) and a geostatistical technique. The proposed framework consists of the following procedures: (i) the geographic scope for the mapping of the MADSR is set, and the measured MADSR and meteorological data in the geographic scope are collected; (ii) using the collected data, the advanced CBR model is developed; (iii) using the advanced CBR model, the MADSR at unmeasured locations is estimated; and (iv) by applying the measured and estimated MADSR data to the geographic information system, the MADSR map is developed. A practical validation was conducted by applying the proposed framework to South Korea. It was determined that the MADSR map developed through the proposed framework has been improved in terms of accuracy. The developed MADSR map can be used for estimating the MADSR at unmeasured locations and for determining the optimal location for the PV system installation.

Refining the regulatory region upstream of SOX9 associated with 46,XX testicular disorders of Sex Development (DSD).

PubMed

Hyon, Capucine; Chantot-Bastaraud, Sandra; Harbuz, Radu; Bhouri, Rakia; Perrot, Nicolas; Peycelon, Matthieu; Sibony, Mathilde; Rojo, Sandra; Piguel, Xavier; Bilan, Frederic; Gilbert-Dussardier, Brigitte; Kitzis, Alain; McElreavey, Ken; Siffroi, Jean-Pierre; Bashamboo, Anu

2015-08-01

Disorders of Sex Development (DSD) are a heterogeneous group of disorders affecting gonad and/or genito-urinary tract development and usually the endocrine-reproductive system. A genetic diagnosis is made in only around 20% of these cases. The genetic causes of 46,XX-SRY negative testicular DSD as well as ovotesticular DSD are poorly defined. Duplications involving a region located ∼600 kb upstream of SOX9, a key gene in testis development, were reported in several cases of 46,XX DSD. Recent studies have narrowed this region down to a 78 kb interval that is duplicated or deleted respectively in 46,XX or 46,XY DSD. We identified three phenotypically normal patients presenting with azoospermia and 46,XX testicular DSD. Two brothers carried a 83.8 kb duplication located ∼600 kb upstream of SOX9 that overlapped with the previously reported rearrangements. This duplication refines the minimal region associated with 46,XX-SRY negative DSD to a 40.7-41.9 kb element located ∼600 kb upstream of SOX9. Predicted enhancer elements and evolutionary-conserved binding sites for proteins known to be involved in testis determination are located within this region. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Model for determining logistic distribution center: case study of Mount Merapi eruption disaster

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ai, T. J.; Wigati, S. S.

2017-01-01

As one of the most active volcano in the earth, Mount Merapi is periodically erupted and it is considered as a natural disaster for the surrounding area. Kabupaten Sleman as one of the nearest location to this mount has to be always prepared to this disaster. The local government already set three different groups of region, in which potentially affected by Mount Merapi eruption, called KRB I, KRB II, and KRB III. Region KRB III is the closest area to the mount crater and most often affected by the eruption disaster. Whenever KRB III is affected, people live in that area usually being transfer to the next region set that is KRB II. The case presented in this paper is located at the KRB II region, which is the second closest region to the mount crater. A humanitarian distribution system has to be set in this region, since usually this region is became the location of shelters for KRB III population whenever a ‘big’ eruption is happened. A mathematical model is proposed in this paper, for determining the location of distribution center, vehicle route, and the amount of goods delivered to each customer. Some numerical illustration are presented in order to know the behavior of the proposed model.

[Transmission of cutaneous leishmaniasis associated with cacao (Theobroma cacao) plantations in Tabasco].

PubMed

Carrada Figueroa, Georgina Del Carmen; Leal Ascencio, Víctor Javier; Jiménez Sastré, Alejandro; López Álvarez, Jorge

2014-01-01

Tabasco is the Mexican state that reported the highest number (37.4%) of patients with leishmaniasis during 1990-2011. Close to 90% of these patients lived in Chontalpa, where the municipality of Cunduacán accounted for the majority of the cases. One of the characteristics of this region is that houses are located within cacao plantations. To determine if cacao plantations are a risk factor for leishmaniasis transmission in locations of Cunduacán, Tabasco. We performed an analytical and retrospective study of 115 locations in Cunduacán, analyzing the number of localities with or without patients with leishmaniasis registered between 2000-2011 and, additionally, if they had cacao plantations, using a map where different crops were georeferenced. We measured the magnitude of the association (odds ratio, 95% CI). During the period 2000-2011, cases of leishmaniasis were reported in 77 (67.0%) Cunduacán locations, of these, 55 (71.4%) had cocoa plantations, five (6.5%) of banana, five (6.5%) of cane, and 12 (15.6%) had no crops georeferenced. We found that cocoa crops are a risk factor for the transmission of leishmaniasis (OR: 3.438; 95% CI: 1,526-7,742). The probability of transmission of leishmaniasis in areas with cocoa crops is greater than in communities without this crop.

Spectroscopic and theoretical investigation of conformational changes of proteins by synthesized pyrimidine derivative and its sensitivity towards FRET application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghosh, Swadesh; Singharoy, Dipti; Bhattacharya, Subhash Chandra

2018-04-01

Interest in synthesizing and characterizing (IR, NMR and HRMS spectroscopic methods) a pyrimidine based Schiff-base ligand, 2-(2-(Anthracen-9-ylmethylene) hydrazinyl)-4,6-dimethyl pyrimidine (ANHP) has been developed for its application to ascertain the conformational change of protein and sensitivity towards fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) process. Location of ANHP in bovine serum albumin (BSA) and human serum albumin (HSA) proteins environment has been determined using different spectroscopic techniques. Weakly fluorescent ANHP have shown greater protein induced fluorescence enhancement (PIFE) in case of HSA than BSA, though in both cases energy transfer efficiency are almost same but difference in binding constant values encourages us to find the location of ANHP within the complex protein environment. From the FRET parameter and α-helicity change, it has been found that ANHP bound with Trp-214 of HSA and surface Trp-134 of BSA. Conformational changes of proteins have been observed more for HSA than BSA in presence of ANHP, which has confirmed the location of ANHP in both the protein environments. Coupled with experimental studies, molecular docking analysis has also been done to explain the locations and distance dependent FRET process of ANHP in both proteins.

Estimating corresponding locations in ipsilateral breast tomosynthesis views

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Schie, Guido; Tanner, Christine; Karssemeijer, Nico

2011-03-01

To improve cancer detection in mammography, breast exams usually consist of two views per breast. To combine information from both views, radiologists and multiview computer-aided detection (CAD) systems need to match corresponding regions in the two views. In digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT), finding corresponding regions in ipsilateral volumes may be a difficult and time-consuming task for radiologists, because many slices have to be inspected individually. In this study we developed a method to quickly estimate corresponding locations in ipsilateral tomosynthesis views by applying a mathematical transformation. First a compressed breast model is matched to the tomosynthesis view containing a point of interest. Then we decompress, rotate and compress again to estimate the location of the corresponding point in the ipsilateral view. In this study we use a simple elastically deformable sphere model to obtain an analytical solution for the transformation in a given DBT case. The model is matched to the volume by using automatic segmentation of the pectoral muscle, breast tissue and nipple. For validation we annotated 181 landmarks in both views and applied our method to each location. Results show a median 3D distance between the actual location and estimated location of 1.5 cm; a good starting point for a feature based local search method to link lesions for a multiview CAD system. Half of the estimated locations were at most 1 slice away from the actual location, making our method useful as a tool in mammographic workstations to interactively find corresponding locations in ipsilateral tomosynthesis views.

Expanding the Boundaries of Museum Studies: Popular Education through Engagement with Hidden Histories of Organising and Activism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Toth, Emese R.; Guttman, Sandy; Kimura, Andie; Quinn, Therese

2016-01-01

This article shares a descriptive case study of a popular education project entitled Alternative Tours UIC (ALTourUIC) that took place during a graduate course in the Museum and Exhibition Studies Programme at University of Illinois at Chicago. The educational activities created by the students included a map locating historically rich areas of…

Effective Home-School Partnership: Some Strategies to Help Strengthen Parental Involvement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Okeke, Chinedu I.

2014-01-01

The primary aim of the study from which this paper derives was to investigate the level of parental involvement in the schooling of their children. The study employed a descriptive case study research design. All data were based on unstructured interviews with the 30 parents whose children attended one of the primary schools located in the London…

78 FR 77433 - Takes of Marine Mammals Incidental to Specified Activities; Taking Marine Mammals Incidental to...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-12-23

... in all cases every possible measure will be taken to select a pathway of approach to study sites that... in the study plots or while biologists walk from one location to another. No motorized equipment is... found at any one of PISCO's study sites is variable, and often no California sea lions are observed...

Leading a Small Remote School: In the Face of a Culture of Acceptance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wildy, Helen; Clarke, Simon

2012-01-01

This article presents a case study of one very small school in a remote location of Western Australia. The study is part of a larger programme, International Study of Principal Preparation, investigating the challenges facing novice principals in the first 3 years of appointment and the extent to which they felt they were adequately prepared to…

Creating Collaboration: Exploring the Development of a Baptist Digital Library and Archive. A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hall, Taffey

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore the construction of a collaborative Baptist digital library and archive on the Internet. The study investigated how a central electronic location of digitized Baptist primary source materials could look and work on the Internet and how such a project could benefit Baptist history professors, the primary…

A splay tree-based approach for efficient resource location in P2P networks.

PubMed

Zhou, Wei; Tan, Zilong; Yao, Shaowen; Wang, Shipu

2014-01-01

Resource location in structured P2P system has a critical influence on the system performance. Existing analytical studies of Chord protocol have shown some potential improvements in performance. In this paper a splay tree-based new Chord structure called SChord is proposed to improve the efficiency of locating resources. We consider a novel implementation of the Chord finger table (routing table) based on the splay tree. This approach extends the Chord finger table with additional routing entries. Adaptive routing algorithm is proposed for implementation, and it can be shown that hop count is significantly minimized without introducing any other protocol overheads. We analyze the hop count of the adaptive routing algorithm, as compared to Chord variants, and demonstrate sharp upper and lower bounds for both worst-case and average case settings. In addition, we theoretically analyze the hop reducing in SChord and derive the fact that SChord can significantly reduce the routing hops as compared to Chord. Several simulations are presented to evaluate the performance of the algorithm and support our analytical findings. The simulation results show the efficiency of SChord.

Sex-specific differences in the presenting location of a first venous thromboembolism.

PubMed

Scheres, L J J; Brekelmans, M P A; Beenen, L F M; Büller, H R; Cannegieter, S C; Middeldorp, S

2017-07-01

Essentials Whether the location of venous thromboembolism (VTE) differs between the sexes is not known. Pulmonary embolism as presenting location was relatively more common in women than in men. The difference was consistent among age groups and most prominent in unprovoked VTE. The underlying mechanism remains to be elucidated. Background The risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) differs between men and women. Some risk factors seem to influence the presenting location of VTE. Sex-specific differences in the presenting VTE location have not been studied extensively. Methods We analyzed data from the MEGA case-control study and the Hokusai-VTE study, and used published data from the RIETE registry. Data from patients with a symptomatic first VTE were included (MEGA, n = 4953; Hokusai-VTE, n = 6720; RIETE, n = 40 028). Distributions of deep vein thrombosis (DVT), pulmonary embolism (PE) and combined DVT and PE as the presenting VTE location were calculated for men and women, and presented as proportions with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Sex-specific differences were explored for different age categories and for unprovoked and provoked events. Results In the MEGA study, PE was the presenting location in 35.5% of women and in 29.5% of men with VTE (difference 6.0%, 95% CI 3.4-8.6). In the Hokusai-VTE study, these proportions were 35.1% for women and 25.2% for men (difference 10.0%, 95% CI 7.8-12.2). In the RIETE registry, PE (with or without DVT) was also observed more often as the presenting location in women (53.3%) than in men (47.7%), with a difference of 5.6% (95% CI 4.7-6.6). The observed higher proportion of PE as the presenting location in women was present in all age groups and was most prominent among unprovoked VTE events. Conclusions In three large studies, the distribution of the presenting VTE location differed consistently between the sexes, whereby PE was more often the primary location of presentation in women than in men. © 2017 International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis.

Case studies of conservation plans that incorporate geodiversity.

PubMed

Anderson, M G; Comer, P J; Beier, P; Lawler, J J; Schloss, C A; Buttrick, S; Albano, C M; Faith, D P

2015-06-01

Geodiversity has been used as a surrogate for biodiversity when species locations are unknown, and this utility can be extended to situations where species locations are in flux. Recently, scientists have designed conservation networks that aim to explicitly represent the range of geophysical environments, identifying a network of physical stages that could sustain biodiversity while allowing for change in species composition in response to climate change. Because there is no standard approach to designing such networks, we compiled 8 case studies illustrating a variety of ways scientists have approached the challenge. These studies show how geodiversity has been partitioned and used to develop site portfolios and connectivity designs; how geodiversity-based portfolios compare with those derived from species and communities; and how the selection and combination of variables influences the results. Collectively, they suggest 4 key steps when using geodiversity to augment traditional biodiversity-based conservation planning: create land units from species-relevant variables combined in an ecologically meaningful way; represent land units in a logical spatial configuration and integrate with species locations when possible; apply selection criteria to individual sites to ensure they are appropriate for conservation; and develop connectivity among sites to maintain movements and processes. With these considerations, conservationists can design more effective site portfolios to ensure the lasting conservation of biodiversity under a changing climate. © 2015 Society for Conservation Biology.

Issues in Implementing a Structured Problem-Based Learning Strategy in a Volcano Unit: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Hyunju; Bae, Sungah

2008-01-01

The purpose of this study was to understand how an 8th grade science class used a structured problem-based learning (PBL) strategy to study volcanoes and to discuss some of the issues that science teachers might encounter when designing and implementing the PBL strategy. This study took place at Collins Middle School, which is located in a…

High-Speed Rail and Local Land Development : Case Studies in London and Las Vegas

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2017-11-01

The efficacy of a high-speed rail system depends, in part, upon locating rail stations close to urban centers and integrating them into broader transportation networks and the urban realm. In addition, through economies of agglomeration, successful h...

Pedestrian crosswalk case studies : Sacramento, California; Richmond, Virginia; Buffalo, New York; Stillwater, Minnesota

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2001-08-01

The objective of this research was to determine the effect of crosswalk markings on driver and pedestrian behavior at unsignalized intersections. A before/after evaluation of crosswalk markings was conducted at 11 locations in 4 U.S. cities. Behavior...

Methods for Finding Legacy Wells in Large Areas

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

Hammack, Richard; Veloski, Garret; Hodges, D. Greg

More than 10 million wells have been drilled during 150 years of oil and gas production in the United States. When abandoned, many wells were not adequately sealed and now provide a potential conduit for the vertical movement of liquids and gases. Today, groundwater aquifers can be contaminated by surface pollutants flowing down wells or by deep, saline water diffusing upwards. Likewise, natural gas, carbon dioxide (CO 2), or radon can travel upwards via these wells to endanger structures or human health on the surface. Recently, the need to find and plug wells has become critical with the advent ofmore » carbon dioxide injection into geologic formations for enhanced oil recovery (EOR) or carbon storage. The potential for natural gas or brine leakage through existing wells has also been raised as a concern in regions where shale resources are hydraulically fractured for hydrocarbon recovery. In this study, the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) updated existing, effective well finding techniques to be able to survey large areas quickly using helicopter or ground-vehicle-mounted magnetometers, combined with mobile methane detection. For this study, magnetic data were collected using airborne and ground vehicles equipped with two boom-mounted magnetometers, or on foot using a hand-held magnetometer with a single sensor. Data processing techniques were employed to accentuate well-casing-type magnetic signatures. To locate wells with no magnetic signature (wells where the steel well casing had been removed), the team monitored for anomalous concentrations of methane, which could indicate migration of volatile compounds from deeper sedimentary strata along a well or fracture pathway. Methane measurements were obtained using the ALPIS DIfferential Absorption Lidar (DIAL) sensor for helicopter surveys and the Apogee leak detection system (LDS) for ground surveys. These methods were evaluated at a 100-year-old oilfield in Wyoming, where a helicopter magnetic survey accurately located 93% of visible wells. In addition, 20% of the wells found by the survey were previously unknown or inaccurately located. This study found helicopter magnetic surveys to be an accurate, cost- and time-effective means to locate steel-cased wells in large areas, and is a first step in evaluating whether well detection techniques can be applied effectively for well location screening across broad geographic areas.« less

Methods to measure potential spatial access to delivery care in low- and middle-income countries: a case study in rural Ghana.

PubMed

Nesbitt, Robin C; Gabrysch, Sabine; Laub, Alexandra; Soremekun, Seyi; Manu, Alexander; Kirkwood, Betty R; Amenga-Etego, Seeba; Wiru, Kenneth; Höfle, Bernhard; Grundy, Chris

2014-06-26

Access to skilled attendance at childbirth is crucial to reduce maternal and newborn mortality. Several different measures of geographic access are used concurrently in public health research, with the assumption that sophisticated methods are generally better. Most of the evidence for this assumption comes from methodological comparisons in high-income countries. We compare different measures of travel impedance in a case study in Ghana's Brong Ahafo region to determine if straight-line distance can be an adequate proxy for access to delivery care in certain low- and middle-income country (LMIC) settings. We created a geospatial database, mapping population location in both compounds and village centroids, service locations for all health facilities offering delivery care, land-cover and a detailed road network. Six different measures were used to calculate travel impedance to health facilities (straight-line distance, network distance, network travel time and raster travel time, the latter two both mechanized and non-mechanized). The measures were compared using Spearman rank correlation coefficients, absolute differences, and the percentage of the same facilities identified as closest. We used logistic regression with robust standard errors to model the association of the different measures with health facility use for delivery in 9,306 births. Non-mechanized measures were highly correlated with each other, and identified the same facilities as closest for approximately 80% of villages. Measures calculated from compounds identified the same closest facility as measures from village centroids for over 85% of births. For 90% of births, the aggregation error from using village centroids instead of compound locations was less than 35 minutes and less than 1.12 km. All non-mechanized measures showed an inverse association with facility use of similar magnitude, an approximately 67% reduction in odds of facility delivery per standard deviation increase in each measure (OR = 0.33). Different data models and population locations produced comparable results in our case study, thus demonstrating that straight-line distance can be reasonably used as a proxy for potential spatial access in certain LMIC settings. The cost of obtaining individually geocoded population location and sophisticated measures of travel impedance should be weighed against the gain in accuracy.

Decision support system for the optimal location of electrical and electronic waste treatment plants: a case study in greece.

PubMed

Achillas, Ch; Vlachokostas, Ch; Moussiopoulos, Nu; Banias, G

2010-05-01

Environmentally sound end-of-life management of Electrical and Electronic Equipment has been realised as a top priority issue internationally, both due to the waste stream's continuously increasing quantities, as well as its content in valuable and also hazardous materials. In an effort to manage Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE), adequate infrastructure in treatment and recycling facilities is considered a prerequisite. A critical number of such plants are mandatory to be installed in order: (i) to accommodate legislative needs, (ii) decrease transportation cost, and (iii) expand reverse logistics network and cover more areas. However, WEEE recycling infrastructures require high expenditures and therefore the decision maker need to be most precautious. In this context, special care should be given on the viability of infrastructure which is heavily dependent on facilities' location. To this end, a methodology aiming towards optimal location of Units of Treatment and Recycling is developed, taking into consideration economical together with social criteria, in an effort to interlace local acceptance and financial viability. For the decision support system's needs, ELECTRE III is adopted as a multicriteria analysis technique. The methodology's applicability is demonstrated with a real-world case study in Greece. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Investigation of source location determination from Magsat magnetic anomalies: The Euler method approach

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ravat, Dhananjay

1996-01-01

The applicability of the Euler method of source location determination was investigated on several model situations pertinent to satellite-data scale situations as well as Magsat data of Europe. Our investigations enabled us to understand the end-member cases for which the Euler method will work with the present satellite magnetic data and also the cases for which the assumptions implicit in the Euler method will not be met by the present satellite magnetic data. These results have been presented in one invited lecture at the Indo-US workshop on Geomagnetism in Studies of the Earth's Interior in August 1994 in Pune, India, and at one presentation at the 21st General Assembly of the IUGG in July 1995 in Boulder, CO. A new method, called Anomaly Attenuation Rate (AAR) Method (based on the Euler method), was developed during this study. This method is scale-independent and is appropriate to locate centroids of semi-compact three dimensional sources of gravity and magnetic anomalies. The method was presented during 1996 Spring AGU meeting and a manuscript describing this method is being prepared for its submission to a high-ranking journal. The grant has resulted in 3 papers and presentations at national and international meetings and one manuscript of a paper (to be submitted shortly to a reputable journal).

Advocating for active living on the rural-urban fringe: a case study of planning in the Portland, Oregon, metropolitan area.

PubMed

Adler, Sy; Dobson, Noelle; Fox, Karen Perl; Weigand, Lynn

2008-06-01

This case study is about the politics of incorporating active-living elements into a concept plan for a new community of about 68,000 people on the edge of the Portland, Oregon, metropolitan area. Development on the rural-urban fringe is ongoing in metropolitan areas around the United States. In this article, we evaluate the product of the concept-planning process from the standpoint of the extent to which environmental elements conducive to active living were included. We also analyze four issues in which challenges to the incorporation of active-living features surfaced: choices related to transportation facilities, the design and location of retail stores, the location of schools and parks, and the location of a new town center. Overall, the Damascus/Boring Concept Plan positions the area well to promote active living. Analyses of the challenges that emerged yielded lessons for advocates regarding ways to deal with conflicts between facilitating active living and local economic development and related tax-base concerns and between active-living elements and school-district planning autonomy as well as the need for advocates to have the capacity to present alternatives to the usual financial and design approaches taken by private- and public-sector investors.

Frequency of traumatic lesions alleged by victims of assault during police custody.

PubMed

Lorin de la Grandmaison, G; Houssaye, C; Bourokba, N; Durigon, M

2007-08-01

A retrospective study was undertaken to determine the frequency of traumatic lesions found in individuals alleging police brutality during official custody in the département of Hauts-de-Seine, located in the west suburbs of Paris. All medical certificates relating to the examination of 11,653 individuals detained during the year 2004 were analysed. From this population, there were 119 cases where victimized individuals alleged police assault and 245 revealed aggressive police manhandling, as indicated by traces of tight handcuffs. Among the individuals alleging police violence, most of them showed recent traumatic lesions (n=91). The majority of lesions were superficial contusions frequently located in the cervico-cephalic area. All traumatic lesions were compatible with the allegations of police assault. Neurological complications secondary to the application of handcuffs were encountered in less than 2% of the cases. Although no death was recorded in police custody during the period of the study, approximately 5% of the population that had encountered some form of police violence was found to require emergency hospitalization.

Simulation models and designs for advanced Fischer-Tropsch technology

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

Choi, G.N.; Kramer, S.J.; Tam, S.S.

1995-12-31

Process designs and economics were developed for three grass-roots indirect Fischer-Tropsch coal liquefaction facilities. A baseline and an alternate upgrading design were developed for a mine-mouth plant located in southern Illinois using Illinois No. 6 coal, and one for a mine-mouth plane located in Wyoming using Power River Basin coal. The alternate design used close-coupled ZSM-5 reactors to upgrade the vapor stream leaving the Fischer-Tropsch reactor. ASPEN process simulation models were developed for all three designs. These results have been reported previously. In this study, the ASPEN process simulation model was enhanced to improve the vapor/liquid equilibrium calculations for themore » products leaving the slurry bed Fischer-Tropsch reactors. This significantly improved the predictions for the alternate ZSM-5 upgrading design. Another model was developed for the Wyoming coal case using ZSM-5 upgrading of the Fischer-Tropsch reactor vapors. To date, this is the best indirect coal liquefaction case. Sensitivity studies showed that additional cost reductions are possible.« less

A Case of Bilateral Descemet's Membrane and Subepithelial Opacity: In vivo Laser Confocal Microscopic Study.

PubMed

Hatta, Yukiko; Yokogawa, Hideaki; Kobayashi, Akira; Torisaki, Makoto; Sugiyama, Kazuhisa

2013-01-01

To report the in vivo laser confocal microscopy findings from a patient with Descemet's membrane and subepithelial opacity OU. A healthy 41-year-old male with Descemet's membrane and subepithelial opacity OU was studied. Routine ophthalmic examination, standard slit-lamp biomicroscopy, and in vivo laser confocal microscopic analysis of the entire corneal layer were performed. Slit-lamp biomicroscopy revealed subepithelial opacity in the mid-peripheral to peripheral cornea and numerous opacities located at the level of Descemet's membrane. It was difficult to distinguish the precise histological location of the opacity. In vivo laser confocal microscopy showed numerous hyperreflective particles in the subepithelium to superficial stroma and hyperreflectivity of Descemet's membrane. No abnormalities could be detected in the epithelial cell layer, midstromal layer, deep stromal layer, or endothelial cell layer. Although the origin of the corneal opacities was unclear, in vivo laser confocal microscopy was useful for observing microstructural abnormalities in a case of Descemet's membrane and subepithelial opacity.

Within a Stone's Throw: Proximal Geolocation of Internet Users via Covert Wireless Signaling

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

Paul, Nathanael R; Shue, Craig; Taylor, Curtis

While Internet users may often believe they have anonymity online, a culmination of technologies and recent research may allow an adversary to precisely locate an online user s geophysical location. In many cases, such as peer-to-peer applications, an adversary can easily use a target s IP address to quickly obtain the general geographical location of the target. Recent research has scoped this general area to a 690m (0.43 mile) radius circle. In this work, we show how an adversary can exploit Internet communication for geophysical location by embedding covert signals in communication with a target on a remote wireless localmore » area network. We evaluated the approach in two common real-world settings: a residential neighborhood and an apartment building. In the neighborhood case, we used a single-blind trial in which an observer located a target network to within three houses in less than 40 minutes. Directional antennas may have allowed even more precise geolocation. This approach had only a 0.38% false positive rate, despite 24,000 observed unrelated packets and many unrelated networks. This low rate allowed the observer to exclude false locations and continue searching for the target. Our results enable law enforcement or copyright holders to quickly locate online Internet users without requiring time-consuming subpoenas to Internet Service Providers. Other privacy use cases include rapidly locating individuals based on their online speech or interests. We hope to raise awareness of these issues and to spur discussion on privacy and geolocating techniques.« less

Investigating potential transferability of place-based research in land system science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Václavík, Tomáš; Langerwisch, Fanny; Cotter, Marc; Fick, Johanna; Häuser, Inga; Hotes, Stefan; Kamp, Johannes; Settele, Josef; Spangenberg, Joachim H.; Seppelt, Ralf

2016-09-01

Much of our knowledge about land use and ecosystem services in interrelated social-ecological systems is derived from place-based research. While local and regional case studies provide valuable insights, it is often unclear how relevant this research is beyond the study areas. Drawing generalized conclusions about practical solutions to land management from local observations and formulating hypotheses applicable to other places in the world requires that we identify patterns of land systems that are similar to those represented by the case study. Here, we utilize the previously developed concept of land system archetypes to investigate potential transferability of research from twelve regional projects implemented in a large joint research framework that focus on issues of sustainable land management across four continents. For each project, we characterize its project archetype, i.e. the unique land system based on a synthesis of more than 30 datasets of land-use intensity, environmental conditions and socioeconomic indicators. We estimate the transferability potential of project research by calculating the statistical similarity of locations across the world to the project archetype, assuming higher transferability potentials in locations with similar land system characteristics. Results show that areas with high transferability potentials are typically clustered around project sites but for some case studies can be found in regions that are geographically distant, especially when values of considered variables are close to the global mean or where the project archetype is driven by large-scale environmental or socioeconomic conditions. Using specific examples from the local case studies, we highlight the merit of our approach and discuss the differences between local realities and information captured in global datasets. The proposed method provides a blueprint for large research programs to assess potential transferability of place-based studies to other geographical areas and to indicate possible gaps in research efforts.

Recognition of an obstacle in a flow using artificial neural networks.

PubMed

Carrillo, Mauricio; Que, Ulices; González, José A; López, Carlos

2017-08-01

In this work a series of artificial neural networks (ANNs) has been developed with the capacity to estimate the size and location of an obstacle obstructing the flow in a pipe. The ANNs learn the size and location of the obstacle by reading the profiles of the dynamic pressure q or the x component of the velocity v_{x} of the fluid at a certain distance from the obstacle. Data to train the ANN were generated using numerical simulations with a two-dimensional lattice Boltzmann code. We analyzed various cases varying both the diameter and the position of the obstacle on the y axis, obtaining good estimations using the R^{2} coefficient for the cases under study. Although the ANN showed problems with the classification of very small obstacles, the general results show a very good capacity for prediction.

The relationship between the fistula tract and the facial nerve in type II first branchial cleft anomalies.

PubMed

Ertas, Burak; Gunaydin, Rıza Onder; Unal, Omer Faruk

2015-04-01

To share our experience involving seven patients with type II first branchial cleft anomalies (hereafter, type II anomalies), to determine whether the location of the external fistula openings of the anomalies are associated with the location of the facial nerve tract, and elucidate the relationship between the location of the fistula opening and the facial nerve. The medical records of seven patients who underwent surgery from 2005 to 2013 for type II anomalies were retrospectively examined. The relationship between the fistula opening and the facial nerve was evaluated in each patient with respect to whether the fistula opening was superior or inferior to the mandibular angle. All patients underwent partial parotidectomy, facial nerve exposure, and total excision of the mass together with connection of a small cuff of the external auditory canal skin to the fistula tract. The fistula tracts were located medially to the facial nerve in two patients, and both fistulae had openings inferior to the mandibular angle. The fistula tracts were located laterally to the facial nerve in the remaining five patients: one patient had no external opening, one had an opening inferior to the mandibular angle, and the remaining three had openings superior to the mandibular angle. Because type II anomalies are rare, their diagnosis is difficult. Surgery of such lesions is challenging and associated with a high risk due to their proximity to the facial nerve. We believe that the location of the fistula opening may help to identify the relationship between the anomalous lesion and facial nerve. Studies involving larger series of cases are needed to confirm our hypothesis; however, because of the rarity of this specific anomaly, it will not be easy to compile a large number of cases. We believe that our study will encourage further investigation on this subject. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

Mechanism of Void Prediction in Flip Chip Packages with Molded Underfill

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Kuo-Tsai; Hwang, Sheng-Jye; Lee, Huei-Huang

2017-08-01

Voids have always been present using the molded underfill (MUF) package process, which is a problem that needs further investigation. In this study, the process was studied using the Moldex3D numerical analysis software. The effects of gas (air vent effect) on the overall melt front were also considered. In this isothermal process containing two fluids, the gas and melt colloid interact in the mold cavity. Simulation enabled an appropriate understanding of the actual situation to be gained, and, through analysis, the void region and exact location of voids were predicted. First, the global flow end area was observed to predict the void movement trend, and then the local flow ends were observed to predict the location and size of voids. In the MUF 518 case study, simulations predicted the void region as well as the location and size of the voids. The void phenomenon in a flip chip ball grid array underfill is discussed as part of the study.

Ikonos-derived malaria transmission risk in northwestern Thailand.

PubMed

Sithiprasasna, Ratana; Ugsang, Donald M; Honda, Kiyoshi; Jones, James W; Singhasivanon, Pratap

2005-01-01

We mapped overall malaria cases and located each field observed major malaria vector breeding habitat using Global Positioning System (GPS) instruments from September 2000 to October 2003 around the three malaria-endemic villages of Ban Khun Huay, Ban Pa Dae, and Ban Tham Seau, Mae Sod district, Tak Province, Thailand. The land-use/land-cover classifications of the three villages and surrounding areas were performed on IKONOS satellite images acquired on 12 November 2001 with a spatial resolution of 1 x 1 m. Stream network was delineated and displayed. Proximity analysis was performed on the locations of the houses with and without malaria cases within a 1.5 km buffer from An. minimus immature mosquito breeding habitats, mainly stream margins. The 1.5 km used in our proximity analysis was arbitrarily estimated based on the An. minimus flight range. A statistical t-test at 5% significance level was performed to evaluate whether houses with malaria cases have higher proximities to streams than houses without malaria cases. The result shows no significant difference between proximity to streams between houses with malaria cases and houses without malaria cases. We suspect that the actual flight range of An. minimus may be greater than 1.5 km. The An. minimus larval habitat deserves more detailed investigation. Further studies on human behavior contrary to that required for adequate malaria control among these three villages are also recommended.

Single-session Gamma Knife radiosurgery for optic pathway/hypothalamic gliomas.

PubMed

El-Shehaby, Amr M N; Reda, Wael A; Abdel Karim, Khaled M; Emad Eldin, Reem M; Nabeel, Ahmed M

2016-12-01

OBJECTIVE Because of their critical and central location, it is deemed necessary to fractionate when considering irradiating optic pathway/hypothalamic gliomas. Stereotactic fractionated radiotherapy is considered safer when dealing with gliomas in this location. In this study, the safety and efficacy of single-session stereotactic radiosurgery for optic pathway/hypothalamic gliomas were reviewed. METHODS Between December 2004 and June 2014, 22 patients with optic pathway/hypothalamic gliomas were treated by single-session Gamma Knife radiosurgery. Twenty patients were available for follow-up for a minimum of 1 year after treatment. The patients were 5 to 43 years (median 16 years) of age. The tumor volume was 0.15 to 18.2 cm 3 (median 3.1 cm 3 ). The prescription dose ranged from 8 to 14 Gy (median 11.5 Gy). RESULTS The mean follow-up period was 43 months. Five tumors involved the optic nerve only, and 15 tumors involved the chiasm/hypothalamus. Two patients died during the follow-up period. The tumors shrank in 12 cases, remained stable in 6 cases, and progressed in 2 cases, thereby making the tumor control rate 90%. Vision remained stable in 12 cases, improved in 6 cases, and worsened in 2 cases in which there was tumor progression. Progression-free survival was 83% at 3 years. CONCLUSIONS The initial results indicate that single-session Gamma Knife radiosurgery is a safe and effective treatment option for optic pathway/hypothalamic gliomas.

Adult granulosa cell tumor of the ovary: fine-needle-aspiration cytology of 10 cases and review of literature.

PubMed

Ali, Sarfraz; Gattuso, Paolo; Howard, Allison; Mosunjac, Marina B; Siddiqui, Momin T

2008-05-01

Adult granulosa cell tumor (GCT) of the ovary is mostly diagnosed in postmenopausal women. They typically secrete estrogen, which stimulates the endometrium to proliferate and cause abnormal bleeding. This study reviews the cytologic features of adult GCT of the ovary diagnosed by fine-needle aspiration (FNA). We reviewed slides from ten cases diagnosed by CT guided FNA from 1995 to 2007 at our institutions. Smears were stained with Diff-Quik and Papanicolaou stains. Patient's history and histologic diagnosis were also available and reviewed for all cases. The patients ranged in age from 39 to 83 yr. All 10 cases were hypercellular with both large and small overlapping cell clusters and individual cells. The cytologic features identified included: naked nuclei (10/10 cases), Call-Exner bodies (7/10 cases), blood vessels with prominent perivascular tumor cell growth (4/10 cases), spindle-shaped hyperchromatic stromal cells within cellular clusters (6/10 cases), mixed inflammation (3/10 cases), tumor cell necrosis (1/10 cases), and prominent metachromatic stroma seen in association with blood vessels (1/10 cases). Moderate to scant delicate cytoplasm was also seen (10/10 cases). Small, punctuate cytoplasmic vacuoles were also noted (7/10 cases) and were occasionally prominent (3/10 cases). In general nuclear to cytoplasmic ratios were high although lower than those typically seen in a lymphoma or small-cell carcinoma. Nuclei were generally centrally located although eccentrically located nuclei were consistently seen in a minority of cells. Nuclei were monotonous in size showing slightly convoluted (occasional rentiform and fetiform nuclei) to polygonal outlines. Prominent, central nucleoli were also seen (4/10 cases). Nuclear grooves were also seen (9/10 cases). No atypical mitotic activity was identified in any of the 10 cases (0/10 cases). In summary, the above cytologic features can also help in the cytologic diagnosis of adult GCTs.

An evaluation of behavior inferences from Bayesian state-space models: A case study with the Pacific walrus

USGS Publications Warehouse

Beatty, William; Jay, Chadwick V.; Fischbach, Anthony S.

2016-01-01

State-space models offer researchers an objective approach to modeling complex animal location data sets, and state-space model behavior classifications are often assumed to have a link to animal behavior. In this study, we evaluated the behavioral classification accuracy of a Bayesian state-space model in Pacific walruses using Argos satellite tags with sensors to detect animal behavior in real time. We fit a two-state discrete-time continuous-space Bayesian state-space model to data from 306 Pacific walruses tagged in the Chukchi Sea. We matched predicted locations and behaviors from the state-space model (resident, transient behavior) to true animal behavior (foraging, swimming, hauled out) and evaluated classification accuracy with kappa statistics (κ) and root mean square error (RMSE). In addition, we compared biased random bridge utilization distributions generated with resident behavior locations to true foraging behavior locations to evaluate differences in space use patterns. Results indicated that the two-state model fairly classified true animal behavior (0.06 ≤ κ ≤ 0.26, 0.49 ≤ RMSE ≤ 0.59). Kernel overlap metrics indicated utilization distributions generated with resident behavior locations were generally smaller than utilization distributions generated with true foraging behavior locations. Consequently, we encourage researchers to carefully examine parameters and priors associated with behaviors in state-space models, and reconcile these parameters with the study species and its expected behaviors.

Global positioning system & Google Earth in the investigation of an outbreak of cholera in a village of Bengaluru Urban district, Karnataka.

PubMed

Masthi, N R Ramesh; Madhusudan, M; Puthussery, Yannick P

2015-11-01

The global positioning system (GPS) technology along with Google Earth is used to measure (spatial map) the accurate distribution of morbidity, mortality and planning of interventions in the community. We used this technology to find out its role in the investigation of a cholera outbreak, and also to identify the cause of the outbreak. This study was conducted in a village near Bengaluru, Karnataka in June 2013 during a cholera outbreak. House-to-house survey was done to identify acute watery diarrhoea cases. A hand held GPS receiver was used to record north and east coordinates of the households of cases and these values were subsequently plotted on Google Earth map. Water samples were collected from suspected sources for microbiological analysis. A total of 27 cases of acute watery diarrhoea were reported. Fifty per cent of cases were in the age group of 14-44 yr and one death was reported. GPS technology and Google Earth described the accurate location of household of cases and spot map generated showed clustering of cases around the suspected water sources. The attack rate was 6.92 per cent and case fatality rate was 3.7 per cent. Water samples collected from suspected sources showed the presence of Vibrio cholera O1 Ogawa. GPS technology and Google Earth were easy to use, helpful to accurately pinpoint the location of household of cases, construction of spot map and follow up of cases. Outbreak was found to be due to contamination of drinking water sources.

[Seasonal and regional distribution of tularemia cases in Amasya, Turkey].

PubMed

Yanık, Keramettin; Sarıaydın, Muzaffer; Uzun, M Önder; Çoban, Ahmet Yılmaz; Seçilmiş, Halil

2015-01-01

Tularemia have attracted attention due to increased number of cases since 2009 in Amasya region which is located at Central Blacksea Region of Turkey. The aims of this letter were to provide information about the disease, to emphasize the importance of early treatment due to the outbreak peak in our province between 2009-2012 and water chlorination in epidemic areas. A total of 250 tularemia-suspected patients (117 female, 133 male; mean age: 42 yrs) who were admitted to our hospital with the symptoms of sore throat, fever, malaise and/or presence of neck mass, from 20 different locations within last four years were included in the study. Serum samples of 73 (29.2%) patients yielded ≥ 1/160 titers with F.tularensis microagglutination test which were considered as positive. All positive cases presented with the oropharyngeal form of the disease. The year with the highest number of tularemia cases was 2010. When the regional distribution was evaluated, it was detected that positive cases have precipitated especially in the southeastern (highland area) and northeastern (lowland area) parts of Amasya (34/73; 46.6%). Majority of the tularemia cases (53/73; 72.6%) were identified in colder seasons. The number of cases in rural and urban centers have decreased after 2010. In conclusion, it is considered that the emergence of new cases is likely to persist due to the geographical characteristics of Amasya and occupational properties (livestock breeding) of the population. Therefore, the clinicians should consider tularemia in differential diagnosis of the cases originated from risky rural areas.

Trends in managed care contracting among U.S. hospitals.

PubMed

Gautam, K; Campbell, C; Arrington, B

1995-01-01

This article describes the changing profile of hospitals initiating managed care contracts as of 1992. Based on statistical tests, early contractors rank higher on profitability, case mix, bed size, affiliation, and urban location. In contrast, recent and noncontractors are predominantly rural, freestanding hospitals with low case mix, low profitability, high subacute services, and government ownership. A number of lessons for the future are drawn and a stage-by-stage approach to studying managed care issues is proposed.

The footprints of Saharan Air Layer and lightning on the formation of tropical depressions over the eastern Atlantic Ocean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Centeno Delgado, Diana C.

In this study, the results of an observational analysis and a numerical analysis on the role of the Saharan Air Layer during tropical cyclogenesis (TC-genesis) are described. The observational analysis investigates the interaction of dust particles and lightning during the genesis stage of two developed cases (Hurricanes Helene 2006 and Julia 2010). The Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) and WRF-Chemistry models were used to include and monitor the aerosols and chemical processes that affect TC-genesis. The numerical modeling involved two developed cases (Hurricanes Helene 2006 and Julia 2010) and two non-developed cases (Non-Developed 2011 and Non-Developed 2012). The Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) and lightning analysis for Hurricane Helene 2006 demonstrated the time-lag connection through their positive contribution to TC-genesis. The observational analyses supported the fact that both systems developed under either strong or weak dust conditions. From the two cases, the location of strong versus weak dust outbreaks in association with lightning was essential interactions that impacted TC-genesis. Furthermore, including dust particles, chemical processes, and aerosol feedback in the simulations with WRF-CHEM provides results closer to observations than regular WRF. The model advantageously shows the location of the dust particles inside of the tropical system. Overall, the results from this study suggest that the SAL is not a determining factor that affects the formation of tropical cyclones.

Investigating cold based summit glaciers through direct access to the glacier base: a case study constraining the maximum age of Chli Titlis glacier, Switzerland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bohleber, Pascal; Hoffmann, Helene; Kerch, Johanna; Sold, Leo; Fischer, Andrea

2018-01-01

Cold glaciers at the highest locations of the European Alps have been investigated by drilling ice cores to retrieve their stratigraphic climate records. Findings like the Oetztal ice man have demonstrated that small ice bodies at summit locations of comparatively lower altitudes may also contain old ice if locally frozen to the underlying bedrock. In this case, constraining the maximum age of their lowermost ice part may help to identify past periods with minimum ice extent in the Alps. However, with recent warming and consequent glacier mass loss, these sites may not preserve their unique climate information for much longer. Here we utilized an existing ice cave at Chli Titlis (3030 m), central Switzerland, to perform a case study for investigating the maximum age of cold-based summit glaciers in the Alps. The cave offers direct access to the glacier stratigraphy without the logistical effort required in ice core drilling. In addition, a pioneering exploration had already demonstrated stagnant cold ice conditions at Chli Titlis, albeit more than 25 years ago. Our englacial temperature measurements and the analysis of the isotopic and physical properties of ice blocks sampled at three locations within the ice cave show that cold ice still exists fairly unchanged today. State-of-the-art micro-radiocarbon analysis constrains the maximum age of the ice at Chli Titlis to about 5000 years before present. By this means, the approach presented here will contribute to a future systematic investigation of cold-based summit glaciers, also in the Eastern Alps.

RETROSPECTIVE ANALYSIS OF WOUND CHARACTERISTICS AND TETANUS DEVELOPMENT IN CAPTIVE MACAQUES

PubMed Central

Springer, Danielle A.; Phillippi-Falkenstein, Kathrine; Smith, Gary

2008-01-01

Traumatic wounds and access to outdoor enclosures containing soil contribute to development of tetanus in non-human primates. A retrospective matched case-control study was conducted at a primate center to evaluate these factors by analysis of medical records of animals sustaining traumatic injuries during a three year study period: 31 macaques with traumatic injuries and a clinical diagnosis of tetanus were selected as cases and 62 macaques with traumatic injuries and no diagnosis of tetanus were selected as controls. For an animal with injuries to the digits, the odds of developing tetanus were 9.6 times those of a similar animal without injuries to the digits (OR = 9.55, 95% CI = 1.56 – 58.59); with injuries to the tail, the odds of developing tetanus were 8.0 times those of a similar animal without injuries to the tail (OR = 7.95, 95% CI = 0.82 – 77.04); and with injuries in more than one location, the odds of developing tetanus were 8.5 times those for a similar animal with injuries in just one location (OR = 8.45, 95% CI = 1.01 – 70.46). A non-human primate with injuries to the leg was less likely to develop tetanus than a similar non-human primate without injuries to the leg (OR = 0.19, 95% CI = 0.03 – 1.2). Results indicated that wound location is associated with development of tetanus infection in rhesus macaques. Identification of high risk trauma cases will allow better allocation of wound management and tetanus prophylaxis in institutions, especially those housing non-human primates outdoors. PMID:19368246

Prevalence of fenestrated basilar artery with magnetic resonance angiography: a transversal study.

PubMed

Arráez-Aybar, L A; Villar-Martin, A; Poyatos-Ruiperez, C; Rodriguez-Boto, G; Arrazola-Garcia, J

2013-08-01

Fenestration of the basilar artery (BA) is a rare anatomical variation in comparison to those of the other intracranial arteries constituting the cerebral arterial circle. The incidence is difficult to ascertain and data vary according to type of series and modalities of detection. Basilar artery fenestration (BAF) has been reported in association with arteriovenous malformations, vascular variants, other developmental anomalies and neurovascular conflicts as a consequence of relations between the arterial branches of the BA and the nerves and other structures in the posterior cranial fossa. However, the real clinical interest of BAF is due to the possible formation of an aneurysm at the junction of the fenestrated segment and less frequently to the thrombosis of the vessels. With the aim to establish the prevalence of BAF in our population, we made a transversal pilot study of the first 200 MR angiographies performed on patients attending for the first time to control their base pathology (vascular or not). We have described three patients with this condition (representing a prevalence of 1.5 % on MR angiography) to shed additional light on this anomaly, two cases located at 1/3 proximal end (type 1-BAF) and one case located at joint 1/3 medium-1/3 distal end, locating distal to the anterior inferior cerebellar artery (type 4-BAF). In neither case was any other lesion found (i.e. aneurysm, infarctions, ischemia or thromboembolism). The pertinent clinical anatomy and embryological basis for this variation are reviewed, and the possible clinical implications and associated findings are discussed.

Quality of Care in Creches for Disadvantaged Children: A Brazilian Case Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ferreira, M. C. Rossetti; And Others

A study was conducted to critically assess the developmental conditions of 187 children (ages 1 month to 6 years) in eight creches (day nurseries) located in and around Ribeirao Preto, Brazil. Data were collected through informal interviews of day care staff and from 20 hours of direct observations of day care units. Findings indicated inadequate…

Extending Library Services to Remote Sites: Regis University as Case Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Potter, Susan; Boyd, Sandra Hughes

This report considers the ways that the Regis University (Colorado) library has addressed needs created by new adult education programs offered at 10 campus locations in the region, 15 prison sites, a number of corporations, and through independent study. Creation of a new position for a full-time librarian for extended library services and…

Comparison of the Relative Effectiveness of Different Kinds of Reinforcers: A PEM Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ma, Hsen-Hsing

2009-01-01

The purpose of the present study was to apply the percentage of data points exceeding the median of baseline phase (PEM) approach for a meta-analysis of single-case experiments to compare the relative effectiveness of different kinds of reinforcers used in behavior modification. Altogether 153 studies were located, which produced 1091 effect…

School Algebra Reform: Meeting the Grade?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Telese, James A.

This paper reports on a case study that was conducted at five high schools from a large, urban school district located in South Texas. The purpose of the study was to gain an understanding of Algebra 1 teaching strategies. The research questions were: (1) What is the predominant mode of instruction for Algebra 1? and (2) What is the level of…

Finnish Primary School as a Learning Environment for Six-Year-Old Preschool Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Havu-Nuutinen, Sari; Niikko, Anneli

2014-01-01

The aim of this qualitative case study is to explore how the teachers, parents and children describe the advantages and disadvantages of preschool education when it is located in the comprehensive school context. In addition, the study aims to clarify which dimensions of the learning environment occur in preschool? The learning environment is…

Using step and path selection functions for estimating resistance to movement: Pumas as a case study

Treesearch

Katherine A. Zeller; Kevin McGarigal; Samuel A. Cushman; Paul Beier; T. Winston Vickers; Walter M. Boyce

2015-01-01

GPS telemetry collars and their ability to acquire accurate and consistently frequent locations have increased the use of step selection functions (SSFs) and path selection functions (PathSFs) for studying animal movement and estimating resistance. However, previously published SSFs and PathSFs often do not accommodate multiple scales or multiscale modeling....

77 FR 72327 - Takes of Marine Mammals Incidental to Specified Activities; Taking Marine Mammals Incidental to...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-12-05

... in the study plots or while biologists walk from one location to another. No motorized equipment is... selection of judicious routes of approach to study sites, avoiding close contact with pinnipeds hauled out on shore, and the use of extreme caution upon approach. In no case will marine mammals be...

Sexuality Education: Findings and Recommendations from an Analysis of 10 United States Programmes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cushman, Nicole; Kantor, Leslie M.; Schroeder, Elizabeth; Eicher, Lesley; Gambone, Gina

2014-01-01

In this study, we identified 10 sexuality education programmes from different locations in the USA that aim to give young people knowledge and skills to develop healthy relationships, as well as avoid pregnancy and disease. We conducted in-depth interviews with programme administrators to develop a series of case studies and provide concrete…

University Response to Crisis Events Involving International Populations: The Case of Seven Directors of International Offices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Andrews, James P.

2012-01-01

This qualitative research study focuses on crisis events affecting university international populations. It explores how seven directors of university international offices at seven different geographical locations in Texas respond to those events. The study findings shed light on the current state of crisis preparedness in higher education from…

Above and Beyond: Outcomes of a Model School-Church-Community Collaboration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scroggs, Lori; Tripses, Jenny

2007-01-01

This interpretive case study focused upon the outcomes of a 13-year collaboration between a PreK-5 elementary school serving a high percentage of low-income students, and a church located in their urban neighborhood. The purpose of the investigation was to: (1) perform a qualitative study that identified central themes underlying this successful…

Robustness of location estimators under t-distributions: a literature review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sumarni, C.; Sadik, K.; Notodiputro, K. A.; Sartono, B.

2017-03-01

The assumption of normality is commonly used in estimation of parameters in statistical modelling, but this assumption is very sensitive to outliers. The t-distribution is more robust than the normal distribution since the t-distributions have longer tails. The robustness measures of location estimators under t-distributions are reviewed and discussed in this paper. For the purpose of illustration we use the onion yield data which includes outliers as a case study and showed that the t model produces better fit than the normal model.

Performance of alkaline battery cells used in emergency locator transmitters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Haynes, G. A.; Sokol, S.; Motley, W. R., III; Mcclelland, E. L.

1984-01-01

The characteristics of battery power supplies for emergency locator transmitters (ELT's) were investigated by testing alkaline zinc/manganese dioxide cells of the type typically used in ELT's. Cells from four manufacturers were tested. The cells were subjected to simulated environmental and load conditions representative of those required for survival and operation. Battery cell characteristics that may contribute to ELT malfunctions and limitations were evaluated. Experimental results from the battery cell study are discussed, and an evaluation of ELT performance while operating under a representative worst-case environmental condition is presented.

[Hair-thread tourniquet syndrome].

PubMed

Claudet, I; Pasian, N; Maréchal, C; Salanne, S; Debuisson, C; Grouteau, E

2010-05-01

Describe the epidemiology of tourniquet syndromes and a cohort of such children admitted to the pediatric emergency department (PED), analyze the family's social situation to detect neglect behaviors, and analyze subsequent hospital admissions. From 1st January 2003 to 31st May 2009 in the PED, all patients admitted for tourniquet syndrome were included in the study. The data collected were day and time of admission, age, sex, length of stay, medical coverage, type and location of the constrictive agent, therapeutic management, progression, and complications. PED social workers in relation with child protective services (CPS) recovered information on the family's social situation. During the study period, 57 children were registered. The mean number of admissions per year was 8 (range: 2-15). The mean age was 5.5+/-4 months. The toe was the most frequent location (95%). The penis was injured in 2 cases and labia majora in 1 case. The constrictive agent was often a hair (95%). One case of abuse was detected. The analysis of family social situations showed that 53% had no or incomplete medical coverage, 67% were already followed by CPS with extreme poverty or lived in dilapidated housing. Insufficient hygiene or neglect was found in 67% of the families with incomplete or no social coverage. The analysis of 2003-2007 period for later admissions identified that 15 accidents in the home occurred in 12 children. Among these families, 58% were already known by CPS for neglect behavior. Although most tourniquet syndromes seem accidental, this entity is often associated with a lack of hygiene. Several and distant locations (e.g., toes and genitals), multiple and/or separated knots, constrictive agents inconsistent with a safe environment for the child, and penile location in an infant require meticulous investigation because of a higher incidence of child neglect. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Utilizing Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to analyze geographic and demographic patterns related to forensic case recovery locations in Florida.

PubMed

Kolpan, Katharine E; Warren, Michael

2017-12-01

This paper highlights how Geographic Information Systems (GIS) can be utilized to analyze biases and patterns related to physical and cultural geography in Florida. Using case recovery locations from the C. Addison Pound Human Identification Laboratory (CAPHIL), results indicate that the majority of CAPHIL cases are recovered from urban areas with medium to low population density and low rates of crime. The results also suggest that more accurate record keeping methods would enhance the data. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A High-Grade Chondrosarcoma of Calcaneum Mimicking as a Benign Pathology: Delayed Diagnosis and Management.

PubMed

Baba, Muzamil Ahmad; Nazir, Naila; Shabeer, Maajid; Mir, Bashir Ahmed; Kawoosa, Altaf Ahmad

2016-10-01

This case is presented to highlight a rare case of chondrosarcoma of calcaneum in a young adult mimicking as a benign pathology and to highlight the diagnosis and early management of such cases to prevent complications and even death. Chondrosarcoma constitutes less than 10% of all primary malignancies of bone and occurs mostly in proximal locations such as pelvis, proximal femur, and proximal humerus. We present a case of high-grade chondrosarcoma at a very rare site, calcaneum of a 40-year-old male that was mimicking as a benign pathology. This case report highlights the importance of proper clinical examination, evaluation, and suspicion for benign occurring lesions to prevent complications related to a delay in diagnosis. Therapeutic, Level IV: Case study. © 2016 The Author(s).

A comparative study of bike lane injuries.

PubMed

Wee, Jung Hee; Park, Jeong Ho; Park, Kyu Nam; Choi, Seung Pill

2012-02-01

Because of the increased number of bicycle riders and governmental promotions, a recent increase in the construction of bicycle lanes has occurred. We aimed to characterize injuries specific to bicycle lane accidents by comparing them with injuries that occurred on regular roadways. On the basis of our findings, we provide suggestions on proper preventive strategies. We performed a retrospective study on 408 cases obtained between January 1, 2009, and December 31, 2010. Of these cases, 387 met the criterion that the location of the injury could be confirmed by telephone or via review of the patient's chart. Data regarding age, gender, Injury Severity Score, time of the accident, location of the accident, and other characteristics were collected. Data were analyzed using SPSS 12.0K. Of the 387 cases, 204 (52.7%) patients were injured in bicycle lanes and 183 (47.3%) were injured on regular roadways. Comparing cases of bicycle lane injuries and non-bicycle lane injuries, there were no differences in age, day of the week, season, or the time at which the accident occurred. Bicycle helmets were used more frequently in bicycle lane injuries (33.2% vs. 13.7%; p < 0.001). In addition, the most common causes of injury for bicycle lane incidences were falls (59.3%) and collisions with other bicycles (23.5%), whereas in non-bicycle lane cases, falls (42.6%) and collisions with other vehicles (39.3%) were the most common causes of injury. Although the severity of injuries was slightly lower in bicycle lane cases, it was not significantly lower than non-bicycle lane cases. Although people are increasingly using bicycle lanes for safety, this study shows that they are not definitively safer. Therefore, improvements in the policies related to implementing bicycle lane safety are needed, for example, by enforcing the use of protective gear or preventing the use of bicycle lanes by pedestrians. More safety education programs are also needed. III.

Use of prospective hospital surveillance data to define spatiotemporal heterogeneity of malaria risk in coastal Kenya.

PubMed

Bisanzio, Donal; Mutuku, Francis; LaBeaud, Angelle D; Mungai, Peter L; Muinde, Jackson; Busaidy, Hajara; Mukoko, Dunstan; King, Charles H; Kitron, Uriel

2015-12-01

Malaria in coastal Kenya shows spatial heterogeneity and seasonality, which are important factors to account for when planning an effective control system. Routinely collected data at health facilities can be used as a cost-effective method to acquire information on malaria risk for large areas. Here, data collected at one specific hospital in coastal Kenya were used to assess the ability of such passive surveillance to capture spatiotemporal heterogeneity of malaria and effectiveness of an augmented control system. Fever cases were tested for malaria at Msambweni sub-County Referral Hospital, Kwale County, Kenya, from October 2012 to March 2015. Remote sensing data were used to classify the development level of each monitored community and to identify the presence of rice fields nearby. An entomological study was performed to acquire data on the seasonality of malaria vectors in the study area. Rainfall data were obtained from a weather station located in proximity of the study area. Spatial analysis was applied to investigate spatial patterns of malarial and non-malarial fever cases. A space-time Bayesian model was performed to evaluate risk factors and identify locations at high malaria risk. Vector seasonality was analysed using a generalized additive mixed model (GAMM). Among the 25,779 tested febrile cases, 28.7 % were positive for Plasmodium infection. Malarial and non-malarial fever cases showed a marked spatial heterogeneity. High risk of malaria was linked to patient age, community development level and presence of rice fields. The peak of malaria prevalence was recorded close to rainy seasons, which correspond to periods of high vector abundance. Results from the Bayesian model identified areas with significantly high malaria risk. The model also showed that the low prevalence of malaria recorded during late 2012 and early 2013 was associated with a large-scale bed net distribution initiative in the study area during mid-2012. The results indicate that the use of passive surveillance was an effective method to detect spatiotemporal patterns of malaria risk in coastal Kenya. Furthermore, it was possible to estimate the impact of extensive bed net distribution on malaria prevalence among local fever cases over time. Passive surveillance based on georeferenced malaria testing is an important tool that control agencies can use to improve the effectiveness of interventions targeting malaria (and other causes of fever) in such high-risk locations.

Time-Lapse Measurement of Wellbore Integrity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duguid, A.

2017-12-01

Well integrity is becoming more important as wells are used longer or repurposed. For CO2, shale gas, and other projects it has become apparent that wells represent the most likely unintended migration pathway for fluids out of the reservoir. Comprehensive logging programs have been employed to determine the condition of legacy wells in North America. These studies provide examples of assessment technologies. Logging programs have included pulsed neutron logging, ultrasonic well mapping, and cement bond logging. While these studies provide examples of what can be measured, they have only conducted a single round of logging and cannot show if the well has changed over time. Recent experience with time-lapse logging of three monitoring wells at a US Department of Energy sponsored CO2 project has shown the full value of similar tools. Time-lapse logging has shown that well integrity changes over time can be identified. It has also shown that the inclusion of and location of monitoring technologies in the well and the choice of construction materials must be carefully considered. Two of the wells were approximately eight years old at the time of study; they were constructed with steel and fiberglass casing sections and had lines on the outside of the casing running to the surface. The third well was 68 years old when it was studied and was originally constructed as a production well. Repeat logs were collected six or eight years after initial logging. Time-lapse logging showed the evolution of the wells. The results identified locations where cement degraded over time and locations that showed little change. The ultrasonic well maps show clearly that the lines used to connect the monitoring technology to the surface are visible and have a local effect on cement isolation. Testing and sampling was conducted along with logging. It provided insight into changes identified in the time-lapse log results. Point permeability testing was used to provide an in-situ point estimate of the cement isolating capacity. Cased-hole sidewall cores in the steel and fiberglass casing sections allowed analysis of bulk cement and the cement at the casing- and formation-interface. This presentation will cover how time-lapse logging was conducted, how the results may be applicable to other wells, and how monitoring well design may affect wellbore integrity.

Obstructive sleep apnea due to extrathoracic tracheomalacia.

PubMed

Muzumdar, Hiren; Nandalike, K; Bent, J; Arens, Raanan

2013-02-01

We report obstructive sleep apnea in a 3-year-old boy with tracheomalacia secondary to tracheotomy that resolved after placement of a metallic stent in the region of tracheomalacia. The tracheal location of obstruction during sleep in this case contrasts with the usual location in the pharynx or, less often, the larynx. This case also demonstrates the utility of polysomnography in managing decannulation of tracheostomies.

[Expression and clinical significance of CD147 in parathyroid carcinoma].

PubMed

Du, X M; Wang, L L; Chang, H; Meng, W; Zhang, J Y; Shen, B

2016-06-08

To study the expression and clinical significance of CD147 in the patients of parathyroid carcinoma. Fourteen cases of parathyroid carcinoma encountered during the period from 2012 to 2015 were enrolled. Thirty three cases of parathyroid adenoma encountered during the same period were enrolled. The expression of CD147 in parathyroid carcinoma and parathyroid adenoma was studied by means of immunohistochemistry (EnVision method). CD147 positive color was brown and yellow, and positive position was located mainly in the cytomembrane, and a small amount of cytoplasm was appeared. Among 14 cases of parathyroid carcinoma, 11 cases of CD147 positive score was 3+ , 3 cases of CD147 positive score was 2+ ; Among 33 cases of parathyroid adenoma , 8 cases of CD147 positive score was 2+ , 15 cases of it was 1+ , 10 cases of it was negative. CD147 was highly expressed in parathyroid carcinoma tissues, and the expression of CD147 was significantly different from the expression of parathyroid adenoma(P<0.05). CD147 immunohistochemical staining can help to diagnose parathyroid carcinoma.

Food foreign body injuries.

PubMed

Sebastian van As, Arjan B; Yusof, Abdullah M; Millar, Alastair J W

2012-05-14

The purpose of this study is to acquire a better understanding of Food Foreign Bodies (FFB) injuries in children characterizing the risk of complications and prolonged hospitalization due to food items according to patients' characteristics, circumstances of the accident, Foreign Body (FB) features and FB location, as emerging from the SUSY Safe Web-Registry. The present study uses data provided by the SUSY Safe Project, a DG SANCO co-funded project started in February 2005, which was aimed at establishing an international registry of cases of Foreign Bodies (FB) injuries in children aged 0-14 years. The analysis was carried out on injuries due to a food item. FB location was reported according to ICD9-CM code: ears (ICD931), nose (ICD932), pharynx and larynx (ICD933) trachea, bronchi and lungs (ICD934), mouth, esophagus and stomach (ICD935). Age and gender injury distributions were assessed. Data regarding adult supervision and activity before injury were also evaluated. FBs which most frequently cause complications were identified. The association between children age, adult presence, object characteristics and hospitalization/complications was computed using unweighted odds ratios and the related 95% confidence intervals. 16,878 FB injuries occurred in children aged 0-14 years have been recorded in the SUSY Safe databases. FB type was specified in 10,564 cases; among them 2744 (26%) were due to a food item. FB site was recorded in 1344 cases: FB was located in the ears in 99 patients, while 1140 occurred in the upper and lower respiratory tract; finally, 105 food items were removed from mouth, esophagus and stomach. Complications occurred in 176 cases and the most documented was pulmonary or bronchial infections (23%) followed emphysema or atelectasis and by and asthma (7%). Bones were the commonest retrieved FFB encountered in this study, while nuts seem to be the FFB most frequently associated to complications. On the basis of this study we make the strong recommendation that parents should be adequately educated and provide age-appropriate food to their children and be present in order to supervise them during eating especially during a critical period ranging from 2 to 3 years of age. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Targeting imported malaria through social networks: a potential strategy for malaria elimination in Swaziland.

PubMed

Koita, Kadiatou; Novotny, Joseph; Kunene, Simon; Zulu, Zulizile; Ntshalintshali, Nyasatu; Gandhi, Monica; Gosling, Roland

2013-06-27

Swaziland has made great progress towards its goal of malaria elimination by 2015. However, malaria importation from neighbouring high-endemic Mozambique through Swaziland's eastern border remains a major factor that could prevent elimination from being achieved. In order to reach elimination, Swaziland must rapidly identify and treat imported malaria cases before onward transmission occurs. A nationwide formative assessment was conducted over eight weeks to determine if the imported cases of malaria identified by the Swaziland National Malaria Control Programme could be linked to broader social networks and to explore methods to access these networks. Using a structured format, interviews were carried out with malaria surveillance agents (6), health providers (10), previously identified imported malaria cases (19) and people belonging to the networks identified through these interviews (25). Most imported malaria cases were Mozambicans (63%, 12/19) making a living in Swaziland and sustaining their families in Mozambique. The majority of imported cases (73%, 14/19) were labourers and self-employed contractors who travelled frequently to Mozambique to visit their families and conduct business. Social networks of imported cases with similar travel patterns were identified through these interviews. Nearly all imported cases (89%, 17/19) were willing to share contact information to enable network members to be interviewed. Interviews of network members and key informants revealed common congregation points, such as the urban market places in Manzini and Malkerns, as well as certain bus stations, where people with similar travel patterns and malaria risk behaviours could be located and tested for malaria. This study demonstrated that imported cases of malaria belonged to networks of people with similar travel patterns. This study may provide novel methods for screening high-risk groups of travellers using both snowball sampling and time-location sampling of networks to identify and treat additional malaria cases. Implementation of a proactive screening programme of importation networks may help Swaziland halt transmission and achieve malaria elimination by 2015.

Biogenic reefs affect multiple components of intertidal soft-bottom benthic assemblages: the Lanice conchilega case study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Smet, Bart; D'Hondt, An-Sofie; Verhelst, Pieterjan; Fournier, Jérôme; Godet, Laurent; Desroy, Nicolas; Rabaut, Marijn; Vincx, Magda; Vanaverbeke, Jan

2015-01-01

Biogenic reefs composed of the tube-building polychaete Lanice conchilega are important from a conservation point of view because they noticeably increase the biodiversity in otherwise species poor environments. However, up to now, little or no attention has been paid to the intertidal epi- and hyperbenthic communities associated with the reefs. Therefore, this is the first study which focuses on the effect of L. conchilega reefs on the entire bentho-pelagic community at two different locations. Environmental variables were measured and macro-, epi- and hyperbenthic communities were sampled within a L. conchilega reef and a control area at two locations in France: the bay of the Mont Saint-Michel (BMSM) and Boulogne-sur-Mer (Boulogne). The effect of the reef presence on the benthic community was studied with a 3-factor (Reef, Location and Period) Permanova. In addition, the relationship between the benthic community and the environmental variables was investigated using Distance-based linear models (DistLM). Most collected organisms were sampled in the reef area (macrobenthos: 91%, epibenthos: 81% and hyperbenthos: 78.5%) indicating that, independent of the location, the L. conchilega reefs positively affect all three associated benthic communities. However, the extent of the effect seems to be most pronounced for the macrobenthos and less distinct in case of the hyperbenthos. The macro-, and epibenthos are mainly structured by biotic variables (L. conchilega density and macrobenthic food availability respectively), while the hyperbenthos is rather structured by environmental variables. In general, L. conchilega reefs do not only affect abundances and diversity but they substantially steer the structure of the intertidal benthic sandy beach ecosystem.

Familial Xp22.33-Xp22.12 deletion delineated by chromosomal microarray analysis causes proportionate short stature.

PubMed

Cho, Sung Yoon; Ki, Chang-Seok; Jang, Ja-Hyun; Sohn, Young Bae; Park, Sung Won; Kim, Se Hwa; Kim, Su Jin; Jin, Dong-Kyu

2012-06-01

Patients with Xp deletions have short stature and may have some somatic traits typical of Turner syndrome (TS), whereas gonadal function is generally preserved. In most studies of these patients, microsatellites have been used to determine the break point of the Xp deletion. In the present study, we describe the clinical, cytogenetic, and chromosomal microarray (CMA) analysis of a family with an Xp22.33-Xp22.12 deletion. Two female siblings, aged 8 years 9 months and 11 years 10 months, presented with short stature. The older sibling's height (index case) was 137.9 cm (-1.81 SDS) and the younger sibling's height was 118.6 cm (-2.13 SDS). The mother and both daughters had only a short stature; a skeletal survey showed normal findings except for mildly shortened 4th and 5th metacarpal bones. No features of TS were present. The deletion appeared terminal with a breakpoint within Xp22.2 located about 19.9 Mb from the Xp telomere. The deletion contained 102 protein-coding genes. A probe of the end breakage point was located at the 19,908,986th base of the X chromosome, and a probe of the marginal normal region near the breakage point was located at the 19,910,848th base of the X chromosome. Therefore, the breakage point was concluded to be located between these two probes. In summary, we report a familial case of an Xp deletion. The findings of our study may be helpful in further analyzing the phenotypes associated with Xp deletions. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

An External Wire Frame Fixation Method of Skin Grafting for Burn Reconstruction.

PubMed

Yoshino, Yukiko; Ueda, Hyakuzoh; Ono, Simpei; Ogawa, Rei

2017-06-28

The skin graft is a prevalent reconstructive method for burn injuries. We have been applying external wire frame fixation methods in combination with skin grafts since 1986 and have experienced better outcomes in percentage of successful graft take. The overall purpose of this method was to further secure skin graft adherence to wound beds in hard to stabilize areas. There are also location-specific benefits to this technique such as eliminating the need of tarsorrhaphy in periorbital area, allowing immediate food intake after surgery in perioral area, and performing less invasive fixing methods in digits, and so on. The purpose of this study was to clarify its benefits and applicable locations. We reviewed 22 postburn patients with skin graft reconstructions using the external wire frame method at our institution from December 2012 through September 2016. Details of the surgical technique and individual reports are also discussed. Of the 22 cases, 15 (68%) were split-thickness skin grafts and 7 (32%) were full-thickness skin grafts. Five cases (23%) involved periorbital reconstruction, 5 (23%) involved perioral reconstruction, 2 (9%) involved lower limb reconstruction, and 10 (45%) involved digital reconstruction. Complete (100%) survival of the skin graft was attained in all cases. No signs of complication were observed. With 30 years of experiences all combined, we have summarized fail-proof recommendations to a successful graft survival with an emphasis on the locations of its application.

Optimal placement of unified power flow controllers to improve dynamic voltage stability using power system variable based voltage stability indices.

PubMed

Albatsh, Fadi M; Ahmad, Shameem; Mekhilef, Saad; Mokhlis, Hazlie; Hassan, M A

2015-01-01

This study examines a new approach to selecting the locations of unified power flow controllers (UPFCs) in power system networks based on a dynamic analysis of voltage stability. Power system voltage stability indices (VSIs) including the line stability index (LQP), the voltage collapse proximity indicator (VCPI), and the line stability index (Lmn) are employed to identify the most suitable locations in the system for UPFCs. In this study, the locations of the UPFCs are identified by dynamically varying the loads across all of the load buses to represent actual power system conditions. Simulations were conducted in a power system computer-aided design (PSCAD) software using the IEEE 14-bus and 39- bus benchmark power system models. The simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method. When the UPFCs are placed in the locations obtained with the new approach, the voltage stability improves. A comparison of the steady-state VSIs resulting from the UPFCs placed in the locations obtained with the new approach and with particle swarm optimization (PSO) and differential evolution (DE), which are static methods, is presented. In all cases, the UPFC locations given by the proposed approach result in better voltage stability than those obtained with the other approaches.

Optimal Placement of Unified Power Flow Controllers to Improve Dynamic Voltage Stability Using Power System Variable Based Voltage Stability Indices

PubMed Central

Albatsh, Fadi M.; Ahmad, Shameem; Mekhilef, Saad; Mokhlis, Hazlie; Hassan, M. A.

2015-01-01

This study examines a new approach to selecting the locations of unified power flow controllers (UPFCs) in power system networks based on a dynamic analysis of voltage stability. Power system voltage stability indices (VSIs) including the line stability index (LQP), the voltage collapse proximity indicator (VCPI), and the line stability index (Lmn) are employed to identify the most suitable locations in the system for UPFCs. In this study, the locations of the UPFCs are identified by dynamically varying the loads across all of the load buses to represent actual power system conditions. Simulations were conducted in a power system computer-aided design (PSCAD) software using the IEEE 14-bus and 39- bus benchmark power system models. The simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method. When the UPFCs are placed in the locations obtained with the new approach, the voltage stability improves. A comparison of the steady-state VSIs resulting from the UPFCs placed in the locations obtained with the new approach and with particle swarm optimization (PSO) and differential evolution (DE), which are static methods, is presented. In all cases, the UPFC locations given by the proposed approach result in better voltage stability than those obtained with the other approaches. PMID:25874560

Key Techniques and Risk Management for the Application of the Pile-Beam-Arch (PBA) Excavation Method: A Case Study of the Zhongjie Subway Station

PubMed Central

Guan, Yong-ping; Zhao, Wen; Li, Shen-gang; Zhang, Guo-bin

2014-01-01

The design and construction of shallow-buried tunnels in densely populated urban areas involve many challenges. The ground movements induced by tunneling effects pose potential risks to infrastructure such as surface buildings, pipelines, and roads. In this paper, a case study of the Zhongjie subway station located in Shenyang, China, is examined to investigate the key construction techniques and the influence of the Pile-Beam-Arch (PBA) excavation method on the surrounding environment. This case study discusses the primary risk factors affecting the environmental safety and summarizes the corresponding risk mitigation measures and key techniques for subway station construction using the PBA excavation method in a densely populated urban area. PMID:25221783

Comments on Method in Comparative Higher Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wasser, Henry

The methodologies employed in comparative higher education and comparative education are briefly summarized and analyzed. Weaknesses of the following approaches used by scholars/researchers in the field are identified: (1) locating decision-making structures and relations in broadly differentiated aggregations of systems; (2) case study; (3)…

Locating Elementary Teachers' Professional Communities in a Structured Collaboration Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chu, Szu Yang

2016-01-01

As teacher collaboration becomes an increasingly common goal in school organization, teachers' experiences and perspectives in a Structured Collaboration Environment remain under-examined. This qualitative case study explored how teachers participated in collaborative work, the outcomes of collaboration, and supports and obstacles to productive…

STUDY OF PATHOGENIC FREE-LIVING AMEBAS IN FRESH-WATER LAKES IN VIRGINIA

EPA Science Inventory

Pathogenic free-living amebas may produce fatal infection of the central nervous system known as Primary Amebic Meningoencephalitis (PAM). In Richmond, Virginia, 17 cases have occurred, more than in any other location in the world. The objectives were to examine freshwater lakes ...

Condylar intramedullary intraosseous lipoma: Contribution of a new case and review of the literature

PubMed Central

Dean, Alicia; Garcia, Blas; Alamillos, Francisco; Roldan, Elisa; Blanco, Antonio

2017-01-01

Background Lipoma is the most common benign tumour of the human body, being intraosseous involvement very rare. Just 1 to 4% of all cases of lipoma are located in the oral cavity, only 0.1% being intraosseous. The jaw is its most uncommon bone location. Etiology of intraosseous lipoma (IOL) is unknown, although several theories have been proposed. Usually asymptomatic, the symptoms, when present, will depend on its location and size. Its origin may be intraosseous or juxtacortical. A biopsy is essential for diagnosis, and definitive treatment involves resection or curettage of the lesion. The aim of this paper is to present a new case of intramedullary intraosseous lipoma of the mandible with involvement of the left mandibular ramus and condylar neck. Material and Methods A case of intramedullary intraosseous lipoma (IOL) on the left mandibular ramus and condyle is presented. No history of trauma in temporomandibular joint existed. The radiology showed a radiolucent multi-lobulated lesion with values of attenuation in the range of fat. Curettage is performed and the histopathology showed a conglomerate of adipocytes without trabeculae, calcifications or atypia. Results According to the bibliography 24 cases of mandibular IOL have been described. This is the second reported case of condylar involvement and the first with cortical expansion. Conclusions Lipoma intraosseous is a very rare benign bone neoplasm. Histology is required for the differential diagnosis from other radiolucent lesions. The IOL treatment is the curettage with a good prognosis, although malignant transformation to liposarcoma has been reported in other locations. It is a disease with a difficult differential diagnosis, therefore the publication of new cases is important. Key words:Intraosseous lipoma, lipoma, jaw tumour, condylar tumour. PMID:28298998

The use of mobile technology for tourism development (case study: banyumas regency)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gunawan, H.

2018-01-01

Banyumas is regency in Central Java Province and Purwokerto Capital City. Banyumas has a lot of tourism areas, but not all of the areas are known by tourists because the lack of information. The information on Banyumas government’s website is not updated and uncomplete, so that it needs other information services for the tourism information in Banyumas. An android-based application Banyumas Travel Guide (BMSGuide) is a location-based application to help the people can access the information whenever and wherever they are. The service in this application is using Android which is platform that is now developing rapidly with interface User Friendly and the price is affordable. The application will access Google Maps and show the user location, destination location along with the information, and the navigation to the location. The information is gotten by accessing the satellite with GPS (Global Positioning System) tool of the user’s headset. By using BMSGuide application, the information service of tourism location and the supporting place around is served.