Ocular safety of Topical Naltrexone

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-02-01

vitrectomy for vitreous hemorrhage secondary to diabetic retinal 2 neovascularization (proliferative retinopathy ). Such patients often have delayed...eye drops preliminary to a therapeutic trial of that medication in the treatment of corneal epithelial defects in diabetic individuals. During the...delay in corneal epithelial wound healing characteristic of diabetic keratopathy. No drug-related side effects have been found in animals treated with

A Method for Measuring the Effective Throughput Time Delay in Simulated Displays Involving Manual Control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jewell, W. F.; Clement, W. F.

1984-01-01

The advent and widespread use of the computer-generated image (CGI) device to simulate visual cues has a mixed impact on the realism and fidelity of flight simulators. On the plus side, CGIs provide greater flexibility in scene content than terrain boards and closed circuit television based visual systems, and they have the potential for a greater field of view. However, on the minus side, CGIs introduce into the visual simulation relatively long time delays. In many CGIs, this delay is as much as 200 ms, which is comparable to the inherent delay time of the pilot. Because most GCIs use multiloop processing and smoothing algorithms and are linked to a multiloop host computer, it is seldom possible to identify a unique throughput time delay, and it is therefore difficult to quantify the performance of the closed loop pilot simulator system relative to the real world task. A method to address these issues using the critical task tester is described. Some empirical results from applying the method are presented, and a novel technique for improving the performance of GCIs is discussed.

Using a Constant Time Delay Procedure to Teach Foundational Swimming Skills to Children with Autism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rogers, Laura; Hemmeter, Mary Louise; Wolery, Mark

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of using a constant time delay procedure to teach foundational swimming skills to three children with autism. The skills included flutter kick, front-crawl arm strokes, and head turns to the side. A multiple-probe design across behaviors and replicated across participants was used.…

Nerve Cross-Bridging to Enhance Nerve Regeneration in a Rat Model of Delayed Nerve Repair

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

There are currently no available options to promote nerve regeneration through chronically denervated distal nerve stumps. Here we used a rat model of delayed nerve repair asking of prior insertion of side-to-side cross-bridges between a donor tibial (TIB) nerve and a recipient denervated common peroneal (CP) nerve stump ameliorates poor nerve regeneration. First, numbers of retrogradely-labelled TIB neurons that grew axons into the nerve stump within three months, increased with the size of the perineurial windows opened in the TIB and CP nerves. Equal numbers of donor TIB axons regenerated into CP stumps either side of the cross-bridges, not being affected by target neurotrophic effects, or by removing the perineurium to insert 5-9 cross-bridges. Second, CP nerve stumps were coapted three months after inserting 0-9 cross-bridges and the number of 1) CP neurons that regenerated their axons within three months or 2) CP motor nerves that reinnervated the extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscle within five months was determined by counting and motor unit number estimation (MUNE), respectively. We found that three but not more cross-bridges promoted the regeneration of axons and reinnervation of EDL muscle by all the CP motoneurons as compared to only 33% regenerating their axons when no cross-bridges were inserted. The same 3-fold increase in sensory nerve regeneration was found. In conclusion, side-to-side cross-bridges ameliorate poor regeneration after delayed nerve repair possibly by sustaining the growth-permissive state of denervated nerve stumps. Such autografts may be used in human repair surgery to improve outcomes after unavoidable delays. PMID:26016986

A case report: delayed high fever and maculopapules during Sorafenib treatment of ectopic hepatocellular carcinoma.

PubMed

Cui, Tianxiang; Diao, Xinwei; Chen, Xiewan; Huang, Shaojiang; Sun, Jianguo

2016-07-27

Sorafenib is the standard first-line therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and probably ectopic hepatocellular carcinoma (EHCC) as well. No report involves a side effect of delayed high fever of sorafenib. This manuscript describes a case of EHCC in the thoracic and abdominal cavities, who showed a delayed high fever and maculopapules during sorafenib treatment. The patient is a 63-year-old Chinese male with advanced EHCC, taking sorafenib 400 mg twice daily. On the tenth day, red maculopapules appeared all over the body. On the same day, the patient began to suffer from continuous high fever. Due to these effects, the patient was asked to cease sorafenib treatment, and the high fever and maculopapules were alleviated quickly. However, the symptoms were present again upon re-challenge of sorafenib. Prednisone was then administered to control the symptoms, with the dosage gradually reduced from 30 to 5 mg/day in 1.5 months. No recurrence of fever or maculopapules has been found. Tumor response reached partial response (PR) and progression free survival (PFS) reached 392 days + by the date of Apr. 14th, 2016. EHCC could be treated like orthotopic HCC by oral administration of sorafenib, which shows good tumor response and survival benefit. Delayed high fever and maculopapules are potential, rare and severe side effects of sorafenib, and could be effectively controlled by glucocorticoid.

Pupillary correlates of covert shifts of attention during working memory maintenance.

PubMed

Unsworth, Nash; Robison, Matthew K

2017-04-01

The pupillary light reflex (PLR) was used to track covert shifts of attention to items maintained in visual working memory (VWM). In three experiments, participants performed a change detection task in which rectangles appeared on either side of fixation and at test participants indicated if the cued rectangle changed its orientation. Prior to presentation or during the delay, participants were cued to the light or dark side of the screen. When cued to the light side, the pupil constricted, and when cued to the dark side, the pupil dilated, suggesting that the PLR tracked covert shifts of attention. Similar covert shifts of attention were seen when the target stimuli remained onscreen and during a blank delay period, suggesting similar effects for attention to perceptual stimuli and attention to stimuli maintained in VWM. Furthermore, similar effects were demonstrated when participants were pre-cued or retro-cued to the prioritized location, suggesting that shifts of covert attention can occur both before and after target presentation. These results are consistent with prior research, suggesting an important role of covert shifts of attention during VWM maintenance and that the PLR can be used to track these covert shifts of attention.

Side differences in cerebrovascular accidents after cardiac surgery: a statistical analysis of neurologic symptoms and possible implications for anatomic mechanisms of aortic particle embolization.

PubMed

Boivie, Patrik; Edström, Cecilia; Engström, Karl Gunnar

2005-03-01

Aortic manipulation and particle embolization have been identified to cause cerebrovascular accidents in cardiac surgery. Recent data suggest that left-hemispheric cerebrovascular accident (right-sided symptoms) is more common, and this has been interpreted as being caused by aortic cannula stream jets. Our aim was to evaluate symptoms of cerebrovascular accident and side differences from a retrospective statistical analysis. During a 2-year period, 2641 consecutive cardiac surgery cases were analyzed. Patients positive for cerebrovascular accident were extracted from a database designed to monitor clinical symptoms. A protocol was used to confirm symptom data with the correct diagnosis in patient records. Patients were subdivided into 3 groups: control, immediate cerebrovascular accident, and delayed cerebrovascular accident. Among pooled patients, immediate and delayed cerebrovascular accidents were 3.0% and 0.9%, respectively. The expected predisposing factors behind immediate cerebrovascular accidents were significant, although the type of operation affected this search. Aortic quality was a strong predictor ( P < .001). The rate of delayed cerebrovascular accident was unaffected by surgery group. Left-sided symptoms of immediate cerebrovascular accident were approximately twice as frequent ( P = .016) as on the contralateral side. This phenomenon was observed for pooled patients and for isolated coronary bypass procedures (n = 1882; P = .025). Immediate cerebrovascular accident and aortic calcifications are linked. The predominance of left-sided symptoms may suggest that aortic manipulation and anatomic mechanisms in the aortic arch are more likely to cause cerebrovascular accidents than effects from cannula stream jets.

Design considerations of manipulator and feel system characteristics in roll tracking

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnston, Donald E.; Aponso, Bimal L.

1988-01-01

A fixed-base simulation was performed to identify and quantify interactions between the pilot's hand/arm neuromuscular subsystem and such control system features of typical modern fighter aircraft roll rate command mechanizations as: (1) force versus displacement sensing side-stick type manipulator, (2) feel force/displacement gradient, (3) feel system versus command prefilter dynamic lag, and (4) flight control system effective time delay. The experiment encompassed some 48 manipulator/filter/aircraft configurations. Displacement side-stick experiment results are given and compared with the previous force sidestick experiment results. Attention is focused on control bandwidth, excitement (peaking) of the neuromuscular mode, feel force/displacement gradient effects, time delay effects, etc. Section 5 is devoted to experiments with a center-stick in which force versus displacement sensing, feel system lag, and command prefilter lag influences on tracking performance and pilot preference are investigated.

PubMed Central

Arcand, M.; Hottin, P.

1993-01-01

Classical treatment of depression in the elderly is often complicated by side effects and delayed therapeutic effect. After reviewing the literature and their clinical experiences, the authors suggest several acceptable indications for the use of psychostimulants in the elderly, especially when the depression is associated with a serious physical illness. PMID:8268747

Decitabine Injection

MedlinePlus

... be continued if your doctor decides that you will benefit from additional treatment.Your doctor may also need to delay your treatment and reduce your dose if you experience certain side effects. ... doctor will give you medication to prevent nausea and vomiting ...

Childhood Immunization: MedlinePlus Health Topic

MedlinePlus

... Delays (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Do Vaccines Cause Autism? Is it OK to Skip Certain Vaccines? Get ... Control and Prevention) Is There a Connection Between Vaccines and Autism? (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish Possible Side-Effects ...

Delayed adverse reactions to the parenteral administration of iodinated contrast media.

PubMed

Egbert, Robert E; De Cecco, Carlo N; Schoepf, U Joseph; McQuiston, Andrew D; Meinel, Felix G; Katzberg, Richard W

2014-12-01

This article presents an overview of delayed adverse reactions (DARs) to parenteral iodinated contrast media and discusses the clinical nature, risk factors, mechanisms, and potential economic implications of these DARs. DARs to contrast media are not rare but are often not recognized as being linked to contrast administration and may be falsely ascribed to other drugs. These side effects are problematic because the patient is usually without medical supervision.

Fixed-base simulator study of the effect of time delays in visual cues on pilot tracking performance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Queijo, M. J.; Riley, D. R.

1975-01-01

Factors were examined which determine the amount of time delay acceptable in the visual feedback loop in flight simulators. Acceptable time delays are defined as delays which significantly affect neither the results nor the manner in which the subject 'flies' the simulator. The subject tracked a target aircraft as it oscillated sinusoidally in a vertical plane only. The pursuing aircraft was permitted five degrees of freedom. Time delays of from 0.047 to 0.297 second were inserted in the visual feedback loop. A side task was employed to maintain the workload constant and to insure that the pilot was fully occupied during the experiment. Tracking results were obtained for 17 aircraft configurations having different longitudinal short-period characteristics. Results show a positive correlation between improved handling qualities and a longer acceptable time delay.

Asymmetric dual-loop feedback to suppress spurious tones and reduce timing jitter in self-mode-locked quantum-dash lasers emitting at 155 μm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Asghar, Haroon; McInerney, John G.

2017-09-01

We demonstrate an asymmetric dual-loop feedback scheme to suppress external cavity side-modes induced in self-mode-locked quantum-dash lasers with conventional single and dual-loop feedback. In this letter, we achieved optimal suppression of spurious tones by optimizing the length of second delay time. We observed that asymmetric dual-loop feedback, with large (~8x) disparity in cavity lengths, eliminates all external-cavity side-modes and produces flat RF spectra close to the main peak with low timing jitter compared to single-loop feedback. Significant reduction in RF linewidth and reduced timing jitter was also observed as a function of increased second feedback delay time. The experimental results based on this feedback configuration validate predictions of recently published numerical simulations. This interesting asymmetric dual-loop feedback scheme provides simplest, efficient and cost effective stabilization of side-band free optoelectronic oscillators based on mode-locked lasers.

Why Are Women Dying When They Reach Hospital on Time? A Systematic Review of the ‘Third Delay’

PubMed Central

Knight, Hannah E.; Self, Alice; Kennedy, Stephen H.

2013-01-01

Background The ‘three delays model’ attempts to explain delays in women accessing emergency obstetric care as the result of: 1) decision-making, 2) accessing services and 3) receipt of appropriate care once a health facility is reached. The third delay, although under-researched, is likely to be a source of considerable inequity in access to emergency obstetric care in developing countries. The aim of this systematic review was to identify and categorise specific facility-level barriers to the provision of evidence-based maternal health care in developing countries. Methods and Findings Five electronic databases were systematically searched using a 4-way strategy that combined search terms related to: 1) maternal health care; 2) maternity units; 3) barriers, and 4) developing countries. Forty-three original research articles were eligible to be included in the review. Thirty-two barriers to the receipt of timely and appropriate obstetric care at the facility level were identified and categorised into six emerging themes (Drugs and equipment; Policy and guidelines; Human resources; Facility infrastructure; Patient-related and Referral-related). Two investigators independently recorded the frequency with which barriers relating to the third delay were reported in the literature. The most commonly cited barriers were inadequate training/skills mix (86%); drug procurement/logistics problems (65%); staff shortages (60%); lack of equipment (51%) and low staff motivation (44%). Conclusions This review highlights how a focus on patient-side delays in the decision to seek care can conceal the fact that many health facilities in the developing world are still chronically under-resourced and unable to cope effectively with serious obstetric complications. We stress the importance of addressing supply-side barriers alongside demand-side factors if further reductions in maternal mortality are to be achieved. PMID:23704943

In vivo systemic chlorogenic acid therapy under diabetic conditions: Wound healing effects and cytotoxicity/genotoxicity profile.

PubMed

Bagdas, Deniz; Etoz, Betul Cam; Gul, Zulfiye; Ziyanok, Sedef; Inan, Sevda; Turacozen, Ozge; Gul, Nihal Yasar; Topal, Ayse; Cinkilic, Nilufer; Tas, Sibel; Ozyigit, Musa Ozgur; Gurun, Mine Sibel

2015-07-01

Oxidative stress occurs following the impairment of pro-oxidant/antioxidant balance in chronic wounds and leads to harmful delays in healing progress. A fine balance between oxidative stress and endogenous antioxidant defense system may be beneficial for wound healing under redox control. This study tested the hypothesis that oxidative stress in wound area can be controlled with systemic antioxidant therapy and therefore wound healing can be accelerated. We used chlorogenic acid (CGA), a dietary antioxidant, in experimental diabetic wounds that are characterized by delayed healing. Additionally, we aimed to understand possible side effects of CGA on pivotal organs and bone marrow during therapy. Wounds were created on backs of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. CGA (50 mg/kg/day) was injected intraperitoneally. Animals were sacrificed on different days. Biochemical and histopathological examinations were performed. Side effects of chronic antioxidant treatment were tested. CGA accelerated wound healing, enhanced hydroxyproline content, decreased malondialdehyde/nitric oxide levels, elevated reduced-glutathione, and did not affect superoxide dismutase/catalase levels in wound bed. While CGA induced side effects such as cyto/genotoxicity, 15 days of treatment attenuated blood glucose levels. CGA decreased lipid peroxidation levels of main organs. This study provides a better understanding for antioxidant intake on diabetic wound repair and possible pro-oxidative effects. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

UAS Air Traffic Controller Acceptability Study-2: Effects of Communications Delays and Winds in Simulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Comstock, James R., Jr.; Ghatas, Rania W.; Consiglio, Maria C.; Chamberlain, James P.; Hoffler, Keith D.

2016-01-01

This study evaluated the effects of Communications Delays and Winds on Air Traffic Controller ratings of acceptability of horizontal miss distances (HMDs) for encounters between UAS and manned aircraft in a simulation of the Dallas-Ft. Worth East-side airspace. Fourteen encounters per hour were staged in the presence of moderate background traffic. Seven recently retired controllers with experience at DFW served as subjects. Guidance provided to the UAS pilots for maintaining a given HMD was provided by information from self-separation algorithms displayed on the Multi-Aircraft Simulation System. Winds tested did not affect the acceptability ratings. Communications delays tested included 0, 400, 1200, and 1800 msec. For longer communications delays, there were changes in strategy and communications flow that were observed and reported by the controllers. The aim of this work is to provide useful information for guiding future rules and regulations applicable to flying UAS in the NAS.

Comparison of Inner Ear Contrast Enhancement among Patients with Unilateral Inner Ear Symptoms in MR Images Obtained 10 Minutes and 4 Hours after Gadolinium Injection.

PubMed

Kim, T Y; Park, D W; Lee, Y J; Lee, J Y; Lee, S H; Chung, J H; Lee, S

2015-12-01

Recently 4-hour delayed-enhanced 3D-FLAIR MR imaging has been used in pathophysiologic analysis of the inner ear in many auditory diseases, including sudden sensorineural hearing loss, but comparison among different time points is not clear in patients with unilateral inner ear symptoms. We compared the signal-intensity ratios of the inner ears in patients with unilateral inner ear symptoms on 10-minute delayed-enhanced and 4-hour delayed-enhanced 3D-FLAIR MR images after IV gadolinium injection. The 10-minute delayed-enhanced and 4-hour delayed-enhanced 3D-FLAIR MR images were retrospectively analyzed. Signal-intensity ratios between the cerebellum and inner ear structures, such as the cochleae, vestibules, and vestibulocochlear nerve were assessed. Multiple comparisons were performed. Signal-intensity ratios of the affected cochleae, vestibules, and vestibulocochlear nerve were higher than those of unaffected sides in both 10-minute delayed-enhanced and 4-hour delayed-enhanced images. At the affected side, signal-intensity ratios of the vestibulocochlear nerve were higher in patients with nonsudden sensorineural hearing loss than in those with sudden sensorineural hearing loss on both 10-minute delayed-enhanced and 4-hour delayed-enhanced images. The signal-intensity ratios of some affected inner ear structures were higher than those of the unaffected sides in a group of 30 patients with sudden sensorineural hearing loss and 20 patients with nonsudden sensorineural hearing loss on 10-minute delayed-enhanced and 4-hour delayed-enhanced images. Signal-intensity ratios of the inner ear show statistically significant increases in many diseases, especially neuritis, in 10-minute delayed-enhanced and 4-hour delayed-enhanced images. The 4-hour delayed-enhanced images may be superior in neural inflammatory-dominant conditions, while 10-minute delayed-enhanced images may be superior in neural noninflammatory-dominant conditions. © 2015 by American Journal of Neuroradiology.

Combined Treatment of Xenon and Hypothermia in Newborn Rats - Additive or Synergistic Effect?

PubMed Central

Sabir, Hemmen; Walløe, Lars; Dingley, John; Smit, Elisa; Liu, Xun; Thoresen, Marianne

2014-01-01

Background Breathing the inert gas Xenon (Xe) enhances hypothermic (HT) neuroprotection after hypoxia-ischemia (HI) in small and large newborn animal models. The underlying mechanism of the enhancement is not yet fully understood, but the combined effect of Xe and HT could either be synergistic (larger than the two effects added) or simply additive. A previously published study, using unilateral carotid ligation followed by hypoxia in seven day old (P7) rats, showed that the combination of mild HT (35°C) and low Xe concentration (20%), both not being neuroprotective alone, had a synergistic effect and was neuroprotective when both were started with a 4 h delay after a moderate HI insult. To examine whether another laboratory could confirm this finding, we repeated key aspects of the study. Design/Methods After the HI-insult 120 pups were exposed to different post-insult treatments: three temperatures (normothermia (NT) NT37°C, HT35°C, HT32°C) or Xe concentrations (0%, 20% or 50%) starting either immediately or with a 4 h delay. To assess the synergistic potency of Xe-HT, a second set (n = 101) of P7 pups were exposed to either HT35°C+Xe0%, NT+Xe20% or a combination of HT35°C+Xe20% starting with a 4 h delay after the insult. Brain damage was analyzed using relative hemispheric (ligated side/unligated side) brain tissue area loss after seven day survival. Results Immediate HT32°C (p = 0.042), but not HT35°C significantly reduced brain injury compared to NT37°C. As previously shown, adding immediate Xe50% to HT32°C increased protection. Neither 4 h-delayed Xe20%, nor Xe50% at 37°C significantly reduced brain injury (p>0.050). In addition, neither 4 h-delayed HT35°C alone, nor HT35°C+Xe20% reduced brain injury. We found no synergistic effect of the combined treatments in this experimental model. Conclusions Combining two treatments that individually were ineffective (delayed HT35°C and delayed Xe20%) did not exert neuroprotection when combined, and therefore did not show a synergistic treatment effect. PMID:25286345

Effects of buspirone on the immediate positive and delayed negative properties of intravenous cocaine as measured in the conditioned place preference test

PubMed Central

Ettenberg, Aaron; Bernardi, Rick E.

2007-01-01

In prior work, we have demonstrated that the behavioral effects of cocaine adhere to the predictions of the opponent-process theory of drug action. Animals develop conditioned place preferences for distinct locations paired with the immediate effects of IV cocaine, but learn to avoid places paired with the effects present 15-min post injection. It was of interest to assess the putative role of 5-HT in producing the negative properties of cocaine since cocaine acts to inhibit the reuptake of serotonin (5-HT) and since such actions have been associated with anxiogenic consequences. Male rats were administered a reinforcing dose of cocaine (1.0 mg/kg IV) and then placed – either immediately or after a 15-min delay -- into one side of a two-compartment (black-white) Conditioned Place Preference (CPP) box for 5-min. On alternate days, the animals received IV saline injections and were placed in the opposite side of the CPP box. This continued for eight days after which animals had experienced 4 pairings of cocaine with one side (black or white) of the CPP apparatus, and 4 saline pairings with the opposite side. Other groups of rats were treated identically except that 30-min prior to placement into the apparatus, these animals received an IP injection of saline or buspirone (a partial 5-HT1A agonist) at a dose that we have shown to be anxiolytic (2.5 mg/kg IP). Control animals experienced either buspirone or saline pretreatments without cocaine. Our results confirm that animals increase the time spent on the side paired with the immediate effects of cocaine (compared to baseline), but tend to avoid the side paired with effects present 15-min post-injection. Buspirone had no effect on the immediate rewarding properties of cocaine, but completely reversed the negative properties present 15-min post-cocaine. These results are consistent with the view that attenuation of 5-HT neurotransmission (via the autoreceptor agonist properties of buspirone) can reverse the negative impact of IV cocaine. PMID:17524462

Noise interference with echo delay discrimination in bat biosonar.

PubMed

Simmons, J A

2017-11-01

Echolocating big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus) were trained in a two-choice task to discriminate differences in the delay of electronic echoes at 1.7 ms delay (30 cm simulated range). Difference thresholds (∼45 μs) were comparable to previously published results. At selected above-threshold differences (116 and 232 μs delay), performance was measured in the presence of wideband random noise at increasing amplitudes in 10-dB steps to determine the noise level that prevented discrimination. Performance eventually failed, but the bats increased the amplitude and duration of their broadcasts to compensate for increasing noise, which allowed performance to persist at noise levels about 25 dB higher than without compensation. In the 232-μs delay discrimination condition, echo signal-to-noise ratio (2E/N 0 ) was 8-10 dB at the noise level that depressed performance to chance. Predicted echo-delay accuracy using big brown bat signals follows the Cramér-Rao bound for signal-to-noise ratios above 15 dB, but worsens below 15 dB due to side-peak ambiguity. At 2E/N 0  = 7-10 dB, predicted Cramér-Rao delay accuracy would be about 1 μs; considering side-peak ambiguity it would be about 200-300 μs. The bats' 232 μs performance reflects the intrusion of side-peak ambiguity into delay accuracy at low signal-to-noise ratios.

A packet-based dual-rate PID control strategy for a slow-rate sensing Networked Control System.

PubMed

Cuenca, A; Alcaina, J; Salt, J; Casanova, V; Pizá, R

2018-05-01

This paper introduces a packet-based dual-rate control strategy to face time-varying network-induced delays, packet dropouts and packet disorder in a Networked Control System. Slow-rate sensing enables to achieve energy saving and to avoid packet disorder. Fast-rate actuation makes reaching the desired control performance possible. The dual-rate PID controller is split into two parts: a slow-rate PI controller located at the remote side (with no permanent communication to the plant) and a fast-rate PD controller located at the local side. The remote side also includes a prediction stage in order to generate the packet of future, estimated slow-rate control actions. These actions are sent to the local side and converted to fast-rate ones to be used when a packet does not arrive at this side due to the network-induced delay or due to occurring dropouts. The proposed control solution is able to approximately reach the nominal (no-delay, no-dropout) performance despite the existence of time-varying delays and packet dropouts. Control system stability is ensured in terms of probabilistic Linear Matrix Inequalities (LMIs). Via real-time control for a Cartesian robot, results clearly reveal the superiority of the control solution compared to a previous proposal by authors. Copyright © 2018 ISA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Using aberrant behaviors as reinforcers for autistic children.

PubMed Central

Charlop, M H; Kurtz, P F; Casey, F G

1990-01-01

In a series of experiments, we assessed the efficacy of using autistic children's aberrant behaviors as reinforcers to increase their correct task responding. In Experiment 1, reinforcer conditions of stereotypy, food, and varied (food or stereotypy) were compared. In Experiment 2, the conditions were delayed echolalia, food, and varied (food or delayed echolalia), and in Experiment 3, perseverative behavior was compared with stereotypy and food as potential reinforcers. A multielement design was used for all comparisons, and side-effect measures were recorded during and after teaching sessions as well as at home. Results indicated that, in general, task performance was highest when brief opportunities to engage in aberrant behaviors were provided as reinforcers. Edibles were associated with the lowest performance. Furthermore, no negative side effects (e.g., an increase in aberrant behaviors) occurred. The results are discussed in terms of suggesting a more pragmatic treatment approach by addressing the contingent use of autistic children's aberrant behaviors as reinforcers. PMID:2373653

Visual memory in unilateral spatial neglect: immediate recall versus delayed recognition.

PubMed

Moreh, Elior; Malkinson, Tal Seidel; Zohary, Ehud; Soroker, Nachum

2014-09-01

Patients with unilateral spatial neglect (USN) often show impaired performance in spatial working memory tasks, apart from the difficulty retrieving "left-sided" spatial data from long-term memory, shown in the "piazza effect" by Bisiach and colleagues. This study's aim was to compare the effect of the spatial position of a visual object on immediate and delayed memory performance in USN patients. Specifically, immediate verbal recall performance, tested using a simultaneous presentation of four visual objects in four quadrants, was compared with memory in a later-provided recognition task, in which objects were individually shown at the screen center. Unlike healthy controls, USN patients showed a left-side disadvantage and a vertical bias in the immediate free recall task (69% vs. 42% recall for right- and left-sided objects, respectively). In the recognition task, the patients correctly recognized half of "old" items, and their correct rejection rate was 95.5%. Importantly, when the analysis focused on previously recalled items (in the immediate task), no statistically significant difference was found in the delayed recognition of objects according to their original quadrant of presentation. Furthermore, USN patients were able to recollect the correct original location of the recognized objects in 60% of the cases, well beyond chance level. This suggests that the memory trace formed in these cases was not only semantic but also contained a visuospatial tag. Finally, successful recognition of objects missed in recall trials points to formation of memory traces for neglected contralesional objects, which may become accessible to retrieval processes in explicit memory.

The safety of tocolytics used for the inhibition of preterm labour.

PubMed

Lamont, Callum D; Jørgensen, Jan Stener; Lamont, Ronald F

2016-09-01

Preterm birth is the major cause of neonatal mortality and morbidity worldwide and a huge cost burden on healthcare. Between 22 and 26 completed weeks of gestation, for every day that delivery is delayed, survival increases by 3%. Following a systematic review of the literature, we have provided an overview of the use of tocolytics for the prevention of preterm birth and have examined the fetal and maternal adverse effects of the various tocolytic agents currently in use. No tocolytic currently in use was developed specifically to treat preterm labour so most have multi-organ side effects. β2-agonists are relatively safe for the fetus but have rare and potentially serious maternal adverse effects. In contrast, prostaglandin synthetase inhibitors have potentially serious side effects for the fetus and neonate but have mild maternal gastrointestinal side effects. In Europe, the choice of first line therapy is either atosiban or nifedipine. The evidence base for atosiban is much more robust than for nifedipine. While their efficacy is similar, atosiban has placebo level side effects and is safer than nifedipine but is much more expensive.

Investigation of interactions between limb-manipulator dynamics and effective vehicle roll control characteristics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnston, D. E.; Mcruer, D. T.

1986-01-01

A fixed-base simulation was performed to identify and quantify interactions between the pilot's hand/arm neuromuscular subsystem and such features of typical modern fighter aircraft roll rate command control system mechanization as: (1) force sensing side-stick type manipulator; (2) vehicle effective role time constant; and (3) flight control system effective time delay. The simulation results provide insight to high frequency pilot induced oscillations (PIO) (roll ratchet), low frequency PIO, and roll-to-right control and handling problems previously observed in experimental and production fly-by-wire control systems. The simulation configurations encompass and/or duplicate actual flight situations, reproduce control problems observed in flight, and validate the concept that the high frequency nuisance mode known as roll ratchet derives primarily from the pilot's neuromuscular subsystem. The simulations show that force-sensing side-stick manipulator force/displacement/command gradients, command prefilters, and flight control system time delays need to be carefully adjusted to minimize neuromuscular mode amplitude peaking (roll ratchet tendency) without restricting roll control bandwidth (with resulting sluggish or PIO prone control).

Interspecific and intraspecific competition as causes of direct and delayed density dependence in a fluctuating vole population

PubMed Central

Hansen, Thomas F.; Stenseth, Nils C.; Henttonen, Heikki; Tast, Johan

1999-01-01

A 3- to 5-year cycle of vole abundances is a characteristic phenomenon in the ecology of northern regions, and their explanation stands as a central theoretical challenge in population ecology. Although many species of voles usually coexist and are in severe competition for food and breeding space, the role of interspecific competition in vole cycles has never been evaluated statistically. After studying community effects on the population dynamics of the gray-sided vole (Clethrionomys rufocanus) in the subarctic birch forest at Kilpisjärvi, Finland, we report statistical results showing that both interspecific and intraspecific effects are important in the direct year-to-year density dependence. However, interspecific effects are not detectable in the 2-year delayed density dependence that is crucial for generating the characteristic cycles. Furthermore, we show that most of the competition takes place during the winter. The results are evaluated against two models of community dynamics. One assumes that the delayed effects are caused by an interaction with a specialist predator, and the other assumes that they are caused by overgrazing food plants. These statistical results show that vole cycles may be generated by a species-specific trophic interaction. The results also suggest that the gray-sided vole may be the focal species in the birch-forest community, as field voles may be in the taiga and as lemmings may be on the tundra. PMID:9927680

Treatment of Nausea and Vomiting During Chemotherapy

PubMed Central

Mustian, Karen M; Devine, Katie; Ryan, Julie L; Janelsins, Michelle C; Sprod, Lisa K; Peppone, Luke J; Candelario, Grace D; Mohile, Supriya G; Morrow, Gary R

2014-01-01

Nausea and vomiting are two of the most troubling side effects patients experience during chemotherapy. While newly available treatments have improved our ability to manage nausea and vomiting, anticipatory and delayed nausea and vomiting are still a major problem for patients receiving chemotherapy. Many cancer patients will delay or refuse future chemotherapy treatments and contemplate stopping chemotherapy altogether because of their fear of experiencing further nausea and vomiting. The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of the patho-psychophysiology of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting and the recommended guidelines for treatment. PMID:24466408

Conditioned Side Effects Induced by Cancer Chemotherapy: Prevention Through Behavioral Treatment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burish, Thomas G.; And Others

1987-01-01

Studied cancer patients (N=24) in order to determine whether conditioned nausea and vomiting could be delayed or prevented. Indicated that patients receiving progressive muscle relaxation training and guided imagery had significantly less nausea and vomiting and significanty lower blood pressures, pulse rates, and dysphoria, especially anxiety,…

Key motion characteristics of side-step movements in hip-hop dance and their effect on the evaluation by judges.

PubMed

Sato, Nahoko; Nunome, Hiroyuki; Ikegami, Yasuo

2016-06-01

In hip-hop dance, the elements of motion that discriminate the skill levels of dancers and that influence the evaluations by judges have not been clearly identified. This study set out to extract these motion characteristics from the side-step movements of hip-hop dancing. Eight expert and eight non-expert dancers performed side-step movements, which were recorded using a motion capture system. Nine experienced judges evaluated the dancers' performances. Several parameters, including the range of motion (ROM) of the joint angles (neck, trunk, hip, knee, and face inclination) and phase delays between these angular motions were calculated. A quarter-cycle phase delay between the neck motion and other body parts, seen only in the expert dancers, is highlighted as an element that can distinguish dancers' skill levels. This feature of the expert dancers resulted in a larger ROM during the face inclination than that for the non-expert dancers. In addition, the experts exhibited a bottom-to-top segmental sequence in the horizontal direction while the non-experts did not demonstrate any such sequential motion. Of these kinematic parameters, only the ROM of the face inclination was highly correlated to the judging score and is regarded as being the most appealing element of the side-step movement.

Outsourcing to increase service capacity in a New Zealand hospital.

PubMed

Renner, C; Palmer, E

1999-01-01

Service firms manage variability using both demand-side tactics (levelling customer demand), and supply-side tactics (increasing available capacity). One popular way of increasing available capacity is the outsourcing of non-core services. This article uses a case study to examine the impact of an outsourced non-core service on a hospital's overall service system. Findings show that the outsourced service provides access to more sophisticated technology, increases in-house capacity and saves capital expenditure. However, the outsourcing also increases the scheduling problems that the hospital faces. These problems are largely due to communication delays from the involvement of more than one organisation. These delays decrease the response time available to match changes in demand for the outsourced service. Given the obvious benefits of such outsourcing, the article concludes that management should pay close attention to the communication pathways between organisations, in order to minimise the end effects identified in this study.

Individual benefits of nestling begging: experimental evidence for an immediate effect, but no evidence for a delayed effect.

PubMed

Lessells, C Kate M; Riebel, Katharina; Draganoiu, Tudor Ion

2011-06-23

The evolutionary stability of honest signalling by offspring is thought to require that begging displays be costly, so the costs and benefits of begging--and whether they are experienced individually or by the whole brood--are crucial to understanding the evolution of begging behaviour. Begging is known to have immediate individual benefits (parents distribute more food to intensely begging individuals) and delayed brood benefits (parents increase provisioning rate to the brood), but the possibility of delayed individual benefits (previous begging affects the current distribution of food) has rarely, if ever, been researched. We did this using playback of great tit Parus major chick begging and a control sound from either side of the nest. Male parents fed chicks close to the speaker more when great tit chick begging, but not other stimuli, was played back. In contrast, there was no effect of playback at the previous visit on the chicks that male parents fed. We have thus demonstrated an immediate individual benefit to begging, but found no evidence of a delayed individual benefit in this species.

Practical recommendations for the early use of m-TOR inhibitors (sirolimus) in renal transplantation.

PubMed

Campistol, Josep M; Cockwell, Paul; Diekmann, Fritz; Donati, Donato; Guirado, Luis; Herlenius, Gustaf; Mousa, Dujanah; Pratschke, Johann; San Millán, Juan Carlos Ruiz

2009-07-01

m-TOR inhibitors (e.g. sirolimus) are well-tolerated immunosuppressants used in renal transplantation for prophylaxis of organ rejection, and are associated with long-term graft survival. Early use of sirolimus is often advocated by clinicians, but this may be associated with a number of side-effects including impaired wound-healing, lymphoceles and delayed graft function. As transplant clinicians with experience in the use of sirolimus, we believe such side-effects can be limited by tailored clinical management. We present recommendations based on published literature and our clinical experience. Furthermore, guidance is provided on sirolimus use during surgery, both at transplantation and for subsequent operations.

Bortezomib, a newly approved proteasome inhibitor for the treatment of multiple myeloma: nursing implications.

PubMed

Colson, Kathleen; Doss, Deborah S; Swift, Regina; Tariman, Joseph; Thomas, Teri E

2004-10-01

Multiple myeloma (MM), a malignancy of the plasma cells, accounts for an estimated 14% of all newly diagnosed hematologic malignancies. Advances in chemotherapy and stem cell transplantation have improved survival rates, but MM remains incurable. Bortezomib (Velcade, Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Cambridge, MA), a first-in-class proteasome inhibitor, has been approved for patients with MM who have received at least two prior treatments and have demonstrated disease progression on the most recent one. During clinical trials, most side effects were manageable with standard interventions. The most common toxicities were asthenic conditions (fatigue, malaise, and weakness), gastrointestinal disturbances (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and constipation), thrombocytopenia, peripheral neuropathy, pyrexia, and anemia. Supportive therapies and strategies for side-effect management can prevent worsening of these symptoms, thereby avoiding dose reductions and treatment delays. Oncology nurses play a key role in ensuring the proper and safe administration of bortezomib and often are the first to identify the signs of side effects. Patient education about anticipated side effects and close monitoring of patients can lead to symptom management interventions that are essential to patient comfort and safety.

Is Remnant Preservation Truly Beneficial to Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Healing? Clinical and Magnetic Resonance Imaging Evaluations of Remnant-Preserved Reconstruction.

PubMed

Naraoka, Takuya; Kimura, Yuka; Tsuda, Eiichi; Yamamoto, Yuji; Ishibashi, Yasuyuki

2017-04-01

Remnant-preserved anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction was introduced to improve clinical outcomes and biological healing. However, the effects of remnant preservation and the influence of the delay from injury until reconstruction on the outcomes of this technique are still uncertain. Purpose/Hypothesis: The purposes of this study were to evaluate whether remnant preservation improved the clinical outcomes and graft incorporation of ACL reconstruction and to examine the influence of the delay between ACL injury and reconstruction on the usefulness of remnant preservation. We hypothesized that remnant preservation improves clinical results and accelerates graft incorporation and that its effect is dependent on the delay between ACL injury and reconstruction. Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2. A total of 151 consecutive patients who underwent double-bundle ACL reconstruction using a semitendinosus graft were enrolled in this study: 74 knees underwent ACL reconstruction without a remnant (or the remnant was <25% of the intra-articular portion of the graft; NR group), while 77 knees underwent ACL reconstruction with remnant preservation (RP group). These were divided into 4 subgroups based on the time from injury to surgery: phase 1 was <3 weeks (n = 24), phase 2 was 3 to less than 8 weeks (n = 70), phase 3 was 8 to 20 weeks (n = 32), and phase 4 was >20 weeks (n = 25). Clinical measurements, including KT-1000 arthrometer side-to-side anterior tibial translation measurements, were assessed at 3, 6, 12, and 24 months after reconstruction. Magnetic resonance imaging evaluations of graft maturation and graft-tunnel integration of the anteromedial and posterolateral bundles were assessed at 3, 6, and 12 months after reconstruction. There was no difference in side-to-side anterior tibial translation between the NR and RP groups. There was also no difference in graft maturation between the 2 groups. Furthermore, the time from ACL injury until reconstruction did not affect graft maturation, except in the case of very long delays before reconstruction (phase 4). Graft-tunnel integration was significantly increased in both groups in a time-dependent manner. However, there was no difference between the NR and RP groups. Remnant preservation did not improve knee stability at 2 years after ACL reconstruction. Furthermore, remnant preservation did not accelerate graft incorporation, especially during the acute and subacute injury phases.

The Next Step in Understanding Impaired Reactive Balance Control in People With Stroke: The Role of Defective Early Automatic Postural Responses.

PubMed

de Kam, Digna; Roelofs, Jolanda M B; Bruijnes, Amber K B D; Geurts, Alexander C H; Weerdesteyn, Vivian

2017-08-01

Postural muscle responses are often impaired after stroke. We aimed to identify the contribution of deficits in very early postural responses to poorer reactive balance capacity, with a particular focus on reactive stepping as a key strategy for avoiding falls. A total of 34 chronic stroke survivors and 17 controls were subjected to translational balance perturbations in 4 directions. We identified the highest perturbation intensity that could be recovered without stepping (single stepping threshold [SST]) and with maximally 1 step (multiple stepping threshold [MST]). We determined onset latencies and response amplitudes of 7 leg muscles bilaterally and identified associations with balance capacity. People with stroke had a lower MST than controls in all directions. Side steps resulted in a higher lateral MST than crossover steps but were less common toward the paretic side. Postural responses were delayed and smaller in amplitude on the paretic side only. We observed the strongest associations between gluteus medius (GLUT) onset and amplitude and MST toward the paretic side ( R 2 = 0.33). Electromyographic variables were rather weakly associated with forward and backward MSTs ( R 2 = 0.10-0.22) and with SSTs ( R 2 = 0.08-0.15). Delayed and reduced paretic postural responses are associated with impaired reactive stepping after stroke. Particularly, fast and vigorous activity of the GLUT is imperative for overcoming large sideways perturbations, presumably because it facilitates the effective use of side steps. Because people with stroke often fall toward the paretic side, this finding indicates an important target for training.

Methods of Muscle Activation Onset Timing Recorded During Spinal Manipulation.

PubMed

Currie, Stuart J; Myers, Casey A; Krishnamurthy, Ashok; Enebo, Brian A; Davidson, Bradley S

2016-05-01

The purpose of this study was to determine electromyographic threshold parameters that most reliably characterize the muscular response to spinal manipulation and compare 2 methods that detect muscle activity onset delay: the double-threshold method and cross-correlation method. Surface and indwelling electromyography were recorded during lumbar side-lying manipulations in 17 asymptomatic participants. Muscle activity onset delays in relation to the thrusting force were compared across methods and muscles using a generalized linear model. The threshold combinations that resulted in the lowest Detection Failures were the "8 SD-0 milliseconds" threshold (Detection Failures = 8) and the "8 SD-10 milliseconds" threshold (Detection Failures = 9). The average muscle activity onset delay for the double-threshold method across all participants was 149 ± 152 milliseconds for the multifidus and 252 ± 204 milliseconds for the erector spinae. The average onset delay for the cross-correlation method was 26 ± 101 for the multifidus and 67 ± 116 for the erector spinae. There were no statistical interactions, and a main effect of method demonstrated that the delays were higher when using the double-threshold method compared with cross-correlation. The threshold parameters that best characterized activity onset delays were an 8-SD amplitude and a 10-millisecond duration threshold. The double-threshold method correlated well with visual supervision of muscle activity. The cross-correlation method provides several advantages in signal processing; however, supervision was required for some results, negating this advantage. These results help standardize methods when recording neuromuscular responses of spinal manipulation and improve comparisons within and across investigations. Copyright © 2016 National University of Health Sciences. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Regulating Effect of Asymmetrical Impeller on the Flow Distributions of Double-sided Centrifugal Compressor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Ce; Liu, Yixiong; Yang, Dengfeng; Wang, Benjiang

2017-11-01

To achieve the rebalance of flow distributions of double-sided impellers, a method of improving the radius of rear impeller is presented in this paper. It is found that the flow distributions of front and rear impeller can be adjusted effectively by increasing the radius of rear impeller, thus improves the balance of flow distributions of front and rear impeller. Meanwhile, the working conversion mode process of double-sided centrifugal compressor is also changed. Further analysis shows that the flowrates of blade channels in front impeller are mainly influenced by the circumferential distributions of static pressure in the volute. But the flowrates of rear impeller blade channels are influenced by the outlet flow field of bent duct besides the effects of static pressure distributions in the volute. In the airflow interaction area downstream, the flowrate of blade channel is obviously smaller. By increasing the radius of rear impeller, the work capacity of rear impeller is enhanced, the working mode conversion process from parallel working mode of double-sided impeller to the single impeller working mode is delayed, and the stable working range of double-sided compressor is broadened.

Evidence for opponent-process actions of intravenous cocaine.

PubMed

Ettenberg, A; Raven, M A; Danluck, D A; Necessary, B D

1999-11-01

The present experiment was devised to test a prediction of the Opponent-Process Theory of drug action. This theory presumes that the initial affective experience of a subject treated with cocaine would be diametrically different immediately after administration compared to some point later in time when the positive impact of the drug had subsided. A conditioned place-preference procedure was employed in which a novel environment was paired with the effects of cocaine either immediately after, 5 min after, or 15 min after an intravenous injection of 0.75 mg/kg cocaine. It was hypothesized that animals would come to prefer environments associated with the immediate positive effects of cocaine and avoid environments associated with the drug's subsequent negative effects. The results confirmed this hypothesis. While the 0-min delay and 5-min delay groups exhibited conditioned preferences for the cocaine-paired environment, the 15-min delay group came to avoid the side of the preference apparatus paired with cocaine. These data, therefore, serve as additional support for an Opponent-Process account of cocaine's actions.

When stress predicts a shrinking gene pool, trading early reproduction for longevity can increase fitness, even with lower fecundity.

PubMed

Ratcliff, William C; Hawthorne, Peter; Travisano, Michael; Denison, R Ford

2009-06-25

Stresses like dietary restriction or various toxins increase lifespan in taxa as diverse as yeast, Caenorhabditis elegans, Drosophila and rats, by triggering physiological responses that also tend to delay reproduction. Food odors can reverse the effects of dietary restriction, showing that key mechanisms respond to information, not just resources. Such environmental cues can predict population trends, not just individual prospects for survival and reproduction. When population size is increasing, each offspring produced earlier makes a larger proportional contribution to the gene pool, but the reverse is true when population size is declining. We show mathematically that natural selection can favor facultative delay in reproduction when environmental cues predict a decrease in total population size, even if lifetime fecundity decreases with delay. We also show that increased reproduction from waiting for better conditions does not increase fitness (proportional representation) when the whole population benefits similarly. We conclude that the beneficial effects of stress on longevity (hormesis) in diverse taxa are a side-effect of delaying reproduction in response to environmental cues that population size is likely to decrease. The reversal by food odors of the effects of dietary restriction can be explained as a response to information that population size is less likely to decrease, reducing the chance that delaying reproduction will increase fitness.

Suppressive effects of fisetin on mice T lymphocytes in vitro and in vivo.

PubMed

Song, Bocui; Guan, Shuang; Lu, Jing; Chen, Zhibao; Huang, Guoren; Li, Gen; Xiong, Ying; Zhang, Shuang; Yue, Zhanpeng; Deng, Xuming

2013-11-01

Most of the immunosuppressive drugs have satisfactory therapeutic effects on organ transplantation and autoimmune disease. However, their clinical application is limited by side effects. Therefore, new and safe immunosuppressive drugs against acute and chronic rejections are eagerly awaited. Fisetin, a flavonoid present in various types of vegetables and fruits, has few side effects and low level of toxicity, which would be a desirable clinical feature. In the present study, we investigated the immunosuppressive effects and underlying mechanisms of fisetin against T-cell activation in vitro and in vivo. We measured the effect of fisetin on T-lymphocyte proliferation, T-cell subsets, cell cycle progression, cytokine production, and nuclear factor activation in vitro, as well as its influence on T cell-mediated delayed-type hypersensitivity reaction in vivo. In vitro, the results showed that fisetin significantly suppressed mouse splenocytes proliferation, Th1 and Th2 cytokine production, cell cycle and the ratio of CD4(+)/CD8(+) T cells. Furthermore, fisetin exerts an immunosuppressive effect in mouse T lymphocytes through the suppression of nuclear factor kappa B activation and nuclear factor of activated T cells signaling in a dose-dependent manner. In vivo, fisetin treatment also significantly inhibited the dinitrofluorobenzene-induced delayed-type hypersensitivity reactions in mice. Fisetin had strong immunosuppressive activity in vitro and in vivo, suggesting a potential role for fisetin as an immunosuppressive agent. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Experimental demonstration of two methods for controlling the group delay in a system with photonic-crystal resonators coupled to a waveguide.

PubMed

Huo, Yijie; Sandhu, Sunil; Pan, Jun; Stuhrmann, Norbert; Povinelli, Michelle L; Kahn, Joseph M; Harris, James S; Fejer, Martin M; Fan, Shanhui

2011-04-15

We measure the group delay in an on-chip photonic-crystal device with two resonators side coupled to a waveguide. We demonstrate that such a group delay can be controlled by tuning either the propagation phase of the waveguide or the frequency of the resonators.

Cognitive side-effects of electroconvulsive therapy in elderly depressed patients.

PubMed

Dybedal, Gro Strømnes; Tanum, Lars; Sundet, Kjetil; Gaarden, Torfinn Lødøen; Bjølseth, Tor Magne

2014-01-01

Knowledge about cognitive side-effects induced by electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in depressed elderly patients is sparse. In this study we investigated changes in the cognitive functioning of non-demented elderly depressed patients receiving ECT (n = 62) compared with healthy elderly people (n = 17). Neuropsychological tests were administered at the start of treatment and again within 1 week after treatment. We computed reliable change indices (RCIs) using simple regression methods. RCIs are statistical methods for analyzing change in individuals that have not yet been used in studies of the acute cognitive side-effects of ECT. At the group level, only letter fluency performance was found to be significantly reduced in the ECT group compared with the controls, whereas both groups demonstrated stable or improved performance on all other measures. At the individual level, however, 11% of patients showed retrograde amnesia for public facts post-ECT and 40% of the patients showed a significant decline in neuropsychological functioning. Decline on a measure of delayed verbal anterograde memory was most common. Our findings indicate that there are mild neurocognitive impairments in the acute phase for a substantial minority of elderly patients receiving ECT. Analysis of reliable change facilitated the illumination of cognitive side-effects in our sample.

Synchronization and bidirectional communication without delay line using strong mutually coupled semiconductor lasers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Guang-Hui; Wang, An-Bang; Feng, Ye; Wang, Yang

2010-07-01

This paper numerically demonstrates synchronization and bidirectional communication without delay line by using two semiconductor lasers with strong mutual injection in a face-to-face configuration. These results show that both of the two lasers' outputs synchronize with their input chaotic carriers. In addition, simulations demonstrate that this kind of synchronization can be used to realize bidirectional communications without delay line. Further studies indicate that within a small deviation in message amplitudes of two sides (±6%), the message can be extracted with signal-noise-ratio more than 10 dB; and the signal-noise-ratio is extremely sensitive to the message rates mismatch of two sides, which may be used as a key of bidirectional communication.

Rapamycin: An InhibiTOR of Aging Emerges From the Soil of Easter Island

PubMed Central

Arriola Apelo, Sebastian I.

2016-01-01

Rapamycin (sirolimus) is a macrolide immunosuppressant that inhibits the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) protein kinase and extends lifespan in model organisms including mice. Although rapamycin is an FDA-approved drug for select indications, a diverse set of negative side effects may preclude its wide-scale deployment as an antiaging therapy. mTOR forms two different protein complexes, mTORC1 and mTORC2; the former is acutely sensitive to rapamycin whereas the latter is only chronically sensitive to rapamycin in vivo. Over the past decade, it has become clear that although genetic and pharmacological inhibition of mTORC1 extends lifespan and delays aging, inhibition of mTORC2 has negative effects on mammalian health and longevity and is responsible for many of the negative side effects of rapamycin. In this review, we discuss recent advances in understanding the molecular and physiological effects of rapamycin treatment, and we discuss how the use of alternative rapamycin treatment regimens or rapamycin analogs has the potential to mitigate the deleterious side effects of rapamycin treatment by more specifically targeting mTORC1. Although the side effects of rapamycin are still of significant concern, rapid progress is being made in realizing the revolutionary potential of rapamycin-based therapies for the treatment of diseases of aging. PMID:27208895

Individual prediction of change in delayed recall of prose passages after left-sided anterior temporal lobectomy.

PubMed

Jokeit, H; Ebner, A; Holthausen, H; Markowitsch, H J; Moch, A; Pannek, H; Schulz, R; Tuxhorn, I

1997-08-01

Prognostic variables for individual memory outcome after left anterior temporal lobectomy (ATL) were studied in 27 patients with refractory temporal lobe epilepsy. The difference between pre- and postoperative performance in the delayed recall of two prose passages (Story A and B) from the Wechsler Memory Scale served as measure of postoperative memory change. Fifteen independent clinical, neuropsychological, and electrophysiological variables were submitted to a multiple linear regression analysis. Preoperative immediate and delayed recall of story content and right hemisphere Wada memory performance for pictorial and verbal items explained very well postoperative memory changes in recall of Story B. Delayed recall of Story B, but not of Story A, had high concurrent validity to other measures of memory. Patients who became seizure-free did not differ in memory change from patients who continued to have seizures after ATL. The variables age at epilepsy onset and probable age at temporal lobe damage provided complementary information for individual prediction but with less effectiveness than Wada test data. Our model confirmed that good preoperative memory functioning and impaired right hemispheric Wada memory performance for pictorial items predict a high risk of memory loss after left ATL. The analyses demonstrate that the combination of independent measures delivers more information than Wada test performance or any other variable alone. The suggested function can be used routinely to estimate the individual severity of verbal episodic memory impairment that might occur after left-sided ATL and offers a rational basis for the counseling of patients.

Bilateral electromyogram response latency following platform perturbation in unilateral transtibial prosthesis users: influence of weight distribution and limb position.

PubMed

Rusaw, David; Hagberg, Kerstin; Nolan, Lee; Ramstrand, Nerrolyn

2013-01-01

Appropriate muscular response following an external perturbation is essential in preventing falls. Transtibial prosthesis users lack a foot-ankle complex and associated sensorimotor structures on the side with the prosthesis. The effect of this lack on rapid responses of the lower limb to external surface perturbations is unknown. The aim of the present study was to compare electromyogram (EMG) response latencies of otherwise healthy, unilateral, transtibial prosthesis users (n = 23, mean +/- standard deviation [SD] age = 48 +/- 14 yr) and a matched control group (n = 23, mean +/- SD age = 48 +/- 13 yr) following sudden support-surface rotations in the pitch plane (toes-up and toes-down). Perturbations were elicited in various weight-bearing and limb-perturbed conditions. The results indicated that transtibial prosthesis users have delayed responses of multiple muscles of the lower limb following perturbation, both in the intact and residual limbs. Weight-bearing had no influence on the response latency in the residual limb, but did on the intact limb. Which limb received the perturbation was found to influence the muscular response, with the intact limb showing a significantly delayed response when the perturbation was received only on the side with a prosthesis. These delayed responses may represent an increased risk of falling for individuals who use transtibial prostheses.

Effect of healing time on bone-implant contact of orthodontic micro-implants: a histologic study.

PubMed

Ramazanzadeh, Barat Ali; Fatemi, Kazem; Dehghani, Mahboobe; Mohtasham, Nooshin; Jahanbin, Arezoo; Sadeghian, Hamed

2014-01-01

Objectives. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of immediate and delayed loading of orthodontic micro-implants on bone-implant contact. Materials and Methods. Sixty four micro-implants were implanted in dog's jaw bone. The micro-implants were divided into loaded and unloaded (control) groups. The control group had two subgroups: four and eight weeks being implanted. The loaded group had two subgroups of immediate loading and delayed (after four weeks healing) loading. Loaded samples were subjected to 200g load for four weeks. After sacrificing the animals micro-implants and surrounding tissues were observed histologically. Bone-implant contact ratios (BIC) were calculated and different groups' results were compared by three-way ANOVA. Results. Mean survival rate was 96.7% in general. Survival rates were 96.7%, 94.4% and 100% for control, immediate and delayed loaded groups, respectively. BIC values were not significantly different in loaded and control groups, immediate and delayed loading groups, and pressure and tension sides. Mandibular micro-implants had significantly higher BIC than maxillary ones in immediate loading, 4-weeks control, and 8-weeks control groups (P = 0.021, P = 0.009, P = 0.003, resp.). Conclusion Immediate or delayed loading of micro-implants in dog did not cause significant difference in Bone-implant contact which could be concluded that healing time had not significant effect on micro-implant stability.

Effect of Healing Time on Bone-Implant Contact of Orthodontic Micro-Implants: A Histologic Study

PubMed Central

Ramazanzadeh, Barat Ali; Fatemi, Kazem; Dehghani, Mahboobe; Mohtasham, Nooshin; Jahanbin, Arezoo; Sadeghian, Hamed

2014-01-01

Objectives. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of immediate and delayed loading of orthodontic micro-implants on bone-implant contact. Materials and Methods. Sixty four micro-implants were implanted in dog's jaw bone. The micro-implants were divided into loaded and unloaded (control) groups. The control group had two subgroups: four and eight weeks being implanted. The loaded group had two subgroups of immediate loading and delayed (after four weeks healing) loading. Loaded samples were subjected to 200g load for four weeks. After sacrificing the animals micro-implants and surrounding tissues were observed histologically. Bone-implant contact ratios (BIC) were calculated and different groups' results were compared by three-way ANOVA. Results. Mean survival rate was 96.7% in general. Survival rates were 96.7%, 94.4% and 100% for control, immediate and delayed loaded groups, respectively. BIC values were not significantly different in loaded and control groups, immediate and delayed loading groups, and pressure and tension sides. Mandibular micro-implants had significantly higher BIC than maxillary ones in immediate loading, 4-weeks control, and 8-weeks control groups (P = 0.021, P = 0.009, P = 0.003, resp.). Conclusion Immediate or delayed loading of micro-implants in dog did not cause significant difference in Bone-implant contact which could be concluded that healing time had not significant effect on micro-implant stability. PMID:25006463

A 20 year review of punishment and alternative methods to treat problem behaviors in developmentally delayed persons.

PubMed

Matson, J L; Taras, M E

1989-01-01

Relevant journals were reviewed (n = 23) for a 20 year period (1967 to 1987) to assess the status of treatments for severe behavior problems of developmentally delayed persons. A hand search of journals was made; 382 studies were identified. Procedures were analyzed by problem behaviors treated, side effects reported, whether the procedure involved painful stimuli, nonpainful stimuli, food satiation, positive procedures, extinction or combinations of methods. The number of studies reported yearly was also plotted. The implication of these data for federal and state policy makers and for treatment programs dealing with difficult to treat clients is discussed.

Barriers to starting ART and how they can be overcome: individual and operational factors associated with early and late start of treatment.

PubMed

Parkes-Ratanshi, Rosalind; Bufumbo, Leonard; Nyanzi-Wakholi, Barbara; Levin, Jonathan; Grosskurth, Heiner; Lalloo, David G; Kamali, Anatoli

2010-11-01

Despite expanding access to antiretroviral therapy (ART) in Sub-Saharan Africa, there are few data on patients' perceptions about starting ART to explore issues affecting decisions to start ART in eligible individuals during the ART roll out. We studied patterns of ART uptake for 957 participants in a trial of cryptococcal disease prevention and performed a qualitative cross-sectional study about issues affecting decisions to start ART in this cohort. In-depth interviews (IDIs) were conducted with 48 participants who started ART after variable time on the trial. Time to starting ART from trial enrolment decreased during the ART roll out (Median 83 days to 68 days). Multiple factors causing delay to ART were reported; awaiting home visit by service provider (P=0.025), domestic issues (P=0.028), moving from area (P≤0.001) and fear of side effects (P=0.013) were statistically significant. In the IDIs, fear of side effects was the strongest factor for delay and observation of health improvement in others on ART was the strongest inducement to start. Information from patients already taking ART was the most valued source of information. This study provided novel information about factors encouraging people to start ART early; positive beliefs about ART were the most important. Whilst side effects of ART must not be downplayed, programmes should provide information in a balanced way to prevent unnecessary fear of starting ART. Those already receiving ART were found to be good advocates and should be utilised by ART programmes to educate others. © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Prevention of gastrointestinal side-effects in paediatric oncology: what are the guidelines?

PubMed

Cheng, Karis K F

2017-06-01

Gastrointestinal side-effects, particularly with regard to alimentary tract mucositis and chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV), continue to be frequent and debilitating symptomatic conditions among children and adolescents receiving cytotoxic cancer therapy. Further avenues of progress for mucositis and CINV prevention in paediatric oncology setting are warranted. The current article reviews the major guidelines and literature published in 2016 pertaining to the prevention of mucositis and CINV. Considerable professional organizational efforts have been made to develop consensus-based or evidence-based guidelines that periodically update to define basic standards of mucositis and CINV prevention. There are a few published works in 2016 that may contribute to the emerging evidence on prevention of mucositis and CINV in the paediatric setting for future guideline updates. The concomitant use of 5-HT3 receptor antagonist and dexamethasone are effective to prevent acute and delayed CINV in children who are to receive highly or moderately emetogenic chemotherapy. Optimal control of acute and delayed CINV can prevent anticipatory CINV. Oral care protocols would be beneficial to prevent mucositis in children across all cancer treatment modalities. Cryotherapy or low-level light therapy may be applied to cooperative children undergoing chemotherapy or haematological stem cell transplant conditioning regimens with a high rate of mucositis.

Surgical scheduling: a lean approach to process improvement.

PubMed

Simon, Ross William; Canacari, Elena G

2014-01-01

A large teaching hospital in the northeast United States had an inefficient, paper-based process for scheduling orthopedic surgery that caused delays and contributed to site/side discrepancies. The hospital's leaders formed a team with the goals of developing a safe, effective, patient-centered, timely, efficient, and accurate orthopedic scheduling process; smoothing the schedule so that block time was allocated more evenly; and ensuring correct site/side. Under the resulting process, real-time patient information is entered into a database during the patient's preoperative visit in the surgeon's office. The team found the new process reduced the occurrence of site/side discrepancies to zero, reduced instances of changing the sequence of orthopedic procedures by 70%, and increased patient satisfaction. Copyright © 2014 AORN, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Delayed Gastric Emptying in Side-to-Side Gastrojejunostomy in Pancreaticoduodenectomy: Result of a Propensity Score Matching.

PubMed

Tsutaho, Akio; Nakamura, Toru; Asano, Toshimichi; Okamura, Keisuke; Tsuchikawa, Takahiro; Noji, Takehiro; Nakanishi, Yoshitsugu; Tanaka, Kimitaka; Murakami, Soichi; Kurashima, Yo; Ebihara, Yuma; Shichinohe, Toshiaki; Ito, Yoichi M; Hirano, Satoshi

2017-10-01

Delayed gastric emptying (DGE) is one of the most common morbidities of pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD). The aim of this study was to clarify whether the incidence of DGE can be reduced by side-to-side gastric greater curvature-to-jejunal anastomosis in subtotal stomach-preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy (SSPPD). The clinical data of 253 patients who had undergone PD were examined. Of a total of 188 patients who had undergone SSPPD, a gastrojejunostomy (GJ) was performed with end-to-side anastomosis in 87 patients (SSPPD-ETS group), and a GJ was performed with a greater curvature side-to-jejunal side anastomosis in 101 patients (SSPPD-STS group). After propensity score matching, the matched cohort consisted of 74 patients in each group. The postoperative data were evaluated according to the International Study Group of Pancreatic Surgery grade of DGE. The total incidence of DGE was 9.4% in the SSPPD-ETS group and 4% in the SSPPD-STS group, with no significant difference (p = 0.1902). A significant difference was observed between the two groups in the incidence of DGE grade C (p = 0.0426). The incidence of total DGE was not reduced statistically in the STS group compared with the ETS group, but reduced DGE grade C. Side-to-side anastomosis might be associated with a reduced incidence of DGE grade C.

Periodicity and global exponential stability of generalized Cohen-Grossberg neural networks with discontinuous activations and mixed delays.

PubMed

Wang, Dongshu; Huang, Lihong

2014-03-01

In this paper, we investigate the periodic dynamical behaviors for a class of general Cohen-Grossberg neural networks with discontinuous right-hand sides, time-varying and distributed delays. By means of retarded differential inclusions theory and the fixed point theorem of multi-valued maps, the existence of periodic solutions for the neural networks is obtained. After that, we derive some sufficient conditions for the global exponential stability and convergence of the neural networks, in terms of nonsmooth analysis theory with generalized Lyapunov approach. Without assuming the boundedness (or the growth condition) and monotonicity of the discontinuous neuron activation functions, our results will also be valid. Moreover, our results extend previous works not only on discrete time-varying and distributed delayed neural networks with continuous or even Lipschitz continuous activations, but also on discrete time-varying and distributed delayed neural networks with discontinuous activations. We give some numerical examples to show the applicability and effectiveness of our main results. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Asymmetric pelvic bracing and altered kinematics in patients with posterior pelvic pain who present with postural muscle delay.

PubMed

Bussey, Melanie D; Milosavljevic, Stephan

2015-01-01

The purpose of the study was to examine the muscle activity and hip-spine kinematics in a group of individuals diagnosed with posterior pelvic girdle pain and confirmed postural muscle delay during a repeated fast hip flexion task. Twenty-four (12 pain and 12 control) age and sex matched participants performed a repeated fast hip flexion task to auditory signal. Surface EMG activity in the external and internal oblique, the multifidus, the gluteus maximus and biceps femoris in the stance-limb was examined for onset timing and EMG integral. Sagittal plane hip (swing limb) and spine kinematics were examined for group and side differences over the repeated trials. While the pain group lacked significant feedforward muscle activity they displayed higher muscle activity at movement onset in the biceps femoris bilaterally (p<0.05) as well as the external oblique (p<0.05) during motion of the symptomatic side. Furthermore, the pain group experienced asymmetrical spinal range of motion with increased motion on the contralateral side (p<0.001) and reduced flexion velocity on the symptomatic side (p<0.001). The findings support previous hypotheses regarding the effect of increased biceps activity on pelvic control during lumbo-pelvic rotation. Further, there appears to be a symptom led strategy for bracing the innominate through opposing tension in the biceps and external oblique during movement of the painful side. Such asymmetrical pelvic girdle bracing may be a strategy to increase the stability of the pelvis in light of the failed load transfer mechanism. Putatively, this strategy may increase the mechanical stress on the sacroiliac joint exacerbating pain complaints. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparative study of 5 % potassium hydroxide solution versus 0.05% tretinoin cream for Molluscum Contagiosum in children.

PubMed

Rajouria, E A; Amatya, A; Karn, D

2011-01-01

Molluscum contagiosum is one of the commonest cutaneous viral infections in children. All treatment modalities are associated with substantial pain, tissue destruction, and frequent recurrence. To compare the efficacy and side effects of KOH 5% solution with tretinoin 0.05% cream for the treatment of molluscum contagiosum in children. Fifty patients were randomly divided into 2 groups; 25 each for 5% KOH solution and 0.05% tretinoin cream. The given medication was applied at bed time over molluscum lesions. The assessment of response and side effects were performed weekly for 4 weeks. At the end of 4 weeks, the mean lesion count decreased from 9.48 +/- 3.00 SD to 1.67 +/- 0.58 SD and from 8.35 +/- 2.82 SD to 2.00 +/- 1.00 SD in patients treated with 5% KOH solution and 0.05% tretinoin cream respectively. The result of both KOH and tretinoin showed good response, well tolerated by children but between the two, KOH showed fast recovery and most lesions were resolved before 4 week. The side effects could be minimized if applied as stated above. On the other hand, tretinoin showed delayed response and even some of lesion extended beyond 4 week but the side effect were less, and hence can be used in recurrent cases.

Traveling waves in a delayed SIR model with nonlocal dispersal and nonlinear incidence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Shou-Peng; Yang, Yun-Rui; Zhou, Yong-Hui

2018-01-01

This paper is concerned with traveling waves of a delayed SIR model with nonlocal dispersal and a general nonlinear incidence. The existence and nonexistence of traveling waves of the system are established respectively by Schauder's fixed point theorem and two-sided Laplace transform. It is also shown that the spread speed c is influenced by the dispersal rate of the infected individuals and the delay τ.

Vascular delay improves latissimus dorsi muscle perfusion and muscle function for use in cardiomyoplasty.

PubMed

Carroll, S M; Heilman, S J; Stremel, R W; Tobin, G R; Barker, J H

1997-04-01

Ischemia of the distal portion of the latissimus dorsi muscle occurs in muscle transfer for cardiomyoplasty and reduces distal muscle contractility and thus the mechanical effectiveness of cardiomyoplasty. We hypothesized that muscle function would be improved by a vascular delay procedure that increases distal muscle perfusion of the latissimus dorsi muscle. The latissimus dorsi muscles of 10 adult mongrel dogs were subjected to a vascular delay procedure on one side and a sham procedure on the other. Following 10 days of vascular delay, muscle perfusion was measured with a laser-Doppler perfusion imager before and after elevation of the muscles as flaps based only on their thoracodorsal neurovascular pedicles. The muscles were wrapped and sutured around silicone chambers (simulating cardiomyoplasty), a stimulating electrode was placed around each thoracodorsal nerve, and the muscles were stimulated to contract in both rhythmic and tetanic fashion. Circumferential (distal and middle latissimus dorsi muscle function) force generation and fatigue rates were measured independently. Circumferential muscle force, circumferential and longitudinal fatigue rate, and distal, middle, and overall perfusion were significantly (p < 0.05) improved in delayed muscle compared with nondelayed muscle. We found that a vascular delay procedure and a 10-day delay adaptation period significantly improve latissimus dorsi muscle flap perfusion and function, particularly in the distal and middle portions of the muscle. Delay should be considered as a means of improving the clinical outcome in cardiomyoplasty.

Factors that Affected Functional Outcome After a Delayed Excision and Split-Thickness Skin Graft on the Dorsal Side of Burned Hands.

PubMed

Shichinohe, Ryuji; Yamamoto, Yuhei; Kawashima, Kunihiro; Kimura, Chu; Ono, Kentaro; Horiuchi, Katsumi; Yoshida, Tetsunori; Murao, Naoki; Hayashi, Toshihiko; Funayama, Emi; Oyama, Akihiko; Furukawa, Hiroshi

Early excision and skin grafting is the principle treatment for a burned hand although there are occasions when it cannot be done such as severe general condition, delayed consultation, and the lack of a definitive assessment of burn depth. This study analyzes the factors that affected function after a delayed excision and skin graft for hands with a deep dermal burn. This study retrospectively evaluated 43 burned hands that required a delayed excision and split-thickness skin graft on the dorsal side. Cases were required to only have split-thickness skin grafting from the dorsum of the hand and fingers distally to at least the proximal interphalangeal joint at least 8 days after the injury. The hands were divided into two functional categories: Functional category A, normal or nearly normal joint movements, and functional category B, abnormal joint movements. Demographic data were assessed statistically by a univariate analysis following a multiple regression analysis by a stepwise selection. A significant difference was observed between the groups in the number of days from grafting to complete wound healing of the graft site and with or without an escharotomy in the analysis. These parameters were statistically significant predictors of functional category B. The functional outcome of a burned hand after a delayed excision and split-thickness skin graft on the dorsal side became degraded depending on the number of days from grafting to complete wound healing. Cases that underwent an escharotomy also showed deterioration in function.

Temporal binding of neural responses for focused attention in biosonar

PubMed Central

Simmons, James A.

2014-01-01

Big brown bats emit biosonar sounds and perceive their surroundings from the delays of echoes received by the ears. Broadcasts are frequency modulated (FM) and contain two prominent harmonics sweeping from 50 to 25 kHz (FM1) and from 100 to 50 kHz (FM2). Individual frequencies in each broadcast and each echo evoke single-spike auditory responses. Echo delay is encoded by the time elapsed between volleys of responses to broadcasts and volleys of responses to echoes. If echoes have the same spectrum as broadcasts, the volley of neural responses to FM1 and FM2 is internally synchronized for each sound, which leads to sharply focused delay images. Because of amplitude–latency trading, disruption of response synchrony within the volleys occurs if the echoes are lowpass filtered, leading to blurred, defocused delay images. This effect is consistent with the temporal binding hypothesis for perceptual image formation. Bats perform inexplicably well in cluttered surroundings where echoes from off-side objects ought to cause masking. Off-side echoes are lowpass filtered because of the shape of the broadcast beam, and they evoke desynchronized auditory responses. The resulting defocused images of clutter do not mask perception of focused images for targets. Neural response synchronization may select a target to be the focus of attention, while desynchronization may impose inattention on the surroundings by defocusing perception of clutter. The formation of focused biosonar images from synchronized neural responses, and the defocusing that occurs with disruption of synchrony, quantitatively demonstrates how temporal binding may control attention and bring a perceptual object into existence. PMID:25122915

Mechanism for generation of left isomerism in Ccdc40 mutant embryos

PubMed Central

Sugrue, Kelsey F.

2017-01-01

Leftward fluid flow in the mouse node is generated by cilia and is critical for initiating asymmetry of the left-right axis. Coiled-coil domain containing-40 (Ccdc40) plays an evolutionarily conserved role in the assembly of motile cilia and establishment of the left-right axis. Approximately one-third of Ccdc40lnks mutant embryos display situs defects and here we investigate the underlying mechanism. Ccdc40lnks mutants show delayed induction of markers of the left-lateral plate mesoderm (L-LPM) including Lefty1, Lefty2 and Nodal. Consistent with defective cilia motility compromising fluid flow across the node, initiation of asymmetric perinodal Cerberus like-2 (Cerl2) expression is delayed and then randomized. This is followed by delayed and then randomized asymmetric Nodal expression around the node. We propose a model to explain how left isomerism arises in a proportion of Ccdc40lnks mutants. We postulate that with defective motile cilia, Cerl2 expression remains symmetric and Nodal is antagonized equally on both sides of the node. This effectively reduces Nodal activation bilaterally, leading to reduced and delayed activation of Nodal and its antagonists in the LPM. This model is further supported by the failure to establish Nodal expression in the left-LPM with reduced Nodal gene dosage in Ccdc40lnks/lnks;NodalLacZ/+ mutants causing a predominance of right not left isomerism. Together these results suggest a model where cilia generated fluid flow in the node functions to ensure robust Nodal activation and a timely left-sided developmental program in the LPM. PMID:28182636

Timing and adequate attendance of antenatal care visits among women in Ethiopia.

PubMed

Yaya, Sanni; Bishwajit, Ghose; Ekholuenetale, Michael; Shah, Vaibhav; Kadio, Bernard; Udenigwe, Ogochukwu

2017-01-01

Although ANC services are increasingly available to women in low and middle-income countries, their inadequate use persists. This suggests a misalignment between aims of the services and maternal beliefs and circumstances. Owing to the dearth of studies examining the timing and adequacy of content of care, this current study aims to investigate the timing and frequency of ANC visits in Ethiopia. Data was obtained from the nationally representative 2011 Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey (EDHS) which used a two-stage cluster sampling design to provide estimates for the health and demographic variables of interest for the country. Our study focused on a sample of 10,896 women with history of at least one childbirth event. Percentages of timing and adequacy of ANC visits were conducted across the levels of selected factors. Variables which were associated at 5% significance level were examined in the multivariable logistic regression model for association between timing and frequency of ANC visits and the explanatory variables while controlling for covariates. Furthermore, we presented the approach to estimate marginal effects involving covariate-adjusted logistic regression with corresponding 95%CI of delayed initiation of ANC visits and inadequate ANC attendance. The method used involved predicted probabilities added up to a weighted average showing the covariate distribution in the population. Results indicate that 66.3% of women did not use ANC at first trimester and 22.3% had ANC less than 4 visits. The results of this study were unique in that the association between delayed ANC visits and adequacy of ANC visits were examined using multivariable logistic model and the marginal effects using predicted probabilities. Results revealed that older age interval has higher odds of inadequate ANC visits. More so, type of place of residence was associated with delayed initiation of ANC visits, with rural women having the higher odds of delayed initiation of ANC visits (OR = 1.65; 95%CI: 1.26-2.18). However, rural women had 44% reduction in the odds of having inadequate ANC visits. In addition, multi-parity showed higher odds of delayed initiation of ANC visit when compared to the primigravida (OR = 2.20; 95%CI: 1.07-2.69). On the contrary, there was 36% reduction in the odds of multigravida having inadequate ANC visits when compared to the women who were primigravida. There were higher odds of inadequacy in ANC visits among women who engaged in sales/business, agriculture, skilled manual and other jobs when compared to women who currently do not work, after adjusting for covariates. From the predictive margins, assuming the distribution of all covariates remained the same among respondents, but everyone was aged 15-19 years, we would expect 71.8% delayed initiation of ANC visit. If everyone was aged 20-24years, 73.4%; 25-29years, 66.5%; 30-34years, 64.8%; 35-39years, 65.6%; 40-44years, 59.6% and 45-49years, we would expect 70.1% delayed initiation of ANC visit. If instead the distribution of age was as observed and for other covariates remained the same among respondents, but no respondent lived in the rural, we would expect about 61.4% delayed initiation of ANC visit; if however, everyone lived in the rural, and we would expect 71.6% delayed initiation in ANC visit. Model III revealed the predictive margins of all factors examined for delayed initiation for ANC visits, while Model IV presented the predictive marginal effects of the determinants of adequacy of ANC visits. The precise mechanism by which these factors affect ANC visits remain blurred at best. There may be factors on the demand side like the women's empowerment, financial support of the husband, knowledge of ANC visits in the context of timing, frequency and the expectations of ANC visits might be mediating the effects through the factors found associated in this study. Supply side factors like the quality of ANC services, skilled staff, and geographic location of the health centers also mediate their effects through the highlighted factors. Irrespective of the knowledge about the precise mechanism of action, policy makers could focus on improving women's empowerment, improving women's education, reducing wealth inequity and facilitating improved utilization of ANC through modifications on the supply side factors such as geographic location and focus on hard to reach women.

Function projective synchronization of memristor-based Cohen-Grossberg neural networks with time-varying delays.

PubMed

Abdurahman, Abdujelil; Jiang, Haijun; Rahman, Kaysar

2015-12-01

This paper deals with the problem of function projective synchronization for a class of memristor-based Cohen-Grossberg neural networks with time-varying delays. Based on the theory of differential equations with discontinuous right-hand side, some novel criteria are obtained to realize the function projective synchronization of addressed networks by combining open loop control and linear feedback control. As some special cases, several control strategies are given to ensure the realization of complete synchronization, anti-synchronization and the stabilization of the considered memristor-based Cohen-Grossberg neural network. Finally, a numerical example and its simulations are provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of the obtained results.

Cutaneous mucormycosis caused by Rhizopus microsporus in an immunocompetent patient: A case report and review of literature.

PubMed

Wang, Yilun; Zhu, Min; Bao, Yunqi; Li, Li; Zhu, Liping; Li, Feng; Xu, Jinhua; Liang, Jun

2018-06-01

Cutaneous mucormycosis is an uncommon disease and occurs rarely in immunocompetent patients. We reported the case of a 37-year-old man presenting with a skin lesion on the left side of the chest wall with no history of trauma or primary diseases. He was firstly misdiagnosed as tuberculosis and the proper treatment was thus delayed. Histopathological examination and fungal culture of the lesion confirmed cutaneous mucormycosis. The isolate was identified as Rhizopus microspores by ITS sequencing. The patient was treated with oral posaconazole 400 mg bid for 150 days. The patient recovered satisfactorily. No recurrence was found during the follow-up and no side effect of liver function was found. This case helps doctors to consider the possibility of serious fungal infection in immunocompetent patients. It also suggested that posaconazole could be an alternative choice for the treatment of mucormycosis considering the severe side effect of Amphotericin B.

Performance of a 100V Half-Bridge MOSFET Driver, Type MIC4103, Over a Wide Temperature Range

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Patterson, Richard L.; Hammoud, Ahmad

2011-01-01

The operation of a high frequency, high voltage MOSFET (metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors) driver was investigated over a wide temperature regime that extended beyond its specified range. The Micrel MIC4103 is a 100V, non-inverting, dual driver that is designed to independently drive both high-side and low-side N-channel MOSFETs. It features fast propagation delay times and can drive 1000 pF load with 10ns rise times and 6 ns fall times [1]. The device consumes very little power, has supply under-voltage protection, and is rated for a -40 C to +125 C junction temperature range. The floating high-side driver of the chip can sustain boost voltages up to 100 V. Table I shows some of the device manufacturer s specification.

Emotionally Negative Pictures Enhance Gist Memory

PubMed Central

Bookbinder, S. H.; Brainerd, C. J.

2016-01-01

In prior work on how true and false memory are influenced by emotion, valence and arousal have often been conflated. Thus, it is difficult to say which specific effects are due to valence and which are due to arousal. In the present research, we used a picture-memory paradigm that allowed emotional valence to be manipulated with arousal held constant. Negatively-valenced pictures elevated both true and false memory, relative to positive and neutral pictures. Conjoint recognition modeling revealed that negative valence (a) reduced erroneous suppression of true memories and (b) increased the familiarity of the semantic content of both true and false memories. Overall, negative valence impaired the verbatim side of episodic memory but enhanced the gist side, and these effects persisted even after a week-long delay. PMID:27454002

Oral administration of non-absorbable delayed release 6-mercaptopurine is locally active in the gut, exerts a systemic immune effect and alleviates Crohn’s disease with low rate of side effects: results of double blind Phase II clinical trial

PubMed Central

Israeli, E; Goldin, E; Fishman, S; Konikoff, F; Lavy, A; Chowers, Y; Melzer, E; Lahat, A; Mahamid, M; Shirin, H; Nussinson, E; Segol, O; Ya’acov, A Ben; Shabbat, Y; Ilan, Y

2015-01-01

Therapy for Crohn’s disease (CD) with thiopurines is limited by systemic side effects. A novel formulation of fixed-dose, delayed-release 6-mercaptopurine (DR-6MP) was developed, with local effect on the gut immune system and minimal absorption. The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of DR-6MP in patients with moderately severe CD compared to systemically delivered 6-mercaptopurine (Purinethol). Seventy CD patients were enrolled into a 12-week, double-blind controlled trial. The primary end-point was the percentage of subjects with clinical remission [Crohn’s Disease Activity Index (CDAI) < 150] or clinical response (100-point CDAI reduction). Twenty-six (56·5%) and 13 (54·2%) subjects from the DR-6MP and Purinethol cohorts, respectively, completed the study. DR-6MP had similar efficacy to Purinethol following 12 weeks of treatment. However, the time to maximal clinical response was 8 weeks for DR-6MP versus 12 weeks for Purinethol. A higher proportion of patients on DR-6MP showed clinical remission at week 8. A greater improvement in Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire (IBDQ) score was noted in the DR-6MP group. DR-6MP led to a decrease of CD62+ expression on T cells, implying a reduction of lymphocyte adhesion to site of inflammation. DR-6MP was safer than Purinethol, with significantly fewer adverse events (AEs). There was no evidence of drug-induced leucopenia in the DR-6MP group; the proportion of subjects who developed hepatotoxicity was lower for the DR-6MP. Non-absorbable DR-6MP is safe and biologically active in the gut. It is clinically effective, exerting a systemic immune response with low systemic bioavailability and a low incidence of side effects. PMID:25846055

Oral administration of non-absorbable delayed release 6-mercaptopurine is locally active in the gut, exerts a systemic immune effect and alleviates Crohn's disease with low rate of side effects: results of double blind Phase II clinical trial.

PubMed

Israeli, E; Goldin, E; Fishman, S; Konikoff, F; Lavy, A; Chowers, Y; Melzer, E; Lahat, A; Mahamid, M; Shirin, H; Nussinson, E; Segol, O; Ya'acov, A Ben; Shabbat, Y; Ilan, Y

2015-08-01

Therapy for Crohn's disease (CD) with thiopurines is limited by systemic side effects. A novel formulation of fixed-dose, delayed-release 6-mercaptopurine (DR-6MP) was developed, with local effect on the gut immune system and minimal absorption. The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of DR-6MP in patients with moderately severe CD compared to systemically delivered 6-mercaptopurine (Purinethol). Seventy CD patients were enrolled into a 12-week, double-blind controlled trial. The primary end-point was the percentage of subjects with clinical remission [Crohn's Disease Activity Index (CDAI) < 150] or clinical response (100-point CDAI reduction). Twenty-six (56·5%) and 13 (54·2%) subjects from the DR-6MP and Purinethol cohorts, respectively, completed the study. DR-6MP had similar efficacy to Purinethol following 12 weeks of treatment. However, the time to maximal clinical response was 8 weeks for DR-6MP versus 12 weeks for Purinethol. A higher proportion of patients on DR-6MP showed clinical remission at week 8. A greater improvement in Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire (IBDQ) score was noted in the DR-6MP group. DR-6MP led to a decrease of CD62(+) expression on T cells, implying a reduction of lymphocyte adhesion to site of inflammation. DR-6MP was safer than Purinethol, with significantly fewer adverse events (AEs). There was no evidence of drug-induced leucopenia in the DR-6MP group; the proportion of subjects who developed hepatotoxicity was lower for the DR-6MP. Non-absorbable DR-6MP is safe and biologically active in the gut. It is clinically effective, exerting a systemic immune response with low systemic bioavailability and a low incidence of side effects. © 2015 British Society for Immunology.

VRX-03011, a novel 5-HT4 agonist, enhances memory and hippocampal acetylcholine efflux.

PubMed

Mohler, Eric G; Shacham, Sharon; Noiman, Silvia; Lezoualc'h, Frank; Robert, Sylvain; Gastineau, Monique; Rutkowski, Joseph; Marantz, Yael; Dumuis, Aline; Bockaert, Joel; Gold, Paul E; Ragozzino, Michael E

2007-09-01

Recent evidence suggests that 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)(4) receptor activity enhances cognition and provides neuroprotection. Here we report the effects of VRX-03011, a novel partial 5-HT(4) agonist, that is both potent (K(i) approximately 30 nM) and highly selective (K(i) > 5 microM for all other 5-HT receptors tested). In separate experiments, rats received VRX-03011 (0.1-10 mg/kg i.p.) 30 min prior to spontaneous alternation testing in a no-delay or a 30-s delay condition. VRX-03011 (1, 5 and 10 mg/kg, but not 0.1 mg/kg) significantly enhanced delayed spontaneous alternation performance while none of the doses enhanced performance in the no-delay test. VRX-03011 (1 and 5 mg/kg) concomitantly enhanced hippocampal acetylcholine output and delayed spontaneous alternation scores compared to that of vehicle controls, but had no effect on hippocampal acetylcholine release under a resting condition. Moreover, suboptimal doses of VRX-03011 and the acetylcholinesterase inhibitor galanthamine combined to enhance memory. VRX-03011 also regulated amyloid precursor protein (APP) metabolism by inducing a concentration-dependent increase in the non-amyloidogenic soluble form of APP (sAPPalpha) with an EC(50) approximately 1--10 nM. VRX-03011 had no effect on contractile properties in guinea pig ileum or colon preparations with an EC(50) > 10 microM and did not alter rat intestinal transit at doses up to 10 mg/kg. These findings suggest that VRX-03011 may represent a novel treatment for Alzheimer's disease that reduces cognitive impairments and provides neuroprotection without gastrointestinal side effects.

The dark side of testing memory: repeated retrieval can enhance eyewitness suggestibility.

PubMed

Chan, Jason C K; Lapaglia, Jessica A

2011-12-01

Eyewitnesses typically recount their experiences many times before trial. Such repeated retrieval can enhance memory retention of the witnessed event. However, recent studies (e.g., Chan, Thomas, & Bulevich, 2009) have found that initial retrieval can exacerbate eyewitness suggestibility to later misleading information--a finding termed retrieval-enhanced suggestibility (RES). Here we examined the influence of multiple retrieval attempts on eyewitness suggestibility to subsequent misinformation. In four experiments, we systematically varied the number of initial tests taken (between zero and six), the delay between initial testing and misinformation exposure (~30 min or 1 week), and whether initial testing was manipulated between- or within-subjects. University undergraduate students were used as participants. Overall, we found that eyewitness suggestibility increased as the number of initial tests increased, but this RES effect was qualified by the delay and by whether initial testing occurred in a within- or between-subjects manner. Specifically, the within-subjects RES effect was smaller than the between-subjects RES effect, possibly because of the influence of retrieval-induced forgetting/facilitation (Chan, 2009) when initial testing was manipulated within subjects. Moreover, consistent with the testing effect literature (Roediger & Karpicke, 2006), the benefits of repeated testing on later memory were stronger after a 1-week delay than after a 30-min delay, thus reducing the negative impact of RES in long-term situations. These findings suggest that conditions that are likely to occur in criminal investigations can either increase (repeated testing) or reduce (delay) the influence of RES, thus further demonstrating the complex relationship between eyewitness memory and repeated retrieval.

Delayed onset and prolonged interictal delirium following electroconvulsive therapy.

PubMed

Selvaraj, Arun G; Praharaj, Samir Kumar

2012-09-01

Electroconvulsive therapy is safe and effective in the treatment of depression in older individuals. Minor cognitive side effects of electroconvulsive therapy include acute postictal confusion and reversible short-term memory deficits. However, interictal delirium is uncommon in absence of risk factors. Herein, we report the case a depressed male patient without any known risk factors who developed interictal delirium 2 days after his sixth electroconvulsive therapy session. Interictal delirium improved with treatment within 1 week. © 2012 The Authors. Psychogeriatrics © 2012 Japanese Psychogeriatric Society.

Epidural analgesia side effects, co-interventions, and care of women during childbirth: a systematic review.

PubMed

Mayberry, Linda J; Clemmens, Donna; De, Anindya

2002-05-01

The purpose of this article is to profile research findings targeting the intrapartum care implications of the most common side effects and co-interventions that go along with the use of epidural analgesia during labor. Randomized, controlled trials published in English from 1990 to 2000 that addressed each of the targeted side effects and 3 specified co-interventions were evaluated for inclusion in this report. Side effects such as pruritus, nausea, and hypotension during labor are common, but they are usually mild and necessitate treatment infrequently. However, even with the advent of newer low-dose epidurals, the extent of impaired motor ability remains variable across studies. The incidence of "walking" epidurals during labor is likely to be complicated by multiple factors, including individual patient desires, safety considerations, and hospital policies. In response to risks for a decrease in uterine contractions that could prolong labor, oxytocin augmentation is likely to be administered after epidural analgesia. The use of "delayed" pushing may be an effective way to minimize the risk for difficult deliveries. Upright positioning even when confined to bed may be advantageous and desirable to women; however, additional research to determine actual outcome benefits with epidurals is needed. Implications for further research linked to epidural analgesia also include informed consent, modification of caregiving procedures, and staffing/cost issues.

Previous Cocaine Exposure Makes Rats Hypersensitive to Both Delay and Reward Magnitude

PubMed Central

Roesch, Matthew R.; Takahashi, Yuji; Gugsa, Nishan; Bissonette, Gregory B.; Schoenbaum, Geoffrey

2008-01-01

Animals prefer an immediate over a delayed reward, just as they prefer a large over a small reward. Exposure to psychostimulants causes long-lasting changes in structures critical for this behavior and might disrupt normal time-discounting performance. To test this hypothesis, we exposed rats to cocaine daily for 2 weeks (30 mg/kg, i.p.). Approximately 6 weeks later, we tested them on a variant of a time-discounting task, in which the rats responded to one of two locations to obtain reward while we independently manipulated the delay to reward and reward magnitude. Performance did not differ between cocaine-treated and saline-treated (control) rats when delay lengths and reward magnitudes were equal at the two locations. However, cocaine-treated rats were significantly more likely to shift their responding when we increased the delay or reward size asymmetrically. Furthermore, they were slower to respond and made more errors when forced to the side associated with the lower value. We conclude that previous exposure to cocaine makes choice behavior hypersensitive to differences in the time to and size of available rewards, consistent with a general effect of cocaine exposure on reward valuation mechanisms. PMID:17202492

Previous cocaine exposure makes rats hypersensitive to both delay and reward magnitude.

PubMed

Roesch, Matthew R; Takahashi, Yuji; Gugsa, Nishan; Bissonette, Gregory B; Schoenbaum, Geoffrey

2007-01-03

Animals prefer an immediate over a delayed reward, just as they prefer a large over a small reward. Exposure to psychostimulants causes long-lasting changes in structures critical for this behavior and might disrupt normal time-discounting performance. To test this hypothesis, we exposed rats to cocaine daily for 2 weeks (30 mg/kg, i.p.). Approximately 6 weeks later, we tested them on a variant of a time-discounting task, in which the rats responded to one of two locations to obtain reward while we independently manipulated the delay to reward and reward magnitude. Performance did not differ between cocaine-treated and saline-treated (control) rats when delay lengths and reward magnitudes were equal at the two locations. However, cocaine-treated rats were significantly more likely to shift their responding when we increased the delay or reward size asymmetrically. Furthermore, they were slower to respond and made more errors when forced to the side associated with the lower value. We conclude that previous exposure to cocaine makes choice behavior hypersensitive to differences in the time to and size of available rewards, consistent with a general effect of cocaine exposure on reward valuation mechanisms.

Multiple foci of spatial attention in multimodal working memory.

PubMed

Katus, Tobias; Eimer, Martin

2016-11-15

The maintenance of sensory information in working memory (WM) is mediated by the attentional activation of stimulus representations that are stored in perceptual brain regions. Using event-related potentials (ERPs), we measured tactile and visual contralateral delay activity (tCDA/CDA components) in a bimodal WM task to concurrently track the attention-based maintenance of information stored in anatomically segregated (somatosensory and visual) brain areas. Participants received tactile and visual sample stimuli on both sides, and in different blocks, memorized these samples on the same side or on opposite sides. After a retention delay, memory was unpredictably tested for touch or vision. In the same side blocks, tCDA and CDA components simultaneously emerged over the same hemisphere, contralateral to the memorized tactile/visual sample set. In opposite side blocks, these two components emerged over different hemispheres, but had the same sizes and onset latencies as in the same side condition. Our results reveal distinct foci of tactile and visual spatial attention that were concurrently maintained on task-relevant stimulus representations in WM. The independence of spatially-specific biasing mechanisms for tactile and visual WM content suggests that multimodal information is stored in distributed perceptual brain areas that are activated through modality-specific processes that can operate simultaneously and largely independently of each other. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Preliminary Results of P & S-wave Teleseismic Tomography of the Superior Region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bollmann, T. A.; van der Lee, S.; Frederiksen, A. W.

2013-12-01

In continental North America, the Midcontinent Rift System (MRS) is the most prominent feature in gravity and magnetic anomaly maps. These anomalies are associated with large amount of igneous material deposited there around 1.1 Ga. Preliminary evidence from ambient seismic noise analysis of the area has found that the MRS crustal structure has a low velocity along its axis. A major question remains as to whether any structural evidence for the MRS' rifting episodes or its failure were retained in the lithospheric mantle beneath it. To this end we measured teleseismic P and S travel times at Earthscope seismic stations from the Flexible Array SPREE, the Transportable Array, and several US ANSS Backbone stations. These measurements constitute a major resource for upgrading an existing teleseismic, pre-SPREE tomography model for the region, (Frederiksen et al., 2013) as well as longer wavelength regional models, such as NA07 (Bedle and Van der Lee, 2007). We measured the delay times of about 25 thousand teleseismic P arrivals from over a hundred events with magnitudes of 5.5 and greater, and about half as many for S arrivals. Nearly half of these teleseismic events are to the NNW (Alaska-Japan) and about one third are from Central and South America to the SSE. We inverted the P delays for common station-side delays and common event-side delays. Station-side P delays vary by about 1.5 s over the region, with the Archean Superior Craton recording earlier arrivals than Proterozoic terrains in Wisconsin. SPREE stations show later arrivals closer to the rift axis compare to earlier onesfurther away from the rift, but a correlation with the large rift-related gravity anomaly is not obvious. To examine whether the mantle has any rift-related structures, for example from meltdepletion, we are measuring delay times from additional events recorded and recovered during the spring SPREE service run, applying corrections to the delay times for topography and crustal structure, and will invert the corrected delay times for 3D mantle structure. The average P-wave delay time from all events for each station fit to a surface. An interpolated surface of these values is shown in the background. The gray lines are accretionary provinces from Whitmeyer & Karlstrom (2007).

Delay in surgery predisposes to meniscal and chondral injuries in anterior cruciate ligament deficient knees.

PubMed

Gupta, Ravi; Masih, Gladson David; Chander, Gaurav; Bachhal, Vikas

2016-09-01

Despite improvements in instability after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction, associated intraarticular injuries remain a major cause of concern and important prognostic factor for long term results as it may lead to osteoarthritis. Delay in ACL reconstruction has been in variably linked to increase in these injuries but there is lack of consensus regarding optimal timing of reconstruction. The goal of this study was to investigate delay in surgery and other factors, associated with intraarticular injuries in ACL deficient knees. A total of 438 patients (42 females; 396 males) enrolled for this prospective observational study. The average age of patients was 26.43 (range 17-51 years) years with a mean surgical delay of 78.91 (range 1 week - 18 years) weeks after injury. We analyzed the factors of age, sex, surgical delay, instability, and level of activity for possible association with intraarticular injuries. Medial meniscus injuries had a significant association with surgical delay ( P = 0.000) after a delay of 6 months. Lateral meniscus injuries had a significant association with degree of instability ( P = 0.001). Medial-sided articular injuries were significantly affected by age (0.005) with an odds ratio (OR) of 1.048 (95% confidence interval [CI] of 1.014-1.082) reflecting 4.8% rise in incidence with each year. Lateral-sided injuries were associated with female sex ( P = 0.018) with OR of 2.846 (95% CI of 1.200-6.752). The level of activity failed to reveal any significant associations. Surgical delay predicts an increase in medial meniscal and lateral articular injuries justifying early rather than delayed reconstruction in ACL deficient knees. Increasing age is positively related to intraarticular injuries while females are more susceptible to lateral articular injuries.

Feasibility study of a combined treatment of electromyography-triggered neuromuscular stimulation and mirror therapy in stroke patients: a randomized crossover trial.

PubMed

Kojima, Kosuke; Ikuno, Koki; Morii, Yuta; Tokuhisa, Kentaro; Morimoto, Shigeru; Shomoto, Koji

2014-01-01

Mirror therapy (MT) and electromyography-triggered neuromuscular stimulation (ETMS) are both effective treatments for impaired upper limbs following stroke. A combination of these two treatments (ETMS-MT) may result in greater gain than either treatment alone. The feasibility and possible effects of ETMS-MT upon upper extremity function were investigated in stroke patients. Thirteen post-acute stroke patients were randomly assigned to an immediate ETMS-MT group or a delayed ETMS-MT group and then underwent an 8-week training program. The immediate ETMS-MT group received ETMS-MT in addition to physical and occupational therapy (PT+OT) for 4 weeks. They then received only PT+OT for the next 4 weeks. In the delayed ETMS-MT group, interventions were provided in the reverse order. The main outcome measure was the Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA). The immediate ETMS-MT group showed significantly greater gain in FMA in the first 4 weeks. The delayed ETMS-MT group showed significantly greater gain in active range of motion during the latter 4 weeks. No adverse effects were reported following ETMS-MT. ETMS-MT might be as effective as independent MT or ETMS without causing any side effects. Future research should focus upon the direct comparisons between independent and combined interventions.

Intranasal insulin to improve developmental delay in children with 22q13 deletion syndrome: an exploratory clinical trial.

PubMed

Schmidt, H; Kern, W; Giese, R; Hallschmid, M; Enders, A

2009-04-01

The 22q13 deletion syndrome (Phelan-McDermid syndrome) is characterised by a global developmental delay, absent or delayed speech, generalised hypotonia, autistic behaviour and characteristic phenotypic features. Intranasal insulin has been shown to improve declarative memory in healthy adult subjects and in patients with Alzheimer disease. To assess if intranasal insulin is also able to improve the developmental delay in children with 22q13 deletion syndrome. We performed exploratory clinical trials in six children with 22q13 deletion syndrome who received intranasal insulin over a period of 1 year. Short-term (during the first 6 weeks) and long-term effects (after 12 months of treatment) on motor skills, cognitive functions, or autonomous functions, speech and communication, emotional state, social behaviour, behavioural disorders, independence in daily living and education were assessed. The children showed marked short-term improvements in gross and fine motor activities, cognitive functions and educational level. Positive long-term effects were found for fine and gross motor activities, nonverbal communication, cognitive functions and autonomy. Possible side effects were found in one patient who displayed changes in balance, extreme sensitivity to touch and general loss of interest. One patient complained of intermittent nose bleeding. We conclude that long-term administration of intranasal insulin may benefit motor development, cognitive functions and spontaneous activity in children with 22q13 deletion syndrome.

Temporal binding of neural responses for focused attention in biosonar.

PubMed

Simmons, James A

2014-08-15

Big brown bats emit biosonar sounds and perceive their surroundings from the delays of echoes received by the ears. Broadcasts are frequency modulated (FM) and contain two prominent harmonics sweeping from 50 to 25 kHz (FM1) and from 100 to 50 kHz (FM2). Individual frequencies in each broadcast and each echo evoke single-spike auditory responses. Echo delay is encoded by the time elapsed between volleys of responses to broadcasts and volleys of responses to echoes. If echoes have the same spectrum as broadcasts, the volley of neural responses to FM1 and FM2 is internally synchronized for each sound, which leads to sharply focused delay images. Because of amplitude-latency trading, disruption of response synchrony within the volleys occurs if the echoes are lowpass filtered, leading to blurred, defocused delay images. This effect is consistent with the temporal binding hypothesis for perceptual image formation. Bats perform inexplicably well in cluttered surroundings where echoes from off-side objects ought to cause masking. Off-side echoes are lowpass filtered because of the shape of the broadcast beam, and they evoke desynchronized auditory responses. The resulting defocused images of clutter do not mask perception of focused images for targets. Neural response synchronization may select a target to be the focus of attention, while desynchronization may impose inattention on the surroundings by defocusing perception of clutter. The formation of focused biosonar images from synchronized neural responses, and the defocusing that occurs with disruption of synchrony, quantitatively demonstrates how temporal binding may control attention and bring a perceptual object into existence. © 2014. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Emotionally negative pictures enhance gist memory.

PubMed

Bookbinder, S H; Brainerd, C J

2017-02-01

In prior work on how true and false memory are influenced by emotion, valence and arousal have often been conflated. Thus, it is difficult to say which specific effects are caused by valence and which are caused by arousal. In the present research, we used a picture-memory paradigm that allowed emotional valence to be manipulated with arousal held constant. Negatively valenced pictures elevated both true and false memory, relative to positive and neutral pictures. Conjoint recognition modeling revealed that negative valence (a) reduced erroneous suppression of true memories and (b) increased the familiarity of the semantic content of both true and false memories. Overall, negative valence impaired the verbatim side of episodic memory but enhanced the gist side, and these effects persisted even after a week-long delay. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Rapamycin: An InhibiTOR of Aging Emerges From the Soil of Easter Island.

PubMed

Arriola Apelo, Sebastian I; Lamming, Dudley W

2016-07-01

Rapamycin (sirolimus) is a macrolide immunosuppressant that inhibits the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) protein kinase and extends lifespan in model organisms including mice. Although rapamycin is an FDA-approved drug for select indications, a diverse set of negative side effects may preclude its wide-scale deployment as an antiaging therapy. mTOR forms two different protein complexes, mTORC1 and mTORC2; the former is acutely sensitive to rapamycin whereas the latter is only chronically sensitive to rapamycin in vivo. Over the past decade, it has become clear that although genetic and pharmacological inhibition of mTORC1 extends lifespan and delays aging, inhibition of mTORC2 has negative effects on mammalian health and longevity and is responsible for many of the negative side effects of rapamycin. In this review, we discuss recent advances in understanding the molecular and physiological effects of rapamycin treatment, and we discuss how the use of alternative rapamycin treatment regimens or rapamycin analogs has the potential to mitigate the deleterious side effects of rapamycin treatment by more specifically targeting mTORC1. Although the side effects of rapamycin are still of significant concern, rapid progress is being made in realizing the revolutionary potential of rapamycin-based therapies for the treatment of diseases of aging. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Effects of nutritional supplementation on children with HIV/AIDS in China.

PubMed

Maggie, Zgambo; He, Guoping; Wang, Honghong

2012-03-01

The purpose of the review was to explore the effects of nutritional supplements in children with HIV/AIDS. Nutritional supplements were found to have both positive and negative effects in HIV/ AIDS children. It was found that selenium helps to boost immunity. Vitamin D supplementation was found to delay mother to child transmission (MTCT) of HIV and to reduce stunted growth associated with persistent diarrhea. Vitamins B, C, and E were found to delay HIV disease progression, reduce oxidative stress and HIV viral load. Multivitamin supplementation was found to be more effective in delaying HIV disease progression. Protein nutrition was found to improve cognitive and motor developments of children as well as helping HIV-positive children achieve 100% weight for height. Some nutrient supplements, however, were found to have negative effects on HIV/AIDS children. Vitamin A was found to double the risk of mortality of HIV/AIDS in infants exposed to HIV via breastfeeding. Zinc was found to have a positive effect on production of infectious virus through its action on reverse transcriptase. Some micronutrional interact with each other leading to harmful side effects such as diarrhea. Some nutritional supplements interact with antiretroviral drugs leading to treatment failure. It is important for children to be given right doses of nutritional supplements and that their immune system should be closely monitored.

Neurokinin-1 receptor antagonists for chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting.

PubMed

Aziz, Fahad

2012-07-01

Chemotherapy can be a life-prolonging treatment for many cancer patients, but it is often associated with profound nausea and vomiting that is so distressing that patients may delay or decline treatment to avoid these side effects. The discovery of several NK1 receptor antagonists is a big revolution to dealt this problem. NK1 receptor antagonists prevent both acute and delayed chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV). These agents act centrally at NK-1 receptors in vomiting centers within the central nervous system to block their activation by substance P released as an unwanted consequence of chemotherapy. By controlling nausea and vomiting, these agents help improve patients' daily living and their ability to complete multiple cycles of chemotherapy. They are effective for both moderately and highly emetogenic chemotherapy regimens. Their use might be associated with increased infection rates; however, additional appraisal of specific data from RCTs is needed.

Basolateral amygdala lesions and sensitivity to reinforcer magnitude in concurrent chains schedules.

PubMed

Helms, Christa M; Mitchell, Suzanne H

2008-08-22

Previous studies show that the basolateral amygdala (BLA) is required for behavior to adjust when the value of a reinforcer decreases after satiation or pairing with gastric distress. This study evaluated the effect of pre- or post-training excitotoxic lesions of the BLA on changes in preference with another type of contingency change, reinforcer magnitude reversal. Rats were trained to press left and right levers during a variable-interval choice phase for 50 microl or 150 microl sucrose delivered to consistent locations after a 16-s delay. Tones were presented during the first and last 2s of the delay to reinforcement. The tone frequency predicted the magnitude of sucrose reinforcement in baseline conditions. All groups acquired stable preference for the lever on the large (150 microl) reinforcer side. However, nose poking during the delay to large reinforcement was highly accurate (i.e., to the reinforced side) for all groups except the rats with BLA lesions induced before training, suggesting impaired control of behavior by the tone. After the acquisition of stable preference, the locations of the reinforcer magnitudes were unpredictably reversed for a single session. Pre-training lesions blunted changes in preference when the reinforcer magnitudes were reversed. Lesions induced after stable preference was acquired, but prior to reversal, did not disrupt changes in preference. The data suggest that the BLA contributes to the adaptation of choice behavior following changes in reinforcer magnitude. Impaired learning about the tone-reinforcer magnitude relationships may have disrupted discrimination of the reinforcer magnitude reversal.

Effects of adding Braun jejunojejunostomy to standard Whipple procedure on reduction of afferent loop syndrome - a randomized clinical trial.

PubMed

Kakaei, Farzad; Beheshtirouy, Samad; Nejatollahi, Seyed Moahammad Reza; Rashidi, Iqbal; Asvadi, Touraj; Habibzadeh, Afshin; Oliaei-Motlagh, Mohammad

2015-12-01

Whipple surgery (pancreaticodeudenectomy) has a high complication rate. We aimed to evaluate whether adding Braun jejunojejunostomy (side-to-side anastomosis of afferent and efferent loops distal to the gastrojejunostomy site) to a standard Whipple procedure would reduce postoperative complications. We conducted a randomized clinical trial comparing patients who underwent standard Whipple surgery (standard group) and patients who underwent standard Whipple surgery with Braun jejunojejunostomy (Braun group). Patients were followed for 1 month after the procedure and postoperative complications were recorded. Our study included 30 patients: 15 in the Braun and 15 in the standard group. In the Braun group, 4 (26.7%) patients experienced 6 complications, whereas in the standard group, 7 (46.7%) patients experienced 11 complications (p = 0.14). Complications in the Braun group were gastrointestinal bleeding and wound infection (n = 1 each) and delayed gastric emptying and pulmonary infection (n = 2 each). Complications in the standard group were death, pancreatic anastomosis leak and biliary anastomosis leak (n = 1 each); gastrointestinal bleeding (n = 2); and afferent loop syndrome and delayed gastric emptying (n = 3 each). There was no significant difference between groups in the subtypes of complications. Our results showed that adding Braun jejunojejunostomy to standard Whipple procedure was associated with lower rates of afferent loop syndrome and delayed gastric emptying. However, more studies are needed to define the role of Braun jejunojejunostomy in this regard. IRCT2014020316473N1 (www.irct.ir).

Melatonin regulates delayed embryonic development in the short-nosed fruit bat, Cynopterus sphinx.

PubMed

Banerjee, Arnab; Meenakumari, K J; Udin, S; Krishna, A

2009-12-01

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the seasonal variation in serum melatonin levels and their relationship to the changes in the serum progesterone level, ovarian steroidogenesis, and embryonic development during two successive pregnancies of Cynopterus sphinx. Circulating melatonin concentrations showed two peaks; one coincided with the period of low progesterone synthesis and delayed embryonic development, whereas the second peak coincided with regressing corpus luteum. This finding suggests that increased serum melatonin level during November-December may be responsible for delayed embryonic development by suppressing progesterone synthesis. The study showed increased melatonin receptors (MTNR1A and MTNR1B) in the corpus luteum and in the utero-embryonic unit during the period of delayed embryonic development. The in vitro study showed that a high dose of melatonin suppressed progesterone synthesis, whereas a lower dose of melatonin increased progesterone synthesis by the ovary. The effects of melatonin on ovarian steroidogenesis are mediated through changes in the expression of peripheral-type benzodiazepine receptor, P450 side chain cleavage enzyme, and LH receptor proteins. This study further showed a suppressive impact of melatonin on the progesterone receptor (PGR) in the utero-embryonic unit; this effect might contribute to delayed embryonic development in C. sphinx. The results of the present study thus suggest that a high circulating melatonin level has a dual contribution in retarding embryonic development in C. sphinx by impairing progesterone synthesis as well as by inhibiting progesterone action by reducing expression of PGR in the utero-embryonic unit.

Comparison of tensiomyographic neuromuscular characteristics between muscles of the dominant and non-dominant lower extremity in male soccer players.

PubMed

Alvarez-Diaz, Pedro; Alentorn-Geli, Eduard; Ramon, Silvia; Marin, Miguel; Steinbacher, Gilbert; Rius, Marta; Seijas, Roberto; Ballester, Jordi; Cugat, Ramon

2016-07-01

Tensiomyography (TMG) has been used to assess neuromuscular characteristics of muscles of the lower extremity in soccer players. However, the effects of lower extremity dominance on TMG characteristics in this population have not been reported to date. The purpose of this study was to compare the TMG neuromuscular characteristics between the dominant and non-dominant lower extremity in male soccer players. Thirty-eight consecutive healthy male soccer players underwent resting TMG assessment of vastus medialis (VM), vastus lateralis (VL), rectus femoris (RF), semitendinosus (ST), biceps femoris (BF), gastrocnemius medialis (GM), and gastrocnemius lateralis (GL) in both lower extremities. The maximal displacement, delay time, contraction time, sustained time, and half-relaxation time were obtained and compared between both sides. There were no significant differences in the vast majority of the TMG parameters between both lower extremities. The dominant side demonstrated higher VM contraction time (p = 0.008), RF sustained time (p = 0.009), RF half-relaxation time (p = 0.01), and BF sustained time (p = 0.04), but lower VL contraction time (p = 0.03) and VL delay time (p = 0.02) compared to the non-dominant side. In general, TMG-assessed neuromuscular characteristics of the VM, VL, RF, ST, BF, GM, and GL were not affected by lower extremity dominance in male soccer players. Therefore, there is no need to assess both sides when using TMG to monitor the response to training or muscles at risk of injury in soccer players unless there is a specific reason. Prognostic study, Level II.

Modeling Altruistic and Aggressive Driver Behavior in a No-Notice Evacuation

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

Brandstetter, Tim; Garrow, Dr. Laurie; Hunter, Dr. Michael

2007-01-01

This study examines the impact of altruistic and aggressive driver behavior on the effectiveness of an evacuation for a section of downtown Atlanta. The study area includes 37 signalized intersections, seven ramps, and 48 parking lots that vary by size, type (lot versus garage), peak volume, and number of ingress and egress points. A detailed microscopic model of the study area was created in VISSIM. Different scenarios examined the impacts of driver behavior on parking lot discharge rates and the loading rates from side streets on primary evacuation routes. A new methodology was created to accurately represent parking lot dischargemore » rates. This study is also unique in that it assumes a "worst case scenario" that occurs with no advance notice during the morning peak period, when vehicles must transition from inbound to outbound routes. Simulation results indicate that while overall network clearance times are similar across scenarios, the distribution of delay on individual routes and across parking lots differ markedly. More equitable solutions (defined as the allocation of delay from parking lots and side streets to main evacuation routes) were observed with altruistic driver behavior.« less

[A patient with acute Philadelphia-chromosome-positive mixed phenotype leukemia developing ecthyma gangrenosum while undergoing combined imatinib mesylate chemotherapy].

PubMed

Suzuki, Kei; Sekine, Takao

2014-05-01

A 67-year-old woman with acute Philadelphia-chromosome-positive mixed phenotype leukemia developed bilateral periorbital ecthyma gangrenousum (EG) subsequent to periorbital edema while undergoing combined imatinib mesylate (imatinib) chemotherapy. Although initial periorbital edema was considered an imatinib side effect, the lesion deteriorated rapidly with high fever in the neutropenic phase, and the woman died of septic shock. Cultures from blood and exudative fluid grew Pseudomonas aeruginosa, after which EG was diagnosed. EG is a well-recognized emergent cutaneous infection most commonly associated with Pseudomonas aeruginosa bactremia. Because some patients present with EG a few days prior to developing life-threatening septicemia, it is important that EG be diagnosed correctly. Imatinib side effects such as edema are usually tolerable, and imatinib is widely used to treat Philadelphia-chromosome-positive leukemia, particularly in those with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, and neutropenic patients undergoing imatinib therapy are expected to increase in number. Delay in initiating appropriate therapy is correlated with poor outcome, so drug side effects and EG must be carefully differentiated when skin edema with surrounding erythema is noted in neutropenic patients undergoing imatinib therapy.

β-particle energy-summing correction for β-delayed proton emission measurements

DOE PAGES

Meisel, Z.; del Santo, M.; Crawford, H. L.; ...

2016-11-14

One common approach to studying β-delayed proton emission is to measure the energy of the emitted proton and corresponding nuclear recoil in a double-sided silicon-strip detector (DSSD) after implanting the β-delayed proton-emitting (βp) nucleus. However, in order to extract the proton-decay energy, the measured energy must be corrected for the additional energy implanted in the DSSD by the β-particle emitted from the βp nucleus, an effect referred to here as β-summing. Here, we present an approach to determine an accurate correction for β-summing. Our method relies on the determination of the mean implantation depth of the βp nucleus within themore » DSSD by analyzing the shape of the total (proton + recoil + β) decay energy distribution shape. We validate this approach with other mean implantation depth measurement techniques that take advantage of energy deposition within DSSDs upstream and downstream of the implantation DSSD.« less

The fibres and polyphenols in sea buckthorn (Hippophaë rhamnoides) extraction residues delay postprandial lipemia.

PubMed

Linderborg, Kaisa M; Lehtonen, Henna-Maria; Järvinen, Riikka; Viitanen, Matti; Kallio, Heikki

2012-06-01

The triacylglycerol (TAG) response to fatty meals containing dried and crushed berries or berry extraction residues was studied in a postprandial cross-over study with healthy normal-weight male volunteers. The berry material included sea buckthorn berries, sea buckthorn CO₂ extraction residue (CO₂-sea buckthorn) and sea buckthorn or black currant CO₂ and ethanol extraction residue (CO₂-EtOH-sea buckthorn, CO₂-EtOH-black currant). Extraction residues were used in order to advance the potential use of valuable side stream components containing polyphenols and fibre as human food. Compared to the berry-depleted control, all berry meals delayed lipemia, whereas there were no differences in the total area under the TAG response curve. The lipemic delay largely derived from the fibre rather than from the polyphenols. Even so, the effect of polyphenols may be complementary since sea buckthorn and CO₂-sea buckthorn showed significant differences in relation to control in a wider range of TAG areas than polyphenol-depleted CO₂-EtOH-sea buckthorn.

OSLG: A new granting scheme in WDM Ethernet passive optical networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Razmkhah, Ali; Rahbar, Akbar Ghaffarpour

2011-12-01

Several granting schemes have been proposed to grant transmission window and dynamic bandwidth allocation (DBA) in passive optical networks (PON). Generally, granting schemes suffer from bandwidth wastage of granted windows. Here, we propose a new granting scheme for WDM Ethernet PONs, called optical network unit (ONU) Side Limited Granting (OSLG) that conserves upstream bandwidth, thus resulting in decreasing queuing delay and packet drop ratio. In OSLG instead of optical line terminal (OLT), each ONU determines its transmission window. Two OSLG algorithms are proposed in this paper: the OSLG_GA algorithm that determines the size of its transmission window in such a way that the bandwidth wastage problem is relieved, and the OSLG_SC algorithm that saves unused bandwidth for more bandwidth utilization later on. The OSLG can be used as granting scheme of any DBA to provide better performance in the terms of packet drop ratio and queuing delay. Our performance evaluations show the effectiveness of OSLG in reducing packet drop ratio and queuing delay under different DBA techniques.

Z-path SAW RFID tag.

PubMed

Härmä, Sanna; Plessky, Victor P; Hartmann, Clinton S; Steichen, William

2008-01-01

Surface acoustic wave (SAW) radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags are soon expected to be produced in very high volumes. The size and cost of a SAW RFID tag will be key parameters for many applications. Therefore, it is of primary importance to reduce the chip size. In this work, we describe the design principles of a 2.4-GHz SAW RFID tag that is significantly smaller than earlier reported tags. We also present simulated and experimental results. The coded signal should arrive at the reader with a certain delay (typically about 1 micros), i.e., after the reception of environmental echoes. If the tag uses a bidirectional interdigital transducer (IDT), space for the initial delay is needed on both sides of the IDT. In this work, we replace the bidirectional IDT by a unidirectional one. This halves the space required by the initial delay because all the code reflectors must now be placed on the same side of the IDT. We reduce tag size even further by using a Z-path geometry in which the same space in x-direction is used for both the initial delay and the code reflectors. Chip length is thus determined only by the space required by the code reflectors.

Bone age in cerebral palsy

PubMed Central

Miranda, Eduardo Régis de Alencar Bona; Palmieri, Maurício D'arc; de Assumpção, Rodrigo Montezuma César; Yamada, Helder Henzo; Rancan, Daniela Regina; Fucs, Patrícia Maria de Moraes Barros

2013-01-01

Objective To compare the chronological age and bone age among cerebral palsy patients in the outpatient clinic and its correlation with the type of neurological involvement, gender and functional status. Methods 401 patients with spastic cerebral palsy, and ages ranging from three months to 20 years old, submitted to radiological examination for bone age and analyzed by two independent observers according Greulich & Pyle. Results In the topographic distribution, there was a significant delay (p<0.005) in tetraparetic (17.7 months), hemiparetic (10.1 months), and diparetic patients (7.9 months). In the hemiparetic group, the mean bone age in the affected side was 96.88 months and the uncompromised side was 101.13 months (p<0.005). Regarding functional status, the ambulatory group showed a delay of 18.73 months in bone age (p<0.005). Comparing bone age between genders, it was observed a greater delay in males (13.59 months) than in females (9.63 months), but not statistically significant (p = 0.54). Conclusion There is a delay in bone age compared to chronological age influenced by the topography of spasticity, functional level and gender in patients with cerebral palsy. Level of Evidence IV, Case Series. PMID:24453693

Hypoxia and hypoxia inducible factor-1α are required for normal endometrial repair during menstruation.

PubMed

Maybin, Jacqueline A; Murray, Alison A; Saunders, Philippa T K; Hirani, Nikhil; Carmeliet, Peter; Critchley, Hilary O D

2018-01-23

Heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB) is common and debilitating, and often requires surgery due to hormonal side effects from medical therapies. Here we show that transient, physiological hypoxia occurs in the menstrual endometrium to stabilise hypoxia inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) and drive repair of the denuded surface. We report that women with HMB have decreased endometrial HIF-1α during menstruation and prolonged menstrual bleeding. In a mouse model of simulated menses, physiological endometrial hypoxia occurs during bleeding. Maintenance of mice under hyperoxia during menses decreases HIF-1α induction and delays endometrial repair. The same effects are observed upon genetic or pharmacological reduction of endometrial HIF-1α. Conversely, artificial induction of hypoxia by pharmacological stabilisation of HIF-1α rescues the delayed endometrial repair in hypoxia-deficient mice. These data reveal a role for HIF-1 in the endometrium and suggest its pharmacological stabilisation during menses offers an effective, non-hormonal treatment for women with HMB.

Phrenic Arterial Injury Presenting as Delayed Hemothorax Complicating Simple Rib Fracture.

PubMed

Ahn, Hong Joon; Lee, Jun Wan; Kim, Kun Dong; You, In Sool

2016-04-01

Delayed hemothorax after blunt torso injury is rare, but might be associated with significant morbidity and mortality. We present a case of delayed hemothorax bleeding from phrenic artery injury in a 24-year-old woman. The patient suffered from multiple rib fractures on the right side, a right hemopneumothorax, thoracic vertebral injury and a pelvic bone fracture after a fall from a fourth floor window. Delayed hemothorax associated with phrenic artery bleeding, caused by a stab injury from a fractured rib segment, was treated successfully by a minimally invasive thoracoscopic surgery. Here, we have shown that fracture of a lower rib or ribs might be accompanied by delayed massive hemothorax that can be rapidly identified and promptly managed by thoracoscopic means.

Phrenic Arterial Injury Presenting as Delayed Hemothorax Complicating Simple Rib Fracture

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Delayed hemothorax after blunt torso injury is rare, but might be associated with significant morbidity and mortality. We present a case of delayed hemothorax bleeding from phrenic artery injury in a 24-year-old woman. The patient suffered from multiple rib fractures on the right side, a right hemopneumothorax, thoracic vertebral injury and a pelvic bone fracture after a fall from a fourth floor window. Delayed hemothorax associated with phrenic artery bleeding, caused by a stab injury from a fractured rib segment, was treated successfully by a minimally invasive thoracoscopic surgery. Here, we have shown that fracture of a lower rib or ribs might be accompanied by delayed massive hemothorax that can be rapidly identified and promptly managed by thoracoscopic means. PMID:27051252

On the Behavioral Side of Procrastination: Exploring Behavioral Delay in Real-Life Settings

PubMed Central

Svartdal, Frode; Granmo, Sjur; Færevaag, Fredrik S.

2018-01-01

This paper examines how procrastinators behave differently from non-procrastinators in implementing intended behavior. By focusing on time-related attributes of behavior, we demonstrate in five studies (aggregated N = 965) that onset delay seems to be a preferred option for procrastinators in common daily situations. Thus, when an action possibility is available for intended behavior, procrastinators tend to delay behavior onset, both in actual behavior and in onset preferences, often instigating chains of events with negative consequences. We discuss possible mechanisms responsible for such delays and explore how such mechanisms generate and sustain dilatory behavior. We conclude that a better understanding of why behavioral delays occur in early phases of action implementation is of importance in understanding and preventing procrastination. PMID:29867696

On the Behavioral Side of Procrastination: Exploring Behavioral Delay in Real-Life Settings.

PubMed

Svartdal, Frode; Granmo, Sjur; Færevaag, Fredrik S

2018-01-01

This paper examines how procrastinators behave differently from non-procrastinators in implementing intended behavior. By focusing on time-related attributes of behavior, we demonstrate in five studies (aggregated N = 965) that onset delay seems to be a preferred option for procrastinators in common daily situations. Thus, when an action possibility is available for intended behavior, procrastinators tend to delay behavior onset, both in actual behavior and in onset preferences, often instigating chains of events with negative consequences. We discuss possible mechanisms responsible for such delays and explore how such mechanisms generate and sustain dilatory behavior. We conclude that a better understanding of why behavioral delays occur in early phases of action implementation is of importance in understanding and preventing procrastination.

Timing and adequate attendance of antenatal care visits among women in Ethiopia

PubMed Central

Bishwajit, Ghose; Ekholuenetale, Michael; Shah, Vaibhav; Kadio, Bernard; Udenigwe, Ogochukwu

2017-01-01

Introduction Although ANC services are increasingly available to women in low and middle-income countries, their inadequate use persists. This suggests a misalignment between aims of the services and maternal beliefs and circumstances. Owing to the dearth of studies examining the timing and adequacy of content of care, this current study aims to investigate the timing and frequency of ANC visits in Ethiopia. Methods Data was obtained from the nationally representative 2011 Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey (EDHS) which used a two-stage cluster sampling design to provide estimates for the health and demographic variables of interest for the country. Our study focused on a sample of 10,896 women with history of at least one childbirth event. Percentages of timing and adequacy of ANC visits were conducted across the levels of selected factors. Variables which were associated at 5% significance level were examined in the multivariable logistic regression model for association between timing and frequency of ANC visits and the explanatory variables while controlling for covariates. Furthermore, we presented the approach to estimate marginal effects involving covariate-adjusted logistic regression with corresponding 95%CI of delayed initiation of ANC visits and inadequate ANC attendance. The method used involved predicted probabilities added up to a weighted average showing the covariate distribution in the population. Results Results indicate that 66.3% of women did not use ANC at first trimester and 22.3% had ANC less than 4 visits. The results of this study were unique in that the association between delayed ANC visits and adequacy of ANC visits were examined using multivariable logistic model and the marginal effects using predicted probabilities. Results revealed that older age interval has higher odds of inadequate ANC visits. More so, type of place of residence was associated with delayed initiation of ANC visits, with rural women having the higher odds of delayed initiation of ANC visits (OR = 1.65; 95%CI: 1.26–2.18). However, rural women had 44% reduction in the odds of having inadequate ANC visits. In addition, multi-parity showed higher odds of delayed initiation of ANC visit when compared to the primigravida (OR = 2.20; 95%CI: 1.07–2.69). On the contrary, there was 36% reduction in the odds of multigravida having inadequate ANC visits when compared to the women who were primigravida. There were higher odds of inadequacy in ANC visits among women who engaged in sales/business, agriculture, skilled manual and other jobs when compared to women who currently do not work, after adjusting for covariates. From the predictive margins, assuming the distribution of all covariates remained the same among respondents, but everyone was aged 15–19 years, we would expect 71.8% delayed initiation of ANC visit. If everyone was aged 20-24years, 73.4%; 25-29years, 66.5%; 30-34years, 64.8%; 35-39years, 65.6%; 40-44years, 59.6% and 45-49years, we would expect 70.1% delayed initiation of ANC visit. If instead the distribution of age was as observed and for other covariates remained the same among respondents, but no respondent lived in the rural, we would expect about 61.4% delayed initiation of ANC visit; if however, everyone lived in the rural, and we would expect 71.6% delayed initiation in ANC visit. Model III revealed the predictive margins of all factors examined for delayed initiation for ANC visits, while Model IV presented the predictive marginal effects of the determinants of adequacy of ANC visits. Conclusion The precise mechanism by which these factors affect ANC visits remain blurred at best. There may be factors on the demand side like the women’s empowerment, financial support of the husband, knowledge of ANC visits in the context of timing, frequency and the expectations of ANC visits might be mediating the effects through the factors found associated in this study. Supply side factors like the quality of ANC services, skilled staff, and geographic location of the health centers also mediate their effects through the highlighted factors. Irrespective of the knowledge about the precise mechanism of action, policy makers could focus on improving women’s empowerment, improving women’s education, reducing wealth inequity and facilitating improved utilization of ANC through modifications on the supply side factors such as geographic location and focus on hard to reach women. PMID:28922383

Double-Stage Delay Multiply and Sum Beamforming Algorithm Applied to Ultrasound Medical Imaging.

PubMed

Mozaffarzadeh, Moein; Sadeghi, Masume; Mahloojifar, Ali; Orooji, Mahdi

2018-03-01

In ultrasound (US) imaging, delay and sum (DAS) is the most common beamformer, but it leads to low-quality images. Delay multiply and sum (DMAS) was introduced to address this problem. However, the reconstructed images using DMAS still suffer from the level of side lobes and low noise suppression. Here, a novel beamforming algorithm is introduced based on expansion of the DMAS formula. We found that there is a DAS algebra inside the expansion, and we proposed use of the DMAS instead of the DAS algebra. The introduced method, namely double-stage DMAS (DS-DMAS), is evaluated numerically and experimentally. The quantitative results indicate that DS-DMAS results in an approximately 25% lower level of side lobes compared with DMAS. Moreover, the introduced method leads to 23%, 22% and 43% improvement in signal-to-noise ratio, full width at half-maximum and contrast ratio, respectively, compared with the DMAS beamformer. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Gravitropism in higher plant shoots. IV - Further studies on participation of ethylene

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wheeler, Raymond M.; White, Rosemary G.; Salisbury, Frank B.

1986-01-01

Various hypotheses regarding the influence of ethylene on gravitropism in higher plant shoots were experimentally tested. It was found that ethylene at 1.0 and 10.0 cu cm/cu m decreased the rate of gravitropic bending in cocklebur stems, while 0.1 cm/cu m of ethylene had little effect. Treating cocklebur plants with 1.0 mmol aminoethoxyvinylglycine (AVG, an ethylene synthesis inhibitor) delayed stem bending compared with controls, but adding 0.1 cu cm/cu m ethylene in the surrounding atmosphere partially restored the rate of bending of AVG-treated plants. Virtually all newly synthesized ethylene appeared in bottom halves of horizontal stems, where ethylene concentrations were as much as 100 times those in upright stems or in top halves of horizontal stems. Auxin applied to one side of a vertical stem caused extreme bending away from that side; gibberellic acid, kinetin, and abscisic acid were without effect.

Tonic cervical influences on eye nystagmus following hemilabyrinthectomy: immediate and plastic effects.

PubMed

Pettorossi, V E; Petrosini, L

1984-12-17

In intact guinea pigs a passive horizontal rotation of the body about the fixed head induces compensatory ocular movements (cervico-ocular reflex). When the static neck deviation is maintained, a significant ocular displacement is observed. In acutely hemilabyrinthectomized animals, static body deviation towards the lesion side tonically alters eye nystagmus. It affects slow phase eye velocity and quick phase amplitude and frequency causing the eye to reach a less eccentric orbital position. Apart from such immediate influences, a plastic effect on eye nystagmus abatement is induced. In the animals restrained with no body-on-head deviation, abatement of nystagmus is delayed with respect to the animals restrained with 35 degrees body deviation towards the lesion side. Thus the head position signal is not only a contributing factor for the correction of postural deficits but also influences the time course of the ocular balancing process following unilateral vestibular damage.

Heparin allergy: delayed-type non-IgE-mediated allergic hypersensitivity to subcutaneous heparin injection.

PubMed

Trautmann, Axel; Seitz, Cornelia S

2009-08-01

Itching erythematous or eczematous plaques around injection sites are quite frequent side effects of heparin treatment and clinical symptoms of delayed-type non-IgE-mediated allergic hypersensitivity (DTH) to heparin. For diagnosis, intradermal, patch, and subcutaneous challenge tests with heparins are suitable. In most cases, changing the subcutaneous therapy from unfractionated to low molecular weight heparin or treatment with heparinoids does not provide improvement because of extensive cross-reactivity. Hirudin polypeptides, which exhibit a different chemical structure, are a safe therapeutic alternative for subcutaneous application, however. Importantly, despite DTH to subcutaneously injected heparins, most patients tolerate heparin intravenously. Moreover, in case of therapeutic necessity and DTH to heparins, the simple shift from subcutaneous to intravenous heparin administration without prior testing may be justified.

Finite-time synchronization for memristor-based neural networks with time-varying delays.

PubMed

Abdurahman, Abdujelil; Jiang, Haijun; Teng, Zhidong

2015-09-01

Memristive network exhibits state-dependent switching behaviors due to the physical properties of memristor, which is an ideal tool to mimic the functionalities of the human brain. In this paper, finite-time synchronization is considered for a class of memristor-based neural networks with time-varying delays. Based on the theory of differential equations with discontinuous right-hand side, several new sufficient conditions ensuring the finite-time synchronization of memristor-based chaotic neural networks are obtained by using analysis technique, finite time stability theorem and adding a suitable feedback controller. Besides, the upper bounds of the settling time of synchronization are estimated. Finally, a numerical example is given to show the effectiveness and feasibility of the obtained results. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Delay in surgery predisposes to meniscal and chondral injuries in anterior cruciate ligament deficient knees

PubMed Central

Gupta, Ravi; Masih, Gladson David; Chander, Gaurav; Bachhal, Vikas

2016-01-01

Background: Despite improvements in instability after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction, associated intraarticular injuries remain a major cause of concern and important prognostic factor for long term results as it may lead to osteoarthritis. Delay in ACL reconstruction has been in variably linked to increase in these injuries but there is lack of consensus regarding optimal timing of reconstruction. The goal of this study was to investigate delay in surgery and other factors, associated with intraarticular injuries in ACL deficient knees. Materials and Methods: A total of 438 patients (42 females; 396 males) enrolled for this prospective observational study. The average age of patients was 26.43 (range 17–51 years) years with a mean surgical delay of 78.91 (range 1 week - 18 years) weeks after injury. We analyzed the factors of age, sex, surgical delay, instability, and level of activity for possible association with intraarticular injuries. Results: Medial meniscus injuries had a significant association with surgical delay (P = 0.000) after a delay of 6 months. Lateral meniscus injuries had a significant association with degree of instability (P = 0.001). Medial-sided articular injuries were significantly affected by age (0.005) with an odds ratio (OR) of 1.048 (95% confidence interval [CI] of 1.014–1.082) reflecting 4.8% rise in incidence with each year. Lateral-sided injuries were associated with female sex (P = 0.018) with OR of 2.846 (95% CI of 1.200–6.752). The level of activity failed to reveal any significant associations. Conclusion: Surgical delay predicts an increase in medial meniscal and lateral articular injuries justifying early rather than delayed reconstruction in ACL deficient knees. Increasing age is positively related to intraarticular injuries while females are more susceptible to lateral articular injuries. PMID:27746491

Yoga for veterans with chronic low back pain: Design and methods of a randomized clinical trial.

PubMed

Groessl, Erik J; Schmalzl, Laura; Maiya, Meghan; Liu, Lin; Goodman, Debora; Chang, Douglas G; Wetherell, Julie L; Bormann, Jill E; Atkinson, J Hamp; Baxi, Sunita

2016-05-01

Chronic low back pain (CLBP) afflicts millions of people worldwide, with particularly high prevalence in military veterans. Many treatment options exist for CLBP, but most have limited effectiveness and some have significant side effects. In general populations with CLBP, yoga has been shown to improve health outcomes with few side effects. However, yoga has not been adequately studied in military veteran populations. In the current paper we will describe the design and methods of a randomized clinical trial aimed at examining whether yoga can effectively reduce disability and pain in US military veterans with CLBP. A total of 144 US military veterans with CLBP will be randomized to either yoga or a delayed treatment comparison group. The yoga intervention will consist of 2× weekly yoga classes for 12weeks, complemented by regular home practice guided by a manual. The delayed treatment group will receive the same intervention after six months. The primary outcome is the change in back pain-related disability measured with the Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire at baseline and 12-weeks. Secondary outcomes include pain intensity, pain interference, depression, anxiety, fatigue/energy, quality of life, self-efficacy, sleep quality, and medication usage. Additional process and/or mediational factors will be measured to examine dose response and effect mechanisms. Assessments will be conducted at baseline, 6-weeks, 12-weeks, and 6-months. All randomized participants will be included in intention-to-treat analyses. Study results will provide much needed evidence on the feasibility and effectiveness of yoga as a therapeutic modality for the treatment of CLBP in US military veterans. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Two occurrences of delayed epidural hematoma in different areas following decompressive craniectomy for acute subdural hematoma in a single patient: a case report.

PubMed

Wu, Ruhong; Shi, Jia; Cao, Jiachao; Mao, Yumin; Dong, Bo

2017-12-04

Delayed epidural hematoma (DEH) following evacuation of traumatic acute subdural hematoma (ASDH) or acute epidural hematoma (EDH) is a rare but devastating complication, especially when it occurs sequentially in a single patient. A 19-year-old man who developed contralateral DEH following craniotomy for evacuation of a traumatic right-side ASDH and then developed a left-side DEH of the posterior cranial fossa after craniotomy for evacuation of the contralateral DEH. He was immediately returned to the operating room for additional surgeries and his neurological outcome was satisfactory. Although DEH occurring after evacuation of ASDH or acute EDH is a rare event, timely recognition is critical to prognosis.

Block of HERG human K(+) channel and IKr of guinea pig cardiomyocytes by chlorpromazine.

PubMed

Lee, So-Young; Choi, Se-Young; Youm, Jae Boum; Ho, Won-Kyung; Earm, Yung E; Lee, Chin O; Jo, Su-Hyun

2004-05-01

Chlorpromazine, a commonly used antipsychotic drug, has been known to induce QT prolongation and torsades de pointes, which can cause sudden death. We studied the effects of chlorpromazine on the human ether-a-go-go-related gene (HERG) channel expressed in Xenopus oocytes and on delayed rectifier K current of guinea pig ventricular myocytes. Application of chlorpromazine showed a dose-dependent decrease in the amplitudes of steady-state currents and tail currents of HERG. The decrease became more pronounced at increasingly positive potential, suggesting that the blockade of HERG by chlorpromazine is voltage dependent. IC50 for chlorpromazine block of HERG current was progressively decreased according to depolarization: IC50 values at -30, 0, and +30 mV were 10.5, 8.8, and 4.9 microM, respectively. The block of HERG current during the voltage step increased with time starting from a level 89% of the control current. In guinea pig ventricular myocytes, bath application of 2 and 5 microM chlorpromazine at 36 degree C blocked rapidly activating delayed rectifier K current (IKr) by 31 and 83%, respectively. How-ever, the same concentrations of chlorpromazine failed to significantly block slowly activating delayed rectifier K current (IKs). Our findings suggest that the arrhythmogenic side effect of chlorpromazine is caused by blockade of HERG and rapid component of delayed rectifier K current rather than by blockade of the slow component.

[The therapeutic effect of nanometer silver impregnated dressing on gunshot wounds after being immersed in brine and tapwater in rabbits].

PubMed

Chen, Bi; Ding, Guo-bin; Tang, Chao-wu

2004-03-22

To investigate the therapeutic effect of nanometer silver impregnated dressing on gunshot wounds after being immersed in brine and tapwater in rabbits. Rabbits were randomly divided into two groups after receiving gunshot wounds in both lower limbs. In group 1, the wounded limbs on the experimental side were immersed in brine for 5 h; in group 2, the wounded limbs on experimental side were immersed in tapwater for 5 h. All the wounds were treated with nanometer silver impregnated dressing on the experimental sides, while those of the control sides were treated with vaseline dressing. Biopsy was done after 30 min and 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 h, respectively. In group 1, the onset of inflammation around the wounds of the experimental sides was delayed, the inflammatory response was less serious, and the wounds were dry with less exudation compared to the controls. The mean healing time of the entry wounds on experimental and control sides was (29.4 +/- 6.6) d and (36.3 +/- 6.0) d (P < 0.01), respectively, and that of the exit wounds on experimental and control sides was (20.1 +/- 6.0) d and (27.3 +/- 5.7) d (P < 0.01), respectively. In group 2, only one of the experimental wounds showed mild inflammation, while all of the control wounds showed serious inflammation with much exudation. The mean healing time of the entry wounds on experimentsides was (13.0 +/- 1.52) d, while that on control sides was (16.0 +/- 3.10) d (P < 0.01). The mean healing time of exit wounds on experimental sides was (11.0 +/- 2.75) d, and those of the control sides was (15.6 +/- 2.85) d (P < 0.01). The nanometer silver impregnated dressing can control infection and accelerate healing in gunshot wounds in rabbits.

A loose bolt delays loading of Endeavour's external tank

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2000-01-01

This loose bracket, observed hanging down from the side of the White Room at Launch Pad 39B, delayed loading of Endeavour's external tank by several hours to allow technicians to remove it. A 'U' bolt connects the bracket to a fire suppression water line attached to the exterior of the White Room. The loose bolt could have possibly created a debris hazard.

Splenic trauma as an adverse effect of torso-protecting side airbags: biomechanical and case evidence.

PubMed

Hallman, Jason J; Brasel, Karen J; Yoganandan, Narayan; Pintar, Frank A

2009-10-01

Injury mechanisms from frontal airbags, first identified in anecdotal reports, are now well documented for pediatric, small female, and out-of-position occupants. In contrast, torso side airbags have not yet been consistently associated with specific injury risks in field assessments. To determine possible torso side airbag-related injuries, the present study identified crashes involving side airbags from reports within the CIREN, NASS, and SCI databases. Injury patterns were compared to patterns from lateral crashes in absence of side airbag. Splenic trauma (AIS 3+) was found present in five cases of torso side airbag deployment at lower impact severity (as measured by velocity change and compartment intrusion) than cases of splenic trauma without side airbag. Five additional cases were found to contain similar injury patterns but occurred with greater crash severity. To supplement case analyses, full scale sled tests were conducted with a THOR-NT dummy and cadaveric specimen. Four THOR tests with door- and seat-mounted torso side airbags confirmed that out-of-position (early inflation stage) airbag contact elevated thoracic injury metrics compared to optimal (fully inflated) contact. Out-of-position seat-mounted airbag deployment also produced AIS 3 splenic trauma in the cadaveric specimen. Due to potentially sudden or delayed onset of intraperitoneal hemorrhage and hypovolemic shock following splenic trauma, further biomechanical investigation of this anecdotal evidence is essential to identify injury mechanisms, prevention techniques, and methods for early diagnosis.

Splenic Trauma as an Adverse Effect of Torso-Protecting Side Airbags: Biomechanical and Case Evidence

PubMed Central

Hallman, Jason J.; Brasel, Karen J.; Yoganandan, Narayan; Pintar, Frank A.

2009-01-01

Injury mechanisms from frontal airbags, first identified in anecdotal reports, are now well documented for pediatric, small female, and out-of-position occupants. In contrast, torso side airbags have not yet been consistently associated with specific injury risks in field assessments. To determine possible torso side airbag-related injuries, the present study identified crashes involving side airbags from reports within the CIREN, NASS, and SCI databases. Injury patterns were compared to patterns from lateral crashes in absence of side airbag. Splenic trauma (AIS 3+) was found present in five cases of torso side airbag deployment at lower impact severity (as measured by velocity change and compartment intrusion) than cases of splenic trauma without side airbag. Five additional cases were found to contain similar injury patterns but occurred with greater crash severity. To supplement case analyses, full scale sled tests were conducted with a THOR-NT dummy and cadaveric specimen. Four THOR tests with door- and seat-mounted torso side airbags confirmed that out-of-position (early inflation stage) airbag contact elevated thoracic injury metrics compared to optimal (fully inflated) contact. Out-of-position seat-mounted airbag deployment also produced AIS 3 splenic trauma in the cadaveric specimen. Due to potentially sudden or delayed onset of intraperitoneal hemorrhage and hypovolemic shock following splenic trauma, further biomechanical investigation of this anecdotal evidence is essential to identify injury mechanisms, prevention techniques, and methods for early diagnosis. PMID:20184829

Urticaria induced by laser epilation: a clinical and histopathological study with extended follow-up in 36 patients.

PubMed

Landa, Nerea; Corrons, Natalia; Zabalza, Iñaki; Azpiazu, Jose L

2012-07-01

Laser epilation is the most common dermatologic light-based procedure in the world. We describe a unique side effect of the procedure: a delayed persistent urticarial rash. We conducted a retrospective study involving 13,284 patients who received laser epilation at our clinics from January 2006 through March 2010 with 755 nm alexandrite laser (MiniGentleLase, Gentlelase, and GentleMax, Candela). Using patient clinical data and photos that were recorded on a standard side-effect report chart, we identified patients with suspected urticaria. Those patients were then followed for a period that ranged from 12 to 63 months. Only patients who could be diagnosed, treated, and followed by the dermatologist at our clinics were included in the study. Patients diagnosed or treated by other physicians or nurses and those without clinical photos or insufficient follow-up data were not included. We identified 36 patients who developed a severe, itchy, persistent hive rash on the treated area 6-72 hours after treatment. Eruption occurred most often on the legs (31 cases), followed by the groin (11 cases), axillae (eight cases), forearms (one case), and upper lip (one case). The eruption consisted of a hive rash with multiple pruritic perifollicular papules and confluent plaques on the treated area. Most patients required oral corticosteroids to control the symptoms. Lesions resolved in 7-30 days. The urticaria occurred mostly after the first treatment (26 cases), and was recurrent in subsequent treatments. Pretreating with oral corticosteroids prevented or limited the eruption. Thirty-three of the 36 patients reported a history of allergic rhinitis or some other allergy. Skin biopsies on four patients showed edema and a deep, dense dermal infiltrate consistent with lymphocytes mixed with eosinophils in a perivascular and occasionally perifollicular pattern in the mid and lower dermis. Persistent urticaria is a rare side effect of laser epilation. Rupture of the hair follicle by laser heat may trigger a delayed hypersensitivity reaction in a subset of predisposed allergic patients. An antigen from the disrupted hair follicle may be the triggering factor. To prevent this side effect, we recommend that laser epilation in allergic patients be preceded by an extended laser patch test, which should be evaluated 24-48 hours later. Preventive prednisone should be prescribed to patients who develop an urticarial rash on the test area. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Effect of SSRI antidepressants on ejaculation: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study with fluoxetine, fluvoxamine, paroxetine, and sertraline.

PubMed

Waldinger, M D; Hengeveld, M W; Zwinderman, A H; Olivier, B

1998-08-01

Depression is a common cause of sexual dysfunction, but also antidepressant medication is often associated with sexual side effects. This article includes two related studies. The first double-blind, placebo-controlled study was conducted in men with lifelong rapid ejaculation and aimed to assess putative differences between the major selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) (fluoxetine, fluvoxamine, paroxetine, and sertraline) with regard to their ejaculation-delaying effect. Sixty men with an intravaginal ejaculation latency time (IELT) of 1 minute or less were randomly assigned to receive fluoxetine 20 mg/day, fluvoxamine 100 mg/day, paroxetine 20 mg/day, sertraline 50 mg/day, or placebo for 6 weeks. During the 1-month baseline and 6-week treatment periods, the men measured their IELT at home using a stopwatch. The trial was completed by 51 men. During the 6-week treatment period, the geometric mean IELT in the placebo group was constant at approximately 20 seconds. Analysis of variance revealed a between-groups difference in the evolution of IELT delay (p = 0.0004); in the paroxetine, fluoxetine, and sertraline groups there was a gradual increase to about 110 seconds, whereas in the fluvoxamine group, IELT was increased to only approximately 40 seconds. The paroxetine, fluoxetine, and sertraline groups differed significantly (p < 0.001, p < 0.001, p = 0.017, respectively) from placebo but the fluvoxamine group did not (p = 0.38). Compared with baseline, paroxetine exerted the strongest delay in ejaculation, followed by fluoxetine and sertraline. There was no clinically relevant delay in ejaculation with fluvoxamine. In men with lifelong rapid ejaculation, paroxetine delayed ejaculation most strongly, whereas fluvoxamine delayed ejaculation the least. The second double-blind, placebo-controlled study was carried out in men with lifelong rapid ejaculation (IELT < or = 1 minute) and in men with lifelong less-rapid ejaculation (IELT > 1 minute) to investigate whether data about SSRI-induced delayed ejaculation in men with rapid ejaculation may be extrapolated to men with less-rapid ejaculation. After measurement of IELT at home (using a stopwatch) during a 1-month baseline assessment, 32 men with an IELT of 1 minute or less (group 1) or more than 1 minute (group 2) were randomly assigned to receive paroxetine 20 mg/day or placebo for 6 weeks in a double-blind manner. Patients continued to measure their IELTs at home during the 6 weeks of the study. At baseline, 24 patients consistently had IELTs of one minute or less (group 1), and eight patients had IELTs of more than 1 minute (group 2). The geometric mean IELT was 14 seconds in group 1 and 83 seconds in group 2. Twelve patients in group 1 and five in group 2 were randomized to the paroxetine 20 mg/day. The percentage increase in the geometric mean IELT compared with baseline in patients treated with paroxetine was 420% (95% confidence interval [CI], 216-758%) in group 1 and 480% (95% CI, 177-1,118%) in group 2 (p = 0.81). After 6 weeks of treatment with paroxetine, the geometric mean IELT was 92 seconds in group 1 and 602 seconds in group 2 (p < 0.001). Therefore, the paroxetine-induced percentage increase in IELT seems to be independent of the baseline IELT. This suggests that ejaculation-delaying side effects of some SSRIs investigated in men with lifelong rapid ejaculation may be generalized to men with less-rapid ejaculation.

Quantized Synchronization of Chaotic Neural Networks With Scheduled Output Feedback Control.

PubMed

Wan, Ying; Cao, Jinde; Wen, Guanghui

In this paper, the synchronization problem of master-slave chaotic neural networks with remote sensors, quantization process, and communication time delays is investigated. The information communication channel between the master chaotic neural network and slave chaotic neural network consists of several remote sensors, with each sensor able to access only partial knowledge of output information of the master neural network. At each sampling instants, each sensor updates its own measurement and only one sensor is scheduled to transmit its latest information to the controller's side in order to update the control inputs for the slave neural network. Thus, such communication process and control strategy are much more energy-saving comparing with the traditional point-to-point scheme. Sufficient conditions for output feedback control gain matrix, allowable length of sampling intervals, and upper bound of network-induced delays are derived to ensure the quantized synchronization of master-slave chaotic neural networks. Lastly, Chua's circuit system and 4-D Hopfield neural network are simulated to validate the effectiveness of the main results.In this paper, the synchronization problem of master-slave chaotic neural networks with remote sensors, quantization process, and communication time delays is investigated. The information communication channel between the master chaotic neural network and slave chaotic neural network consists of several remote sensors, with each sensor able to access only partial knowledge of output information of the master neural network. At each sampling instants, each sensor updates its own measurement and only one sensor is scheduled to transmit its latest information to the controller's side in order to update the control inputs for the slave neural network. Thus, such communication process and control strategy are much more energy-saving comparing with the traditional point-to-point scheme. Sufficient conditions for output feedback control gain matrix, allowable length of sampling intervals, and upper bound of network-induced delays are derived to ensure the quantized synchronization of master-slave chaotic neural networks. Lastly, Chua's circuit system and 4-D Hopfield neural network are simulated to validate the effectiveness of the main results.

Pancytopenia in a Patient with Grave's Disease.

PubMed

Loh, Huai Heng; Tan, Florence

2013-08-01

Pancytopenia can rarely complicate Grave's disease. It can be due to uncontrolled thyrotoxicosis or as a result of rare side effect of antithyroid medication. Pernicious anemia leading to Vitamin B12 deficiency is another rare associated cause. We report a case of a patient with Grave's disease and undiagnosed pernicious anemia whom was assumed to have antithyroid drug induced pancytopenia. Failure to recognize this rare association of pernicious anemia as a cause of pancytopenia had resulted in delay in treatment and neurological complication in our patient.

Encephalopathy due to tubercular otitis media.

PubMed

Gurjar, Mohan; Aggarwal, Sushil K; Saigal, Saurabh; Singh, Ratender K

2012-04-01

Middle ear infection due to Mycobacterium tuberculosis has been reduced from 3-5% to 0.05-0.9% in the last century due to advent of effective anti-tuberculosis therapy. On the other side, this decrease in frequency of tuberculous otitis media along with indistinguishable signs and symptoms of frequently occurring non-tuberculous otitis media makes clinicians vulnerable to delayed or misdiagnosis of the disease. A case of tubercular otitis media with atypical clinical manifestations in the form of encephalopathy is presented.

BASOLATERAL AMYGDALA LESIONS AND SENSITIVITY TO REINFORCER MAGNITUDE IN CONCURRENT CHAINS SCHEDULES

PubMed Central

Helms, Christa M.; Mitchell, Suzanne H.

2008-01-01

Previous studies show that the basolateral amygdala (BLA) is required for behavior to adjust when the value of a reinforcer decreases after satiation or pairing with gastric distress. This study evaluated the effect of pre- or post-training excitotoxic lesions of the BLA on changes in preference with another type of contingency change, reinforcer magnitude reversal. Rats were trained to press left and right levers during a variable-interval choice phase for 50 µl or 150 µl sucrose delivered to consistent locations after a 16-s delay. Tones were presented during the first and last 2 s of the delay to reinforcement. The tone frequency predicted the magnitude of sucrose reinforcement in baseline conditions. All groups acquired stable preference for the lever on the large (150-µl) reinforcer side. However, nose poking during the delay to large reinforcement was highly accurate (i.e., to the reinforced side) for all groups except the rats with BLA lesions induced before training, suggesting impaired control of behavior by the tone. After the acquisition of stable preference, the locations of the reinforcer magnitudes were unpredictably reversed for a single session. Pre-training lesions blunted changes in preference when the reinforcer magnitudes were reversed. Lesions induced after stable preference was acquired, but prior to reversal, did not disrupt changes in preference. The data suggest that the BLA contributes to the adaptation of choice behavior following changes in reinforcer magnitude. Impaired learning about the tone-reinforcer magnitude relationships may have disrupted discrimination of the reinforcer magnitude reversal. PMID:18455812

Measurements and interpretation of shock tube ignition delay times in highly CO 2 diluted mixtures using multiple diagnostics

DOE PAGES

Vasu, Subith S.; Pryor, Owen; Barak, Samuel; ...

2017-03-12

Common definitions for ignition delay time are often hard to determine due to the issue of bifurcation and other non-idealities that result from high levels of CO 2 addition. Using high-speed camera imagery in comparison with more standard methods (e.g., pressure, emission, and laser absorption spectroscopy) to measure the ignition delay time, the effect of bifurcation has been examined in this study. Experiments were performed at pressures between 0.6 and 1.2 atm for temperatures between 1650 and 2040 K. The equivalence ratio for all experiments was kept at a constant value of 1 with methane as the fuel. The COmore » 2 mole fraction was varied between a value of X CO2 = 0.00 to 0.895. The ignition delay time was determined from three different measurements at the sidewall: broadband chemiluminescent emission captured via a photodetector, CH 4 concentrations determined using a distributed feedback interband cascade laser centered at 3403.4 nm, and pressure recorded via a dynamic Kistler type transducer. All methods for the ignition delay time were compared to high-speed camera images taken of the axial cross-section during combustion. Methane time-histories and the methane decay times were also measured using the laser. It was determined that the flame could be correlated to the ignition delay time measured at the side wall but that the flame as captured by the camera was not homogeneous as assumed in typical shock tube experiments. The bifurcation of the shock wave resulted in smaller flames with large boundary layers and that the flame could be as small as 30% of the cross-sectional area of the shock tube at the highest levels of CO 2 dilution. Here, comparisons between the camera images and the different ignition delay time methods show that care must be taken in interpreting traditional ignition delay data for experiments with large bifurcation effects as different methods in measuring the ignition delay time could result in different interpretations of kinetic mechanisms and impede the development of future mechanisms.« less

Measurements and interpretation of shock tube ignition delay times in highly CO 2 diluted mixtures using multiple diagnostics

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

Vasu, Subith S.; Pryor, Owen; Barak, Samuel

Common definitions for ignition delay time are often hard to determine due to the issue of bifurcation and other non-idealities that result from high levels of CO 2 addition. Using high-speed camera imagery in comparison with more standard methods (e.g., pressure, emission, and laser absorption spectroscopy) to measure the ignition delay time, the effect of bifurcation has been examined in this study. Experiments were performed at pressures between 0.6 and 1.2 atm for temperatures between 1650 and 2040 K. The equivalence ratio for all experiments was kept at a constant value of 1 with methane as the fuel. The COmore » 2 mole fraction was varied between a value of X CO2 = 0.00 to 0.895. The ignition delay time was determined from three different measurements at the sidewall: broadband chemiluminescent emission captured via a photodetector, CH 4 concentrations determined using a distributed feedback interband cascade laser centered at 3403.4 nm, and pressure recorded via a dynamic Kistler type transducer. All methods for the ignition delay time were compared to high-speed camera images taken of the axial cross-section during combustion. Methane time-histories and the methane decay times were also measured using the laser. It was determined that the flame could be correlated to the ignition delay time measured at the side wall but that the flame as captured by the camera was not homogeneous as assumed in typical shock tube experiments. The bifurcation of the shock wave resulted in smaller flames with large boundary layers and that the flame could be as small as 30% of the cross-sectional area of the shock tube at the highest levels of CO 2 dilution. Here, comparisons between the camera images and the different ignition delay time methods show that care must be taken in interpreting traditional ignition delay data for experiments with large bifurcation effects as different methods in measuring the ignition delay time could result in different interpretations of kinetic mechanisms and impede the development of future mechanisms.« less

A loose bolt delays loading of Endeavour's external tank

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2000-01-01

A closeup reveals the loose bracket, observed hanging down from the side of the White Room at Launch Pad 39B, that delayed loading of Endeavour's external tank by several hours to allow technicians to remove it. A 'U' bolt connects the bracket to a fire suppression water line attached to the exterior of the White Room. The loose bolt could have possibly created a debris hazard.

The effects of adults' affective expression and direction of visual gaze on 12-month-olds' visual preferences for an object following a 5-minute, 1-day, or 1-month delay.

PubMed

Flom, Ross; Johnson, Sarah

2011-03-01

Between 12- and 14 months of age infants begin to use another's direction of gaze and affective expression in learning about various objects and events. What is not well understood is how long infants' behaviour towards a previously unfamiliar object continues to be influenced following their participation in circumstances of social referencing. In this experiment, we examined infants' sensitivity to an adult's direction of gaze and their visual preference for one of two objects following a 5-min, 1-day, or 1-month delay. Ninety-six 12-month-olds participated. For half of the infants during habituation (i.e., familiarization), the adults' direction of gaze was directed towards an unfamiliar object (look condition). For the remaining half of the infants during habituation, the adults' direction of gaze was directed away from the unfamiliar object (look-away condition). All infants were habituated to two events. One event consisted of an adult looking towards (look condition) or away from (look-away condition) an object while facially and vocally conveying a positive affective expression. The second event consisted of the same adult looking towards or away from a different object while conveying a disgusted affective expression. Following the habituation phase and a 5-min, 1-day, or 1-month delay, infants' visual preference was assessed. During the visual preference phase, infants saw the two objects side by side where the adult conveying the affective expression was not visible. Results of the visual preference phase indicate that infants in the look condition showed a significant preference for object previously paired with the positive affect following a 5-min and 1-day delay. No significant visual preference was found in the look condition following a 1-month delay. No significant preferences were found at any retention interval in the look-away condition. Results are discussed in terms of early learning, social referencing, and early memory. ©2010 The British Psychological Society.

Is It Possible to Increase Flap Viability by Hydrostatic Dilation?: An Experimental Study in the Rat Abdominal Fasciocutaneous Flap Model.

PubMed

Sahin, Cihan; Aysal, Bilge Kagan; Ergun, Ozge

2016-08-01

Ergun et al previously demonstrated the efficacy of hydrostatic dilation in a TRAM flap model in an experimental study. We investigated the effect of hydrostatic dilation on a fasciocutaneous flap model. Eighteen female Wistar rats were equally divided into 3 groups, of which 1 served as a control. In the second, the abdominal fasciocutaneous flap surgical delay procedure was performed by division of the left superficial inferior epigastric (SIE) vessels. In the third, hydrostatic dilation was performed on the left SIE artery and vein, with a mean pressure of 300 mm Hg, while elevating the flap on the right-sided SIE pedicle. The groups were compared by microangiography and by the survival ratio of abdominal flaps 7 days after elevation. The mean (SD) flap necrosis rates were as follows: control group, 44.75% (4.31%); delay group, 33.32% (7.11%); and hydrostatic dilation group, 32.51% (5.03%). There was a significant difference between the control group and the other 2 groups (P < 0.05). There was no difference between the delay and hydrostatic dilation groups with respect to surface area necrosis. The microangiographies showed remarkable increased vascularity in the delay and hydrostatic dilation groups. Hydrostatic dilation is a new method of enhancing flap viability that could be used in clinical cases in place of surgical delay once further studies and clinical trials are completed.

Botulinum Toxin Treatment for Limb Spasticity in Childhood Cerebral Palsy

PubMed Central

Pavone, Vito; Testa, Gianluca; Restivo, Domenico A.; Cannavò, Luca; Condorelli, Giuseppe; Portinaro, Nicola M.; Sessa, Giuseppe

2016-01-01

CP is the most common cause of chronic disability in childhood occurring in 2–2.5/1000 births. It is a severe disorder and a significant number of patients present cognitive delay and difficulty in walking. The use of botulinum toxin (BTX) has become a popular treatment for CP especially for spastic and dystonic muscles while avoiding deformity and pain. Moreover, the combination of physiotherapy, casting, orthotics and injection of BTX may delay or decrease the need for surgical intervention while reserving single-event, multi-level surgery for fixed musculotendinous contractures and bony deformities in older children. This report highlights the utility of BTX in the treatment of cerebral palsy in children. We include techniques for administration, side effects, and possible resistance as well as specific use in the upper and lower limbs muscles. PMID:26924985

Finite-time synchronization of fractional-order memristor-based neural networks with time delays.

PubMed

Velmurugan, G; Rakkiyappan, R; Cao, Jinde

2016-01-01

In this paper, we consider the problem of finite-time synchronization of a class of fractional-order memristor-based neural networks (FMNNs) with time delays and investigated it potentially. By using Laplace transform, the generalized Gronwall's inequality, Mittag-Leffler functions and linear feedback control technique, some new sufficient conditions are derived to ensure the finite-time synchronization of addressing FMNNs with fractional order α:1<α<2 and 0<α<1. The results from the theory of fractional-order differential equations with discontinuous right-hand sides are used to investigate the problem under consideration. The derived results are extended to some previous related works on memristor-based neural networks. Finally, three numerical examples are presented to show the effectiveness of our proposed theoretical results. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Botulinum Toxin Treatment for Limb Spasticity in Childhood Cerebral Palsy.

PubMed

Pavone, Vito; Testa, Gianluca; Restivo, Domenico A; Cannavò, Luca; Condorelli, Giuseppe; Portinaro, Nicola M; Sessa, Giuseppe

2016-01-01

CP is the most common cause of chronic disability in childhood occurring in 2-2.5/1000 births. It is a severe disorder and a significant number of patients present cognitive delay and difficulty in walking. The use of botulinum toxin (BTX) has become a popular treatment for CP especially for spastic and dystonic muscles while avoiding deformity and pain. Moreover, the combination of physiotherapy, casting, orthotics and injection of BTX may delay or decrease the need for surgical intervention while reserving single-event, multi-level surgery for fixed musculotendinous contractures and bony deformities in older children. This report highlights the utility of BTX in the treatment of cerebral palsy in children. We include techniques for administration, side effects, and possible resistance as well as specific use in the upper and lower limbs muscles.

A Scoring System to Determine Risk of Delayed Bleeding After Endoscopic Mucosal Resection of Large Colorectal Lesions.

PubMed

Albéniz, Eduardo; Fraile, María; Ibáñez, Berta; Alonso-Aguirre, Pedro; Martínez-Ares, David; Soto, Santiago; Gargallo, Carla Jerusalén; Ramos Zabala, Felipe; Álvarez, Marco Antonio; Rodríguez-Sánchez, Joaquín; Múgica, Fernando; Nogales, Óscar; Herreros de Tejada, Alberto; Redondo, Eduardo; Guarner-Argente, Carlos; Pin, Noel; León-Brito, Helena; Pardeiro, Remedios; López-Roses, Leopoldo; Rodríguez-Téllez, Manuel; Jiménez, Alejandra; Martínez-Alcalá, Felipe; García, Orlando; de la Peña, Joaquín; Ono, Akiko; Alberca de Las Parras, Fernando; Pellisé, María; Rivero, Liseth; Saperas, Esteban; Pérez-Roldán, Francisco; Pueyo Royo, Antonio; Eguaras Ros, Javier; Zúñiga Ripa, Alba; Concepción-Martín, Mar; Huelin-Álvarez, Patricia; Colán-Hernández, Juan; Cubiella, Joaquín; Remedios, David; Bessa I Caserras, Xavier; López-Viedma, Bartolomé; Cobian, Julyssa; González-Haba, Mariano; Santiago, José; Martínez-Cara, Juan Gabriel; Valdivielso, Eduardo

2016-08-01

After endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) of colorectal lesions, delayed bleeding is the most common serious complication, but there are no guidelines for its prevention. We aimed to identify risk factors associated with delayed bleeding that required medical attention after discharge until day 15 and develop a scoring system to identify patients at risk. We performed a prospective study of 1214 consecutive patients with nonpedunculated colorectal lesions 20 mm or larger treated by EMR (n = 1255) at 23 hospitals in Spain, from February 2013 through February 2015. Patients were examined 15 days after the procedure, and medical data were collected. We used the data to create a delayed bleeding scoring system, and assigned a weight to each risk factor based on the β parameter from multivariate logistic regression analysis. Patients were classified as being at low, average, or high risk for delayed bleeding. Delayed bleeding occurred in 46 cases (3.7%, 95% confidence interval, 2.7%-4.9%). In multivariate analysis, factors associated with delayed bleeding included age ≥75 years (odds ratio [OR], 2.36; P < .01), American Society of Anesthesiologist classification scores of III or IV (OR, 1.90; P ≤ .05), aspirin use during EMR (OR, 3.16; P < .05), right-sided lesions (OR, 4.86; P < .01), lesion size ≥40 mm (OR, 1.91; P ≤ .05), and a mucosal gap not closed by hemoclips (OR, 3.63; P ≤ .01). We developed a risk scoring system based on these 6 variables that assigned patients to the low-risk (score, 0-3), average-risk (score, 4-7), or high-risk (score, 8-10) categories with a receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.77 (95% confidence interval, 0.70-0.83). In these groups, the probabilities of delayed bleeding were 0.6%, 5.5%, and 40%, respectively. The risk of delayed bleeding after EMR of large colorectal lesions is 3.7%. We developed a risk scoring system based on 6 factors that determined the risk for delayed bleeding (receiver operating characteristic curve, 0.77). The factors most strongly associated with delayed bleeding were right-sided lesions, aspirin use, and mucosal defects not closed by hemoclips. Patients considered to be high risk (score, 8-10) had a 40% probability of delayed bleeding. Copyright © 2016 AGA Institute. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Regional P-wave Tomography in the Caribbean Region for Plate Reconstruction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, X.; Bedle, H.; Suppe, J.

2017-12-01

The complex plate-tectonic interactions around the Caribbean Sea have been studied and interpreted by many researchers, but questions still remain regarding the formation and subduction history of the region. Here we report current progress towards creating a new regional tomographic model, with better lateral and spatial coverage and higher resolution than has been presented previously. This new model will provide improved constraints on the plate-tectonic evolution around the Caribbean Plate. Our three-dimensional velocity model is created using taut spline parameterization. The inversion is computed by the code of VanDecar (1991), which is based on the ray theory method. The seismic data used in this inversion are absolute P wave arrival times from over 700 global earthquakes that were recorded by over 400 near Caribbean stations. There are over 25000 arrival times that were picked and quality checked within frequency band of 0.01 - 0.6 Hz by using a MATLAB GUI-based software named Crazyseismic. The picked seismic delay time data are analyzed and compared with other studies ahead of doing the inversion model, in order to examine the quality of our dataset. From our initial observations of the delay time data, the more equalized the ray azimuth coverage, the smaller the deviation of the observed travel times from the theoretical travel time. Networks around the NE and SE side of the Caribbean Sea generally have better ray coverage, and smaller delay times. Specifically, seismic rays reaching SE Caribbean networks, such as XT network, generally pass through slabs under South American, Central American, Lesser Antilles, Southwest Caribbean, and the North Caribbean transform boundary, which leads to slightly positive average delay times. In contrast, the Puerto Rico network records seismic rays passing through regions that may lack slabs in the upper mantle and show slightly negative or near zero average delay times. These results agree with previous tomographic models. Based on our delay time observations, slabs and velocity structures near the East side of the Caribbean plate might be better imaged due to its denser ray coverage. More caution in selecting the seismic data for inversion on the west margin of Caribbean will be required to avoid possible smearing effects and artifacts from unequal ray path distributions.

Asymmetric Hearing During Development: The Aural Preference Syndrome and Treatment Options.

PubMed

Gordon, Karen; Henkin, Yael; Kral, Andrej

2015-07-01

Deafness affects ∼2 in 1000 children and is one of the most common congenital impairments. Permanent hearing loss can be treated by fitting hearing aids. More severe to profound deafness is an indication for cochlear implantation. Although newborn hearing screening programs have increased the identification of asymmetric hearing loss, parents and caregivers of children with single-sided deafness are often hesitant to pursue therapy for the deaf ear. Delayed intervention has consequences for recovery of hearing. It has long been reported that asymmetric hearing loss/single-sided deafness compromises speech and language development and educational outcomes in children. Recent studies in animal models of deafness and in children consistently show evidence of an "aural preference syndrome" in which single-sided deafness in early childhood reorganizes the developing auditory pathways toward the hearing ear, with weaker central representation of the deaf ear. Delayed therapy consequently compromises benefit for the deaf ear, with slow rates of improvement measured over time. Therefore, asymmetric hearing needs early identification and intervention. Providing early effective stimulation in both ears through appropriate fitting of auditory prostheses, including hearing aids and cochlear implants, within a sensitive period in development has a cardinal role for securing the function of the impaired ear and for restoring binaural/spatial hearing. The impacts of asymmetric hearing loss on the developing auditory system and on spoken language development have often been underestimated. Thus, the traditional minimalist approach to clinical management aimed at 1 functional ear should be modified on the basis of current evidence. Copyright © 2015 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Coexistence of Radiation-Induced Meningioma and Moyamoya Syndrome 10 Years after Irradiation against Medulloblastoma: a Case Report.

PubMed

Han, Ji Yeon; Choi, Jung Won; Wang, Kyu Chang; Phi, Ji Hoon; Lee, Ji Yeoun; Chae, Jong Hee; Park, Sung Hye; Cheon, Jung Eun; Kim, Seung Ki

2017-11-01

Radiotherapy is one of the standard treatments for medulloblastoma. However, therapeutic central nervous system irradiation in children may carry delayed side effects, such as radiation-induced tumor and vasculopathy. Here, we report the first case of coexisting meningioma and moyamoya syndrome, presenting 10 years after radiotherapy for medulloblastoma. A 13-year-old boy presented with an enhancing mass at the cerebral falx on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) after surgery, radiotherapy (30.6 Gy craniospinal axis, 19.8 Gy posterior fossa) and chemotherapy against medulloblastoma 10 years ago, previously. The second tumor was meningioma. On postoperative day 5, he complained of right-sided motor weakness, motor dysphasia, dysarthria, and dysphagia. MRI revealed acute cerebral infarction in the left frontal lobe and both basal ganglia. MR and cerebral angiography confirmed underlying moyamoya syndrome. Four months after the meningioma surgery, the patient presented with headaches, dysarthria, and dizziness. Indirect bypass surgery was performed. He has been free from headaches since one month after the surgery. For patients who received radiotherapy for medulloblastoma at a young age, clinicians should consider the possibility of the coexistence of several complications. Careful follow up for development of secondary tumor and delayed vasculopathy is required. © 2017 The Korean Academy of Medical Sciences.

The immediate and the delayed effects of buspirone on zebrafish (Danio rerio) in an open field test: a 3-D approach.

PubMed

Maaswinkel, Hans; Zhu, Liqun; Weng, Wei

2012-10-01

Behavioral changes in zebrafish induced by acute administration of buspirone have been interpreted to be the result of reduced anxiety. The purpose of the current study was to determine whether the effects of short-term and mid-term habituation to an open field corroborated the anxiolytic hypothesis. We exposed single zebrafish for 60 min to 5 mgL buspirone and tested them twice, immediately after exposure and again 3.5 h later. Each session lasted 20 min. Distance from bottom of tank, velocity, duration freezing, distance from center and horizontal distribution, and preferred spatial location were analyzed with a 3-D tracking system. In the early session (starting at 10:30), 20 min habituation of control zebrafish only marginally increased distance from bottom, which was still 90% higher in zebrafish treated with buspirone. When extending the habituation to 3.5 h, the picture became more complex. Distance from bottom did not further increase in control zebrafish. More importantly, some signs of increased anxiety were present in the buspirone group, such as increased freezing, reduced velocity, and increased bottom-dwelling. However, analyzing data of individual fish excluded rebound anxiety as unlikely. The delayed effects might be drug side effects, such as motor impairment and/or dizziness. The immediate and the delayed effects of buspirone have the appearance to be unrelated. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Delayed Instantiation Bulk Operations for Management of Distributed, Object-Based Storage Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-08-01

source and destination object sets, while they have attribute pages to indicate that history . Fourth, we allow for operations to occur on any objects...client dialogue to the PostgreSQL database where server-side functions implement the service logic for the requests. The translation is done...to satisfy client requests, and performs delayed instantiation bulk operations. It is built around a PostgreSQL database with tables for storing

Antidepressants and ejaculation: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, fixed-dose study with paroxetine, sertraline, and nefazodone.

PubMed

Waldinger, M D; Zwinderman, A H; Olivier, B

2001-06-01

Antidepressant medication is often associated with sexual side effects. A double-blind, placebo-controlled study in men with lifelong rapid ejaculation was performed to assess the effects of two selective serotonin (5-HT) reuptake inhibitors--paroxetine and sertraline--and the 5-HT2 antagonist and 5-HT/noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor nefazodone on the latency to ejaculate. Forty-eight men with an intravaginal ejaculation latency time (IELT) of a maximum of 1 minute were randomly assigned to receive paroxetine (20 mg/day), sertraline (50 mg/day), nefazodone (400 mg/day), or placebo for 6 weeks. During the 1-month baseline and 6-week treatment period, IELTs were measured at home with a stopwatch. The trial was completed by 40 men. During the 6-week treatment period, the geometric mean IELT in the placebo group was stable at approximately 20 seconds. Analysis of variance revealed a between-group difference in the evolution of IELT delay over time (p = 0.002); the IELT after paroxetine and sertraline gradually increased to approximately 146 and 58 seconds, respectively, compared with 28 seconds in the nefazodone group. The paroxetine and sertraline groups differed significantly (p < 0.001 and p = 0.024, respectively) from placebo, but the nefazodone group did not (p = 0.85). Compared with baseline, paroxetine exerted the strongest delay in ejaculation, whereas sertraline delayed it only moderately. There was no clinically relevant delay in ejaculation with nefazodone.

Blockade of HERG human K+ channel and IKr of guinea pig cardiomyocytes by prochlorperazine.

PubMed

Kim, Moon-Doo; Eun, Su-Yong; Jo, Su-Hyun

2006-08-21

Prochlorperazine, a drug for the symptomatic control of nausea, vomiting and psychiatric disorders, can induce prolonged QT, torsades de pointes and sudden death. We studied the effects of prochlorperazine on human ether-a-go-go-related gene (HERG) channels expressed in Xenopus oocytes and also in the delayed rectifier K+ current of guinea pig cardiomyocytes. Prochlorperazine induced a concentration-dependent decrease in current amplitudes at the end of the voltage steps and tail currents of HERG. The IC50 for a prochlorperazine block of HERG current in Xenopus oocytes progressively decreased relative to the degree of depolarization, from 42.1 microM at -40 mV to 37.4 microM at 0 mV to 22.6 microM at +40 mV. The block of HERG by prochlorperazine was use-dependent, exhibiting a more rapid onset and a greater steady-state block at higher frequencies of activation, while there was partial relief of the block with reduced frequencies. In guinea pig ventricular myocytes, bath applications of 0.5 and 1 muM prochlorperazine at 36 degrees C blocked rapidly activating delayed rectifier K+ current by 38.9% and 76.5%, respectively, but did not significantly block slowly activating delayed rectifier K+ current. Our findings suggest that the arrhythmogenic side effects of prochlorperazine are caused by a blockade of HERG and the rapid component of the delayed rectifier K+ current rather than by a blockade of the slow component.

Double gate graphene nanoribbon field effect transistor with single halo pocket in channel region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Naderi, Ali

2016-01-01

A new structure for graphene nanoribbon field-effect transistors (GNRFETs) is proposed and investigated using quantum simulation with a nonequilibrium Green's function (NEGF) method. Tunneling leakage current and ambipolar conduction are known effects for MOSFET-like GNRFETs. To minimize these issues a novel structure with a simple change of the GNRFETs by using single halo pocket in the intrinsic channel region, "Single Halo GNRFET (SH-GNRFET)", is proposed. An appropriate halo pocket at source side of channel is used to modify potential distribution of the gate region and weaken band to band tunneling (BTBT). In devices with materials like Si in channel region, doping type of halo and source/drain regions are different. But, here, due to the smaller bandgap of graphene, the mentioned doping types should be the same to reduce BTBT. Simulations have shown that in comparison with conventional GNRFET (C-GNRFET), an SH-GNRFET with appropriately halo doping results in a larger ON current (Ion), smaller OFF current (Ioff), a larger ON-OFF current ratio (Ion/Ioff), superior ambipolar characteristics, a reduced power-delay product and lower delay time.

Sensitivity and specificity of memory and naming tests for identifying left temporal-lobe epilepsy.

PubMed

Umfleet, Laura Glass; Janecek, Julie K; Quasney, Erin; Sabsevitz, David S; Ryan, Joseph J; Binder, Jeffrey R; Swanson, Sara J

2015-01-01

The sensitivity and specificity of the Selective Reminding Test (SRT) Delayed Recall, Wechsler Memory Scale (WMS) Logical Memory, the Boston Naming Test (BNT), and two nonverbal memory measures for detecting lateralized dysfunction in association with side of seizure focus was examined in a sample of 143 patients with left or right temporal-lobe epilepsy (TLE). Scores on the SRT and BNT were statistically significantly lower in the left TLE group compared with the right TLE group, whereas no group differences emerged on the Logical Memory subtest. No significant group differences were found with nonverbal memory measures. When the SRT and BNT were both entered as predictors in a logistic regression, the BNT, although significant, added minimal value to the model beyond the variance accounted for by the SRT Delayed Recall. Both variables emerged as significant predictors of side of seizure focus when entered into separate regressions. Sensitivity and specificity of the SRT and BNT ranged from 56% to 65%. The WMS Logical Memory and nonverbal memory measures were not significant predictors of the side of seizure focus.

Blockade of HERG human K+ channels and IKr of guinea-pig cardiomyocytes by the antipsychotic drug clozapine.

PubMed

Lee, So-Young; Kim, Young-Jin; Kim, Kyong-Tai; Choe, Han; Jo, Su-Hyun

2006-06-01

Clozapine, a commonly used antipsychotic drug, can induce QT prolongation, which may lead to torsades de pointes and sudden death. To investigate the arrhythmogenic side effects of clozapine, we studied the impact of clozapine on human ether-a-go-go-related gene (HERG) channels expressed in Xenopus oocytes and HEK293 cells, and on the delayed rectifier K(+) currents of guinea-pig cardiomyocytes. Clozapine dose-dependently decreased the amplitudes of the currents at the end of voltage steps, and the tail currents of HERG. The IC(50) for the clozapine blockade of HERG currents in Xenopus oocytes progressively decreased relative to depolarization (39.9 microM at -40 mV, 28.3 microM at 0 mV and 22.9 microM at +40 mV), whereas the IC(50) for the clozapine-induced blockade of HERG currents in HEK293 cells at 36 degrees C was 2.5 microM at +20 mV. The clozapine-induced blockade of HERG currents was time dependent: the fractional current was 0.903 of the control at the beginning of the pulse, but declined to 0.412 after 4 s at a test potential of 0 mV. The clozapine-induced blockade of HERG currents was use-dependent, exhibiting more rapid onset and greater steady state blockade at higher frequencies of activation, with a partial relief of blockade observed when the frequency of activation was decreased. In guinea-pig ventricular myocytes held at 36 degrees C, treatment with 1 and 5 microM clozapine blocked the rapidly activating delayed rectifier K(+) current (I(Kr)) by 24.7 and 79.6%, respectively, but did not significantly block the slowly activating delayed rectifier K(+) current (I(Ks)). Our findings collectively suggest that blockade of HERG currents and I(Kr), but not I(Ks), may contribute to the arrhythmogenic side effects of clozapine.

Blockade of HERG human K+ channels and IKr of guinea-pig cardiomyocytes by the antipsychotic drug clozapine

PubMed Central

Lee, So-Young; Kim, Young-Jin; Kim, Kyong-Tai; Choe, Han; Jo, Su-Hyun

2006-01-01

Clozapine, a commonly used antipsychotic drug, can induce QT prolongation, which may lead to torsades de pointes and sudden death. To investigate the arrhythmogenic side effects of clozapine, we studied the impact of clozapine on human ether-a-go-go-related gene (HERG) channels expressed in Xenopus oocytes and HEK293 cells, and on the delayed rectifier K+ currents of guinea-pig cardiomyocytes. Clozapine dose-dependently decreased the amplitudes of the currents at the end of voltage steps, and the tail currents of HERG. The IC50 for the clozapine blockade of HERG currents in Xenopus oocytes progressively decreased relative to depolarization (39.9 μM at −40 mV, 28.3 μM at 0 mV and 22.9 μM at +40 mV), whereas the IC50 for the clozapine-induced blockade of HERG currents in HEK293 cells at 36°C was 2.5 μM at +20 mV. The clozapine-induced blockade of HERG currents was time dependent: the fractional current was 0.903 of the control at the beginning of the pulse, but declined to 0.412 after 4 s at a test potential of 0 mV. The clozapine-induced blockade of HERG currents was use-dependent, exhibiting more rapid onset and greater steady state blockade at higher frequencies of activation, with a partial relief of blockade observed when the frequency of activation was decreased. In guinea-pig ventricular myocytes held at 36°C, treatment with 1 and 5 μM clozapine blocked the rapidly activating delayed rectifier K+ current (IKr) by 24.7 and 79.6%, respectively, but did not significantly block the slowly activating delayed rectifier K+ current (IKs). Our findings collectively suggest that blockade of HERG currents and IKr, but not IKs, may contribute to the arrhythmogenic side effects of clozapine. PMID:16633353

Role of parenteral testosterone in hypospadias: A study from a teaching hospital in India

PubMed Central

Ahmad, Reyaz; Chana, Rajendra Singh; Ali, Syed Manazir; Khan, Shehtaj

2011-01-01

Objectives: To evaluate the effect of parenteral testosterone on penile length, preputial skin and side effects in patients with hypospadias. Materials and Methods: 23 patients with hypospadias were included in this study. An oily solution, each ml of which contained testosterone propionate 25 mg, and testosterone enanthate 110 mg, equivalent to 100 mg of testosterone was given deep intramuscularly 4, 3 and 2 weeks before reconstructive surgery at the dose of 2 mg/kg body weight. Increase in penile length, transverse preputial diameter, and diameter at the base of penis were noted. Basal testosterone levels were obtained before the institution of therapy and on the day of operation. In addition, side effect such as development of pubic hair and delay in bone age was noted. Results: Following parenteral testosterone administration, the mean increase in penile length, transverse preputial diameter and diameter at the base of penis was 1.35±0.40 cm (P<0.001), 1.40±0.47 cm (P<0.001), and 0.72±0.47 cm (P<0.001), respectively. Serum testosterone level after injection was well within normal range for that age. Minimal side effects were noted in form of development of fine pubic hair. Conclusion: We conclude that parenteral testosterone can be safely used to improve the surgical outcome of hypospadias repair. PMID:21976926

The time-delay signature of quark-gluon plasma formation in relativistic nuclear collisions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rischke, Dirk H.; Gyulassy, Miklos

1996-02-01

The hydrodynamic expansion of quark-gluon plasmas with spherical and longitudinally boost-invariant geometries is studied as a function of the initial energy density. The sensitivity of the collective flow pattern to uncertainties in the nuclear matter equation of state is explored. We concentrate on the effect of a possible finite width, ΔT ˜ 0.1 Tc, of the transition region between quark-gluon plasma and hadronic phase. Although slow deflagration solutions that act to stall the expansion do not exist for ΔT > 0.08 Tc, we find, nevertheless, that the equation of state remains sufficiently soft in the transition region to delay the propagation of ordinary rarefaction waves for a considerable time. We compute the dependence of the pion-interferometry correlation function on ΔT, since this is the most promising observable for time-delayed expansion. The signature of time delay, proposed by Pratt and Bertsch, is an enhancement of the ratio of the inverse width of the pion correlation function in out-direction to that in side-direction. One of our main results is that this generic signature of quark-gluon plasma formation is rather robust to the uncertainties in the width of the transition region. Furthermore, for longitudinal boost-invariant geometries, the signal is likely to be maximized around RHIC energies

Broadband and efficient plasmonic control in the near-infrared and visible via strong interference of surface plasmon polaritons.

PubMed

Gan, C H; Nash, G R

2013-11-01

Broadband and tunable control of surface plasmon polaritons in the near-infrared and visible spectrum is demonstrated theoretically and numerically with a pair of phased nanoslits. We establish, with simulations supported by a coupled wave model, that by dividing the incident power equally between two input channels, the maximum plasmon intensity deliverable to either side of the nanoslit pair is twice that for an isolated slit. For a broadband source, a compact device with nanoslit separation of the order of a tenth of the wavelength is shown to steer nearly all the generated plasmons to one side for the same phase delay, thereby achieving a broadband unidirectional plasmon launcher. The reported effect can be applied to the design of ultra-broadband and efficient tunable plasmonic devices.

Preference for a stimulus that follows a relatively aversive event: contrast or delay reduction?

PubMed

Singer, Rebecca A; Berry, Laura M; Zentall, Thomas R

2007-03-01

Several types of contrast effects have been identified including incentive contrast, anticipatory contrast, and behavioral contrast. Clement, Feltus, Kaiser, and Zentall (2000) proposed a type of contrast that appears to be different from these others and called it within-trial contrast. In this form of contrast the relative value of a reinforcer depends on the events that occur immediately prior to the reinforcer. Reinforcers that follow relatively aversive events are preferred over those that follow less aversive events. In many cases the delay reduction hypothesis proposed by Fantino (1969) also can account for such effects. The current experiments provide a direct test of the delay reduction and contrast hypotheses by manipulating the schedule of reinforcement while holding trial duration constant. In Experiment 1, preference for fixed-interval (FI) versus differential-reinforcement-of-other-behavior (DRO) schedules of reinforcement was assessed. Some pigeons preferred one schedule over the other while others demonstrated a position (side) preference. Thus, no systematic preference was found. In Experiment 2, a simultaneous color discrimination followed the FI or DRO schedule, and following training, preference was assessed by presenting the two positive stimuli simultaneously. Consistent with the contrast hypothesis, pigeons showed a significant preference for the positive stimulus that in training had followed their less preferred schedule.

Influence of cell temperature on sulfur dioxide contamination in proton exchange membrane fuel cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhai, Y.; Bender, G.; Bethune, K.; Rocheleau, R.

2014-02-01

The effects of temperature on sulfur dioxide (SO2) contamination in PEMFCs are investigated by operating single cells with 2 ppm SO2 in the cathode at different temperatures. Cell performance response shows that voltage degradation was delayed and appears a transition of multiple processes at low temperatures; a similar performance loss is observed when performances reached steady state. The restored performance from the reversible and the irreversible degradations highly depends on temperature. At low temperature, the performance recovery is only negligible with neat air operation (self-recovery), while full recovery is observed after cyclic voltammetry (CV) scanning. As temperature increased, so did the self-recovery performance. However, the total recovery performance decreased. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy analysis indicates that the potential-dependent poisoning process was delayed at low temperature, and the removal of the sulfur species from Pt/C was inhibited during the self-recovery. Water balance analysis implies that the delay could be attributed to the effect of liquid water scavenging and the mass transport of SO2 in the membrane electrode assemblies. The CV analysis confirms that the decomposition/desorption of the sulfur adsorbates was inhibited and indicates that the SO2 crossover from the cathode to the anode side was also mitigated at low temperature.

Aerodynamic Inner Workings of Circumferential Grooves in a Transonic Axial Compressor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hah, Chunill; Mueller, Martin; Schiffer, Heinz-Peter

2007-01-01

The current paper reports on investigations of the fundamental flow mechanisms of circumferential grooves applied to a transonic axial compressor. Experimental results show that the compressor stall margin is significantly improved with the current set of circumferential grooves. The primary focus of the current investigation is to advance understanding of basic flow mechanics behind the observed improvement of stall margin. Experimental data and numerical simulations of a circumferential groove were analyzed in detail to unlock the inner workings of the circumferential grooves in the current transonic compressor rotor. A short length scale stall inception occurs when a large flow blockage is built on the pressure side of the blade near the leading edge and incoming flow spills over to the adjacent blade passage due to this blockage. The current study reveals that a large portion of this blockage is created by the tip clearance flow originating from 20% to 50% chord of the blade from the leading edge. Tip clearance flows originating from the leading edge up to 20% chord form a tip clearance core vortex and this tip clearance core vortex travels radially inward. The tip clearance flows originating from 20% to 50% chord travels over this tip clearance core vortex and reaches to the pressure side. This part of tip clearance flow is of low momentum as it is coming from the casing boundary layer and the blade suction surface boundary layer. The circumferential grooves disturb this part of the tip clearance flow close to the casing. Consequently the buildup of the induced vortex and the blockage near the pressure side of the passage is reduced. This is the main mechanism of the circumferential grooves that delays the formation of blockage near the pressure side of the passage and delays the onset of short length scale stall inception. The primary effect of the circumferential grooves is preventing local blockage near the pressure side of the blade leading edge that directly determines flow spillage around the leading edge. The circumferential grooves do not necessarily reduce the over all blockage built up at the rotor tip section.

Combined in vivo and in vitro approach for the characterization of penicillin-specific polyclonal lymphocyte reactivity: tolerance tests with safe penicillins instead of challenge with culprit drugs.

PubMed

Sachs, B; Al Masaoudi, T; Merk, H F; Erdmann, S

2004-10-01

Amino-penicillins are a major cause of delayed-type reactions to penicillins. The aim of this study was to establish a diagnostic approach for the characterization of the individual penicillin-specific polyclonal lymphocyte reactivity in order to detect side chain-specific sensitization to amino-penicillins. Patients can then be advised to undergo a tolerance test with safe penicillins instead of provocation with culprit penicillins for confirmation of penicillin allergy. We investigated penicillin-specific polyclonal lymphocyte reactivity in nine patients with delayed-type reactions to amino-penicillins by a combined in vivo (patch, prick and intracutaneous tests with delayed readings) and in vitro (lymphocyte transformation test, LTT) approach. A combination of LTT and skin tests improved the sensitivity for the characterization of penicillin-specific polyclonal lymphocyte reactivity and allowed the detection of three different patterns of lymphocyte reactivity. Four patients showed a side chain-specific sensitization to amino-penicillins in vivo and in vitro and were advised to undergo tolerance tests with safe penicillins. Two patients agreed and were exposed to parenteral benzyl-penicillin and oral phenoxymethyl-penicillin which they tolerated without complications. These data suggest that a combined in vivo and in vitro approach is helpful for the detection of side chain-specific sensitization to amino-penicillins. Patients with such sensitization are very likely to tolerate safe penicillins, thereby expanding their therapeutic options when antibiotic treatment is required.

Acute Hepatotoxicity of Intravenous Amiodarone: Case Report and Review of the Literature.

PubMed

Chen, Chia-Chi; Wu, Chien-Chih

2016-01-01

Amiodarone is a class III antiarrhythmic drug widely used for the treatment of both supraventricular and ventricular arrhythmias in intensive care unit. Hepatotoxicity of amiodarone is usually mild and delayed onset. Acute hepatotoxicity is a rare side effect and usually correlated to intravenous form use. In this case, acute hepatocellular injury occurred within 24 hours after the administration of intravenous amiodarone. Liver enzyme significantly improved after holding intravenous amiodarone use. Because ventricular arrhythmia persisted and side effects occurred to alternative therapy, low dose of oral amiodarone was resumed and hepatotoxicity did not occur afterward. Acute hepatotoxicity of intravenous amiodarone is possibly related to polysorbate 80, the solubilizer of amiodarone infusion or higher dose. As a result, when intravenous amiodarone is prescribed, closely monitoring liver enzyme is highly suggested. If acute hepatitis takes place secondary to intravenous amiodarone, oral therapy should not be resumed afterward. If there is no alternative treatment, lower dose of oral amiodarone (≤200 mg/d) could be tried and should monitor liver function regularly.

[Treatment of osteoporosis with a delayed-action sodium fluoride preparation].

PubMed

Chlud, K

1977-01-01

40 patients with various types of osteoporosis, aged 17 to 76 years, were treated for 12 months with a new NaF-drug (Ossiplex-Retard, film tbl. 25 mg NaF plus 200 mg vitamine C). Daily dosage was 50-100 mg. Clinical symptoms, X-ray-status of the axial skeleton, alkaline serum phosphatase and the consumption of analgetics were used for assessment. 2/3 of the patients with presenile and steroid induced osteoporosis responded well to treatment, while those with osteogenesis imperfecta, idiopathic osteoporosis and plasmocytosis did not show clinical or radiological improvement. In senile osteoporosis, a physiological process of aging, should only be given NaF-treatment, if fractures without callus formation are present. Harmless side effects, (gastrointestinal intolerance in 15% and a painful tendoperiostosis syndrome in 12.5%), necessitated discontinuation of treatment in 3 cases. The NaF-drug with added vitamine C has less side effects than other NaF-containing compounds and should therefore be included as part of the therapeutical regimen of certain types of osteoporosis.

The effects of resonances on time delay estimation for water leak detection in plastic pipes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Almeida, Fabrício C. L.; Brennan, Michael J.; Joseph, Phillip F.; Gao, Yan; Paschoalini, Amarildo T.

2018-04-01

In the use of acoustic correlation methods for water leak detection, sensors are placed at pipe access points either side of a suspected leak, and the peak in the cross-correlation function of the measured signals gives the time difference (delay) between the arrival times of the leak noise at the sensors. Combining this information with the speed at which the leak noise propagates along the pipe, gives an estimate for the location of the leak with respect to one of the measurement positions. It is possible for the structural dynamics of the pipe system to corrupt the time delay estimate, which results in the leak being incorrectly located. In this paper, data from test-rigs in the United Kingdom and Canada are used to demonstrate this phenomenon, and analytical models of resonators are coupled with a pipe model to replicate the experimental results. The model is then used to investigate which of the two commonly used correlation algorithms, the Basic Cross-Correlation (BCC) function or the Phase Transform (PHAT), is more robust to the undesirable structural dynamics of the pipe system. It is found that time delay estimation is highly sensitive to the frequency bandwidth over which the analysis is conducted. Moreover, it is found that the PHAT is particularly sensitive to the presence of resonances and can give an incorrect time delay estimate, whereas the BCC function is found to be much more robust, giving a consistently accurate time delay estimate for a range of dynamic conditions.

[Using delayed auditory feedback in the treatment of stuttering: evidence to consider].

PubMed

Van Borsel, John; Sierens, Sarah; Pereira, Mônica Medeiros de Britto

2007-01-01

There is some indication that the use of delayed auditory feedback (DAF) is a potentially helpful technique in the treatment of stuttering. Several devices for DAF are also commercially. However, not all individuals who stutter experience a positive effect on speech fluency when speaking under DAF. And those who do show a positive effect, may differ considerably as to the degree and the conditions in which the effect is seen. Therefore, the decision whether or not to attempt the use of DAF in an given client is usually not straightforward. Starting from a literature review, the present paper discusses and illustrates factors to take into account when considering the use of RAA in an individual client. Four types of factors are distinguished: factors inherent to the client such as gender, age, stuttering severity, dysfluency pattern, origin of stuttering, and biological subtype; factors outside the client including delay time, intensity, manner of delivery, speech mode, and speech situation; possible side-effects like a reduction in speech rate, an increase of speaking fundamental frequency and vocal intensity, lengthening of vowels, and a possible effect on speech naturalness; others namely cosmetics, finances, and the long-term effect. The review shows that most likely multiple factors play a role, but with the currently available data it is very hard to predict whether a given individual will or will not benefit from the use of DAF. Overall, the evidence for the influence of the different factors is still meager. Moreover, some studies present data of a quality that can hardly be considered "evidence".

Diurnal evolution of the F region electron density local time gradient at low and middle latitudes resolved by the Swarm constellation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiong, Chao; Zhou, Yun-Liang; Lühr, Hermann; Ma, Shu-Ying

2016-09-01

In this study we have provided new insights into the local time gradient of F region electron density (ΔNe) derived from the lower pair of Swarm satellites flying side by side. Our result shows that the electron density (Ne) increase starts just at sunrise, around 06:00 LT, simultaneously at low and middle latitudes due to the increased photoionization. At equatorial latitudes the increase in electron density gets even steeper after 07:00 LT, and the steepest increase of electron density (about 3 · 1010 m-3 within 6 min) occurs around 09:00 LT. We suggest that the upward vertical plasma drift in connection with the buildup of the equatorial fountain effect plays a major role. We also found that the local time variations of the equatorial ionization anomaly (EIA) crest electron density during daytime are similar to the respective evolutions at the equator, but about 1-2 h delayed. We relate this delay to the response time between the equatorial electric field and the buildup of the plasma fountain. At equinox months a fast decrease of the F region electron density is seen at the EIA trough region during the prereversal enhancement, while an increase is found meanwhile at crest regions. Afterward, a fast decrease of the EIA crest electron density occurs between 19:00 and 23:00 LT, with seasonal dependence. The local time gradient between Swarm A and C shows also prominent longitudinal wave-4 pattern around August months, and the phase of DE3 in ΔNe is found to be delayed by 6 h compared to that in Ne.

A loose bolt delays loading of Endeavour's external tank

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2000-01-01

This view shows the pipe (center top) leading toward Endeavour from the side of the White Room at Launch Pad 39B. A loose bracket observed hanging down from the pipe delayed loading of Endeavour's external tank by several hours to allow technicians to remove it. A 'U' bolt connects the bracket to a fire suppression water line attached to the exterior of the White Room. The loose bolt could have possibly created a debris hazard.

Molecular mechanisms of chemopreventive phytochemicals against gastroenterological cancer development

PubMed Central

Chung, Min-Yu; Lim, Tae Gyu; Lee, Ki Won

2013-01-01

Cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Commonly used cancer treatments, including chemotherapy and radiation therapy, often have side effects and a complete cure is sometimes impossible. Therefore, prevention, suppression, and/or delaying the onset of the disease are important. The onset of gastroenterological cancers is closely associated with an individual’s lifestyle. Thus, changing lifestyle, specifically the consumption of fruits and vegetables, can help to protect against the development of gastroenterological cancers. In particular, naturally occurring bioactive compounds, including curcumin, resveratrol, isothiocyanates, (-)-epigallocatechin gallate and sulforaphane, are regarded as promising chemopreventive agents. Hence, regular consumption of these natural bioactive compounds found in foods can contribute to prevention, suppression, and/or delay of gastroenterological cancer development. In this review, we will summarize natural phytochemicals possessing potential antioxidant and/or anti-inflammatory and anti-carcinogenic activities, which are exerted by regulating or targeting specific molecules against gastroenterological cancers, including esophageal, gastric and colon cancers. PMID:23467658

Does Bacopa monnieri improve memory performance in older persons? Results of a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial.

PubMed

Morgan, Annette; Stevens, John

2010-07-01

The objective of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of Bacopa monnieri Linn. for improvement of memory performance in healthy older persons. This was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. The trial took place in Lismore, NSW, Australia between February and July 2005. Ninety-eight (98) healthy participants over 55 years of age were recruited from the general population. Participants were randomized to receive an extract of Bacopa monnieri called BacoMind(TM) (Natural Remedies Pvt. Ltd.), 300 mg/day, or an identical placebo. Following screening, neuropsychologic and subjective memory assessments were performed at baseline and at 12 weeks. Audioverbal and visual memory performance were measured by the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (AVLT), the Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure Test (CFT), and the Reitan Trail Making Test (TMT). Subjective memory performance was measured by the Memory Complaint Questionnaire (MAC-Q). One hundred and thirty-six (136) subjects volunteered; 103 met entry criteria, 98 commenced, and 81 completed the trial. Bacopa significantly improved verbal learning, memory acquisition, and delayed recall as measured by the AVLT: trial a4 (p = 0.000), trial a5 (p = 0.016); trial a6 (p = 0.000); trial a7 (delayed recall) (p = 0.001); total learning (p = 0.011); and retroactive interference (p = 0.048). CFT, MAC-Q, and TMT scores improved but group differences were not significant. Bacopa versus placebo caused gastrointestinal tract (GIT) side-effects. Bacopa significantly improved memory acquisition and retention in healthy older Australians. This concurs with previous findings and traditional use. Bacopa caused GIT side-effects of increased stool frequency, abdominal cramps, and nausea.

Process-related factors associated with disciplinary board decisions

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background In most health care systems disciplinary boards have been organised in order to process patients’ complaints about health professionals. Although, the safe-guarding of the legal rights of the involved parties is a crucial concern, there is limited knowledge about what role the complaint process plays with regard to board decision outcomes. Using complaint cases towards general practitioners, the aim of this study was to identify what process factors are statistically associated with disciplinary actions as seen from the party of the complainant and the defendant general practitioner, respectively. Methods Danish Patient Complaints Board decisions concerning general practitioners completed in 2007 were examined. Information on process factors was extracted from the case files and included complaint delay, complainant’s lawyer involvement, the number of general practitioners involved, event duration, expert witness involvement, case management duration and decision outcome (discipline or no discipline). Multiple logistic regression analyses were performed on compound case decisions eventually involving more general practitioners (as seen from the complainant’s side) and on separated decisions (as seen from the defendant general practitioner’s side). Results From the general practitioner’s side, when the number of general practitioners involved in a complaint case increased, odds of being disciplined significantly decreased (OR=0.661 per additional general practitioner involved, p<0.001). Contrarily, from the complainant’s side, no association could be detected between complaining against a plurality of general practitioners and the odds of at least one general practitioner being disciplined. From both sides, longer case management duration was associated with higher odds of discipline (OR=1.038 per additional month, p=0.010). No association could be demonstrated with regard to complaint delay, lawyer involvement, event duration, or expert witness involvement. There was lawyer involvement in 5% of cases and expert witness involvement in 92% of cases. The mean complaint delay was 3 months and 18 days and the mean case management duration was 14 months and 7 days. Conclusions Certain complaint process factors might be statistically associated with decision outcomes. However, the impact diverges as seen from the different parties. Future studies are merited in order to uncover the judicial mechanisms lying behind. PMID:23294599

Process-related factors associated with disciplinary board decisions.

PubMed

Birkeland, Søren; Christensen, Rene dePont; Damsbo, Niels; Kragstrup, Jakob

2013-01-07

In most health care systems disciplinary boards have been organised in order to process patients' complaints about health professionals. Although, the safe-guarding of the legal rights of the involved parties is a crucial concern, there is limited knowledge about what role the complaint process plays with regard to board decision outcomes. Using complaint cases towards general practitioners, the aim of this study was to identify what process factors are statistically associated with disciplinary actions as seen from the party of the complainant and the defendant general practitioner, respectively. Danish Patient Complaints Board decisions concerning general practitioners completed in 2007 were examined. Information on process factors was extracted from the case files and included complaint delay, complainant's lawyer involvement, the number of general practitioners involved, event duration, expert witness involvement, case management duration and decision outcome (discipline or no discipline). Multiple logistic regression analyses were performed on compound case decisions eventually involving more general practitioners (as seen from the complainant's side) and on separated decisions (as seen from the defendant general practitioner's side). From the general practitioner's side, when the number of general practitioners involved in a complaint case increased, odds of being disciplined significantly decreased (OR=0.661 per additional general practitioner involved, p<0.001). Contrarily, from the complainant's side, no association could be detected between complaining against a plurality of general practitioners and the odds of at least one general practitioner being disciplined. From both sides, longer case management duration was associated with higher odds of discipline (OR=1.038 per additional month, p=0.010). No association could be demonstrated with regard to complaint delay, lawyer involvement, event duration, or expert witness involvement. There was lawyer involvement in 5% of cases and expert witness involvement in 92% of cases. The mean complaint delay was 3 months and 18 days and the mean case management duration was 14 months and 7 days. Certain complaint process factors might be statistically associated with decision outcomes. However, the impact diverges as seen from the different parties. Future studies are merited in order to uncover the judicial mechanisms lying behind.

Luteal cell steroidogenesis in relation to delayed embryonic development in the Indian short-nosed fruit bat, Cynopterus sphinx.

PubMed

Meenakumari, Karukayil J; Banerjee, Arnab; Krishna, Amitabh

2009-01-01

The primary aim of this study was to determine the possible cause of slow or delayed embryonic development in Cynopterus sphinx by investigating morphological and steroidogenic changes in the corpus luteum (CL) and circulating hormone concentrations during two pregnancies of a year. This species showed delayed post-implantational embryonic development during gastrulation of the first pregnancy. Morphological features of the CL showed normal luteinization during both pregnancies. The CL did not change significantly in luteal cell size during the delay period of the first pregnancy as compared with the second pregnancy. The circulating progesterone and 17beta-estradiol concentrations were significantly lower during the period of delayed embryonic development as compared with the same stage of embryonic development during the second pregnancy. We also showed a marked decline in the activity of 3beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, P450 side chain cleavage enzyme, and steroidogenic acute regulatory peptide in the CL during the delay period. This may cause low circulating progesterone and estradiol synthesis and consequently delay embryonic development. What causes the decrease in steroidogenic factors in the CL during the period of delayed development in C. sphinx is under investigation.

Cardiopulmonary manifestations of isolated pulmonary valve infective endocarditis demonstrated with cardiac CT.

PubMed

Passen, Edward; Feng, Zekun

2015-01-01

Right-sided infective endocarditis involving the pulmonary valve is rare. This pictorial essay discusses the use and findings of cardiac CT combined with delayed chest CT and noncontrast chest CT of pulmonary valve endocarditis. Cardiac CT is able to show the full spectrum of right-sided endocarditis cardiopulmonary features including manifestations that cannot be demonstrated by echocardiography. Copyright © 2015 Society of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Temporal asynchrony and spatial perception

PubMed Central

Lev, Maria; Polat, Uri

2016-01-01

Collinear facilitation is an enhancement in the visibility of a target by laterally placed iso-oriented flankers in a collinear (COL) configuration. Iso-oriented flankers placed in a non-collinear configuration (side-by-side, SBS) produce less facilitation. Surprisingly, presentation of both configurations simultaneously (ISO-CROSS) abolishes the facilitation rather than increases it - a phenomenon that can’t be fully explained by the spatial properties of the target and flankers. Based on our preliminary data and recent studies, we hypothesized that there might be a novel explanation based on the temporal properties of the excitation and inhibition, resulting in asynchrony between the lateral inputs received from COL and SBS, leading to cancelation of the facilitatory component in ISO-CROSS. We explored this effect using a detection task in humans. The results replicated the previous results showing that the preferred facilitation for COL and SBS was abolished for the ISO-CROSS configuration. However, presenting the SBS flankers, but not the COL flankers 20 msec before ISO-CROSS restored the facilitatory effect. We propose a novel explanation that the perceptual advantage of collinear facilitation may be cancelled by the delayed input from the sides; thus, the final perception is determined by the overall spatial-temporal integration of the lateral interactions. PMID:27460532

An Effective Division of Labor Between Human and Robotic Agents Performing a Cooperative Assembly Task

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rehnmark, Fredrik; Bluethmann, William; Rochlis, Jennifer; Huber, Eric; Ambrose, Robert

2003-01-01

NASA's Human Space Flight program depends heavily on spacewalks performed by human astronauts. These so-called extra-vehicular activities (EVAs) are risky, expensive and complex. Work is underway to develop a robotic astronaut's assistant that can help reduce human EVA time and workload by delivering human-like dexterous manipulation capabilities to any EVA worksite. An experiment is conducted to evaluate human-robot teaming strategies in the context of a simplified EVA assembly task in which Robonaut, a collaborative effort with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), an anthropomorphic robot works side-by-side with a human subject. Team performance is studied in an effort to identify the strengths and weaknesses of each teaming configuration and to recommend an appropriate division of labor. A shared control approach is developed to take advantage of the complementary strengths of the human teleoperator and robot, even in the presence of significant time delay.

Sports teams as complex adaptive systems: manipulating player numbers shapes behaviours during football small-sided games.

PubMed

Silva, Pedro; Vilar, Luís; Davids, Keith; Araújo, Duarte; Garganta, Júlio

2016-01-01

Small-sided and conditioned games (SSCGs) in sport have been modelled as complex adaptive systems. Research has shown that the relative space per player (RSP) formulated in SSCGs can impact on emergent tactical behaviours. In this study we adopted a systems orientation to analyse how different RSP values, obtained through manipulations of player numbers, influenced four measures of interpersonal coordination observed during performance in SSCGs. For this purpose we calculated positional data (GPS 15 Hz) from ten U-15 football players performing in three SSCGs varying in player numbers (3v3, 4v4 and 5v5). Key measures of SSCG system behaviours included values of (1) players' dispersion, (2) teams' separateness, (3) coupling strength and time delays between participants' emerging movements, respectively. Results showed that values of participants' dispersion increased, but the teams' separateness remained identical across treatments. Coupling strength and time delay also showed consistent values across SSCGs. These results exemplified how complex adaptive systems, like football teams, can harness inherent degeneracy to maintain similar team spatial-temporal relations with opponents through changes in inter-individual coordination modes (i.e., players' dispersion). The results imply that different team behaviours might emerge at different ratios of field dimension/player numbers. Therefore, sport pedagogists should carefully evaluate the effects of changing RSP in SSCGs as a way of promoting increased or decreased pressure on players.

Inhibition of human ether-a-go-go-related gene K+ channel and IKr of guinea pig cardiomyocytes by antipsychotic drug trifluoperazine.

PubMed

Choi, Se-Young; Koh, Young-Sang; Jo, Su-Hyun

2005-05-01

Trifluoperazine, a commonly used antipsychotic drug, has been known to induce QT prolongation and torsades de pointes, which can cause sudden death. We studied the effects of trifluoperazine on the human ether-a-go-go-related gene (HERG) channel expressed in Xenopus oocytes and on the delayed rectifier K(+) current of guinea pig cardiomyocytes. The application of trifluoperazine showed a dose-dependent decrease in current amplitudes at the end of voltage steps and tail currents of HERG. The IC(50) for a trifluoperazine block of HERG current progressively decreased according to depolarization: IC(50) values at -40, 0, and +40 mV were 21.6, 16.6, and 9.29 microM, respectively. The voltage dependence of the block could be fitted with a monoexponential function, and the fractional electrical distance was estimated to be delta = 0.65. The block of HERG by trifluoperazine was use-dependent, exhibiting more rapid onset and greater steady-state block at higher frequencies of activation; there was partial relief of the block with decreasing frequency. In guinea pig ventricular myocytes, bath applications of 0.5 and 2 microM trifluoperazine at 36 degrees C blocked the rapidly activating delayed rectifier K(+) current by 32.4 and 72.9%, respectively; however, the same concentrations of trifluoperazine failed to significantly block the slowly activating delayed rectifier K(+) current. Our findings suggest the arrhythmogenic side effect of trifluoperazine is caused by a blockade of HERG and the rapid component of the delayed rectifier K(+) current rather than by the blockade of the slow component.

Impact of TBI on late effects in children treated by megatherapy for Stage IV neuroblastoma. A study of the French Society of Pediatric oncology

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

Flandin, Isabelle; Department of Radiotherapy/Oncology, Hospital Lyon Sud, Lyon; Hartmann, Olivier

2006-04-01

Purpose: To determine the contribution of total body irradiation (TBI) to late sequelae in children treated with high-dose chemotherapy and autologous bone marrow transplantation for Stage IV neuroblastoma. Patients and Methods: We compared two populations that were similar with regard to age, stage, pre-autologous bone marrow transplantation chemotherapy (CT) regimen, period of treatment, and follow-up (12 years). The TBI group (n = 32) received TBI as part of the megatherapy procedure (1982-1993), whereas the CT group (n 30) received conditioning without TBI (1985-1992). Analysis 12 years later focused on growth, weight and corpulence (body mass index) delay; hormonal deficiencies; liver,more » kidney, heart, ear, eye, and dental sequelae; school performance; and the incidence of secondary tumors. Results: Impact of TBI was most marked in relation to growth and weight delay, although the mean delay was not severe, probably because of treatment with growth hormones. Other consequences of TBI were thyroid insufficiency, cataracts, and a high incidence of secondary tumors. Hearing loss and dental agenesis were more prominent in the group treated with CT alone. No differences were observed in school performance. Conclusion: The most frequent side effects of TBI were cataracts, thyroid insufficiency, and growth delay, but more worrying is the risk of secondary tumors. Because of the young mean age of patients and the toxicity of TBI regimens without any survival advantage, regimens without TBI are preferable in the management of Stage IV neuroblastoma.« less

Bifurcation Analysis and Application for Impulsive Systems with Delayed Impulses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Church, Kevin E. M.; Liu, Xinzhi

In this article, we present a systematic approach to bifurcation analysis of impulsive systems with autonomous or periodic right-hand sides that may exhibit delayed impulse terms. Methods include Lyapunov-Schmidt reduction and center manifold reduction. Both methods are presented abstractly in the context of the stroboscopic map associated to a given impulsive system, and are illustrated by way of two in-depth examples: the analysis of a SIR model of disease transmission with seasonality and unevenly distributed moments of treatment, and a scalar logistic differential equation with a delayed census impulsive harvesting effort. It is proven that in some special cases, the logistic equation can exhibit a codimension two bifurcation at a 1:1 resonance point.

Alternative medicine safety: Agaricus blazei and propolis.

PubMed

Sorimachi, Kenji; Nakamoto, Takaaki

2011-08-01

All medicines pose a potential health risk, be they Eastern or Western medicines. Newly developed Western drugs must undergo rigorous testing to ensure their efficacy and safety, while with Eastern drugs, safety has generally been established because of their long histories of safe usage as traditional medicines. The regulation of Western medicines is much stronger than that of Eastern medicines, partly as pure chemicals are used and their effects and side effects are more likely to be acute. Eastern medicines consist of multiple components, generally extracted from a single or several plants or other natural sources, and their effects are not so acute, with delayed onset of side effects. However, the chronic usage of many Eastern medicines may result in the gradual accumulation of toxic compounds in the body. For example, Agaricus blazei extracts have been used as alternative medicines for cancer, but contain the known carcinogen agaritine (this carcinogen is also present in Agaricus bisporus). To ensure the safety of this alternative medicine, agaritine should be removed or its content reduced if the extract is to be taken chronically. Clearly, the safety of not only pure medicines, but also alternative medicines and daily foods, should be carefully controlled.

Right recumbent position on gastric emptying of water evidenced by 13C breath testing

PubMed Central

Sanaka, Masaki; Urita, Yoshihisa; Yamamoto, Takatsugu; Shirai, Tsuguru; Kimura, Satoshi; Aoyagi, Hitoshi; Kuyama, Yasushi

2013-01-01

AIM: To compare the impact of the right recumbent position with the sitting position on gastric emptying of water. METHODS: In eight healthy male volunteers, the 13C acetate breath test was performed twice to assess gastric emptying of 100 mL tap water. Subjects were seated in one test and lying on their right side in the other. In both positions, pulmonary 13CO2 exhalation curves were obtained by plotting breath data against time. Percent gastric retention curves were created by analyzing data using the Wagner-Nelson protocol. RESULTS: No significant posture effect was found in pulmonary 13CO2 output curves (P = 0.2150), whereas a significant effect was seen in gastric retention curves (P = 0.0315). The percent retention values at 10 min and 15 min were significantly smaller when subjects were in the right recumbent position compared with the seated position (P < 0.05). Our results verified the accelerating effect of the right recumbent position on gastric emptying of non-nutritive solutions. Concerning clinical implications, this study suggests that placing patients with acute pain on their right side after oral administration of analgesic drugs in solution is justified as an effective practice for rapid pain relief. For patients with gastrointestinal reflux symptoms, sleeping in the right recumbent position may reduce nocturnal symptoms, as delayed gastric emptying can cause reflux symptoms. CONCLUSION: Gastric emptying of water occurs more quickly when a subject lies on the right side compared with sitting. PMID:23372358

Wound healing, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition, and collagen-containing products: a case study.

PubMed

Buscemi, Charles P; Romeo, CarolAnn

2014-01-01

The effects of multiple medications may impair or enhance wound healing. A review of the literature for drug side effects identified cell culture and case studies of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) impairing collagen deposition in cutaneous wounds; these medications have also been used to prevent or minimize keloid formation. A 71-year-old male patient presented with a venous leg ulcer (VLU), having incurred a crushing injury and fracture requiring surgical repair 16 years earlier. The patient's history was significant for obesity, smoking 1 cigar daily, hypertension, and lower extremity venous insufficiency; medications included amlodipine and lisinopril. The wound initially responded well to advanced wound products and compression, but wound healing subsequently stalled. A collagen-containing alginate dressing was added to the treatment regimen and the wound closed within 2 weeks. We postulate that lisinopril may have contributed to the observed delayed healing and targeted this potential impediment to wound healing with a readily available topical collagen-containing product resulting in a rapid wound closure after a significant delay in progress toward wound healing.

Anticipatory postural adjustments during sitting reach movement in post-stroke subjects.

PubMed

Pereira, Soraia; Silva, Cláudia C; Ferreira, Sílvia; Silva, Cláudia; Oliveira, Nuno; Santos, Rubim; Vilas-Boas, John P; Correia, Miguel V

2014-02-01

The study assessed the effect of velocity of arm movement on anticipatory postural adjustments (APAs) generation in the contralateral and ipsilateral muscles of individuals with stroke in seating. Ten healthy and eight post-stroke subjects were studied in sitting. The task consisted in reaching an object placed at scapular plane and mid-sternum height at self-selected and fast velocities. Electromyography was recorded from anterior deltoid (AD), upper (UT) and lower trapezius (LT) and latissimus dorsi (LD). While kinematic analysis was used to assess peak velocity and trunk displacement. Differences were found between the timing of APAs on ipsi and contralateral LD and LT in both movement speeds and in ipsilateral UT during movement of the non-affected arm at a self-selected velocity. A delay on the contralateral LD to reach movement with the non-affected arm at fast velocity was also observed. The trunk displacement was greater in post-stroke subjects. Individuals with stroke demonstrated a delay of APAs in the muscles on both sides of the body compared to healthy subjects. The delay was observed during performance of the reaching task with the fast and self-selected velocity. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Delay in Recognition of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension

PubMed Central

Brown, Lynette M.; Chen, Hubert; Halpern, Scott; Taichman, Darren; McGoon, Michael D.; Farber, Harrison W.; Frost, Adaani E.; Liou, Theodore G.; Turner, Michelle; Feldkircher, Kathy; Miller, Dave P.

2011-01-01

Background: Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a progressive and fatal disorder. Despite the emergence of effective therapy, PAH is commonly at an advanced stage when recognized. Factors associated with a prolonged symptomatic period before the recognition of PAH have not been fully evaluated. Methods: The Registry to Evaluate Early and Long-term PAH Disease Management (REVEAL Registry) enrolled 2,967 US adult patients with PAH from March 2006 to September 2007. Patients were considered to have delayed disease recognition if > 2 years elapsed between symptom onset and the patient receiving a PAH diagnosis, starting on PAH-specific therapy, or receiving a diagnosis by right-sided heart catheterization. Results: In 21.1% of patients, symptoms were experienced for > 2 years before PAH was recognized. Patients with onset of PAH symptoms before age 36 years showed the highest likelihood of delayed disease recognition (OR, 3.07; 95% CI, 2.03-4.66). History of obstructive airways disease (OR, 1.93; 95% CI, 1.5-2.47) and sleep apnea (OR, 1.72; 95% CI, 1.33-2.22) were independently associated with delayed PAH recognition. Six-minute walk distance < 250 m (OR, 1.91; 95% CI, 1.16-3.13), right atrial pressure < 10 mm Hg (OR, 1.77; 95% CI, 1.26-2.48), and pulmonary vascular resistance < 10 Wood units (OR, 1.28; 95% CI, 1.02-1.60) were also associated with delayed disease recognition, but sex, race/ethnicity, and geographic region showed no association. Conclusions: One in five patients in the REVEAL Registry who were diagnosed with PAH reported symptoms for > 2 years before their disease was recognized. Younger individuals and patients with histories of common respiratory disorders were most likely to experience delayed PAH recognition. Trial registry: ClinicalTrials.gov; No.: NCT00370214; URL: www.clinicaltrials.gov PMID:21393391

Improvement in the performance of graphene nanoribbon p-i-n tunneling field effect transistors by applying lightly doped profile on drain region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Naderi, Ali

2017-12-01

In this paper, an efficient structure with lightly doped drain region is proposed for p-i-n graphene nanoribbon field effect transistors (LD-PIN-GNRFET). Self-consistent solution of Poisson and Schrödinger equation within Nonequilibrium Green’s function (NEGF) formalism has been employed to simulate the quantum transport of the devices. In proposed structure, source region is doped by constant doping density, channel is an intrinsic GNR, and drain region contains two parts with lightly and heavily doped doping distributions. The important challenge in tunneling devices is obtaining higher current ratio. Our simulations demonstrate that LD-PIN-GNRFET is a steep slope device which not only reduces the leakage current and current ratio but also enhances delay, power delay product, and cutoff frequency in comparison with conventional PIN GNRFETs with uniform distribution of impurity and with linear doping profile in drain region. Also, the device is able to operate in higher drain-source voltages due to the effectively reduced electric field at drain side. Briefly, the proposed structure can be considered as a more reliable device for low standby-power logic applications operating at higher voltages and upper cutoff frequencies.

Preservation of Immune Function in Cervical Cancer Patients during Chemoradiation using a Novel Integrative Approach

PubMed Central

Lutgendorf, Susan K.; Mullen-Houser, Elizabeth; Russell, Daniel; DeGeest, Koen; Jacobson, Geraldine; Hart, Laura; Bender, David; Anderson, Barrie; Buekers, Thomas E.; Goodheart, Michael J.; Antoni, Michael H.; Sood, Anil K.; Lubaroff, David M.

2010-01-01

Patients receiving chemoradiation for cervical cancer are at risk for distress, chemoradiation-related side-effects, and immunosuppression. This prospective randomized clinical trial examined effects of a complementary therapy, Healing Touch (HT), versus relaxation training (RT) and usual care (UC) for 1) supporting cellular immunity, 2) improving mood and quality of life (QOL), and 3) reducing treatment-associated toxicities and treatment delay in cervical cancer patients receiving chemoradiation. Sixty women with stages IB1 to IVA cervical cancer were randomly assigned to receive UC or 4×/weekly individual sessions of either HT or RT immediately following radiation during their 6-week chemoradiation treatment. Patients completed psychosocial assessments and blood sampling before chemoradiation at baseline, weeks 4 and 6. Multilevel regression analyses using orthogonal contrasts tested for differences between treatment conditions over time. HT patients had a minimal decrease in natural killer cell cytotoxicity (NKCC) over the course of treatment whereas NKCC of RT and UC patients declined sharply during chemoradiation (group by time interaction: p=0.018). HT patients showed greater decreases in 2 different indicators of depressed mood (CESD depressed mood subscale and POMS depression scale) compared to RT and UC (group by time interactions: p < 0.05). No between group differences were observed in QOL, treatment delay, or clinically-rated toxicities. HT may benefit cervical cancer patients by moderating effects of chemoradiation on depressed mood and cellular immunity. Effects of HT on toxicities, treatment delay, QOL, and fatigue were not observed. Long-term clinical implications of findings are not known. PMID:20600809

Photodynamic therapy in combination with CO2 laser for the treatment of Bowen's disease.

PubMed

Cai, Hong; Wang, Yi-xia; Zheng, Ji-Chun; Sun, Ping; Yang, Zhi-yong; Li, Yuan-li; Liu, Xiao-yong; Li, Qiang; Liu, Wei

2015-07-01

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) involves the activation of a previously administered photosensitizing agent by visible light to induce tumor necrosis. Photosensitizers are topically applied in the treatment of skin tumors to avoid systemic side effects. In this study, we evaluated the feasibility and efficacy of aminolevulinic acid (ALA) as a photosensitizer (ALA-PDT) in combination with CO2 laser in the treatment of Bowen's disease (BD; intraepithelial squamous cell carcinoma). Twenty-two lesions from 18 patients were randomized into two groups: 11 lesions were treated with topical ALA-PDT (180 J/cm(2) at 100 mW/cm(2)) + CO2 laser for one to three sessions. The remaining 11 lesions were treated with CO2 laser alone, serving as control group. All patients were reviewed at ≤1-week intervals. Biopsies were taken from BD lesions prior to treatment. The initial evaluation was undertaken 1 month after treatment, and biopsies were harvested for histological evaluation. Patients who did not respond to the three sessions of treatment were referred to surgical treatment. In the ALA-PDT + CO2 laser group, 72.73 % (8/11) of BD lesions showed complete remission, with an overall clearance of 90.91 %, and only one recurred (9 %) during follow-up. Local side effects included mild erythema, edema, erosion, and burning and/or stinging sensation. No systemic side effects were observed. In the control group, 63.63 % (7/11) of lesions had complete remission and the overall clearance was 54.55 %. However, five lesions (45.45 %) had recurrence. Local side effects included mild to moderate edema, erosion, ulceration, delayed healing, prolonged pain, and scarring. There existed a significant difference in recurrence rate between the two groups (P < 0.05). Moreover, after ALA-PDT plus CO2 laser treatment, complete necrosis was observed in responsive lesions, and 3 months later, the atypical BD cells were replaced by normal keratinocytes. Topical ALA-PDT in combination with CO2 laser is safe, effective, and is associated with low recurrence and reduced side effects.

Fasting: Molecular Mechanisms and Clinical Applications

PubMed Central

Longo, Valter D.; Mattson, Mark P.

2014-01-01

Fasting has been practiced for millennia, but only recently studies have shed light on its role in adaptive cellular responses that reduce oxidative damage and inflammation, optimize energy metabolism and bolster cellular protection. In lower eukaryotes, chronic fasting extends longevity in part by reprogramming metabolic and stress resistance pathways. In rodents intermittent or periodic fasting protects against diabetes, cancers, heart disease and neurodegeneration, while in humans it helps reduce obesity, hypertension, asthma and rheumatoid arthritis. Thus, fasting has the potential to delay aging and help prevent and treat diseases while minimizing the side effects caused by chronic dietary interventions. PMID:24440038

Macrocytic anemia and thrombocytopenia induced by orlistat.

PubMed

Palacios-Martinez, David; Garcia-Alvarez, Juan Carlos; Montero-Santamaria, Nieves; Villar-Ruiz, Olga Patricia; Ruiz-Garcia, Antonio; Diaz-Alonso, Raquel Asuncion

2013-10-01

The overall incidence of obesity and its prevalence is increasing continuously. The obesity is a cardiovascular risk factor whose importance is increasing too. It is associated with many chronic conditions such as type II diabetes mellitus or cardiovascular diseases. The obesity is also implicated as a risk factor for several kinds of cancer such as esophagus, pancreas, colon, rectum, breast cancer in menopausal women. The treatment of the obesity may reduce the incidence of these diseases. The mainstray of the treatment of obesity is changing the lifestyles, but obesity´s treatment may need drug therapy or even though surgical treatment. Orlistat is a specific inhibitor of gastrointestinal lipases, which stops fat absortion. It is used along with a hypocaloric diet, for obesity´s treatment. The beneficial effects of orlistat include weight loss, the improvement of blood pressure´s control, it may delay the development of diabetes mellitus, and it may reduce HbA1c. Besides the interaction with other drugs (mainly warfarin and amiodarone). Orlistat´s mainly side effects are gastrointestinal disorders such as the existence of oily spotting from the rectum, abdominal pain or discomfort, fecal urgency. There are also side effects at other levels, like flu symptoms, hypoglycemia, heathache or upper respiratory infections. There are other side effects with very low incidence but clinically relevant like pancreatitis, subacute liver failure, severe liver disease, myopathy, or tubular necrosis secondary to oxalate nephropathy induced by Orlistat. IN THIS CASE REPORT APPEARS A NEW ADVERSE EFFECT OF ORLISTAT THAT HAS NOT BEEN DESCRIBED ABOVE: thrombopenia and macrocytic anemia.

Alternative rapamycin treatment regimens mitigate the impact of rapamycin on glucose homeostasis and the immune system.

PubMed

Arriola Apelo, Sebastian I; Neuman, Joshua C; Baar, Emma L; Syed, Faizan A; Cummings, Nicole E; Brar, Harpreet K; Pumper, Cassidy P; Kimple, Michelle E; Lamming, Dudley W

2016-02-01

Inhibition of the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway by the FDA-approved drug rapamycin has been shown to promote lifespan and delay age-related diseases in model organisms including mice. Unfortunately, rapamycin has potentially serious side effects in humans, including glucose intolerance and immunosuppression, which may preclude the long-term prophylactic use of rapamycin as a therapy for age-related diseases. While the beneficial effects of rapamycin are largely mediated by the inhibition of mTOR complex 1 (mTORC1), which is acutely sensitive to rapamycin, many of the negative side effects are mediated by the inhibition of a second mTOR-containing complex, mTORC2, which is much less sensitive to rapamycin. We hypothesized that different rapamycin dosing schedules or the use of FDA-approved rapamycin analogs with different pharmacokinetics might expand the therapeutic window of rapamycin by more specifically targeting mTORC1. Here, we identified an intermittent rapamycin dosing schedule with minimal effects on glucose tolerance, and we find that this schedule has a reduced impact on pyruvate tolerance, fasting glucose and insulin levels, beta cell function, and the immune system compared to daily rapamycin treatment. Further, we find that the FDA-approved rapamycin analogs everolimus and temsirolimus efficiently inhibit mTORC1 while having a reduced impact on glucose and pyruvate tolerance. Our results suggest that many of the negative side effects of rapamycin treatment can be mitigated through intermittent dosing or the use of rapamycin analogs. © 2015 The Authors. Aging Cell published by the Anatomical Society and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The Role of Lug Preheating, Melt Pool Temperature, and Lug Entrance Delay on the Cast-on-Strap Joining Process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pahlavan, Sohrab; Nikpour, Saman; Mirjalili, Mostafa; Alagheband, Ali; Azimi, Mohammadyousef; Taji, Iman

2017-07-01

This work deals with effective parameters in the cast-on-strap (COS) process during which grid lugs of a lead-acid battery are joined together by a strap. The effects of lug preheating, melt pool temperature, and lug entrance delay on the quality of joints and casting defects were investigated. Lug preheating was found to propitiously reduce joint internal voids because of flux elimination. Its adverse effect on lowering lug wettability, however, made it unfavorable under the experimental conditions. The melt pool temperature also showed a two-sided effect depending on the process conditions. Raising the temperature increases the strap melt fluidity, which improves the joint contact area; however, it has a negative effect on lug wettability by flux evaporation. Besides, higher temperatures cause more lug back-melting and, hence, lower relative contact lengths. Therefore, an intermediate temperature of 683 K (410 °C) was found to make the most proper condition. Moreover, the case at which the lugs enter the mold coincident with its filling by the melt rendered the best joint quality. In this condition, the melt flows through the interlug spaces, which helps the voids to escape, resulting in the better joint interface. As the conclusion, the lug entrance time has the most effective role on joint quality, considering that lug preheating does not show any improving effect.

Ultrasound image-guided therapy enhances antitumor effect of cisplatin.

PubMed

Sasaki, Noboru; Kudo, Nobuki; Nakamura, Kensuke; Lim, Sue Yee; Murakami, Masahiro; Kumara, W R Bandula; Tamura, Yu; Ohta, Hiroshi; Yamasaki, Masahiro; Takiguchi, Mitsuyoshi

2014-01-01

The aim of this study was to clarify whether ultrasound image-guided cisplatin delivery with an intratumor microbubble injection enhances the antitumor effect in a xenograft mouse model. Canine thyroid adenocarcinoma cells were used for all experiments. Before in vivo experiments, the cisplatin and microbubble concentration and ultrasound exposure time were optimized in vitro. For in vivo experiments, cells were implanted into the back of nude mice. Observed by a diagnostic ultrasound machine, a mixture of cisplatin and ultrasound contrast agent, Sonazoid, microbubbles was injected directly into tumors. The amount of injected cisplatin and microbubbles was 1 μg/tumor and 1.2 × 10(7) microbubbles/tumor, respectively, with a total injected volume of 20 μl. Using the same diagnostic machine, tumors were exposed to ultrasound for 15 s. The treatment was repeated four times. The combination of cisplatin, microbubbles, and ultrasound significantly delayed tumor growth as compared with no treatment (after 18 days, 157 ± 55 vs. 398 ± 49 mm(3), P = 0.049). Neither cisplatin alone nor the combination of cisplatin and ultrasound delayed tumor growth. The treatment did not decrease the body weight of mice. Ultrasound image-guided anticancer drug delivery may enhance the antitumor effects of drugs without obvious side effects.

Willingness to participate in HIV therapeutic vaccine trials among HIV-infected patients on ART in China.

PubMed

Dong, Yuan; Shen, Xiaoxing; Guo, Ruizhang; Liu, Baochi; Zhu, Lingyan; Wang, Jing; Zhang, Linxia; Sun, Jun; Zhang, Xiaoyan; Xu, Jianqing

2014-01-01

More and more HIV therapeutic vaccines will enter clinical trials; however, little is known about the willingness to participate (WTP) in HIV therapeutic vaccine trials among HIV-positive individuals. To investigate the WTP in HIV therapeutic vaccine trials among Chinese HIV-infected patients. We conducted a cross-sectional survey on HIV-positive inpatients and outpatients at Shanghai Public Health Center. A total of 447 participants were recruited into this study. Following an introduction with general information on HIV therapeutic vaccine and its potential effectiveness and side effects, each participant completed a questionnaire in a self-administered form. The questionnaires covered demographics, high-risk behaviors, clinical characteristics and willingness to participate in HIV therapeutic vaccine trial. The overall willingness to participate in HIV therapeutic vaccine trials was 91.5%. Interestingly, multivariate logistic regression analyses demonstrated that the willingness was higher for those sexually infected by HIV (odds ratio [OR]: 4.36; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.53-12.41), diagnosed as HIV-1 infection for greater than 5 years (OR: 7.12, 95% CI: 1.83-27.76), and with the presence of infectious complications (OR: 2.75; 95% CI: 1.02-7.45). The primary reason for participation was to delay or reduce antiretroviral treatment (ART) and to avoid ART side effects (76.6%), and then followed by delaying disease progression (74.9%), increasing immune response to suppress opportunistic infections (57.7%) and preventing the development of drug resistance (37.1%). Reasons for unwillingness to participate mainly included concern for safety (37.0%), lack of knowledge on therapeutic vaccine (33.3%), and satisfaction with ART effectiveness (22.2%). The WTP in HIV therapeutic vaccine trials was high among HIV-infected Chinese patients. HIV+ subjects who acquired infection through sexual contact and who were diagnosed for more than 5 years may represent a good candidate population for enrollment in therapeutic vaccine trials.

Paracetamol in Patent Ductus Arteriosus Treatment: Efficacious and Safe?

PubMed Central

Bardanzellu, Flaminia; Neroni, Paola; Fanos, Vassilios

2017-01-01

In preterm infants, failure or delay in spontaneous closure of Ductus Arteriosus (DA), resulting in the condition of Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA), represents a significant issue. A prolonged situation of PDA can be associated with several short- and long-term complications. Despite years of researches and clinical experience on PDA management, unresolved questions about the treatment and heterogeneity of clinical practices in different centers still remain, in particular regarding timing and modality of intervention. Nowadays, the most reasonable strategy seems to be reserving the treatment only to hemodynamically significant PDA. The first-line therapy is medical, and ibuprofen, related to several side effects especially in terms of nephrotoxicity, is the drug of choice. Administration of oral or intravenous paracetamol (acetaminophen) recently gained attention, appearing effective as traditional nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in PDA closure, with lower toxicity. The results of the studies analyzed in this review mostly support paracetamol efficacy in ductal closure, with inconstant low and transient elevation of liver enzymes as reported side effect. However, more studies are needed to confirm if this therapy shows a real safety profile and to evaluate its long-term outcomes, before considering paracetamol as first-choice drug in PDA treatment. PMID:28828381

Menstrual induction in preference to abortion.

PubMed

Csapo, A I; Peskin, E G; Sauvage, J P; Pulkkinen, M O; Lampe, L; Godeny, S; Laajoki, V; Kivikoski, A

1980-01-12

In the early 1970s the effort was begun to examine the clinical benefits of "menstrual induction" (MI) at 6 weeks pregnancy (last menstrual period), in the belief that if pregnancy is to be terminated there was no sound medical nor psychological reason to delay the procedure. It was found that the transcervical, intrauterine delivery of a "PG-impact" compromised the conceptus and terminated pregnancy in 95% of the cases, with clinical symptoms of menstruation rather than abortion. The side-effects were acceptable; the prematurity rate did not increase in subsequent pregnancies. Yet, the need for strict asepsis limited the use of this otherwise simple and effective procedure. Recently, this limitation has been overcome by the development of the PGE2 analogue 16-phenoxy-w17,18,19,20 tetranor-PGE2-methyl sulfanylamide ('Sulproston'). Clinical trials have been done in terms of dealing with the questions of efficacy, acceptability, and preference. 90 volunteers have been studied. At 14 days follow-up the success rate (negative pregnancy test) was 96%. The side effects were acceptable -- vomiting 26%, diarrhea 10%, and endometritis 2%. Of the 42 patients interviewed, 90% were satisfied with the procedure. Of those who had previously experienced surgical interruption, 89% preferred this pharmacological method.

Acoustic Wave Treatment For Cellulite—A New Approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Russe-Wilflingseder, Katharina; Russe, Elisabeth

2010-05-01

Background and Objectives: Cellulite is a biological caused modification of the female connective tissue. In extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) pulses are penetrating into the tissue without causing a thermal effect or micro lesions, but leading to a stimulation of tissue metabolism and blood circulation, inducing a natural repair process with cell activation and stem cells proliferation. Recently ESWT treatment showed evidence of remodelling collagen within the dermis and of stimulating microcirculation in fatty tissue. Study Design and Methods: The study was designed to assess acoustic wave treatment for cellulite by comparison treated vs. untreated side (upper-leg and buttock). Each individual served as its own control. 11 females with a BMI less then 30 and an age over 18 years were included. 6 treatments were given weekly with radial acoustic waves. Documentation was done before and 1, 4, 12 weeks after last treatment by standardized photo documentation, relaxed and with muscle contraction, measurement of body weight and circumference of the thigh, pinch test, and evaluation of hormonal status and lifestyle. The efficacy of AWT/EPAT was evaluated before and 1, 4, 12 weeks after last treatment. Patients rated the improvement of cellulite, overall satisfaction and acceptance. The therapist assessed improvement of cellulite, side effects and photo documentation treated vs. untreated side, before vs. after treatment. The blinded investigator evaluated the results using photo documentation right vs. left leg, before vs. after treatment in a frontal, lateral and dorsal view, relaxed and with muscle contraction. Results: The improvement of cellulite at the treated side was rated by patients with 27,3% at week 4 and 12, by the therapist with 34,1% at week 4 and 31,2% at week 12 after the last treatment The blinded investigator could verify an improvement of cellulite in an increasing number of patients with increasing time interval after treatment. No side effects were seen. Conclusion: Radial acoustic waves are effective and safe to treat cellulite. The effect of treatment begins delayed and is first seen after 5 treatments. The improvement of cellulite increases continual up to 3 months. Patients' satisfaction and acceptance is high

Thyroid stunning: fact or fiction?

PubMed

McDougall, I Ross; Iagaru, Andrei

2011-03-01

Stunning of thyroid tissue by diagnostic activities of (131)I has been described by some investigators and refuted by others. The support both for and against stunning has at times been enthusiastic and vigorous. We present the data from both sides of the debate in an attempt to highlight the strengths and deficiencies in the investigations cited. Clinical, animal, and in vitro studies are included. There are considerable differences in clinical practice, such as the administered activity for diagnostic whole-body scan, delay between diagnostic scan and treatment, time between treatment and posttherapy scanning, and timing of follow-up studies, that have to be analyzed with care. Other factors that often cannot be judged, such as levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone and serum iodine at time of diagnostic testing versus treatment could have an influence on stunning. Larger diagnostic doses and longer delays to therapy appear to increase the likelihood of stunning. The stunning effect of early-absorbed radiation from the therapy should also be considered. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Impact of age at onset for children with renal failure on education and employment transitions.

PubMed

Lewis, Helen; Arber, Sara

2015-01-01

Previous medical research has shown that children with end-stage renal failure experience delay or underachievement of key markers of transition to adulthood. This article analyses 35 qualitative interviews with end-stage renal failure patients, aged 20-30 years, first diagnosed at 0-19 years of age, to explore how far delayed or underachievement in education and employment is related to their age at onset of end-stage renal failure. This study shows how unpredictable failures of renal replacement therapies, comorbidities and/or side effects of treatment in the early life course often coincided with critical moments for education and employment. Entering school, college, work-related training or employment, and disclosing health status or educational underachievement to an employer, were particularly critical, and those who were ill before puberty became progressively more disadvantaged in terms of successful transition into full-time employment, compared with those first diagnosed after puberty. © The Author(s) 2014.

Anomalous time delays and quantum weak measurements in optical micro-resonators

PubMed Central

Asano, M.; Bliokh, K. Y.; Bliokh, Y. P.; Kofman, A. G.; Ikuta, R.; Yamamoto, T.; Kivshar, Y. S.; Yang, L.; Imoto, N.; Özdemir, Ş.K.; Nori, F.

2016-01-01

Quantum weak measurements, wavepacket shifts and optical vortices are universal wave phenomena, which originate from fine interference of multiple plane waves. These effects have attracted considerable attention in both classical and quantum wave systems. Here we report on a phenomenon that brings together all the above topics in a simple one-dimensional scalar wave system. We consider inelastic scattering of Gaussian wave packets with parameters close to a zero of the complex scattering coefficient. We demonstrate that the scattered wave packets experience anomalously large time and frequency shifts in such near-zero scattering. These shifts reveal close analogies with the Goos–Hänchen beam shifts and quantum weak measurements of the momentum in a vortex wavefunction. We verify our general theory by an optical experiment using the near-zero transmission (near-critical coupling) of Gaussian pulses propagating through a nano-fibre with a side-coupled toroidal micro-resonator. Measurements demonstrate the amplification of the time delays from the typical inverse-resonator-linewidth scale to the pulse-duration scale. PMID:27841269

Video-assisted minithoracotomy for blunt diaphragmatic rupture presenting as a delayed hemothorax.

PubMed

Ota, Hideki; Kawai, Hideki; Matsuo, Tsubasa

2014-01-01

Diaphragmatic ruptures after blunt trauma are rare life-threatening conditions. Most of them occur on the left-sided hemidiaphragm with herniation or associated organ injuries after a motor vehicle accident. We present an unusual case of blunt diaphragmatic rupture resulting in a delayed hemothorax. A 62-year-old man presented with acute dyspnea that initiated while straining to pass stool. He had a bruise on the lower back region of his right thorax after a slip-and-fall accident 7 days previously. Chest computed tomographic scans revealed a right-sided hemothorax without any evidence of herniation or associated organ injuries. Emergency surgery was performed through a video-assisted minithoracotomy. During surgery, we identified a diaphragmatic laceration with a severed blood vessel originating from the right superior phrenic artery. The lesion was repaired with interrupted horizontal mattress sutures. The total amount of bleeding was approximately 2000 mL. The patient had an uneventful recovery with no further bleeding episodes.

Refractory Cardiogenic Shock During Tramadol Poisoning: A Case Report.

PubMed

Belin, Nicolas; Clairet, Anne-Laure; Chocron, Sidney; Capellier, Gilles; Piton, Gaël

2017-04-01

Tramadol is a weak opioid analgesic indicated for the treatment of moderate to severe pain. Tramadol intoxication can be lethal, and this drug is frequently involved in voluntary overdose. Classically, tramadol intoxication is associated with neurological and respiratory side effects. In contrast, cardiac effects are poorly documented in the literature. We report a case of severe tramadol intoxication, with plasma concentration 20 times the toxic threshold, complicated by refractory cardiogenic shock, successfully treated by extra corporeal life support (ECLS) with a favorable cardiac outcome and ECLS weaning at day 10. Seizure, clonus, and nonreactive mydriasis were present during 4 days, and complete awakening was delayed to day 15. Poisoning caused by high doses of tramadol can lead to refractory cardiogenic shock, and ECLS can be considered as effective rescue therapy in this context.

Interference of TRPV1 function altered the susceptibility of PTZ-induced seizures.

PubMed

Jia, Yun-Fang; Li, Ying-Chao; Tang, Yan-Ping; Cao, Jun; Wang, Li-Ping; Yang, Yue-Xiong; Xu, Lin; Mao, Rong-Rong

2015-01-01

Transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) is widely distributed in the central nervous system (CNS) including hippocampus, and regulates the balance of excitation and inhibition in CNS, which imply its important role in epilepsy. We used both pharmacological manipulations and transgenic mice to disturb the function of TRPV1 and then studied the effects of these alterations on the susceptibility of pentylenetetrazol (PTZ)-induced seizures. Our results showed that systemic administration of TRPV1 agonist capsaicin (CAP, 40 mg/kg) directly induced tonic-clonic seizures (TCS) without PTZ induction. The severity of seizure was increased in lower doses of CAP groups (5 and 10 mg/kg), although the latency to TCS was delayed. On the other hand, systemic administration of TRPV1 antagonist capsazepine (CPZ, 0.05 and 0.5 mg/kg) and TRPV1 knockout mice exhibited delayed latency to TCS and reduced mortality. Furthermore, hippocampal administration of CPZ (10 and 33 nmol/μL/side) was firstly reported to increase the latency to TCS, decrease the maximal grade of seizure and mortality. It is worth noting that decreased susceptibility of PTZ-induced seizures was observed in hippocampal TRPV1 overexpression mice and hippocampal CAP administration (33 nmol/μL/side), which is opposite from results of systemic agonist CAP. Our findings suggest that the systemic administration of TRPV1 antagonist may be a novel therapeutic target for epilepsy, and alteration of hippocampal TRPV1 function exerts a critical role in seizure susceptibility.

Bitemporal v. high-dose right unilateral electroconvulsive therapy for depression: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

PubMed

Kolshus, E; Jelovac, A; McLoughlin, D M

2017-02-01

Brief-pulse electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is the most acutely effective treatment for severe depression though concerns persist about cognitive side-effects. While bitemporal electrode placement is the most commonly used form worldwide, right unilateral ECT causes less cognitive side-effects though historically it has been deemed less effective. Several randomized trials have now compared high-dose (>5× seizure threshold) unilateral ECT with moderate-dose (1.0-2.5× seizure threshold) bitemporal ECT to investigate if it is as effective as bitemporal ECT but still has less cognitive side-effects. We aimed to systematically review these trials and meta-analyse clinical and cognitive outcomes where appropriate. We searched PubMed, PsycINFO, Web of Science, Cochrane Library and EMBASE for randomized trials comparing these forms of ECT using the terms 'electroconvulsive' OR 'electroshock' AND 'trial'. Seven trials (n = 792) met inclusion criteria. Bitemporal ECT did not differ from high-dose unilateral ECT on depression rating change scores [Hedges's g = -0.03, 95% confidence interval (CI) -0.17 to 0.11], remission (RR 1.06, 95% CI 0.93-1.20), or relapse at 12 months (RR 1.42, 95% CI 0.90-2.23). There was an advantage for unilateral ECT on reorientation time after individual ECT sessions (mean difference in minutes = -8.28, 95% CI -12.86 to -3.70) and retrograde autobiographical memory (Hedges's g = -0.46, 95% CI -0.87 to -0.04) after completing an ECT course. There were no differences for general cognition, category fluency and delayed visual and verbal memory. High-dose unilateral ECT does not differ from moderate-dose bitemporal ECT in antidepressant efficacy but has some cognitive advantages.

Effect of HIV Antibody VRC01 on Viral Rebound after Treatment Interruption

PubMed Central

Bar, K.J.; Sneller, M.C.; Harrison, L.J.; Justement, J.S.; Overton, E.T.; Petrone, M.E.; Salantes, D.B.; Seamon, C.A.; Scheinfeld, B.; Kwan, R.W.; Learn, G.H.; Proschan, M.A.; Kreider, E.F.; Blazkova, J.; Bardsley, M.; Refsland, E.W.; Messer, M.; Clarridge, K.E.; Tustin, N.B.; Madden, P.J.; Oden, K.S.; O’Dell, S.J.; Jarocki, B.; Shiakolas, A.R.; Tressler, R.L.; Doria-Rose, N.A.; Bailer, R.T.; Ledgerwood, J.E.; Capparelli, E.V.; Lynch, R.M.; Graham, B.S.; Moir, S.; Koup, R.A.; Mascola, J.R.; Hoxie, J.A.; Fauci, A.S.; Tebas, P.; Chun, T.-W.

2017-01-01

BACKGROUND The discovery of potent and broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs) against human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has made passive immunization a potential strategy for the prevention and treatment of HIV infection. We sought to determine whether passive administration of VRC01, a bNAb targeting the HIV CD4-binding site, can safely prevent or delay plasma viral rebound after the discontinuation of antiretroviral therapy (ART). METHODS We conducted two open-label trials (AIDS Clinical Trials Group [ACTG] A5340 and National Institutes of Health [NIH] 15-I-0140) of the safety, side-effect profile, pharmacokinetic properties, and antiviral activity of VRC01 in persons with HIV infection who were undergoing interruption of ART. RESULTS A total of 24 participants were enrolled, and one serious alcohol-related adverse event occurred. Viral rebound occurred despite plasma VRC01 concentrations greater than 50 μg per milliliter. The median time to rebound was 4 weeks in the A5340 trial and 5.6 weeks in the NIH trial. Study participants were more likely than historical controls to have viral suppression at week 4 (38% vs. 13%, P = 0.04 by a two-sided Fisher’s exact test in the A5340 trial; and 80% vs. 13%, P<0.001 by a two-sided Fisher’s exact test in the NIH trial) but the difference was not significant at week 8. Analyses of virus populations before ART as well as before and after ART interruption showed that VRC01 exerted pressure on rebounding virus, resulting in restriction of recrudescent viruses and selection for preexisting and emerging antibody neutralization–resistant virus. CONCLUSIONS VRC01 slightly delayed plasma viral rebound in the trial participants, as compared with historical controls, but it did not maintain viral suppression by week 8. In the small number of participants enrolled in these trials, no safety concerns were identified with passive immunization with a single bNAb (VRC01). (Funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and others; ACTG A5340 and NIH 15-I-0140 ClinicalTrials.gov numbers, NCT02463227 and NCT02471326.) PMID:27959728

Iron Chelation Nanoparticles with Delayed Saturation as an Effective Therapy for Parkinson Disease.

PubMed

Wang, Nan; Jin, Xin; Guo, Dongbo; Tong, Gangsheng; Zhu, Xinyuan

2017-02-13

Iron accumulation in substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc) has been proved to be a prominent pathophysiological feature of Parkinson's diseases (PD), which can induce the death of dopaminergic (DA) neurons, up-regulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and further loss of motor control. In recent years, iron chelation therapy has been demonstrated to be an effective treatment for PD, which has shown significant improvements in clinical trials. However, the current iron chelators are suboptimal due to their short circulation time, side effects, and lack of proper protection from chelation with ions in blood circulation. In this work, we designed and constructed iron chelation therapeutic nanoparticles protected by a zwitterionic poly(2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine) (PMPC) to delay the saturation of iron chelators in blood circulation and prolong the in vivo lifetime, with HIV-1 trans-activating transcriptor (TAT) served as a shuttle to enhance the blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability. We explored and investigated whether the Parkinsonian neurodegeneration and the corresponding symptoms in behaviors and physiologies could be prevented or reversed both in vitro and in vivo. The results demonstrated that iron chelator loaded therapeutic nanoparticles could reverse functional deficits in Parkinsonian mice not only physiologically but also behaviorally. On the contrary, both untreated PD mice and non-TAT anchored nanoparticle treated PD mice showed similar loss in DA neurons and difficulties in behaviors. Therefore, with protection of zwitterionic polymer and prolonged in vivo lifetime, iron chelator loaded nanoparticles with delayed saturation provide a PD phenotype reversion therapy and significantly improve the living quality of the Parkinsonian mice.

Symptomatic peripheral mycotic aneurysms due to infective endocarditis: a contemporary profile.

PubMed

González, Isabel; Sarriá, Cristina; López, Javier; Vilacosta, Isidre; San Román, Alberto; Olmos, Carmen; Sáez, Carmen; Revilla, Ana; Hernández, Miguel; Caniego, Jose Luis; Fernández, Cristina

2014-01-01

Peripheral mycotic aneurysms (PMAs) are a relatively rare but serious complication of infective endocarditis (IE). We conducted the current study to describe and compare the current epidemiologic, microbiologic, clinical, diagnostic, therapeutic, and prognostic characteristics of patients with symptomatic PMAs (SPMAs). A descriptive, comparative, retrospective observational study was performed in 3 tertiary hospitals, which are reference centers for cardiac surgery. From 922 definite IE episodes collected from 1996 to 2011, 18 patients (1.9%) had SPMAs. Because all SPMAs developed in left-sided IE, we performed a comparative study between 719 episodes of left-sided IE without SPMAs and 18 episodes with SPMAs. We found a higher frequency of intravenous drug abuse, native valve IE, intracranial bleeding, septic emboli, multiple embolisms, and IE diagnostic delay >30 days in patients with SPMAs than in patients without SPMAs. The causal microorganisms were gram-positive cocci (n =10), gram-negative bacilli (n = 2), gram-positive bacilli (n = 3), Bartonella henselae (n = 1), Candida albicans (n = 1), and negative culture (n = 1). The median IE diagnosis delay was 15 days (interquartile range [IQR], 13-33 d) in the case of high-virulence microorganisms versus 45 days (IQR, 30-240 d) in the case of low- to medium-virulence microorganisms. Twelve SPMAs were intracranial and 6 were extracranial. In 10 cases (8 intracranial and 2 extracranial), SPMAs were the initial presentation of IE; the remaining cases developed symptoms during or after finishing parenteral antibiotic treatment. The initial diagnosis of intracranial SPMAs was made by computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging in 6 unruptured aneurysms and by angiography in 6 ruptured aneurysms. The initial test in extracranial SPMAs was Doppler ultrasonography in limbs, CT in liver, and coronary angiography in heart. Four (3 intracranial, 1 extracranial) of 7 (6 intracranial, 1 extracranial) patients treated only with antibiotics died. Surgical resection was performed in 7 (3 intracranial, 4 extracranial) and endovascular repair in 4 (3 intracranial, 1 extracranial) patients; all of them survived. In conclusion, we found that SPMAs were a rare complication of IE that developed only in left-sided IE, and especially in native valves. Intracranial hemorrhage, embolism, multiple embolisms, and diagnostic delay of IE were more common in patients with SPMAs. The microbiologic profile was diverse, but microorganisms of low-medium virulence were predominant, and had a greater delayed diagnosis of IE than those caused by microorganisms of high virulence. SPMAs were often the initial presentation of IE. The most common location of SPMAs was intracranial. Noninvasive radiologic imaging techniques were the initial imaging test in intracranial unruptured SPMAs and in most extracranial SPMAs. Surgical and endovascular treatments were safe and effective. Endovascular treatment could be the first line of treatment in selected cases. Mortality was high in those cases treated only with antibiotics.

Diagnostic Delay among Adults with Pulmonary Tuberculosis in a High Gross Domestic Product Per Capita Country: Reasons and Magnitude of the Problem.

PubMed

Ibrahim, Wanis H; Alousi, Faraj H; Al-Khal, Abdulatif; Bener, Abdulbari; AlSalman, Ahmed; Aamer, Aaiza; Khaled, Ahmed; Raza, Tasleem

2016-01-01

To determine the mean and median delays in pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) diagnosis among adults in one of the world's highest gross domestic product per capita countries and identify patient and health system-related reasons for these delays. This is a cross-sectional, face-to-face, prospective study of 100 subjects with confirmed PTB, conducted at main tuberculosis (TB) admitting facilities in Qatar. The mean and median diagnostic delays were measured. The Chi-square test with two-sided P < 0.05 was considered to determine the association between factors and diagnostic delay. The mean and median total diagnostic delays of PTB were 53 (95% confidence interval [CI] 42.61-63.59) and 30 (interquartile range; Q1-Q3, 15-60) days, respectively. The mean patient factor delay was 45.7 (95% CI 28.1-63.4) days, and the median was 30 (interquartile range; Q1-Q3, 15-60) days. The mean health system factor delay was 46.3 (95% CI 35.46-57.06) days, and the median was 30 (interquartile range; Q1-Q3, 18-60) days. The most common cause of patient factor delay was neglect of TB symptoms by patients (in 39% of cases), and for health-care system factor delay was a failure (mostly at general and private care levels) to suspect PTB by doctors (in 57% of cases). There were no significant associations between the presence of language barrier, patient occupation or nationality, and diagnostic delay. Despite a favorable comparison to other countries, there is a substantial delay in the diagnosis of PTB in Qatar. Relevant actions including health education on TB are required to minimize this delay.

Electrophysiological characterization of 14-benzoyltalatisamine, a selective blocker of the delayed rectifier K+ channel found in virtual screening.

PubMed

Song, Ming-Ke; Liu, Hong; Jiang, Hua-Liang; Yue, Jian-Min; Hu, Guo-Yuan

2006-02-15

14-Benzoyltalatisamine is a potent and selective blocker of the delayed rectifier K+ channel found in a computational virtual screening study. The compound was found to block the K+ channel from the extracellular side. However, it is unclear whether 14-benzoyltalatisamine shares the same block mechanism with tetraethylammonium (TEA). In order to elucidate how the hit compound found by the virtual screening interacts with the outer vestibule of the K+ channel, the effects of 14-benzoyltalatisamine and TEA on the delayed rectifier K+ current of rat dissociated hippocampal neurons were compared using whole-cell voltage-clamp recording. External application of 14-benzoyltalatisamine and TEA reversibly inhibited the current with IC50 values of 10.1+/-2.2 microM and 1.05+/-0.21 mM, respectively. 14-Benzoyltalatisamine exerted voltage-dependent inhibition, markedly accelerated the decay of the current, and caused a significant hyperpolarizing shift of the steady-state activation curve, whereas TEA caused voltage-independent inhibition, without affecting the kinetic parameters of the current. The blockade by 14-benzoyltalatisamine, but not by TEA, was significantly diminished in a high K+ (60 mM) external solution. The potency of 14-benzoyltalatisamine was markedly reduced in the presence of 15 mM TEA. The results suggest that 14-benzoyltalatisamine bind to the external pore entry of the delayed rectifier K+ channel with partial insertion into the selectivity filter, which is in conformity with that predicted by the molecular docking model in the virtual screening.

Learning from Evidence in a Complex World

PubMed Central

Sterman, John D.

2006-01-01

Policies to promote public health and welfare often fail or worsen the problems they are intended to solve. Evidence-based learning should prevent such policy resistance, but learning in complex systems is often weak and slow. Complexity hinders our ability to discover the delayed and distal impacts of interventions, generating unintended “side effects.” Yet learning often fails even when strong evidence is available: common mental models lead to erroneous but self-confirming inferences, allowing harmful beliefs and behaviors to persist and undermining implementation of beneficial policies. Here I show how systems thinking and simulation modeling can help expand the boundaries of our mental models, enhance our ability to generate and learn from evidence, and catalyze effective change in public health and beyond. PMID:16449579

Experiment M131. Human vestibular function

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Graybiel, A.; Miller, E. F., II; Homick, J. L.

1977-01-01

The lower susceptibility to vestibular stimulation aloft, compared with that on ground under experimental conditions, is attributed to a precondition, namely, either there is no need to adapt, or, as exemplified by the Skylab 3 pilot, adaptation to weightlessness is achieved. Findings in some of the astronauts emphasize the distinction between two categories of vestibular side effects: immediate reflex phenomena (illusions, sensations of turning, etc.), and delayed epiphenomena that include the constellation of symptoms and syndromes comprising motion sickness. The drug combinations 1-scopolamine and d-amphetamine and promethazine hydrochloride and ephedrine sulfate are effective in prevention and treatment of motion sickness. It is concluded that prevention of motion sickness in any stressful motion environment involves selection, adaptation, and the use of drugs.

Pediatric Bipolar Disorder: Combination Pharmacotherapy, Adverse Effects, and Treatment of High-Risk Youth.

PubMed

Chang, Kiki D

2016-01-01

Treating bipolar disorder in pediatric patients is challenging because data from rigorous trials of pharmacotherapy in this population are still not plentiful enough. Furthermore, the treatment of children and adolescents is complicated by the frequent need to combine pharmacotherapies to address all bipolar symptoms as well as this population's elevated risk for experiencing side effects. Additionally, young patients with depressive episodes who are at high risk for developing bipolar disorder need careful treatment to prevent or delay the emergence of mania. Despite these challenges, clinicians should evaluate the existing pediatric literature, extrapolate evidence obtained from adult patients, and draw from clinical experience to guide treatment decisions for children and adolescents with bipolar disorder. © Copyright 2016 Physicians Postgraduate Press, Inc.

Misinformation lingers in memory: Failure of three pro-vaccination strategies.

PubMed

Pluviano, Sara; Watt, Caroline; Della Sala, Sergio

2017-01-01

People's inability to update their memories in light of corrective information may have important public health consequences, as in the case of vaccination choice. In the present study, we compare three potentially effective strategies in vaccine promotion: one contrasting myths vs. facts, one employing fact and icon boxes, and one showing images of non-vaccinated sick children. Beliefs in the autism/vaccines link and in vaccines side effects, along with intention to vaccinate a future child, were evaluated both immediately after the correction intervention and after a 7-day delay to reveal possible backfire effects. Results show that existing strategies to correct vaccine misinformation are ineffective and often backfire, resulting in the unintended opposite effect, reinforcing ill-founded beliefs about vaccination and reducing intentions to vaccinate. The implications for research on vaccines misinformation and recommendations for progress are discussed.

Protective effects of S+ ketamine and atropine against lethality and brain damage during soman-induced status epilepticus in guinea-pigs.

PubMed

Dorandeu, Frederic; Baille, Valerie; Mikler, John; Testylier, Guy; Lallement, Guy; Sawyer, Thomas; Carpentier, Pierre

2007-05-20

Soman poisoning is known to induce full-blown tonic-clonic seizures, status epilepticus (SE), seizure-related brain damage (SRBD) and lethality. Previous studies in guinea-pigs have shown that racemic ketamine (KET), with atropine sulfate (AS), is very effective in preventing death, stopping seizures and protecting sensitive brain areas when given up to 1h after a supra-lethal challenge of soman. The active ketamine isomer, S(+) ketamine (S-KET), is more potent than the racemic mixture and it also induces less side-effects. To confirm the efficacy of KET and to evaluate the potential of S-KET for delayed medical treatment of soman-induced SE, we studied different S-KET dose regimens using the same paradigm used with KET. Guinea-pigs received pyridostigmine (26 microg/kg, IM) 30min before soman (62 microg/kg, 2 LD(50), IM), followed by therapy consisting of atropine methyl nitrate (AMN) (4 mg/kg, IM) 1min following soman exposure. S-KET, with AS (10mg/kg), was then administered IM at different times after the onset of seizures, starting at 1h post-soman exposure. The protective efficacy of S-KET proved to be comparable to KET against lethality and SRBD, but at doses two to three times lower. As with KET, delaying treatment by 2h post-poisoning greatly reduced efficacy. Conditions that may have led to an increased S-KET brain concentration (increased doses or number of injections, adjunct treatment with the oxime HI-6) did not prove to be beneficial. In summary, these observations confirm that ketamine, either racemic or S-KET, in association with AS and possibly other drugs, could be highly effective in the delayed treatment of severe soman intoxication.

Theranostics for cancer therapy.

PubMed

Palekar-Shanbhag, Pradnya; Jog, Sneha V; Chogale, Manasi M; Gaikwad, Sujata S

2013-06-01

With over 10 million new cases per year worldwide, Cancer remains one of the most urgent health concerns and a difficult disease to treat. For an effective treatment, improved diagnostic and therapeutic techniques with minimal side-effects are required. Research and development in the areas of nanoscience and nanotechnology promise to provide innovative and more effective approaches for early diagnosis, imaging and therapy. An emerging trend in this direction is Theranostics which represents a combinatorial diagnosis and therapeutic approach to cancer disease and aims to eliminate multi-step procedures, reduce delays in treatment and improves patient care. It offers various advantages like improved diagnosis, tumor specific delivery of drugs, reduced lethal effects to normal tissues etc. Theranostic nanomedicines like nanoshells, plasmonic nanobubbles, quantum dots etc. can be used effectively for achieving these goals. With the advances in nano-imaging and nano-therapy new avenues for the development of effective cancer treatment will be opened.

Skin Response to Delayed Hypersensitivity Testing in Persons With Unilateral Stroke-related Paresis: Implications for People With Spinal Cord Injury

PubMed Central

Trautner, Barbara W; Zimmermann, Kuno P; Squyres, Sara A; Darouiche, Rabih O

2007-01-01

Background: Vaccination rates among individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) could be improved if it can be shown that vaccination performed on insensate areas is effective. This would eliminate the the risk of discomfort and soreness at the injection site. Objective: To determine whether immune responsiveness varies between areas with intact and impaired innervation in patients with stroke-related paresis. Design: Prospective trial in which each subject served as his or her own control. Setting: Rehabilitation wards and long-term care units at a Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Patients: Individuals with a history of cerebrovascular accident (CVA) affecting 1 side of the body. Methods: The Multitest cell-mediated immunity (CMI) and purified protein derivative (PPD) of tuberculin were administered intradermally to each arm of each subject. Main Outcome Measures: Total millimeters of induration in response to either test and positive vs negative responses to either test were compared between the 2 arms of each subject. Results: Response to delayed hypersensitivity testing did not differ between the arms affected and unaffected by CVA in each subject, and the time since CVA also did not affect the magnitude of the skin response. Conclusions: Skin testing for delayed hypersensitivity can be effectively administered in the paretic arms of persons who have experienced CVA. Although this study was performed in patients with stroke-related impairment, it has implications for vaccine administration in individuals with SCI-related neurologic deficits. PMID:17853658

Delayed rhabdomyolysis with paclitaxel, ifosfamide, carboplatin, and etoposide regimen: a case report.

PubMed

Sokolova, Alexandra; Chan, Onyee; Ullah, Waqas; Hamdani, Auon Abbas; Anwer, Faiz

2017-04-11

High-dose chemotherapy with autologous stem cell rescue is commonly used for the treatment of relapsed germ cell tumors. We report the first case of delayed rhabdomyolysis with paclitaxel, ifosfamide, carboplatin, and etoposide regimen. We report a case of a 21-year-old African-American man diagnosed with relapsed non-seminomatous germ cell tumor who received high-dose chemotherapy with carboplatin and etoposide following TIGER trial arm B off-protocol. His course was complicated by muscle pain and rhabdomyolysis after cycle 4 on day +12 after infusion of autologous stem cells. To the best of our knowledge, this complication has not been reported with this regimen. A differential diagnosis of sepsis and neutropenic fever along with side effects of high-dose chemotherapy were considered, but based on the timing of events, it was concluded that the etiology of rhabdomyolysis is high-dose chemotherapy. Rhabdomyolysis was successfully treated with hydration and did not recur during subsequent cycle 5. Delayed rhabdomyolysis after high-dose chemotherapy with paclitaxel, ifosfamide, carboplatin, and etoposide regimen has not been previously reported and needs to be considered for preventive strategy and prompt diagnosis and treatment to avoid renal complications. Physicians should have a low threshold to check creatine kinase enzymes in patients with unexplained muscle pain or renal insufficiency after high-dose chemotherapy.

Computational Fluid Dynamics Study on the Effects of RATO Timing on the Scale Model Acoustic Test

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nielsen, Tanner; Williams, B.; West, Jeff

2015-01-01

The Scale Model Acoustic Test (SMAT) is a 5% scale test of the Space Launch System (SLS), which is currently being designed at Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). The purpose of this test is to characterize and understand a variety of acoustic phenomena that occur during the early portions of lift off, one being the overpressure environment that develops shortly after booster ignition. The SLS lift off configuration consists of four RS-25 liquid thrusters on the core stage, with two solid boosters connected to each side. Past experience with scale model testing at MSFC (in ER42), has shown that there is a delay in the ignition of the Rocket Assisted Take Off (RATO) motor, which is used as the 5% scale analog of the solid boosters, after the signal to ignite is given. This delay can range from 0 to 16.5ms. While this small of a delay maybe insignificant in the case of the full scale SLS, it can significantly alter the data obtained during the SMAT due to the much smaller geometry. The speed of sound of the air and combustion gas constituents is not scaled, and therefore the SMAT pressure waves propagate at approximately the same speed as occurs during full scale. However, the SMAT geometry is much smaller allowing the pressure waves to move down the exhaust duct, through the trench, and impact the vehicle model much faster than occurs at full scale. To better understand the effect of the RATO timing simultaneity on the SMAT IOP test data, a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis was performed using the Loci/CHEM CFD software program. Five different timing offsets, based on RATO ignition delay statistics, were simulated. A variety of results and comparisons will be given, assessing the overall effect of RATO timing simultaneity on the SMAT overpressure environment.

Early sepsis, obstructive jaundice and right-sided diaphragmatic hernia in the newborn.

PubMed

García-Muñoz, F; Santana, C; Reyes, D; Wiehoff, A; López-Pinto, J M; García-Alix, A

2001-01-01

A male newborn was admitted to our Unit because of early sepsis and shock. He required antimicrobial therapy and mechanical ventilation and initially did well, although he exhibited jaundice and cholestasis. During the second week he deteriorated, with radiological opacification of the right hemithorax and pleural effusion, and did poorly in spite of antibiotical therapy and drainage of the effusion. In the third week, the X-ray suggested some bowel loops in the right hemithorax. A right-sided diaphragmatic hernia was confirmed by a CT-scan, and surgery was performed with good outcome. The association of delayed-onset right-sided CDH following early sepsis and obstructive jaundice has not been published before, and illustrates a scarcely known form of presentation of this condition.

Neurons with object-centered spatial selectivity in macaque SEF: do they represent locations or rules?

PubMed

Tremblay, Léon; Gettner, Sonya N; Olson, Carl R

2002-01-01

In macaque monkeys performing a task that requires eye movements to the leftmost or rightmost of two dots in a horizontal array, some neurons in the supplementary eye field (SEF) fire differentially according to which side of the array is the target regardless of the array's location on the screen. We refer to these neurons as exhibiting selectivity for object-centered location. This form of selectivity might arise from involvement of the neurons in either of two processes: representing the locations of targets or representing the rules by which targets are selected. To distinguish between these possibilities, we monitored neuronal activity in the SEF of two monkeys performing a task that required the selection of targets by either an object-centered spatial rule or a color rule. On each trial, a sample array consisting of two side-by-side dots appeared; then a cue flashed on one dot; then the display vanished and a delay ensued. Next a target array consisting of two side-by-side dots appeared at an unpredictable location and another delay ensued; finally the monkey had to make an eye movement to one of the target dots. On some trials, the monkey had to select the dot on the same side as the cue (right or left). On other trials, he had to select the target of the same color as the cue (red or green). Neuronal activity robustly encoded the object-centered locations first of the cue and then of the target regardless of the whether the monkey was following a rule based on object-centered location or color. Neuronal activity was at most weakly affected by the type of rule the monkey was following (object-centered-location or color) or by the color of the cue and target (red or green). On trials involving a color rule, neuronal activity was moderately enhanced when the cue and target appeared on opposite sides of their respective arrays. We conclude that the general function of SEF neurons selective for object-centered location is to represent where the cue and target are in their respective arrays rather than to represent the rule for target selection.

Opportunities and Challenges Within the Veterans Administration

PubMed Central

Schafer, Paul W.

1981-01-01

Because the Veterans Administration operates the largest health care delivery system in the nation under the aegis of a single administration, having 172 medical centers and the third largest federal agency budget, it should assume a logical role at the forefront of automated health care application development. During the past three years, two quite different approaches to the development of medical application software have proceeded side-by-side within the Veterans Administration. One approach employed modern methods and techniques, requiring only a minimum amount of personnel and equipment resources and using local facility funds. It has produced a bounty of cost-effective automated health care application systems that are now in active use at a number of VA Medical Centers (VAMCs) nationwide. The other approach followed methods and techniques known to be unproductive, and used all of the centrally administered funds, personnel and equipment resources available. It has produced nothing of value; on the contrary, it has delayed the implementation of automated systems that could be providing important clinical services to veterans.

Impact of Dose Reductions, Delays Between Chemotherapy Cycles, and/or Shorter Courses of Adjuvant Chemotherapy in Stage II and III Colorectal Cancer Patients: a Single-Center Retrospective Study.

PubMed

Sgouros, Joseph; Aravantinos, Gerasimos; Kouvatseas, George; Rapti, Anna; Stamoulis, George; Bisvikis, Anastasios; Res, Helen; Samantas, Epameinondas

2015-12-01

Most stage II or III colorectal cancer patients are receiving nowadays a 4 to 6-month course of adjuvant chemotherapy. However, delays between cycles, reductions in the doses of chemotherapy drugs, or even permanent omissions of chemotherapy cycles might take place due to side effects or patient's preference. We examined the impact of these treatment modifications on recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS). We retrospectively collected data from colorectal cancer patients who had received adjuvant chemotherapy in our Department. Patients were categorized in five groups based on whether they had or not delays between chemotherapy cycles, dose reductions, and permanent omissions of chemotherapy cycles. Three-year RFS and OS of the five different groups were compared using the log-rank test and the Sidak approach. Five hundred and eight patients received treatment. Twenty seven percent of the patients had the full course of chemotherapy; the others had delays, dose reductions, or early termination of the treatment. No statistically significant differences were observed in 3-year RFS and OS between the five groups. A trend for worse RFS was noticed with early termination of treatment. A similar trend was also noticed for OS but only for stage II patients. In colorectal cancer patients, receiving adjuvant chemotherapy, delays between chemotherapy cycles, dose reductions of chemotherapy drugs, or even early termination of the treatment course do not seem to have a negative impact in 3-year RFS and OS; however, due to the trend of worse RFS in patients receiving shorter courses of chemotherapy, further studies are needed.

Fasting: molecular mechanisms and clinical applications.

PubMed

Longo, Valter D; Mattson, Mark P

2014-02-04

Fasting has been practiced for millennia, but, only recently, studies have shed light on its role in adaptive cellular responses that reduce oxidative damage and inflammation, optimize energy metabolism, and bolster cellular protection. In lower eukaryotes, chronic fasting extends longevity, in part, by reprogramming metabolic and stress resistance pathways. In rodents intermittent or periodic fasting protects against diabetes, cancers, heart disease, and neurodegeneration, while in humans it helps reduce obesity, hypertension, asthma, and rheumatoid arthritis. Thus, fasting has the potential to delay aging and help prevent and treat diseases while minimizing the side effects caused by chronic dietary interventions. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Ketoconazole in paracoccidioidomycosis: efficacy of prolonged oral therapy.

PubMed

Restrepo, A; Stevens, D A; Leiderman, E; Fuentes, J; Arana, A; Angel, R; Mejía, G; Gómez, I

1980-08-29

Ketoconazole, a new oral imidazole derivative, was employed for the treatment of five patients with paracoccidioidomycosis. The response was excellent, with objective clinical improvement and healing of both mucocutaneous and pulmonary lesions. Mycological and serological tests, as well as delayed hypersensitivity, were assessed and found to correlate with clinical improvement. Therapy was conducted for 12 months with a dose of 200 mg day in 2 patients; in the remainder the dose was reduced (100 mg day) after the first 6 months and maintained as such for an equal period. No side-effects or toxicity were noted despite prolonged treatment. The advantages of the new therapeutic approach are discussed.

Acarbose: a new option in the treatment of ulcerative colitis by increasing hydrogen production.

PubMed

Zhang, De-Qing; Zhu, Jian-Hong; Chen, Wei-Chang

2012-01-01

Acarbose, which is clinically widely used to treat Type 2 Diabetes, is thought to act at the small intestine by competitively inhibiting enzymes that delay the release of glucose from complex carbohydrates, thereby specifically reducing post prandial glucose excursion. The major side-effect of treatment with acarbose, flatulence, occurs when undigested carbohydrates are fermented by colonic bacteria, resulting in considerable amount of hydrogen. We propose that enteric benefits of acarbose is partly attributable to be their ability to neutralise oxidative stress via increased production of H2 in the gastrointestinal tract. Therefore, symptoms of ulcerative colitis in human beings can be ameliorated by acarbose.

Emerging options for treating hepatitis C infection.

PubMed

Fantasia, Heidi Collins

2015-01-01

Hepatitis C infection can cause chronic liver disease and liver carcinoma and can necessitate liver transplantation. Of the more than 3 million people infected with hepatitis C, more than two-thirds were born between 1945 and 1965. Many individuals are unaware that they're infected, which can delay treatment and lead to disease progression. Once infection is diagnosed, typical treatment regimens can involve multiple medications and side effects that can make it challenging for some people to complete therapy. In October 2014 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Harvoni®, a fixed dose combination pill of ledipasvir/sofosbuvir that provides a new option for treatment. © 2015 AWHONN.

[Ejaculatory disorders except premature ejaculation, orgasmic disorders].

PubMed

Rigot, J-M; Marcelli, F; Giuliano, F

2013-07-01

Disorders of ejaculation and orgasm apart from premature ejaculation are pretty uncommon. Medical literature was reviewed and combined with expert opinion of the authors. The semiology of these disorders is essential: aspermia, hypospermia, retrograde ejaculation, delayed or absent ejaculation with or without orgasm. Whether this is a lifelong or acquired condition, it is essential to assess the side-effects of medications i.e. psychotropic drugs, including antidepressant, neuroleptics, tramadol, alphablockers: tamsulosin and silodosin must always be surveyed. The management is often difficult, especially with a parenthood perspective. The management of lifelong disorders must rely on psychosexual therapies. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

New potential adjuncts to treatment of children with type 1 diabetes mellitus.

PubMed

Raman, Vandana S; Heptulla, Rubina A

2009-04-01

Insulin administration is the primary therapy for type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). Current available insulin therapies do not successfully enable children with T1DM to reach glycemic goals without side effects such as hypoglycemia and weight gain. Pramlintide is a synthetic analog of human amylin that acts in conjunction with insulin to delay gastric emptying and inhibit the release of glucagon and is indicated for use in patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Recent studies in adult patients have examined the role of glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) and agents that bind to its receptor in type 1 diabetes. It is hypothesized that a major component of the glycemic effect is attributable to the known action of GLP-1 to delay gastric emptying and to inhibit glucagon secretion. Further studies with the use of amylin analogs and long-acting GLP-1 agonists as congeners with insulin in T1DM are indicated in children. In recent years, our better understanding of the pathophysiology of diabetes has led to the development of new therapies for diabetes. This article reviews the potential use of these newer pharmacologic agents as adjunctive therapy in T1DM in children and adolescents.

Shear-wave polarization anisotropy in the mantle wedge beneath the southern part of Tohoku, Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shimizu, J.; Nakajima, J.; Hasegawa, A.

2003-12-01

We investigated shear-wave polarization anisotropy in the mantle wedge beneath the southern part of Tohoku, Japan, by using waveform data of intermediate depth earthquakes with M>2.5 recorded by the seismic networks of Tohoku University and Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA). We selected waveform data with ray paths whose incident angles to the surface are 35 degrees or less to avoid contamination of particle motions by converted phases. All the seismograms thus selected were filtered with bandpassed ranges of 2-8 Hz. Cross-correlation method [Ando et al., 1983] was used for determining delay time between the leading and following shear-waves (delay time) and the leading shear-wave polarization direction (fast direction). Two horizontal components of observed seismograms were rotated with the direction from 0 to 180 degrees with an interval of 5 degrees, and shifted one horizontal component by a time lag. The time lag varied from 0 to 1 s with an interval of 0.01 s. The length of time window used to calculate correlation coefficient was set to be nearly equal to one cycle of the shear-wave. We do not use the data whose maximum correlation coefficient is less than 0.8. Obtained results show that most of the fast directions at stations in the back-arc side are nearly E-W, whereas those at stations in the fore-arc side are N-S. We infer that the anisotropy caused by lattice-preferred orientation of olivine, which is probably produced by flow in the mantle wedge, is a likely candidate for the observed shear-wave splitting with E-W trend fast directions in the back-arc side. Although it is not certain what causes the N-S trend fast directions in the for-arc side, the same trend is seen in the previous studies of other areas in Tohoku [Okada et al.,1995; Nakajima, 2002]. Observed delay times are mostly 0.1-0.3 s, which is consistent with the results of Okada et al. [1995] and Nakajima [2002]. Acknowledgments: We are grateful to the staff of the JMA for allowing us to use their data.

Lung scintigraphy in differential diagnosis of peripheral lung cancer and community-acquired pneumonia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krivonogov, Nikolay G.; Efimova, Nataliya Y.; Zavadovsky, Konstantin W.; Lishmanov, Yuri B.

2016-08-01

Ventilation/perfusion lung scintigraphy was performed in 39 patients with verified diagnosis of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) and in 14 patients with peripheral lung cancer. Ventilation/perfusion ratio, apical-basal gradients of ventilation (U/L(V)) and lung perfusion (U/L(P)), and alveolar capillary permeability of radionuclide aerosol were determined based on scintigraphy data. The study demonstrated that main signs of CAP were increases in ventilation/perfusion ratio, perfusion and ventilation gradient on a side of the diseased lung, and two-side increase in alveolar capillary permeability rate for radionuclide aerosol. Unlike this, scintigraphic signs of peripheral lung cancer comprise an increase in ventilation/perfusion ratio over 1.0 on a side of the diseased lung with its simultaneous decrease on a contralateral side, normal values of perfusion and ventilation gradients of both lungs, and delayed alveolar capillary clearance in the diseased lung compared with the intact lung.

Delayed Tension Pneumothorax - Identification and Treatment in Traumatic Bronchial Injury: An Interesting Presentation.

PubMed

Gupta, Amit; Rattan, Amulya; Kumar, Sunil; Rathi, Vinita

2017-09-01

A 13-year-old girl, who did not receive any treatment for few hours following Road Traffic Injury (RTI), reported to the Casualty Department and found to have patent airway with clinically normal C spine, air-hunger (RR 42/minute), trachea deviated to left, distended neck veins and absent breath sounds on the right side. The chest X-ray she carried, done immediately after the injury, showed right sided tension pneumothorax. She was put on oxygen at 11 L/minute and an Intercostal chest tube drainage (ICD) was inserted on right side. Her oxygen saturation (40%) failed to improve. ICD bag showed continuous bubbling and air entry remained absent on the right side. An urgent right thoracotomy was done which revealed right main bronchus tear; the tear was repaired using interrupted Prolene ® sutures. Patient recovered well and was discharged 10 days later in a stable condition.

Lung scintigraphy in differential diagnosis of peripheral lung cancer and community-acquired pneumonia

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

Krivonogov, Nikolay G., E-mail: kng@cardio-tomsk.ru; Efimova, Nataliya Y., E-mail: efimova@cardio-tomsk.ru; Zavadovsky, Konstantin W.

Ventilation/perfusion lung scintigraphy was performed in 39 patients with verified diagnosis of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) and in 14 patients with peripheral lung cancer. Ventilation/perfusion ratio, apical-basal gradients of ventilation (U/L(V)) and lung perfusion (U/L(P)), and alveolar capillary permeability of radionuclide aerosol were determined based on scintigraphy data. The study demonstrated that main signs of CAP were increases in ventilation/perfusion ratio, perfusion and ventilation gradient on a side of the diseased lung, and two-side increase in alveolar capillary permeability rate for radionuclide aerosol. Unlike this, scintigraphic signs of peripheral lung cancer comprise an increase in ventilation/perfusion ratio over 1.0 on amore » side of the diseased lung with its simultaneous decrease on a contralateral side, normal values of perfusion and ventilation gradients of both lungs, and delayed alveolar capillary clearance in the diseased lung compared with the intact lung.« less

Combustion heater for oil shale

DOEpatents

Mallon, R.; Walton, O.; Lewis, A.E.; Braun, R.

1983-09-21

A combustion heater for oil shale heats particles of spent oil shale containing unburned char by burning the char. A delayed fall is produced by flowing the shale particles down through a stack of downwardly sloped overlapping baffles alternately extending from opposite sides of a vertical column. The delayed fall and flow reversal occurring in passing from each baffle to the next increase the residence time and increase the contact of the oil shale particles with combustion supporting gas flowed across the column to heat the shale to about 650 to 700/sup 0/C for use as a process heat source.

Combustion heater for oil shale

DOEpatents

Mallon, Richard G.; Walton, Otis R.; Lewis, Arthur E.; Braun, Robert L.

1985-01-01

A combustion heater for oil shale heats particles of spent oil shale containing unburned char by burning the char. A delayed fall is produced by flowing the shale particles down through a stack of downwardly sloped overlapping baffles alternately extending from opposite sides of a vertical column. The delayed fall and flow reversal occurring in passing from each baffle to the next increase the residence time and increase the contact of the oil shale particles with combustion supporting gas flowed across the column to heat the shale to about 650.degree.-700.degree. C. for use as a process heat source.

Wide-beam sensors for controlling dual-delay systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Edwards, J. B.; Twemlow, J. K.

1982-09-01

A class of dual delay feedback systems of open loop transfer function G(s) = k exp(-Xs)/l - exp(-Ws) is shown to be unstable if ratio X/W is noninteger. By means of z-transform techniques it is shown that, by using a feedback transducer that senses over a substantial distance either side of its central axis, closed-loop stability may be restored. Such transducers, termed widebeam sensors, include transmission, backscatter and natural radiation types as well as electromechanical conveyor belt weighers. Designing transducers for very narrow beams may not be desirable from the overall system viewpoint.

Blood Levels and Management of Lithium Treatment

PubMed Central

Crammer, John L.; Rosser, Rachel M.; Crane, Graham

1974-01-01

The limited value of plasma measurements in the management of treatment with lithium is discussed in the light of the mechanisms of its therapeutic actions and toxic effects. The plasma level of lithium usually rises twofold or threefold in the three to five hours after ingestion of each dose of delayed-release tablets and then gradually falls. The precise shape and height of the lithium curve depend on gastric emptying, which can be slowed with propantheline or speeded with metoclopramide. Depressed or demented patients may be irregular in taking their tablets and variable in food intake. Both the time of the blood test and this behaviour must be considered before changing the prescribed dose of lithium salt because of a laboratory result. A lithium tolerance curve may be a safer guide to treatment than single measures. Mild intermittent thirst is a common early side effect, and severe persistent thirst with polyuria is an uncommon later effect of daily intakes of at least 1,500 mg lithium carbonate. This diabetes insipidus is reversible, non-progressive, unrelated to plasma level, and distinct in attack from lithium-induced hypothyroidism, which may occur at low dosage but is also usually of late onset and reversible or treatable with thyroxine while lithium is continued. Obesity is another occasional effect of large doses. These side effects and the antimanic and prophylactic effects may have different mechanisms. PMID:4425791

[Results of treatment for high-pressure injection hand injuries].

PubMed

Zyluk, A; Walaszek, I

2000-01-01

High-pressure injection injuries of the hand have a reputation for being dangerous for individual fingers and even for whole hand. Usually appearing innocuous at presentation because of small puncture entry wound, these injuries result in severe damage of most internal structures in finger and hand due to extensive penetration of injected substance. This paper reviews the outcome of the treatment of such injuries in 10 patients: 9 sustained injection of toxic paint, and one lead shot. All the patients were operated on: eight a few hours after injury and two with 3 days delay. The surgical technique included wide exposure from site of injection up to the farthest place in which foreign substance was seen. Thorough debridment of injected material and contaminated tissue was performed with careful preservation of neurovascular structures and tendons. Wounds were not closed, but managed by open technique. In all patients wounds healed well: in 3 by secondary intention, in 6 by delayed closure and 2 were covered by skin grafts. No amputation was performed. Final results were assessed form 1.5 to 3.5 years after initial injury (mean at 2.5 years). Two patients complained of moderate pain related to the weather, five of cold intolerance and two of impaired sensation on fingertips. Active range of motion of affected fingers was in whole group from 90% to 104% (mean 97%) of the range of motion of unaffected fingers from the other side. Range of motion of the wrist (2 patients) was 76% and 117% of range of motion of the other side. Pinch grip strength was from 81% to 116% (mean 99%), and global grip strength from 77% to 119% (mean 97%) of the other side. All patients went back to their previous jobs and periods of sick leave were from 2 weeks to 6 months (mean 3 mo). Excellent results achieved in this study--full functional recovery in 9 of 10 patients confirm the effectiveness of aggressive treatment by open wound technique of such injuries.

A maternal health voucher scheme: what have we learned from the demand-side financing scheme in Bangladesh?

PubMed

Ahmed, Shakil; Khan, M Mahmud

2011-01-01

It is now more than 2 years since the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare of the Government of Bangladesh implemented the Maternal Health Voucher Scheme, a specialized form of demand-side financing programme. To analyse the early lessons from the scheme, information was obtained through semi-structured interviews with stakeholders at the sub-district level. The analysis identified a number of factors affecting the efficiency and performance of the scheme in the program area: delay in the release of voucher funds, selection criteria used for enrolling pregnant women in the programme, incentives created by the reimbursement system, etc. One of the objectives of the scheme was to encourage market competition among health care providers, but it failed to increase market competitiveness in the area. The resources made available through the scheme did not attract any new providers into the market and public facilities remained the only eligible provider both before and after scheme implementation. However, incentives provided through the voucher system did motivate public providers to offer a higher level of services. The beneficiaries expressed their overall satisfaction with the scheme as well. Since the local facility was not technically ready to provide all types of maternal health care services, providing vouchers may not improve access to care for many pregnant women. To improve the performance of the demand-side strategy, it has become important to adopt some supply-side interventions. In poor developing countries, a demand-side strategy may not be very effective without significant expansion of the service delivery capacity of health facilities at the sub-district level.

Tuberculous otitis media with postaural abscess and submandibular lymphadenopathy.

PubMed

Verma, Sanjeev K; Mahajan, Vineet; Srivastava, Anand N

2009-01-01

We are reporting a case of right-sided tuberculous otitis media with postaural abscess and multiple submandibular lymphadenopathy which has been reported very infrequently. A high level of suspicion by the treating physician is mandatory to avoid long delay in diagnosis and increased complications in the modern chemotherapy era.

Reinforcer control by comparison-stimulus color and location in a delayed matching-to-sample task.

PubMed

Alsop, Brent; Jones, B Max

2008-05-01

Six pigeons were trained in a delayed matching-to-sample task involving bright- and dim-yellow samples on a central key, a five-peck response requirement to either sample, a constant 1.5-s delay, and the presentation of comparison stimuli composed of red on the left key and green on the right key or vice versa. Green-key responses were occasionally reinforced following the dimmer-yellow sample, and red-key responses were occasionally reinforced following the brighter-yellow sample. Reinforcer delivery was controlled such that the distribution of reinforcers across both comparison-stimulus color and comparison-stimulus location could be varied systematically and independently across conditions. Matching accuracy was high throughout. The ratio of left to right side-key responses increased as the ratio of left to right reinforcers increased, the ratio of red to green responses increased as the ratio of red to green reinforcers increased, and there was no interaction between these variables. However, side-key biases were more sensitive to the distribution of reinforcers across key location than were comparison-color biases to the distribution of reinforcers across key color. An extension of Davison and Tustin's (1978) model of DMTS performance fit the data well, but the results were also consistent with an alternative theory of conditional discrimination performance (Jones, 2003) that calls for a conceptually distinct quantitative model.

Loading-rate-independent delay of catastrophic avalanches in a bulk metallic glass

DOE PAGES

Chen, S. H.; Chan, K. C.; Wang, G.; ...

2016-02-25

The plastic flow of bulk metallic glasses (BMGs) is characterized by intermittent bursts of avalanches, and this trend results in disastrous failures of BMGs. In the present work, a double-side-notched BMG specimen is designed, which exhibits chaotic plastic flows consisting of several catastrophic avalanches under the applied loading. The disastrous shear avalanches have, then, been delayed by forming a stable plastic-flow stage in the specimens with tailored distances between the bottoms of the notches, where the distribution of a complex stress field is acquired. Differing from the conventional compressive testing results, such a delaying process is independent of loading rate.more » The statistical analysis shows that in the specimens with delayed catastrophic failures, the plastic flow can evolve to a critical dynamics, making the catastrophic failure more predictable than the ones with chaotic plastic flows. Lastly, the findings are of significance in understanding the plastic-flow mechanisms in BMGs and controlling the avalanches in relating solids.« less

Dynamics of landslide model with time delay and periodic parameter perturbations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kostić, Srđan; Vasović, Nebojša; Franović, Igor; Jevremović, Dragutin; Mitrinovic, David; Todorović, Kristina

2014-09-01

In present paper, we analyze the dynamics of a single-block model on an inclined slope with Dieterich-Ruina friction law under the variation of two new introduced parameters: time delay Td and initial shear stress μ. It is assumed that this phenomenological model qualitatively simulates the motion along the infinite creeping slope. The introduction of time delay is proposed to mimic the memory effect of the sliding surface and it is generally considered as a function of history of sliding. On the other hand, periodic perturbation of initial shear stress emulates external triggering effect of long-distant earthquakes or some non-natural vibration source. The effects of variation of a single observed parameter, Td or μ, as well as their co-action, are estimated for three different sliding regimes: β < 1, β = 1 and β > 1, where β stands for the ratio of long-term to short-term stress changes. The results of standard local bifurcation analysis indicate the onset of complex dynamics for very low values of time delay. On the other side, numerical approach confirms an additional complexity that was not observed by local analysis, due to the possible effect of global bifurcations. The most complex dynamics is detected for β < 1, with a complete Ruelle-Takens-Newhouse route to chaos under the variation of Td, or the co-action of both parameters Td and μ. These results correspond well with the previous experimental observations on clay and siltstone with low clay fraction. In the same regime, the perturbation of only a single parameter, μ, renders the oscillatory motion of the block. Within the velocity-independent regime, β = 1, the inclusion and variation of Td generates a transition to equilibrium state, whereas the small oscillations of μ induce oscillatory motion with decreasing amplitude. The co-action of both parameters, in the same regime, causes the decrease of block's velocity. As for β > 1, highly-frequent, limit-amplitude oscillations of initial stress give rise to oscillatory motion. Also for β > 1, in case of perturbing only the initial shear stress, with smaller amplitude, velocity of the block changes exponentially fast. If the time delay is introduced, besides the stress perturbation, within the same regime, the co-action of Td (Td < 0.1) and small oscillations of μ induce the onset of deterministic chaos.

Gravitropism in Higher Plant Shoots 1

PubMed Central

Wheeler, Raymond M.; White, Rosemary G.; Salisbury, Frank B.

1986-01-01

Ethylene at 1.0 and 10.0 cubic centimeters per cubic meter decreased the rate of gravitropic bending in stems of cocklebur (Xanthium strumarium L.) and tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill), but 0.1 cubic centimeter per cubic meter ethylene had little effect. Treating cocklebur plants with 1.0 millimolar aminoethoxyvinylglycine (AVG) (ethylene synthesis inhibitor) delayed stem bending compared with controls, but adding 0.1 cubic centimeter per cubic meter ethylene in the surrounding atmosphere (or applying 0.1% ethephon solution) partially restored the rate of bending of AVG-treated plants. Ethylene increases in bending stems, and AVG inhibits this. Virtually all newly synthesized ethylene appeared in bottom halves of horizontal stems, where ethylene concentrations were as much as 100 times those in upright stems or in top halves of horizontal stems. This was especially true when horizontal stems were physically restrained from bending. Ethylene might promote cell elongation in bottom tissues of a horizontal stem or indicate other factors there (e.g. a large amount of `functioning' auxin). Or top and bottom tissues may become differentially sensitive to ethylene. Auxin applied to one side of a vertical stem caused extreme bending away from that side; gibberellic acid, kinetin, and abscisic acid were without effect. Acidic ethephon solutions applied to one side of young seedlings of cocklebur, tomato, sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.), and soybean (Glycine max [L.] Merr.) caused bending away from that side, but neutral ethephon solutions did not cause bending. Buffered or unbuffered acid (HCl) caused similar bending. Neutral ethephon solutions produced typical ethylene symptoms (i.e. epinasty, inhibition of stem elongation). HCl or acidic ethephon applied to the top of horizontal stems caused downward bending, but these substances applied to the bottom of such stems inhibited growth and upward bending—an unexpected result. PMID:11539089

Herbs in Oral Mucositis

PubMed Central

Baharvand, Maryam; Jafari, Soudeh

2017-01-01

Oral mucositis is an inflammatory mucosal destruction as a result of chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy, which in severe cases can impair patients’ quality of life. Moreover, mucosal infection and/or systemic involvement due to compromised immunity leads to delay or discontinuation of the treatment. Many strategies and agents have been suggested for the management of this condition. Because of their lower side effects compared to chemical drugs, general interest in evaluating therapeutic effects of herbs has been increased intensively. Herbal plants apply their effect through different mechanisms of action: antioxidant, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antifungal, antiseptic, and anticarcinogenic activity. Recently, various natural agents in plants have been noticed in mucositis, which may improve the symptoms through different interventions. The purpose of this review is to focus on the preventive or therapeutic use of herbal medicine to alleviate oral mucositis. PMID:28511530

Influence of bus stop with left-turn lines between two adjacent signalized intersections

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pang, Ming-Bao; Ye, Lan-Hang; Pei, Ya-Nan

2016-08-01

Based on the symmetric two-lane Nagel-Schreckenberg (STNS) model, a three-lane cellular automaton model between two intersections containing a bus stop with left-turning buses is established in which model the occurrences of vehicle accidents are taken into account. The characteristics of traffic flows with different ratios of left-turn lines are discussed via the simulation experiments. The results indicate that the left-turn lines have more negative effects on capacity, accident rate as well as delay if the stop is located close to the intersections, where the negative effect in a near-side stop is more severe than that in a far-side one. The range of appropriate position for a bus stop without the bottleneck effect becomes more and more narrow with the increase of the ratio of left-turn bus lines. When the inflow is small, a short signal cycle and a reasonable offset are beneficial. When the inflow reaches or exceeds the capacity, a longer signal cycle is helpful. But if the stop position is inappropriate, the increase of cycle fails in reducing the negative effect of left-turning buses and the effectiveness of offset is weakened. Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 50478088) and the Natural Science Foundation of Hebei Province, China (Grant No. E2015202266).

Psychological, social, and spiritual effects of contraceptive steroid hormones.

PubMed

Klaus, Hanna; Cortés, Manuel E

2015-08-01

Governments and society have accepted and enthusiastically promoted contraception, especially contraceptive steroid hormones, as the means of assuring optimal timing and number of births, an undoubted health benefit, but they seldom advert to their limitations and side effects. This article reviews the literature on the psychological, social, and spiritual impact of contraceptive steroid use. While the widespread use of contraceptive steroid hormones has expanded life style and career choices for many women, their impact on the women's well-being, emotions, social relationships, and spirituality is seldom mentioned by advocates, and negative effects are often downplayed. When mentioned at all, depression and hypoactive sexual desire are usually treated symptomatically rather than discontinuing their most frequent pharmacological cause, the contraceptive. The rising incidence of premarital sex and cohabitation and decreased marriage rates parallel the use of contraceptive steroids as does decreased church attendance and/or reduced acceptance of Church teaching among Catholics. Lay summary: While there is wide, societal acceptance of hormonal contraceptives to space births, their physical side effects are often downplayed and their impact on emotions and life styles are largely unexamined. Coincidental to the use of "the pill" there has been an increase in depression, low sexual desire, "hook-ups," cohabitation, delay of marriage and childbearing, and among Catholics, decreased church attendance and reduced religious practice. Fertility is not a disease. Birth spacing can be achieved by natural means, and the many undesirable effects of contraception avoided.

Intra-uterine contraceptive devices.

PubMed

Elias, J

1985-05-01

Among the advantages of IUDs are the device's high continuation rate, the lack of systemic side effects, and the absence of a need for continual motivation to practice contraception. The effectiveness of plastic IUDs is directly proportional to their surface area, but the degree of excessive bleeding experienced is inversely related to device size. Thus, devices represent a compromise between large size for effectiveness and small size for acceptability. The optimum time to fit an IUD is during the 1st hald of the menstrual cycle. Absolute contraindications to IUD use include the presence of active pelvic inflammatory disease, undiagnosed irregular bleeding, a history of ectopic pregnancy or tubal surgery, and a distorted uteine cavity. Failure rates associated with IUD use range from 2-3% in the 1st year and then decrease. Since the main mechanism of action appears to be production of a sterile inflammatory reaction in the uterine cavity, the IUD prevents intrauterine pregnancy more effectively than ectopic pregnancy. Nonetheless, there is little evidence to suggest that IUD use actually increases the incidence of ectopic pregnancy. Resumption of fertility after IUD removal is not delayed. There is not need to change inert plastic IUDs in women who remain symptom free. The copper devices should be changed every 3-4 years. A search is under way for antifertility agents that can be incorporated into the device to reduce side effects. In general, the IUD is most suitable for older, parous women.

Timing of seasonal migration in mule deer: effects of climate, plant phenology, and life-history characteristics

USGS Publications Warehouse

Monteith, Kevin L.; Bleich, Vernon C.; Stephenson, Thomas R.; Pierce, Beck M.; Conner, Mary M.; Klaver, Robert W.; Bowyer, R. Terry

2011-01-01

Phenological events of plants and animals are sensitive to climatic processes. Migration is a life-history event exhibited by most large herbivores living in seasonal environments, and is thought to occur in response to dynamics of forage and weather. Decisions regarding when to migrate, however, may be affected by differences in life-history characteristics of individuals. Long-term and intensive study of a population of mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) in the Sierra Nevada, California, USA, allowed us to document patterns of migration during 11 years that encompassed a wide array of environmental conditions. We used two new techniques to properly account for interval-censored data and disentangle effects of broad-scale climate, local weather patterns, and plant phenology on seasonal patterns of migration, while incorporating effects of individual life-history characteristics. Timing of autumn migration varied substantially among individual deer, but was associated with the severity of winter weather, and in particular, snow depth and cold temperatures. Migratory responses to winter weather, however, were affected by age, nutritional condition, and summer residency of individual females. Old females and those in good nutritional condition risked encountering severe weather by delaying autumn migration, and were thus risk-prone with respect to the potential loss of foraging opportunities in deep snow compared with young females and those in poor nutritional condition. Females that summered on the west side of the crest of the Sierra Nevada delayed autumn migration relative to east-side females, which supports the influence of the local environment on timing of migration. In contrast, timing of spring migration was unrelated to individual life-history characteristics, was nearly twice as synchronous as autumn migration, differed among years, was related to the southern oscillation index, and was influenced by absolute snow depth and advancing phenology of plants. Plasticity in timing of migration in response to climatic conditions and plant phenology may be an adaptive behavioral strategy, which should reduce the detrimental effects of trophic mismatches between resources and other life-history events of large herbivores. Failure to consider effects of nutrition and other life-history traits may cloud interpretation of phenological patterns of mammals and conceal relationships associated with climate change.

Effects of dynamic-demand-control appliances on the power grid frequency.

PubMed

Tchuisseu, E B Tchawou; Gomila, D; Brunner, D; Colet, P

2017-08-01

Power grid frequency control is a demanding task requiring expensive idle power plants to adapt the supply to the fluctuating demand. An alternative approach is controlling the demand side in such a way that certain appliances modify their operation to adapt to the power availability. This is especially important to achieve a high penetration of renewable energy sources. A number of methods to manage the demand side have been proposed. In this work we focus on dynamic demand control (DDC), where smart appliances can delay their switchings depending on the frequency of the system. We introduce a simple model to study the effects of DDC on the frequency of the power grid. The model includes the power plant equations, a stochastic model for the demand that reproduces, adjusting a single parameter, the statistical properties of frequency fluctuations measured experimentally, and a generic DDC protocol. We find that DDC can reduce small and medium-size fluctuations but it can also increase the probability of observing large frequency peaks due to the necessity of recovering pending task. We also conclude that a deployment of DDC around 30-40% already allows a significant reduction of the fluctuations while keeping the number of pending tasks low.

Aminopenicillin-induced exanthema allows treatment with certain cephalosporins or phenoxymethyl penicillin.

PubMed

Trcka, Jiri; Seitz, Cornelia S; Bröcker, Eva-B; Gross, Gerd E; Trautmann, Axel

2007-07-01

Aminopenicillin-induced exanthema poses a problem in the management of infectious diseases. Due to theoretically possible immunological cross-reactivity, all beta-lactam drugs, i.e. penicillins, penicillin derivatives and cephalosporins, are usually avoided. The available alternative antibiotics (macrolides, quinolones and glycopeptides) may be less effective, have more side effects, and their use increases medical costs. Moreover, their use contributes to the increasing bacterial resistance to antibiotics. The aim of the study is to demonstrate that patients with aminopenicillin-induced exanthema may receive specific beta-lactams for future antibiotic therapy. Skin testing followed by oral challenges to identify beta-lactams that are tolerated by patients despite confirmed delayed-type non-immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated allergic hypersensitivity to aminopenicillins. Sixty-nine out of 71 patients (97.2%) with non-IgE-mediated allergic hypersensitivity to aminopenicillins tolerate cephalosporins without an aminobenzyl side chain such as cefpodoxime or cefixime and 51 patients (71.8%) also tolerate phenoxymethyl penicillin. The majority of patients with non-IgE-mediated allergic hypersensitivity to aminopenicillins do not cross-react to certain cephalosporins or phenoxymethyl penicillin. Skin and drug challenge tests can be helpful to determine individual cross-reactivity.

Effects of dynamic-demand-control appliances on the power grid frequency

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tchuisseu, E. B. Tchawou; Gomila, D.; Brunner, D.; Colet, P.

2017-08-01

Power grid frequency control is a demanding task requiring expensive idle power plants to adapt the supply to the fluctuating demand. An alternative approach is controlling the demand side in such a way that certain appliances modify their operation to adapt to the power availability. This is especially important to achieve a high penetration of renewable energy sources. A number of methods to manage the demand side have been proposed. In this work we focus on dynamic demand control (DDC), where smart appliances can delay their switchings depending on the frequency of the system. We introduce a simple model to study the effects of DDC on the frequency of the power grid. The model includes the power plant equations, a stochastic model for the demand that reproduces, adjusting a single parameter, the statistical properties of frequency fluctuations measured experimentally, and a generic DDC protocol. We find that DDC can reduce small and medium-size fluctuations but it can also increase the probability of observing large frequency peaks due to the necessity of recovering pending task. We also conclude that a deployment of DDC around 30-40% already allows a significant reduction of the fluctuations while keeping the number of pending tasks low.

Neglect-like characteristics of developmental disregard in children with cerebral palsy revealed by event related potentials.

PubMed

Zielinski, Ingar M; Steenbergen, Bert; Baas, C Marjolein; Aarts, Pauline Bm; Jongsma, Marijtje L A

2014-11-30

Children with unilateral Cerebral Palsy (CP) often show diminished awareness of the remaining capacity of their affected upper limb. This phenomenon is known as Developmental Disregard (DD). DD has been explained by operant conditioning. Alternatively, DD can be described as a developmental delay resulting from a lack of use of the affected hand during crucial developmental periods. We hypothesize that this delay is associated with a general delay in executive functions (EF) related to motor behavior, also known as motor EFs. Twenty-four children with unilateral CP participated in this cross-sectional study, twelve of them diagnosed with DD. To test motor EFs, a modified go/nogo task was presented in which cues followed by go- or nogo-stimuli appeared at either the left or right side of a screen. Children had to press a button with the hand corresponding to the side of stimulus presentation. Apart from response accuracy, Event-Related Potentials (ERPs) extracted from the ongoing EEG were used to register covert cognitive processes. ERP N1, P2, N2, and P3 components elicited by cue-, go-, and nogo-stimuli were further analyzed to differentiate between different covert cognitive processes. Children with DD made more errors. With respect to the ERPs, the P3 component to go-stimuli was enhanced in children with DD. This enhancement was related to age, such that younger children with DD showed stronger enhancements. In addition, in DD the N1 component to cue- and go-stimuli was decreased. The behavioral results show that children with DD experience difficulties when performing the task. The finding of an enhanced P3 component to go-stimuli suggests that these difficulties are due to increased mental effort preceding movement. As age in DD mediated this enhancement, it seems that this increased mental effort is related to a developmental delay. The additional finding of a decreased N1 component in DD furthermore suggests a general diminished visuo-spatial attention. This effect reveals that DD might be a neuropsychological phenomenon similar to post-stroke neglect syndrome that does not resolve during development. These findings suggest that therapies aimed at reducing neglect could be a promising addition to existing therapies for DD.

"Sideways": results of repair of biliary injuries using a policy of side-to-side hepatico-jejunostomy.

PubMed

Winslow, Emily R; Fialkowski, Elizabeth A; Linehan, David C; Hawkins, William G; Picus, Daniel D; Strasberg, Steven M

2009-03-01

The Hepp-Couinaud technique describes side-to-side HJ to the main left hepatic duct but a side-to-side approach is not consistently used when repairing other ducts. Compared with end-to-side repairs, side-to-side anastomoses require less dissection, theoretically preserving blood supply to the bile ducts, and usually permit wider anastomoses. We report the treatment results of 113 consecutive biliary injuries, with intention to perform side-to side anastomosis in all. 113 biliary injuries, 109 associated with cholecystectomy, were treated from 1992-2006. Injury types were B (7 patients, 6%); C (11 patients, 10%); E1 (8 patients, 7%); E2 (37 patients, 33%); E3 (20 patients, 18%); E4 (24 patients, 21%); E5 (6 patients, 5%). 19% of repairs were early (within 1 week after cholecystectomy), 58% were delayed (at least 6 weeks after cholecystectomy), and 22% were reoperations for recurrent strictures. In 92% of cases, side-to-side repair was accomplished. 23/113 (20%) developed postoperative complications, with one postoperative death. Mean follow-up was 4.9 years. Excellent anastomotic function was achieved in 107/112 (95%). "Poor" anastomotic results occurred in 5 patients: 2 patients with E4 injuries had postoperative anastomotic stenting >3 months, and 3 developed strictures requiring percutaneous dilation. There have been no reoperations for biliary strictures. HJ using side-to-side anastomosis has theoretical advantages and is usually possible. In some high right-sided injuries it could not be achieved. 95% excellent anastomotic function without intervention attests to the benefit of the method, especially as postoperative stenting >3 months was considered to be a "poor" result.

Currently used and investigational drugs for Cushing´s disease.

PubMed

Ciato, Denis; Mumbach, Aizhar G; Paez-Pereda, Marcelo; Stalla, Günter K

2017-01-01

Cushing's disease (CD) is caused by a corticotroph adenoma of the pituitary gland that secretes excess adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) causing increased morbidity and mortality. Surgery is the treatment of choice, but is not always successful. Alternatives include radiotherapy, adrenal surgery, and pharmaceutical therapy. The latter is increasingly gaining momentum due to the recent development of compounds that reduce hypercortisolaemia or its symptoms, acting through different mechanisms. Areas covered: In this article, the authors provide a complete overview of the treatment options for Cushing´s disease, including adrenal-directed, tumor-targeted, and peripheral therapies that are currently used or in development, and discuss their potential advantages and limitations. Expert opinion: Considering the lack of long-term remission in up to half of the patients after surgery, and the delayed response to radiotherapy along with potential side effects, there is a strong need for an effective pharmaceutical treatment. Pasireotide, mifepristone, ketoconazole and metyrapone have been approved by regulatory authorities but their use remains limited due to considerable costs and side effects. Research in this field has focused recently on the improvement of pre-existing drugs and the development of safe new ones. However, few approaches aim at targeting the source of the disease, the ACTH-secreting adenoma.

AUTEN-67, an autophagy-enhancing drug candidate with potent antiaging and neuroprotective effects.

PubMed

Papp, Diána; Kovács, Tibor; Billes, Viktor; Varga, Máté; Tarnóci, Anna; Hackler, László; Puskás, László G; Liliom, Hanna; Tárnok, Krisztián; Schlett, Katalin; Borsy, Adrienn; Pádár, Zsolt; Kovács, Attila L; Hegedűs, Krisztina; Juhász, Gábor; Komlós, Marcell; Erdős, Attila; Gulyás, Balázs; Vellai, Tibor

2016-01-01

Autophagy is a major molecular mechanism that eliminates cellular damage in eukaryotic organisms. Basal levels of autophagy are required for maintaining cellular homeostasis and functioning. Defects in the autophagic process are implicated in the development of various age-dependent pathologies including cancer and neurodegenerative diseases, as well as in accelerated aging. Genetic activation of autophagy has been shown to retard the accumulation of damaged cytoplasmic constituents, delay the incidence of age-dependent diseases, and extend life span in genetic models. This implies that autophagy serves as a therapeutic target in treating such pathologies. Although several autophagy-inducing chemical agents have been identified, the majority of them operate upstream of the core autophagic process, thereby exerting undesired side effects. Here, we screened a small-molecule library for specific inhibitors of MTMR14, a myotubularin-related phosphatase antagonizing the formation of autophagic membrane structures, and isolated AUTEN-67 (autophagy enhancer-67) that significantly increases autophagic flux in cell lines and in vivo models. AUTEN-67 promotes longevity and protects neurons from undergoing stress-induced cell death. It also restores nesting behavior in a murine model of Alzheimer disease, without apparent side effects. Thus, AUTEN-67 is a potent drug candidate for treating autophagy-related diseases.

Misinformation lingers in memory: Failure of three pro-vaccination strategies

PubMed Central

Pluviano, Sara

2017-01-01

People’s inability to update their memories in light of corrective information may have important public health consequences, as in the case of vaccination choice. In the present study, we compare three potentially effective strategies in vaccine promotion: one contrasting myths vs. facts, one employing fact and icon boxes, and one showing images of non-vaccinated sick children. Beliefs in the autism/vaccines link and in vaccines side effects, along with intention to vaccinate a future child, were evaluated both immediately after the correction intervention and after a 7-day delay to reveal possible backfire effects. Results show that existing strategies to correct vaccine misinformation are ineffective and often backfire, resulting in the unintended opposite effect, reinforcing ill-founded beliefs about vaccination and reducing intentions to vaccinate. The implications for research on vaccines misinformation and recommendations for progress are discussed. PMID:28749996

The preclinical pharmacological profile of WAY-132983, a potent M1 preferring agonist.

PubMed

Bartolomeo, A C; Morris, H; Buccafusco, J J; Kille, N; Rosenzweig-Lipson, S; Husbands, M G; Sabb, A L; Abou-Gharbia, M; Moyer, J A; Boast, C A

2000-02-01

Muscarinic M1 preferring agonists may improve cognitive deficits associated with Alzheimer's disease. Side effect assessment of the M1 preferring agonist WAY-132983 showed significant salivation (10 mg/kg i.p. or p.o.) and produced dose-dependent hypothermia after i. p. or p.o. administration. WAY-132983 significantly reduced scopolamine (0.3 mg/kg i.p.)-induced hyperswimming in mice. Cognitive assessment in rats used pretrained animals in a forced choice, 1-h delayed nonmatch-to-sample radial arm maze task. WAY-132983 (0.3 mg/kg i.p) significantly reduced scopolamine (0.3 mg/kg s.c.)-induced errors. Oral WAY-132983 attenuated scopolamine-induced errors; that is, errors produced after combining scopolamine and WAY-132983 (to 3 mg/kg p.o.) were not significantly increased compared with those of vehicle-treated control animals, whereas errors after scopolamine were significantly higher than those of control animals. With the use of miniosmotic pumps, 0.03 mg/kg/day (s.c.) WAY-132983 significantly reduced AF64A (3 nmol/3 microliter/lateral ventricle)-induced errors. Verification of AF64A cholinotoxicity showed significantly lower choline acetyltransferase activity in the hippocampi of AF64A-treated animals, with no significant changes in the striatal or frontal cortex. Cognitive assessment in primates involved the use of pretrained aged animals in a visual delayed match-to-sample procedure. Oral WAY-132983 significantly increased the number of correct responses during short and long delay interval testing. These effects were also apparent 24 h after administration. WAY-132983 exhibited cognitive benefit at doses lower than those producing undesirable effects; therefore, WAY-132983 is a potential candidate for improving the cognitive status of patients with Alzheimer's disease.

Intrathecal application of the nimodipine slow-release microparticle system eg-1962 for prevention of delayed cerebral ischemia and improvement of outcome after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage.

PubMed

Etminan, Nima; Macdonald, R Loch; Davis, Cara; Burton, Kevin; Steiger, Hans-Jakob; Hänggi, Daniel

2015-01-01

The effective reduction of delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI), a main contributor for poor outcome following aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), remains challenging. Previous clinical trials on systemic pharmaceutical treatment of SAH mostly failed to improve outcome, probably because of insensitive pharmaceutical targets and outcome measures, small sample size, insufficient subarachnoid drug concentrations and also detrimental, systemic effects of the experimental treatment per se. Interestingly, in studies that are more recent, intrathecal administration of nicardipine pellets following surgical aneurysm repair was suggested to have a beneficial effect on DCI and neurological outcome. However, this positive effect remained restricted to patients who were treated surgically for a ruptured aneurysm. Because of the favorable results of the preclinical data on DCI and neurological outcome in the absence of neurotoxicity or systemic side effects, we are initiating clinical trials. The PROMISE (Prolonged Release nimOdipine MIcro particles after Subarachnoid hemorrhage) trial is designed as an unblinded, nonrandomized, single-center, single-dose, dose-escalation safety and tolerability phase 1 study in patients surgically treated for aSAH and will investigate the effect of intracisternal EG-1962 administration. The NEWTON (Nimodipine microparticles to Enhance recovery While reducing TOxicity after subarachNoid hemorrhage) trial is a phase 1/2a multicenter, controlled, randomized, open-label, dose-escalation, safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetic study comparing EG-1962 and nimodipine in patients with aneurysmal SAH.

Flying qualities and control system characteristics for superaugmented aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Myers, T. T.; Mcruer, D. T.; Johnston, D. E.

1984-01-01

Aircraft-alone dynamics and superaugmented control system fundamental regulatory properties including stability and regulatory responses of the basic closed-loop systems; fundamental high and low frequency margins and governing factors; and sensitivity to aircraft and controller parameters are addressed. Alternative FCS mechanizations, and mechanizational side effects are also discussed. An overview of flying qualities considerations encompasses general pilot operations as a controller in unattended, intermittent and trim, and full-attention regulatory or command control; effective vehicle primary and secondary response properties to pilot inputs and disturbances; pilot control architectural possibilities; and comparison of superaugmented and conventional aircraft path responses for different forms of pilot control. Results of a simple experimental investigation into pilot dynamic behavior in attitude control of superaugmented aircraft configurations with high frequency time laps and time delays are presented.

Longest delayed hemothorax reported after blunt chest injury.

PubMed

Yap, Darren; Ng, Miane; Chaudhury, Madhu; Mbakada, Nik

2018-01-01

Blunt chest injury is a common presentation to the emergency department. However, a delayed hemothorax after blunt trauma is rare; current literature reports a delay of up to 30days. We present a case of 44-day delay in hemothorax which has not been previously reported in current literature. A 52-year-old Caucasian male first presented to the emergency department complaining of persistent right sided chest pain 2weeks after having slipped on a wet surface at home. His initial chest X-ray showed fractures of the right 7th and 8th ribs without a hemothorax or pneumothorax. He returned 30days after the initial consultation (44days post-trauma) having increasing shortness of breath. A chest X-ray this time revealed a large right hemothorax and 1850ml of blood drained from his chest. There was a complete resolution of the hemothorax within 48h and the patient was discharged after a 6-week follow-up with the chest physicians. Delayed hemothorax after blunt trauma is a rare clinical occurrence but associated with significant morbidity and mortality. The management of delayed hemothorax includes draining the hemothorax and controlling the bleeding. WHY SHOULD AN EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN BE AWARE OF THIS?: Emergency physicians should be vigilant and weary that hemothorax could be a possibility after a chest injury despite a delay in presentation. A knowledge of delayed hemothorax will prompt physicians in providing important advice, warning signs and information to patients after a chest injury to avoid a delay in seeking medical attention. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Characteristics of train noise in above-ground and underground stations with side and island platforms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shimokura, Ryota; Soeta, Yoshiharu

2011-04-01

Railway stations can be principally classified by their locations, i.e., above-ground or underground stations, and by their platform styles, i.e., side or island platforms. However, the effect of the architectural elements on the train noise in stations is not well understood. The aim of the present study is to determine the different acoustical characteristics of the train noise for each station style. The train noise was evaluated by (1) the A-weighted equivalent continuous sound pressure level ( LAeq), (2) the amplitude of the maximum peak of the interaural cross-correlation function (IACC), (3) the delay time ( τ1) and amplitude ( ϕ1) of the first maximum peak of the autocorrelation function. The IACC, τ1 and ϕ1 are related to the subjective diffuseness, pitch and pitch strength, respectively. Regarding the locations, the LAeq in the underground stations was 6.4 dB higher than that in the above-ground stations, and the pitch in the underground stations was higher and stronger. Regarding the platform styles, the LAeq on the side platforms was 3.3 dB higher than on the island platforms of the above-ground stations. For the underground stations, the LAeq on the island platforms was 3.3 dB higher than that on the side platforms when a train entered the station. The IACC on the island platforms of the above-ground stations was higher than that in the other stations.

To Flavor or Not to Flavor Extemporaneous Omeprazole Liquid.

PubMed

Chuong, Monica C; Taglieri, Catherine A; Kerr, Stephen G

2017-01-01

Omeprazole is a proton pump inhibitor used to treat the symptoms of gastro esophageal reflux disease, ulcers, excess stomach acid, infection with Helicobacter pylori, and to control the gastric side effects of various drugs. The approved dosage forms in the U.S. are powder in compounding kits, delayed-release granules for oral suspension, oral delayed-release tablets, and oral delayed-release capsules. An extemporaneously compounded unsweetened oral liquid method, published in the International Journal of Pharmaceutical Compounding, was found to be commonly used by pharmacists. This project investigated the robustness of the compendium omeprazole high-performance liquid chromatographic assay in evaluating an oral liquid made from commercial delayed-release pellets, the potency of extemporaneously compounded solutions having a 1.125% v/v flavored versus unflavored samples stored at controlled cold temperatures at different time points, and examining the absorption spectrum of the flavoring agent. As part of the study, stability-indication testing was also conducted. The studies indicate that the chromatographic area under the plasma concentration-time curve of both study groups remained over 90% of the label claim during the follow-up period. The flavor did not significantly impact the pH of the oral liquid. This study further identified (1) an increase in resilient foam formation in the flavored liquid, potentially hindering dosing accuracy, (2) omeprazole is oxidized easily by 3% hydrogen peroxide, and (3) flavoring agent absorbs in an ultraviolet visible spectroscopy spectral range often used in assay detectors for quantification of drug molecules, and could interfere with assay protocols of the same. Copyright© by International Journal of Pharmaceutical Compounding, Inc.

[Chemotherapy-induced diarrhea].

PubMed

Kobayashi, Kunihiko

2003-06-01

Chemotherapy-induced diarrhea is a well-documented side effect of many cancer treatments and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Chemotherapy-induced diarrhea negatively impacts patient quality of life and treatment outcome by requiring dose limitations or treatment interruption. The chemotherapeutic agent CPT-11 (irinotecan) has shown promising results as a single agent and in combination chemotherapy for the treatment of colorectal and small cell lung cancer. However, delayed onset diarrhea is considered to be its major dose-limiting toxicity. In some cases, it can be life threatening. To prevent CPT-11-induced delayed diarrhea, oral alkalization (OA) and control of defecation (CD) [Int J Cancer 92: 269-275, 2001] were developed based on fundamental studies [Int J Cancer 83: 491-496, 1999; Cancer Res 62: 179-187, 2002]. Oral administration of antibiotics [Cancer Res 56: 3752-3757, 1996; Clin Cancer Res 7: 1136-1141, 2001] or kampo medicine [Jpn J Cancer Res 86: 978-984, 1995; Jpn J Cancer Res 86: 985-989, 1995] to decrease beta-glucuronidase activity derived from bacteria in the large intestine was also reported to be successful in preventing delayed diarrhea. When CPT-11-induced delayed diarrhea occurs, the conventional treatment is loperamide [J Natl Cancer Inst 86: 446-449, 1994], and the early recognition and treatment of diarrhea with this opioid has reduced, although not entirely eliminated, patient morbidity. Other therapies are needed to treat patients with loperamide-refractory CPT-11 induced diarrhea, and the successful use of the somatostatin analogue octreotide has been reported [Support Care Cancer 9: 258-260, 2001; Ann Oncol 12: 227-229, 2001; Proc Am Soc Clin Oncol 21: 387a, 2002].

Tuberculous otitis media with postaural abscess and submandibular lymphadenopathy

PubMed Central

Verma, Sanjeev K.; Mahajan, Vineet; Srivastava, Anand N.

2009-01-01

We are reporting a case of right-sided tuberculous otitis media with postaural abscess and multiple submandibular lymphadenopathy which has been reported very infrequently. A high level of suspicion by the treating physician is mandatory to avoid long delay in diagnosis and increased complications in the modern chemotherapy era. PMID:20165590

Performance of fuel system at different diesel temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Xiaoyong; Li, Xiaolu; Sun, Zai

2010-08-01

This paper presents the findings about performance of the fuel system of a diesel engine at different diesel temperature obtained through simulation and experiment. It can be seen from these findings that at the same rotational speed of fuel pump, the initial pressure in the fuel pipe remain unchanged as the fuel temperature increases, the peak pressure at the side of fuel pipe near the injector delays, and its largest value of pressure decreases. Meanwhile, at the same temperature, as the rotational speed increases, the initial pressure of fuel pipe is also essentially the same, the arrival of its peaks delays, and its largest value of pressure increases. The maximum fuel pressure at the side of fuel pipe near the injector has an increase of 28.9 %, 22.3%, and 13.9% respectively than the previous ones according to its conditions. At the same rotational speed, as the temperature increases, the injection quantity through the nozzle orifice decreases. At the same temperature, as the rotational speed increases, the injection quantity through the nozzle orifice increases. These experimental results are consistent with simulation results.

Delayed development of neural language organization in very preterm born children.

PubMed

Mürner-Lavanchy, Ines; Steinlin, Maja; Kiefer, Claus; Weisstanner, Christian; Ritter, Barbara Catherine; Perrig, Walter; Everts, Regula

2014-01-01

This study investigates neural language organization in very preterm born children compared to control children and examines the relationship between language organization, age, and language performance. Fifty-six preterms and 38 controls (7-12 y) completed a functional magnetic resonance imaging language task. Lateralization and signal change were computed for language-relevant brain regions. Younger preterms showed a bilateral language network whereas older preterms revealed left-sided language organization. No age-related differences in language organization were observed in controls. Results indicate that preterms maintain atypical bilateral language organization longer than term born controls. This might reflect a delay of neural language organization due to very premature birth.

Effects of anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction on neuromuscular tensiomyographic characteristics of the lower extremity in competitive male soccer players.

PubMed

Alvarez-Diaz, Pedro; Alentorn-Geli, Eduard; Ramon, Silvia; Marin, Miguel; Steinbacher, Gilbert; Rius, Marta; Seijas, Roberto; Ballester, Jordi; Cugat, Ramon

2015-11-01

To investigate the effects of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction on mechanical and contractile properties of the skeletal muscles of the lower extremities in soccer players through tensiomyography (TMG). All soccer players with acute ACL tear included underwent resting TMG assessment of muscles of both lower extremities before and 1 year after ACL reconstruction. The muscles assessed were vastus medialis (VM), vastus laterals (VL), rectus femoris (RF), semitendinosus (ST), biceps femoris (BF), gastrocnemius medialis (GM), and gastrocnemius lateralis (GL). The TMG parameters obtained for each muscle were maximal displacement (D m), delay time (T d), contraction time (T c), sustained time (T s), and half-relaxation time (T r). The injured leg had a significant decrease in VL-T c, ST-T c, GM-T c, GL-T r, and GL-T d, and a significant increase in VM-T r and GM-T s in the postoperative compared to preoperative period. The non-injured leg demonstrated significant preoperative-postoperative changes in the VL, RF, and BF, but not in VM, ST, GM, and GL The magnitude of preoperative-postoperative differences in the injured leg was significantly higher in RF-T c, ST-T c, BF-D m, and GL-T r, but lower in RF-T r and GM-T s, compared to the non-injured leg. Both groups improved their symmetry between the quadriceps and hamstring muscle groups in both sides. The quadriceps muscles improved their resistance to fatigue and contraction velocity in both sides, and the hamstring muscles improved their contraction velocity and muscle tone in both sides as well. Improvements in contraction velocity and muscle tone were more evident in the quadriceps and hamstrings of the injured compared to the uninjured side. In addition, the intervention increased the percentage of symmetry between both sides in the TMG of the quadriceps muscles and the balance between ACL-agonist (hamstrings) and ACL-antagonist (quadriceps) muscle groups in both sides. This study shows how ACL reconstruction (and subsequent rehabilitation) can positively impact neuromuscular characteristics of the quadriceps and hamstrings. Therapeutic, Level II.

Electromechanical delay of abdominal muscles is modified by low back pain prevention exercise.

PubMed

Szpala, Agnieszka; Rutkowska-Kucharska, Alicja; Drapala, Jaroslaw

2014-01-01

The objective of the research was to assess the effect of a 4-week-long training program on selected parameters: electromechanical delay (EMD) and amplitude of electromyographic signal (EMG). Fourteen female students of the University School of Physical Education participated in the study. Torques and surface electromyography were evaluated under static conditions. Surface electrodes were glued to both sides of the rectus abdominis (RA), external oblique (EO), and erector spinae (ES) muscles. The 4-week-long program was aimed at strengthening the abdominal muscles and resulted in increased EMD during maximum torque production by flexors of the trunk, increased amplitudes of the signals of the erector spinae ( p = 0.005), and increased EMG amplitude asymmetry of the lower ( p = 0.013) and upper part ( p = 0.006) of the rectus abdominis muscle. In a training program composed of a large number of repetitions of strength exercises, in which the training person uses their own weight as the load (like in exercises such as curl-ups), the process of recruitment of motor units is similar to that found during fatiguing exercises and plyometric training.

[Dental treatment under general anaesthesia in young children].

PubMed

Oomens, M A E-M; Booij, L H D; Baart, J A

2016-05-01

General anaesthesia in children younger than 4 years of age can cause brain damage with cognitive and behavioral problems as a result. The chance of these side effects is small, but increases with prolonged duration of the anaesthesia or when the general anaesthesia is provided more frequently. It goes without saying that the indication for anaesthesia should be very strictly set. In order to reduce the chance of damage, the anaesthesia itself should be performed in consultation between the anaesthesiologist and care provider, according to a set protocol. The parents need to be informed of the potential risks of general anaesthesia. Delayed treatment (and thereby provision of the anaesthesia) should be considered.

Symptomatic Peripheral Mycotic Aneurysms Due to Infective Endocarditis

PubMed Central

González, Isabel; Sarriá, Cristina; López, Javier; Vilacosta, Isidre; San Román, Alberto; Olmos, Carmen; Sáez, Carmen; Revilla, Ana; Hernández, Miguel; Caniego, Jose Luis; Fernández, Cristina

2014-01-01

Abstract Peripheral mycotic aneurysms (PMAs) are a relatively rare but serious complication of infective endocarditis (IE). We conducted the current study to describe and compare the current epidemiologic, microbiologic, clinical, diagnostic, therapeutic, and prognostic characteristics of patients with symptomatic PMAs (SPMAs). A descriptive, comparative, retrospective observational study was performed in 3 tertiary hospitals, which are reference centers for cardiac surgery. From 922 definite IE episodes collected from 1996 to 2011, 18 patients (1.9%) had SPMAs. Because all SPMAs developed in left-sided IE, we performed a comparative study between 719 episodes of left-sided IE without SPMAs and 18 episodes with SPMAs. We found a higher frequency of intravenous drug abuse, native valve IE, intracranial bleeding, septic emboli, multiple embolisms, and IE diagnostic delay >30 days in patients with SPMAs than in patients without SPMAs. The causal microorganisms were gram-positive cocci (n =10), gram-negative bacilli (n = 2), gram-positive bacilli (n = 3), Bartonella henselae (n = 1), Candida albicans (n = 1), and negative culture (n = 1). The median IE diagnosis delay was 15 days (interquartile range [IQR], 13–33 d) in the case of high-virulence microorganisms versus 45 days (IQR, 30–240 d) in the case of low- to medium-virulence microorganisms. Twelve SPMAs were intracranial and 6 were extracranial. In 10 cases (8 intracranial and 2 extracranial), SPMAs were the initial presentation of IE; the remaining cases developed symptoms during or after finishing parenteral antibiotic treatment. The initial diagnosis of intracranial SPMAs was made by computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging in 6 unruptured aneurysms and by angiography in 6 ruptured aneurysms. The initial test in extracranial SPMAs was Doppler ultrasonography in limbs, CT in liver, and coronary angiography in heart. Four (3 intracranial, 1 extracranial) of 7 (6 intracranial, 1 extracranial) patients treated only with antibiotics died. Surgical resection was performed in 7 (3 intracranial, 4 extracranial) and endovascular repair in 4 (3 intracranial, 1 extracranial) patients; all of them survived. In conclusion, we found that SPMAs were a rare complication of IE that developed only in left-sided IE, and especially in native valves. Intracranial hemorrhage, embolism, multiple embolisms, and diagnostic delay of IE were more common in patients with SPMAs. The microbiologic profile was diverse, but microorganisms of low-medium virulence were predominant, and had a greater delayed diagnosis of IE than those caused by microorganisms of high virulence. SPMAs were often the initial presentation of IE. The most common location of SPMAs was intracranial. Noninvasive radiologic imaging techniques were the initial imaging test in intracranial unruptured SPMAs and in most extracranial SPMAs. Surgical and endovascular treatments were safe and effective. Endovascular treatment could be the first line of treatment in selected cases. Mortality was high in those cases treated only with antibiotics. PMID:24378742

Low-power, ultrafast, and dynamic all-optical tunable plasmon induced transparency in two stub resonators side-coupled with a plasmonic waveguide system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Boyun; Zeng, Qingdong; Xiao, Shuyuan; Xu, Chen; Xiong, Liangbin; Lv, Hao; Du, Jun; Yu, Huaqing

2017-11-01

We theoretically and numerically investigate a low-power, ultrafast, and dynamic all-optical tunable plasmon induced transparency (PIT) in two stub resonators side-coupled with a metal-dielectric-metal (MDM) plasmonic waveguide system. The optical Kerr effect is enhanced by the local electromagnetic field of surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) and the plasmonic waveguide based on graphene-Ag composite material structures with large effective Kerr nonlinear coefficient. An ultrafast response time of the order of 1 ps is reached because of ultrafast carrier relaxation dynamics of graphene. With dynamically tuning the propagation phase of the plasmonic waveguide, π-phase shift of the transmission spectrum in the PIT system is achieved under excitation of a pump light with an intensity as low as 5.8 MW cm-2. The group delay is controlled between 0.14 and 0.67 ps. Moreover, the tunable bandwidth of about 42 nm is obtained. For the indirect coupling between two stub cavities or the phase coupling scheme, the phase shift multiplication effect of the PIT effect is found. All observed schemes are analyzed rigorously through finite-difference time-domain simulations and coupled-mode formalism. This work not only paves the way towards the realization of on-chip integrated nanophotonic devices but also opens the possibility of the construction of ultrahigh-speed information processing chips based on plasmonic circuits.

Anaesthesia for electroconvulsive therapy - new tricks for old drugs: a systematic review.

PubMed

Stripp, Tobias Kvist; Jorgensen, Martin Balslev; Olsen, Niels Vidiendal

2018-04-01

The objective of this review is to investigate existing literature in order to delineate whether the use of anaesthesia and timing of seizure induction in a new and optimised way may improve the efficacy of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). PubMed/MEDLINE was searched for existing literature, last search on 24 June 2015. Relevant clinical studies on human subjects involving choice of anaesthetic, ventilation and bispectral index (BIS) monitoring in the ECT setting were considered. The references of relevant studies were likewise considered. Propofol yields the shortest seizures, etomidate and ketamine the longest. Etomidate and ketamine+propofol 1 : 1 seems to yield the seizures with best quality. Seizure quality is improved when induction of ECT is delayed until the effect of the anaesthetic has waned - possibly monitored with BIS values. Manual hyperventilation with 100% O2 may increase the pO2/pCO2-ratio, which may be correlated with better seizure quality. Etomidate or a 1 : 1 ketamine and propofol combination may be the best method to achieve general anaesthesia in the ECT setting. There is a need for large randomised prospective studies comparing the effect of methohexital, thiopental, propofol, ketamine, propofol+ketamine 1 : 1 and etomidate in the ECT treatment of major depressed patients. These studies should investigate safety and side effects, and most importantly have antidepressant efficacy and cognitive side effects as outcome measures instead of seizure quality.

Timing the Mode Switch in a Sequential Mixed-Mode Survey: An Experimental Evaluation of the Impact on Final Response Rates, Key Estimates, and Costs

PubMed Central

Wagner, James; Schroeder, Heather M.; Piskorowski, Andrew; Ursano, Robert J.; Stein, Murray B.; Heeringa, Steven G.; Colpe, Lisa J.

2017-01-01

Mixed-mode surveys need to determine a number of design parameters that may have a strong influence on costs and errors. In a sequential mixed-mode design with web followed by telephone, one of these decisions is when to switch modes. The web mode is relatively inexpensive but produces lower response rates. The telephone mode complements the web mode in that it is relatively expensive but produces higher response rates. Among the potential negative consequences, delaying the switch from web to telephone may lead to lower response rates if the effectiveness of the prenotification contact materials is reduced by longer time lags, or if the additional e-mail reminders to complete the web survey annoy the sampled person. On the positive side, delaying the switch may decrease the costs of the survey. We evaluate these costs and errors by experimentally testing four different timings (1, 2, 3, or 4 weeks) for the mode switch in a web–telephone survey. This experiment was conducted on the fourth wave of a longitudinal study of the mental health of soldiers in the U.S. Army. We find that the different timings of the switch in the range of 1–4 weeks do not produce differences in final response rates or key estimates but longer delays before switching do lead to lower costs. PMID:28943717

Chitosan-coated diacerein nanosuspensions as a platform for enhancing bioavailability and lowering side effects: preparation, characterization, and ex vivo/in vivo evaluation

PubMed Central

Allam, Ahmed N; Hamdallah, Sherif I; Abdallah, Ossama Y

2017-01-01

Nanodrug delivery systems have been widely reviewed for their use in several drug formulations to improve bioavailability, sustain effect, and decrease side effects of many candidate drugs. The objective of this study was to evaluate the potential of chitosan (CS)-coated nanosuspensions to enhance bioavailability and reduce the diarrheal side effect of diacerein (DCN) after oral administration. DCN nanosuspensions (DNS) were prepared by sonoprecipitation technique using different stabilizers at three different concentrations. The selected DNS with optimum particle size (PS), polydispersity index (PDI), and Zeta potential (ZP) was coated with three different concentrations of CS-coated DNS (CS-DNS) and screened. In vitro dissolution was performed for the selected lyophilized formulae and compared with DCN powder in addition to the assessment of drug crystallinity via scanning electron microscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, and differential scanning calorimetry. Ex vivo drug permeability using noneverted rat intestine, intraluminal content, and mucoadhesion evaluation was studied for nominated formulae in comparison to DCN suspension. Moreover, in vivo study, pharmacokinetic parameters, and evaluation of diarrheal potential were conducted after oral administration of selected formulae. Polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP)-stabilized DNS showed a significant increase (P≤0.05) in PS and PDI as the stabilizer concentration increased. PVP-stabilized DNS with the lowest CS concentration was protected from aggregation by lyophilization with mannitol. A remarked enhancement in dissolution parameters was observed in the nanocrystals’ formulae. Morphological examination and X-ray diffraction confirmed drug crystallinity. The intermediate permeation parameters of CS-DNS-F10, lowest rhein-to-DCN ratio in intraluminal content along with the highest percentage of mucoadhesive, could serve as a sustaining profile of coated formula. CS-DNS-F10 showed a significantly higher Cmax of 0.74±0.15 µg/mL at a delayed Tmax of 3.60±0.55 hours with a relative bioavailability of 172.1% compared to DCN suspension. CS-coated nanosuspensions could serve as promising revenue to enhance bioavailability and reduce the diarrheal side effect of DCN after oral administration. PMID:28740381

Chitosan-coated diacerein nanosuspensions as a platform for enhancing bioavailability and lowering side effects: preparation, characterization, and ex vivo/in vivo evaluation.

PubMed

Allam, Ahmed N; Hamdallah, Sherif I; Abdallah, Ossama Y

2017-01-01

Nanodrug delivery systems have been widely reviewed for their use in several drug formulations to improve bioavailability, sustain effect, and decrease side effects of many candidate drugs. The objective of this study was to evaluate the potential of chitosan (CS)-coated nanosuspensions to enhance bioavailability and reduce the diarrheal side effect of diacerein (DCN) after oral administration. DCN nanosuspensions (DNS) were prepared by sonoprecipitation technique using different stabilizers at three different concentrations. The selected DNS with optimum particle size (PS), polydispersity index (PDI), and Zeta potential (ZP) was coated with three different concentrations of CS-coated DNS (CS-DNS) and screened. In vitro dissolution was performed for the selected lyophilized formulae and compared with DCN powder in addition to the assessment of drug crystallinity via scanning electron microscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, and differential scanning calorimetry. Ex vivo drug permeability using noneverted rat intestine, intraluminal content, and mucoadhesion evaluation was studied for nominated formulae in comparison to DCN suspension. Moreover, in vivo study, pharmacokinetic parameters, and evaluation of diarrheal potential were conducted after oral administration of selected formulae. Polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP)-stabilized DNS showed a significant increase ( P ≤0.05) in PS and PDI as the stabilizer concentration increased. PVP-stabilized DNS with the lowest CS concentration was protected from aggregation by lyophilization with mannitol. A remarked enhancement in dissolution parameters was observed in the nanocrystals' formulae. Morphological examination and X-ray diffraction confirmed drug crystallinity. The intermediate permeation parameters of CS-DNS-F10, lowest rhein-to-DCN ratio in intraluminal content along with the highest percentage of mucoadhesive, could serve as a sustaining profile of coated formula. CS-DNS-F10 showed a significantly higher C max of 0.74±0.15 µg/mL at a delayed T max of 3.60±0.55 hours with a relative bioavailability of 172.1% compared to DCN suspension. CS-coated nanosuspensions could serve as promising revenue to enhance bioavailability and reduce the diarrheal side effect of DCN after oral administration.

Efficacy and cognitive side effects of tiagabine and topiramate in patients with epilepsy.

PubMed

Fritz, N; Glogau, S; Hoffmann, J; Rademacher, M; Elger, C E; Helmstaedter, C

2005-05-01

Whereas the efficacy of the newer antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) is well established, there remain questions regarding their cognitive side effects. Therefore, we performed a comparative open randomized trial with TPM and TGB as add-on therapy, with particular consideration of cognition, mood, and health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Forty-one patients with refractory epilepsy were randomly assigned to one of the two treatment groups (TPM vs TGB) and received neuropsychological testing at baseline (T1), after titration (3 months, T2), and during the maintenance phase (another 3 months, T3). Tests included measures of intelligence, attention, working memory, episodic memory, language, and self-report questionnaires regarding mood and HRQOL. Twenty patients (8 TPM, 12 TGB) discontinued the trial for different reasons (no group difference). Seizure outcome (intention-to-treat analysis) was comparably good in both groups (8.1% seizure free, 29.7% seizure reduction>50%). From baseline to after the titration paired sample t tests revealed significant deterioration in verbal fluency, language comprehension, working memory, and visual block tapping under TPM and a deterioration in verbal memory (delayed free recall) in the TGB group. These functions remained stable in the maintenance phase. Self-report measures initially indicated concerns about AED side effects in both groups and concerns about worse cognitive functioning and depression under TPM. In the maintenance phase the TGB group reported feeling a lack of energy, whereas patients on TPM demonstrated improvement on all QOLIE scales on a descriptive level. This study demonstrates the comparable efficacy of TPM and TGB. Consistent with previous reports, TPM but not TGB appears to be associated with persistent negative cognitive side effects on frontal lobe-associated functions, the degree of which may be estimated by the fact that this effect was observed with a very small sample size. In contrast, in patients taking TPM, initially negatively affected HRQOL returns to baseline in the long run on a descriptive level. The latter finding may be interpreted in accordance with the observation that objective performance and subjective self-report under TPM can be dissociated.

Patients' Preferences for the Treatment of Metastatic Castrate-resistant Prostate Cancer: A Discrete Choice Experiment.

PubMed

Eliasson, Lina; de Freitas, Hayley M; Dearden, Lindsay; Calimlim, Brian; Lloyd, Andrew J

2017-04-01

Patient treatment preferences are increasingly being used to inform health care decision making. This discrete choice experiment assessed how men perceive the risks and benefits of hypothetical treatment options for metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). Treatment attributes for inclusion were identified through a review of the literature and product labels. Expert interviews confirmed clinical appropriateness and patient relevance of the attributes, which included effectiveness (delay in months before chemotherapy), steroid use, possible drug interactions (additional hospital visits for monitoring), fogginess (effects on cognition and memory), fatigue (extreme tiredness), food restrictions, and bone pain. Following a pilot, the final discrete choice experiment included 18 choice sets presenting treatments for mCRPC and was completed by men with mCRPC in France, Germany, and the United Kingdom. Data were analyzed using a conditional logit model, with odds ratios (ORs) used to indicate preference for attributes, and tradeoff measures (TOM) were estimated using the ratio of coefficients. Within each attribute category and with all other factors being equal, participants (N = 285) indicated a strong preference for treatments that fully control bone pain (OR = 12.069 [95% CI, 10.555-13.800]) and for treatments that delay chemotherapy (OR, 1.727 [95% CI, 1.548-1.927]). They also preferred treatments that were associated with the lowest risk of fogginess (OR, 2.115 [95% CI, 1.849-2.420]), a lower risk of fatigue (OR, 1.365 [95% CI 1.219-1.528]), and fewer additional hospital visits (OR, 1.245 [95% CI 1.111-1.397]) than the respective reference categories. Participants preferred to use steroids under advice from a physician (OR, 1.275 [95% CI 1.132-1.437]). Food restrictions related to taking medication were not a significant concern for participants. TOM results indicated that large tradeoffs in effectiveness, fogginess, and fatigue are required for patients to prefer a treatment with uncontrolled bone pain that is very difficult to live with. Men with mCRPC consider a wide range of factors when making decisions regarding their treatment. They showed a strong preference for treatment associated with better control of bone pain. They also placed value on treatments that could delay the need for chemotherapy, and they preferred to avoid side effects such as cognition and memory loss, and extreme tiredness. TOMs highlighted the importance of symptom control, even compared with potential side effects. An understanding of the degree to which patients value the attributes associated with various treatment options will assist clinicians and health care professionals when making decisions regarding the management of men with mCRPC. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Sirt3 modulation may be beneficial in the treatment of ejaculation dysfunction.

PubMed

Mandava, Sree Harsha; Hellstrom, Wayne J G

2013-09-01

Disorders of ejaculation are the most common form of sexual dysfunction. The ejaculatory reflex consists of two phases: emission and expulsion. Premature ejaculation (PE) can arise from overactivity of the smooth muscles responsible for ejaculation. On the other side of the spectrum, delayed ejaculation occurs when an individual is unable to either reach orgasm within an adequate time frame or experiences no ejaculation. While premature ejaculation and to a lesser degree delayed ejaculation have been recognized for quite some time, no FDA approved treatment has been developed. Since both types of ejaculatory dysfunction have an underlying neuro-muscular component, this may be a target for future treatment strategies. We thereby hypothesize that modulation of the rhythmic contraction of the ejaculatory smooth muscles with either a Sirt3 activator or inhibitor may prove beneficial in treating either premature or delayed ejaculation. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Contralateral Delay Activity Tracks Fluctuations in Working Memory Performance.

PubMed

Adam, Kirsten C S; Robison, Matthew K; Vogel, Edward K

2018-01-08

Neural measures of working memory storage, such as the contralateral delay activity (CDA), are powerful tools in working memory research. CDA amplitude is sensitive to working memory load, reaches an asymptote at known behavioral limits, and predicts individual differences in capacity. An open question, however, is whether neural measures of load also track trial-by-trial fluctuations in performance. Here, we used a whole-report working memory task to test the relationship between CDA amplitude and working memory performance. If working memory failures are due to decision-based errors and retrieval failures, CDA amplitude would not differentiate good and poor performance trials when load is held constant. If failures arise during storage, then CDA amplitude should track both working memory load and trial-by-trial performance. As expected, CDA amplitude tracked load (Experiment 1), reaching an asymptote at three items. In Experiment 2, we tracked fluctuations in trial-by-trial performance. CDA amplitude was larger (more negative) for high-performance trials compared with low-performance trials, suggesting that fluctuations in performance were related to the successful storage of items. During working memory failures, participants oriented their attention to the correct side of the screen (lateralized P1) and maintained covert attention to the correct side during the delay period (lateralized alpha power suppression). Despite the preservation of attentional orienting, we found impairments consistent with an executive attention theory of individual differences in working memory capacity; fluctuations in executive control (indexed by pretrial frontal theta power) may be to blame for storage failures.

Unsteady Performance of Finite-Span Pitching Propulsors in Mixtures of Side-by-Side and In-Line Arrangements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kurt, Melike; Moored, Keith

2016-11-01

Birds, insects, and fish propel themselves by flapping their wings or oscillating their fins in unsteady motions. Many of these animals fly or swim in groups or collectives, typically described as flocks, swarms and schools. The three-dimensional steady flow interactions and the two dimensional unsteady flow interactions that occur in collectives are well characterized. However, the interactions that occur among three-dimensional unsteady propulsors remain relatively unexplored. The aim of the current study is to measure the forces acting on and the energetics of two finite-span pitching wings. The wings are arranged in mixtures of canonical in-line and side-by-side configurations while the phase delay between the pitching wings is varied. The thrust force, fluid-mediated interaction force between the wings and the propulsive efficiency are quantified. The three-dimensional interaction mechanisms are compared and contrasted with previously examined two-dimensional mechanisms. Stereoscopic particle image velocimetry is employed to characterize the three-dimensional flow structures along the span of the pitching wings.

Drug Hypersensitivity: How Drugs Stimulate T Cells via Pharmacological Interaction with Immune Receptors.

PubMed

Pichler, Werner J; Adam, Jacqueline; Watkins, Stephen; Wuillemin, Natascha; Yun, James; Yerly, Daniel

2015-01-01

Small chemicals like drugs tend to bind to proteins via noncovalent bonds, e.g. hydrogen bonds, salt bridges or electrostatic interactions. Some chemicals interact with other molecules than the actual target ligand, representing so-called 'off-target' activities of drugs. Such interactions are a main cause of adverse side effects to drugs and are normally classified as predictable type A reactions. Detailed analysis of drug-induced immune reactions revealed that off-target activities also affect immune receptors, such as highly polymorphic human leukocyte antigens (HLA) or T cell receptors (TCR). Such drug interactions with immune receptors may lead to T cell stimulation, resulting in clinical symptoms of delayed-type hypersensitivity. They are assigned the 'pharmacological interaction with immune receptors' (p-i) concept. Analysis of p-i has revealed that drugs bind preferentially or exclusively to distinct HLA molecules (p-i HLA) or to distinct TCR (p-i TCR). P-i reactions differ from 'conventional' off-target drug reactions as the outcome is not due to the effect on the drug-modified cells themselves, but is the consequence of reactive T cells. Hence, the complex and diverse clinical manifestations of delayed-type hypersensitivity are caused by the functional heterogeneity of T cells. In the abacavir model of p-i HLA, the drug binding to HLA may result in alteration of the presenting peptides. More importantly, the drug binding to HLA generates a drug-modified HLA, which stimulates T cells directly, like an allo-HLA. In the sulfamethoxazole model of p-i TCR, responsive T cells likely require costimulation for full T cell activation. These findings may explain the similarity of delayed-type hypersensitivity reactions to graft-versus-host disease, and how systemic viral infections increase the risk of delayed-type hypersensitivity reactions. © 2015 The Author(s) Published by S. Karger AG, Basel.

Methylphenidate as a treatment for stuttering: a case report.

PubMed

Devroey, D; Beerens, G; Van De Vijver, E

2012-10-01

A randomized placebo controlled trial with methylphenidate (MPH) was set up to identify the effects of MPH on cognition in healthy young adults (ea. without attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, ADHD). Subjects repeatedly performed tests of the immediate and delayed memory and vigilance tasks after administration of placebo or 20 mg MPH. We report the case of an 18 year old man who participated in the study. He suffered from stuttering since childhood. During the study phase he reported a remarkable relief of the stuttering after the intake of 20 mg MPH. For D-amphetamine the beneficial effect on stuttering has been demonstrated but it was never implemented in clinical practice because of important adverse events. MPH, an amphetamine analogue, doesn't present these side effects. For this reason, MPH seems to merit further investigation in a randomized-controlled trial as a possible agent in the treatment of stuttering.Methylphenidate, Stuttering.

Intravenous apoptotic cell infusion as a cell-based therapy toward improving hematopoietic cell transplantation outcome.

PubMed

Saas, Philippe; Gaugler, Béatrice; Perruche, Sylvain

2010-10-01

Allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (AHCT) is an efficient therapy for different malignant and nonmalignant hematological diseases. However, the use of this therapeutic approach is still limited by some severe toxic side effects, mainly graft-versus-host disease (GvHD). Today, the risk of fatal GvHD restrains the wider application of AHCT to many patients in need of an effective therapy for their high-risk hematologic malignancies. Thus, new strategies, including cell-based therapy approaches, are required. We propose to use intravenous donor apoptotic leukocyte infusion to improve AHCT outcome. In experimental AHCT models, we demonstrated that intravenous apoptotic leukocyte infusion, simultaneously with allogeneic bone marrow grafts, favors hematopoietic engraftment, prevents allo-immunization, and delays acute GvHD onset. Here, we review the different mechanisms and the potential beneficial effects associated with the immunomodulatory properties of apoptotic cells in the AHCT setting. © 2010 New York Academy of Sciences.

A review of the physiological and histological effects of laser osteotomy.

PubMed

Rajitha Gunaratne, G D; Khan, Riaz; Fick, Daniel; Robertson, Brett; Dahotre, Narendra; Ironside, Charlie

2017-01-01

Osteotomy is the surgical cutting of bone. Some obstacles to laser osteotomy have been melting, carbonisation and subsequent delayed healing. New cooled scanning techniques have resulted in effective bone cuts without the strong thermal side effects, which were observed by inappropriate irradiation techniques with continuous wave and long pulsed lasers. With these new techniques, osteotomy gaps histologically healed with new bone formation without any noticeable or minimum thermal damage. No significant cellular differences in bone healing between laser and mechanical osteotomies were noticed. Some studies even suggest that the healing rate may be enhanced following laser osteotomy compared to conventional mechanical osteotomy. Additional research is necessary to evaluate different laser types with appropriate laser setting variables to increase ablation rates, with control of depth, change in bone type and damage to adjacent soft tissue. Laser osteotomy has the potential to become incorporated into the armamentarium of bone surgery.

Role of the nurse in preserving patients' independence.

PubMed

Maxwell, Cathy

2007-01-01

Patients with metastatic bone disease may be treated with bisphosphonates to reduce or delay skeletal complications including pathologic fracture, radiotherapy to bone, and hypercalcemia of malignancy. Nurses can provide important education to patients and support or encourage the use of bisphosphonates throughout therapy. Literature and congress reports were reviewed for relevant efficacy information on bisphosphonates and adverse events that may occur during bisphosphonate therapy. Bisphosphonates can provide meaningful benefits to patients, and zoledronic acid is now approved for the treatment of bone metastases secondary to any solid tumor. To optimize care, nurses can monitor pain scores, changes in mobility, adverse events, and serum creatinine levels. A useful tool for recording these parameters is a patient diary. The nurse should fill out the diary at each patient visit and compare it with baseline information before treatment is administered. Patients should also be counseled on the importance of adequate hydration, good dental hygiene, the need for calcium and vitamin D supplements, and how to best manage potential side effects. Bisphosphonates are effective in reducing and delaying skeletal complications, and zoledronic acid has demonstrated significant efficacy in preventing skeletal complications across a wide range of solid tumors and multiple myeloma. Nurses play an important role in enabling patients to optimize bisphosphonate therapy and in supporting patients to continue treatment to preserve their functional independence.

Modeling and Control of a Delayed Hepatitis B Virus Model with Incubation Period and Combination Treatment.

PubMed

Sun, Deshun; Liu, Fei

2018-06-01

In this paper, a hepatitis B virus (HBV) model with an incubation period and delayed state and control variables is firstly proposed. Furthermore, the combination treatment is adopted to have a longer-lasting effect than mono-therapy. The equilibrium points and basic reproduction number are calculated, and then the local stability is analyzed on this model. We then present optimal control strategies based on the Pontryagin's minimum principle with an objective function not only to reduce the levels of exposed cells, infected cells and free viruses nearly to zero at the end of therapy, but also to minimize the drug side-effect and the cost of treatment. What's more, we develop a numerical simulation algorithm for solving our HBV model based on the combination of forward and backward difference approximations. The state dynamics of uninfected cells, exposed cells, infected cells, free viruses, CTL and ALT are simulated with or without optimal control, which show that HBV is reduced nearly to zero based on the time-varying optimal control strategies whereas the disease would break out without control. At last, by the simulations, we prove that strategy A is the best among the three kinds of strategies we adopt and further comparisons have been done between model (1) and model (2).

Implications of the Mmory Controversy for Clinical Practice: An Overview of Treatment Recommendations and Guidelines.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Courtois, Christine A.

2001-01-01

Provides an overview of the positions taken by both sides in the dispute of "false memory." Then presents major findings of several professional task forces charged with reviewing the controversy and arriving at recommendations for research, clinical practice, and forensic practice regarding delayed recall of memories for sexual abuse.…

Influence of proximal end diverting colostomy on the healing of left-sided colonic anastomosis: an experimental study in rats.

PubMed

Bielecki, K; Grotowski, M; Kalczak, M

1995-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the healing of an experimental left-sided colonic anastomosis in rats protected by an end diverting proimal colostomy. The anastomoses were studied by radiological and biochemical examination and breaking strength was estimated. The results were compared with a non-operated group and with a group of rats having a non-defunctional anastomosis constructed in the same manner. In animals with an end diverting colostomy, anastomotic protein levels and enzymic activity were lower than in those with a colostomy, and the development of anastomotic strength was delayed compared with those not defunctioned.

[A Bell"s palsy of long standing, and its rehabilitation. An electromyographic documentation. (author's transl)].

PubMed

Kilimov, N

1977-09-01

We examined a 31 year-old female patient who, since her first year of life and following a parotis operation, had suffered from left-sided Bell's palsy. The electromyographical examinations disclosed a complete loss of voluntary muscle control and of the trigemino-facial reflexes, although the direct responses of the facial nerve could be demonstrated with delayed latences. The findings indicated peripheral regeneration of the facial nerve with absence of central programming and reflex pathways. By means of rhythmic muscle stimulation, voluntary control and reflex excitability was re-established, to a limited extent, on the formerly inactive side within a short space of time.

Evaluating blood-brain barrier permeability in delayed cerebral infarction after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage.

PubMed

Ivanidze, J; Kesavabhotla, K; Kallas, O N; Mir, D; Baradaran, H; Gupta, A; Segal, A Z; Claassen, J; Sanelli, P C

2015-05-01

Patients with SAH are at increased risk of delayed infarction. Early detection and treatment of delayed infarction remain challenging. We assessed blood-brain barrier permeability, measured as permeability surface area product, by using CTP in patients with SAH with delayed infarction. We performed a retrospective study of patients with SAH with delayed infarction on follow-up NCCT. CTP was performed before the development of delayed infarction. CTP data were postprocessed into permeability surface area product, CBF, and MTT maps. Coregistration was performed to align the infarcted region on the follow-up NCCT with the corresponding location on the CTP maps obtained before infarction. Permeability surface area product, CBF, and MTT values were then obtained in the location of the subsequent infarction. The contralateral noninfarcted region was compared with the affected side in each patient. Wilcoxon signed rank tests were performed to determine statistical significance. Clinical data were collected at the time of CTP and at the time of follow-up NCCT. Twenty-one patients with SAH were included in the study. There was a statistically significant increase in permeability surface area product in the regions of subsequent infarction compared with the contralateral control regions (P < .0001). However, CBF and MTT values were not significantly different in these 2 regions. Subsequent follow-up NCCT demonstrated new delayed infarction in all 21 patients, at which time 38% of patients had new focal neurologic deficits. Our study reveals a statistically significant increase in permeability surface area product preceding delayed infarction in patients with SAH. Further investigation of early permeability changes in SAH may provide new insights into the prediction of delayed infarction. © 2015 by American Journal of Neuroradiology.

Large-eddy simulation of a spatially-evolving turbulent mixing layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Capuano, Francesco; Catalano, Pietro; Mastellone, Andrea

2015-11-01

Large-eddy simulations of a spatially-evolving turbulent mixing layer have been performed. The flow conditions correspond to those of a documented experimental campaign (Delville, Appl. Sci. Res. 1994). The flow evolves downstream of a splitter plate separating two fully turbulent boundary layers, with Reθ = 2900 on the high-speed side and Reθ = 1200 on the low-speed side. The computational domain starts at the trailing edge of the splitter plate, where experimental mean velocity profiles are prescribed; white-noise perturbations are superimposed to mimic turbulent fluctuations. The fully compressible Navier-Stokes equations are solved by means of a finite-volume method implemented into the in-house code SPARK-LES. The results are mainly checked in terms of the streamwise evolution of the vorticity thickness and averaged velocity profiles. The combined effects of inflow perturbations, numerical accuracy and subgrid-scale model are discussed. It is found that excessive levels of dissipation may damp inlet fluctuations and delay the virtual origin of the turbulent mixing layer. On the other hand, non-dissipative, high-resolution computations provide results that are in much better agreement with experimental data.

The position of the Sociedad Española de Patología Digestiva on the current situation of hepatitis C management in Spain.

PubMed

Sociedad Española de Patología Digestiva

2014-01-01

The advent of direct-action antivirals telaprevir and boceprevir has entailed a radical change in the healing possibilities for patients with hepatitis C. This change has coincided with the emergence of highly robust evidence on the benefits of cure as regards increased overall survival, mainly brought about by a reduction in liver-related events in the long run. Therefore, a finite-in-time treatment is available that achieves very notable results both short- and long-term. Triple therapy, consisting of the association of one of these novel drugs with the previously standard regimen of pegylated interferon and ribavirin, has come in the setting of a financial crisis, which has led to restrict its use primarily for patients with advanced fibrosis. These patients--who need a cure the most--are those with the lowest healing rates and the commonest, most severe side effects. The time has then come to shift the aim point towards patients with less severe fibrosis, better cure rates, and fewer side effects where therapeutic intervention may prevent the development of significant liver disease. Despite record-time approval by the European Medicines Agency, various barriers--mainly at the Autonomic regional level--have delayed access to these therapies by our patients, thus giving rise to inequality situations. New oral therapies are now on the near horizon that will increase the numbers of patients eligible for treatment with fewer side effects and a higher cure rate. We hope that the lesson is learned and no such situation will be repeated. An Integrated National Action Plan Against Hepatitis C would be an essential tool for countering this disease.

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

Sevik, James; Pamminger, Michael; Wallner, Thomas

Interest in natural gas as an alternative fuel source to petroleum fuels for light-duty vehicle applications has increased due to its domestic availability and stable price compared to gasoline. With its higher hydrogen-to-carbon ratio, natural gas has the potential to reduce engine out carbon dioxide emissions, which has shown to be a strong greenhouse gas contributor. For part-load conditions, the lower flame speeds of natural gas can lead to an increased duration in the inflammation process with traditional port-injection. Direct-injection of natural gas can increase in-cylinder turbulence and has the potential to reduce problems typically associated with port-injection of naturalmore » gas, such as lower flame speeds and poor dilution tolerance. A study was designed and executed to investigate the effects of direct-injection of natural gas at part-load conditions. Steady-state tests were performed on a single-cylinder research engine representative of current gasoline direct-injection engines. Tests were performed with direct-injection in the central and side location. The start of injection was varied under stoichiometric conditions in order to study the effects on the mixture formation process. In addition, exhaust gas recirculation was introduced at select conditions in order to investigate the dilution tolerance. Relevant combustion metrics were then analyzed for each scenario. Experimental results suggest that regardless of the injector location, varying the start of injection has a strong impact on the mixture formation process. Delaying the start of injection from 300 to 120°CA BTDC can reduce the early flame development process by nearly 15°CA. While injecting into the cylinder after the intake valves have closed has shown to produce the fastest combustion process, this does not necessarily lead to the highest efficiency, due to increases in pumping and wall heat losses. When comparing the two injection configurations, the side location shows the best performance in terms of combustion metrics and efficiencies. For both systems, part-load dilution tolerance is affected by the injection timing, due to the induced turbulence from the gaseous injection event. CFD simulation results have shown that there is a fundamental difference in how the two injection locations affect the mixture formation process. Delayed injection timing increases the turbulence level in the cylinder at the time of the spark, but reduces the available time for proper mixing. Side injection delivers a gaseous jet that interacts more effectively with the intake induced flow field, and this improves the engine performance in terms of efficiency.« less

[Needs, uses, cons-pros, good practices and opportunities about walker in elderly with loss of autonomy].

PubMed

Mézière, Anthony; Schonheit, Claire; Moreau, Caroline; Baudry, Elodie; Monié, Marguerite; Piette, François; Curtis, Valentine; Pasqui, Viviane

2015-01-01

Non-use of the walker may be secondary to an initial inappropriate prescribing, a lack of adequate training, a lack of monitoring and side effects of using. Improving both stability and mobility in users is due to several biomechanical mechanisms. The benefits of walker are: general physiological effects, more confidence, better social life and decrease in the burden of care. The disadvantages of walker are: technical or practical aspects criticized by users, musculoskeletal disorders, delayed reaction time, fall risk and stigma. Few scientific data evaluating the interest of the walker concerning mobility exist, thus recommendations are low grade and are often taken from professional clinical experiences. The choice of technical walking assistance depends on the pathology and biomechanical mechanism. The walker robots are few distributed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Junctional bradycardia with verapamil in renal failure--care required even with mild hyperkalaemia.

PubMed

Hegazi, M O; Aldabie, G; Al-Mutairi, S; El Sayed, A

2012-12-01

Treatment for hypertension with verapamil has a favourable renoprotective effect and is generally considered safe in patients with mild to moderate renal failure. In this report, we highlight the vulnerability of patients with mild to moderate renal failure to verapamil side effects especially in the presence of hyperkalaemia. We report two cases of junctional bradycardia with slow release (SR) verapamil therapy in the presence of mild hyperkalaemia in patients with mild to moderate chronic renal failure. Verapamil and hyperkalaemia may synergistically increase the vulnerability to atrioventricular conduction delay. Renal failure patients with baseline mild hyperkalaemia are particularly liable to bradyarrhythmias with SR verapamil. In such cases, we would recommend verapamil dose reduction and avoidance of SR formulation. In cases of verapamil toxicity, actively treating any level of hyperkalaemia is recommended. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Use of 4MAT Learning Theory to Promote Better Skin Care During Radiation Therapy: An Evidence-Based Quality Improvement Project.

PubMed

Bauer, Carole; Magnan, Morris; Laszewski, Pamela

Radiation therapy is a key treatment modality for cancer patients, but it is associated with adverse side effects such as radiation dermatitis. To mitigate the adverse effects of radiation on the skin, patients must participate in skin-related self-care. However, even with self-care instruction, adherence can be poor. This quality improvement project used best available evidence for skin care in patients undergoing radiation therapy and a theoretical framework, 4MATing, to provide a structured approach to patient education designed to enhance adherence to skin care recommendations. Implementation of this approach resulted in increased adherence to a topical skin care protocol in our facility. Patients were highly satisfied with their education. While there was a 4-day delay in the onset of radiation dermatitis, this difference was not statistically significant.

Respiratory failure following delayed intrathecal morphine pump refill: a valuable, but costly lesson.

PubMed

Ruan, Xiulu; Couch, J Patrick; Liu, HaiNan; Shah, Rinoo V; Wang, Frank; Chiravuri, Srinivas

2010-01-01

Spinal analgesia, mediated by opioid receptors, requires only a fraction of the opioid dose that is needed systemically. By infusing a small amount of opioid into the cerebrospinal fluid in close proximity to the receptor sites in the spinal cord, profound analgesia may be achieved while sparing some of the side effects due to systemic opioids. Intraspinal drug delivery (IDD) has been increasingly used in patients with intractable chronic pain, when these patients have developed untoward side effects with systemic opioid usage. The introduction of intrathecal opioids has been considered one of the most important breakthroughs in pain management in the past three decades. A variety of side effects associated with the long-term usage of IDD have been recognized. Among them, respiratory depression is the most feared. To describe a severe adverse event, i.e., respiratory failure, following delayed intrathecal morphine pump refill. A 65-year-old woman with intractable chronic low back pain, due to degenerative disc disease, and was referred to our clinic for an intraspinal drug delivery evaluation, after failing to respond to multidisciplinary pain treatment. Following a psychological evaluation confirming her candidacy, she underwent an outpatient patient-controlled continuous epidural morphine infusion trial. The infusion trial lasted 12 days and was beneficial in controlling her pain. The patient reported more than 90% pain reduction with improved distance for ambulation. She subsequently consented and was scheduled for permanent intrathecal morphine pump implantation. The intrathecal catheter was inserted at right paramedian L3-L4, with catheter tip advanced to L1, confirmed under fluoroscopy. Intrathecal catheter placement was confirmed by positive CSF flow and by myelogram. A non-programmable Codman 3000 constant-flow rate infusion pump was placed in the right mid quandrant between right rib cage and right iliac crest. The intrathecal infusion consisted of preservative free morphine, delivering 1.0 mg /day. Over the following 6 months, the dosage was gradually titrated up to 4 mg/day with satisfactory pain control without significant side effects. However, the patient was not able to return to the clinic for pump refill until 12 days later than the previously scheduled pump-refill date. Her pump was accessed and was noted to be empty. Her intrathecal pump was refilled with preservative free morphine, delivering 4 mg/day (the same daily dose as her previous refill). However, on the night of pump refill, 10 hours after the pump refill, the patient was found to be unresponsive by her family members. 911 was called. Upon arriving, paramedics found her in respiratory failure, with shallow breathing at a rate of 5/min, pulse oxymetry showing oxygen saturation about 55-58%. She was emergently intubated on site and rushed to local hospital ER. The on call physician for our clinic was immediately contacted, and advised the administration of intravenous Naloxone. Her respiratory effort improved dramatically after receiving a total of 0.6 mg IV Naloxone IV over 25 minutes. Her intrathecal pump was immediately accessed by clinic on call physician and the remainder of the medication in the catheter space was aspirated. The pump infusate was immediately diluted with preservative free normal saline, to deliver preservative free morphine at 1mg/day. She was transferred to the intensive care unit and extubated the next morning. She recovered fully without any sequelae. Loss of opioid tolerance due to delayed pump refill may subject patients to the development of severe respiratory depression. Meticulous approach should be employed when refilling pumps in these patients when their pumps are completely empty. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of this type.

Psychological, social, and spiritual effects of contraceptive steroid hormones

PubMed Central

Klaus, Hanna; Cortés, Manuel E.

2015-01-01

Governments and society have accepted and enthusiastically promoted contraception, especially contraceptive steroid hormones, as the means of assuring optimal timing and number of births, an undoubted health benefit, but they seldom advert to their limitations and side effects. This article reviews the literature on the psychological, social, and spiritual impact of contraceptive steroid use. While the widespread use of contraceptive steroid hormones has expanded life style and career choices for many women, their impact on the women's well-being, emotions, social relationships, and spirituality is seldom mentioned by advocates, and negative effects are often downplayed. When mentioned at all, depression and hypoactive sexual desire are usually treated symptomatically rather than discontinuing their most frequent pharmacological cause, the contraceptive. The rising incidence of premarital sex and cohabitation and decreased marriage rates parallel the use of contraceptive steroids as does decreased church attendance and/or reduced acceptance of Church teaching among Catholics. Lay summary: While there is wide, societal acceptance of hormonal contraceptives to space births, their physical side effects are often downplayed and their impact on emotions and life styles are largely unexamined. Coincidental to the use of “the pill” there has been an increase in depression, low sexual desire, “hook-ups,” cohabitation, delay of marriage and childbearing, and among Catholics, decreased church attendance and reduced religious practice. Fertility is not a disease. Birth spacing can be achieved by natural means, and the many undesirable effects of contraception avoided. PMID:26912936

Delayed pneumothorax complicating minor rib fracture after chest trauma.

PubMed

Lu, Ming-Shian; Huang, Yao-Kuang; Liu, Yun-Hen; Liu, Hui-Ping; Kao, Chiung-Lun

2008-06-01

Pneumothorax (PTX) after trauma is a preventable cause of death. Drainage procedures such as chest tube insertion have been traditionally advocated to prevent fatal tension PTX. We evaluated the safety of close observation in patients with delayed PTX complicating rib fracture after minor chest trauma. Adult patients (>18 years) with a diagnosis of chest trauma and 3 or fewer fractured ribs were reviewed. Case patients were divided according to age, location and number of fractured ribs, mechanism of trauma, and initial pulmonary complication after thoracic trauma for comparative analysis. There were 207 male (70.2%) and 88 female (29.8%) patients whose ages ranged from 18 to 93 years (median, 55 years). The mechanisms of trauma were a motor vehicle accident in 207 patients, falls in 66, pedestrian injury in 10, and assaults in 14. Ninety-five patients sustained 1 rib fracture, 95 had 2 rib fractures, and 105 suffered 3 rib fractures. Right-sided injury occurred in 164 cases, left-sided injury did in 127, and bilateral injury did in 4. The most frequent location of rib fractures was from the fourth rib to the ninth rib. The initial pulmonary complications after trauma were PTX in 16 patients, hemothorax in 43, pneumohemothorax in 14, lung contusion in 75, and isolated subcutaneous emphysema (SubcEmph) in 33. Thirty percent of the patients (n = 5/16) who presented with traumatic PTX were observed safely without drainage. Delayed PTX was recorded in 16 patients, occurring mostly during the first 2 days of their admission. Associated extrathoracic injury was recorded in 189 patients. The mean hospital stay of the patients was 7.66 days. Longer hospital stay was related to increasing number of fractured ribs, need for thoracic drainage, and the presence of associated extrathoracic injury. The mortality rate for the entire group was 2%. The presence of SubcEmph was the only risk factor associated with the development of delayed PTX. Patients sustaining blunt chest trauma and minor rib fractures should be admitted for close observation when presenting with SubcEmph because of possible delayed presentation of PTX.

A cross-sectional survey to assess the migraineur's medication decision-making beliefs: determining when a migraine is triptan-worthy.

PubMed

Landy, Stephen H; Turner, Ira M; Runken, M Chris; Lee, Mechele; Sulcs, Ellen; Bell, Christopher F

2013-01-01

To investigate the factors that influence a migraineur's beliefs regarding oral triptans for the acute treatment of migraines and to provide further insight into patients' decision-making process when faced with migraine. A multicenter, cross-sectional, observational study of subjects currently prescribed an oral triptan medication for the acute treatment of migraine headaches. Subjects were recruited from 6 headache clinics and one primary care practice in the United States. Enrolled subjects completed a questionnaire that could be completed either at the site as part of the visit or at home. The questionnaire comprised 27 questions assessing demographic characteristics, migraine history, migraine frequency and severity, and general beliefs about migraine treatments. The study population was stratified into 2 cohorts (Early Treatment and Delayed Treatment) based on how they typically use their oral triptan to treat a typical migraine. A total 506 subjects were enrolled in the study, of which 502 were stratified into the Early Treatment cohort (41.2%) and Delayed Treatment cohort (58.8%). Demographic and clinical characteristics were generally similar between the 2 cohorts. In terms of general treatment patterns, there were notable differences between the Delayed and Early Treatment cohorts, with the Delayed Treatment cohort significantly more likely to take an over-the-counter (OTC) or non-triptan medication first (P ≤ .001) and only take a triptan if the OTC or non-triptan medication did not work (P ≤ .001). Furthermore, 55% of the Delayed Treatment cohort delayed taking a triptan to be certain that the headache was a migraine (vs 32% of the Early Treatment cohort; P ≤ .001). When asked to specify the reasons for delaying treatment with a triptan, the Delayed Treatment cohort had, in general, greater concerns about using their oral triptan in comparison with the Early Treatment cohort. In particular, respondents were primarily concerned with running out of their triptan medication with 35% of the Delayed Treatment cohort expressing this concern compared with 22% of the Early Treatment cohort (P ≤ .001). Statistically significant differences were also noted for concerns about taking medications (P ≤ .001), side effects (P ≤ .05), expense (P ≤ .01), and taking prescription medications (P ≤ .001). Results build upon previously published studies and suggest that patient beliefs directly influence how migraineurs manage their migraines and have implications for patient outcomes. Such insights should be used to facilitate physician-patient communication and reinforce the need for patient-centered care to improve patient outcomes. © 2013 American Headache Society.

Reviewing current and emerging antiemetics for chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting prophylaxis.

PubMed

Natale, James J

2015-01-01

This review provides background information on chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) classification and pathophysiology and reviews various antiemetic agents for CINV prophylaxis, including corticosteroids, serotonin receptor antagonists (5-HT3 RAs), tachykinin NK1 receptor antagonists (NK1 RAs), and olanzapine. Other less commonly used agents are briefly discussed. Practical considerations are reviewed as well, including emetogenicity of chemotherapeutic regimens, patient-specific risk factors for CINV, principles of CINV management, health economics outcome research, and quality of life. Available data on the newly FDA-approved antiemetic combination netupitant/palonosetron (NEPA) is also reviewed. Prevention of CINV is an important goal in managing patients with cancer and is especially difficult with respect to nausea and delayed CINV. Corticosteroids are a mainstay of CINV prophylaxis and are usually given in combination with other therapies. The 5-HT3 RA palonosetron has shown increased efficacy over other agents in the same class for prevention of delayed emesis with moderately emetogenic chemotherapy and NK1 RAs improve emesis prevention in combination with 5-HT3 RAs and dexamethasone. Olanzapine has shown efficacy for CINV prophylaxis and the treatment of breakthrough CINV. The new combination therapy, NEPA, has been shown to be efficacious for the prevention of acute, delayed, and overall CINV. Risk factors that have been identified for CINV include gender, age, and alcohol intake. It is important to assess the emetogenicity of chemotherapy regimens as well as the potential impact of patient risk factors in order to provide adequate prophylaxis. Acute and delayed CINV are severe, burdensome side effects of chemotherapy; however, new data on prevention and the discovery of new agents can further improve CINV control.

Chronologic Evaluation of Cerebral Hemodynamics by Dynamic Susceptibility Contrast Magnetic Resonance Imaging After Indirect Bypass Surgery for Moyamoya Disease.

PubMed

Ishii, Yosuke; Tanaka, Yoji; Momose, Toshiya; Yamashina, Motoshige; Sato, Akihito; Wakabayashi, Shinichi; Maehara, Taketoshi; Nariai, Tadashi

2017-12-01

Although indirect bypass surgery is an effective treatment option for patients with ischemic-onset moyamoya disease (MMD), the time point after surgery at which the patient's hemodynamic status starts to improve and the time point at which the improvement reaches a maximum have not been known. The objective of the present study is to evaluate the hemodynamic status time course after indirect bypass surgery for MMD, using dynamic susceptibility contrast-magnetic resonance imaging (DSC-MRI). We retrospectively analyzed the cases of 25 patients with MMD (37 sides; mean age, 14.7 years; range, 3-36 years) who underwent indirect bypass surgery and repeated DSC-MRI measurement within 6 months after the operation. The difference in the mean transit time (MTT) between the target regions and the control region (cerebellum) was termed the MTT delay, and we measured the MTT delay's chronologic changes after surgery. The postoperative MTT delay was 1.81 ± 1.16 seconds within 1 week after surgery, 1.57 ± 1.01 at weeks 1-2, 1.55 ± 0.68 at weeks 2-4, 1.32 ± 0.68 at months 1-2, 0.95 ± 0.32 at months 2-3, and 0.77 ± 0.33 at months 3-6. Compared with the preoperative value (2.11 ± 0.98 seconds), the MTT delay decreased significantly from 2 to 4 weeks after surgery (P < 0.05). The amelioration of cerebral hemodynamics by indirect bypass surgery began soon after surgery and gradually reached a maximum at 3 months after surgery. DSC-MRI detected small changes in hemodynamic improvement, which are suspected to be caused by the initiation of angiogenesis and arteriogenesis in the early postoperative period. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Acupressure bands do not improve chemotherapy-induced nausea control in pediatric patients receiving highly emetogenic chemotherapy: A single-blinded, randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Dupuis, L Lee; Kelly, Kara M; Krischer, Jeffrey P; Langevin, Anne-Marie; Tamura, Roy N; Xu, Ping; Chen, Lu; Kolb, E Anders; Ullrich, Nicole J; Sahler, Olle Jane Z; Hendershot, Eleanor; Stratton, Ann; Sung, Lillian; McLean, Thomas W

2018-03-15

Chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting remain common, distressing side effects of chemotherapy. It has been reported that acupressure prevents chemotherapy-induced nausea in adults, but it has not been well studied in children. In this multicenter, prospective, randomized, single-blind, sham-controlled trial, the authors compared acute-phase nausea severity in patients ages 4 to 18 years who were receiving highly emetic chemotherapy using standard antiemetic agents combined with acupressure wrist bands, the most common type of acupressure, versus sham bands. Patients wore acupressure or sham bands continuously on each day of chemotherapy and for up to 7 days afterward. Chemotherapy-induced nausea severity in the delayed phase and chemotherapy-induced vomiting control in the acute and delayed phases also were compared. Of the 187 patients randomized, 165 contributed nausea severity assessments during the acute phase. Acupressure bands did not reduce the severity of chemotherapy-induced nausea in the acute phase (odds ratio [OR], 1.33; 95% confidence limits, 0.89-2.00, in which an OR <1.00 favored acupressure) or in the delayed phase (OR, 1.23; 95% CL, 0.75-2.01). Furthermore, acupressure bands did not improve daily vomiting control during the acute phase (OR, 1.57; 95% CL, 0.95-2.59) or the delayed phase (OR, 0.84; 95% CL, 0.45-1.58). No serious adverse events were reported. Acupressure bands were safe but did not improve chemotherapy-induced nausea or vomiting in pediatric patients who were receiving highly emetic chemotherapy. Cancer 2018;124:1188-96. © 2017 American Cancer Society. © 2017 American Cancer Society.

Characteristic measurement for femtosecond laser pulses using a GaAs PIN photodiode as a two-photon photovoltaic receiver

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Junbao; Xia, Wei; Wang, Ming

2017-06-01

Photodiodes that exhibit a two-photon absorption effect within the spectral communication band region can be useful for building an ultra-compact autocorrelator for the characteristic inspection of optical pulses. In this work, we develop an autocorrelator for measuring the temporal profile of pulses at 1550 nm from an erbium-doped fiber laser based on the two-photon photovoltaic (TPP) effect in a GaAs PIN photodiode. The temporal envelope of the autocorrelation function contains two symmetrical temporal side lobes due to the third order dispersion of the laser pulses. Moreover, the joint time-frequency distribution of the dispersive pulses and the dissimilar two-photon response spectrum of GaAs and Si result in different delays for the appearance of the temporal side lobes. Compared with Si, GaAs displays a greater sensitivity for pulse shape reconstruction at 1550 nm, benefiting from the higher signal-to-noise ratio of the side lobes and the more centralized waveform of the autocorrelation trace. We also measure the pulse width using the GaAs PIN photodiode, and the resolution of the measured full width at half maximum of the TPP autocorrelation trace is 0.89 fs, which is consistent with a conventional second-harmonic generation crystal autocorrelator. The GaAs PIN photodiode is shown to be highly suitable for real-time second-order autocorrelation measurements of femtosecond optical pulses. It is used both for the generation and detection of the autocorrelation signal, allowing the construction of a compact and inexpensive intensity autocorrelator.

Crepidula Slipper Limpets Alter Sex Change in Response to Physical Contact with Conspecifics.

PubMed

Carrillo-Baltodano, Allan; Collin, Rachel

2015-12-01

Chemical signaling, especially signaling with waterborne cues, is an important mode of communication between conspecifics of aquatic organisms. Although conspecific associations play an important role in sex allocation of sequential hermaphroditic slipper limpets, the mode of signaling is unknown. We tested the hypothesis that the effects of conspecifics on animal size and time of sex change in the tropical slipper limpet Crepidula cf. marginalis are mediated by waterborne cues. In our experiment, pairs of snails (one small and one large) were kept in cups, either together or partitioned off with fine or coarse mesh, or partitioned, but switched from side to side to allow contact with the cup mate's pedal mucus. The larger snails that were allowed contact with the smaller companions grew faster, and generally changed sex sooner, than did the larger snails in the barrier treatments, which allowed no physical contact. The smaller snails that were allowed contact with the larger cup mate delayed sex change compared to those separated from their cup mates. We were, therefore, able to reject the hypothesis that waterborne cues mediate communication between these snails. Our results suggest that the cue that affects size and time to sex change requires some kind of physical interaction that is lost when the snails are separated. Furthermore, contact with another snail's pedal mucus does not compensate for the loss of physical contact. Since males often attach to the shell of larger females, direct contact may mediate this kind of physical interaction via positional information, physical stimulation, or contact-based chemical communication. Whatever the cue, contact with conspecifics influences both partners, resulting in, surprisingly, a higher growth rate in the larger animal and delayed sex change in the smaller animal. © 2015 Marine Biological Laboratory.

Simulation of a circular phased array for a portable ultrasonic polar scan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Daemen, Jannes; Kersemans, Mathias; Martens, Arvid; Verboven, Erik; Delrue, Steven; Van Paepegem, Wim; Degrieck, Joris; Van Den Abeele, Koen

2018-04-01

The development of new composite materials, often anisotropic in nature, requires intricate approaches to characterize these materials and to detect internal defects. The Ultrasonic Polar Scan (UPS) is able to achieve both goals. During an UPS experiment, a material spot is insonified at several angles Ψ(θ,ϕ), after which the reflected or transmitted signal is recorded. While excellent results have been obtained using an in-house developed 5-axis scanner, UPS measurements with the current set-up are too lengthy and cumbersome for in-situ industrial application. Therefore, we propose to replace the complex mechanical steering of the transducers by a hemispherical phased array consisting of small PZT elements. This allows to create a compact and portable setup without compromising the current data quality. By successively activating a specific set of elements of the array and choosing appropriate inter-element time delays, the beam can be electronically steered from any angle to a fixed position on the targeted sample. Consequently, UPS reflection measurements can be performed at this position from a wide range of angles in a timeframe of seconds. Additionally, by using apodization windows, it is possible to efficiently reduce the intensity of unwanted side lobes and to create a phase profile which closely resembles that of a bounded plane wave, leading to an easier interpretation of the recorded data. The appropriate time delays and apodization parameters can be found though a multi-objective inverse problem in which both the phase profile and the side lobe reduction are optimized. This approach enables the creation of an effective beam profile to be used during UPS experiments for the characterization and inspection of composite materials. Our simulation approach is a crucial step towards a next-generation UPS device for industrial applications and in-field measurements.

Measuring the Health of an Invisible Population: Lessons from the Colorado Transgender Health Survey.

PubMed

Christian, Robin; Mellies, Amy Anderson; Bui, Alison Grace; Lee, Rita; Kattari, Leo; Gray, Courtney

2018-05-15

Transgender people, those whose gender identity does not match their sex assigned at birth, face barriers to receiving health care. These include discrimination, prohibitive cost, and difficulty finding transgender-inclusive providers. As transgender identities are not typically recognized in public health research, the ability to compare the health of the transgender population to the overall population is limited. The Colorado Transgender Health Survey sought to explore current disparities and their effects on the health of transgender people in Colorado. The Colorado Transgender Health Survey, based on the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), was developed by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, transgender advocates, and transgender community members. Outreach was targeted to transgender-inclusive events and organizations. Responses to the 2014 Colorado Transgender Health Survey were compared side by side to Colorado 2014 BRFSS data. Results from 406 transgender or gender-nonconforming adults who live in Colorado were included in the analysis. Forty percent of respondents report delaying medical care due to cost, inadequate insurance, and/or fear of discrimination. Respondents report significant mental health concerns, with 43% reporting depression, 36% reporting suicidal thoughts, and 10% attempting suicide in the past year. Respondents with a transgender-inclusive provider were more likely to receive wellness exams (76 versus 48%), less likely to delay care due to discrimination (24 versus 42%), less depressed (38 versus 54%), and less likely to attempt suicide (7 versus 15%) than those without. The transgender community in Colorado faces significant disparities, especially around mental health. However, a transgender-inclusive provider is associated with improved mental and physical health and health behaviors. Further population-level research and provider education on transgender health should to be incorporated into national efforts to eliminate health disparities.

Application of E75 peptide vaccine in breast cancer patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Chamani, Reyhane; Ranji, Peyman; Hadji, Maryam; Nahvijou, Azin; Esmati, Ebrahim; Alizadeh, Ali Mohammad

2018-05-09

The E75 peptide vaccine, derived from tumor-associated antigen HER2, is the most frequently studied anti-HER2 vaccination strategy for the treatment of breast cancer patients. It has been investigated in the several phases Ι/Π of the clinical trials and is currently being evaluated in a randomized multicenter phase III clinical trial. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to clarify the outcomes of the E75 peptide vaccine including the therapeutic efficacy, the disease recurrence, the survival rate, and the side effects. Three peer-reviewed literature databases including the PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus were sought. Of 29 trials assessed for eligibility, 16 were considered based on our inclusion criteria. Statistical analyses were performed by The Excel and STATA v.11.0. Meta-analysis of delayed-type hypersensitivity)DTH( reactions and CD8 + -T cell levels, as immune responses, displayed the significant differences in the vaccinated groups compared to their non-vaccinated counterparts. In addition, the recurrence, and the overall and the disease-free survival were significantly different in the vaccinated subjects versus the control. Evaluation of the local and systemic toxicity of the E75 peptide vaccine demonstrated the minimal side effects. It seems that the E75 peptide vaccine is safe and effective, and can be used for further randomized clinical trials. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Toxicological assessment of drugs that affect the endocrine system in puberty-related disorders.

PubMed

Maranghi, Francesca; Tassinari, Roberta; Mantovani, Alberto

2013-10-01

Toxicologists must ensure that clinical risk-to-benefit analysis should be made both for genders and age groups, with any treatment. Puberty concerns physiological changes leading to organism's maturation. Pubertal growth disorders are increasing in last decades: besides causing physical and psychological distress, they may signal underlying endocrine-metabolic abnormalities with serious health consequences later on. Therapeutic approaches for some health conditions in childhood and adolescence are considered. The authors discuss how some diseases and treatments can impact pubertal growth. The authors look at particular immunological disorders such as asthma and how both the disease and treatment affects pubertal growth. They also discuss how the provision of available data can help to assess the dose-response of the drug, in these cases, and minimize the chance of side effects. The authors also discuss pediatric inflammatory bowel disease and how both the disease and treatment can mitigate the growth delay. Last, but not least, the authors discuss how the effects of the drugs used in the treatment of psychiatric disorders may accentuate endocrine issues in juvenile patients. Hyperprolactinemia induction by some antipsychotics is highlighted as an example. Appropriate risk-benefit analysis of drugs prescribed during childhood and adolescence and intended to be used in the long term is required. Furthermore, future treatment strategies and safer compounds development should be supported by the knowledge of mechanisms underlying adverse side effects in pubertal growth and development.

Mathematical modelling of prostate cancer growth and its application to hormone therapy.

PubMed

Tanaka, Gouhei; Hirata, Yoshito; Goldenberg, S Larry; Bruchovsky, Nicholas; Aihara, Kazuyuki

2010-11-13

Hormone therapy in the form of androgen deprivation is a major treatment for advanced prostate cancer. However, if such therapy is overly prolonged, tumour cells may become resistant to this treatment and result in recurrent fatal disease. Long-term hormone deprivation also is associated with side effects poorly tolerated by patients. In contrast, intermittent hormone therapy with alternating on- and off-treatment periods is a possible clinical strategy to delay progression to hormone-refractory disease with the advantage of reduced side effects during the off-treatment periods. In this paper, we first overview previous studies on mathematical modelling of prostate tumour growth under intermittent hormone therapy. The model is categorized into a hybrid dynamical system because switching between on-treatment and off-treatment intervals is treated in addition to continuous dynamics of tumour growth. Next, we present an extended model of stochastic differential equations and examine how well the model is able to capture the characteristics of authentic serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) data. We also highlight recent advances in time-series analysis and prediction of changes in serum PSA concentrations. Finally, we discuss practical issues to be considered towards establishment of mathematical model-based tailor-made medicine, which defines how to realize personalized hormone therapy for individual patients based on monitored serum PSA levels.

Metastatic breast cancer: Endocrine therapy landscape reshaped

PubMed Central

Salkeni, Mohamad Adham; Hall, Samantha June

2017-01-01

Endocrine therapy (ET) of hormone receptor (HR)-positive and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-(HER2)-negative metastatic breast cancer (MBC) historically focused on estrogen deprivation and antagonism. The identification of several intracellular pathways promoting resistance to antiestrogen therapy led to the introduction of novel endocrine drug combinations that reformed treatment schema and expanded therapeutic options. There is no doubt that efforts to overcome or delay resistance to ET are fruiting, particularly with the introduction of cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 inhibitors such as palbociclib and ribociclib, and mechanistic target of rapamycin inhibitors such as everolimus. Although still considered incurable by currently available treatment modalities, many patients with MBC nowadays enjoy several years of good quality life coupled with decent tumor control. The diversity of therapies and unusual pattern of side effects can be quite perplexing to the treating physician. The sequence of variable agents and management of side effects, in addition to the timing of initiation of cytotoxic chemotherapy, is among the challenges faced by oncologists. In this review, we shed a spotlight on mechanisms of resistance to ET, and provide a review of landmark studies that have recently reshaped the landscape of treatment options for patients with metastatic HR-positive, HER2-negative MBC. A suggested treatment strategy for newly diagnosed patients is also discussed herein. PMID:29119080

Chemotherapy-Induced Constipation and Diarrhea: Pathophysiology, Current and Emerging Treatments

PubMed Central

McQuade, Rachel M.; Stojanovska, Vanesa; Abalo, Raquel; Bornstein, Joel C.; Nurgali, Kulmira

2016-01-01

Gastrointestinal (GI) side-effects of chemotherapy are a debilitating and often overlooked clinical hurdle in cancer management. Chemotherapy-induced constipation (CIC) and Diarrhea (CID) present a constant challenge in the efficient and tolerable treatment of cancer and are amongst the primary contributors to dose reductions, delays and cessation of treatment. Although prevalence of CIC is hard to estimate, it is believed to affect approximately 16% of cancer patients, whilst incidence of CID has been estimated to be as high as 80%. Despite this, the underlying mechanisms of both CID and CIC remain unclear, but are believed to result from a combination of intersecting mechanisms including inflammation, secretory dysfunctions, GI dysmotility and alterations in GI innervation. Current treatments for CIC and CID aim to reduce the severity of symptoms rather than combating the pathophysiological mechanisms of dysfunction, and often result in worsening of already chronic GI symptoms or trigger the onset of a plethora of other side-effects including respiratory depression, uneven heartbeat, seizures, and neurotoxicity. Emerging treatments including those targeting the enteric nervous system present promising avenues to alleviate CID and CIC. Identification of potential targets for novel therapies to alleviate chemotherapy-induced toxicity is essential to improve clinical outcomes and quality of life amongst cancer sufferers. PMID:27857691

CT colonography with reduced bowel preparation after incomplete colonoscopy in the elderly.

PubMed

Iafrate, F; Hassan, C; Zullo, A; Stagnitti, A; Ferrari, R; Spagnuolo, A; Laghi, A

2008-07-01

We prospectively assessed the feasibility and acceptance of computerized tomographic colonography (CTC) without bowel cathartic preparation in elderly patients after incomplete colonoscopy. A total of 136 patients underwent CTC without cathartic preparation. The time delay between conventional colonoscopy and CTC ranged between 3 and 20 days, depending on the clinical situation. Before CTC, fecal tagging was achieved by adding diatrizoate meglumine and diatrizoate sodium to regular meals. CTCs were interpreted using a primary two-dimensional (2D) approach and 3D images for further characterization. Patients were interviewed before and 2 weeks after CTC to assess preparation acceptance. CTC was feasible and technically successful in all the 136 patients. Fecal tagging was judged as excellent in 113 (83%) patients and sufficient in 23 (17%). Average CT image interpretation time was 14.8 min. Six (4.4%) cases of colorectal cancer and nine (6.6%) large polyps were detected, as well as 23 (11.3%) extracolonic findings of high clinical importance. No major side effect occurred, although 25% patients reported minor side effects, especially diarrhea. Overall, 76/98 patients replied that they would be willing to repeat the test if necessary. CTC without cathartic preparation is a technically feasible and safe procedure to complete a colonic study in the elderly, prompting its use in clinical practice.

Thrombosis: Novel nanomedical concepts of diagnosis and treatment

PubMed Central

Cicha, Iwona

2015-01-01

Intravascular thrombosis, a critical pathophysiological feature of many cardiovascular disorders, leads to the formation of life-threatening obstructive blood clots within the vessels. Rapid recanalization of occluded vessels is essential for the patients’ outcome, but the currently available systemic fibrinolytic therapy is associated with low efficacy and tremendous side effects. Additionally, many patients are ineligible for systemic thrombolytic therapy, either due to delayed admission to the hospital after symptom onset, or because of recent surgery, or bleeding. In order to improve the treatment efficacy and to limit the risk of hemorrhagic complications, both precise imaging of the affected vascular regions, and the localized application of fibrinolytic agents, are required. Recent years have brought about considerable advances in nanomedical approaches to thrombosis. Although these thrombus-targeting imaging agents and nanotherapies are not yet implemented in humans, substantial amount of successful in vivo applications have been reported, including animal models of stroke, acute arterial thrombosis, and pulmonary embolism. It is evident that the future progress in diagnosis and treatment of thrombosis will be closely bound with the development of novel nanotechnology-based strategies. This Editorial focuses on the recently reported approaches, which hold a great promise for personalized, disease-targeted treatment and reduced side effects in the patients suffering from this life-threatening condition. PMID:26322182

Factors that determine the optimum dose for sub-20nm resist systems: DUV, EUV, and e-beam options

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Preil, Moshe

2012-03-01

As EUV and e-beam direct write (EBDW) technologies move closer to insertion into pilot production, questions regarding cost effectiveness take on increasing importance. One of the most critical questions is determining the optimum dose which balances the requirements for cost-effective throughput vs. imaging performance. To date most of the dose requirements have been dictated by the hardware side of the industry. The exposure tool manufacturers have a vested interest in specifying the fastest resists possible in order to maximize the throughput even if it comes at the expense of optimum resist performance. This is especially true for both EUV and EBDW where source power is severely limited. We will explore the cost-benefit tradeoffs which drive the equipment side of the industry, and show how these considerations lead to the current throughput and dose requirements for volume production tools. We will then show how the resulting low doses may lead to shot noise problems and a resulting penalty in resist performance. By comparison to the history of 248 nm DUV resist development we will illustrate how setting unrealistic initial targets for resist dose may lead to unacceptable tradeoffs in resist performance and subsequently long delays in the development of production worthy resists.

Intermittent Administration of Rapamycin Extends the Life Span of Female C57BL/6J Mice.

PubMed

Arriola Apelo, Sebastian I; Pumper, Cassidy P; Baar, Emma L; Cummings, Nicole E; Lamming, Dudley W

2016-07-01

Inhibition of the mTOR (mechanistic target of rapamycin) signaling pathway by the FDA-approved drug rapamycin promotes life span in numerous model organisms and delays age-related disease in mice. However, the utilization of rapamycin as a therapy for age-related diseases will likely prove challenging due to the serious metabolic and immunological side effects of rapamycin in humans. We recently identified an intermittent rapamycin treatment regimen-2mg/kg administered every 5 days-with a reduced impact on glucose homeostasis and the immune system as compared with chronic treatment; however, the ability of this regimen to extend life span has not been determined. Here, we report for the first time that an intermittent rapamycin treatment regimen starting as late as 20 months of age can extend the life span of female C57BL/6J mice. Our work demonstrates that the anti-aging potential of rapamycin is separable from many of its negative side effects and suggests that carefully designed dosing regimens may permit the safer use of rapamycin and its analogs for the treatment of age-related diseases in humans. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

The amount effect and marginal value.

PubMed

Rachlin, Howard; Arfer, Kodi B; Safin, Vasiliy; Yen, Ming

2015-07-01

The amount effect of delay discounting (by which the value of larger reward amounts is discounted by delay at a lower rate than that of smaller amounts) strictly implies that value functions (value as a function of amount) are steeper at greater delays than they are at lesser delays. That is, the amount effect and the difference in value functions at different delays are actually a single empirical finding. Amount effects of delay discounting are typically found with choice experiments. Value functions for immediate rewards have been empirically obtained by direct judgment. (Value functions for delayed rewards have not been previously obtained.) The present experiment obtained value functions for both immediate and delayed rewards by direct judgment and found them to be steeper when the rewards were delayed--hence, finding an amount effect with delay discounting. © Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior.

What Does Ipsilateral Delay Activity Reflect? Inferences from Slow Potentials in a Lateralized Visual Working Memory Task

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arend, Anna M.; Zimmer, Hubert D.

2011-01-01

In the lateralized change detection task, two item arrays are presented, one on each side of the display. Participants have to remember the items in the relevant hemifield and ignore the items in the irrelevant hemifield. A difference wave between contralateral and ipsilateral slow potentials with respect to the relevant items, the contralateral…

JPRS Report, Proliferation Issues

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-10-21

pukto and one in Kangwon-do. to coordinate differences between the two sides’ pro - posals at working-level negotiations. We cannot be delayed...implementing atomic energy pro - nificantly to the overall upgradation of the industry. In gram, special emphasis has been placed on social respon...fact, India being the only developing country which has sibilities toward community welfare, environmental pro - mastered all activities of the nuclear

Gadolinium-enhanced inner ear magnetic resonance imaging for evaluation of delayed endolymphatic hydrops, including a bilateral case.

PubMed

Fukushima, Munehisa; Oya, Ryohei; Akazawa, Hitoshi; Tsuruta, Yukinori; Inohara, Hidenori

2016-01-01

The data suggests that gadolinium-enhanced inner ear MR imaging is useful for diagnosis of delayed endolymphatic hydrops (DEH) because it is independent of inner ear function, and the size of the affected endolymphatic space is clearly enlarged. This study was performed to semi-quantitatively evaluate the endolymphatic space in patients with all types of DEH using gadolinium-enhanced inner ear magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. Seven patients (age range = 21-77 years; five female, two male) with ipsilateral DEH (n = 5), contralateral DEH (n = 1), and bilateral DEH (n = 1). All patients underwent 3T MR imaging 4 h after intravenous injection of gadolinium. Software was used to determine the size of the endolymphatic space. Pure tone audiometry and caloric testing using an electronystagmogram were carried out. One side of the endolymphatic space was dominantly extended in patients with ipsilateral DEH, and both sides of the space were extended in patients with contralateral and bilateral DEH. In patients with ipsilateral DEH, the volume ratio of endolymph to vestibule was 2.5-4.3-times that in the unaffected ear. The volume ratio of endolymph to vestibule was nearly equal in patients with contralateral and bilateral DEH.

The 2010 slow slip event and secular motion at Kilauea, Hawai`i inferred from TerraSAR-X InSAR data

USGS Publications Warehouse

Chen, Jingyi; Zebker, Howard A.; Segall, Paul; Miklius, Asta

2014-01-01

We present here an Small BAseline Subset (SBAS) algorithm to extract both transient and secular ground deformations on the order of millimeters in the presence of tropospheric noise on the order of centimeters, when the transient is of short duration and known time, and the background deformation is smooth in time. We applied this algorithm to study the 2010 slow slip event as well as the secular motion of Kīlauea's south flank using 49 TerraSAR-X images. We also estimate the tropospheric delay variation relative to a given reference pixel using an InSAR SBAS approach. We compare the InSAR SBAS solution for both ground deformation and tropospheric delays with existing GPS measurements and confirm that the ground deformation signal andtropospheric noise in InSAR data are successfully separated. We observe that the coastal region on the south side of the Hilina Pali moves at a higher background rate than the region north side of the Pali. We also conclude that the 2010 SSE displacement is mainly horizontal and the maximum magnitude of the 2010 SSE vertical component is less than 5 mm.

Medial vestibulospinal tract lesions impair sacculo-collic reflexes.

PubMed

Kim, Seonhye; Lee, Hak-Seung; Kim, Ji Soo

2010-05-01

The medial vestibulospinal tract (VST) is known to mediate the vestibular-evoked myogenic potential (VEMP) in the contracting sternocleidomastoid muscle (SCM). To determine whether disruption of the medial VST in the medulla impairs formation of VEMP, we measured VEMP in 14 patients with medial medullary infarction (MMI). VEMP was induced by a short tone burst and was recorded in contracting SCM while patients turned their heads forcefully to the contralateral side against resistance. Normative data were obtained from 47 healthy volunteers. Seven patients (50%) had abnormal VEMP in the side of the MMI lesion, absent in two, decreased in four, and delayed in two. One patient showed both decreased and delayed response. Of the seven patients with abnormal VEMP, five had the lesions that extended to the dorsal tegmentum while five of the seven patients with normal VEMP showed restricted anteromedial lesions mainly involving the pyramids. Spontaneous nystagmus (4/7, 57%), gaze-evoked nystagmus (6/7, 86%), and ocular tilt reaction/tilt of the subjective visual vertical (4/7, 57%) were frequently observed in the patients with abnormal VEMP. The abnormal VEMP in patients with infarctions involving the medullary tegmentum supports that VEMP is mediated by the medial VST descending within the medial longitudinal fasciculus.

A COMPARISON OF THE EFFECTS OF BRIEF RULES, A TIMER, AND PREFERRED TOYS ON SELF-CONTROL

PubMed Central

Newquist, Matthew H; Dozier, Claudia L; Neidert, Pamela L

2012-01-01

Some children make impulsive choices (i.e., choose a small but immediate reinforcer over a large but delayed reinforcer). Previous research has shown that delay fading, providing an alternative activity during the delay, teaching participants to repeat a rule during the delay, combining delay fading with an alternative activity, and combining delay fading with a countdown timer are effective for increasing self-control (i.e., choosing the large but delayed reinforcer over the small but immediate reinforcer). The purpose of the current study was to compare the effects of various interventions in the absence of delay fading (i.e., providing brief rules, providing a countdown timer during the delay, or providing preferred toys during the delay) on self-control. Results suggested that providing brief rules or a countdown timer during the delay was ineffective for enhancing self-control. However, providing preferred toys during the delay effectively enhanced self-control. PMID:23060664

A comparison of the effects of brief rules, a timer, and preferred toys on self-control.

PubMed

Newquist, Matthew H; Dozier, Claudia L; Neidert, Pamela L

2012-01-01

Some children make impulsive choices (i.e., choose a small but immediate reinforcer over a large but delayed reinforcer). Previous research has shown that delay fading, providing an alternative activity during the delay, teaching participants to repeat a rule during the delay, combining delay fading with an alternative activity, and combining delay fading with a countdown timer are effective for increasing self-control (i.e., choosing the large but delayed reinforcer over the small but immediate reinforcer). The purpose of the current study was to compare the effects of various interventions in the absence of delay fading (i.e., providing brief rules, providing a countdown timer during the delay, or providing preferred toys during the delay) on self-control. Results suggested that providing brief rules or a countdown timer during the delay was ineffective for enhancing self-control. However, providing preferred toys during the delay effectively enhanced self-control.

Managing ulcerative colitis by increasing hydrogen production via oral administration of Acarbose.

PubMed

Zhu, Jian-Hong; Zhang, De-Qing; Chen, Wei-Chang

2013-01-01

The objective of the study was to investigate ulcerative colitis management through oral administration of acarbose. Acarbose has gained importance as a drug used widely to treat Diabetes Mellitus Type 2,as it acts on the small intestine by competitively inhibiting enzymes that delay the release of glucose from complex carbohydrates, thereby specifically reducing postprandial glucose excursion. The main side-effect of treatment with Acarbose, flatulence, occurs when undigested carbohydrates are fermented by colonic bacteria, resulting in considerable amounts of hydrogen. We found that the enteric benefits of Acarbose are partly due to be their ability to neutralise oxidative stress via increased production of H₂ in the gastrointestinal tract. Therefore, some symptoms of ulcerative colitis in human beings can be ameliorated by Acarbose.

Effects of fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) inhibitors on working memory in rats.

PubMed

Panlilio, Leigh V; Thorndike, Eric B; Nikas, Spyros P; Alapafuja, Shakiru O; Bandiera, Tiziano; Cravatt, Benjamin F; Makriyannis, Alexandros; Piomelli, Daniele; Goldberg, Steven R; Justinova, Zuzana

2016-05-01

Manipulations of the endocannabinoid system could potentially produce therapeutic effects with minimal risk of adverse cannabis-like side effects. Inhibitors of fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) increase endogenous levels of the cannabinoid-receptor agonist, anandamide, and show promise for treating a wide range of disorders. However, their effects on learning and memory have not been fully characterized. We determined the effects of five structurally different FAAH inhibitors in an animal model of working memory known to be sensitive to impairment by delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). A delayed nonmatching-to-position procedure was used in rats. Illuminated nosepoke holes were used to provide sample cues (left versus right) and record responses (correct versus incorrect) after delays ranging from 0 to 28 s. Various test drugs were given acutely up to two times per week before daily sessions. One FAAH inhibitor, AM3506 (3 mg/kg), decreased accuracy in the memory task. Four other FAAH inhibitors (URB597, URB694, PF-04457845, and ARN14633) and a monoacylglycerol lipase inhibitor (JZL184, which blocks the degradation of the endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoylglycerol) had no effect. Testing of AM3506 in combination with antagonists for receptors known to be affected by anandamide and other fatty acid amides indicated that the impairment induced by AM3506 was mediated by cannabinoid CB1 receptors, and not by alpha-type peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPAR-alpha) or vanilloid transient receptor potential cation channels (TRPV1). FAAH inhibitors differ with respect to their potential for memory impairment, abuse liability, and probably other cannabis-like effects, and they should be evaluated individually for specific therapeutic and adverse effects.

Effects of fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) inhibitors on working memory in rats

PubMed Central

Panlilio, Leigh V.; Thorndike, Eric B.; Nikas, Spyros P.; Alapafuja, Shakiru O.; Bandiera, Tiziano; Cravatt, Benjamin F.; Makriyannis, Alexandros; Piomelli, Daniele; Goldberg, Steven R.; Justinova, Zuzana

2015-01-01

Rationale Manipulations of the endocannabinoid system could potentially produce therapeutic effects with minimal risk of adverse cannabis-like side effects. Inhibitors of fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) increase endogenous levels of the cannabinoid-receptor agonist, anandamide, and show promise for treating a wide range of disorders. However, their effects on learning and memory have not been fully characterized. Objectives We determined the effects of five structurally different FAAH inhibitors in an animal model of working memory known to be sensitive to impairment by delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Methods A delayed nonmatching-to-position procedure was used in rats. Illuminated nosepoke holes were used to provide sample cues (left versus right) and record responses (correct versus incorrect) after delays ranging from 0-28 seconds. Various test drugs were given acutely up to two times per week before daily sessions. Results One FAAH inhibitor, AM3506 (3 mg/kg), decreased accuracy in the memory task. Four other FAAH inhibitors (URB597, URB694, PF-04457845, and ARN14633) and a monoacylglycerol lipase inhibitor (JZL184, which blocks the degradation of the endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoylglycerol) had no effect. Testing of AM3506 in combination with antagonists for receptors known to be affected by anandamide and other fatty-acid amides indicated that the impairment induced by AM3506 was mediated by cannabinoid CB1 receptors, and not by alpha-type peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPAR-alpha) or vanilloid transient receptor potential cation channels (TRPV1). Conclusions FAAH inhibitors differ with respect to their potential for memory impairment, abuse liability, and probably other cannabis-like effects, and they should be evaluated individually for specific therapeutic and adverse effects. PMID:26558620

Chemoprevention, chemotherapy, and chemoresistance in colorectal cancer.

PubMed

Marin, Jose J G; Sanchez de Medina, Fermin; Castaño, Beatriz; Bujanda, Luis; Romero, Marta R; Martinez-Augustin, Olga; Moral-Avila, Rosario Del; Briz, Oscar

2012-05-01

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer and the second leading cause of cancer-related death in industrialized countries. Chemoprevention is a promising approach, but studies demonstrating their usefulness in large populations are still needed. Among several compounds with chemopreventive ability, cyclooxygenase inhibitors have received particular attention. However, these agents are not without side effects, which must be weighed against their beneficial actions. Early diagnosis is critical in the management of CRC patients, because, in early stages, surgery is curative in >90% of cases. If diagnosis occurs at stages II and III, which is often the case, neoadjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy before surgery are, in a few cases, recommended. Because of the high risk of recurrence in advanced cancers, chemotherapy is maintained after tumor resection. Chemotherapy is also indicated when the patient has metastases and in advanced cancer located in the rectum. In the last decade, the use of anticancer drugs in monotherapy or in combined regimens has markedly increased the survival of patients with CRC at stages III and IV. Although the rate of success is higher than in other gastrointestinal tumors, adverse effects and development of chemoresistance are important limitations to pharmacological therapy. Genetic profiling regarding mechanisms of chemoresistance are needed to carry out individualized prediction of the lack of effectiveness of pharmacological regimens. This would minimize side effects and prevent the selection of aggressive, cross-resistant clones, as well as avoiding undesirable delays in the use of the most efficient therapeutic approaches to treat these patients.

The effect of traffic lights and regulatory statements on the choice between complementary and conventional medicines in Australia: results from a discrete choice experiment.

PubMed

Spinks, Jean; Mortimer, Duncan

2015-01-01

It has been suggested that complementary medicines are currently 'under-regulated' in some countries due to their potential for harm as a direct result from side-effects or interactions; from delaying more effective care; or from the economic cost of purchasing an ineffective or inappropriate treatment. The requirement of additional labelling on complementary medicine products has been suggested in Australia and may provide additional information to consumers at the point of purchase. This paper details a unique way of testing the potential effects on consumer behaviour of including either a traffic light logo or regulatory statement on labels. Using a discrete choice experiment, data were collected in 2012 in a sample of 521 Australians with either type 2 diabetes or cardiovascular disease. We find that additional labelling can affect consumer behaviour, but in unpredictable ways. The results of this experiment are informative to further the dialogue concerning possible regulatory mechanisms. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Modulation of auditory spatial attention by visual emotional cues: differential effects of attentional engagement and disengagement for pleasant and unpleasant cues.

PubMed

Harrison, Neil R; Woodhouse, Rob

2016-05-01

Previous research has demonstrated that threatening, compared to neutral pictures, can bias attention towards non-emotional auditory targets. Here we investigated which subcomponents of attention contributed to the influence of emotional visual stimuli on auditory spatial attention. Participants indicated the location of an auditory target, after brief (250 ms) presentation of a spatially non-predictive peripheral visual cue. Responses to targets were faster at the location of the preceding visual cue, compared to at the opposite location (cue validity effect). The cue validity effect was larger for targets following pleasant and unpleasant cues compared to neutral cues, for right-sided targets. For unpleasant cues, the crossmodal cue validity effect was driven by delayed attentional disengagement, and for pleasant cues, it was driven by enhanced engagement. We conclude that both pleasant and unpleasant visual cues influence the distribution of attention across modalities and that the associated attentional mechanisms depend on the valence of the visual cue.

Block of the delayed rectifier current (IK) by the 5-HT3 antagonists ondansetron and granisetron in feline ventricular myocytes.

PubMed Central

de Lorenzi, F G; Bridal, T R; Spinelli, W

1994-01-01

1. We investigated the effects of two 5-HT3 antagonists, ondansetron and granisetron, on the action potential duration (APD) and the delayed rectifier current (IK) of feline isolated ventricular myocytes. Whole-cell current and action potential recordings were performed at 37 degrees C with the patch clamp technique. 2. Ondansetron and granisetron blocked IK with a KD of 1.7 +/- 1.0 and 4.3 +/- 1.7 microM, respectively. At a higher concentration (30 microM), both drugs blocked the inward rectifier (IKl). 3. The block of IK was dependent on channel activation. Both drugs slowed the decay of IK tail currents and produced a crossover with the pre-drug current trace. These results are consistent with block and unblock from the open state of the channel. 4. Granisetron showed an intrinsic voltage-dependence as the block increased with depolarization. The equivalent voltage-dependency of block (delta) was 0.10 +/- 0.04, suggesting that granisetron blocks from the intracellular side at a binding site located 10% across the transmembrane electrical field. 5. Ondansetron (1 microM) and granisetron (3 microM) prolonged APD by about 30% at 0.5 Hz. The prolongation of APD by ondansetron was abolished at faster frequencies (3 Hz) showing reverse rate dependence. 6. In conclusion, the 5-HT3 antagonists, ondansetron and granisetron, are open state blockers of the ventricular delayed rectifier and show a clear class III action. PMID:7834204

Effect of Itopride Hydrochloride on the Ileal and Colonic Motility in Guinea Pig In Vitro

PubMed Central

Lim, Hyun Chul; Kim, Young Gyun; Lim, Jung Hyun; Kim, Hee Sun

2008-01-01

Purpose Itopride hydrochloride (itopride) inhibits acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and antagonizes dopamine D2 receptor, and has been used as a gastroprokinetic agent. However, its prokinetic effect on the small bowel or colon has not yet been thoroughly investigated. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of itopride on motor functions of the ileum and colon in guinea pigs. Materials and Methods The distal ileum was excised and the activity of peristaltic contraction was determined by measuring the amplitude and propagation velocity of peristaltic contraction. The distal colon was removed and connected to the chamber containing Krebs-Henseleit solution (K-H solution). Artificial fecal matter was inserted into the oral side of the lumen, and moved toward the anal side by intraluminal perfusion via peristaltic pump. Colonic transit times were measured by the time required for the artificial feces to move a total length of 10 cm with 2-cm intervals. Results In the ileum, itopride accelerated peristaltic velocity at higher dosage (10-10-10-6 M) whereas neostigmine accelerated it only with a lower dosage (10-10-10-9 M). Dopamine (10-8 M) decelerated the velocity that was recovered by itopride infusion. Itopride and neostigmine significantly shortened colonic transit at a higher dosage (10-10-10-6 M). Dopamine (10-8 M) delayed colonic transit time that was also recovered after infusion of itopride. Conclusion Itopride has prokinetic effects on both the ileum and colon, which are regulated through inhibitory effects on AChE and antagonistic effects on dopamine D2 receptor. PMID:18581598

Effect of itopride hydrochloride on the ileal and colonic motility in guinea pig in vitro.

PubMed

Lim, Hyun Chul; Kim, Young Gyun; Lim, Jung Hyun; Kim, Hee Sun; Park, Hyojin

2008-06-30

Itopride hydrochloride (itopride) inhibits acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and antagonizes dopamine D(2) receptor, and has been used as a gastroprokinetic agent. However, its prokinetic effect on the small bowel or colon has not yet been thoroughly investigated. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of itopride on motor functions of the ileum and colon in guinea pigs. The distal ileum was excised and the activity of peristaltic contraction was determined by measuring the amplitude and propagation velocity of peristaltic contraction. The distal colon was removed and connected to the chamber containing Krebs-Henseleit solution (K-H solution). Artificial fecal matter was inserted into the oral side of the lumen, and moved toward the anal side by intraluminal perfusion via peristaltic pump. Colonic transit times were measured by the time required for the artificial feces to move a total length of 10 cm with 2-cm intervals. In the ileum, itopride accelerated peristaltic velocity at higher dosage (10(-10)-10(-6) M) whereas neostigmine accelerated it only with a lower dosage (10(-10)-10(-9) M). Dopamine (10(-8) M) decelerated the velocity that was recovered by itopride infusion. Itopride and neostigmine significantly shortened colonic transit at a higher dosage (10(-10)-10(-6) M). Dopamine (10(-8) M) delayed colonic transit time that was also recovered after infusion of itopride. Itopride has prokinetic effects on both the ileum and colon, which are regulated through inhibitory effects on AChE and antagonistic effects on dopamine D(2) receptor.

Evaluation of microleakage of class II dental composite resin restorations cured with LED or QTH dental curing light; Blind, Cluster Randomized, In vitro cross sectional study

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background The aim of this study is to compare the microleakage of Class II dental composite resin restorations which have been cured by three different LED (light emitting diode) light curing modes compared to control samples cured by QTH (quartz tungsten halogen) light curing units (LCUs), to determine the most effective light curing unit and mode of curing. Results In this experimental study, class II cavities were prepared on 100 sound human premolars which have been extracted for orthodontic treatment. The teeth were randomly divided into four groups; three experimental and one control group of 25 teeth each. Experimental groups were cured by either conventional, pulse-delay, or ramped curing modes of LED. The control group was cured for 20 seconds by QTH. The restorations were thermocycled (1000 times, between 5 and 55°C, for 5 seconds dwell time), dyed, sectioned mesio-distally and viewed under stereo-microscope (40×) magnification. Teeth were then scored on a 0 to 4 scale based on the amount of microleakage. The data were analyzed by Chi-square test. No significant difference was demonstrated between the different LCUs (light curing units), or modes of curing, at the enamel side (p > 0.05). At the dentin side, all modes of LED curing could significantly reduce microleakage (p < 0.05). The results suggest that slow start curing improves marginal integrity and seal. High intense curing endangers those aims. Conclusions Comparison between the three LED mode cured composite resin restorations and QTH curing showed LED curing in all modes is more effective than QTH for reducing microleakage. Both LED and QTH almost completely eliminate the microleakage on the enamel side, however none of them absolutely eliminated microleakage on the dentin side. PMID:24990296

Comparison of investigation methods of heat injury in grapevine (Vitis) and assessment to heat tolerance in different cultivars and species.

PubMed

Xu, Hongguo; Liu, Guojie; Liu, Guotian; Yan, Bofang; Duan, Wei; Wang, Lijun; Li, Shaohua

2014-06-05

In the context of global climate change, heat stress is becoming an increasingly important constraint on grapevine growth and berry quality. There is a need to breed new grape cultivars with heat tolerance and to design effective physiological defenses against heat stress. The investigation of heat injury to plants or tissues under high temperature is an important step in achieving these goals. At present, evaluation methods for heat injury include the gas exchange parameters of photosynthesis, membrane thermostability, chlorophyll content etc.; however, these methods have obvious disadvantages, such as insensitivity, inconvenience and delayed information. An effective and convenient method for investigating the heat injury of grapevine must be developed. In this study, an investigation protocol for a critical temperature (47°C) and heat treatment time (40 min) was developed in detached grape leaves. Based on the results, we found that the OJIP test was superior to measuring electrolyte leakage or photosynthetic O₂ evolution for investigating the heat injury of three cultivars of grapevine. Heat tolerance of 47 grape species and cultivars was evaluated through investigating heat injury using the OJIP test. Moreover, the electron transport chain (donor side, acceptor side and reaction center) of PSII in photosynthesis was further investigated. The OJIP test was a rapid, sensitive and convenient method for investigating heat injury in grapevine. An analysis of PSII function using this method indicated that the acceptor side was less sensitive to heat than was the donor side or the reaction center in grape leaves. Among the 47 taxa evaluated (cultivars, hybrids, and wild species), heat tolerance varied largely in each genotype group: most wild species and hybrids between V. labrusca and V. vinifera had relatively strong heat tolerance, but most cultivars from V. vinifera had relatively weak heat tolerance.

Comparison of investigation methods of heat injury in grapevine (Vitis) and assessment to heat tolerance in different cultivars and species

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background In the context of global climate change, heat stress is becoming an increasingly important constraint on grapevine growth and berry quality. There is a need to breed new grape cultivars with heat tolerance and to design effective physiological defenses against heat stress. The investigation of heat injury to plants or tissues under high temperature is an important step in achieving these goals. At present, evaluation methods for heat injury include the gas exchange parameters of photosynthesis, membrane thermostability, chlorophyll content etc.; however, these methods have obvious disadvantages, such as insensitivity, inconvenience and delayed information. An effective and convenient method for investigating the heat injury of grapevine must be developed. Results In this study, an investigation protocol for a critical temperature (47°C) and heat treatment time (40 min) was developed in detached grape leaves. Based on the results, we found that the OJIP test was superior to measuring electrolyte leakage or photosynthetic O2 evolution for investigating the heat injury of three cultivars of grapevine. Heat tolerance of 47 grape species and cultivars was evaluated through investigating heat injury using the OJIP test. Moreover, the electron transport chain (donor side, acceptor side and reaction center) of PSII in photosynthesis was further investigated. Conclusions The OJIP test was a rapid, sensitive and convenient method for investigating heat injury in grapevine. An analysis of PSII function using this method indicated that the acceptor side was less sensitive to heat than was the donor side or the reaction center in grape leaves. Among the 47 taxa evaluated (cultivars, hybrids, and wild species), heat tolerance varied largely in each genotype group: most wild species and hybrids between V. labrusca and V. vinifera had relatively strong heat tolerance, but most cultivars from V. vinifera had relatively weak heat tolerance. PMID:24898786

Time delay and magnification centroid due to gravitational lensing by black holes and naked singularities

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

Virbhadra, K. S.; Keeton, C. R.; Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers University, 136 Frelinghuysen Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854

We model the massive dark object at the center of the Galaxy as a Schwarzschild black hole as well as Janis-Newman-Winicour naked singularities, characterized by the mass and scalar charge parameters, and study gravitational lensing (particularly time delay, magnification centroid, and total magnification) by them. We find that the lensing features are qualitatively similar (though quantitatively different) for Schwarzschild black holes, weakly naked, and marginally strongly naked singularities. However, the lensing characteristics of strongly naked singularities are qualitatively very different from those due to Schwarzschild black holes. The images produced by Schwarzschild black hole lenses and weakly naked and marginallymore » strongly naked singularity lenses always have positive time delays. On the other hand, strongly naked singularity lenses can give rise to images with positive, zero, or negative time delays. In particular, for a large angular source position the direct image (the outermost image on the same side as the source) due to strongly naked singularity lensing always has a negative time delay. We also found that the scalar field decreases the time delay and increases the total magnification of images; this result could have important implications for cosmology. As the Janis-Newman-Winicour metric also describes the exterior gravitational field of a scalar star, naked singularities as well as scalar star lenses, if these exist in nature, will serve as more efficient cosmic telescopes than regular gravitational lenses.« less

Hemosuccus Pancreaticus following a Puestow Procedure in a Patient with Chronic Pancreatitis

PubMed Central

Okamoto, Hirotaka; Miura, Kazuo; Fujii, Hideki

2011-01-01

Hemosuccus pancreaticus is an unusual cause of gastrointestinal bleeding that occurs as a complication of chronic or acute pancreatitis. We report a case of extremely acute-onset hemosuccus pancreaticus occurring in a patient with chronic pancreatitis over a long-term follow-up after a Puestow procedure (side-to-side pancreaticojejunostomy). The patient was admitted to our hospital due to severe anemia and tarry stools indicative of gastrointestinal bleeding. Emergent endoscopy, including gastrointestinal fiberscopy and colon fiberscopy, showed no abnormal findings. Abdominal contrast-enhanced computed tomography and hemorrhagic scintigraphy did not detect a hemorrhagic lesion. Although interventional radiology was considered for diagnosis and treatment, conservative therapy seemed sufficient to affect hemostasis. Two weeks later, however, acute intestinal bleeding with hemodynamic shock occurred, and exploration was performed without delay. Intraoperative endoscopy through an incision of the reconstructed jejunal loop in the close proximal end revealed a site of active bleeding from the side-to-side anastomotic pancreatic duct. Following a longitudinal incision of the jejunal loop, a bleeding point was sutured and ligated on direct inspection. The patient showed a good postoperative course. PMID:21960948

Hemosuccus Pancreaticus following a Puestow Procedure in a Patient with Chronic Pancreatitis.

PubMed

Okamoto, Hirotaka; Miura, Kazuo; Fujii, Hideki

2011-05-01

Hemosuccus pancreaticus is an unusual cause of gastrointestinal bleeding that occurs as a complication of chronic or acute pancreatitis. We report a case of extremely acute-onset hemosuccus pancreaticus occurring in a patient with chronic pancreatitis over a long-term follow-up after a Puestow procedure (side-to-side pancreaticojejunostomy). The patient was admitted to our hospital due to severe anemia and tarry stools indicative of gastrointestinal bleeding. Emergent endoscopy, including gastrointestinal fiberscopy and colon fiberscopy, showed no abnormal findings. Abdominal contrast-enhanced computed tomography and hemorrhagic scintigraphy did not detect a hemorrhagic lesion. Although interventional radiology was considered for diagnosis and treatment, conservative therapy seemed sufficient to affect hemostasis. Two weeks later, however, acute intestinal bleeding with hemodynamic shock occurred, and exploration was performed without delay. Intraoperative endoscopy through an incision of the reconstructed jejunal loop in the close proximal end revealed a site of active bleeding from the side-to-side anastomotic pancreatic duct. Following a longitudinal incision of the jejunal loop, a bleeding point was sutured and ligated on direct inspection. The patient showed a good postoperative course.

Supply-side options for an endgame for the tobacco industry.

PubMed

Callard, Cynthia D; Collishaw, Neil E

2013-05-01

Although governments have imposed controls on tobacco company behaviour, they have not yet aligned tobacco industry goals to public health objectives. As a result, tobacco companies have delayed or diminished the impact of imposed public health measures and have not contributed to curbing the epidemic of tobacco use. Over the past decade, several regulatory innovations have been proposed as ways to better align industry actions with public health needs, but none have been put in place. These policy suggestions share the goal of providing a supply-side complement to conventional demand reduction strategies, but they differ in the assumptions they make and in the regulatory and governance approaches they take. Similarly, differing views on ideology and political context within the tobacco control community and between governments may hinder the establishment of a global consensus on the ideal supply-side intervention. A government willing to implement innovative supply-side strategies as part of a tobacco control endgame may not require such consensus if factors specific to their national public health systems or political contexts are supportive.

Supply-side options for an endgame for the tobacco industry

PubMed Central

Callard, Cynthia D; Collishaw, Neil E

2013-01-01

Although governments have imposed controls on tobacco company behaviour, they have not yet aligned tobacco industry goals to public health objectives. As a result, tobacco companies have delayed or diminished the impact of imposed public health measures and have not contributed to curbing the epidemic of tobacco use. Over the past decade, several regulatory innovations have been proposed as ways to better align industry actions with public health needs, but none have been put in place. These policy suggestions share the goal of providing a supply-side complement to conventional demand reduction strategies, but they differ in the assumptions they make and in the regulatory and governance approaches they take. Similarly, differing views on ideology and political context within the tobacco control community and between governments may hinder the establishment of a global consensus on the ideal supply-side intervention. A government willing to implement innovative supply-side strategies as part of a tobacco control endgame may not require such consensus if factors specific to their national public health systems or political contexts are supportive. PMID:23591497

Protective molecular mechanisms of resveratrol in UVR-induced Skin carcinogenesis.

PubMed

Aziz, Saba W; Aziz, Moammir H

2018-01-01

Skin cancer is a major health problem worldwide. It is the most common cancer in the United States and poses a significant healthcare burden. Excessive UVR exposure is the most common cause of skin cancer. Despite various precautionary measures to avoid direct UVR exposure, the incidence of skin cancer and mortality related to it remains high. Furthermore, the current treatment options are expensive and have side effects including toxicity to normal cells. Thus, a safe and effective approach is needed to prevent and treat skin cancer. Chemopreventive strategy using naturally occurring compounds, such as resveratrol, is a promising approach to reduce the incidence of UVR-induced skin cancer and delay its progression. This review highlights the current body of evidence related to chemopreventive role of resveratrol and its molecular mechanisms in UVR-induced skin carcinogenesis. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Pros and cons of symmetrical dual-k spacer technology in hybrid FinFETs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pradhan, K. P.; Andrade, M. G. C.; Sahu, P. K.

2016-12-01

The symmetrical dual-k spacer technology in hybrid FinFETs has been widely explored for better electrostatic control of the fin-based devices in nanoscale region. Since, high-k tangible spacer materials are broadly became a matter of study due to their better immunity to the short channel effects (SCEs) in nano devices. However, the only cause that restricts the circuit designers from using high-k spacer is the unreasonable increasing fringing capacitances. This work quantitatively analyzed the benefits and drawbacks of considering two different dielectric spacer materials symmetrically in either sides of the channel for the hybrid device. From the demonstrated results, the inclusion of high-k spacer predicts an effective reduction in off-state leakage along with an improvement in drive current. However, these devices have paid the cost in terms of a high total gate-to-gate capacitance (Cgg) that consequently results poor cutoff frequency (fT) and delay.

Practical continuous-variable quantum key distribution without finite sampling bandwidth effects.

PubMed

Li, Huasheng; Wang, Chao; Huang, Peng; Huang, Duan; Wang, Tao; Zeng, Guihua

2016-09-05

In a practical continuous-variable quantum key distribution system, finite sampling bandwidth of the employed analog-to-digital converter at the receiver's side may lead to inaccurate results of pulse peak sampling. Then, errors in the parameters estimation resulted. Subsequently, the system performance decreases and security loopholes are exposed to eavesdroppers. In this paper, we propose a novel data acquisition scheme which consists of two parts, i.e., a dynamic delay adjusting module and a statistical power feedback-control algorithm. The proposed scheme may improve dramatically the data acquisition precision of pulse peak sampling and remove the finite sampling bandwidth effects. Moreover, the optimal peak sampling position of a pulse signal can be dynamically calibrated through monitoring the change of the statistical power of the sampled data in the proposed scheme. This helps to resist against some practical attacks, such as the well-known local oscillator calibration attack.

Noncoherent-intense-pulsed light for the treatment of relapsing hairy intradermal melanocytic nevus after shave excision.

PubMed

Moreno-Arias, G A; Ferrando, J

2001-01-01

Few reports about melanocytic lesions treatment by means of noncoherent-intense-pulsed light (NCIPL) have been published. Here we evaluate the clinical results of a relapsing hairy intradermal melanocytic nevus treated with a noncoherent-intense-pulsed light source. A facial repigmented hairy intradermal melanocytic nevus that relapsed after shave excision, received four treatment sessions of a noncoherent-intense-pulsed light source (EpiLight, ESC Medical Systems Ltd, Israel) with the following parameters: 755 nm, a fluence energy of 40-42.5 J/cm(2), triple mode, a pulse width of 3.8 ms, and a delay of 20 ms, at 4-week intervals. Complete pigment clearance and hair removal was obtained. We have neither observed repigmentation nor hair regrowth after a 6 month-follow-up. No side effects were documented. Noncoherent-intense-pulse light is an effective treatment for hairy-pigmented melanocytic nevus. Copyright 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

The Dark Side of Context: Context Reinstatement Can Distort Memory.

PubMed

Doss, Manoj K; Picart, Jamila K; Gallo, David A

2018-04-01

It is widely assumed that context reinstatement benefits memory, but our experiments revealed that context reinstatement can systematically distort memory. Participants viewed pictures of objects superimposed over scenes, and we later tested their ability to differentiate these old objects from similar new objects. Context reinstatement was manipulated by presenting objects on the reinstated or switched scene at test. Not only did context reinstatement increase correct recognition of old objects, but it also consistently increased incorrect recognition of similar objects as old ones. This false recognition effect was robust, as it was found in several experiments, occurred after both immediate and delayed testing, and persisted with high confidence even after participants were warned to avoid the distorting effects of context. To explain this memory illusion, we propose that context reinstatement increases the likelihood of confusing conceptual and perceptual information, potentially in medial temporal brain regions that integrate this information.

Performance Evaluation of Telemedicine System based on multicasting over Heterogeneous Network.

PubMed

Yun, H Y; Yoo, S K; Kim, D K; Rim Kim, Sung

2005-01-01

For appropriate diagnosis, medical image such as high quality image of patient's affected part and vital signal, patient information, and teleconferencing data for communication between specialists will be transmitted. After connecting patient and specialist the center, sender acquires patient data and transmits to the center through TCP/IP protocol. Data that is transmitted to center is retransmitted to each specialist side that accomplish connection after being copied according to listener's number from transmission buffer. At transmission of medical information data in network, transmission delay and loss occur by the change of buffer size, packet size, number of user and kind of networks. As there lies the biggest delay possibility in ADSL, buffer Size should be established by 1Mbytes first to minimize transmission regionalism and each packet's size must be set accordingly to MTU Size in order to improve network efficiency by maximum. Also, listener's number should be limited by less than 6 people. Data transmission consisted smoothly all in experiment result in common use network- ADSL, VDSL, WLAN, LAN-. But, possibility of delay appeared most greatly in ADSL that has the most confined bandwidth. To minimize the possibility of delay, some adjustment is needed such as buffer size, number of receiver, packet size.

Beta decay of exotic TZ = -1, -2 nuclei: the interesting case of 56Zn

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Orrigo, S. E. A.; Rubio, B.; Fujita, Y.; Blank, B.; Gelletly, W.; Agramunt, J.; Algora, A.; Ascher, P.; Bilgier, B.; Cáceres, L.; Cakirli, R. B.; Fujita, H.; Ganioğlu, E.; Gerbaux, M.; Giovinazzo, J.; Grévy, S.; Kamalou, O.; Kozer, H. C.; Kucuk, L.; Kurtukian-Nieto, T.; Molina, F.; Popescu, L.; Rogers, A. M.; Susoy, G.; Stodel, C.; Suzuki, T.; Tamii, A.; Thomas, J. C.

2014-03-01

The β decay properties of the Tz = -2, 56Zn isotope and other proton-rich nuclei in the fp-shell have been investigated in an experiment performed at GANIL. The ions were produced in fragmentation reactions and implanted in a double-sided silicon strip detector surrounded by Ge EXOGAM clovers. Preliminary results for 56Zn are presented .The 56Zn decay proceeds mainly by β delayed proton emission, but β delayed gamma rays were also detected. Moreover, the exotic β delayed gamma-proton decay was observed for the first time. The 56Zn half-life and the energy levels populated in the 56Cu daughter have been determined. Knowledge of the gamma de-excitation of the mirror states in 56Co and the comparison with the results of the mirror charge exchange process, the 56Fe(3He,t) reaction (where 56Fe has Tz = +2), were important in the interpretation of the 56Zn decay data. The absolute Fermi and Gamow-Teller strengths have been deduced.

Flight Evaluation of an Aircraft with Side and Center Stick Controllers and Rate-Limited Ailerons

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Deppe, P. R.; Chalk, C. R.; Shafer, M. F.

1996-01-01

As part of an ongoing government and industry effort to study the flying qualities of aircraft with rate-limited control surface actuators, two studies were previously flown to examine an algorithm developed to reduce the tendency for pilot-induced oscillation when rate limiting occurs. This algorithm, when working properly, greatly improved the performance of the aircraft in the first study. In the second study, however, the algorithm did not initially offer as much improvement. The differences between the two studies caused concern. The study detailed in this paper was performed to determine whether the performance of the algorithm was affected by the characteristics of the cockpit controllers. Time delay and flight control system noise were also briefly evaluated. An in-flight simulator, the Calspan Learjet 25, was programmed with a low roll actuator rate limit, and the algorithm was programmed into the flight control system. Side- and center-stick controllers, force and position command signals, a rate-limited feel system, a low-frequency feel system, and a feel system damper were evaluated. The flight program consisted of four flights and 38 evaluations of test configurations. Performance of the algorithm was determined to be unaffected by using side- or center-stick controllers or force or position command signals. The rate-limited feel system performed as well as the rate-limiting algorithm but was disliked by the pilots. The low-frequency feel system and the feel system damper were ineffective. Time delay and noise were determined to degrade the performance of the algorithm.

Central insulin administration improves odor-cued reactivation of spatial memory in young men.

PubMed

Brünner, Yvonne F; Kofoet, Anja; Benedict, Christian; Freiherr, Jessica

2015-01-01

Insulin receptors are ubiquitously found in the human brain, comprising the olfactory bulb, essential for odor processing, and the hippocampus, important for spatial memory processing. The present study aimed at examining if intranasal insulin, which is known to transiently increase brain insulin levels in humans, would improve odor-cued reactivation of spatial memory in young men. We applied a double-blind, placebo-controlled, counterbalanced within-subject design. The study was conducted at the research unit of a university hospital. Interventions/Participants/Main Outcome Measures: Following intranasal administration of either insulin (40 I.U.) or placebo, male subjects (n = 18) were exposed to eight odors. During each odor exposure, a green-colored field was presented on a 17-in. computer screen. During immediate recall (comprising 3 runs), the participants were re-exposed to each odor cue, and were asked to select the corresponding field (with visual feedback after each response). The delayed recall was scheduled ∼10 min later (without feedback). To test if insulin's putative effect on odor-place memory would be domain-specific, participants also performed a separate place and odor recognition task. Intranasal insulin improved the delayed but not immediate odor-cued recall of spatial memory. This effect was independent of odor type and in the absence of systemic side effects (eg, fasting plasma glucose levels remained unaltered). Place and odor recognition were unaffected by the insulin treatment. These findings suggest that acute intranasal insulin improves odor-cued reactivation of spatial memory in young men.

Intranasal insulin improves memory in humans.

PubMed

Benedict, Christian; Hallschmid, Manfred; Hatke, Astrid; Schultes, Bernd; Fehm, Horst L; Born, Jan; Kern, Werner

2004-11-01

Previous studies have suggested an acutely improving effect of insulin on memory function. To study changes in memory associated with a prolonged increase in brain insulin activity in humans, here we used the intranasal route of insulin administration known to provide direct access of the substance to the cerebrospinal fluid compartment. Based on previous results indicating a prevalence of insulin receptors in limbic and hippocampal regions as well as improvements in memory with systemic insulin administration, we expected that intranasal administration of insulin improves primarily hippocampus dependent declaration memory function. Also, improvements in mood were expected. We investigated the effects of 8 weeks of intranasal administration of insulin (human regular insulin 4 x 40 IU/d) on declarative memory (immediate and delayed recall of word lists), attention (Stroop test), and mood in 38 healthy subjects (24 males) in a double blind, between-subject comparison. Blood glucose and plasma insulin levels did not differ between the placebo and insulin conditions. Delayed recall of words significantly improved after 8 weeks of intranasal insulin administration (words recalled, Placebo 2.92 +/- 1.00, Insulin 6.20 +/- 1.03, p < 0.05). Moreover, subjects after insulin reported signs of enhanced mood, such as reduced anger (p < 0.02) and enhanced self-confidence (p < 0.03). Results indicate a direct action of prolonged intranasal administration of insulin on brain functions, improving memory and mood in the absence of systemic side effects. These findings could be of relevance for the treatment of patients with memory disorders like in Alzheimer's disease.

Evaluation of native plant seeds and seeding in the east-side central Cascades ponderosa pine zone

Treesearch

Nan C. Vance

2010-01-01

In dry, open coniferous forests of the montane West, stand-replacing wildfires and land use activities alter the composition and abundance of native grasses and forbs by degrading the habitat and accelerating the invasion of exotic annuals. On these lands, native forbs and grasses delayed or prevented from recovery by natural processes may require intervention through...

Compound earthquakes on a bimaterial interface and implications for rupture mechanics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, E.; Rubin, A. M.

2012-12-01

Earthquake ruptures on the San Andreas are affected by the material contrast across the fault. Previous observations of microearthquakes in the northern creeping section have found strong signals of asymmetry in both rupture directivity (preferential propagation to the SE; Wang & Rubin, 2011), and aftershock asymmetry (many more to the NW, on timescales from 10 to 1000 s; Rubin & Gillard, 2000; Rubin, 2002). To understand the aftershock asymmetry, Rubin & Ampuero [2007] simulated slip-weakening ruptures on a bimaterial interface and observed differences in the timescales for the two edges to experience their peak stress after being slowed by barriers. While the barrier on the "positive" side (SE in the case of the San Andreas fault) reached the peak stress almost instantaneously, the "negative" side (NW) has to wait for the arrival of the P-wave stopping phase from the opposite end. For a 100 m main event the delay between the two potential ruptures is 20 ms, which may be long enough for the secondary rupture to be observed as a distinct subevent. A second possible source of subevent asymmetry is that when slowed by barriers, a significant tensile stress pulse propagates in the positive but not the negative direction. The events in the region where previous asymmetries were found have high spatial density and similar focal mechanisms, which makes it possible to use an Empirical Green's Function's method to do a comprehensive search. About 200 candidate compound events were identified in an 8300-event catalog from 1984 to 2009. Most delays between the two subevents cluster around the shear-wave transit time over the subevent separation, although with considerable scatter. For subevents separated by 0.7 to 2 estimated mainshock radii (the same spatial separation found by Rubin [2002] to maximize the longer-term aftershock asymmetry), about twice as many second events occurred on the SE (positive) side of the first, and the origin time delays also tend to be shorter for SE aftershocks. One interpretation is that these subevents represent the events "missing" from the aftershock population because they became part of the mainshock.

Filtering effect of SiO2 optical waveguide ring resonator applied to optoelectronic oscillator.

PubMed

Chen, Jiamin; Zheng, Yongqiu; Xue, Chenyang; Zhang, Chengfei; Chen, Yi

2018-05-14

Single-mode oscillation is crucial to the practicality of optoelectronic oscillator (OEO). Due to the limited by bandwidth and precision of radio frequency (RF) filters, it is difficult to be achieved for the OEO based on the long fiber-optic delay line. So instead of the long fiber-optic delay line, SiO 2 optical waveguide ring resonator (OWRR) with high-Q and mode selection is first presented to be applied to OEO. The OEOs based on the minimum loop and SiO 2 OWRR are constructed. The oscillation characteristics of the minimum loop OEO and the transmission characteristics of the SiO 2 OWRR are simulated by MATLAB, respectively. The filtering effect of the SiO 2 OWRR applied to the OEO is verified theoretically by comparing these simulation results. Subsequently, the contrastive experiments of the above two OEOs on oscillation modes are carried out. The oscillation mode spacing of 40.32 MHz and 2.137 GHz are obtained. These results show that the SiO 2 OWRR can function as an excellent 'filter' in the minimum loop of the OEO. Moreover, the side mode suppression ratio and the phase noise of the OEO have been improved. Our experimental results demonstrate that the OEO adopting SiO 2 OWRR is feasible to achieve the single-mode oscillation and obtain better performance microwave signals.

Shen-Zhi-Ling Oral Liquid Improves Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia in Alzheimer's Disease

PubMed Central

Wang, Qiudong; Kwak, Shin; Song, Yu; Qin, Baofeng; Wang, Mingzhe; Yamamoto, Yoshiharu

2014-01-01

We evaluated the effects of the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) Shen-Zhi-Ling oral liquid (SZL) on the behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Among 98 patients with AD and BPSD enrolled (mean age, 57.2 ± 8.9 years old), 91 (M = 55, F = 36; mean age, 57.2 ± 9.7 years old) completed the study. Patients took either SZL (n = 45) or placebo granules (n = 46) in a double-blind manner for 20 weeks while maintaining other anticognitive medications unchanged. Changes in BPSD between week 0, week 10, week 20, and week 25 were assessed using the behavioral pathology in Alzheimer's disease (BEHAVE-AD) rating scale and the neuropsychiatric inventory (NPI), detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA) represented by diurnal activity (DA), evening activity (EA), and nocturnal activity (NA) according to actigraphic recordings. SZL but not placebo oral liquid delayed the development of BPSD significantly according to the changes in some of the clinical scores and the EA and NA parameters of DFA at week 20 compared with week 0. No side effects were observed in laboratory tests. The results indicate that SZL might delay the development of BPSD in AD patients and thus is a potentially suitable drug for long-term use. PMID:24959193

[The development and operation of a package inserts service system for electronic medical records].

PubMed

Yamada, Hidetoshi; Nishimura, Sachiho; Shimamori, Yoshimitsu; Sato, Seiji; Hayase, Yukitoshi

2003-03-01

To promote the appropriate use of pharmaceuticals and to prevent side effects, physicians need package inserts on medicinal drugs as soon as possible. A medicinal drug information service system was established for electronic medical records to speed up and increase the efficiency of package insert communications within a medical institution. Development of this system facilitates access to package inserts by, for example, physicians. The time required to maintain files of package inserts was shortened, and the efficiency of the drug information service increased. As a source of package inserts for this system, package inserts using a standard generalized markup language (SGML) form were used, which are accessible to the public on the homepage of the Organization for Pharmaceutical Safety and Research (OPSR). This study found that a delay occurred in communicating revised package inserts from pharmaceutical companies to the OPSR. Therefore a pharmaceutical department page was set up as part of the homepage of the medical institution for electronic medical records to shorten the delay in the revision of package inserts posted on the medicinal drug information service homepage of the OPSR. The usefulness of this package insert service system for electronic medical records is clear. For more effective use of this system based on the OPSR homepage pharmaceutical companies have been requested to provide quicker updating of package inserts.

Delaying microbial proliferation in freshly peeled shallots by active packaging incorporating ethanol vapour-controlled release sachets and low storage temperature.

PubMed

Utto, Weerawate; Preutikul, Rittirong; Malila, Patcharee; Noomhorm, Athapol; Bronlund, John E

2018-03-01

This research was conducted to investigate effects of ethanol vapour released in active packaging and storage temperatures on the quality of freshly peeled shallots. The package tested was a solid polypropylene tray incorporating an ethanol vapour-controlled release sachet. The sachet was made of an aluminium foil film on one side and either low-density polyethylene or nylon/polyethylene on the other. Individual sachets contained silica gel adsorbent as the carrier pre-loaded with ethanol. One sachet was placed in each tray containing the peeled shallots and the tray was heat sealed with the low-density polyethylene film lid. Packages were stored at either 10 or 25 ℃ for 10 d. Trays containing only peeled shallots were designated as controls. High storage temperature stimulated quality changes in the shallots. Although ethanol vapour accumulated in the active package headspace, the extent to which ethanol concentrations increased within the shallots was not significantly different from that in the control packages. Microbial proliferation in terms of yeast and mould counts could be delayed through a combination of 10 ℃ and ethanol vapour released from the low-density polyethylene sachet. The ethanol vapour accumulated in the packages did not have a significant effect on mass loss, firmness, and colour changes in the peeled shallots, or on the concentrations of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the packages.

Preferences for a potential longer-acting injectable contraceptive: perspectives from women, providers, and policy makers in Kenya and Rwanda.

PubMed

Tolley, Elizabeth E; McKenna, Kevin; Mackenzie, Caroline; Ngabo, Fidele; Munyambanza, Emmanuel; Arcara, Jennet; Rademacher, Kate H; Lendvay, Anja

2014-05-01

Between 1995 and 2005, injectable use doubled worldwide. However, discontinuation rates remain high, partly because of side effects but also because of missed appointments for reinjection. A longer-acting injectable (LAI) may improve compliance by reducing the required number of reinjection visits, thereby reducing unintentional discontinuation. This study examined acceptability of LAI characteristics comprising the target product profile (TPP). In 2012, we conducted qualitative case studies in Kenya and Rwanda, consisting of 19 focus group discussions (FGDs) with 177 current, previous, or never users of injectables and 46 in-depth interviews (IDIs) with providers, program implementers, and policy makers. FGDs and IDIs assessed current injectable experiences; attitudes toward potential LAI products; and perceptions of TPP attributes, including ranking preferences for the most and least important characteristics. In addition, we obtained completed electronic surveys from 28 international family planning opinion leaders about the perceived need for an LAI, important product characteristics, and challenges to LAI development or introduction. Many FGD participants and interviewees spontaneously expressed strong interest in an LAI, but there was some variation in TPP preferences. The majority of participants ranked effectiveness as the most important TPP attribute. Providers were generally more concerned about side effects than potential users; some potential users suggested that side effects were related less to the product than to their own body chemistry and that side effects were acceptable as long as they did not last a long time or disrupt daily activities. Women and providers, especially in Kenya, preferred a method with a predictable return to fertility. Some participants associated amenorrhea with delayed or reduced fertility. Most women and providers preferred delivery of the LAI in a single, prepackaged, disposable injection system to facilitate injections by providers and to reduce the risk of pain or discomfort for women. While providers and policy makers ranked cost as one of the most important issues, it was among the least important issues for most potential users. Many Kenyan, but few Rwandan, participants appeared willing to pay for an LAI, with some presuming cost savings from reduced menstruation and fewer clinic visits. Some TPP preferences for an LAI have implications for product development decisions about formulation, delivery mechanism, or presentation, while others point to the need for tailored communication and counseling approaches to ensure acceptability and adherence within clinical trials and beyond.

Simulation analysis of the effect of initial delay on flight delay diffusion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Que, Zufu; Yao, Hongguang; Yue, Wei

2018-01-01

The initial delay of the flight is an important factor affecting the spread of flight delays, so clarifying their relationship conduces to control flight delays in the aeronautical network. Through establishing a model of the chain aviation network and making simulation analysis of the effects of initial delay on the delay longitudinal diffusion, it’s found that the number of delayed airports in the air network, the total delay time and the average delay time of the delayed airport are generally positively correlated with the initial delay. This indicates that the occurrence of the initial delay should be avoided or reduced as much as possible to improve the punctuality of the flight.

Effect of Time Delay on Recognition Memory for Pictures: The Modulatory Role of Emotion

PubMed Central

Wang, Bo

2014-01-01

This study investigated the modulatory role of emotion in the effect of time delay on recognition memory for pictures. Participants viewed neutral, positive and negative pictures, and took a recognition memory test 5 minutes, 24 hours, or 1 week after learning. The findings are: 1) For neutral, positive and negative pictures, overall recognition accuracy in the 5-min delay did not significantly differ from that in the 24-h delay. For neutral and positive pictures, overall recognition accuracy in the 1-week delay was lower than in the 24-h delay; for negative pictures, overall recognition in the 24-h and 1-week delay did not significantly differ. Therefore negative emotion modulates the effect of time delay on recognition memory, maintaining retention of overall recognition accuracy only within a certain frame of time. 2) For the three types of pictures, recollection and familiarity in the 5-min delay did not significantly differ from that in the 24-h and the 1-week delay. Thus emotion does not appear to modulate the effect of time delay on recollection and familiarity. However, recollection in the 24-h delay was higher than in the 1-week delay, whereas familiarity in the 24-h delay was lower than in the 1-week delay. PMID:24971457

A Review of the Burden of Trauma Pain in Emergency Settings in Europe.

PubMed

Dißmann, Patrick D; Maignan, Maxime; Cloves, Paul D; Gutierrez Parres, Blanca; Dickerson, Sara; Eberhardt, Alice

2018-06-02

Trauma pain represents a large proportion of admissions to emergency departments across Europe. There is currently an unmet need in the treatment of trauma pain extending throughout the patient journey in emergency settings. This review aims to explore these unmet needs and describe barriers to the delivery of effective analgesia for trauma pain in emergency settings. A comprehensive, qualitative review of the literature was conducted using a structured search strategy (Medline, Embase and Evidence Based Medicine Reviews) along with additional Internet-based sources to identify relevant human studies published in the prior 11 years (January 2006-December 2017). From a total of 4325 publications identified, 31 were selected for inclusion based on defined criteria. Numerous barriers to the effective treatment of trauma pain in emergency settings were identified, which may be broadly defined as arising from a lack of effective pain management pan-European and national guidelines, delayed or absent pain assessment, an aversion to opioid analgesia and a delay in the administration of analgesia. Several commonly used analgesics also present limitations in the treatment of trauma pain due to the routes of administration, adverse side effect profiles, pharmacokinetic properties and suitability for use in pre-hospital settings. These combined barriers lead to the inadequate and ineffective treatment of trauma pain for patients. An unmet need therefore exists for novel forms of analgesia, wider spread use of available analgesic agents which overcome some limitations associated with several treatment options, and the development of protocols for pain management which include patient assessment of pain. Mundipharma International Ltd.

Side-To-Side Nerve Bridges Support Donor Axon Regeneration Into Chronically Denervated Nerves and Are Associated With Characteristic Changes in Schwann Cell Phenotype.

PubMed

Hendry, J Michael; Alvarez-Veronesi, M Cecilia; Snyder-Warwick, Alison; Gordon, Tessa; Borschel, Gregory H

2015-11-01

Chronic denervation resulting from long nerve regeneration times and distances contributes greatly to suboptimal outcomes following nerve injuries. Recent studies showed that multiple nerve grafts inserted between an intact donor nerve and a denervated distal recipient nerve stump (termed "side-to-side nerve bridges") enhanced regeneration after delayed nerve repair. To examine the cellular aspects of axon growth across these bridges to explore the "protective" mechanism of donor axons on chronically denervated Schwann cells. In Sprague Dawley rats, 3 side-to-side nerve bridges were placed over a 10-mm distance between an intact donor tibial (TIB) nerve and a recipient denervated common peroneal (CP) distal nerve stump. Green fluorescent protein-expressing TIB axons grew across the bridges and were counted in cross section after 4 weeks. Immunofluorescent axons and Schwann cells were imaged over a 4-month period. Denervated Schwann cells dedifferentiated to a proliferative, nonmyelinating phenotype within the bridges and the recipient denervated CP nerve stump. As donor TIB axons grew across the 3 side-to-side nerve bridges and into the denervated CP nerve, the Schwann cells redifferentiated to the myelinating phenotype. Bridge placement led to an increased mass of hind limb anterior compartment muscles after 4 months of denervation compared with muscles whose CP nerve was not "protected" by bridges. This study describes patterns of donor axon regeneration and myelination in the denervated recipient nerve stump and supports a mechanism where these donor axons sustain a proregenerative state to prevent deterioration in the face of chronic denervation.

Suppression of Cocaine Self-Administration in Monkeys: Effects of Delayed Punishment

PubMed Central

Woolverton, William L.; Freeman, Kevin B.; Myerson, Joel; Green, Leonard

2014-01-01

Rationale Delaying presentation of a drug can decrease its effectiveness as a reinforcer, but the effect of delaying punishment of drug self-administration is unknown. Objective This study examined whether a histamine injection could punish cocaine self-administration in a drug-drug choice, whether delaying histamine would decrease its effectiveness, and whether the effects of delay could be described within a delay discounting framework. Methods Monkeys were implanted with double-lumen catheters to allow separate injection of cocaine and histamine. In discrete trials, subjects first chose between cocaine (50 or 100 μg/kg/inj) alone and an injection of the same dose of cocaine followed immediately by an injection of histamine (0.37–50 μg/kg). Next, they chose between cocaine followed immediately by histamine and cocaine followed by an equal but delayed dose of histamine. Results When choosing between cocaine alone and cocaine followed immediately by histamine, preference increased with histamine dose from indifference to > 80% choice of cocaine alone. When choosing between cocaine followed by immediate histamine and cocaine followed by delayed histamine, monkeys showed strong position preferences. When delayed histamine was associated with the non-preferred position, preference for that option increased with delay from ≤ 30% to > 85%. The corresponding decrease in choice of the preferred position was well described by a hyperboloid discounting function. Conclusions Histamine can function as a punisher in the choice between injections of cocaine and delay can decrease its effectiveness as a punisher. The effects of delaying punishment of drug self-administration can be conceptualized within the delay discounting framework. PMID:21956240

Suppression of cocaine self-administration in monkeys: effects of delayed punishment.

PubMed

Woolverton, William L; Freeman, Kevin B; Myerson, Joel; Green, Leonard

2012-04-01

Delaying presentation of a drug can decrease its effectiveness as a reinforcer, but the effect of delaying punishment of drug self-administration is unknown. This study examined whether a histamine injection could punish cocaine self-administration in a drug-drug choice, whether delaying histamine would decrease its effectiveness, and whether the effects of delay could be described within a delay discounting framework. Monkeys were implanted with double-lumen catheters to allow separate injection of cocaine and histamine. In discrete trials, subjects first chose between cocaine (50 or 100 μg/kg/inj) alone and an injection of the same dose of cocaine followed immediately by an injection of histamine (0.37-50 μg/kg). Next, they chose between cocaine followed immediately by histamine and cocaine followed by an equal but delayed dose of histamine. When choosing between cocaine alone and cocaine followed immediately by histamine, preference increased with histamine dose from indifference to >80% choice of cocaine alone. When choosing between cocaine followed by immediate histamine and cocaine followed by delayed histamine, monkeys showed strong position preferences. When delayed histamine was associated with the nonpreferred position, preference for that option increased with delay from ≤30% to >85%. The corresponding decrease in choice of the preferred position was well described by a hyperboloid discounting function. Histamine can function as a punisher in the choice between injections of cocaine and delay can decrease its effectiveness as a punisher. The effects of delaying punishment of drug self-administration can be conceptualized within the delay discounting framework.

Solar radiation management - on feasibility, side effects, and reaching the 2 degree target

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Korhonen, Hannele; Laakso, Anton; Ekholm, Tommi; Maalick, Zubair; Partanen, Antti-Ilari; Kokkola, Harri; Romakkaniemi, Sami

2015-04-01

Solar radiation management (SRM), i.e. artificially increasing the reflectivity of the Earth, has been suggested as a fast-response, low-cost method to mitigate the impacts of potential rapid future climate change. We have used 1) large eddy simulations as well as an aerosol-climate model and an earth system model to investigate the feasibility and side effects of two types of SRM (marine cloud brightening and stratospheric sulfur injections) and 2) a sequential decision-making approach to determine strategies that combine emission reductions and an uncertain SRM option to limit global mean temperature increase to 2 degree. Regarding stratospheric injections, we find that a large explosive volcanic eruption taking place while SRM is in full force would result in overcooling of the planet, as expected; however, the radiative and climate effects would be clearly smaller than could be expected from the sum of the effects from volcanic eruption alone or SRM alone. In addition, the stratospheric sulphur load would recover from the eruption faster under SRM and natural conditions. If the eruption took place in the high latitudes, the resulting global forcing would be highly dependent on the season of the eruption. Furthermore, regarding marine cloud brightening we find that the spraying of sea water drops leads to cooling due to evaporation and leads to delay in particle dispersion. This delay enhances particle scavenging, and can influence the efficacy of cloud seeding. In terms of combining emission reductions and SRM to reach the 2° C warming target, we find that before the termination risk for SRM can be completely excluded, the acceptable greenhouse gas emission pathways remain only slightly higher than in scenarios without SRM. More generally, the uncertainties in SRM start time, acceptable magnitude and sustainability mean that it can be only a limited substitute to greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions. If an additional constraint for CO2 concentration to mitigate ocean acidification is included, the CO2 emissions need to be rapidly reduced even if strong SRM will become available. However, in such scenarios the reductions for other greenhouse gases are not needed to reach the 2 degree target. Therefore, we conclude that the needs to simultaneously mitigate ocean acidification and temperature increase have important implications on how climatic targets and policies in the presence of uncertain SRM should be framed.

Highly accurate pulse-per-second timing distribution over optical fibre network using VCSEL side-mode injection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wassin, Shukree; Isoe, George M.; Gamatham, Romeo R. G.; Leitch, Andrew W. R.; Gibbon, Tim B.

2017-01-01

Precise and accurate timing signals distributed between a centralized location and several end-users are widely used in both metro-access and speciality networks for Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), GPS satellite systems, banking, very long baseline interferometry and science projects such as SKA radio telescope. Such systems utilize time and frequency technology to ensure phase coherence among data signals distributed across an optical fibre network. For accurate timing requirements, precise time intervals should be measured between successive pulses. In this paper we describe a novel, all optical method for quantifying one-way propagation times and phase perturbations in the fibre length, using pulse-persecond (PPS) signals. The approach utilizes side mode injection of a 1550nm 10Gbps vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) at the remote end. A 125 μs one-way time of flight was accurately measured for 25 km G655 fibre. Since the approach is all-optical, it avoids measurement inaccuracies introduced by electro-optical conversion phase delays. Furthermore, the implementation uses cost effective VCSEL technology and suited to a flexible range of network architectures, supporting a number of end-users conducting measurements at the remote end.

Time dynamics of burst-train filamentation assisted femtosecond laser machining in glasses.

PubMed

Esser, Dagmar; Rezaei, Saeid; Li, Jianzhao; Herman, Peter R; Gottmann, Jens

2011-12-05

Bursts of femtosecond laser pulses with a repetition rate of f = 38.5MHz were created using a purpose-built optical resonator. Single Ti:Sapphire laser pulses, trapped inside a resonator and released into controllable burst profiles by computer generated trigger delays to a fast Pockels cell switch, drove filamentation-assisted laser machining of high aspect ratio holes deep into transparent glasses. The time dynamics of the hole formation and ablation plume physics on 2-ns to 400-ms time scales were examined in time-resolved side-view images recorded with an intensified-CCD camera during the laser machining process. Transient effects of photoluminescence and ablation plume emissions confirm the build-up of heat accumulation effects during the burst train, the formation of laser-generated filaments and plume-shielding effects inside the deeply etched vias. The small time interval between the pulses in the present burst train enabled a more gentle modification in the laser interaction volume that mitigated shock-induced microcracks compared with single pulses.

Neuronal CRTC-1 governs systemic mitochondrial metabolism and lifespan via a catecholamine signal.

PubMed

Burkewitz, Kristopher; Morantte, Ianessa; Weir, Heather J M; Yeo, Robin; Zhang, Yue; Huynh, Frank K; Ilkayeva, Olga R; Hirschey, Matthew D; Grant, Ana R; Mair, William B

2015-02-26

Low energy states delay aging in multiple species, yet mechanisms coordinating energetics and longevity across tissues remain poorly defined. The conserved energy sensor AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and its corresponding phosphatase calcineurin modulate longevity via the CREB regulated transcriptional coactivator (CRTC)-1 in C. elegans. We show that CRTC-1 specifically uncouples AMPK/calcineurin-mediated effects on lifespan from pleiotropic side effects by reprogramming mitochondrial and metabolic function. This pro-longevity metabolic state is regulated cell nonautonomously by CRTC-1 in the nervous system. Neuronal CRTC-1/CREB regulates peripheral metabolism antagonistically with the functional PPARα ortholog, NHR-49, drives mitochondrial fragmentation in distal tissues, and suppresses the effects of AMPK on systemic mitochondrial metabolism and longevity via a cell-nonautonomous catecholamine signal. These results demonstrate that while both local and distal mechanisms combine to modulate aging, distal regulation overrides local contribution. Targeting central perception of energetic state is therefore a potential strategy to promote healthy aging. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Neuronal CRTC-1 governs systemic mitochondrial metabolism and lifespan via a catecholamine signal

PubMed Central

Burkewitz, Kristopher; Morantte, Ianessa; Weir, Heather J.M.; Yeo, Robin; Zhang, Yue; Huynh, Frank K.; Ilkayeva, Olga R.; Hirschey, Matthew D.; Grant, Ana R.; Mair, William B.

2015-01-01

SUMMARY Low energy states delay aging in multiple species, yet mechanisms coordinating energetics and longevity across tissues remain poorly defined. The conserved energy sensor AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and its corresponding phosphatase calcineurin modulate longevity via the CREB regulated transcriptional coactivator (CRTC)-1 in C. elegans. We show that CRTC-1 specifically uncouples AMPK/calcineurin-mediated effects on lifespan from pleiotropic side effects by reprogramming mitochondrial and metabolic function. This pro-longevity metabolic state is regulated cell-nonautonomously by CRTC-1 in the nervous system. Neuronal CRTC-1/CREB regulates peripheral metabolism antagonistically with the functional PPARα ortholog, NHR-49, drives mitochondrial fragmentation in distal tissues, and suppresses the effects of AMPK on systemic mitochondrial metabolism and longevity via a cell-nonautonomous catecholamine signal. These results demonstrate that while both local and distal mechanisms combine to modulate aging, distal regulation overrides local contribution. Targeting central perception of energetic state is therefore a potential strategy to promote healthy aging. PMID:25723162

Defect-free erbium silicide formation using an ultrathin Ni interlayer.

PubMed

Choi, Juyun; Choi, Seongheum; Kang, Yu-Seon; Na, Sekwon; Lee, Hoo-Jeong; Cho, Mann-Ho; Kim, Hyoungsub

2014-08-27

An ultrathin Ni interlayer (∼1 nm) was introduced between a TaN-capped Er film and a Si substrate to prevent the formation of surface defects during thermal Er silicidation. A nickel silicide interfacial layer formed at low temperatures and incurred uniform nucleation and the growth of a subsequently formed erbium silicide film, effectively inhibiting the generation of recessed-type surface defects and improving the surface roughness. As a side effect, the complete transformation of Er to erbium silicide was somewhat delayed, and the electrical contact property at low annealing temperatures was dominated by the nickel silicide phase with a high Schottky barrier height. After high-temperature annealing, the early-formed interfacial layer interacted with the growing erbium silicide, presumably forming an erbium silicide-rich Er-Si-Ni mixture. As a result, the electrical contact property reverted to that of the low-resistive erbium silicide/Si contact case, which warrants a promising source/drain contact application for future high-performance metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors.

Effects of amphetamine on delay discounting in rats depend upon the manner in which delay is varied

PubMed Central

Maguire, David R; Henson, Cedric; France, Charles P

2014-01-01

Whether stimulant drugs like amphetamine increase or decrease choice of larger delayed reinforcers over smaller immediately available reinforcers under delay discounting procedures can depend on several factors, including the order in which delay is presented. This study examined whether the order of delay presentation impacts drug effects on discounting in rats (n=8) trained and tested under an ascending order, a descending order, as well as under a fixed delay condition. Responses on one lever delivered 1 food pellet immediately and responses on the other lever delivered 3 food pellets immediately or after a delay (4–32 s). In Experiment 1, the delay to the larger reinforcer varied within session and the order of delay presentation (ascending or descending) varied across conditions. In Experiment 2, the same delay value was presented in all blocks of the session (i.e., delay was fixed), and delay varied across phases. Under the ascending order of delay, amphetamine (0.32–1.78 mg/kg) increased choice of the larger reinforcer in some rats and decreased choice in others. In the same rats responding under the descending and fixed delay conditions, amphetamine markedly decreased choice of the larger reinforcer even in the component associated with no delay. In some subjects, the effects of amphetamine differed depending on the manner in which delay was presented, indicating that drug-induced changes in performance were due, in part, to mechanisms other than altered sensitivity to reinforcer delay. These results also suggest that a history of responding under both orders of delay presentation can modulate drug effects. PMID:24780379

Effects of Acute and Chronic Cocaine Administration on Titrating-Delay Matching-to-Sample Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kangas, Brian D.; Branch, Marc N.

2012-01-01

The effects of cocaine were examined under a titrating-delay matching-to-sample procedure. In this procedure, the delay between sample stimulus offset and comparison stimuli onset adjusts as a function of the subject's performance. Specifically, matches increase the delay and mismatches decrease the delay. Titrated delay values served as the…

Vortical flow management for improved configuration aerodynamics: Recent experiences

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rao, D. M.

1983-01-01

Recent progress in vortex-control applications for alleviating the adverse consequences of three dimensional separation and vortical interactions on slender body/swept wing configurations is reported. Examples include helical separation trip to alleviate the side force due to forebody vortex asymmetry; hinged strakes to avoid vortex breakdown effects; compartmentation of swept leading edge separation to delay the pitch-up instability; under wing vortex trip and vortex trip and vortex flaps for drag reduction at high lift; and an apex-flap trimmer to fully utilize the lift capability of trailing-edge flaps for take off and landing of delta wings. Experimental results on generic wind-tunnel models are presented to illustrate the vortex-management concepts involved and to indicate their potential for enhancing the subsonic aerodynamics of supersonic-cruise type vehicles.

Stability and performance tradeoffs in bi-lateral telemanipulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hannaford, Blake

1989-01-01

Kinesthetic force feedback provides measurable increase in remote manipulation system performance. Intensive computation time requirements or operation under conditions of time delay can cause serious stability problems in control-system design. Here, a simplified linear analysis of this stability problem is presented for the forward-flow generalized architecture, applying the hybrid two-port representation to express the loop gain of the traditional master-slave architecture, which can be subjected to similar analysis. The hybrid two-port representation is also used to express the effects on the fidelity of manipulation or feel of one design approach used to stabilize the forward-flow architecture. The results suggest that, when local force feedback at the slave side is used to reduce manipulator stability problems, a price is paid in terms of telemanipulation fidelity.

At the Intersection of Networks and Highly Interactive Online Games

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Armitage, Grenville

The game industry continues to evolves its techniques for extracting the most realistic 'immersion' experience for players given the vagaries on best-effort Internet service. A key challenge for service providers is understanding the characteristics of traffic imposed on networks by games, and their service quality requirements. Interactive online games are particularly susceptible to the side effects of other non-interactive (or delay- and loss-tolerant) traffic sharing next- generation access links. This creates challenges out toward the edges, where high-speed home LANs squeeze through broadband consumer access links to reach the Internet. In this chapter we identify a range of research work exploring many issues associated with the intersection of highly interactive games and the Internet, and hopefully stimulate some further thinking along these lines.

Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome type B and left bundle-branch block: electrophysiologic and radionuclide study

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

Rakovec, P.; Kranjec, I.; Fettich, J.J.

1985-01-01

Coinciding left bundle-branch block and Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome type B, a very rare electrocardiographic occurrence, was found in a patient with dilated cardiomyopathy. Electrophysiologic study revealed eccentric retrograde atrial activation during ventricular pacing, suggesting right-sided accessory pathway. At programmed atrial pacing, effective refractory period of the accessory pathway was 310 ms; at shorter pacing coupling intervals, normal atrioventricular conduction with left bundle-branch block was seen. Left bundle-branch block was seen also with His bundle pacing. Radionuclide phase imaging demonstrated right ventricular phase advance and left ventricular phase delay; both right and left ventricular phase images revealed broad phase distribution histograms. Combinedmore » electrophysiologic and radionuclide investigations are useful to disclose complex conduction abnormalities and their mechanical correlates.« less

Angiomatous reaction Kaposi-sarcoma-like as a side effect of topical corticosteroid therapy in lichen sclerosus of the penis.

PubMed

Catricalà, Caterina; Marenda, Samantha; Muscardin, Luca Maria; Donati, Pietro; Lepri, Andrea; Eibenschutz, Laura

2009-01-01

Lichen sclerosus (LS) is a chronic inflammatory skin condition usually located in the anogenital area. Topical corticosteroid therapy is the first choice treatment which may arrest or delay the progression of the disorder. We report the case of a 74-year-old man presented with a 6-month history of nodular lesions localized on penis. The man had a previous history of genital lesions that had been diagnosed as LS and treated with long-term topical corticosteroid therapy. After 3 months of corticosteroid therapy, the patient observed the appearance of several nodular erythematous lesions on the penis with progressive disappearance of the clinical symptoms of LS. These purple to red asymptomatic angiomatoid nodules resembled the clinical features of Kaposi sarcoma.

Effects of dopamine D1 modulation of the anterior cingulate cortex in a fear conditioning procedure

PubMed Central

Pezze, M.A.; Marshall, H.J.; Domonkos, A.; Cassaday, H.J.

2016-01-01

The anterior cingulate cortex (AC) component of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) has been implicated in attention and working memory as measured by trace conditioning. Since dopamine (DA) is a key modulator of mPFC function, the present study evaluated the role of DA receptor agents in rat AC, using trace fear conditioning. A conditioned stimulus (CS, noise) was followed by an unconditioned stimulus (US, shock) with or without a 10 s trace interval interposed between these events in a between-subjects design. Conditioned suppression of drinking was assessed in response to presentation of the CS or an experimental background stimulus (flashing lights, previously presented for the duration of the conditioning session). The selective D1 agonist SKF81297 (0.05 μg/side) or D1 antagonist SCH23390 (0.5 μg/side) was administered by intra-cerebral microinfusion directly into AC. It was predicted that either of these manipulations should be sufficient to impair trace (but not delay) conditioning. Counter to expectation, there was no effect of DA D1 modulation on trace conditioning as measured by suppression to the noise CS. However, rats infused with SKF81297 acquired stronger conditioned suppression to the experimental background stimulus than those infused with SCH23390 or saline. Thus, the DA D1 agonist SKF81297 increased conditioned suppression to the contextual background light stimulus but was otherwise without effect on fear conditioning. PMID:26343307

Willow Leaves' Extracts Contain Anti-Tumor Agents Effective against Three Cell Types

PubMed Central

El-Shemy, Hany A.; Aboul-Enein, Ahmed M.; Aboul-Enein, Khalid Mostafa; Fujita, Kounosuke

2007-01-01

Many higher plants contain novel metabolites with antimicrobial, antifungal and antiviral properties. However, in the developed world almost all clinically used chemotherapeutics have been produced by in vitro chemical synthesis. Exceptions, like taxol and vincristine, were structurally complex metabolites that were difficult to synthesize in vitro. Many non-natural, synthetic drugs cause severe side effects that were not acceptable except as treatments of last resort for terminal diseases such as cancer. The metabolites discovered in medicinal plants may avoid the side effect of synthetic drugs, because they must accumulate within living cells. The aim here was to test an aqueous extract from the young developing leaves of willow (Salix safsaf, Salicaceae) trees for activity against human carcinoma cells in vivo and in vitro. In vivo Ehrlich Ascites Carcinoma Cells (EACC) were injected into the intraperitoneal cavity of mice. The willow extract was fed via stomach tube. The (EACC) derived tumor growth was reduced by the willow extract and death was delayed (for 35 days). In vitro the willow extract could kill the majority (75%–80%) of abnormal cells among primary cells harvested from seven patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and 13 with AML (acute myeloid leukemia). DNA fragmentation patterns within treated cells inferred targeted cell death by apoptosis had occurred. The metabolites within the willow extract may act as tumor inhibitors that promote apoptosis, cause DNA damage, and affect cell membranes and/or denature proteins. PMID:17264881

Attention is captured by distractors that uniquely correspond to controlled objects: an analysis of movement trajectories.

PubMed

Miles, James D; Proctor, Robert W

2015-04-01

When reaching for a particular target, movements tend to deviate toward distractors. Previously, we have shown that cursor movements deviate to a greater degree toward distractors when the distractor color corresponds to that of the cursor and the target color does not, even when this relationship is task-irrelevant (Miles & Proctor, 2011). In the present study, we investigated whether this correspondence effect is due to attention capture or to the activation of responses based on the task response rules associated with the colors of the distractor and target (viz. a flanker effect). Participants moved a central rectangular cursor to an upper left or upper right location, depending on the cursor color. The colors of the target (correct response side) and distractor (incorrect response side) were independent from one another and were either corresponding or noncorresponding with respect to the cursor color. In Experiment 1, reaction times were delayed when the distractor color corresponded to that of the cursor, but only when the target color did not correspond to the cursor color. No color correspondence effect was found for movement trajectories or movement times. However, in Experiment 2, when responses were time-pressured, initial movements toward the distractor were much more common when the distractor color exclusively corresponded to the cursor color. On the basis of these results, we argue that attention capture best explains the increased tendency to move a controlled object to a distractor that uniquely shares its features.

Delay time and Hartman effect in strain engineered graphene

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

Chen, Xi, E-mail: xchen@shu.edu.cn; Deng, Zhi-Yong; Ban, Yue, E-mail: yban@shu.edu.cn

2014-05-07

Tunneling times, including group delay and dwell time, are studied for massless Dirac electrons transmitting through a one-dimensional barrier in strain-engineered graphene. The Hartman effect, the independence of group delay on barrier length, is induced by the strain effect, and associated with the transmission gap and the evanescent mode. The influence of barrier height/length and strain modulus/direction on the group delay is also discussed, which provides the flexibility to control the group delay with applications in graphene-based devices. The relationship between group delay and dwell time is finally derived to clarify the nature of the Hartman effect.

Mechanisms of right ventricular electromechanical dyssynchrony and mechanical inefficiency in children after repair of tetralogy of fallot.

PubMed

Hui, Wei; Slorach, Cameron; Dragulescu, Andreea; Mertens, Luc; Bijnens, Bart; Friedberg, Mark K

2014-07-01

Right bundle branch block and right ventricular (RV) dysfunction are common after tetralogy of Fallot repair (rTOF). We hypothesized that right bundle branch block is associated with specific RV mechanical dyssynchrony and inefficient contraction. We studied rTOF children and age-matched controls. QRS duration and morphology were assessed. RV mechanical dyssynchrony, indicated by early septal activation (right-sided septal flash), RV lateral wall prestretch/late contraction, postsystolic shortening, and intraventricular delay were analyzed using 2-dimensional strain echocardiography. Peak oxygen consumption reflected exercise capacity. Pulmonary regurgitation and RV volumes were assessed by MRI. Forty-six rTOF patients and 46 controls were studied. Ninety-three percent of rTOF patients demonstrated a right-sided septal flash with simultaneous RV basal lateral wall prestretch/late activation. The RV basal segment was the most delayed in onset (115 [0-194] versus 35 [0-96] ms) and termination (462 [369-706] versus 412 [325-529] ms) of longitudinal shortening, with postsystolic shortening. QRS duration correlated with RV basal time to onset and peak shortening (P<0.05). Intra-RV delay was higher in rTOF (P<0.05) in association with RV dilatation (r=0.33; P=0.04). In rTOF, RV mechanics were inefficient, with prestretch and postsystolic shortening comprising 15±11% and 16±9% of total shortening, respectively. A composite parameter of electric and mechanical dyssynchrony correlated with RV end-diastolic volume (r=0.39; P=0.03). Typical electromechanical dyssynchrony associated with mechanical inefficiency, regional dysfunction, and RV dilatation is common in rTOF children, possibly contributing to progressive RV dysfunction. The potential of cardiac resynchronization in appropriate patients requires further study. © 2014 American Heart Association, Inc.

Reverse distal femoral locking compression plate a salvage option in nonunion of proximal femoral fractures.

PubMed

Dumbre Patil, Sampat S; Karkamkar, Sachin S; Patil, Vaishali S Dumbre; Patil, Shailesh S; Ranaware, Abhijeet S

2016-01-01

When primary fixation of proximal femoral fractures with implants fails, revision osteosynthesis may be challenging. Tracts of previous implants and remaining insufficient bone stock in the proximal femur pose unique problems for the treatment. Intramedullary implants like proximal femoral nail (PFN) or surface implants like Dynamic Condylar Screw (DCS) are few of the described implants for revision surgery. There is no evidence in the literature to choose one implant over the other. We used the reverse distal femur locking compression plate (LCP) of the contralateral side in such cases undergoing revision surgery. This implant has multiple options of fixation in proximal femur and its curvature along the length matches the anterior bow of the femur. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of this implant in salvage situations. Twenty patients of failed primary proximal femoral fractures who underwent revision surgery with reverse distal femoral locking plate from February 2009 to November 2012 were included in this retrospective study. There were 18 subtrochanteric fractures and two ipsilateral femoral neck and shaft fractures, which exhibited delayed union or nonunion. The study included 14 males and six females. The mean patient age was 43.6 years (range 22-65 years) and mean followup period was 52.1 months (range 27-72 months). Delayed union was considered when clinical and radiological signs of union failed to progress at the end of four months from initial surgery. All fractures exhibited union without any complications. Union was assessed clinically and radiologically. One case of ipsilateral femoral neck and shaft fracture required bone grafting at the second stage for delayed union of the femoral shaft fracture. Reverse distal femoral LCP of the contralateral side can be used as a salvage option for failed fixation of proximal femoral fractures exhibiting nonunion.

Delayed manifestation of bilateral scleral thinning after I-BRITE® procedure and review of literature for cosmetic eye-whitening procedures

PubMed Central

Moshirfar, Majid; McCaughey, Michael V; Fenzl, Carlton R; Santiago-Caban, Luis; Kramer, Gregory D; Mamalis, Nick

2015-01-01

Purpose To report a case of delayed-onset bilateral scleral thinning and calcium deposition following a cosmetic ocular-whitening procedure (I-BRITE®). Methods A 33-year-old male patient with a history of right-sided ptosis repair and left-sided anterior uveitis had previously undergone bilateral I-BRITE treatment for chronic conjunctival hyperemia. Four years after the procedure, the patient was referred to our institution with bilateral scleral thinning and overlying calcific depositions. A literature review was performed through PubMed from 1980 through 2014 using the search terms ‘cosmetic’, ‘ocular’, ‘conjunctivectomy’, ‘regional conjunctivectomy’, ‘I-BRITE’, ‘eye-whitening’, ‘scleritis’, ‘necrotizing scleritis’, ‘anterior uveitis’, ‘mitomycin C’, ‘5-fluorouracil’, and ‘bevacizumab’, along with associated cross-referencing from relevant articles. Results Examination of the patient revealed bilateral necrotizing scleritis within the nasal region of both eyes. Calcified plaques were also present within the areas of scleromalacia, along with epithelial defects demonstrated with fluorescein staining. Although evidence of previous intraocular inflammation was apparent within the left eye, there were no active signs of inflammation evident within either eye on initial presentation. Complication rates reported in the literature include: scleral thinning (1.8%), calcific plaque formation (2.9%), fibrovascular proliferation (13%), diplopia (1.2%), elevation of intraocular pressure (4.2%), and recurrence of conjunctival hyperemia (2.1%). Conclusion Cosmetic ocular whitening procedures have an attendant high complication rate, and have been associated with several adverse postoperative complications, which have in turn generated several reservations regarding the veritable benefit of the procedure. Many postsurgical complications may demonstrate delayed apparition, varying from several months to several years after primary surgical intervention as in the case reported here. PMID:25784790

Delayed manifestation of bilateral scleral thinning after I-BRITE(®) procedure and review of literature for cosmetic eye-whitening procedures.

PubMed

Moshirfar, Majid; McCaughey, Michael V; Fenzl, Carlton R; Santiago-Caban, Luis; Kramer, Gregory D; Mamalis, Nick

2015-01-01

To report a case of delayed-onset bilateral scleral thinning and calcium deposition following a cosmetic ocular-whitening procedure (I-BRITE(®)). A 33-year-old male patient with a history of right-sided ptosis repair and left-sided anterior uveitis had previously undergone bilateral I-BRITE treatment for chronic conjunctival hyperemia. Four years after the procedure, the patient was referred to our institution with bilateral scleral thinning and overlying calcific depositions. A literature review was performed through PubMed from 1980 through 2014 using the search terms 'cosmetic', 'ocular', 'conjunctivectomy', 'regional conjunctivectomy', 'I-BRITE', 'eye-whitening', 'scleritis', 'necrotizing scleritis', 'anterior uveitis', 'mitomycin C', '5-fluorouracil', and 'bevacizumab', along with associated cross-referencing from relevant articles. Examination of the patient revealed bilateral necrotizing scleritis within the nasal region of both eyes. Calcified plaques were also present within the areas of scleromalacia, along with epithelial defects demonstrated with fluorescein staining. Although evidence of previous intraocular inflammation was apparent within the left eye, there were no active signs of inflammation evident within either eye on initial presentation. Complication rates reported in the literature include: scleral thinning (1.8%), calcific plaque formation (2.9%), fibrovascular proliferation (13%), diplopia (1.2%), elevation of intraocular pressure (4.2%), and recurrence of conjunctival hyperemia (2.1%). Cosmetic ocular whitening procedures have an attendant high complication rate, and have been associated with several adverse postoperative complications, which have in turn generated several reservations regarding the veritable benefit of the procedure. Many postsurgical complications may demonstrate delayed apparition, varying from several months to several years after primary surgical intervention as in the case reported here.

Attention and material-specific memory in children with lateralized epilepsy.

PubMed

Engle, Jennifer A; Smith, Mary Lou

2010-01-01

Epilepsy is frequently associated with attention and memory problems. In adults, lateralization of seizure focus impacts the type of memory affected (left-sided lesions primarily impact verbal memory, while right-sided lesions primarily impact visual memory), but the relationship between seizure focus and the nature of the memory impairment is less clear in children. The current study examines the correlation between parent-reported attention problems and material-specific memory (verbal or visual-spatial) in 65 children (ages 6-16) with medically intractable lateralized epilepsy. There were no significant differences in attention and memory between those with left-lateralized epilepsy (n=25) and those with right-lateralized epilepsy (n=40). However, in the left-lateralized group attention problems were significantly negatively correlated only with delayed visual memory (r=-.450, p<.05), while the right-lateralized group demonstrated the opposite pattern (attention problems significantly negatively correlated with delayed verbal memory; r=-.331, p<.05). These findings suggest that lateralization of seizure focus may in fact impact children's memory in a material-specific manner, while problems with attention may impact memory more globally. Therefore, interventions designed to improve attention in children with epilepsy may have utility in improving certain aspects of memory, but further suggest that in children with lateralized epilepsy, material-specific memory deficits may not resolve with such interventions.

Isolating behavioral mechanisms of intertemporal choice: nicotine effects on delay discounting and amount sensitivity.

PubMed

Locey, Matthew L; Dallery, Jesse

2009-03-01

Many drugs of abuse produce changes in impulsive choice, that is, choice for a smaller-sooner reinforcer over a larger-later reinforcer. Because the alternatives differ in both delay and amount, it is not clear whether these drug effects are due to the differences in reinforcer delay or amount. To isolate the effects of delay, we used a titrating delay procedure. In phase 1, 9 rats made discrete choices between variable delays (1 or 19 s, equal probability of each) and a delay to a single food pellet. The computer titrated the delay to a single food pellet until the rats were indifferent between the two options. This indifference delay was used as the starting value for the titrating delay for all future sessions. We next evaluated the acute effects of nicotine (subcutaneous 1.0, 0.3, 0.1, and 0.03 mg/kg) on choice. If nicotine increases delay discounting, it should have increased preference for the variable delay. Instead, nicotine had very little effect on choice. In a second phase, the titrated delay alternative produced three food pellets instead of one, which was again produced by the variable delay (1 s or 19 s) alternative. Under this procedure, nicotine increased preference for the one pellet alternative. Nicotine-induced changes in impulsive choice are therefore likely due to differences in reinforcer amount rather than differences in reinforcer delay. In addition, it may be necessary to include an amount sensitivity parameter in any mathematical model of choice when the alternatives differ in reinforcer amount.

Treatment reduction for children and young adults with low-risk acute lymphoblastic leukaemia defined by minimal residual disease (UKALL 2003): a randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

Vora, Ajay; Goulden, Nick; Wade, Rachel; Mitchell, Chris; Hancock, Jeremy; Hough, Rachael; Rowntree, Clare; Richards, Sue

2013-03-01

Minimal residual disease (MRD) is the most sensitive and specific predictor of relapse risk in children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) during remission. We assessed whether treatment intensity could be adjusted for children and young adults according to MRD risk stratification. Between Oct 1, 2003 and June 30, 2011, consecutive children and young adults (aged 1-25 years) with ALL from the UK and Ireland were recruited. Eligible patients were categorised into clinical standard, intermediate, and high risk groups on the basis of a combination of National Cancer Institute (NCI) criteria, cytogenetics, and early response to induction therapy, which was assessed by bone marrow blast counts taken at days 8 (NCI high-risk patients) and 15 (NCI standard-risk patients) after induction began. Clinical standard-risk and intermediate-risk patients were assessed for MRD. Those classified as MRD low risk (undetectable MRD at the end of induction [day 29] or detectable MRD at day 29 that became undetectable by week 11) were randomly assigned to receive one or two delayed intensification courses. Patients had received induction, consolidation, and interim maintenance therapy before they began delayed intensification. Delayed intensification consisted of pegylated asparaginase on day 4; vincristine, dexamethasone (alternate weeks), and doxorubicin for 3 weeks; and 4 weeks of cyclophosphamide and cytarabine. Computer randomisation was done with stratification by MRD result and balancing for sex, age, and white blood cell count at diagnosis by method of minimisation. Patients, clinicians, and data analysts were not masked to treatment allocation. The primary outcome was event-free survival (EFS), which was defined as time to relapse, secondary tumour, or death. Our aim was to rule out a 7% reduction in EFS in the group given one delayed intensification course relative to that given two delayed intensification courses. Analyses were by intention to treat. This trial is registered, number ISRCTN07355119. Of 3207 patients registered in the trial overall, 521 MRD low-risk patients were randomly assigned to receive one (n=260) or two (n=261) delayed intensification courses. Median follow-up of these patients was 57 months (IQR 42-72). We recorded no significant difference in EFS between the group given one delayed intensification (94·4% at 5 years, 95% CI 91·1-97·7) and that given two delayed intensifications (95·5%, 92·8-98·2; unadjusted odds ratio 1·00, 95% CI 0·43-2·31; two-sided p=0·99). The difference in 5-year EFS between the two groups was 1·1% (95% CI -5·6 to 2·5). 11 patients (actuarial relapse at 5 years 5·6%, 95% CI 2·3-8·9) given one delayed intensification and six (2·4%, 0·2-4·6) given two delayed intensifications relapsed (p=0·23). Three patients (1·2%, 0-2·6) given two delayed intensifications died of treatment-related causes compared with none in the group given one delayed intensification (p=0·08). We recorded no significant difference between groups for serious adverse events and grade 3 or 4 toxic effects; however, the second delayed intensification course was associated with one (<1%) treatment-related death, and 74 episodes of grade 3 or 4 toxic effects in 45 patients (17%). Treatment reduction is feasible for children and young adults with ALL who are predicted to have a low risk of relapse on the basis of rapid clearance of MRD by the end of induction therapy. Medical Research Council and Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Intranasal treatment with a novel immunomodulator mediates innate immune protection against lethal pneumonia virus of mice.

PubMed

Martinez, Elisa C; Garg, Ravendra; Shrivastava, Pratima; Gomis, Susantha; van Drunen Littel-van den Hurk, Sylvia

2016-11-01

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the leading cause of acute lower respiratory tract infections in infants and young children. There are no licensed RSV vaccines available, and the few treatment options for high-risk individuals are either extremely costly or cause severe side effects and toxicity. Immunomodulation mediated by a novel formulation consisting of the toll-like receptor 3 agonist poly(I:C), an innate defense regulator peptide and a polyphosphazene (P-I-P) was evaluated in the context of lethal infection with pneumonia virus of mice (PVM). Intranasal delivery of a single dose of P-I-P protected adult mice against PVM when given 24 h prior to challenge. These animals experienced minimal weight loss, no clinical disease, 100% survival, and reduced lung pathology. Similar clinical outcomes were observed in mice treated up to 3 days prior to infection. P-I-P pre-treatment induced early mRNA and protein expression of key chemokine and cytokine genes, reduced the recruitment of neutrophils and eosinophils, decreased virus titers in the lungs, and modulated the delayed exacerbated nature of PVM disease without any short-term side effects. On day 14 post-infection, P-I-P-treated mice were confirmed to be PVM-free. These results demonstrate the capacity of this formulation to prevent PVM and possibly other viral respiratory infections. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Is delayed surgery related to worse outcomes in native left-sided endocarditis?

PubMed

Tepsuwan, Thitipong; Rimsukcharoenchai, Chartaroon; Tantraworasin, Apichat; Woragidpoonpol, Surin; Schuarattanapong, Suphachai; Nawarawong, Weerachai

2016-05-01

Timing of surgery in the management of infective endocarditis is controversial, and there is still no definite conclusion on how early the surgery should be performed. This study focuses on the outcomes of surgery during the active period of infective endocarditis in consideration of the duration after diagnosis. One hundred and thirty-four patients with active native valve infective endocarditis who underwent surgery from January 2006 to December 2013 were reviewed retrospectively. They were divided in 2 groups based on timing of surgery: early group (first week after diagnosis, n = 37) and delayed group (2 to 6 weeks after diagnosis, n = 97). Compared to the delayed group, the early group had significantly more patients in New York Heart Association class IV (81% vs. 43.3%), more mechanically ventilated (54.1% vs. 18.6%), more on inotropic support (62.2% vs. 38.1%), and hence a worse EuroSCORE II (14.8% vs. 8.8%). Operative mortality was comparable (5.4% vs. 10.3%) and 7-year survival was similar (77.4% vs. 74.6%). On multivariable regression analysis, delayed surgery did not impact on short- and long-term outcomes. Preoperative cardiac arrest and infection with Haemophilus, Actinobacillus, Cardiobacterium, Eikenella, or Kingella were risk factors for higher operative mortality. Predictors of poor 7-year survival were diabetes mellitus and acute renal failure. Delayed surgery is not associated with worse outcomes. Both early and delayed approaches are safe and provide acceptable results. Timing of surgery should be tailored to each patient's clinical status, not based on duration of endocarditis alone. © The Author(s) 2016.

No blank slates: Pre-existing schemas about pharmaceuticals predict memory for side effects.

PubMed

Heller, Monika K; Chapman, Sarah C E; Horne, Rob

2017-04-01

Attribution of symptoms as medication side effects is informed by pre-existing beliefs about medicines and perceptions of personal sensitivity to their effects (pharmaceutical schemas). We tested whether (1) pharmaceutical schemas were associated with memory (recall/recognition) for side effect information (2) memory explained the attribution of a common unrelated symptom as a side effect. In this analogue study participants saw the patient leaflet of a fictitious asthma drug listing eight side effects. We measured recall and recognition memory for side effects and used a vignette to test whether participants attributed an unlisted common symptom (headache) as a side effect. Participants who perceived pharmaceuticals as more harmful in general recalled fewer side effects correctly (r Correct Recall  = -.273), were less able to differentiate between listed and unlisted side effects (r Recognition Sensitivity  = -.256) and were more likely to attribute the unlisted headache symptom as a side effect (r side effect attribution  = .381, ps < .01). The effect of harm beliefs on side effect attribution was partially mediated by correct recall of side effects. Pharmaceutical schemas are associated with memory for side effect information. Memory may explain part of the association between pharmaceutical schemas and the attribution of unrelated symptoms as side effects.

The spacing effect in immediate and delayed free recall.

PubMed

Godbole, Namrata R; Delaney, Peter F; Verkoeijen, Peter P J L

2014-01-01

Spacing repetitions improves learning relative to massing repetitions (the spacing effect). While most studies have examined the spacing effect at short retention intervals, there are contradictory claims about its fate at a delay. Certain empirical findings suggest that the spacing effect persists at a delay. However, a recent theoretical account proposes that in free recall the spacing effect should disappear at a delay. The few studies that have examined the spacing effect at a delay are sub-optimally designed, preventing an unbiased conclusion. The current study used incidental learning and controlled recency and encoding strategy in order to examine the effect of delay on the recall of spaced items within a free recall paradigm. The results demonstrated that the spacing effect persists after a delay. The results point to an important dissociation between intentional forgetting and context-change designs (which produce more forgetting of spaced than massed items) and the passage of time (which produces similar forgetting of spaced and massed items).

Aerodynamic Loads on an External Store Adjacent to a 45 Degree Sweptback Wing at Mach Numbers from 0.70 to 1.96, Including an Evaluation of Techniques Used

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Guy, Lawrence D; Hadaway, William M

1955-01-01

Aerodynamic forces and moments have been obtained in the Langley 9- by 12-inch blowdown tunnel on an external store and on a 45 degree swept-back wing-body combination measured separately at Mach numbers from 0.70 to 1.96. The wing was cantilevered and had an aspect ratio of 4.0; the store was independently sting-mounted and had a Douglas Aircraft Co. (DAC) store shape. The angle of attack range was from -3 degrees to 12 degrees and the Reynolds number (based on wing mean aerodynamic chord) varied from 1.2 x10(6) to 1.7 x 10(6). Wing-body transonic forces and moments have been compared with data of a geometrically similar full-scale model tested in the Langley 16-foot and 8-foot transonic tunnels in order to aid in the evaluation of transonic-tunnel interference. The principal effect of the store, for the position tested, was that of delaying the wing-fuselage pitch-up tendency to higher angles of attack at Mach numbers from 0.70 to 0.90 in a manner similar to that of a wing chord extension. The most critical loading condition on the store was that due to side force, not only because the loads were of large magnitude but also because they were in the direction of least structural strength of the supporting pylon. These side loads were greatest at high angles of attack in the supersonic speed range. Removal of the supporting pylon (or increasing the gap between the store and wing) reduced the values of the variation of side-force coefficientwith angle of attack by about 50 percent at all test Mach numbers, indicating that important reductions in store side force may be realized by proper design or location of the necessary supporting pylon. A change of the store skew angle (nose inboard) was found to relieve the excessive store side loads throughout the Mach number range. It was also determined that the relative position of the fuselage nose to the store can appreciably affect the store side forces at supersonic speeds.

A Self-Synchronized Optoelectronic Oscillator based on an RTD Photo-Detector and a Laser Diode

PubMed Central

Romeira, Bruno; Seunarine, Kris; Ironside, Charles N.; Kelly, Anthony E.; Figueiredo, José M. L.

2013-01-01

We propose and demonstrate a simple and stable low-phase noise optoelectronic oscillator (OEO) that uses a laser diode, an optical fiber delay line and a resonant tunneling diode (RTD) free-running oscillator that is monolithic integrated with a waveguide photo-detector. The RTD-OEO exhibits single-side band phase noise power below −100 dBc/Hz with more than 30 dB noise suppression at 10 kHz from the center free-running frequency for fiber loop lengths around 1.2 km. The oscillator power consumption is below 0.55 W, and can be controlled either by the injected optical power or the fiber delay line. The RTD-OEO stability is achieved without using other high-speed optical/optoelectronic components and amplification. PMID:23814452

Relationship between clinical variables and cognitive performances in migraineurs with and without aura.

PubMed

Le Pira, Francesco; Lanaia, Filippo; Zappalà, Giuseppe; Morana, Rosanna; Panetta, Maria Rosa; Reggio, Ester; Reggio, Arturo

2004-01-01

Conflicting data on cognitive defects in migraine could be explained by differences in the clinical variables of the populations studied. We investigated 21 patients with migraine with aura and 24 with migraine without aura, diagnosed according to the International Headache Society criteria. The patients were submitted to a comprehensive battery of neuropsychological tests and grouped according to attack frequency and side of pain. Attack frequency was not associated with significant differences in any of the tasks, while location of pain was found to be significantly related to poorer performance on both the immediate and delayed recall of Rey Complex Figure in migraineurs both with and without aura, and a significant relationship between side of pain and number of clusters in the second trial of California Verbal Learning Test was found only in migraine with aura patients. The finding of worse performances in patients with right-sided pain seems to support a right hemisphere dysfunction hypothesis.

Dairy milk fat augments paclitaxel therapy to suppress tumour metastasis in mice, and protects against the side-effects of chemotherapy.

PubMed

Sun, Xueying; Zhang, Jie; Gupta, Rita; Macgibbon, Alastair K H; Kuhn-Sherlock, Barbara; Krissansen, Geoffrey W

2011-10-01

Milk fat is a natural product containing essential nutrients as well as fatty acids and other food factors with reported anti-cancer potential. Here bovine milk fat was tested for its ability to inhibit the growth of breast and colon cancers and their metastasis to the lung and liver; either alone or in combination with the chemotherapeutic agent paclitaxel. A diet containing 5% typical anhydrous milk fat (representing ~70% of the total dietary fat component) fed to Balb/c mice delayed the appearance of subcutaneous 4T1 breast and CT26 colon cancer tumours and inhibited their metastasis to the lung and liver, when compared to the control diet containing soybean oil as the only fat component. It augmented the inhibitory effects of paclitaxel on tumour growth and metastasis, and reduced the microvessel density of tumours. It displayed no apparent organ toxicity, but instead was beneficial for well-being of tumour-bearing mice by maintaining gastrocnemius muscle and epididymal adipose tissue that were otherwise depleted by cachexia. The milk fat diet ameliorated gut damage caused by paclitaxel in non-tumour-bearing mice, as evidenced by retention of jejunal morphology, villi length and intestinal γ-glutamyl transpeptidase activity, and inhibition of crypt apoptosis. It prevented loss of red and white blood cells due to both cancer-mediated immunosuppression and the cytotoxic effects of chemotherapy. The present study warrants the use of milk fat as an adjuvant to inhibit tumour metastasis during cancer chemotherapy, and to spare patients from the debilitating side-effects of cytotoxic drugs.

Right anterior cerebellum BOLD responses reflect age related changes in Simon task sequential effects.

PubMed

Aisenberg, D; Sapir, A; Close, A; Henik, A; d'Avossa, G

2018-01-31

Participants are slower to report a feature, such as color, when the target appears on the side opposite the instructed response, than when the target appears on the same side. This finding suggests that target location, even when task-irrelevant, interferes with response selection. This effect is magnified in older adults. Lengthening the inter-trial interval, however, suffices to normalize the congruency effect in older adults, by re-establishing young-like sequential effects (Aisenberg et al., 2014). We examined the neurological correlates of age related changes by comparing BOLD signals in young and old participants performing a visual version of the Simon task. Participants reported the color of a peripheral target, by a left or right-hand keypress. Generally, BOLD responses were greater following incongruent than congruent targets. Also, they were delayed and of smaller amplitude in old than young participants. BOLD responses in visual and motor regions were also affected by the congruency of the previous target, suggesting that sequential effects may reflect remapping of stimulus location onto the hand used to make a response. Crucially, young participants showed larger BOLD responses in right anterior cerebellum to incongruent targets, when the previous target was congruent, but smaller BOLD responses to incongruent targets when the previous target was incongruent. Old participants, however, showed larger BOLD responses to congruent than incongruent targets, irrespective of the previous target congruency. We conclude that aging may interfere with the trial by trial updating of the mapping between the task-irrelevant target location and response, which takes place during the inter-trial interval in the cerebellum and underlays sequential effects in a Simon task. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

In-vitro and In-vivo Pharmacokinetic Evaluation of Guar Gum-Eudragit® S100 Based Colon-targeted Spheroids of Sulfasalazine Co-administered with Probiotics.

PubMed

Sharma, Abhinav; Kumar, Bimlesh; Singh, Sachin Kumar; Gulati, Monica; Vaidya, Yogyata; Rathee, Harish; Ghai, Deepak; Malik, Adil Hussain; Yadav, Ankit Kumar; Maharshi, Peddi; Bawa, Palak; Rajesh, Sarvi Yadav; Sharma, Parth; Pandey, Narendra Kumar; Mohanta, Souvik

2018-01-01

Polysaccharide based delivery systems have been successfully used to target drugs to colon. In some recent reports, the superiority of concomitant administration of probiotics with such systems has been established. However, the pharmacokinetics of such symbiotic therapy remain unexplored hitherto. This study deciphers the pharmacokinetic parameters of guar gum based colon targeted spheroids of sulfasalazine with co-administration of probiotics in experimental rats. Thirty rats were divided into five groups using Latin square design. These were subjected to treatment with delayed release formulation, uncoated spheroids, coated spheroid and coated spheroids along with probiotics. In case of delayed release formulation, negligible presence of sulfasalazine in plasma was observed in first 2h, followed by significant increase in sulfasalazine concentration after 3h. Higher plasma concentrations of sulfasalazine were detected for uncoated spheroids with and without probiotics. Negligible release of drug upto 5h and delayed Tmax in case of guar-gum coated sulfasalazine spheroids with or without probiotics clearly indicated successful formulation of colon targeted spheroids. Further, for coated spheroids (both with and without probiotics), the value of Tmax is found to be significantly higher than those with the other treatments. Colon targeted spheroids were therefore, found to reduce absorption of drug which, in turn, is expected to reduce the side effects as only local action in colon is required for treatment of colitis. This is the first report on pharmacokinetic study of a colon targeted delivery system co-administered with probiotics. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

Feasibility of retinoids for the treatment of emphysema study.

PubMed

Roth, Michael D; Connett, John E; D'Armiento, Jeanine M; Foronjy, Robert F; Friedman, Paul J; Goldin, Jonathan G; Louis, Thomas A; Mao, Jenny T; Muindi, Josephia R; O'Connor, George T; Ramsdell, Joe W; Ries, Andrew L; Scharf, Steven M; Schluger, Neil W; Sciurba, Frank C; Skeans, Melissa A; Walter, Robert E; Wendt, Christine H; Wise, Robert A

2006-11-01

Retinoids promote alveolar septation in the developing lung and stimulate alveolar repair in some animal models of emphysema. One hundred forty-eight subjects with moderate-to-severe COPD and a primary component of emphysema, defined by diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide (Dlco) [37.1 +/- 12.0% of predicted] and CT density mask (38.5 +/- 12.8% of voxels <- 910 Hounsfield units) [mean +/- SD] were enrolled into a randomized, double-blind, feasibility study at five university hospitals. Participants received all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) at either a low dose (LD) [1 mg/kg/d] or high dose (HD) [2 mg/kg/d], 13-cis retinoic acid (13-cRA) [1 mg/kg/d], or placebo for 6 months followed by a 3-month crossover period. No treatment was associated with an overall improvement in pulmonary function, CT density mask score, or health-related quality of life (QOL) at the end of 6 months. However, time-dependent changes in Dlco (initial decrease with delayed recovery) and St. George Respiratory Questionnaire (delayed improvement) were observed in the HD-ATRA cohort and correlated with plasma drug levels. In addition, 5 of 25 participants in the HD-ATRA group had delayed improvements in their CT scores that also related to ATRA levels. Retinoid-related side effects were common but generally mild. No definitive clinical benefits related to the administration of retinoids were observed in this feasibility study. However, time- and dose-dependent changes in Dlco, CT density mask score, and health-related QOL were observed in subjects treated with ATRA, suggesting the possibility of exposure-related biological activity that warrants further investigation.

Postural adjustment errors reveal deficits in inhibition during lateral step initiation in older adults

PubMed Central

Fuhrman, Susan I.; Redfern, Mark S.; Jennings, J. Richard; Perera, Subashan; Nebes, Robert D.; Furman, Joseph M.

2013-01-01

Postural dual-task studies have demonstrated effects of various executive function components on gait and postural control in older adults. The purpose of the study was to explore the role of inhibition during lateral step initiation. Forty older adults participated (range 70–94 yr). Subjects stepped to the left or right in response to congruous and incongruous visual cues that consisted of left and right arrows appearing on left or right sides of a monitor. The timing of postural adjustments was identified by inflection points in the vertical ground reaction forces (VGRF) measured separately under each foot. Step responses could be classified into preferred and nonpreferred step behavior based on the number of postural adjustments that were made. Delays in onset of the first postural adjustment (PA1) and liftoff (LO) of the step leg during preferred steps progressively increased among the simple, choice, congruous, and incongruous tasks, indicating interference in processing the relevant visuospatial cue. Incongruous cues induced subjects to make more postural adjustments than they typically would (i.e., nonpreferred steps), representing errors in selection of the appropriate motor program. During these nonpreferred steps, the onset of the PA1 was earlier than during the preferred steps, indicating a failure to inhibit an inappropriate initial postural adjustment. The functional consequence of the additional postural adjustments was a delay in the LO compared with steps in which they did not make an error. These results suggest that deficits in inhibitory function may detrimentally affect step decision processing, by delaying voluntary step responses. PMID:23114211

Does Contralateral Delay Activity Reflect Working Memory Storage or the Current Focus of Spatial Attention within Visual Working Memory?

PubMed

Berggren, Nick; Eimer, Martin

2016-12-01

During the retention of visual information in working memory, event-related brain potentials show a sustained negativity over posterior visual regions contralateral to the side where memorized stimuli were presented. This contralateral delay activity (CDA) is generally believed to be a neural marker of working memory storage. In two experiments, we contrasted this storage account of the CDA with the alternative hypothesis that the CDA reflects the current focus of spatial attention on a subset of memorized items set up during the most recent encoding episode. We employed a sequential loading procedure where participants memorized four task-relevant items that were presented in two successive memory displays (M1 and M2). In both experiments, CDA components were initially elicited contralateral to task-relevant items in M1. Critically, the CDA switched polarity when M2 displays appeared on the opposite side. In line with the attentional activation account, these reversed CDA components exclusively reflected the number of items that were encoded from M2 displays, irrespective of how many M1 items were already held in working memory. On trials where M1 and M2 displays were presented on the same side and on trials where M2 displays appeared nonlaterally, CDA components elicited in the interval after M2 remained sensitive to a residual trace of M1 items, indicating that some activation of previously stored items was maintained across encoding episodes. These results challenge the hypothesis that CDA amplitudes directly reflect the total number of stored objects and suggest that the CDA is primarily sensitive to the activation of a subset of working memory representations within the current focus of spatial attention.

Does visual working memory represent the predicted locations of future target objects? An event-related brain potential study.

PubMed

Grubert, Anna; Eimer, Martin

2015-11-11

During the maintenance of task-relevant objects in visual working memory, the contralateral delay activity (CDA) is elicited over the hemisphere opposite to the visual field where these objects are presented. The presence of this lateralised CDA component demonstrates the existence of position-dependent object representations in working memory. We employed a change detection task to investigate whether the represented object locations in visual working memory are shifted in preparation for the known location of upcoming comparison stimuli. On each trial, bilateral memory displays were followed after a delay period by bilateral test displays. Participants had to encode and maintain three visual objects on one side of the memory display, and to judge whether they were identical or different to three objects in the test display. Task-relevant memory and test stimuli were located in the same visual hemifield in the no-shift task, and on opposite sides in the horizontal shift task. CDA components of similar size were triggered contralateral to the memorized objects in both tasks. The absence of a polarity reversal of the CDA in the horizontal shift task demonstrated that there was no preparatory shift of memorized object location towards the side of the upcoming comparison stimuli. These results suggest that visual working memory represents the locations of visual objects during encoding, and that the matching of memorized and test objects at different locations is based on a comparison process that can bridge spatial translations between these objects. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled SI: Prediction and Attention. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Current status of the IOTA interferometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carleton, Nathaniel P.; Traub, Wesley A.; Lacasse, Marc G.; Nisenson, Peter; Pearlman, Michael R.; Reasenberg, Robert D.; Xu, Xinqi; Coldwell, Charles M.; Panasyuk, Alexander; Benson, James A.; Papaliolios, Costas; Predmore, Read; Schloerb, F. P.; Dyck, H. M.; Gibson, David M.

1994-06-01

The first two telescopes of the Infrared-Optical Telescope Array (IOTA) project are now in place and yielding data at the Smithsonian Institution's F. L. Whipple Observatory on Mt. Hopkins, near Tucson, Arizona. The IOTA collectors are 45 cm in diameter, and may be moved to various stations in an L-shaped configuration with a maximum baseline of 38 m. A third collector will be added as soon as funding permits. Each light-collector assembly consists of a siderostat feeding a stationary afocal Cassegrain telescope that produces a 10-X reduced parallel beam, which is in turn directed vertically downward by a piezo-driven active mirror that stabilizes the ultimate image position. The reduced beams enter an evacuated envelope and proceed to the corner of the array, where they are turned back along one arm for path compensation. The delay line, in one beam, consists of two parts: one dihedral reflector positioned in a slew-and-clamp mode to give the major part of the desired delay; and a second dihedral mounted on an air-bearing carriage to provide the variable delay that is needed. After delay, the beams exit from the vacuum and are directed by dichroic mirrors into the infrared beam-combination and detection system. The visible light passes on to another area, to the image-tracker detectors and the visible-light combination and detection system. The beams are combined in pupil-plane mode on beam splitters. The combined IR beams are conveyed to two cooled single-element InSb detectors. The combined visible-light beams are focussed by lenslet arrays onto multimode optical fibers that lead to the slit of a specially-designed prism spectrometer. For the visible mode, the delay line is run at several wavelengths on one side of the zero- path point, so that several cycles of interference occur across the spectrum. First results were obtained with the IR system, giving visibilities for several K and M stars, using 2.2 micrometers radiation on a N-S baseline of 21.2 m. From these measurements we obtained preliminary estimates of effective stellar diameters in the K band.

Correlative study of functional and structural regeneration of urothelium after chitosan-induced injury.

PubMed

Erman, Andreja; Kerec Kos, Mojca; Žakelj, Simon; Resnik, Nataša; Romih, Rok; Veranič, Peter

2013-11-01

High transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) demonstrates a functional permeability barrier of the normal urothelium, which is maintained by a layer of highly differentiated superficial cells. When the barrier is challenged, a quick regeneration is induced. We used side-by-side diffusion chambers as an ex vivo system to determine the time course of functional and structural urothelial regeneration after chitosan-induced injury. The exposure of the urothelium to chitosan caused a 60 % decrease in TEER, the exposure of undifferentiated urothelial cells to the luminal surface and leaky tight junctions. During the regeneration period (350 min), TEER recovered to control values after approximately 200 min, while structural regeneration continued until 350 min after injury. The tight junctions are the earliest and predominant component of the barrier to appear, while complete barrier regeneration is achieved by delayed superficial cell terminal differentiation. The barrier function and the structure of untreated urothelium were unaffected in side-by-side diffusion chambers for at least 6 h. The urinary bladder tissue excised from an animal thus retains the ability to maintain and restore the transepithelial barrier and cellular ultrastructure for a sufficient period to allow for studies of regeneration in ex vivo conditions.

Base drive circuit

DOEpatents

Lange, A.C.

1995-04-04

An improved base drive circuit having a level shifter for providing bistable input signals to a pair of non-linear delays. The non-linear delays provide gate control to a corresponding pair of field effect transistors through a corresponding pair of buffer components. The non-linear delays provide delayed turn-on for each of the field effect transistors while an associated pair of transistors shunt the non-linear delays during turn-off of the associated field effect transistor. 2 figures.

Early life exposure to PCB126 results in delayed mortality and growth impairment in the zebrafish larvae.

PubMed

Di Paolo, Carolina; Groh, Ksenia J; Zennegg, Markus; Vermeirssen, Etiënne L M; Murk, Albertinka J; Eggen, Rik I L; Hollert, Henner; Werner, Inge; Schirmer, Kristin

2015-12-01

The occurrence of chronic or delayed toxicity resulting from the exposure to sublethal chemical concentrations is an increasing concern in environmental risk assessment. The Fish Embryo Toxicity (FET) test with zebrafish provides a reliable prediction of acute toxicity in adult fish, but it cannot yet be applied to predict the occurrence of chronic or delayed toxicity. Identification of sublethal FET endpoints that can assist in predicting the occurrence of chronic or delayed toxicity would be advantageous. The present study characterized the occurrence of delayed toxicity in zebrafish larvae following early exposure to PCB126, previously described to cause delayed effects in the common sole. The first aim was to investigate the occurrence and temporal profiles of delayed toxicity during zebrafish larval development and compare them to those previously described for sole to evaluate the suitability of zebrafish as a model fish species for delayed toxicity assessment. The second aim was to examine the correlation between the sublethal endpoints assessed during embryonal and early larval development and the delayed effects observed during later larval development. After exposure to PCB126 (3-3000ng/L) until 5 days post fertilization (dpf), larvae were reared in clean water until 14 or 28 dpf. Mortality and sublethal morphological and behavioural endpoints were recorded daily, and growth was assessed at 28 dpf. Early life exposure to PCB126 caused delayed mortality (300 ng/L and 3000 ng/L) as well as growth impairment and delayed development (100 ng/L) during the clean water period. Effects on swim bladder inflation and cartilaginous tissues within 5 dpf were the most promising for predicting delayed mortality and sublethal effects, such as decreased standard length, delayed metamorphosis, reduced inflation of swim bladder and column malformations. The EC50 value for swim bladder inflation at 5 dpf (169 ng/L) was similar to the LC50 value at 8 dpf (188 and 202 ng/L in two experiments). Interestingly, the patterns of delayed mortality and delayed effects on growth and development were similar between sole and zebrafish. This indicates the comparability of critical developmental stages across divergent fish species such as a cold water marine flatfish and a tropical freshwater cyprinid. Additionally, sublethal effects in early embryo-larval stages were found promising for predicting delayed lethal and sublethal effects of PCB126. Therefore, the proposed method with zebrafish is expected to provide valuable information on delayed mortality and delayed sublethal effects of chemicals and environmental samples that may be extrapolated to other species. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[Antidepressant and tolerance: Determinants and management of major side effects].

PubMed

David, D J; Gourion, D

2016-12-01

Antidepressant therapy aims to reach remission of depressive symptoms while reducing the complications and risks of relapse. Even though they have proven their efficacy, it takes several weeks for antidepressants to demonstrate full effectiveness, and adverse effects occur more quickly or (quicker) which can be a source of poor compliance. This latest aspect often leads to dose reduction and/or change of molecule that have the effect of delaying remission. This review attempts to present, from the pharmacological properties of the major classes of antidepressants (monoamine oxidase inhibitor [MAOI], tricyclic antidepressants [TCA], selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor [SSRI] and serotonin and noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor [SNRI]), to the pharmacological mechanisms involved in adverse effects by focusing on sexual dysfunction, nausea/vomiting, and weight changes and sleep disruption. If the activation of dopamine D 1/2  or norepinephrine receptors through the autonomic nervous system controls and facilitates sexual desire, increasing serotoninergic transmission through 5-HT 1B/2A/2C receptors activation inhibits this process. The pharmacological properties of drugs inducing nausea/vomiting activate opiate receptors μ, increase dopaminergic and serotoninergic transmission activating the dopamine D 2  and serotonin 5-HT 3  receptors, respectively. Among the causes responsible for weight gain under antidepressant therapy, monoamine neurotransmission still plays an important role. The blockade of serotonin 5-HT 2C or histamine H 1  receptors is directly responsible for weight gain. Finally, the activation of 5-HT 1A/1B/3/7 serotoninergique receptors modulates wakefulness, raid eyes movement or sleep duration. In conclusion, if antidepressant activity of SERT or MAO inhibitors is an indirect consequence of postsynaptic 5-HT, DA, NA receptor activation, it is also responsible for side effects, causes of poor compliance and hence therapeutic failures. Finally, we need to take into account the key role of the nocebo effect in the occurrence of adverse effects. The next generation of antidepressant would aim to have a rapid efficacy in patients unresponsive or resistant to drugs currently available while improving certain effects of tolerance through an optimization of their psychopharmacological properties leading to a reduction of their side effects. Copyright © 2016 L’Encéphale, Paris. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

A startling acoustic stimulus facilitates voluntary lower extremity movements and automatic postural responses in people with chronic stroke.

PubMed

Coppens, Milou J M; Roelofs, Jolanda M B; Donkers, Nicole A J; Nonnekes, Jorik; Geurts, Alexander C H; Weerdesteyn, Vivian

2018-05-14

A startling acoustic stimulus (SAS) involuntary releases prepared movements at accelerated latencies, known as the StartReact effect. Previous work has demonstrated intact StartReact in paretic upper extremity movements in people after stroke, suggesting preserved motor preparation. The question remains whether motor preparation of lower extremity movements is also unaffected after stroke. Here, we investigated StartReact effects on ballistic lower extremity movements and on automatic postural responses (APRs) following perturbations to standing balance. These APRs are particularly interesting as they are critical to prevent a fall following balance perturbations, but show substantial delays and poor muscle coordination after stroke. Twelve chronic stroke patients and 12 healthy controls performed voluntary ankle dorsiflexion movements in response to a visual stimulus, and responded to backward balance perturbations evoking APRs. Twenty-five percent of all trials contained a SAS (120 dB) simultaneously with the visual stimulus or balance perturbation. As expected, in the absence of a SAS muscle and movement onset latencies at the paretic side were delayed compared to the non-paretic leg and to controls. The SAS accelerated ankle dorsiflexion onsets in both the legs of the stroke subjects and in controls. Following perturbations, the SAS accelerated bilateral APR onsets not only in controls, but for the first time, we also demonstrated this effect in people after stroke. Moreover, APR inter- and intra-limb muscle coordination was rather weak in our stroke subjects, but substantially improved when the SAS was applied. These findings show preserved movement preparation, suggesting that there is residual (subcortical) capacity for motor recovery.

A Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy Application for Iraq War Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-01-01

denial of social problems. Prior to the availability of VR therapy applications, the existing standard of care for PTSD was imaginal exposure...The application is built on ICT’s FlatWorld Simulation Control Architecture (FSCA) [13]. The FSCA enables a network -centric system of client displays...client-side interaction despite potential network delays. FCSA scripting is based on the Lua programming language [14] and provides facilities for real

Deterrence with China: Avoiding Nuclear Miscalculation

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-01-01

When each nation can manage these three elements in the correct way, the cost -benefit calculations of each side should favor deterrence of a...under pressure to justify the cost of its plans to replace its SSBN fleet. After a recent 2-year delay in the planned SSBN replacement program, any...of CPGS may prove advantageous in some scenarios,31 but those advantages do not come with- out a cost to nuclear deterrence stability with China—a

Collective Ion Acceleration.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-01-01

be of limiting current in larger tubes where the beamwidth is significance when bunching is important. More immediately small compared to its radius...arrangement the probe signal was directly calibrat- a) 04.04 ed in terms of the azimuthal magnetic field immediately in- 101 10, 101 10, ,e 1o side the...surface damping is increased, we find that the onset of the instability is delayed . In the absence of dissi- pation the signal growth usually occurs for

A unified frame of predicting side effects of drugs by using linear neighborhood similarity.

PubMed

Zhang, Wen; Yue, Xiang; Liu, Feng; Chen, Yanlin; Tu, Shikui; Zhang, Xining

2017-12-14

Drug side effects are one of main concerns in the drug discovery, which gains wide attentions. Investigating drug side effects is of great importance, and the computational prediction can help to guide wet experiments. As far as we known, a great number of computational methods have been proposed for the side effect predictions. The assumption that similar drugs may induce same side effects is usually employed for modeling, and how to calculate the drug-drug similarity is critical in the side effect predictions. In this paper, we present a novel measure of drug-drug similarity named "linear neighborhood similarity", which is calculated in a drug feature space by exploring linear neighborhood relationship. Then, we transfer the similarity from the feature space into the side effect space, and predict drug side effects by propagating known side effect information through a similarity-based graph. Under a unified frame based on the linear neighborhood similarity, we propose method "LNSM" and its extension "LNSM-SMI" to predict side effects of new drugs, and propose the method "LNSM-MSE" to predict unobserved side effect of approved drugs. We evaluate the performances of LNSM and LNSM-SMI in predicting side effects of new drugs, and evaluate the performances of LNSM-MSE in predicting missing side effects of approved drugs. The results demonstrate that the linear neighborhood similarity can improve the performances of side effect prediction, and the linear neighborhood similarity-based methods can outperform existing side effect prediction methods. More importantly, the proposed methods can predict side effects of new drugs as well as unobserved side effects of approved drugs under a unified frame.

Drug side effect extraction from clinical narratives of psychiatry and psychology patients

PubMed Central

Kocher, Jean-Pierre A; Chute, Christopher G; Savova, Guergana K

2011-01-01

Objective To extract physician-asserted drug side effects from electronic medical record clinical narratives. Materials and methods Pattern matching rules were manually developed through examining keywords and expression patterns of side effects to discover an individual side effect and causative drug relationship. A combination of machine learning (C4.5) using side effect keyword features and pattern matching rules was used to extract sentences that contain side effect and causative drug pairs, enabling the system to discover most side effect occurrences. Our system was implemented as a module within the clinical Text Analysis and Knowledge Extraction System. Results The system was tested in the domain of psychiatry and psychology. The rule-based system extracting side effects and causative drugs produced an F score of 0.80 (0.55 excluding allergy section). The hybrid system identifying side effect sentences had an F score of 0.75 (0.56 excluding allergy section) but covered more side effect and causative drug pairs than individual side effect extraction. Discussion The rule-based system was able to identify most side effects expressed by clear indication words. More sophisticated semantic processing is required to handle complex side effect descriptions in the narrative. We demonstrated that our system can be trained to identify sentences with complex side effect descriptions that can be submitted to a human expert for further abstraction. Conclusion Our system was able to extract most physician-asserted drug side effects. It can be used in either an automated mode for side effect extraction or semi-automated mode to identify side effect sentences that can significantly simplify abstraction by a human expert. PMID:21946242

What matters when judging intentionality-moral content or normative status? Testing the rational scientist model of the side-effect.

PubMed

Papadopoulos, C; Hayes, B K

2018-06-01

Previous work has demonstrated a "side-effect effect," such that intentionality is more likely to be attributed to agents who bring about negatively valenced as opposed to positively valenced side effects. The rational-scientist model explains this by suggesting that norm-violating side effects are more informative for inferring intentionality than norm-conforming side effects. In the present study we reexamined this account, addressing limitations of previous empirical tests (e.g., Uttich & Lombrozo, Cognition 116: 87-100, 2010). Side-effect valence and norm status were manipulated factorially, enabling an examination of the impact of norm status on intentionality judgments in both positively and negatively valenced side effects. Additionally, the impact of side-effect norm status on the perceived valences of side effects and agents was examined. Effects of norm status were found for both positive and negative side effects. Violation of an ostensibly neutral norm led to negative perceptions of the side effect. However, a norm status effect on intentionality judgments persisted when these effects were controlled. These results support the view that the side-effect effect is the result of the rational use of social-cognitive evidence.

Cognitive person variables in the delay of gratification of older children at risk.

PubMed

Rodriguez, M L; Mischel, W; Shoda, Y

1989-08-01

The components of self-regulation were analyzed, extending the self-imposed delay of gratification paradigm to older children with social adjustment problems. Delay behavior was related to a network of conceptually relevant cognitive person variables, consisting of attention deployment strategies during delay, knowledge of delay rules, and intelligence. A positive relationship was demonstrated between concurrent indexes of intelligence, attention deployment, and actual delay time. Moreover, attention deployment, measured as an individual differences variable during the delay process, had a direct, positive effect on delay behavior. Specifically, as the duration of delay and the frustration of the situation increased, children who spent a higher proportion of the time distracting themselves from the tempting elements of the delay situation were able to delay longer. The effect of attention deployment on delay behavior was significant even when age, intelligence, and delay rule knowledge were controlled. Likewise, delay rule knowledge significantly predicted delay time, even when age, attention deployment, and intelligence were controlled.

Tunable delay time and Hartman effect in graphene magnetic barriers

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

Ban, Yue; Wang, Lin-Jun; Chen, Xi, E-mail: xchen@shu.edu.cn

2015-04-28

Tunable group delay and Hartman effect have been investigated for massless Dirac electrons in graphene magnetic barriers. In the presence of magnetic field, dwell time is found to be equal to net group delay plus the group delay contributing from the lateral shifts. The group delay times are discussed in both cases of normal and oblique incidence, to clarify the nature of Hartman effect. In addition, the group delay in transmission can be modulated from subluminality to superluminality by adjusting the magnetic field, which may also lead to potential applications in graphene-based microelectronics.

Incidence and severity of self-reported chemotherapy side effects in routine care: A prospective cohort study

PubMed Central

Haas, Marion; Viney, Rosalie; Pearson, Sallie-Anne; Haywood, Philip; Brown, Chris; Ward, Robyn

2017-01-01

Aim Chemotherapy side effects are often reported in clinical trials; however, there is little evidence about their incidence in routine clinical care. The objective of this study was to describe the frequency and severity of patient-reported chemotherapy side effects in routine care across treatment centres in Australia. Methods We conducted a prospective cohort study of individuals with breast, lung or colorectal cancer undergoing chemotherapy. Side effects were identified by patient self-report. The frequency, prevalence and incidence rates of side effects were calculated by cancer type and grade, and cumulative incidence curves for each side effect computed. Frequencies of side effects were compared between demographic subgroups using chi-squared statistics. Results Side effect data were available for 449 eligible individuals, who had a median follow-up of 5.64 months. 86% of participants reported at least one side effect during the study period and 27% reported a grade IV side effect, most commonly fatigue or dyspnoea. Fatigue was the most common side effect overall (85%), followed by diarrhoea (74%) and constipation (74%). Prevalence and incidence rates were similar across side effects and cancer types. Age was the only demographic factor associated with the incidence of side effects, with older people less likely to report side effects. Conclusion This research has produced the first Australian estimates of self-reported incidence of chemotherapy side effects in routine clinical care. Chemotherapy side effects in routine care are common, continue throughout chemotherapy and can be serious. This work confirms the importance of observational data in providing clinical practice-relevant information to decision-makers. PMID:29016607

Incidence and severity of self-reported chemotherapy side effects in routine care: A prospective cohort study.

PubMed

Pearce, Alison; Haas, Marion; Viney, Rosalie; Pearson, Sallie-Anne; Haywood, Philip; Brown, Chris; Ward, Robyn

2017-01-01

Chemotherapy side effects are often reported in clinical trials; however, there is little evidence about their incidence in routine clinical care. The objective of this study was to describe the frequency and severity of patient-reported chemotherapy side effects in routine care across treatment centres in Australia. We conducted a prospective cohort study of individuals with breast, lung or colorectal cancer undergoing chemotherapy. Side effects were identified by patient self-report. The frequency, prevalence and incidence rates of side effects were calculated by cancer type and grade, and cumulative incidence curves for each side effect computed. Frequencies of side effects were compared between demographic subgroups using chi-squared statistics. Side effect data were available for 449 eligible individuals, who had a median follow-up of 5.64 months. 86% of participants reported at least one side effect during the study period and 27% reported a grade IV side effect, most commonly fatigue or dyspnoea. Fatigue was the most common side effect overall (85%), followed by diarrhoea (74%) and constipation (74%). Prevalence and incidence rates were similar across side effects and cancer types. Age was the only demographic factor associated with the incidence of side effects, with older people less likely to report side effects. This research has produced the first Australian estimates of self-reported incidence of chemotherapy side effects in routine clinical care. Chemotherapy side effects in routine care are common, continue throughout chemotherapy and can be serious. This work confirms the importance of observational data in providing clinical practice-relevant information to decision-makers.

Anisotropy beneath the Southern Pacific - real or apparent?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prasse, Philipp; Thomas, Christine

2016-04-01

Anisotropy of the lowermost mantle beneath the South- to Central Pacific is investigated using US-Array receivers and events located near the Tonga-Fiji subduction zones. Differential splitting in three different distance ranges (65° -85° , 90° -110° and >110°) of S-ScS, SKS-S, SKS-Sdiff phases is used. By utilizing differential splitting technique, it was possible to correct for upper mantle, as well as source- and receiver side anisotropy and effectively quantify shear wave splitting originating in the lowermost mantle. Delay times of horizontal (SH) and vertical polarized (SV) shear waves show that predominantly the SH wave is delayed relative to the SV wave. Motivated by the discrepancy in previous Pacific studies investigating the lowermost mantle beneath the Pacific the possibility of isotropic structure producing the observed splitting is tested. Synthetic seismograms are computed, based on various isotropic models and the resulting synthetics are analysed in the same way as the real data. While simple layered models do not produce splitting and therefore apparent anisotropy, models in which the lowermost mantle is represented as a negative gradient in P- and S-wave velocity, produce clear apparent anisotropy. Thus, this study presents a possible alternative way of explaining the structure of the D" region.

The order of information processing alters economic gain-loss framing effects.

PubMed

Kwak, Youngbin; Huettel, Scott

2018-01-01

Adaptive decision making requires analysis of available information during the process of choice. In many decisions that information is presented visually - which means that variations in visual properties (e.g., salience, complexity) can potentially influence the process of choice. In the current study, we demonstrate that variation in the left-right positioning of risky and safe decision options can influence the canonical gain-loss framing effect. Two experiments were conducted using an economic framing task in which participants chose between gambles and certain outcomes. The first experiment demonstrated that the magnitude of the gain-loss framing effect was greater when the certain option signaling the current frame was presented on the left side of the visual display. Eye-tracking data during task performance showed a left-gaze bias for initial fixations, suggesting that the option presented on the left side was processed first. Combination of eye-tracking and choice data revealed that there was a significant effect of direction of first gaze (i.e. left vs. right) as well as an interaction between gaze direction and identity of the first fixated information (i.e. certain vs. gamble) regardless of frame. A second experiment presented the gamble and certain options in a random order, with a temporal delay between their presentations. We found that the magnitude of gain-loss framing was larger when the certain option was presented first, regardless of left and right positioning, only in individuals with lower risk-taking tendencies. The effect of presentation order on framing was not present in high risk-takers. These results suggest that the sequence of visual information processing as well as their left-right positioning can bias choices by changing the impact of the presented information during risky decision making. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The effects of tramadol administration on hippocampal cell apoptosis, learning and memory in adult rats and neuroprotective effects of crocin.

PubMed

Baghishani, Farideh; Mohammadipour, Abbas; Hosseinzadeh, Hossain; Hosseini, Mahmoud; Ebrahimzadeh-Bideskan, Alireza

2018-06-01

Tramadol, a frequently used pain reliever drug, present neurotoxic effects associated to cognitive dysfunction. Moreover, crocin has been reported to have neuroprotective effects. The aim of this study was to assess crocin's capacity to protect learning, and memory abilities on tramadol-treated rats. A total of 35 rats were divided into five groups: Control, Saline, tramadol (50 mg/kg), tramadol + crocin(30 mg/kg), crocin groups and treated orally for 28 consecutive days. Morris water maze (MWM) and passive avoidance (PA) tests were done, followed by dissection of the rat's brains for toluidine blue and TUNEL staining. In MWM test, tramadol group spent lower time and traveled shorter distance in the target quadrant (Q1) (P < 0.05). On the other side, the traveled distance in tramadol-crocin group was higher than tramadol (P < 0.05). In PA test, both the delay for entering the dark, and the total time spent in the light compartment decreased in tramadol comparing to the control group (P < 0.05), while it increased in tramadol-crocin compared with the tramadol group (P < 0.05). In tramadol-treated animals, the dark neurons (DNs) and apoptotic cells in CA1, CA3 and DG increased (P < 0.05), while concurrent intake of crocin decreased the number of DNs and apoptotic cells in these areas (P < 0.05). Crocin was able to improve learning and memory of tramadol-treated rats and also decreased DNs and apoptotic cells in the hippocampus. Considering these results, the potential capacity of crocin for decreasing side effects of tramadol on the nervous system is suggested.

[Alemtuzumab for relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. Results of two randomized controlled phase III studies].

PubMed

Klotz, L; Meuth, S G; Kieseier, B; Wiendl, H

2013-08-01

In November 2012 the results of 2 clinical phase III trials were published which addressed the effects of alemtuzumab in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS). In the CARE-MS-I study patients with early untreated MS (EDSS ≤ 3.0, disease duration < 5 years) were included, whereas CARE-MS-II investigated the effects of alemtuzumab in patients with persisting disease activity under standard disease-modifying treatment (EDSS ≤ 5.0, disease duration < 10 years). These groups were compared to patients under treatment with frequently applied interferon β 1a (3 times  44 µg subcutaneous). Both studies clearly demonstrated a superiority of alemtuzumab compared to interferon in terms of reduction of relapse rate as well as the number of new or enlarging T2 lesions and gadolinium-enhancing lesions. Moreover, the CARE-MS-II study showed a significant delay in disease progression by alemtuzumab. The portfolio and the frequency of relevant side effects, such as infusion-related reactions, development of secondary autoimmunity or infections were within the expected range. Taken together these studies confirm the high anti-inflammatory efficacy of alemtuzumab and hence provide the first evidence of superiority of a monotherapy in direct comparison to standard disease-modifying treatment in two phase III trials in relapsing-remitting MS. These data in the context of the mode of action of alemtuzumab provide evidence for the relevance of immune cells, especially T cells, in the pathophysiology of MS. Experience with long-term effects of alemtuzumab, e.g. from the phase II extension trial as well as the side effect profile argue in favor of a sustained reprogramming of the immune system as a consequence of immune cell depletion by alemtuzumab.

Impaired flexibility in decision making in rats after administration of the pharmacological stressor yohimbine.

PubMed

Schwager, Andrea L; Haack, Andrew K; Taha, Sharif A

2014-10-01

Stress-induced disruption of decision making has been hypothesized to contribute to drug-seeking behaviors and addiction. Noradrenergic signaling plays a central role in mediating stress responses. However, the effects of acute stress on decision making, and the role of noradrenergic signaling in regulating these effects, have not been well characterized. To characterize changes in decision making caused by acute pharmacological stress, the effects of yohimbine (an α2-adrenergic antagonist) were examined in a delay discounting task. Noradrenergic contributions to decision making were further characterized by examining the effects of propranolol (a β antagonist), prazosin (an α1 antagonist), and guanfacine (an α2 agonist). Sprague-Dawley rats were administered drugs prior to performance on a delay discounting task, in which the delay preceding the large reward increased within each session (ascending delays). To dissociate drug-induced changes in delay sensitivity from behavioral inflexibility, drug effects were subsequently tested in a modified version of the discounting task, in which the delay preceding the large reward decreased within each session (descending delays). Yohimbine increased choice of the large reward when tested with ascending delays but decreased choice of the same large reward when tested with descending delays, suggesting that drug effects could be attributed to perseverative choice of the lever preferred at the beginning of the session. Propranolol increased choice of the large reward when tested with ascending delays. Prazosin and guanfacine had no effect on reward choice. The stress-like effects of yohimbine administration may impair decision making by causing inflexible, perseverative behavior.

Transmission of 2 × 56 Gb/s PAM-4 signal over 100 km SSMF using 18 GHz DMLs.

PubMed

Zhou, Shiwei; Li, Xiang; Yi, Lilin; Yang, Qi; Fu, Songnian

2016-04-15

We experimentally demonstrate C-band 2 × 56 Gb/s pulse-amplitude modulation (PAM)-4 signal transmission over 100 km standard single-mode fiber (SSMF) using 18 GHz direct-modulated lasers (DMLs) and direct detection, without inline optical amplifier. A delay interferometer (DI) at the transmitter side is used to extend the transmission reach from 40 to 100 km. A digital Volterra filter at the receiver side is used to mitigate the nonlinear distortions. We obtain an average bit error ratio (BER) of 1.5 × 10(-3) for 2 × 56 Gb/s PAM-4 signal after 100 km SSMF transmission at the optimal input power, which is below the 7% forward error correction (FEC) threshold (3.8 × 10(-3)).

Effect of Multiple Delays in an Eco-Epidemiological Model with Strong Allee Effect

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghosh, Kakali; Biswas, Santanu; Samanta, Sudip; Tiwari, Pankaj Kumar; Alshomrani, Ali Saleh; Chattopadhyay, Joydev

In the present article, we make an attempt to investigate the effect of two time delays, logistic delay and gestation delay, on an eco-epidemiological model. In the proposed model, strong Allee effect is considered in the growth term of the prey population. We incorporate two time lags and inspect elementary mathematical characteristic of the proposed model such as boundedness, uniform persistence, stability and Hopf-bifurcation for all possible combinations of both delays at the interior equilibrium point of the system. We observe that increase in gestation delay leads to chaotic solutions through the limit cycle. We also observe that the Allee effect play a major role in controlling the chaos. We execute several numerical simulations to illustrate the proposed mathematical model and our analytical findings.

Casualty Evacuation Delay and Outcomes

DTIC Science & Technology

2003-01-01

consequences of delay in therapy on wounded individuals. The contractor was charged with studying the effect of delay on evacuation on outcome of...process. 3 There are a remarkably small proportion of patient diagnoses and states in which time has an effect on outcome . This is because the vast...emphasis on estimating the effect of delayed evacuation on injury outcome and means to mitigating such effects . Since some of the Specific Aims were

Knowledge, Practices, and Perceived Barriers Regarding Cancer Pain Management Among Physicians and Nurses In Korea: A Nationwide Multicenter Survey

PubMed Central

Jho, Hyun Jung; Kim, Yeol; Kong, Kyung Ae; Kim, Dae Hyun; Choi, Jin Young; Nam, Eun Jeong; Choi, Jin Young; Koh, Sujin; Hwang, Kwan Ok; Baek, Sun Kyung; Park, Eun Jung

2014-01-01

Purpose Medical professionals’ practices and knowledge regarding cancer pain management have often been cited as inadequate. This study aimed to evaluate knowledge, practices and perceived barriers regarding cancer pain management among physicians and nurses in Korea. Methods A nationwide questionnaire survey was administered to physicians and nurses involved in the care of cancer patients. Questionnaire items covered pain assessment and documentation practices, knowledge regarding cancer pain management, the perceived barriers to cancer pain control, and processes perceived as the major causes of delay in opioid administration. Results A total of 333 questionnaires (149 physicians and 284 nurses) were analyzed. Nurses performed pain assessment and documentation more regularly than physicians did. Although physicians had better knowledge of pain management than did nurses, both groups lacked knowledge regarding the side effects and pharmacology of opioids. Physicians working in the palliative care ward and nurses who had received pain management education obtained higher scores on knowledge. Physicians perceived patients’ reluctance to take opioids as a barrier to pain control, more so than did nurses, while nurses perceived patients’ tendency to under-report of pain as a barrier, more so than did physicians. Physicians and nurses held different perceptions regarding major cause of delay during opioid administration. Conclusions There were differences between physicians and nurses in knowledge and practices for cancer pain management. An effective educational strategy for cancer pain management is needed in order to improve medical professionals’ knowledge and clinical practices. PMID:25144641

Effect of storage time of extended-pour and conventional alginate impressions on dimensional accuracy of casts.

PubMed

Rohanian, Ahmad; Ommati Shabestari, Ghasem; Zeighami, Somayeh; Samadi, Mohammad Javad; Shamshiri, Ahmad Reza

2014-11-01

Some manufacturers claim to have produced new irreversible hydro-colloids that are able to maintain their dimensional stability during storage. The present study evaluated the effect of storage time on dimensional stability of three alginates: Hydrogum 5, Tropicalgin and Alginoplast. In this experimental in-vitro trial, a total of 90 alginate impressions were made from a Dentoform model using Hydrogum 5, Tropicalgin and Alginoplast alginates. The impressions were stored in a sealed plastic bag without a damp paper towel for 0, 24, 48, 72 and 120 hours and then poured with type III dental stone. Cross-arch (facial of 6 to facial of 6 on the opposite side) and antero-posterior (distal of right first molar to the ipsilateral central incisor) measurements were made with a digital caliper on the casts. Data were analyzed by two-way and one-way ANOVA and Tukey's post-hoc test (P<0.05). Alginate type and the pouring time significantly affected the dimensional stability of alginate impressions (both Ps<0.001). Pouring of Hydrogum 5 impressions can be delayed for up to 120 hours without significant dimensional changes. Alginoplast impressions may be poured after 72 hours, but Tropicalgin should be poured immediately and the storage time should not be more than 24 hours. Immediate pouring of alginate impressions provides the highest accuracy in reproducing the teeth and adjacent tissues; however, this study demonstrated that pouring may be delayed for up to five days using extended-pour (Hydrogum 5) alginates.

Effectiveness of Changing the Application of Japanese Honey to a Hydrocolloid Dressing in Between the Inflammatory and Proliferative Phases on Cutaneous Wound Healing in Male Mice.

PubMed

Mukai, Kanae; Komatsu, Emi; Yamanishi, Misa; Hutakuchi, Misako; Kanzaka, Kayo; Uno, Yuka; Yamazaki, Shizuka; Kato, Shizuka; Yamamoto, Tomomi; Hattori, Mayumi; Nakajima, Yukari; Urai, Tamae; Asano, Kimi; Murakado, Naoko; Okuwa, Mayumi; Nakatani, Toshio

2017-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of changing the application of Japanese honey to a hydrocolloid dressing (HCD) in between the inflammatory and proliferative phases on cutaneous wound healing in 8-week-old, BALB/cCrSlc male mice. Mice were divided into 4 groups: acacia honey followed by a HCD, buckwheat flour honey followed by a HCD, Chinese milk vetch honey followed by a HCD, and a HCD alone (control group). All mice received 2 full-thickness wounds on both sides of the dorsum using a Disposable Biopsy Punch. The wounds of the control group were covered with a HCD, whereas wounds in the other groups were treated with 0.1 mL of the relevant type of honey until day 3 post-wound and then were covered with a HCD from days 4 to 14. In the experimental groups, the wound area ratio was significantly smaller in the inflammatory phase but significantly larger in the proliferative phase. Reepithelialization, collagen deposition, and wound contraction were significantly delayed compared with those in the control group. The re-expansion of the wounds in the proliferative phase could not be prevented, and reepithelialization, collagen deposition, and wound contraction were delayed compared with those upon the use of a HCD. The study's authors concluded that these methods do not promote cutaneous wound healing better than the use of a HCD alone.

Side effects associated with anti-HIV drugs.

PubMed

Highleyman, L

1998-04-01

Many side effects are associated with the use of anti-HIV drugs, impacting the development of drug resistance and the quality of life for HIV-patients. Concern about side effects is a primary factor in deterring people from beginning HIV therapy. Frequency and severity of side effects vary greatly, but they are frequently more common and severe in people who are taking a new drug or who have advanced HIV disease. Information on side effects comes largely from clinical trials; however, many side effects are not discovered until the drug has been approved and used by larger numbers of people. Side effects vary from serious toxicities that require stopping treatment to uncomfortable or annoying side effects that interfere with daily life. A table categorizes the four major side effects (nausea, fever, skin rash, and fatigue) and divides them into grades that describe their intensity. A chart lists the side effects associated with specific anti-HIV drugs. Suggestions for managing side effects are included.

Controversies in neurology: why monoamine oxidase B inhibitors could be a good choice for the initial treatment of Parkinson's disease.

PubMed

Löhle, Matthias; Reichmann, Heinz

2011-09-22

Early initiation of pharmacotherapy in Parkinson's disease (PD) is nowadays widely advocated by experts since the delay of treatment has shown to be associated with a significant deterioration of health related quality of life in affected patients. Due to marked advances in PD treatment during the last decades, physicians are nowadays fortunately equipped with a variety of substances that can effectively ameliorate emerging motor symptoms of the disease, among them levodopa, dopamine agonists and monoamine oxidase type B (MAO-B) inhibitors. Despite numerous drug intervention trials in early PD, there is however still ongoing controversy among neurologists which substance to use for the initial treatment of the disease. In multiple studies, MAO-B inhibitors, such as selegiline and rasagiline, have shown to provide mild symptomatic effects, delay the need for levodopa, and to reduce the incidence of motor fluctuations. Although their symptomatic efficacy is inferior compared to dopamine agonists and levodopa, MAO-B inhibitors undoubtedly have fewer side effects and are easy to administer. In contrary to their competitors, MAO-B inhibitors may furthermore offer a chance for disease modification, which so far remains a major unmet need in the management of PD and eventually makes them ideal candidates for the early treatment of the disease. MAO-B inhibitors may constitute a preferable therapeutic option for early PD, mainly due to their favourable safety profile and their putative neuroprotective capabilities. Since the symptomatic effects of MAO-B inhibitors are comparatively mild, dopamine agonists and levodopa should however be considered for initial treatment in those PD patients, in whom robust and immediate symptomatic relief needs to be prioritized.

A unified view on weakly correlated recurrent networks

PubMed Central

Grytskyy, Dmytro; Tetzlaff, Tom; Diesmann, Markus; Helias, Moritz

2013-01-01

The diversity of neuron models used in contemporary theoretical neuroscience to investigate specific properties of covariances in the spiking activity raises the question how these models relate to each other. In particular it is hard to distinguish between generic properties of covariances and peculiarities due to the abstracted model. Here we present a unified view on pairwise covariances in recurrent networks in the irregular regime. We consider the binary neuron model, the leaky integrate-and-fire (LIF) model, and the Hawkes process. We show that linear approximation maps each of these models to either of two classes of linear rate models (LRM), including the Ornstein–Uhlenbeck process (OUP) as a special case. The distinction between both classes is the location of additive noise in the rate dynamics, which is located on the output side for spiking models and on the input side for the binary model. Both classes allow closed form solutions for the covariance. For output noise it separates into an echo term and a term due to correlated input. The unified framework enables us to transfer results between models. For example, we generalize the binary model and the Hawkes process to the situation with synaptic conduction delays and simplify derivations for established results. Our approach is applicable to general network structures and suitable for the calculation of population averages. The derived averages are exact for fixed out-degree network architectures and approximate for fixed in-degree. We demonstrate how taking into account fluctuations in the linearization procedure increases the accuracy of the effective theory and we explain the class dependent differences between covariances in the time and the frequency domain. Finally we show that the oscillatory instability emerging in networks of LIF models with delayed inhibitory feedback is a model-invariant feature: the same structure of poles in the complex frequency plane determines the population power spectra. PMID:24151463

Atypical onset of bicalutamide-induced liver injury.

PubMed

Yun, Gee Young; Kim, Seok Hyun; Kim, Seok Won; Joo, Jong Seok; Kim, Ju Seok; Lee, Eaum Seok; Lee, Byung Seok; Kang, Sun Hyoung; Moon, Hee Seok; Sung, Jae Kyu; Lee, Heon Young; Kim, Kyung Hee

2016-04-21

Anti-androgen therapy is the leading treatment for advanced prostate cancer and is commonly used for neoadjuvant or adjuvant treatment. Bicalutamide is a non-steroidal anti-androgen, used during the initiation of androgen deprivation therapy along with a luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone agonist to reduce the symptoms of tumor-related flares in patients with advanced prostate cancer. As side effects, bicalutamide can cause fatigue, gynecomastia, and decreased libido through competitive androgen receptor blockade. Additionally, although not as common, drug-induced liver injury has also been reported. Herein, we report a case of hepatotoxicity secondary to bicalutamide use. Typically, bicalutamide-induced hepatotoxicity develops after a few days; however, in this case, hepatic injury occurred 5 mo after treatment initiation. Based on this rare case of delayed liver injury, we recommend careful monitoring of liver function throughout bicalutamide treatment for prostate cancer.

A Simple and Useful Method to Apply Exogenous NO Gas to Plant Systems: Bell Pepper Fruits as a Model.

PubMed

Palma, José M; Ruiz, Carmelo; Corpas, Francisco J

2018-01-01

Nitric oxide (NO) is involved many physiological plant processes, including germination, growth and development of roots, flower setting and development, senescence, and fruit ripening. In the latter physiological process, NO has been reported to play an opposite role to ethylene. Thus, treatment of fruits with NO may lead to delay ripening independently of whether they are climacteric or nonclimacteric. In many cases different methods have been reported to apply NO to plant systems involving sodium nitroprusside, NONOates, DETANO, or GSNO to investigate physiological and molecular consequences. In this chapter a method to treat plant materials with NO is provided using bell pepper fruits as a model. This method is cheap, free of side effects, and easy to apply since it only requires common chemicals and tools available in any biology laboratory.

Side Effect Perceptions and Their Impact on Treatment Decisions in Women.

PubMed

Waters, Erika A; Pachur, Thorsten; Colditz, Graham A

2017-04-01

Side effects prompt some patients to forego otherwise-beneficial therapies. This study explored which characteristics make side effects particularly aversive. We used a psychometric approach, originating from research on risk perception, to identify the factors (or components) underlying side effect perceptions. Women ( N = 149) aged 40 to 74 years were recruited from a patient registry to complete an online experiment. Participants were presented with hypothetical scenarios in which an effective and necessary medication conferred a small risk of a single side effect (e.g., nausea, dizziness). They rated a broad range of side effects on several characteristics (e.g., embarrassing, treatable). In addition, we collected 4 measures of aversiveness for each side effect: choosing to take the medication, willingness to pay to avoid the side effect (WTP), negative affective attitude associated with the side effect, and how each side effect ranks among others in terms of undesirability. A principal components analysis (PCA) was used to identify the components underlying side effect perceptions. Then, for each aversiveness measure separately, regression analyses were used to determine which components predicted differences in aversiveness among the side effects. The PCA revealed 4 components underlying side effect perceptions: affective challenge (e.g., frightening), social challenge (e.g., disfiguring), physical challenge (e.g., painful), and familiarity (e.g., common). Side effects perceived as affectively and physically challenging elicited the highest levels of aversiveness across all 4 measures. Understanding what side effect characteristics are most aversive may inform interventions to improve medical decisions and facilitate the translation of novel biomedical therapies into clinical practice.

Side Effect Perceptions and their Impact on Treatment Decisions in Women

PubMed Central

Waters, Erika A.; Pachur, Thorsten; Colditz, Graham A.

2016-01-01

Background Side effects prompt some patients to forego otherwise-beneficial therapies. This study explored which characteristics make side effects particularly aversive. Methods We used a psychometric approach, originating from research on risk perception, to identify the factors (or components) underlying side effect perceptions. Women (N=149) aged 40–74 were recruited from a patient registry to complete an online experiment. Participants were presented with hypothetical scenarios in which an effective and necessary medication conferred a small risk of a single side effect (e.g., nausea, dizziness). They rated a broad range of side effects on several characteristics (e.g., embarrassing, treatable). In addition, we collected four measures of aversiveness for each side effect: choosing to take the medication, willingness to pay to avoid the side effect (WTP), negative affective attitude associated with the side effect, and how each side effect ranks among others in terms of undesirability. A principle-components analysis (PCA) was used to identify the components underlying side effect perceptions. Then, for each aversiveness measure separately, regression analyses were used to determine which components predicted differences in aversiveness among the side effects. Results The PCA revealed four components underlying side effect perceptions: affective challenge (e.g., frightening), social challenge (e.g., disfiguring), physical challenge (e.g., painful), and familiarity (e.g., common). Side effects perceived as affectively and physically challenging elicited the highest levels of aversiveness across all four measures. Conclusions Understanding what side effect characteristics are most aversive may inform interventions to improve medical decisions and facilitate the translation of novel biomedical therapies into clinical practice. PMID:27216581

Angular dependence of EWS time delay for photoionization of @Xe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mandal, Ankur; Deshmukh, Pranawa; Kheifets, Anatoli; Dolmatov, Valeriy; Manson, Steven

2017-04-01

Interference between photoionization channels leads to angular dependence in photoionization time delay. Angular dependence is found to be a common effect for two-photon absorption experiments very recently. The effect of confinement on the time delay where each partial wave contributions to the ionization are studied. In this work we report angular dependence and confinement effects on Eisenbud-Wigner-Smith (EWS) time delay in atomic photoionization. Using and we computed the EWS time delay for free and confined Xe atom for photoionization from inner 4d3/2 and 4d5/2 and outer 5p1/2 and 5p3/2 subshells at various angles. The calculated EWS time delay is few tens to few hundreds of attoseconds (10-18 second). The photoionization time delay for @Xe follows that in the free Xe atom on which the confinement oscillations are built. The present work reveals the effect of confinement on the photoionization time delay at different angles between photoelectron ejection and the photon polarization.

Effect of Communication Style on Perceptions of Medication Side Effect Risk among Pharmacy Students.

PubMed

Sawant, Ruta V; Beatty, Collin R; Sansgiry, Sujit S

2016-10-25

Objective. To assess the effect of communication style, and frequency and severity of medication side-effects, on pharmacy students' perception of risk of experiencing side effects. Methods. One hundred responses from pharmacy students were obtained using an online survey. Participants were presented with a drug information box containing drug name, drug usage, and one side-effect associated with the drug. Information on side-effect for each drug was presented in one of eight experimental conditions, in a 2 (side-effect frequency: low, high), X2 (side-effect severity: mild, severe) X2 (communication style: verbal, verbal + natural frequency) factorial design. Risk perception of experiencing side effects was measured. Results. Communication style was found to have a significant impact on risk perception depending on the context of frequency and severity associated with the side effect. Conclusion. Communication style plays a significant role in formulating risk perceptions of medication side effects. Training in pharmaceutical counseling should include special emphasis on effective language use.

Irinotecan-loaded double-reversible thermogel with improved antitumor efficacy without initial burst effect and toxicity for intramuscular administration.

PubMed

Din, Fakhar Ud; Kim, Dong Wuk; Choi, Ju Yeon; Thapa, Raj Kumar; Mustapha, Omer; Kim, Dong Shik; Oh, Yu-Kyoung; Ku, Sae Kwang; Youn, Yu Seok; Oh, Kyung Taek; Yong, Chul Soon; Kim, Jong Oh; Choi, Han-Gon

2017-05-01

Intramuscularly administered, anti-tumour drugs induce severe side effects due to their direct contact with body tissues and initial burst effect. In this study, to solve this problem, a novel double-reversible thermogel system (DRTG) for the intramuscular administration of irinotecan was developed. This irinotecan-loaded DRTG was prepared by dispersing the irinotecan-loaded thermoreversible solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) in the thermoreversible hydrogel. In DRTG, the former was solid at 25°C but converted to liquid at 36.5°C; in contrast, the latter existed in a liquid form but transformed to gel state in the body. The DRTG was easily administered intramuscularly. Its particle size and drug content were not noticeably changeable, resulting that it was stable at 40°C for at least 6months. Compared to the irinotecan-loaded solution and conventional hydrogel, the DRTG significantly delayed drug release, leading to a reduced burst effect. Moreover, it showed decreased C max and maintained the sustained plasma concentrations at a relatively low level for the long period of 60h in rats, resulting in ameliorated side effects of the anti-tumour drug. Furthermore, it gave significantly improved anti-tumour efficacy in tumour-bearing mice compared to the hydrogel but, unlike the conventional hydrogel, induced no body weight loss and local damage to the muscle. Thus, this DRTG with improved antitumor efficacy without initial burst effect and toxicity could provide a potential pharmaceutical system for the intramuscular administration of irinotecan. Intramuscularly administered, anti-tumour drugs induce severe side effects due to their direct contact with body tissues and initial burst effect. To solve this problem, we developed a novel double-reversible thermogel system (DRTG) for the intramuscular administration of irinotecan. Unlike the conventional hydrogel, the DRTG is a dispersion of the irinotecan-loaded thermoreversible solid lipid nanoparticles in the thermoreversible hydrogel. In DRTG, the former was solid at 25°C but converted to liquid at 36.5°C; in contrast, the latter existed in a liquid form but transformed to gel state in the body. This DRTG gave significantly improved anti-tumour efficacy in tumour-bearing mice compared to the hydrogel but, unlike the conventional hydrogel, induced no body weight loss and local damage to the muscle. Copyright © 2017 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Novel psychoactive substances: overdose of 3-fluorophenmetrazine (3-FPM) and etizolam in a 33-year-old man.

PubMed

Benesch, Matthew G K; Iqbal, Sahar J

2018-06-08

Though illegal in the UK, in many countries novel psychoactive substances are quasi-legal synthetic compounds that are widely available online under the guise of research chemicals. These substances are relatively cheap and are often undetectable in standard drug screens. Nearly 200 such compounds are introduced yearly, and little is usually known about their metabolism or physiological effects. Consequently, managing patients in overdose situations on largely unknown substances usually involves supportive care, however anticipating and managing atypical side effects are challenging in the absence of knowledge of these compounds. In this report, we discuss our encounter with a 33-year-old unconscious man presenting with coingestion of a novel stimulant 3-fluorophenmetrazine with a rarely used benzodiazepine etizolam. This patient developed seizure-like activity and delayed widespread T-wave inversions, both of which ultimately resolved without sequelae. © BMJ Publishing Group Ltd (unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Galvanic vestibular stimulation speeds visual memory recall.

PubMed

Wilkinson, David; Nicholls, Sophie; Pattenden, Charlotte; Kilduff, Patrick; Milberg, William

2008-08-01

The experiments of Alessandro Volta were amongst the first to indicate that visuo-spatial function can be altered by stimulating the vestibular nerves with galvanic current. Until recently, the beneficial effects of the procedure were masked by the high levels of electrical current applied, which induced nystagmus-related gaze deviation and spatial disorientation. However, several neuropsychological studies have shown that much weaker, imperceptible currents that do not elicit unpleasant side-effects can help overcome visual loss after stroke. Here, we show that visual processing in neurologically healthy individuals can also benefit from galvanic vestibular stimulation. Participants first learnt the names of eight unfamiliar faces and then after a short delay, answered questions from memory about how pairs of these faces differed. Mean correct reaction times were significantly shorter when sub-sensory, noise-enhanced anodal stimulation was administered to the left mastoid, compared to when no stimulation was administered at all. This advantage occurred with no loss in response accuracy, and raises the possibility that the procedure may constitute a more general form of cognitive enhancement.

Granisetron: a review of pharmacokinetics and clinical experience in chemotherapy induced - nausea and vomiting.

PubMed

Spartinou, Anastasia; Nyktari, Vasileia; Papaioannou, Alexandra

2017-12-01

Chemotherapy induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) are major side effects of chemotherapy and a great burden to patients' quality of life. Serotonin and substance P are the major neurotransmitters involved in the pathophysiology of CINV, but in spite of new antiemetics no completely effective regime exists for its prevention or treatment. Areas covered: In this review the authors provide a detailed description of granisetron's chemistry pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, toxicity and a brief review of clinical trials involving granisetron and the management of CINV. We searched reviews, meta-analysis and randomized controlled trials (Medline, Embase and article reference lists). Expert opinion: According to current literature, granisetron 2 mg orally or 0,01mg/kg (1 mg) intravenously per day, co-administered with dexamethasone and NK-1 antagonists is the recommended regime for highly emetogenic chemotherapy. In the future the role of transdermal and subcutaneous formulations against delayed CINV will be clarified and probably enhance patients' convenience.

Multimodality Imaging in Cardiooncology

PubMed Central

Pizzino, Fausto; Vizzari, Giampiero; Qamar, Rubina; Bomzer, Charles; Carerj, Scipione; Khandheria, Bijoy K.

2015-01-01

Cardiotoxicity represents a rising problem influencing prognosis and quality of life of chemotherapy-treated patients. Anthracyclines and trastuzumab are the drugs most commonly associated with development of a cardiotoxic effect. Heart failure, myocardial ischemia, hypertension, myocarditis, and thrombosis are typical manifestation of cardiotoxicity by chemotherapeutic agents. Diagnosis and monitoring of cardiac side-effects of cancer treatment is of paramount importance. Echocardiography and nuclear medicine methods are widely used in clinical practice and left ventricular ejection fraction is the most important parameter to asses myocardial damage secondary to chemotherapy. However, left ventricular ejection decrease is a delayed phenomenon, occurring after a long stage of silent myocardial damage that classic imaging methods are not able to detect. New imaging techniques including three-dimensional echocardiography, speckle tracking echocardiography, and cardiac magnetic resonance have demonstrated high sensitivity in detecting the earliest alteration of left ventricular function associated with future development of chemotherapy-induced cardiomyopathy. Early diagnosis of cardiac involvement in cancer patients can allow for timely and adequate treatment management and the introduction of cardioprotective strategies. PMID:26300915

Liposomal bupivacaine and clinical outcomes.

PubMed

Tong, Yi Cai Isaac; Kaye, Alan David; Urman, Richard D

2014-03-01

In the multimodal approach to the management of postoperative pain, local infiltration and regional blocks have been increasingly utilized for pain control. One of the limitations of local anesthetics in the postoperative setting is its relatively short duration of action. Multivesicular liposomes containing bupivacaine have been increasingly utilized for their increased duration of action. Compared with bupivacaine HCl, local infiltration of liposomal bupivacaine has shown to have an increase in duration of action and causes delay in peak plasma concentration. In this article, we attempt to review the clinical literature surrounding liposomal bupivacaine and its evolving role in perioperative analgesia. This new bupivacaine formation may have promising implications in postoperative pain control, resulting in increased patient satisfaction and a decrease in both hospital stay and opioid-induced adverse events (AEs). Although more studies are needed, the preliminary clinical trials suggest that liposomal bupivacaine has predictable pharmacokinetics, a similar side effect profile compared with bupivacaine HCl, and is effective in providing increased postoperative pain control. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) therapy may enhance the negative effects of oxygen radicals in the acute phase of fracture.

PubMed

Zhao, Xiang; Yan, Shi-Gui

2011-02-01

Though it is well accepted that low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) can accelerate the healing process of a fracture with very good results, we should still pay attention to its side effects and further improve its application in detail, such as the appropriate time and point for the application. In the early phase of a bone fracture, there are millions of oxygen radicals released by neutrophils in the injured area. This article focuses on whether the increased permeability of normal cell membranes by LIPUS makes the concentration of oxygen radicals increase to such a high degree that damage occurs to healthy tissue cells. It is proposed that it may be better not to use LIPUS in the acute phase of a fracture (i.e. within 1week after injury) but instead delay its application until after any inflammatory reaction has weakened to yield better results. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Monitoring of caffeine consumption effect on skin blood properties by diffuse reflectance spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Milanic, Matija; Marin, Ana; Stergar, Jost; Verdel, Nina; Majaron, Boris

2017-07-01

Caffeine is the most widely consumed psychoactive substance in the world. It affects many tissues and organs, in particular central nervous system, heart, and blood vessels. The effect of caffeine on vascular smooth muscle cells is an initial transient contraction followed by significant vasodilatation. In this study we investigate the use of diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) for monitoring of vascular changes in human skin induced by caffeine consumption. DRS spectra were recorded on volar sides of the forearms of ten healthy volunteers at time delays of 0, 30, 60, 120, and 180 minutes after consumption of caffeine, while one subject served as a negative control. Analytical diffusion approximation solutions for diffuse reflectance from three-layer structures were used to assess skin composition (e.g., dermal blood volume fraction and oxygen saturation) by fitting to experimental data. The results demonstrate that cutaneous vasodynamics induced by caffeine consumption can be monitored by DRS, while changes in the control subject not consuming caffeine were insignificant.

Isolating Behavioral Mechanisms of Inter-Temporal Choice: Nicotine Effects on Delay Discounting and Amount Sensitivity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Locey, Matthew L.; Dallery, Jesse

2009-01-01

Many drugs of abuse produce changes in impulsive choice, that is, choice for a smaller-sooner reinforcer over a larger-later reinforcer. Because the alternatives differ in both delay and amount, it is not clear whether these drug effects are due to the differences in reinforcer delay or amount. To isolate the effects of delay, we used a titrating…

The Effects of Financial Education on Impulsive Decision Making

PubMed Central

DeHart, William B.; Friedel, Jonathan E.; Lown, Jean M.; Odum, Amy L.

2016-01-01

Delay discounting, as a behavioral measure of impulsive choice, is strongly related to substance abuse and other risky behaviors. Therefore, effective techniques that alter delay discounting are of great interest. We explored the ability of a semester long financial education course to change delay discounting. Participants were recruited from a financial education course (n = 237) and an abnormal psychology course (n = 80). Both groups completed a delay-discounting task for $100 during the first two weeks (Time 1) of the semester as well as during the last two weeks (Time 2) of the semester. Participants also completed a personality inventory and financial risk tolerance scale both times and a delay-discounting task for $1,000 during Time 2. Delay discounting decreased in the financial education group at the end of the semester whereas there was no change in delay discounting in the abnormal psychology group. Financial education may be an effective method for reducing delay discounting. PMID:27442237

The Effects of Financial Education on Impulsive Decision Making.

PubMed

DeHart, William B; Friedel, Jonathan E; Lown, Jean M; Odum, Amy L

2016-01-01

Delay discounting, as a behavioral measure of impulsive choice, is strongly related to substance abuse and other risky behaviors. Therefore, effective techniques that alter delay discounting are of great interest. We explored the ability of a semester long financial education course to change delay discounting. Participants were recruited from a financial education course (n = 237) and an abnormal psychology course (n = 80). Both groups completed a delay-discounting task for $100 during the first two weeks (Time 1) of the semester as well as during the last two weeks (Time 2) of the semester. Participants also completed a personality inventory and financial risk tolerance scale both times and a delay-discounting task for $1,000 during Time 2. Delay discounting decreased in the financial education group at the end of the semester whereas there was no change in delay discounting in the abnormal psychology group. Financial education may be an effective method for reducing delay discounting.

Bilateral retrobulbar optic neuropathy as the only sign of zoledronic acid toxicity.

PubMed

Lavado, Félix Manco; Prieto, Marta Para; Osorio, María Rosalba Ramoa; Gálvez, María Isabel López; Leal, Lucía Manzanas

2017-10-01

Bisphosphonates may rarely cause ocular adverse effects and retrobulbar optic neuropathy (RON) secondary to zoledronic acid is very rare. A 67-year-old man was referred because of progressive and painless decrease vision in the left eye. He had been treated with 7 cycles of zoledronic acid infusions because of metastatic prostate cancer. On examination, VA was 20/20 in the right eye (OD) and 20/50 in the left eye (OS). The optic nerve was unremarkable OU. Pattern visual evoked potentials (pVEP) and electroretinography were performed with the result of VEP responses abolished in OS, and the VEP waveform within the normal range amplitude and delayed peak latencies in OD. Due to the high suspicion of bilateral RON secondary to zoledronic acid, we decided to discontinue the treatment. Two months later, VA was 20/20 OD and hand motions OS, with relative afferent pupillary defect and a pallor of the optic disc in OS. The diagnosis of bilateral RON secondary to zoledronic acid infusions was confirmed, and it was only partially reversible. Zoledronic acid is a potent new generation bisphosphonate increasingly used in oncologic patients and it is usually well tolerated. Optic nerve toxicity is not a side effect recognised by either the Food and Drug Administration or the drug manufacturers, and to our knowledge, this is the first case of zoledronic acid-related bilateral RON with late onset. In conclusion, patients treated with bisphosphonates should be informed about the possibility of ocular side-effects, and ophthalmologists should be consider discontinuing the drug. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Weight Stigma Reduction and Genetic Determinism

PubMed Central

Hilbert, Anja

2016-01-01

One major approach to weight stigma reduction consists of decreasing beliefs about the personal controllability of—and responsibility for—obesity by educating about its biogenetic causes. Evidence on the efficacy of this approach is mixed, and it remains unclear whether this would create a deterministic view, potentially leading to detrimental side-effects. Two independent studies from Germany using randomized designs with delayed-intervention control groups served to (1) develop and pilot a brief, interactive stigma reduction intervention to educate N = 128 university students on gene × environment interactions in the etiology of obesity; and to (2) evaluate this intervention in the general population (N = 128) and determine mechanisms of change. The results showed (1) decreased weight stigma and controllability beliefs two weeks post-intervention in a student sample; and (2) decreased internal attributions and increased genetic attributions, knowledge, and deterministic beliefs four weeks post-intervention in a population sample. Lower weight stigma was longitudinally predicted by a decrease in controllability beliefs and an increase in the belief in genetic determinism, especially in women. The results underline the usefulness of a brief, interactive intervention promoting an interactionist view of obesity to reduce weight stigma, at least in the short term, lending support to the mechanisms of change derived from attribution theory. The increase in genetic determinism that occurred despite the intervention’s gene × environment focus had no detrimental side-effect on weight stigma, but instead contributed to its reduction. Further research is warranted on the effects of how biogenetic causal information influences weight management behavior of individuals with obesity. PMID:27631384

Weight Stigma Reduction and Genetic Determinism.

PubMed

Hilbert, Anja

2016-01-01

One major approach to weight stigma reduction consists of decreasing beliefs about the personal controllability of-and responsibility for-obesity by educating about its biogenetic causes. Evidence on the efficacy of this approach is mixed, and it remains unclear whether this would create a deterministic view, potentially leading to detrimental side-effects. Two independent studies from Germany using randomized designs with delayed-intervention control groups served to (1) develop and pilot a brief, interactive stigma reduction intervention to educate N = 128 university students on gene × environment interactions in the etiology of obesity; and to (2) evaluate this intervention in the general population (N = 128) and determine mechanisms of change. The results showed (1) decreased weight stigma and controllability beliefs two weeks post-intervention in a student sample; and (2) decreased internal attributions and increased genetic attributions, knowledge, and deterministic beliefs four weeks post-intervention in a population sample. Lower weight stigma was longitudinally predicted by a decrease in controllability beliefs and an increase in the belief in genetic determinism, especially in women. The results underline the usefulness of a brief, interactive intervention promoting an interactionist view of obesity to reduce weight stigma, at least in the short term, lending support to the mechanisms of change derived from attribution theory. The increase in genetic determinism that occurred despite the intervention's gene × environment focus had no detrimental side-effect on weight stigma, but instead contributed to its reduction. Further research is warranted on the effects of how biogenetic causal information influences weight management behavior of individuals with obesity.

The effects of delay duration on visual working memory for orientation.

PubMed

Shin, Hongsup; Zou, Qijia; Ma, Wei Ji

2017-12-01

We used a delayed-estimation paradigm to characterize the joint effects of set size (one, two, four, or six) and delay duration (1, 2, 3, or 6 s) on visual working memory for orientation. We conducted two experiments: one with delay durations blocked, another with delay durations interleaved. As dependent variables, we examined four model-free metrics of dispersion as well as precision estimates in four simple models. We tested for effects of delay time using analyses of variance, linear regressions, and nested model comparisons. We found significant effects of set size and delay duration on both model-free and model-based measures of dispersion. However, the effect of delay duration was much weaker than that of set size, dependent on the analysis method, and apparent in only a minority of subjects. The highest forgetting slope found in either experiment at any set size was a modest 1.14°/s. As secondary results, we found a low rate of nontarget reports, and significant estimation biases towards oblique orientations (but no dependence of their magnitude on either set size or delay duration). Relative stability of working memory even at higher set sizes is consistent with earlier results for motion direction and spatial frequency. We compare with a recent study that performed a very similar experiment.

Endoscopic Stenting as Bridge to Surgery versus Emergency Resection for Left-Sided Malignant Colorectal Obstruction: An Updated Meta-Analysis

PubMed Central

Ceresoli, Marco; Fugazzola, Paola; Ansaloni, Luca

2017-01-01

Introduction Emergency resection represents the traditional treatment for left-sided malignant obstruction. However, the placement of self-expanding metallic stents and delayed surgery has been proposed as an alternative approach. The aim of the current meta-analysis was to review the available evidence, with particular interest for the short-term outcomes, including a recent multicentre RCT. Methods We considered randomized controlled trials comparing stenting as a bridge to surgery and emergency surgery for the management of left-sided malignant large bowel obstruction, performing a systematic review in MEDLINE, PubMed database, and the Cochrane libraries. Results We initially identified a total of 2543 studies. After the elimination of duplicates and the screening of titles and abstracts, seven studies, for a total of 448 patients, were considered. The current meta-analysis revealed no difference in the mortality rate between the stent group and the emergency surgery group; the postoperative complication rate (37.84% versus 54.87%, P = 0.02), the stoma rate (28.8% versus 46.02%, P < 0.0001), and the incidence of wound infection (8.11% versus 15.49%, P = 0.01) were reduced after stent as a bridge to surgery. Conclusion Colonic stenting as a bridge to surgery appears to be a safe approach to malignant large bowel obstruction. Possible advantages of this treatment can be identified in a reduced incidence of postoperative complications and a lower stoma rate. Further RCTs considering long-term outcomes and cost-effectiveness analysis are needed. PMID:28761765

Base drive circuit

DOEpatents

Lange, Arnold C.

1995-01-01

An improved base drive circuit (10) having a level shifter (24) for providing bistable input signals to a pair of non-linear delays (30, 32). The non-linear delays (30, 32) provide gate control to a corresponding pair of field effect transistors (100, 106) through a corresponding pair of buffer components (88, 94). The non-linear delays (30, 32) provide delayed turn-on for each of the field effect transistors (100, 106) while an associated pair of transistors (72, 80) shunt the non-linear delays (30, 32) during turn-off of the associated field effect transistor (100, 106).

Health Related Quality of Life in Patients with Side-Effects after Antimuscarinic Treatment for Overactive Bladder.

PubMed

Kim, Aram; Lee, Kyu-Sung; Jung, Rangrhee; Na, Selee; Kim, Joon-Chul; Kim, Hyeong Gon; Choo, Myung-Soo

2017-09-01

Drug therapy is the mainstay of treatment for overactive bladder (OAB), but antimuscarinic agents possess side-effects. These side-effects decrease the patients' quality of life. We therefore assessed the impact of side-effects on health-related quality of life (HR-QoL) through an analysis of EQ-5D questionnaire. This study was designed to investigate the patients' satisfaction by quality weight of health status as affected by the side-effects of OAB medications. Patients who had OAB symptoms lasting longer than 3 months and have experienced side-effects after any antimuscarinic treatments filled in the EQ-5D questionnaire. The enrolled patients had two EQ-5D questionnaires for two different health statuses, i.e., presence or absence of side-effects. Quality weight was calculated using the ED-5D health status score with Korean tariff. One hundred patients were enrolled and completed the HR-QoL questionnaire. The most prevalent side-effect was dry mouth (61%) and 28% patients had dry mouth and constipation concurrently. Most of the patients with side-effects tried to endure and overcome these side-effects (79%), but 10% desired a change in medication, and 6% stopped medication altogether. The quality weight of EQ-5D without side-effects was 0.863, while the quality weight with side-effects was 0.666 (P < 0.001). The VAS score was 79 in patient without side-effects and 57 in those with side-effects, supporting the results of quality weight assessment. Overactive bladder patients may enjoy a better quality of life if side-effects associated with antimuscarinic therapy are fewer. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

Risperidone-induced symptomatic hyperprolactinaemia in adolescents.

PubMed

Holzer, Laurent; Eap, Chin B

2006-04-01

Studies performed in adult patients unambiguously demonstrate a marked effect of risperidone on prolactin blood levels, with possible clinical effects related to hyperprolactinemia, such as gynecomastia and galactorrhea. However, the largest study performed in children and adolescents showed a weak effect of risperidone on prolactin concentrations during short-term treatment and a negligible effect during long-term treatment, which was probably because of the relatively low dosages of risperidone used [approximately 0.04 mg/(kg x d)]. Among the 10 psychotic adolescents treated with risperidone in our unit, we had 3 cases of gynecomastia in 3 male patients and 2 cases of galactorrhea in 2 female patients. The prolactin blood levels in these cases and in 3 other patients without apparent prolactin-related side effects were all above the normal range (median, 59 ng/mL; range, 30-123 ng/mL). Thus, risperidone administered to adolescents at doses commonly used for the treatment of psychotic symptoms can strongly increase prolactin levels, with clinical consequences such as gynecomastia and/or galactorrhea. Given that the long-term effects of antipsychotic drug-induced hyperprolactinemia are not well documented, especially regarding osteopenia, infertility, growth, and pubertal delay, risperidone should be administered with caution to children and adolescents.

Coculture with endothelial cells reduces the population of cycling LeX neural precursors but increases that of quiescent cells with a side population phenotype

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

Mathieu, Celine; Fouchet, Pierre; Gauthier, Laurent R.

2006-04-01

Neural stem cell proliferation and differentiation are regulated by external cues from their microenvironment. As endothelial cells are closely associated with neural stem cell in brain germinal zones, we investigated whether endothelial cells may interfere with neurogenesis. Neural precursor cells (NPC) from telencephalon of EGFP mouse embryos were cocultured in direct contact with endothelial cells. Endothelial cells did not modify the overall proliferation and apoptosis of neural cells, albeit they transiently delayed spontaneous apoptosis. These effects appeared to be specific to endothelial cells since a decrease in proliferation and a raise in apoptosis were observed in cocultures with fibroblasts. Endothelialmore » cells stimulated the differentiation of NPC into astrocytes and into neurons, whereas they reduced differentiation into oligodendrocytes in comparison to adherent cultures on polyornithine. Determination of NPC clonogenicity and quantification of LeX expression, a marker for NPC, showed that endothelial cells decreased the number of cycling NPC. On the other hand, the presence of endothelial cells increased the number of neural cells having 'side population' phenotype, another marker reported on NPC, which we have shown to contain quiescent cells. Thus, we show that endothelial cells may regulate neurogenesis by acting at different level of NPC differentiation, proliferation and quiescence.« less

Control of Flow Structure on Non-Slender Delta Wing: Bio-inspired Edge Modifications, Passive Bleeding, and Pulsed Blowing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yavuz, Mehmet Metin; Celik, Alper; Cetin, Cenk

2016-11-01

In the present study, different flow control approaches including bio-inspired edge modifications, passive bleeding, and pulsed blowing are introduced and applied for the flow over non-slender delta wing. Experiments are conducted in a low speed wind tunnel for a 45 degree swept delta wing using qualitative and quantitative measurement techniques including laser illuminated smoke visualization, particle image velocimety (PIV), and surface pressure measurements. For the bio-inspired edge modifications, the edges of the wing are modified to dolphin fluke geometry. In addition, the concept of flexion ratio, a ratio depending on the flexible length of animal propulsors such as wings, is introduced. For passive bleeding, directing the free stream air from the pressure side of the planform to the suction side of the wing is applied. For pulsed blowing, periodic air injection through the leading edge of the wing is performed in a square waveform with 25% duty cycle at different excitation frequencies and compared with the steady and no blowing cases. The results indicate that each control approach is quite effective in terms of altering the overall flow structure on the planform. However, the success level, considering the elimination of stall or delaying the vortex breakdown, depends on the parameters in each method.

Analysis of a swimmer's hand and forearm in impulsive start from rest using computational fluid dynamics in unsteady flow conditions.

PubMed

Samson, M; Monnet, T; Bernard, A; Lacouture, P; David, L

2018-01-23

The propulsive forces generated by the hands and arms of swimmers have so far been determined essentially by quasi-steady approaches. This study aims to quantify the temporal dependence of the hydrodynamic forces for a simple translation movement: an impulsive start from rest. The study, carried out in unsteady numerical simulation, couples the calculation of the lift and the drag on an expert swimmer hand-forearm model with visualizations of the flow and flow vortex structure analysis. The results of these simulations show that the hand and forearm hydrodynamic forces should be studied from an unsteady approach because the quasi-steady model is inadequate. It also appears that the delayed stall effect generates higher circulatory forces during a short translation at high angle of attack than forces calculated under steady state conditions. During this phase the hand force coefficients are approximately twice as large as those of the forearm. The total force coefficients are highest for angles of attack between 40° and 60°. For the same angle of attack, the forces produced when the leading edge is the thumb side are slightly greater than those produced when the leading edge is the little finger side. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Development and characterization of transgenic dominant male sterile rice toward an outcross-based breeding system.

PubMed

Abe, Kiyomi; Oshima, Masao; Akasaka, Maiko; Konagaya, Ken-Ichi; Nanasato, Yoshihiko; Okuzaki, Ayako; Taniguchi, Yojiro; Tanaka, Junichi; Tabei, Yutaka

2018-03-01

Genomic selection is attracting attention in the field of crop breeding. To apply genomic selection effectively for autogamous (self-pollinating) crops, an efficient outcross system is desired. Since dominant male sterility is a powerful tool for easy and successive outcross of autogamous crops, we developed transgenic dominant male sterile rice ( Oryza sativa L.) using the barnase gene that is expressed by the tapetum-specific promoter BoA9 . Barnase -induced male sterile rice No. 10 (BMS10) was selected for its stable male sterility and normal growth characteristics. The BMS10 flowering habits, including heading date, flowering date, and daily flowering time of BMS10 tended to be delayed compared to wild type. When BMS10 and wild type were placed side-by-side and crossed under an open-pollinating condition, the seed-setting rate was <1.5%. When the clipping method was used to avoid the influence of late flowering habits, the seed-setting rate of BMS10 increased to a maximum of 86.4%. Although flowering synchronicity should be improved to increase the seed-setting rate, our results showed that this system can produce stable transgenic male sterility with normal female fertility in rice. The transgenic male sterile rice would promote a genomic selection-based breeding system in rice.

Calpain-mediated cleavage of collapsin response mediator protein-2 drives acute axonal degeneration

PubMed Central

Zhang, Jian-Nan; Michel, Uwe; Lenz, Christof; Friedel, Caroline C.; Köster, Sarah; d’Hedouville, Zara; Tönges, Lars; Urlaub, Henning; Bähr, Mathias; Lingor, Paul; Koch, Jan C.

2016-01-01

Axonal degeneration is a key initiating event in many neurological diseases. Focal lesions to axons result in a rapid disintegration of the perilesional axon by acute axonal degeneration (AAD) within several hours. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms of AAD are only incompletely understood. Here, we studied AAD in vivo through live-imaging of the rat optic nerve and in vitro in primary rat cortical neurons in microfluidic chambers. We found that calpain is activated early during AAD of the optic nerve and that calpain inhibition completely inhibits axonal fragmentation on the proximal side of the crush while it attenuates AAD on the distal side. A screening of calpain targets revealed that collapsin response mediator protein-2 (CRMP2) is a main downstream target of calpain activation in AAD. CRMP2-overexpression delayed bulb formation and rescued impairment of axonal mitochondrial transport after axotomy in vitro. In vivo, CRMP2-overexpression effectively protected the proximal axon from fragmentation within 6 hours after crush. Finally, a proteomic analysis of the optic nerve was performed at 6 hours after crush, which identified further proteins regulated during AAD, including several interactors of CRMP2. These findings reveal CRMP2 as an important mediator of AAD and define it as a putative therapeutic target. PMID:27845394

Leveraging delay discounting for health: Can time delays influence food choice?

PubMed

Appelhans, Bradley M; French, Simone A; Olinger, Tamara; Bogucki, Michael; Janssen, Imke; Avery-Mamer, Elizabeth F; Powell, Lisa M

2018-07-01

Delay discounting, the tendency to choose smaller immediate rewards over larger delayed rewards, is theorized to promote consumption of immediately rewarding but unhealthy foods at the expense of long-term weight maintenance and nutritional health. An untested implication of delay discounting models of decision-making is that selectively delaying access to less healthy foods may promote selection of healthier (immediately available) alternatives, even if they may be less desirable. The current study tested this hypothesis by measuring healthy versus regular vending machine snack purchasing before and during the implementation of a 25-s time delay on the delivery of regular snacks. Purchasing was also examined under a $0.25 discount on healthy snacks, a $0.25 tax on regular snacks, and the combination of both pricing interventions with the 25-s time delay. Across 32,019 vending sales from three separate vending locations, the 25-s time delay increased healthy snack purchasing from 40.1% to 42.5%, which was comparable to the impact of a $0.25 discount (43.0%). Combining the delay and the discount had a roughly additive effect (46.0%). However, the strongest effects were seen under the $0.25 tax on regular snacks (53.7%) and the combination of the delay and the tax (50.2%). Intervention effects varied substantially between vending locations. Importantly, time delays did not harm overall vending sales or revenue, which is relevant to the real-world feasibility of this intervention. More investigation is needed to better understand how the impact of time delays on food choice varies across populations, evaluate the effects of time delays on beverage vending choices, and extend this approach to food choices in contexts other than vending machines. ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02359916. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

200-BP-1 Prototype Hanford Barrier - 15 Years of Performance Monitoring

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

Ward, Anderson L.; Link, Steven O.; Draper, Kathryn E.

2009-09-01

Engineered surface barriers are recognized as a remedial alternative to the removal, treatment and disposal of near-surface contaminants at a variety of waste sites within the DOE complex. One issue impacting their acceptance by stakeholders the use of limited data to predict long-term performance. In 1994, a 2-ha multi-component barrier was constructed over an existing waste disposal site at Hanford using natural materials. Monitoring has been almost continuous for the last 15 yrs and has focused on barrier stability, vegetative cover, plant and animal intrusion, and the components of the water balance, including precipitation, runoff, storage, drainage, and percolation. Themore » total precipitation received from October 1994 through August 2008 was 3311 mm on the northern half (formerly irrigated), and 2638 mm on the southern, non-irrigated half. Water storage in the fine-soil layer shows a cyclic pattern, increasing in the winter and decreasing in the spring and summer to a lower limit of around 100 mm, regardless of precipitation, in response to evapotranspiration. Topographic surveys show the barrier and side slopes to be stable and the pea-gravel admix has proven effective in minimizing erosion through the creation of a desert pavement during deflationary periods. Three runoff events have been observed but the 600-mm design storage capacity has never been exceeded. Total percolation ranged from near zero amounts under the soil-covered plots to over 600 mm under the side slopes. The asphaltic concrete prevented any of this water from reaching the buried waste thereby eliminating the driving force for the contaminant remobilization. Plant surveys show a relatively high coverage of native plants still persists after the initial revegetation although the number of species decreased from 35 in 1994 to 10 in 2009. Ample evidence of insect and small mammal use suggests that the barrier is behaving like a recovering ecosystem. In September 2008, the north half of the barrier was burned to remove vegetation and study the effects of fire on barrier performance. The most immediate effects has been on water storage patterns with the bare surface showing a slower accumulation of water, a smaller peak storage and a delayed release relative to the unburned side due to evaporation . Nonetheless the residual storage at the end of the year was similar for the burned and unburned sides.« less

Explanations for side effect aversion in preventive medical treatment decisions

PubMed Central

Waters, Erika A.; Weinstein, Neil D.; Colditz, Graham A.; Emmons, Karen

2008-01-01

Objective Many laypeople demonstrate excessive sensitivity to negative side effects of medical treatments, which may lead them to refuse beneficial therapies. This Internet-based experiment investigated three possible explanations for such “side effect aversion.” One was derived from mental accounting, one examined the mere presence of a side effect, and one focused on computational difficulties. Design Participants (N = 5,379) were presented with a hypothetical cancer preventive treatment situation that was or was not accompanied by one or two small side effects. The side effects were either beneficial or harmful. In all conditions the net absolute risk reduction associated with the treatment was 15%. Main Outcome Measures Participants indicated their willingness to accept treatment and their perceptions of the treatment’s effects on their overall cancer risk. Results Data were consistent only with the “mere presence” explanation of side effect aversion, the idea that side effects act as a strong negative cue that directly affects treatment appraisal. The number of negative side effects did not influence treatment willingness. Conclusion Side effect aversion is a challenge to informed decision making. Specific mechanisms that produce side effect aversion should be identified. PMID:19290712

Drinking status but not acute alcohol consumption influences delay discounting.

PubMed

Adams, Sally; Attwood, Angela S; Munafò, Marcus R

2017-09-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the following: (a) the effects of acute alcohol on delay discounting; (b) the effects of drinking status on delayed discounting; and (c) whether these effects differ according to reward type (alcohol vs. money). Heavy and light social alcohol users (n = 96) were randomized to receive either an acute dose of alcohol at 0.4 or 0.6 g/kg or placebo in a between-subjects, double-blind design. Delay discounting of alcohol and monetary rewards was measured using a hyperbolic model, with higher scores indicative of greater delay discounting. ANOVA of discount scores indicated a main effect of reward type, where all participants had higher discount scores for alcohol versus money rewards. A main effect of drinking status was also observed, where heavier drinkers had higher discount scores compared with lighter drinkers. We did not observe a main effect of acute alcohol use on delay discounting or the hypothesized interactions between acute alcohol use and drinking status with reward type. Our data suggest that heavier drinkers discount the value of delayed rewards more steeply than lighter drinkers. Delay discounting may therefore be a promising marker of heavy alcohol consumption in social drinkers. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A randomized clinical trial with high dose of chloroquine for treatment of Plasmodium falciparum malaria in Brazil.

PubMed

de Andrade, J G; de Andrade, A L; Araujo, E S; Oliveira, R M; Silva, S A; Martelli, C M; Zicker, F

1992-01-01

This clinical trial compared parasitological efficacy, levels of in vivo resistance and side effects of oral chloroquine 25 mg/Kg and 50 mg/Kg in 3 days treatment in Plasmodium falciparum malaria with an extended followed-up of 30 days. The study enrolled 58 patients in the 25 mg/Kg group and 66 in the 50 mg/Kg group. All eligible subjects were over 14 years of age and came from Amazon Basin and Central Brazil during the period of August 1989 to April 1991. The cure rate in the 50 mg/Kg group was 89.4% on day 7 and 71.2% on day 14 compared to 44.8% and 24.1% in the 25 mg/Kg group. 74.1% of the patients in the 25 mg/Kg group and 48.4% of the patients in the 50 mg/Kg group had detectable parasitaemia at the day 30. However, there was a decrease of the geometric mean parasite density in both groups specially in the 50 mg/Kg group. There was 24.1% of RIII and 13.8% of RII in the 25 mg/Kg group. Side effects were found to be minimum in both groups. The present data support that there was a high level resistance to chloroquine in both groups, and the high dose regimen only delayed the development of resistance and its administration should not be recommended as first choice in malaria P. falciparum therapy in Brazil.

Time to Adjuvant Chemotherapy for Breast Cancer in National Comprehensive Cancer Network Institutions

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background High-quality care must be not only appropriate but also timely. We assessed time to initiation of adjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer as well as factors associated with delay to help identify targets for future efforts to reduce unnecessary delays. Methods Using data from the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) Outcomes Database, we assessed the time from pathological diagnosis to initiation of chemotherapy (TTC) among 6622 women with stage I to stage III breast cancer diagnosed from 2003 through 2009 and treated with adjuvant chemotherapy in nine NCCN centers. Multivariable models were constructed to examine factors associated with TTC. All statistical tests were two-sided. Results Mean TTC was 12.0 weeks overall and increased over the study period. A number of factors were associated with a longer TTC. The largest effects were associated with therapeutic factors, including immediate postmastectomy reconstruction (2.7 weeks; P < .001), re-excision (2.1 weeks; P < .001), and use of the 21-gene reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction assay (2.2 weeks; P < .001). In comparison with white women, a longer TTC was observed among black (1.5 weeks; P < .001) and Hispanic (0.8 weeks; P < .001) women. For black women, the observed disparity was greater among women who transferred their care to the NCCN center after diagnosis (P interaction = .008) and among women with Medicare vs commercial insurance (P interaction < .001). Conclusions Most observed variation in TTC was related to use of appropriate therapeutic interventions. This suggests the importance of targeted efforts to minimize potentially preventable causes of delay, including inefficient transfers in care or prolonged appointment wait times. PMID:23264681

Ebselen attenuates oxidative DNA damage and enhances its repair activity in the thalamus after focal cortical infarction in hypertensive rats.

PubMed

He, Meixia; Xing, Shihui; Yang, Bo; Zhao, Liqun; Hua, Haiying; Liang, Zhijian; Zhou, Wenliang; Zeng, Jinsheng; Pei, Zhong

2007-11-21

Oxidative DNA damage has been proposed to be a major contributor to focal cerebral ischemic injury. However, little is known about the role of oxidative DNA damage in remote damage secondary to the primary infarction. In the present study, we investigated oxidative damage within the ventroposterior nucleus (VPN) after distal middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) in hypertensive rats. We also examined the possible protective effect of ebselen, one glutathione peroxidase mimic, on delayed degeneration in the VPN after distal MCAO. Neuronal damage in the ipsilateral VPN was examined by Nissl staining. Oxidative DNA damage and base repair enzyme activity were assessed by analyzing immunoreactivity of 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-ohdG) and 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase (OGG1), respectively. The number of intact neurons in the ipsilateral VPN decreased by 52% compared to the contralateral side in ischemia group 2 weeks after distal cerebral cortical infarction. The immunoreactivity of 8-ohdG significantly increased while OGG1 immunoreactivity significantly decreased in the ipsilateral VPN 2 weeks after distal cortical infarction (all p<0.01). Compared with vehicle treatment, ebselen significantly attenuated the neuron loss, ameliorated ischemia-induced increase in 8-ohdG level as well as decrease in OGG1 level within the ipsilateral VPN (all p<0.01). OGG1 was further demonstrated to mainly express in neurons. These findings strongly suggest that oxidative DNA damage may be involved in the delayed neuronal death in the VPN region following distal MCAO. Furthermore, ebselen protects against the delayed damage in the VPN when given at 24 h following distal MCAO.

Subjective Report of Side Effects of Prescribed and Nonprescribed Psychostimulant Use in Young Adults.

PubMed

Smith, Tess E; Martel, Michelle M; DeSantis, Alan D

2017-03-21

Side effects of prescribed and nonprescribed psychostimulant use are understudied. The study examined side effects of prescribed and nonprescribed psychostimulant use in a college sample with attention to possible gender differences. 2716 undergraduates (1448 male) between the ages of 17 and 57 years (M = 19.43 years, SD = 1.7 years) completed an online survey that included questions about the subjective side effects of prescribed and nonprescribed psychostimulant use. Results suggested that prescribed users more frequently reported side effects, compared to nonprescribed users. For prescribed users, females more frequently reported appetite, somatic, and anxiety-related side effects compared to males. For nonprescribed users, while females reported more somatic and anxiety-related side effects, males more frequently reported loss of sex drive and sweating as side effects. Conclusions/Importance: These findings suggest prescribed users of psychostimulants more frequently report side effects with prominent gender differences in line with gender roles.

Sexual side effects associated with conventional and atypical antipsychotics.

PubMed

Compton, M T; Miller, A H

2001-01-01

The sexual side effects of psychotropic medications are becoming increasingly recognized in clinical psychiatry. The magnitude of the problem of sexual side effects associated with antipsychotic medications has yet to be fully elucidated, but a multitude of references in the literature demonstrate the importance of these side effects in both men and women. All currently used antipsychotic medications are associated with sexual side effects of various types. Although each antipsychotic medication may have a specific side effect profile determined by its various receptor affinities and by the degree to which it elevates serum prolactin, there is currently no evidence that specific side effects can be predicted. Sexual side effects can be categorized according to the phase of the sexual response cycle with which they interfere. Suggestions for clinical evaluation and treatment options are provided, including risk factor modification, dose reduction, switching agents, and addition of other agents. Sexual side effects associated with conventional and atypical antipsychotic medications represent an underestimated and understudied set of side effects that may diminish a patient's quality of life and lead to treatment noncompliance. Clinicians prescribing antipsychotic medications should be familiar with the classification, evaluation, and treatment of these side effects.

Synchronous development of HCC and CCC in the same subsegment of the liver in a patient with type C liver cirrhosis.

PubMed

Watanabe, Takuya; Sakata, Jun; Ishikawa, Takashi; Shirai, Yoshio; Suda, Takeyasu; Hirono, Haruka; Hasegawa, Katsuhiko; Soga, Kenji; Shibasaki, Koichi; Saito, Yukifumi; Umezu, Hajime

2009-10-31

As a result of having undergone computed tomography (CT), a 75-year-old woman with type-C liver cirrhosiswas shown to have two tumors on the ventral and dorsal sides of subsegment 3 (S3). The tumor on the ventral side was diagnosed as a classic hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), while that on the dorsal side was considered atypical for a HCC. Although the indocyanine green (ICG) findings indicated poor hepatic reserve, the prothrombin time (PT) was relatively good. An operation was performed in February 2007; however, this resulted in exploratory laparotomy. Dynamic CT performed 12 mo after the operation revealed that the tumor on the dorsal side of S3 had apparently increased. The marginal portion of the tumor was shown to be in the early and parenchymal phases, while the internal portion was found to have grown only slightly in the delayed phase. We diagnosed this tumor as a cholangiocellular carcinoma (CCC). S3 subsegmentectomy was performed in April 2008. The tumor on the ventral side was pathologically diagnosed as a moderately differentiated HCC, and that on the dorsal side was diagnosed as a CCC. We can therefore report a rare case of synchronous development of HCC and CCC in the same subsegment of the liver in a patient with type-C liver cirrhosis. We also add a literature review for all the reported cases published in Japan and around the world, and summarize the features of double cancer exhibiting both HCC and CCC.

A money management-based substance use treatment increases valuation of future rewards.

PubMed

Black, Anne C; Rosen, Marc I

2011-01-01

A positive association between delay discounting and substance use has been documented; substance users tend to discount future rewards more than non-users. However, studies detailing the responsiveness of delay discounting to interventions are lacking, and few have examined how any behavioral intervention affects delay discounting and whether these effects moderate changes in substance abuse. This study assesses the effectiveness of a money management intervention, Advisor-Teller Money Manager (ATM), in reducing delay discounting over time and the relationship of these effects to changes in cocaine use. Ninety psychiatric patients with histories of cocaine and/or alcohol use were randomly assigned to 36-weeks of ATM treatment or to a minimal-attention control condition. Delay discounting and cocaine use were measured throughout the intervention with a 52-week follow up measure of cocaine use. Analyses were conducted of (a) the effect of ATM on slopes of delay discounting and cocaine abstinence and (b) the relationship between change in delay discounting and change in cocaine abstinence. The ATM intervention was associated with significantly less delay discounting and less cocaine use over time relative to controls. Increases in delay discounting were associated with decreased abstinence from cocaine. ATM treatment decreased delay discounting rates and these effects extended to cocaine use. Concrete conceptualizations of future events, as occur in financial planning, with higher perceived probability may account for higher valuation of future rewards in counseled patients. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The influence of delaying judgments of learning on metacognitive accuracy: a meta-analytic review.

PubMed

Rhodes, Matthew G; Tauber, Sarah K

2011-01-01

Many studies have examined the accuracy of predictions of future memory performance solicited through judgments of learning (JOLs). Among the most robust findings in this literature is that delaying predictions serves to substantially increase the relative accuracy of JOLs compared with soliciting JOLs immediately after study, a finding termed the delayed JOL effect. The meta-analyses reported in the current study examined the predominant theoretical accounts as well as potential moderators of the delayed JOL effect. The first meta-analysis examined the relative accuracy of delayed compared with immediate JOLs across 4,554 participants (112 effect sizes) through gamma correlations between JOLs and memory accuracy. Those data showed that delaying JOLs leads to robust benefits to relative accuracy (g = 0.93). The second meta-analysis examined memory performance for delayed compared with immediate JOLs across 3,807 participants (98 effect sizes). Those data showed that delayed JOLs result in a modest but reliable benefit for memory performance relative to immediate JOLs (g = 0.08). Findings from these meta-analyses are well accommodated by theories suggesting that delayed JOL accuracy reflects access to more diagnostic information from long-term memory rather than being a by-product of a retrieval opportunity. However, these data also suggest that theories proposing that the delayed JOL effect results from a memorial benefit or the match between the cues available for JOLs and those available at test may also provide viable explanatory mechanisms necessary for a comprehensive account.

Transient delayed facial nerve palsy after inferior alveolar nerve block anesthesia.

PubMed

Tzermpos, Fotios H; Cocos, Alina; Kleftogiannis, Matthaios; Zarakas, Marissa; Iatrou, Ioannis

2012-01-01

Facial nerve palsy, as a complication of an inferior alveolar nerve block anesthesia, is a rarely reported incident. Based on the time elapsed, from the moment of the injection to the onset of the symptoms, the paralysis could be either immediate or delayed. The purpose of this article is to report a case of delayed facial palsy as a result of inferior alveolar nerve block, which occurred 24 hours after the anesthetic administration and subsided in about 8 weeks. The pathogenesis, treatment, and results of an 8-week follow-up for a 20-year-old patient referred to a private maxillofacial clinic are presented and discussed. The patient's previous medical history was unremarkable. On clinical examination the patient exhibited generalized weakness of the left side of her face with a flat and expressionless appearance, and she was unable to close her left eye. One day before the onset of the symptoms, the patient had visited her dentist for a routine restorative procedure on the lower left first molar and an inferior alveolar block anesthesia was administered. The patient's medical history, clinical appearance, and complete examinations led to the diagnosis of delayed facial nerve palsy. Although neurologic occurrences are rare, dentists should keep in mind that certain dental procedures, such as inferior alveolar block anesthesia, could initiate facial nerve palsy. Attention should be paid during the administration of the anesthetic solution.

Transient Delayed Facial Nerve Palsy After Inferior Alveolar Nerve Block Anesthesia

PubMed Central

Tzermpos, Fotios H.; Cocos, Alina; Kleftogiannis, Matthaios; Zarakas, Marissa; Iatrou, Ioannis

2012-01-01

Facial nerve palsy, as a complication of an inferior alveolar nerve block anesthesia, is a rarely reported incident. Based on the time elapsed, from the moment of the injection to the onset of the symptoms, the paralysis could be either immediate or delayed. The purpose of this article is to report a case of delayed facial palsy as a result of inferior alveolar nerve block, which occurred 24 hours after the anesthetic administration and subsided in about 8 weeks. The pathogenesis, treatment, and results of an 8-week follow-up for a 20-year-old patient referred to a private maxillofacial clinic are presented and discussed. The patient's previous medical history was unremarkable. On clinical examination the patient exhibited generalized weakness of the left side of her face with a flat and expressionless appearance, and she was unable to close her left eye. One day before the onset of the symptoms, the patient had visited her dentist for a routine restorative procedure on the lower left first molar and an inferior alveolar block anesthesia was administered. The patient's medical history, clinical appearance, and complete examinations led to the diagnosis of delayed facial nerve palsy. Although neurologic occurrences are rare, dentists should keep in mind that certain dental procedures, such as inferior alveolar block anesthesia, could initiate facial nerve palsy. Attention should be paid during the administration of the anesthetic solution. PMID:22428971

Exposure to Mobile Phone Radiation Opens New Horizons in Alzheimer’s Disease Treatment

PubMed Central

Mortazavi, SAR; Shojaei-Fard, MB; Haghani, M; Shokrpour, N; Mortazavi, SMJ

2013-01-01

Alzheimer’s disease, the most common type of dementia and a progressive neurodegenerative disease, occurs when the nerve cells in the brain die. Although there are medications that can help delay the development of Alzheimer’s disease, there is currently no cure for this disease. Exposure to ionizing and non-ionizing radiation may cause adverse health effects such as cancer.  Looking at the other side of the coin, there are reports indicating stimulatory or beneficial effects after exposure to cell phone radiofrequency radiation. Mortazavi et al. have previously reported some beneficial cognitive effects such as decreased reaction time after human short-term exposure to cell phone radiation or occupational exposure to radar microwave radiation. On the other hand, some recent reports have indicated that RF radiation may have a role in protecting against cognitive impairment in Alzheimer’s disease. Although the majority of these data come from animal studies that cannot be easily extrapolated to humans, it can be concluded that this memory enhancing approach may open new horizons in treatment of cognitive impairment in Alzheimer disease. PMID:25505755

Exposure to mobile phone radiation opens new horizons in Alzheimer's disease treatment.

PubMed

Mortazavi, Sar; Shojaei-Fard, Mb; Haghani, M; Shokrpour, N; Mortazavi, Smj

2013-09-01

Alzheimer's disease, the most common type of dementia and a progressive neurodegenerative disease, occurs when the nerve cells in the brain die. Although there are medications that can help delay the development of Alzheimer's disease, there is currently no cure for this disease. Exposure to ionizing and non-ionizing radiation may cause adverse health effects such as cancer.  Looking at the other side of the coin, there are reports indicating stimulatory or beneficial effects after exposure to cell phone radiofrequency radiation. Mortazavi et al. have previously reported some beneficial cognitive effects such as decreased reaction time after human short-term exposure to cell phone radiation or occupational exposure to radar microwave radiation. On the other hand, some recent reports have indicated that RF radiation may have a role in protecting against cognitive impairment in Alzheimer's disease. Although the majority of these data come from animal studies that cannot be easily extrapolated to humans, it can be concluded that this memory enhancing approach may open new horizons in treatment of cognitive impairment in Alzheimer disease.

Sasa health exerts a protective effect on Her2/NeuN mammary tumorigenesis.

PubMed

Ren, Mingqiang; Reilly, R Todd; Sacchi, Nicoletta

2004-01-01

Bamboo grass leaves of different Sasa species have been widely used in food and medicine in Eastern Asia for hundreds of years. Of special interest are Kumazasa (Sasa senanensis rehder) leaves used to prepare an alkaline extract known as Sasa Health. This extract was reported to inhibit both the development and growth of mammary tumors in a mammary tumor strain of virgin SHN mice (1). We found that Sasa Health exerts a significant protective effect on spontaneous mammary tumorigenesis in another mouse model of human breast cancer, the transgenic FVB-Her2/NeuN mouse model. Two cohorts of Her2/NeuN female mice of different age (eleven-week-old and twenty-four-week-old) chronically treated with Sasa Health in drinking water showed both a delay in the development of tumors and reduced tumor multiplicity. Sasa Health also induced inhibition of mammary duct branching and side bud development in association with reduced angiogenesis. Altogether these findings indicate that Sasa Health contains phytochemicals that can effectively retard spontaneous mammary tumorigenesis.

Effects of partial time delays on phase synchronization in Watts-Strogatz small-world neuronal networks.

PubMed

Sun, Xiaojuan; Perc, Matjaž; Kurths, Jürgen

2017-05-01

In this paper, we study effects of partial time delays on phase synchronization in Watts-Strogatz small-world neuronal networks. Our focus is on the impact of two parameters, namely the time delay τ and the probability of partial time delay p delay , whereby the latter determines the probability with which a connection between two neurons is delayed. Our research reveals that partial time delays significantly affect phase synchronization in this system. In particular, partial time delays can either enhance or decrease phase synchronization and induce synchronization transitions with changes in the mean firing rate of neurons, as well as induce switching between synchronized neurons with period-1 firing to synchronized neurons with period-2 firing. Moreover, in comparison to a neuronal network where all connections are delayed, we show that small partial time delay probabilities have especially different influences on phase synchronization of neuronal networks.

Automorphogenesis and gravitropism of plant seedlings grown under microgravity conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoson, T.; Saiki, M.; Kamisaka, S.; Yamashita, M.

Plant seedlings exhibit automorphogenesis on clinostats. The occurrence of automorphogenesis was confirmed under microgravity in Space Shuttle STS-95 flight. Rice coleoptiles showed an inclination toward the caryopsis in the basal region and a spontaneous curvature in the same adaxial direction in the elongating region both on a three-dimensional (3-D) clinostat and in space. Both rice roots and Arabidopsis hypocotyls also showed a similar morphology in space and on the 3-D clinostat. In rice coleoptiles, the mechanisms inducing such an automorphic curvature were studied. The faster-expanding convex side of rice coleoptiles showed a higher extensibility of the cell wall than the opposite side. Also, in the convex side, the cell wall thickness was smaller, the turnover of the matrix polysaccharides was more active, and the microtubules oriented more transversely than the concave side, and these differences appear to be causes of the curvature. When rice coleoptiles grown on the 3-D clinostat were placed horizontally, the gravitropic curvature was delayed as compared with control coleoptiles. In clinostatted coleoptiles, the corresponding suppression of the amyloplast development was also observed. Similar results were obtained in Arabidopsis hypocotyls. Thus, the induction of automorphogenesis and a concomitant decrease in graviresponsiveness occurred in plant shoots grown under microgravity conditions.

Range resolution improvement in passive bistatic radars using nested FM channels and least squares approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arslan, Musa T.; Tofighi, Mohammad; Sevimli, Rasim A.; ćetin, Ahmet E.

2015-05-01

One of the main disadvantages of using commercial broadcasts in a Passive Bistatic Radar (PBR) system is the range resolution. Using multiple broadcast channels to improve the radar performance is offered as a solution to this problem. However, it suffers from detection performance due to the side-lobes that matched filter creates for using multiple channels. In this article, we introduce a deconvolution algorithm to suppress the side-lobes. The two-dimensional matched filter output of a PBR is further analyzed as a deconvolution problem. The deconvolution algorithm is based on making successive projections onto the hyperplanes representing the time delay of a target. Resulting iterative deconvolution algorithm is globally convergent because all constraint sets are closed and convex. Simulation results in an FM based PBR system are presented.

The effect of visual-motion time delays on pilot performance in a pursuit tracking task

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miller, G. K., Jr.; Riley, D. R.

1976-01-01

A study has been made to determine the effect of visual-motion time delays on pilot performance of a simulated pursuit tracking task. Three interrelated major effects have been identified: task difficulty, motion cues, and time delays. As task difficulty, as determined by airplane handling qualities or target frequency, increases, the amount of acceptable time delay decreases. However, when relatively complete motion cues are included in the simulation, the pilot can maintain his performance for considerably longer time delays. In addition, the number of degrees of freedom of motion employed is a significant factor.

Using Video to Bridge the Gap Between Problem Behavior and a Delayed Time-out Procedure.

PubMed

Coppage, Sara; Meindl, James N

2017-09-01

Treatment plans focused on problem behavior often include punishment contingencies to decrease problem behavior. Immediate punishers are typically more effective than delayed punishers, but immediate delivery of a punisher is not always possible. Strategies need to be developed to increase the suppressive effects of delayed punishers. This study demonstrated the effectiveness of a treatment package involving replaying a video recording of problem behavior immediately before delivering a 15 min delayed time-out. This treatment package may prove to be an accessible and inexpensive strategy when using delayed punishers.

Forgetting in immediate serial recall: decay, temporal distinctiveness, or interference?

PubMed

Oberauer, Klaus; Lewandowsky, Stephan

2008-07-01

Three hypotheses of forgetting from immediate memory were tested: time-based decay, decreasing temporal distinctiveness, and interference. The hypotheses were represented by 3 models of serial recall: the primacy model, the SIMPLE (scale-independent memory, perception, and learning) model, and the SOB (serial order in a box) model, respectively. The models were fit to 2 experiments investigating the effect of filled delays between items at encoding or at recall. Short delays between items, filled with articulatory suppression, led to massive impairment of memory relative to a no-delay baseline. Extending the delays had little additional effect, suggesting that the passage of time alone does not cause forgetting. Adding a choice reaction task in the delay periods to block attention-based rehearsal did not change these results. The interference-based SOB fit the data best; the primacy model overpredicted the effect of lengthening delays, and SIMPLE was unable to explain the effect of delays at encoding. The authors conclude that purely temporal views of forgetting are inadequate. Copyright (c) 2008 APA, all rights reserved.

The antidepressant-like effects of topiramate alone or combined with 17β-estradiol in ovariectomized Wistar rats submitted to the forced swimming test.

PubMed

Molina-Hernández, Miguel; Téllez-Alcántara, N Patricia; Olivera-López, Jorge I; Jaramillo, M Teresa

2014-09-01

There is a significant delay in the clinical response of antidepressant drugs, and antidepressant treatments produce side effects. We examined the relationship between 17β-estradiol and topiramate in ovariectomized Wistar rats submitted to the forced swimming test (FST). Topiramate was administered alone or combined with 17β-estradiol to ovariectomized rats submitted to the FST. Topiramate (20 mg/kg, P < 0.05; 30 mg/kg, P < 0.05) reduced immobility by increasing swimming; these effects were antagonized by finasteride (50 mg/kg). In interaction experiments, topiramate (10 mg/kg) plus 17β-estradiol (5 micrograms per rat; P < 0.05) reduced immobility by increasing swimming behavior. Besides, 17β-estradiol (2.5 micrograms per rat) shortened the onset of the antidepressant-like effects of topiramate (P < 0.05). In the open field test, topiramate alone or combined with 17β-estradiol (P < 0.05) reduced locomotion. Topiramate alone or combined with 17β-estradiol produced antidepressant-like actions; and 17β-estradiol shortened the onset of the antidepressant-like effects of topiramate.

Describing-function analysis of a ripple regulator with slew-rate limits and time delays

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wester, Gene W.

1990-01-01

The effects of time delays and slew-rate limits on the steady-state operating points and performance of a free-running ripple regulator are evaluated using describing-function analysis. The describing function of an ideal comparator (no time delays or slew rate limits) has no phase shift and is independent of frequency. It is found that turn-on delay and turn-off delay have different effects on gain and phase and cannot be combined. Comparator hysteresis affects both gain and phase; likewise, time delays generally affect both gain and phase. It is found that the effective time delay around the feedback loop is one half the sum of turn-on and turn-off delays, regardless of whether the delays are caused by storage time or slew rate limits. Expressions are formulated for the switching frequency, switch duty ratio, dc output, and output ripple. For the case of no hysteresis, a simple, graphical solution for the switching frequency is possible, and the resulting switching frequency is independent of first-order variations of input or load.

Gastrointestinal Side Effects of Antiarrhythmic Medications: A Review of Current Literature.

PubMed

Amjad, Waseem; Qureshi, Waqas; Farooq, Ali; Sohail, Umair; Khatoon, Salma; Pervaiz, Sarah; Narra, Pratyusha; Hasan, Syeda M; Ali, Farman; Ullah, Aman; Guttmann, Steven

2017-09-03

Antiarrhythmic drugs are commonly prescribed cardiac drugs. Due to their receptor mimicry with several of the gastrointestinal tract receptors, they can frequently lead to gastrointestinal side effects. These side effects are the most common reasons for discontinuation of these drugs by the patients. Knowledge of these side effects is important for clinicians that manage antiarrhythmic drugs. This review focuses on the gastrointestinal side effects of these drugs and provides a detailed up-to-date literature review of the side effects of these drugs. The review provides case reports reported in the literature as well as possible mechanisms that lead to gastrointestinal side effects.

Memory for Medication Side Effects in Younger and Older Adults: The Role of Subjective and Objective Importance

PubMed Central

Friedman, Michael C.; McGillivray, Shannon; Murayama, Kou; Castel, Alan D.

2014-01-01

Older adults often experience memory impairments, but can sometimes use selective processing and schematic support to remember important information. The current experiments investigate to what degree younger and healthy older adults remember medication side effects that were subjectively or objectively important to remember. Participants studied a list of common side effects, and rated how negative these effects were if they were to experience them, and were then given a free recall test. In Experiment 1, the severity of the side effects ranged from mild (e.g., itching) to severe (e.g., stroke), and in Experiment 2, certain side effects were indicated as critical to remember (i.e., “contact your doctor if you experience this”). There were no age differences in terms of free recall of the side effects, and older adults remembered more severe side effects relative to mild effects. However, older adults were less likely to recognize critical side effects on a later recognition test, relative to younger adults. The findings suggest that older adults can selectively remember medication side effects, but have difficulty identifying familiar but potentially critical side effects, and this has implications for monitoring medication use in older age. PMID:25331278

Delays in the operating room: signs of an imperfect system.

PubMed

Wong, Janice; Khu, Kathleen Joy; Kaderali, Zul; Bernstein, Mark

2010-06-01

Delays in the operating room have a negative effect on its efficiency and the working environment. In this prospective study, we analyzed data on perioperative system delays. One neurosurgeon prospectively recorded all errors, including perioperative delays, for consecutive patients undergoing elective procedures from May 2000 to February 2009. We analyzed the prevalence, causes and impact of perioperative system delays that occurred in one neurosurgeon's practice. A total of 1531 elective surgical cases were performed during the study period. Delays were the most common type of error (33.6%), and more than half (51.4%) of all cases had at least 1 delay. The most common cause of delay was equipment failure. The first cases of the day and cranial cases had more delays than subsequent cases and spinal cases, respectively. A delay in starting the first case was associated with subsequent delays. Delays frequently occur in the operating room and have a major effect on patient flow and resource utilization. Thorough documentation of perioperative delays provides a basis for the development of solutions for improving operating room efficiency and illustrates the principles underlying the causes of operating room delays across surgical disciplines.

Clinical outcomes of tricuspid valve repair accompanying left-sided heart disease

PubMed Central

Azarnoush, Kasra; Nadeemy, Ahmad S; Pereira, Bruno; Leesar, Massoud A; Lambert, Céline; Azhari, Alaa; Eljezi, Vedat; Dauphin, Nicolas; Geoffroy, Etienne; Camilleri, Lionel

2017-01-01

AIM To determine whether the need for additional tricuspid valve repair is an independent risk factor when surgery is required for a left-sided heart disease. METHODS One hundred and eighty patients (68 ± 12 years, 79 males) underwent tricuspid annuoplasty. Cox proportional-hazards regression model for multivariate analysis was performed for variables found significant in univariate analyses. RESULTS Tricuspid regurgitation etiology was functional in 154 cases (86%), organic in 16 cases (9%), and mixed in 10 cases (6%), respectively. Postoperative mortality at 30 days was 11.7%. Mean follow-up was 51.7 mo with survival at 5 years of 73.5%. Risk factors for mortality were acute endocarditis [hazard ratio (HR) = 9.22 (95%CI: 2.87-29.62), P < 0.001], ischemic heart disease requiring myocardial revascularization [HR = 2.79 (1.26-6.20), P = 0.012], and aortic valve stenosis [HR = 2.6 (1.15-5.85), P = 0.021]. Significant predictive factors from univariate analyses were double-valve replacement combined with tricuspid annuloplasty [HR = 2.21 (1.11-4.39), P = 0.003] and preoperatively impaired ejection fraction [HR = 1.98 (1.04-3.92), P = 0.044]. However, successful mitral valve repair showed a protective effect [HR = 0.32 (0.10-0.98), P = 0.046]. Additionally, in instances where tricuspid regurgitation required the need for concomitant tricuspid valve repair, mortality predictor scores such as Euroscore 2 could be shortened to a simple Euroscore-tricuspid comprised of only 7 inputs. The explanation may lie in the fact that significant tricuspid regurgitation following left-sided heart disease represents an independent risk factor encompassing several other factors such as pulmonary arterial hypertension and dyspnea. CONCLUSION Tricuspid annuloplasty should be used more often as a concomitant procedure in the presence of relevant tricuspid regurgitation, although it usually reveals an overly delayed correction of a left-sided heart disease. PMID:29104738

DISCOUNTING OF DELAYED AND PROBABILISTIC LOSSES OVER A WIDE RANGE OF AMOUNTS

PubMed Central

Green, Leonard; Myerson, Joel; Oliveira, Luís; Chang, Seo Eun

2014-01-01

The present study examined delay and probability discounting of hypothetical monetary losses over a wide range of amounts (from $20 to $500,000) in order to determine how amount affects the parameters of the hyperboloid discounting function. In separate conditions, college students chose between immediate payments and larger, delayed payments and between certain payments and larger, probabilistic payments. The hyperboloid function accurately described both types of discounting, and amount of loss had little or no systematic effect on the degree of discounting. Importantly, the amount of loss also had little systematic effect on either the rate parameter or the exponent of the delay and probability discounting functions. The finding that the parameters of the hyperboloid function remain relatively constant across a wide range of amounts of delayed and probabilistic loss stands in contrast to the robust amount effects observed with delayed and probabilistic rewards. At the individual level, the degree to which delayed losses were discounted was uncorrelated with the degree to which probabilistic losses were discounted, and delay and probability loaded on two separate factors, similar to what is observed with delayed and probabilistic rewards. Taken together, these findings argue that although delay and probability discounting involve fundamentally different decision-making mechanisms, nevertheless the discounting of delayed and probabilistic losses share an insensitivity to amount that distinguishes it from the discounting of delayed and probabilistic gains. PMID:24745086

Processor-Based Strong Physical Unclonable Functions with Aging-Based Response Tuning (Preprint)

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-01-01

NUMBER OF PAGES 19a. NAME OF RESPONSIBLE PERSON GARRET S. ROSE a. REPORT U b . ABSTRACT U c. THIS PAGE U 19b. TELEPHONE NUMBER (Include area code...generated by quad-tree process variation model [1]. The number in the right side of the figures means Z value of Gaussian distribution. B . Delay model To...and B are technology dependent constants. As shown in Equation 2, the Vth shift heavily depends on temperature (T ) and stress time (t). By applying

The Delayed Fracture of Aluminum Alloys, End of Year Report.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-03-01

Corrosion Cracking of Maraging Steel ," Corrosion NACE, 1971, vol. 27, no. 10, pp. 429-433. 17. J.C.M. Li, R.A. Oriani, and L.S. Darken: "The...Park, OH, 1974, p. 274. 32. M.V. Hyatt and M.O. Speidel: Chapter 4 of Stress- Corrosion Cracking in High Strength Steels and in Titanium and Aluminum...reverse side it necessary and identify by block number) Aluminum alloys, stress corrosion cracking, oxide film, Auger electron spectroscopy, Mode I