Sample records for destruction msd process

  1. The Growth of Multi-Site Fatigue Damage in Fuselage Lap Joints

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Piascik, Robert S.; Willard, Scott A.

    1999-01-01

    Destructive examinations were performed to document the progression of multi-site damage (MSD) in three lap joint panels that were removed from a full scale fuselage test article that was tested to 60,000 full pressurization cycles. Similar fatigue crack growth characteristics were observed for small cracks (50 microns to 10 mm) emanating from counter bore rivets, straight shank rivets, and 100 deg counter sink rivets. Good correlation of the fatigue crack growth data base obtained in this study and FASTRAN Code predictions show that the growth of MSD in the fuselage lap joint structure can be predicted by fracture mechanics based methods.

  2. Fast processing of digital imaging and communications in medicine (DICOM) metadata using multiseries DICOM format.

    PubMed

    Ismail, Mahmoud; Philbin, James

    2015-04-01

    The digital imaging and communications in medicine (DICOM) information model combines pixel data and its metadata in a single object. There are user scenarios that only need metadata manipulation, such as deidentification and study migration. Most picture archiving and communication system use a database to store and update the metadata rather than updating the raw DICOM files themselves. The multiseries DICOM (MSD) format separates metadata from pixel data and eliminates duplicate attributes. This work promotes storing DICOM studies in MSD format to reduce the metadata processing time. A set of experiments are performed that update the metadata of a set of DICOM studies for deidentification and migration. The studies are stored in both the traditional single frame DICOM (SFD) format and the MSD format. The results show that it is faster to update studies' metadata in MSD format than in SFD format because the bulk data is separated in MSD and is not retrieved from the storage system. In addition, it is space efficient to store the deidentified studies in MSD format as it shares the same bulk data object with the original study. In summary, separation of metadata from pixel data using the MSD format provides fast metadata access and speeds up applications that process only the metadata.

  3. Fast processing of digital imaging and communications in medicine (DICOM) metadata using multiseries DICOM format

    PubMed Central

    Ismail, Mahmoud; Philbin, James

    2015-01-01

    Abstract. The digital imaging and communications in medicine (DICOM) information model combines pixel data and its metadata in a single object. There are user scenarios that only need metadata manipulation, such as deidentification and study migration. Most picture archiving and communication system use a database to store and update the metadata rather than updating the raw DICOM files themselves. The multiseries DICOM (MSD) format separates metadata from pixel data and eliminates duplicate attributes. This work promotes storing DICOM studies in MSD format to reduce the metadata processing time. A set of experiments are performed that update the metadata of a set of DICOM studies for deidentification and migration. The studies are stored in both the traditional single frame DICOM (SFD) format and the MSD format. The results show that it is faster to update studies’ metadata in MSD format than in SFD format because the bulk data is separated in MSD and is not retrieved from the storage system. In addition, it is space efficient to store the deidentified studies in MSD format as it shares the same bulk data object with the original study. In summary, separation of metadata from pixel data using the MSD format provides fast metadata access and speeds up applications that process only the metadata. PMID:26158117

  4. Correctors of the Major Cystic Fibrosis Mutant Interact through Membrane-Spanning Domains.

    PubMed

    Laselva, Onofrio; Molinski, Steven; Casavola, Valeria; Bear, Christine E

    2018-06-01

    The most common cystic fibrosis causing mutation is deletion of phenylalanine at position 508 (F508del), a mutation that leads to protein misassembly with defective processing. Small molecule corrector compounds: VX-809 or Corr-4a (C4) partially restores processing of the major mutant. These two prototypical corrector compounds cause an additive effect on F508del/cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) processing, and hence were proposed to act through distinct mechanisms: VX-809 stabilizing the first membrane-spanning domain (MSD) 1, and C4 acting on the second half of the molecule [consisting of MSD2 and/or nucleotide binding domain (NBD) 2]. We confirmed the effect of VX-809 in enhancing the stability of MSD1 and showed that it also allosterically modulates MSD2 when coexpressed with MSD1. We showed for the first time that C4 stabilizes the second half of the CFTR protein through its action on MSD2. Given the allosteric effect of VX-809 on MSD2, we were prompted to test the hypothesis that the two correctors interact in the full-length mutant protein. We did see evidence supporting their interaction in the full-length F508del-CFTR protein bearing secondary mutations targeting domain:domain interfaces. Disruption of the MSD1:F508del-NBD1 interaction (R170G) prevented correction by both compounds, pointing to the importance of this interface in processing. On the other hand, stabilization of the MSD2:F508del-NBD1 interface (by introducing R1070W) led to a synergistic effect of the compound combination on the total abundance of both the immature and mature forms of the protein. Together, these findings suggest that the two correctors interact in stabilizing the complex of MSDs in F508del-CFTR. Copyright © 2018 by The American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics.

  5. Does age matter in predicting musculoskeletal disorder risk? An analysis of workplace predictors over 4 years.

    PubMed

    Oakman, Jodi; Neupane, Subas; Nygård, Clas-Håkan

    2016-10-01

    Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are a major workplace issue. With increasing pressure to extend working lives, predictors of MSD risk across all age groups require accurate identification to inform risk reduction strategies. In 2005 and 2009, a survey was conducted in a Finnish food processing company (N = 734). Data on workplace physical and psychosocial hazards, work ability, job satisfaction and lifestyle-related variables were collected, and MSD risk was measured through assessment of work-related strain in four body areas. Predictors of MSD risk across three age groups (20-35, 36-49, 50+) were assessed with linear regression analysis. Physical hazards and MSD risk were related differently for each age group. The relationship between psychosocial hazards and MSD risk was less clear. For younger workers, physical hazards were not associated with MSD risk. In contrast, for those aged 36-49, repetitive movements (B = 1.76, p < 0.001) and awkward postures (B = 1.30, p = 0.02) were associated with increased MSD risk. For older workers, environmental hazards were positively associated with MSD risk (B = 0.37, p = 0.04). Predictors of MSD risk changed differently for each age group during 4 years of follow-up. For younger workers, change in environment and repetitive movements, for middle age team support and for older workers change in awkward posture were significant predictors of MSD risk. These results support the need for workplace-specific hazard surveillance data. This will ensure that all contributing factors to MSD risk can be accurately identified and controlled independent of age.

  6. Characterization of single-file diffusion in one-dimensional dusty plasma

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Theisen, W. L.; Sheridan, T. E.

    2010-11-01

    Single-file diffusion occurs in one-dimensional systems when particles cannot pass each other and the mean-squared displacement (msd) of these particles increases with time t. Diffusive processes that follow Ficks law predict that the msd increases as t, however, single-file diffusion is sub-Fickean meaning that the msd is predicted to increase as t^1/2. One-dimensional dusty plasma rings have been created under strongly coupled, over-damped conditions. Particle position data from these rings will be analyzed to determine the scaling of the msd with time. Results will be compared with predictions of single-file diffusion theory.

  7. Preliminary investigation of single-file diffusion in complex plasma rings

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Theisen, W. L.; Sheridan, T. E.

    2010-04-01

    Particles in one-dimensional (1D) systems cannot pass each other. However, it is still possible to define a diffusion process where the mean-squared displacement (msd) of an ensemble of particles in a 1D chain increases with time t. This process is called single-file diffusion. In contrast to diffusive processes that follow Fick's law, msdt, single-file diffusion is sub-Fickean and the msd is predicted to increase as t^1/2. We have recently created 1D dusty (complex) plasma rings in the DONUT (Dusty ONU experimenT) apparatus. Particle position data from these rings will be analyzed to determine the scaling of the msd with time and results will be compared with predictions of single-file diffusion theory.

  8. Prevention of MSD within OHSMS/IMS: a systematic review of risk assessment strategies.

    PubMed

    Yazdani, Amin; Wells, Richard

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this systematic review was to identify and summarize the research evidence on prevention of Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSD) within Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems (OHSMS) and Integrated Management Systems (IMS). Databases in business, management, engineering and health and safety were systematically searched and relevant publications were synthesized. The number of papers that could address the research questions was small. However, the review revealed that many of the techniques to address MSD hazards require substantial background knowledge and training. This may limit employees' involvement in the technical aspects of the risk assessment process. Also these techniques did not usually fit into techniques used by companies to address other risk factors within their management systems. This could result in MSD prevention becoming a separate issue that cannot be managed with company-wide tools. In addition, this review also suggested that there is a research gap concerning the MSD prevention within companies' management systems.

  9. Automatic Data Processing Equipment (ADPE) acquisition plan for the medical sciences

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1979-01-01

    An effective mechanism for meeting the SLSD/MSD data handling/processing requirements for Shuttle is discussed. The ability to meet these requirements depends upon the availability of a general purpose high speed digital computer system. This system is expected to implement those data base management and processing functions required across all SLSD/MSD programs during training, laboratory operations/analysis, simulations, mission operations, and post mission analysis/reporting.

  10. 78 FR 41803 - Notice of Lodging of Proposed Amendment to Consent Decree Under the Clean Water Act

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-07-11

    ... original 2012 consent decree, the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District (``MSD'') agreed to undertake... specific combined sewer overflow control measures. MSD still is in the process of complying with the 2012...

  11. Aging underdamped scaled Brownian motion: Ensemble- and time-averaged particle displacements, nonergodicity, and the failure of the overdamping approximation.

    PubMed

    Safdari, Hadiseh; Cherstvy, Andrey G; Chechkin, Aleksei V; Bodrova, Anna; Metzler, Ralf

    2017-01-01

    We investigate both analytically and by computer simulations the ensemble- and time-averaged, nonergodic, and aging properties of massive particles diffusing in a medium with a time dependent diffusivity. We call this stochastic diffusion process the (aging) underdamped scaled Brownian motion (UDSBM). We demonstrate how the mean squared displacement (MSD) and the time-averaged MSD of UDSBM are affected by the inertial term in the Langevin equation, both at short, intermediate, and even long diffusion times. In particular, we quantify the ballistic regime for the MSD and the time-averaged MSD as well as the spread of individual time-averaged MSD trajectories. One of the main effects we observe is that, both for the MSD and the time-averaged MSD, for superdiffusive UDSBM the ballistic regime is much shorter than for ordinary Brownian motion. In contrast, for subdiffusive UDSBM, the ballistic region extends to much longer diffusion times. Therefore, particular care needs to be taken under what conditions the overdamped limit indeed provides a correct description, even in the long time limit. We also analyze to what extent ergodicity in the Boltzmann-Khinchin sense in this nonstationary system is broken, both for subdiffusive and superdiffusive UDSBM. Finally, the limiting case of ultraslow UDSBM is considered, with a mixed logarithmic and power-law dependence of the ensemble- and time-averaged MSDs of the particles. In the limit of strong aging, remarkably, the ordinary UDSBM and the ultraslow UDSBM behave similarly in the short time ballistic limit. The approaches developed here open ways for considering other stochastic processes under physically important conditions when a finite particle mass and aging in the system cannot be neglected.

  12. Aging underdamped scaled Brownian motion: Ensemble- and time-averaged particle displacements, nonergodicity, and the failure of the overdamping approximation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Safdari, Hadiseh; Cherstvy, Andrey G.; Chechkin, Aleksei V.; Bodrova, Anna; Metzler, Ralf

    2017-01-01

    We investigate both analytically and by computer simulations the ensemble- and time-averaged, nonergodic, and aging properties of massive particles diffusing in a medium with a time dependent diffusivity. We call this stochastic diffusion process the (aging) underdamped scaled Brownian motion (UDSBM). We demonstrate how the mean squared displacement (MSD) and the time-averaged MSD of UDSBM are affected by the inertial term in the Langevin equation, both at short, intermediate, and even long diffusion times. In particular, we quantify the ballistic regime for the MSD and the time-averaged MSD as well as the spread of individual time-averaged MSD trajectories. One of the main effects we observe is that, both for the MSD and the time-averaged MSD, for superdiffusive UDSBM the ballistic regime is much shorter than for ordinary Brownian motion. In contrast, for subdiffusive UDSBM, the ballistic region extends to much longer diffusion times. Therefore, particular care needs to be taken under what conditions the overdamped limit indeed provides a correct description, even in the long time limit. We also analyze to what extent ergodicity in the Boltzmann-Khinchin sense in this nonstationary system is broken, both for subdiffusive and superdiffusive UDSBM. Finally, the limiting case of ultraslow UDSBM is considered, with a mixed logarithmic and power-law dependence of the ensemble- and time-averaged MSDs of the particles. In the limit of strong aging, remarkably, the ordinary UDSBM and the ultraslow UDSBM behave similarly in the short time ballistic limit. The approaches developed here open ways for considering other stochastic processes under physically important conditions when a finite particle mass and aging in the system cannot be neglected.

  13. Construction of small plasmid vectors for use in genetic improvement of the extremely acidophilic Acidithiobacillus caldus.

    PubMed

    Meng, Jianzhou; Wang, Huiyan; Liu, Xiangmei; Lin, Jianqun; Pang, Xin; Lin, Jianqiang

    2013-10-01

    The genetic improvement of biomining bacteria including Acidithiobacillus caldus could facilitate the bioleaching process of sulfur-containing minerals. However, the available vectors for use in A. caldus are very scanty and limited to relatively large broad-host-range IncQ plasmids. In this study, a set of small, mobilizable plasmid vectors (pBBR1MCS-6, pMSD1 and pMSD2) were constructed based on plasmid pBBR1MCS-2, which does not belong to the IncQ, IncW, or IncP groups. The function of the tac promoter on 5.8-kb pMSD2 was determined by inserting a kanamycin-resistant reporter gene. The resulting recombinant pMSD2-Km was successfully transferred by conjugation into A. caldus MTH-04 with transfer frequency of 1.38±0.64×10(-5). The stability and plasmid copy number of pMSD2-Km in A. caldus MTH-04 were 75±2.7% and 5-6 copies per cell, respectively. By inserting an arsABC operon into pMSD2, an arsenic-resistant recombinant pMSD2-As was constructed and transferred into A. caldus MTH-04 by conjugation. The arsenic tolerance of A. caldus MTH-04 containing pMSD2-As was obviously increased up to 45mM of NaAsO2. These vectors could be applied in genetic improvement of A. caldus as well as other bioleaching bacteria. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  14. Residues in the membrane-spanning domain core modulate conformation and fusogenicity of the HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein

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

    Shang Liang; Hunter, Eric, E-mail: eric.hunter2@emory.ed

    2010-09-01

    The membrane-spanning domain (MSD) of human immunodeficiency virus type I (HIV-1) envelope glycoprotein (Env) is critical for its biological activity. Initial studies have defined an almost invariant 'core' structure in the MSD and demonstrated that it is crucial for anchoring Env in the membrane and virus entry. We show here that amino acid substitutions in the MSD 'core' do not influence specific virus-cell attachment, nor CD4 receptor and CXCR4 coreceptor recognition by Env. However, substitutions within the MSD 'core' delayed the kinetics and reduced the efficiency of cell-cell fusion mediated by Env. Although we observed no evidence that membrane fusionmore » mediated by the MSD core mutants was arrested at a hemifusion stage, impaired Env fusogenicity was correlated with minor conformational changes in the V2, C1, and C5 regions in gp120 and the immunodominant loop in gp41. These changes could delay initiation of the conformational changes required in the fusion process.« less

  15. An implementation evaluation of a qualitative culture assessment tool.

    PubMed

    Tappin, D C; Bentley, T A; Ashby, L E

    2015-03-01

    Safety culture has been identified as a critical element of healthy and safe workplaces and as such warrants the attention of ergonomists involved in occupational health and safety (OHS). This study sought to evaluate a tool for assessing organisational safety culture as it impacts a common OHS problem: musculoskeletal disorders (MSD). The level of advancement across nine cultural aspects was assessed in two implementation site organisations. These organisations, in residential healthcare and timber processing, enabled evaluation of the tool in contrasting settings, with reported MSD rates also high in both sectors. Interviews were conducted with 39 managers and workers across the two organisations. Interview responses and company documentation were compared by two researchers to the descriptor items for each MSD culture aspect. An assignment of the level of advancement, using a five stage framework, was made for each aspect. The tool was readily adapted to each implementation site context and provided sufficient evidence to assess their levels of advancement. Assessments for most MSD culture aspects were in the mid to upper levels of advancement, although the levels differed within each organisation, indicating that different aspects of MSD culture, as with safety culture, develop at a different pace within organisations. Areas for MSD culture improvement were identified for each organisation. Reflections are made on the use and merits of the tool by ergonomists for addressing MSD risk. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

  16. Sub-Fickean Diffusion in a One-Dimensional Plasma Ring

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Theisen, W. L.

    2013-12-01

    A one-dimensional dusty plasma ring is formed in a strongly-coupled complex plasma. The dust particles in the ring can be characterized as a one-dimensional system where the particles cannot pass each other. The particles perform random walks due to thermal motions. This single-file self diffusion is characterized by the mean-squared displacement (msd) of the individual particles which increases with time t. Diffusive processes that follow Ficks law predict that the msd increases as t, however, single-file diffusion is sub-Fickean meaning that the msd is predicted to increase as t^(1/2). Particle position data from the dusty plasma ring is analyzed to determine the scaling of the msd with time. Results are compared with predictions of single-file diffusion theory.

  17. Virulence and pathogenesis of the MSW and MSD strains of Californian myxoma virus in European rabbits with genetic resistance to myxomatosis compared to rabbits with no genetic resistance.

    PubMed

    Silvers, L; Inglis, B; Labudovic, A; Janssens, P A; van Leeuwen, B H; Kerr, P J

    2006-04-25

    The pathogenesis of two Californian strains of myxoma virus (MSW and MSD) was examined in European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) that were either susceptible to myxomatosis (laboratory rabbits) or had undergone natural selection for genetic resistance to myxomatosis (Australian wild rabbits). MSW was highly lethal for both types of rabbits with average survival times of 7.3 and 9.4 days, respectively, and 100% mortality. Classical clinical signs of myxomatosis were not present except in one rabbit that survived for 13 days following infection. Previously described clinical signs of trembling and shaking were observed in laboratory but not wild rabbits. Despite the high resistance of wild rabbits to myxomatosis caused by South American strains of myxoma virus, the MSW strain was of such high virulence that it was able to overcome resistance. The acute nature of the infection, relatively low viral titers in the tissues and destruction of lymphoid tissues, suggested that death was probably due to an acute and overwhelming immunopathological response to the virus. No virus was found in the brain. The MSD strain was attenuated compared to previously published descriptions and therefore was only characterized in laboratory rabbits. It is concluded that Californian MSW strain of myxoma virus is at the extreme end of a continuum of myxoma virus virulence but that the basic pathophysiology of the disease induced is not broadly different to other strains of myxoma virus.

  18. Modified signed-digit trinary addition using synthetic wavelet filter

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Iftekharuddin, K. M.; Razzaque, M. A.

    2000-09-01

    The modified signed-digit (MSD) number system has been a topic of interest as it allows for parallel carry-free addition of two numbers for digital optical computing. In this paper, harmonic wavelet joint transform (HWJT)-based correlation technique is introduced for optical implementation of MSD trinary adder implementation. The realization of the carry-propagation-free addition of MSD trinary numerals is demonstrated using synthetic HWJT correlator model. It is also shown that the proposed synthetic wavelet filter-based correlator shows high performance in logic processing. Simulation results are presented to validate the performance of the proposed technique.

  19. Berkeley Lab - Materials Sciences Division

    Science.gov Websites

    ? Click Here! Resources for MSD Safety MSD Safety MSD's Integrated Safety Management Plan [PDF] Safety culture and policies at MSD MSD0010: Integrated Safety Management: Principles and Case Studies Calendar for MSD classes on Integrated Safety Management MSD0015 Handout - Waste Briefing Document [PDF] Waste

  20. Transport Properties of Ibuprofen Encapsulated in Cyclodextrin Nanosponge Hydrogels: A Proton HR-MAS NMR Spectroscopy Study.

    PubMed

    Ferro, Monica; Castiglione, Franca; Punta, Carlo; Melone, Lucio; Panzeri, Walter; Rossi, Barbara; Trotta, Francesco; Mele, Andrea

    2016-08-15

    The chemical cross-linking of β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) with ethylenediaminetetraacetic dianhydride (EDTA) led to branched polymers referred to as cyclodextrin nanosponges (CDNSEDTA). Two different preparations are described with 1:4 and 1:8 CD-EDTA molar ratios. The corresponding cross-linked polymers were contacted with 0.27 M aqueous solution of ibuprofen sodium salt (IP) leading to homogeneous, colorless, drug loaded hydrogels. The systems were characterized by high resolution magic angle spinning (HR-MAS) NMR spectroscopy. Pulsed field gradient spin echo (PGSE) NMR spectroscopy was used to determine the mean square displacement (MSD) of IP inside the polymeric gel at different observation times td. The data were further processed in order to study the time dependence of MSD: MSD = f(td). The proposed methodology is useful to characterize the different diffusion regimes that, in principle, the solute may experience inside the hydrogel, namely normal or anomalous diffusion. The full protocols including the polymer preparation and purification, the obtainment of drug-loaded hydrogels, the NMR sample preparation, the measurement of MSD by HR-MAS NMR spectroscopy and the final data processing to achieve the time dependence of MSD are here reported and discussed. The presented experiments represent a paradigmatic case and the data are discussed in terms of innovative approach to the characterization of the transport properties of an encapsulated guest within a polymeric host of potential application for drug delivery.

  1. The conserved Wdr8-hMsd1/SSX2IP complex localises to the centrosome and ensures proper spindle length and orientation

    PubMed Central

    Hori, Akiko; Morand, Agathe; Ikebe, Chiho; Frith, David; Snijders, Ambrosius P.; Toda, Takashi

    2015-01-01

    The centrosome plays a pivotal role in a wide range of cellular processes and its dysfunction is causally linked to many human diseases including cancer and developmental and neurological disorders. This organelle contains more than one hundred components, and yet many of them remain uncharacterised. Here we identified a novel centrosome protein Wdr8, based upon the structural conservation of the fission yeast counterpart. We showed that Wdr8 constitutively localises to the centrosome and super resolution microscopy uncovered that this protein is enriched at the proximal end of the mother centriole. Furthermore, we identified hMsd1/SSX2IP, a conserved spindle anchoring protein, as one of Wdr8 interactors by mass spectrometry. Wdr8 formed a complex and partially colocalised with hMsd1/SSX2IP. Intriguingly, knockdown of Wdr8 or hMsd1/SSX2IP displayed very similar mitotic defects, in which spindle microtubules became shortened and misoriented. Indeed, Wdr8 depletion resulted in the reduced recruitment of hMsd1/SSX2IP to the mitotic centrosome, though the converse is not true. Together, we propose that the conserved Wdr8-hMsd1/SSX2IP complex plays a critical role in controlling proper spindle length and orientation. PMID:26545777

  2. Methylated site display (MSD)-AFLP, a sensitive and affordable method for analysis of CpG methylation profiles.

    PubMed

    Aiba, Toshiki; Saito, Toshiyuki; Hayashi, Akiko; Sato, Shinji; Yunokawa, Harunobu; Maruyama, Toru; Fujibuchi, Wataru; Kurita, Hisaka; Tohyama, Chiharu; Ohsako, Seiichiroh

    2017-03-09

    It has been pointed out that environmental factors or chemicals can cause diseases that are developmental in origin. To detect abnormal epigenetic alterations in DNA methylation, convenient and cost-effective methods are required for such research, in which multiple samples are processed simultaneously. We here present methylated site display (MSD), a unique technique for the preparation of DNA libraries. By combining it with amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) analysis, we developed a new method, MSD-AFLP. Methylated site display libraries consist of only DNAs derived from DNA fragments that are CpG methylated at the 5' end in the original genomic DNA sample. To test the effectiveness of this method, CpG methylation levels in liver, kidney, and hippocampal tissues of mice were compared to examine if MSD-AFLP can detect subtle differences in the levels of tissue-specific differentially methylated CpGs. As a result, many CpG sites suspected to be tissue-specific differentially methylated were detected. Nucleotide sequences adjacent to these methyl-CpG sites were identified and we determined the methylation level by methylation-sensitive restriction endonuclease (MSRE)-PCR analysis to confirm the accuracy of AFLP analysis. The differences of the methylation level among tissues were almost identical among these methods. By MSD-AFLP analysis, we detected many CpGs showing less than 5% statistically significant tissue-specific difference and less than 10% degree of variability. Additionally, MSD-AFLP analysis could be used to identify CpG methylation sites in other organisms including humans. MSD-AFLP analysis can potentially be used to measure slight changes in CpG methylation level. Regarding the remarkable precision, sensitivity, and throughput of MSD-AFLP analysis studies, this method will be advantageous in a variety of epigenetics-based research.

  3. The conserved Wdr8-hMsd1/SSX2IP complex localises to the centrosome and ensures proper spindle length and orientation

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

    Hori, Akiko; Morand, Agathe; Ikebe, Chiho

    2015-12-04

    The centrosome plays a pivotal role in a wide range of cellular processes and its dysfunction is causally linked to many human diseases including cancer and developmental and neurological disorders. This organelle contains more than one hundred components, and yet many of them remain uncharacterised. Here we identified a novel centrosome protein Wdr8, based upon the structural conservation of the fission yeast counterpart. We showed that Wdr8 constitutively localises to the centrosome and super resolution microscopy uncovered that this protein is enriched at the proximal end of the mother centriole. Furthermore, we identified hMsd1/SSX2IP, a conserved spindle anchoring protein, asmore » one of Wdr8 interactors by mass spectrometry. Wdr8 formed a complex and partially colocalised with hMsd1/SSX2IP. Intriguingly, knockdown of Wdr8 or hMsd1/SSX2IP displayed very similar mitotic defects, in which spindle microtubules became shortened and misoriented. Indeed, Wdr8 depletion resulted in the reduced recruitment of hMsd1/SSX2IP to the mitotic centrosome, though the converse is not true. Together, we propose that the conserved Wdr8-hMsd1/SSX2IP complex plays a critical role in controlling proper spindle length and orientation. - Highlights: • Human Wdr8 is a centrosomal protein enriched in the proximal end of the centriole. • Wdr8 and hMsd1/SSX2IP form a complex conserved in fungi. • Depletion of Wdr8 results in shorter, tilted spindle microtubules. • Depletion phenotypes of Wdr8 are very similar to those of hMsd1/SSX2IP knockdown.« less

  4. Work disability benefits due to musculoskeletal disorders among Brazilian private sector workers.

    PubMed

    Vieira, E R; Albuquerque-Oliveira, P R; Barbosa-Branco, A

    2011-05-14

    To evaluate the prevalence and characteristics of disability benefits due to musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) granted to Brazilian private sector workers. This was a population-based epidemiological study of MSD-related benefits among registered private sector workers (n=32 959 329). The prevalence (benefits/10 000 workers/year) of work disability benefits was calculated by gender, age, state, Human Development Index (HDI), economic activity, MSD type and work-relatedness. The prevalence of MSD-related benefits in Brazil among registered private sector workers in 2008 was 93.6/10 000 workers. The prevalence increased with age, and was higher for women (112.2) than for men (88.1), although the former had shorter benefit duration. The gender-adjusted prevalence by state varied from 16.6 to 90.3 for non-work-related, and from 7.8 to 59.6 for work-related benefits. The Brazilian states with a high-very high HDI had the highest prevalence. The top four most common types of MSD-related benefits were due to back pain, intervertebral disc disorders, sinovitis/tenosynovitis and shoulder disorders. MSD is a frequent cause of work disability in Brazil. There were differences in prevalence among economic activities and between states grouped by HDI. This study demonstrates that further evaluation of the contributing factors associated with MSD-related disability benefits is required. Factors that should be considered include production processes, political organisation, socioeconomic and educational characteristics, the compensation and recording systems, and employee-employer power relationships. These factors may play an important role in the prevalence of MSD-related disability benefits, especially in countries with large socioeconomic iniquities such as Brazil.

  5. The Characteristics of Fatigue Damage in the Fuselage Riveted Lap Splice Joint

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Piascik, Robert S.; Willard, Scott A.

    1997-01-01

    An extensive data base has been developed to form the physical basis for new analytical methodology to predict the onset of widespread fatigue damage in the fuselage lap splice joint. The results of detailed destructive examinations have been cataloged to describe the physical nature of MSD in the lap splice joint. ne catalog includes a detailed description, e.g., crack initiation, growth rates, size, location, and fracture morphology, of fatigue damage in the fuselage lap splice joint structure. Detailed examinations were conducted on a lap splice joint panel removed from a full scale fuselage test article after completing a 60,000 cycle pressure test. The panel contained a four bay region that exhibited visible outer skin cracks and regions of crack link-up along the upper rivet row. Destructive examinations revealed undetected fatigue damage in the outer skin, inner skin, and tear strap regions. Outer skin fatigue cracks were found to initiate by fretting damage along the faying surface. The cracks grew along the faying surface to a length equivalent to two to three skin thicknesses before penetrating the outboard surface of the outer skin. Analysis of fracture surface marker bands produced during full scale testing revealed that all upper rivet row fatigue cracks contained in a dim bay region grow at similar rates; this important result suggests that fracture mechanics based methods can be used to predict the growth of outer skin fatigue cracks in lap splice structure. Results are presented showing the affects of MSD and out-of-plane pressure loads on outer skin crack link-up.

  6. Evaluation of self-reported work ability and usefulness of interventions among sick-listed patients.

    PubMed

    Wåhlin, Charlotte; Ekberg, Kerstin; Persson, Jan; Bernfort, Lars; Öberg, Birgitta

    2013-03-01

    To describe the types of intervention offered, to investigate the relationship between the type of intervention given, patient-reported usefulness of interventions and the effect on self-reported work ability in a cohort of sick-listed patients with musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) or mental disorders (MD). A prospective cohort study was performed including 810 newly sick-listed patients (MSD 62 % and MD 38 %). The baseline questionnaire included sociodemographic characteristics and measures of work ability. The 3-month follow-up questionnaire included measures of work ability, type of intervention received, and judgment of usefulness. Twenty-five percent received medical intervention modalities (MI) only, 45 % received a combination of medical and rehabilitative intervention modalities (CRI) and 31 % received work-related interventions combined with medical or rehabilitative intervention modalities (WI). Behavioural treatments were more common for patients with MD compared with MSD and exercise therapy were more common for patients with MSD. The most prevalent workplace interventions were adjustment of work tasks or the work environment. Among patients with MD, WI was found to be useful and improved work ability significantly more compared with only MI or CRI. For patients with MSD, no significant differences in improved work ability were found between interventions. Patients with MD who received a combination of work-related and clinical interventions reported best usefulness and best improvement in work ability. There was no difference in improvements in work ability between rehabilitation methods in the MSD group. There seems to be a gap between scientific evidence and praxis behaviour in the rehabilitation process. Unimodal rehabilitation was widely applied in the early rehabilitation process, a multimodal treatment approach was rare and only one-third received work-related interventions. It remains a challenge to understand who needs what type of intervention.

  7. 78 FR 24745 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Announcement of Board Approval Under Delegated...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-04-26

    ... Securities Dealer. Agency form number: FR MSD-4; FR MSD-5. OMB control number: 7100-0100; 7100-0101... are municipal securities dealers. Estimated annual reporting hours: FR MSD-4, 20 hours; FR MSD-5, 13 hours. Estimated average hours per response: FR MSD-4, 1 hour; FR MSD-5, 0.25 hours. Number of...

  8. Variable-order fractional MSD function to describe the evolution of protein lateral diffusion ability in cell membranes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yin, Deshun; Qu, Pengfei

    2018-02-01

    Protein lateral diffusion is considered anomalous in the plasma membrane. And this diffusion is related to membrane microstructure. In order to better describe the property of protein lateral diffusion and find out the inner relationship between protein lateral diffusion and membrane microstructure, this article applies variable-order fractional mean square displacement (f-MSD) function for characterizing the anomalous diffusion. It is found that the variable order can reflect the evolution of diffusion ability. The results of numerical simulation demonstrate variable-order f-MSD function can predict the tendency of anomalous diffusion during the process of confined diffusion. It is also noted that protein lateral diffusion ability during the processes of confined and hop diffusion can be split into three parts. In addition, the comparative analyses reveal that the variable order is related to the confinement-domain size and microstructure of compartment boundary too.

  9. 75 FR 19973 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Announcement of Board Approval Under Delegated...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-04-16

    ... Municipal Securities Dealer. Agency form number: FR MSD-4 and FR MSD-5. OMB control number: 7100-0100 and... activities as municipal securities dealers. Estimated annual reporting hours: FR MSD-4, 48 hours; and FR MSD-5, 36 hours. Estimated average hours per response: FR MSD-4, 1 hour; and FR MSD- 5, 0.25 hours...

  10. 75 FR 5320 - Proposed Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-02-02

    ..., identified by FR 4004, FR MSD-4, FR MSD-5, FR G-FIN, or FR G-FINW, by any of the following methods: Agency... form number: FR MSD-4 and FR MSD-5. OMB control number: 7100-0100 and 7100-0101. Frequency: On occasion... dealers. Estimated annual reporting hours: FR MSD-4, 48 hours; and FR MSD-5, 36 hours. Estimated average...

  11. Examining the interaction of force and repetition on musculoskeletal disorder risk: a systematic literature review.

    PubMed

    Gallagher, Sean; Heberger, John R

    2013-02-01

    Our aims were (a) to perform a systematic literature review of epidemiological studies that examined the interaction of force and repetition with respect to musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) risk, (b) to assess the relationship of force and repetition in fatigue failure studies of musculoskeletal tissues, and (c) to synthesize these findings. Many epidemiological studies have examined the effects of force and repetition on MSD risk; however, relatively few have examined the interaction between these risk factors. In a literature search, we identified 12 studies that allowed evaluation of a force-repetition interaction with respect to MSD risk. Identified studies were subjected to a methodological quality assessment and critical review. We evaluated laboratory studies of fatigue failure to examine tissue failure responses to force and repetition. Of the 12 epidemiological studies that tested a Force x Repetition interaction, 10 reported evidence of interaction. Based on these results, the suggestion is made that force and repetition may be interdependent in terms of their influence on MSD risk. Fatigue failure studies of musculoskeletal tissues show a pattern of failure that mirrors the MSD risk observed in epidemiological studies. Evidence suggests that there may be interdependence between force and repetition with respect to MSD risk. Repetition seems to result in modest increases in risk for low-force tasks but rapid increases in risk for high-force tasks. This interaction may be representative of a fatigue failure process in affected tissues.

  12. The National Shipbuilding Research Program: Producibility Cost Reductions through Alternative Materials and Processes

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1999-03-01

    steel; -60F - 250 F; nonflammable acrylic mod- ified methyl - methacrylate Hernon MI React 761; Act 63 two component unprimed steel/primed/ painted trowel... MSD ) of the University of Michigan Transportation Institute (UMTRI), the Shipyards Division of Avondale Industries, and Damilic Corporation, to...classification society requirements. This research was conducted by the research team of the Marine Systems Division ( MSD ) of the University of Michigan

  13. Fatigue damage assessment of high-usage in-service aircraft fuselage structure

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mosinyi, Bao Rasebolai

    As the commercial and military aircraft fleets continue to age, there is a growing concern that multiple-site damage (MSD) can compromise structural integrity. Multiple site damage is the simultaneous occurrence of many small cracks at independent structural locations, and is the natural result of fatigue, corrosion, fretting and other possible damage mechanisms. These MSD cracks may linkup and form a fatigue lead crack of critical length. The presence of MSD also reduces the structure's ability to withstand longer cracks. The objective of the current study is to assess, both experimentally and analytically, MSD formation and growth in the lap joint of curved panels removed from a retired aircraft. A Boeing 727-232 airplane owned and operated by Delta Air Lines, and retired at its design service goal, was selected for the study. Two panels removed from the left-hand side of the fuselage crown, near stringer 4L, were subjected to extended fatigue testing using the Full-Scale Aircraft Structural Test Evaluation and Research (FASTER) facility located at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) William J. Hughes Technical Center. The state of MSD was continuously assessed using several nondestructive inspection (NDI) methods. Damage to the load attachment points of the first panel resulted in termination of the fatigue test at 43,500 fatigue cycles, before cracks had developed in the lap joint. The fatigue test for the second panel was initially conducted under simulated in-service loading conditions for 120,000 cycles, and no cracks were detected in the skin of the panel test section. Artificial damage was then introduced into the panel at selected rivets in the critical (lower) rivet row, and the fatigue loads were increased. Visually detectable crack growth from the artificial notches was first seen after 133,000 cycles. The resulting lead crack grew along the lower rivet row, eventually forming an 11.8" long unstable crack after 141,771 cycles, at which point the test was terminated. Posttest fractograpic examinations of the crack surfaces were conducted, revealing the presence of subsurface MSD at the critical rivet row of the lap joint. Special attention was also given to the stringer clips that attach the fuselage frames to the stringers, since they also experienced cracking during the fatigue tests. The performance of the different conventional and emerging NDI methods was also assessed, and some of the emerging NDI methods were quite effective in detecting and measuring the length of subsurface cracks. Delta Air Lines conducted a separate destructive investigation on the state of damage along the right-hand side of the fuselage, near stringer 4R. A comparison of these two studies showed that the lap joint on the left hand-side of the aircraft, along stringer 4L, had better fatigue life than the one on the opposite side, along stringer 4R. The cause of the difference in fatigue life was investigated by close examination of the rivet installation qualities, and was found to be a result of better rivet installation along the lap joint at stringer 4L. Finite element models for both the skin and substructures of the panels were developed and geometrically nonlinear finite element analyses were conducted to verify the loading conditions and to determine near-field parameters governing MSD initiation and growth. Fatigue crack growth predictions based on the NASGRO equation were in good agreement with the experimental crack growth data for through-the-thickness cracks. For subsurface cracks, simulation of crack growth was found to correlate better with fractography data when an empirical crack growth model was used. The results of the study contribute to the understanding of the initiation and growth of MSD in the inner skin layer of a lap joint, and provide valuable data for the evaluation and validation of analytical methodologies to predict MSD initiation and growth and a better understanding on the effect of manufacturing quality on damage accumulation along the lap joint.

  14. Process evaluation of knowledge transfer across industries: Leveraging Coca-Cola's supply chain expertise for medicine availability in Tanzania.

    PubMed

    Linnander, Erika; Yuan, Christina T; Ahmed, Shirin; Cherlin, Emily; Talbert-Slagle, Kristina; Curry, Leslie A

    2017-01-01

    Persistent gaps in the availability of essential medicines have slowed the achievement of global health targets. Despite the supply chain knowledge and expertise that ministries of health might glean from other industries, limited empirical research has examined the process of knowledge transfer from other industries into global public health. We examined a partnership designed to improve the availability of medical supplies in Tanzania by transferring knowledge from The Coca-Cola system to Tanzania's Medical Stores Department (MSD). We conducted a process evaluation including in-depth interviews with 70 participants between July 2011 and May 2014, corresponding to each phase of the partnership, with focus on challenges and strategies to address them, as well as benefits perceived by partners. Partners faced challenges in (1) identifying relevant knowledge to transfer, (2) translating operational solutions from Coca-Cola to MSD, and (3) maintaining momentum between project phases. Strategies to respond to these challenges emerged through real-time problem solving and included (1) leveraging the receptivity of MSD leadership, (2) engaging a boundary spanner to identify knowledge to transfer, (3) promoting local recognition of commonalities across industries, (4) engaging external technical experts to manage translation activities, (5) developing tools with visible benefits for MSD, (6) investing in local relationships, and (7) providing time and space for the partnership model to evolve. Benefits of the partnership perceived by MSD staff included enhanced collaboration and communication, more proactive orientations in managing operations, and greater attention to performance management. Benefits perceived by Coca-Cola staff included strengthened knowledge transfer capability and enhanced job satisfaction. Linking theoretical constructs with practical experiences from the field, we highlight the challenges, emergent strategies, and perceived benefits of a partnership across industry boundaries that may be useful to others seeking to promote the transfer of knowledge to improve global health.

  15. Process evaluation of knowledge transfer across industries: Leveraging Coca-Cola’s supply chain expertise for medicine availability in Tanzania

    PubMed Central

    Yuan, Christina T.; Ahmed, Shirin; Cherlin, Emily; Talbert-Slagle, Kristina; Curry, Leslie A.

    2017-01-01

    Persistent gaps in the availability of essential medicines have slowed the achievement of global health targets. Despite the supply chain knowledge and expertise that ministries of health might glean from other industries, limited empirical research has examined the process of knowledge transfer from other industries into global public health. We examined a partnership designed to improve the availability of medical supplies in Tanzania by transferring knowledge from The Coca-Cola system to Tanzania’s Medical Stores Department (MSD). We conducted a process evaluation including in-depth interviews with 70 participants between July 2011 and May 2014, corresponding to each phase of the partnership, with focus on challenges and strategies to address them, as well as benefits perceived by partners. Partners faced challenges in (1) identifying relevant knowledge to transfer, (2) translating operational solutions from Coca-Cola to MSD, and (3) maintaining momentum between project phases. Strategies to respond to these challenges emerged through real-time problem solving and included (1) leveraging the receptivity of MSD leadership, (2) engaging a boundary spanner to identify knowledge to transfer, (3) promoting local recognition of commonalities across industries, (4) engaging external technical experts to manage translation activities, (5) developing tools with visible benefits for MSD, (6) investing in local relationships, and (7) providing time and space for the partnership model to evolve. Benefits of the partnership perceived by MSD staff included enhanced collaboration and communication, more proactive orientations in managing operations, and greater attention to performance management. Benefits perceived by Coca-Cola staff included strengthened knowledge transfer capability and enhanced job satisfaction. Linking theoretical constructs with practical experiences from the field, we highlight the challenges, emergent strategies, and perceived benefits of a partnership across industry boundaries that may be useful to others seeking to promote the transfer of knowledge to improve global health. PMID:29121051

  16. Is neuroplasticity in the central nervous system the missing link to our understanding of chronic musculoskeletal disorders?

    PubMed

    Pelletier, René; Higgins, Johanne; Bourbonnais, Daniel

    2015-02-12

    Musculoskeletal rehabilitative care and research have traditionally been guided by a structural pathology paradigm and directed their resources towards the structural, functional, and biological abnormalities located locally within the musculoskeletal system to understand and treat Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSD). However the structural pathology model does not adequately explain many of the clinical and experimental findings in subjects with chronic MSD and, more importantly, treatment guided by this paradigm fails to effectively treat many of these conditions. Increasing evidence reveals structural and functional changes within the Central Nervous System (CNS) of people with chronic MSD that appear to play a prominent role in the pathophysiology of these disorders. These neuroplastic changes are reflective of adaptive neurophysiological processes occurring as the result of altered afferent stimuli including nociceptive and neuropathic transmission to spinal, subcortical and cortical areas with MSD that are initially beneficial but may persist in a chronic state, may be part and parcel in the pathophysiology of the condition and the development and maintenance of chronic signs and symptoms. Neuroplastic changes within different areas of the CNS may help to explain the transition from acute to chronic conditions, sensory-motor findings, perceptual disturbances, why some individuals continue to experience pain when no structural cause can be discerned, and why some fail to respond to conservative interventions in subjects with chronic MSD. We argue that a change in paradigm is necessary that integrates CNS changes associated with chronic MSD and that these findings are highly relevant for the design and implementation of rehabilitative interventions for this population. Recent findings suggest that a change in model and approach is required in the rehabilitation of chronic MSD that integrate the findings of neuroplastic changes across the CNS and are targeted by rehabilitative interventions. Effects of current interventions may be mediated through peripheral and central changes but may not specifically address all underlying neuroplastic changes in the CNS potentially associated with chronic MSD. Novel approaches to address these neuroplastic changes show promise and require further investigation to improve efficacy of currents approaches.

  17. Comparison of measured and estimated maximum skin doses during CT fluoroscopy lung biopsies.

    PubMed

    Zanca, F; Jacobs, A; Crijns, W; De Wever, W

    2014-07-01

    To measure patient-specific maximum skin dose (MSD) associated with CT fluoroscopy (CTF) lung biopsies and to compare measured MSD with the MSD estimated from phantom measurements, as well as with the CTDIvol of patient examinations. Data from 50 patients with lung lesions who underwent a CT fluoroscopy-guided biopsy were collected. The CT protocol consisted of a low-kilovoltage (80 kV) protocol used in combination with an algorithm for dose reduction to the radiology staff during the interventional procedure, HandCare (HC). MSD was assessed during each intervention using EBT2 gafchromic films positioned on patient skin. Lesion size, position, total fluoroscopy time, and patient-effective diameter were registered for each patient. Dose rates were also estimated at the surface of a normal-size anthropomorphic thorax phantom using a 10 cm pencil ionization chamber placed at every 30°, for a full rotation, with and without HC. Measured MSD was compared with MSD values estimated from the phantom measurements and with the cumulative CTDIvol of the procedure. The median measured MSD was 141 mGy (range 38-410 mGy) while the median cumulative CTDIvol was 72 mGy (range 24-262 mGy). The ratio between the MSD estimated from phantom measurements and the measured MSD was 0.87 (range 0.12-4.1) on average. In 72% of cases the estimated MSD underestimated the measured MSD, while in 28% of the cases it overestimated it. The same trend was observed for the ratio of cumulative CTDIvol and measured MSD. No trend was observed as a function of patient size. On average, estimated MSD from dose rate measurements on phantom as well as from CTDIvol of patient examinations underestimates the measured value of MSD. This can be attributed to deviations of the patient's body habitus from the standard phantom size and to patient positioning in the gantry during the procedure.

  18. Poor safety climate, long work hours, and musculoskeletal discomfort among Latino horse farm workers.

    PubMed

    Swanberg, Jennifer; Clouser, Jessica Miller; Gan, Wenqi; Flunker, John C; Westneat, Susan; Browning, Steven R

    2017-09-03

    This study investigated the prevalence of self-reported musculoskeletal discomfort (MSD) and work-related factors associated with elevated MSD among Latino thoroughbred farm workers. Participants (N = 225) were recruited using a community-based purposive sampling approach to participate in in-person interviews. Of these workers, 85% experienced MSD. MSD was divided into tertiles; the upper tertile was defined as elevated. Multivariable Poisson regression revealed associations between any elevated MSD and longer tenure on horse farms, longer work hours, and poor safety climate. Elevated neck/back MSD was associated with longer tenure, longer work hours, and poor safety climate. Elevated upper extremity MSD was associated with age and poor safety climate. Elevated lower extremity MSD was associated with longer tenure, longer work hours, and being female. Musculoskeletal discomfort is common among these workers. Improving safety climate and minimizing long work hours is recommended.

  19. The application of an industry level participatory ergonomics approach in developing MSD interventions.

    PubMed

    Tappin, D C; Vitalis, A; Bentley, T A

    2016-01-01

    Participatory ergonomics projects are traditionally applied within one organisation. In this study, a participative approach was applied across the New Zealand meat processing industry, involving multiple organisations and geographical regions. The purpose was to develop interventions to reduce musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) risk. This paper considers the value of an industry level participatory ergonomics approach in achieving this. The main rationale for a participative approach included the need for industry credibility, and to generate MSD interventions that address industry level MSD risk factors. An industry key stakeholder group became the primary vehicle for formal participation. The study resulted in an intervention plan that included the wider work system and industry practices. These interventions were championed across the industry by the key stakeholder group and have extended beyond the life of the study. While this approach helped to meet the study aim, the existence of an industry-supported key stakeholder group and a mandate for the initiative are important prerequisites for success. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

  20. E-MSD: an integrated data resource for bioinformatics.

    PubMed

    Golovin, A; Oldfield, T J; Tate, J G; Velankar, S; Barton, G J; Boutselakis, H; Dimitropoulos, D; Fillon, J; Hussain, A; Ionides, J M C; John, M; Keller, P A; Krissinel, E; McNeil, P; Naim, A; Newman, R; Pajon, A; Pineda, J; Rachedi, A; Copeland, J; Sitnov, A; Sobhany, S; Suarez-Uruena, A; Swaminathan, G J; Tagari, M; Tromm, S; Vranken, W; Henrick, K

    2004-01-01

    The Macromolecular Structure Database (MSD) group (http://www.ebi.ac.uk/msd/) continues to enhance the quality and consistency of macromolecular structure data in the Protein Data Bank (PDB) and to work towards the integration of various bioinformatics data resources. We have implemented a simple form-based interface that allows users to query the MSD directly. The MSD 'atlas pages' show all of the information in the MSD for a particular PDB entry. The group has designed new search interfaces aimed at specific areas of interest, such as the environment of ligands and the secondary structures of proteins. We have also implemented a novel search interface that begins to integrate separate MSD search services in a single graphical tool. We have worked closely with collaborators to build a new visualization tool that can present both structure and sequence data in a unified interface, and this data viewer is now used throughout the MSD services for the visualization and presentation of search results. Examples showcasing the functionality and power of these tools are available from tutorial webpages (http://www. ebi.ac.uk/msd-srv/docs/roadshow_tutorial/).

  1. E-MSD: an integrated data resource for bioinformatics

    PubMed Central

    Golovin, A.; Oldfield, T. J.; Tate, J. G.; Velankar, S.; Barton, G. J.; Boutselakis, H.; Dimitropoulos, D.; Fillon, J.; Hussain, A.; Ionides, J. M. C.; John, M.; Keller, P. A.; Krissinel, E.; McNeil, P.; Naim, A.; Newman, R.; Pajon, A.; Pineda, J.; Rachedi, A.; Copeland, J.; Sitnov, A.; Sobhany, S.; Suarez-Uruena, A.; Swaminathan, G. J.; Tagari, M.; Tromm, S.; Vranken, W.; Henrick, K.

    2004-01-01

    The Macromolecular Structure Database (MSD) group (http://www.ebi.ac.uk/msd/) continues to enhance the quality and consistency of macromolecular structure data in the Protein Data Bank (PDB) and to work towards the integration of various bioinformatics data resources. We have implemented a simple form-based interface that allows users to query the MSD directly. The MSD ‘atlas pages’ show all of the information in the MSD for a particular PDB entry. The group has designed new search interfaces aimed at specific areas of interest, such as the environment of ligands and the secondary structures of proteins. We have also implemented a novel search interface that begins to integrate separate MSD search services in a single graphical tool. We have worked closely with collaborators to build a new visualization tool that can present both structure and sequence data in a unified interface, and this data viewer is now used throughout the MSD services for the visualization and presentation of search results. Examples showcasing the functionality and power of these tools are available from tutorial webpages (http://www.ebi.ac.uk/msd-srv/docs/roadshow_tutorial/). PMID:14681397

  2. Effects of Mentoring Speed Dating as an Innovative Matching Tool in Undergraduate Medical Education: A Mixed Methods Study.

    PubMed

    Guse, Jennifer; Schweigert, Eva; Kulms, Gerhild; Heinen, Ines; Martens, Claudia; Guse, Andreas H

    2016-01-01

    Choosing the right mentor is crucial for effective mentorship. Yet, many medical students have difficulties finding a suitable mentor. Thus we developed mentoring speed dating (MSD) as a promising matching tool to connect students and faculty mentors successfully. The purpose of this study was to explore mentees' and mentors' experience with MSD and investigate the impact of MSD on the perceived mentorship quality and continuance of the mentoring relationship. The authors completed a mixed methods study at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Germany, between June 2011 and March 2014. They conducted four focus groups with mentees and mentors who participated in a mentoring speed dating event and analyzed transcripts using conventional content analysis with inductive categorizing. In addition, three mentoring cohorts (two matched via MSD, one matched via conventional online profiles) were surveyed on mentorship satisfaction and the 1-year continuance of their mentorship was monitored. Fifteen mentees and fifteen mentors participated in the focus groups. The authors identified several themes such as short and long term benefits of MSD and fulfillment of expectations. Benefits included finding out about the personal connection, matching expectations, providing an efficient overview of candidates. The survey was completed by 93 students (n = 29 without MSD; n = 64 with MSD). Independent t-tests and multivariate analysis of variance were used to analyze the impact of MSD on student's mentorship satisfaction. There were significant differences in responses to the items "Commitment of mentor" (p = .019) and "Constructive feedback" (p = .038) among the students who attended MSD and the students without MSD. After one year far more mentoring relationships existed among those mentees who participated in MSD in comparison to the "no MSD group". MSD is a valuable matching tool with beneficial effects on the mentorship quality. It enhances essential factors in the mentoring relationship such as commitment and satisfaction.

  3. Effects of Mentoring Speed Dating as an Innovative Matching Tool in Undergraduate Medical Education: A Mixed Methods Study

    PubMed Central

    Guse, Jennifer; Schweigert, Eva; Kulms, Gerhild; Heinen, Ines; Martens, Claudia; Guse, Andreas H.

    2016-01-01

    Objectives Choosing the right mentor is crucial for effective mentorship. Yet, many medical students have difficulties finding a suitable mentor. Thus we developed mentoring speed dating (MSD) as a promising matching tool to connect students and faculty mentors successfully. The purpose of this study was to explore mentees’ and mentors’ experience with MSD and investigate the impact of MSD on the perceived mentorship quality and continuance of the mentoring relationship. Methods The authors completed a mixed methods study at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Germany, between June 2011 and March 2014. They conducted four focus groups with mentees and mentors who participated in a mentoring speed dating event and analyzed transcripts using conventional content analysis with inductive categorizing. In addition, three mentoring cohorts (two matched via MSD, one matched via conventional online profiles) were surveyed on mentorship satisfaction and the 1-year continuance of their mentorship was monitored. Fifteen mentees and fifteen mentors participated in the focus groups. The authors identified several themes such as short and long term benefits of MSD and fulfillment of expectations. Benefits included finding out about the personal connection, matching expectations, providing an efficient overview of candidates. The survey was completed by 93 students (n = 29 without MSD; n = 64 with MSD). Independent t-tests and multivariate analysis of variance were used to analyze the impact of MSD on student’s mentorship satisfaction. Results There were significant differences in responses to the items “Commitment of mentor” (p = .019) and “Constructive feedback” (p = .038) among the students who attended MSD and the students without MSD. After one year far more mentoring relationships existed among those mentees who participated in MSD in comparison to the “no MSD group”. Conclusion MSD is a valuable matching tool with beneficial effects on the mentorship quality. It enhances essential factors in the mentoring relationship such as commitment and satisfaction. PMID:26859845

  4. Association of TNF-α polymorphism rs1800629 with multisomatoform disorder in a group of German patients and healthy controls: an explorative study.

    PubMed

    Harms, Katharina C; Kapitza, Karl P; Pahl, Lisa; Tran, Anh-Thu; Volkmann, Lilly; Buers, Dennis; Karst, Matthias; Stuhrmann, Manfred; Bernateck, Michael

    2013-02-01

    The etiology of multisomatoform disorder (MSD) is still largely unknown, but genetic factors seem to have an influence on pathogenesis. Pain is a major symptom of MSD and polymorphisms of different proinflammatory cytokines have been found associated with pain in former studies. Therefore, we presumed that cytokine polymorphisms could also be associated with MSD. Groups of 148 MSD patients with pain as the leading clinical symptom and 149 age and gender matched healthy controls participated in this study. Nine cytokine polymorphisms were genotyped and statistically analyzed for associations with MSD. Allelic and genotypic associations were found for rs16944 (interleukin 1β), rs1800629 (tumor necrosis factor) and rs909253 (lymphotoxin α). After correcting for multiple testing, the association of rs1800629 with MSD remained significant. The rare A-allele was correlated with MSD (p=0.007). Since the common G-allele of rs1800629 (TNFα) occurs much more often in the control group than in the MSD group it is assumed to be protective. Being carrier of the A-allele seems to be a risk factor for MSD. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Allowing for MSD prevention during facilities planning for a public service: an a posteriori analysis of 10 library design projects.

    PubMed

    Bellemare, Marie; Trudel, Louis; Ledoux, Elise; Montreuil, Sylvie; Marier, Micheline; Laberge, Marie; Vincent, Patrick

    2006-01-01

    Research was conducted to identify an ergonomics-based intervention model designed to factor in musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) prevention when library projects are being designed. The first stage of the research involved an a posteriori analysis of 10 recent redesign projects. The purpose of the analysis was to document perceptions about the attention given to MSD prevention measures over the course of a project on the part of 2 categories of employees: librarians responsible for such projects and personnel working in the libraries before and after changes. Subjects were interviewed in focus groups. Outcomes of the analysis can guide our ergonomic assessment of current situations and contribute to a better understanding of the way inclusion or improvement of prevention measures can support the workplace design process.

  6. Underreporting of musculoskeletal disorders in 10 regions in France in 2009.

    PubMed

    Rivière, Stéphanie; Penven, Emmanuelle; Cadéac-Birman, Hélène; Roquelaure, Yves; Valenty, Madeleine

    2014-10-01

    Underreporting of occupational diseases (OD) has been quantified, in particular in the United States, but little information is available in other countries. The aim of this study was to evaluate underreporting of musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) in France in 2009. We calculated an indicator that approximated the underreporting rate of MSD in 10 regions of France. Two databases were used: data on OD compensated by insurance funding and data from the surveillance program for uncompensated work-related diseases. Analyses were performed for carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) and elbow, shoulder, and lumbar spine MSD. The underreporting rate was estimated at 59% (range 52-64%) for CTS, 73% (range 67-79%) for elbow MSD, 69% (range 63-74%) for shoulder MSD, and 63% (range 50-76%) for lumbar spine MSD. This study revealed that MSD are substantially underreported in France, as in the United States, despite the differences in workers' compensation systems. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  7. E-MSD: an integrated data resource for bioinformatics.

    PubMed

    Velankar, S; McNeil, P; Mittard-Runte, V; Suarez, A; Barrell, D; Apweiler, R; Henrick, K

    2005-01-01

    The Macromolecular Structure Database (MSD) group (http://www.ebi.ac.uk/msd/) continues to enhance the quality and consistency of macromolecular structure data in the worldwide Protein Data Bank (wwPDB) and to work towards the integration of various bioinformatics data resources. One of the major obstacles to the improved integration of structural databases such as MSD and sequence databases like UniProt is the absence of up to date and well-maintained mapping between corresponding entries. We have worked closely with the UniProt group at the EBI to clean up the taxonomy and sequence cross-reference information in the MSD and UniProt databases. This information is vital for the reliable integration of the sequence family databases such as Pfam and Interpro with the structure-oriented databases of SCOP and CATH. This information has been made available to the eFamily group (http://www.efamily.org.uk/) and now forms the basis of the regular interchange of information between the member databases (MSD, UniProt, Pfam, Interpro, SCOP and CATH). This exchange of annotation information has enriched the structural information in the MSD database with annotation from wider sequence-oriented resources. This work was carried out under the 'Structure Integration with Function, Taxonomy and Sequences (SIFTS)' initiative (http://www.ebi.ac.uk/msd-srv/docs/sifts) in the MSD group.

  8. Cooperative unfolding of distinctive mechanoreceptor domains transduces force into signals

    PubMed Central

    Ju, Lining; Chen, Yunfeng; Xue, Lingzhou; Du, Xiaoping; Zhu, Cheng

    2016-01-01

    How cells sense their mechanical environment and transduce forces into biochemical signals is a crucial yet unresolved question in mechanobiology. Platelets use receptor glycoprotein Ib (GPIb), specifically its α subunit (GPIbα), to signal as they tether and translocate on von Willebrand factor (VWF) of injured arterial surfaces against blood flow. Force elicits catch bonds to slow VWF–GPIbα dissociation and unfolds the GPIbα leucine-rich repeat domain (LRRD) and juxtamembrane mechanosensitive domain (MSD). How these mechanical processes trigger biochemical signals remains unknown. Here we analyze these extracellular events and the resulting intracellular Ca2+ on a single platelet in real time, revealing that LRRD unfolding intensifies Ca2+ signal whereas MSD unfolding affects the type of Ca2+ signal. Therefore, LRRD and MSD are analog and digital force transducers, respectively. The >30 nm macroglycopeptide separating the two domains transmits force on the VWF–GPIbα bond (whose lifetime is prolonged by LRRD unfolding) to the MSD to enhance its unfolding, resulting in unfolding cooperativity at an optimal force. These elements may provide design principles for a generic mechanosensory protein machine. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.15447.001 PMID:27434669

  9. Mitochondrial fluctuations as a measure of active biomechanical properties of mammalian cells

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xu, Wenlong; Alizadeh, Elaheh; Castle, Jordan; Prasad, Ashok

    A single-cell assay of mechanical properties would give significant insights into cellular processes. Force spectrum microscopy is one such technique, which involves both active and passive particle tracking microrheology on the same cells. Since active microrheology requires expensive instruments, it is of great interest to develop simpler alternatives. Here we study an alternative using endogenous mitochondrial fluctuations, rather than fluorescent beads, in particle tracking microrheology. Mitochondria of the C3H-10T1/2 cell line are labeled and tracked using confocal microscopy, their mean square displacement (MSD) measured, and mechanical parameters calculated. Active fluctuations are distinguished from passive fluctuations by treatment with ATP synthesis inhibitors. We find that the MSD of mitochondria resembles that of particles in viscoelastic media. However, comparisons of MSD between controls and cells disrupted in the actin or microtubule network showed surprisingly small effects, while ATP-depleted cells showed significantly decreased MSD, and characteristics of thermally driven fluctuations. Both active and ATP-depleted parameters showed heterogeneity among cells and between cell lines. This method is potentially very useful due to its simplicity. We gratefully acknowledge support from NSF CAREER Grant PHY-1151454 awarded to Ashok Prasad.

  10. Molecular dynamics simulations of aggregation of copper nanoparticles with different heating rates

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Qibin; Wang, Meng; Liang, Yunpei; Lin, Liyang; Fu, Tao; Wei, Peitang; Peng, Tiefeng

    2017-06-01

    Molecular dynamics simulations were employed to investigate the heating rates' effect on aggregation of two copper nanoparticles. The aggregation can be distinguished into three distinct regimes by the contacting and melting of nanoparticles. The nanoparticles contacting at a lower temperature during the sintering with lower heating rate, meanwhile, some temporary stacking fault exists at the contacting neck. The aggregation properties of the system, i.e. neck diameter, shrinkage ratio, potential energy, mean square displacement (MSD) and relative gyration radius, experience drastic changes due to the free surface annihilation. After the nanoparticles coalesced for a stable period, the shrinkage ratio, MSD, relative gyration radius and neck diameter of the system are dramatically changed during the melting process. It is shown that the shrinkage ratio and MSD have relative larger increasing ratio for a lower heating rate. While the evolution of the relative gyration radius and neck diameter is only sensitive to the temperature.

  11. A research framework for the development and implementation of interventions preventing work-related musculoskeletal disorders.

    PubMed

    van der Beek, Allard J; Dennerlein, Jack T; Huysmans, Maaike A; Mathiassen, Svend Erik; Burdorf, Alex; van Mechelen, Willem; van Dieën, Jaap H; Frings-Dresen, Monique Hw; Holtermann, Andreas; Janwantanakul, Prawit; van der Molen, Henk F; Rempel, David; Straker, Leon; Walker-Bone, Karen; Coenen, Pieter

    2017-11-01

    Objectives Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) are highly prevalent and put a large burden on (working) society. Primary prevention of work-related MSD focuses often on physical risk factors (such as manual lifting and awkward postures) but has not been too successful in reducing the MSD burden. This may partly be caused by insufficient knowledge of etiological mechanisms and/or a lack of adequately feasible interventions (theory failure and program failure, respectively), possibly due to limited integration of research disciplines. A research framework could link research disciplines thereby strengthening the development and implementation of preventive interventions. Our objective was to define and describe such a framework for multi-disciplinary research on work-related MSD prevention. Methods We described a framework for MSD prevention research, partly based on frameworks from other research fields (ie, sports injury prevention and public health). Results The framework is composed of a repeated sequence of six steps comprising the assessment of (i) incidence and severity of MSD, (ii) risk factors for MSD, and (iii) underlying mechanisms; and the (iv) development, (v) evaluation, and (vi) implementation of preventive intervention(s). Conclusions In the present framework for optimal work-related MSD prevention, research disciplines are linked. This framework can thereby help to improve theories and strengthen the development and implementation of prevention strategies for work-related MSD.

  12. E-MSD: an integrated data resource for bioinformatics

    PubMed Central

    Velankar, S.; McNeil, P.; Mittard-Runte, V.; Suarez, A.; Barrell, D.; Apweiler, R.; Henrick, K.

    2005-01-01

    The Macromolecular Structure Database (MSD) group (http://www.ebi.ac.uk/msd/) continues to enhance the quality and consistency of macromolecular structure data in the worldwide Protein Data Bank (wwPDB) and to work towards the integration of various bioinformatics data resources. One of the major obstacles to the improved integration of structural databases such as MSD and sequence databases like UniProt is the absence of up to date and well-maintained mapping between corresponding entries. We have worked closely with the UniProt group at the EBI to clean up the taxonomy and sequence cross-reference information in the MSD and UniProt databases. This information is vital for the reliable integration of the sequence family databases such as Pfam and Interpro with the structure-oriented databases of SCOP and CATH. This information has been made available to the eFamily group (http://www.efamily.org.uk/) and now forms the basis of the regular interchange of information between the member databases (MSD, UniProt, Pfam, Interpro, SCOP and CATH). This exchange of annotation information has enriched the structural information in the MSD database with annotation from wider sequence-oriented resources. This work was carried out under the ‘Structure Integration with Function, Taxonomy and Sequences (SIFTS)’ initiative (http://www.ebi.ac.uk/msd-srv/docs/sifts) in the MSD group. PMID:15608192

  13. Benefits from Funding the MSD Engineering List: A Fiscal Year 1999 Case Study

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2004-03-01

    BENEFITS FROM FUNDING THE MSD ENGINEERING LIST: A FISCAL YEAR 1999 CASE STUDY THESIS...States Government. AFIT/GLM/ENS/04-03 BENEFITS FROM FUNDING THE MSD ENGINEERING LIST: A FISCAL YEAR 1999 CASE STUDY...ENS/04-03 BENEFITS FROM FUNDING THE MSD ENGINEERING LIST: A FISCAL YEAR 1999 CASE STUDY David L. Gehrich, BS Captain, USAF

  14. Musculoskeletal disorders and stress among footwear industry workers.

    PubMed

    de Almeida, Larissa Brentini; Vieira, Edgar Ramos; Zaia, José Eduardo; de Oliveira Santos, Branca Maria; Lourenço, Américo Riccardi Vaccari; Quemelo, Paulo Roberto Veiga

    2017-01-01

    Manufacturing footwear requires intense manual labor and high repetitions with low variability in function that may lead to musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) symptoms and psychological stress. To evaluate a potential association between musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) and perceived stress among footwear industry workers. The Nordic General Questionnaire (NGQ) and the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10) were completed by 357 footwear industry workers. The association between MSD and perceived stress was evaluated using the Chi-Square test and Odds Ratios along with their 95% Confidence Interval (95% CI) were calculated. The twelve-month prevalence of MSD symptoms among the respondents was 66% (n = 236) and the symptoms were significantly associated with perceived stress (p = 0.002, OR: 10, 95% CI: 1.7 to 60.6). The seven-day prevalence of MSD symptoms was 33% and the symptoms were also significantly associated with perceived stress (p = 0.001, OR: 2.7, 95% CI:0.8 to 9.3). The association between perceived stress and MSD symptoms indicates a strong association between MSD symptoms and perceived stress levels. Considering that these problems are important determinants of worker's health, a combined approach to reduce both stress and MSD symptoms is necessary for prevention and health promotion in the footwear industry.

  15. Msd1/SSX2IP-dependent microtubule anchorage ensures spindle orientation and primary cilia formation

    PubMed Central

    Hori, Akiko; Ikebe, Chiho; Tada, Masazumi; Toda, Takashi

    2014-01-01

    Anchoring microtubules to the centrosome is critical for cell geometry and polarity, yet the molecular mechanism remains unknown. Here we show that the conserved human Msd1/SSX2IP is required for microtubule anchoring. hMsd1/SSX2IP is delivered to the centrosome in a centriolar satellite-dependent manner and binds the microtubule-nucleator γ-tubulin complex. hMsd1/SSX2IP depletion leads to disorganised interphase microtubules and misoriented mitotic spindles with reduced length and intensity. Furthermore, hMsd1/SSX2IP is essential for ciliogenesis, and during zebrafish embryogenesis, knockdown of its orthologue results in ciliary defects and disturbs left-right asymmetry. We propose that the Msd1 family comprises conserved microtubule-anchoring proteins. PMID:24397932

  16. ARC - A source of multisensor satellite data for polar science

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Van Woert, Michael L.; Whritner, Robert H.; Waliser, Duane E.; Bromwich, David H.; Comiso, J. C.

    1992-01-01

    The NSF's Antarctic Research Center (ARC) has been established to furnish real-time polar-orbiting satellite data in support of Antarctic field studies, as well as to maintain a multisensor satellite data (MSD) archive for retrospective data analysis. An account is presently given of the ways in which the complementary nature of an MSD set can deepen understanding of Antarctic physical processes. An active microwave SAR with 30-m resolution and a radar altimeter will be added to the ARC resources later in this decade, as will the Earth Observing System.

  17. 17 CFR 249.1100 - Form MSD, application for registration as a municipal securities dealer pursuant to rule 15Ba2-1...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 17 Commodity and Securities Exchanges 3 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Form MSD, application for... of Municipal Securities Dealers § 249.1100 Form MSD, application for registration as a municipal... Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Act”), or to amend such application. Note: Copies of Form MSD have been filed...

  18. Haploidentical and Matched Sibling Donor Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation for Patients with HLA-Homozygous Haplotypes.

    PubMed

    Kanda, Junya; Ikegame, Kazuhiro; Fuji, Shigeo; Kurokawa, Mineo; Kanamori, Heiwa; Fukuda, Takahiro; Ohashi, Kazuteru; Ishikawa, Jun; Ogawa, Hiroyasu; Inoue, Masami; Ichinohe, Tatsuo; Atsuta, Yoshiko; Kanda, Yoshinobu

    2016-11-01

    More than 1% of the Japanese population has HLA-homozygous haplotypes. For patients with such haplotypes, HLA-haploidentical family members who have no HLA mismatch in the graft-versus-host direction are readily available donor candidates for hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). In this study, the outcomes of patients with homozygous HLA-A, -B, and -DRB1 antigens who received HCT without T cell depletion from a haploidentical related donor with mismatches in the host-versus-graft direction only (hetero-to-homo, n = 78) or from an HLA-matched sibling donor (MSD) (MSD-homo, n = 153) were compared with those in patients with heterozygous haplotypes who received HCT from an MSD (MSD-hetero, n = 7242). Transplant outcomes in the hetero-to-homo group were similar to those in the MSD-hetero group regarding neutrophil engraftment, grades III to IV acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD), nonrelapse mortality (NRM), relapse, and overall survival. On the other hand, the incidences of severe aGVHD and NRM in the MSD-homo group were significantly lower than those in the MSD-hetero group (grades III to IV aGVHD: aHR .50, P = .034; NRM: aHR .48, P = .004). In conclusion, patients with HLA-homozygous haplotypes achieved lower GVHD and NRM rates for MSD transplantation than those with HLA-heterozygous haplotypes. When an MSD or an appropriate alternative donor is not available for patients with HLA-homozygous haplotypes who need immediate transplantation, transplantation from a haploidentical donor without T cell depletion is a viable option, given the comparable transplant outcomes for hetero-to-homo HCT and MSD-hetero HCT. Copyright © 2016 The American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Mapping Global Potential Risk of Mango Sudden Decline Disease Caused by Ceratocystis fimbriata.

    PubMed

    Galdino, Tarcísio Visintin da Silva; Kumar, Sunil; Oliveira, Leonardo S S; Alfenas, Acelino C; Neven, Lisa G; Al-Sadi, Abdullah M; Picanço, Marcelo C

    2016-01-01

    The Mango Sudden Decline (MSD), also referred to as Mango Wilt, is an important disease of mango in Brazil, Oman and Pakistan. This fungus is mainly disseminated by the mango bark beetle, Hypocryphalus mangiferae (Stebbing), by infected plant material, and the infested soils where it is able to survive for long periods. The best way to avoid losses due to MSD is to prevent its establishment in mango production areas. Our objectives in this study were to: (1) predict the global potential distribution of MSD, (2) identify the mango growing areas that are under potential risk of MSD establishment, and (3) identify climatic factors associated with MSD distribution. Occurrence records were collected from Brazil, Oman and Pakistan where the disease is currently known to occur in mango. We used the correlative maximum entropy based model (MaxEnt) algorithm to assess the global potential distribution of MSD. The MaxEnt model predicted suitable areas in countries where the disease does not already occur in mango, but where mango is grown. Among these areas are the largest mango producers in the world including India, China, Thailand, Indonesia, and Mexico. The mean annual temperature, precipitation of coldest quarter, precipitation seasonality, and precipitation of driest month variables contributed most to the potential distribution of MSD disease. The mango bark beetle vector is known to occur beyond the locations where MSD currently exists and where the model predicted suitable areas, thus showing a high likelihood for disease establishment in areas predicted by our model. Our study is the first to map the potential risk of MSD establishment on a global scale. This information can be used in designing strategies to prevent introduction and establishment of MSD disease, and in preparation of efficient pest risk assessments and monitoring programs.

  20. Mapping Global Potential Risk of Mango Sudden Decline Disease Caused by Ceratocystis fimbriata

    PubMed Central

    Oliveira, Leonardo S. S.; Alfenas, Acelino C.; Neven, Lisa G.; Al-Sadi, Abdullah M.

    2016-01-01

    The Mango Sudden Decline (MSD), also referred to as Mango Wilt, is an important disease of mango in Brazil, Oman and Pakistan. This fungus is mainly disseminated by the mango bark beetle, Hypocryphalus mangiferae (Stebbing), by infected plant material, and the infested soils where it is able to survive for long periods. The best way to avoid losses due to MSD is to prevent its establishment in mango production areas. Our objectives in this study were to: (1) predict the global potential distribution of MSD, (2) identify the mango growing areas that are under potential risk of MSD establishment, and (3) identify climatic factors associated with MSD distribution. Occurrence records were collected from Brazil, Oman and Pakistan where the disease is currently known to occur in mango. We used the correlative maximum entropy based model (MaxEnt) algorithm to assess the global potential distribution of MSD. The MaxEnt model predicted suitable areas in countries where the disease does not already occur in mango, but where mango is grown. Among these areas are the largest mango producers in the world including India, China, Thailand, Indonesia, and Mexico. The mean annual temperature, precipitation of coldest quarter, precipitation seasonality, and precipitation of driest month variables contributed most to the potential distribution of MSD disease. The mango bark beetle vector is known to occur beyond the locations where MSD currently exists and where the model predicted suitable areas, thus showing a high likelihood for disease establishment in areas predicted by our model. Our study is the first to map the potential risk of MSD establishment on a global scale. This information can be used in designing strategies to prevent introduction and establishment of MSD disease, and in preparation of efficient pest risk assessments and monitoring programs. PMID:27415625

  1. A systematic review of musculoskeletal disorders among school teachers

    PubMed Central

    2011-01-01

    Background Musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) represent one of the most common and most expensive occupational health problems in both developed and developing countries. School teachers represent an occupational group among which there appears to be a high prevalence of MSD. Given that causes of MSD have been described as multi-factorial and prevalence rates vary between body sites and location of study, the objective of this systematic review was to investigate the prevalence and risk factors for MSD among teaching staff. Methods The study involved an extensive search of MEDLINE and EMBASE databases in 2011. All studies which reported on the prevalence and/or risk factors for MSD in the teaching profession were initially selected for inclusion. Reference lists of articles identified in the original search were then examined for additional publications. Of the 80 articles initially located, a final group of 33 met the inclusion criteria and were examined in detail. Results This review suggests that the prevalence of self-reported MSD among school teachers ranges between 39% and 95%. The most prevalent body sites appear to be the back, neck and upper limbs. Nursery school teachers appear to be more likely to report suffering from low back pain. Factors such as gender, age, length of employment and awkward posture have been associated with higher MSD prevalence rates. Conclusion Overall, this study suggests that school teachers are at a high risk of MSD. Further research, preferably longitudinal, is required to more thoroughly investigate the issue of MSD among teachers, with a greater emphasis on the possible wider use of ergonomic principles. This would represent a major step forward in the prevention of MSD among teachers, especially if easy to implement control measures could be recommended. PMID:22087739

  2. The symmetric MSD encoder for one-step adder of ternary optical computer

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kai, Song; LiPing, Yan

    2016-08-01

    The symmetric Modified Signed-Digit (MSD) encoding is important for achieving the one-step MSD adder of Ternary Optical Computer (TOC). The paper described the symmetric MSD encoding algorithm in detail, and developed its truth table which has nine rows and nine columns. According to the truth table, the state table was developed, and the optical-path structure and circuit-implementation scheme of the symmetric MSD encoder (SME) for one-step adder of TOC were proposed. Finally, a series of experiments were designed and performed. The observed results of the experiments showed that the scheme to implement SME was correct, feasible and efficient.

  3. Current DOT research on the effect of multiple site damage on structural integrity

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Tong, P.; Arin, Kemal; Jeong, David Y.; Greif, R.; Brewer, John C.; Bobo, Stephan N.; Sampath, Sam N.

    1992-01-01

    Multiple site damage (MSD) is a type of cracking that may be found in aging airplanes and which may adversely affect their continuing airworthiness. The Volpe National Transportation Systems Center has supported the Federal Aviation Administration Technical Center on structural integrity research for the past two and half years. The work has focused on understanding the behavior of MSD, detection of MSD during airframe inspection, and the avoidance of MSD in future designs. These three elements of the MSD problem are addressed and a summary of the completed work, the current status, and requirements for future research is provided.

  4. Evaluation of Multiple Immunoassay Technology Platforms to Select the Anti-Drug Antibody Assay Exhibiting the Most Appropriate Drug and Target Tolerance

    PubMed Central

    Collet-Brose, Justine

    2016-01-01

    The aim of this study was, at the assay development stage and thus with an appropriate degree of rigor, to select the most appropriate technology platform and sample pretreatment procedure for a clinical ADA assay. Thus, ELISA, MSD, Gyrolab, and AlphaLISA immunoassay platforms were evaluated in association with target depletion and acid dissociation sample pretreatment steps. An acid dissociation step successfully improved the drug tolerance for all 4 technology platforms and the required drug tolerance was achieved with the Gyrolab and MSD platforms. The target tolerance was shown to be better for the ELISA format, where an acid dissociation treatment step alone was sufficient to achieve the desired target tolerance. However, inclusion of a target depletion step in conjunction with the acid treatment raised the target tolerance to the desired level for all of the technologies. A higher sensitivity was observed for the MSD and Gyrolab assays and the ELISA, MSD, and Gyrolab all displayed acceptable interdonor variability. This study highlights the usefulness of evaluating the performance of different assay platforms at an early stage in the assay development process to aid in the selection of the best fit-for-purpose technology platform and sample pretreatment steps. PMID:27243038

  5. A non-local structural derivative model for characterization of ultraslow diffusion in dense colloids

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liang, Yingjie; Chen, Wen

    2018-03-01

    Ultraslow diffusion has been observed in numerous complicated systems. Its mean squared displacement (MSD) is not a power law function of time, but instead a logarithmic function, and in some cases grows even more slowly than the logarithmic rate. The distributed-order fractional diffusion equation model simply does not work for the general ultraslow diffusion. Recent study has used the local structural derivative to describe ultraslow diffusion dynamics by using the inverse Mittag-Leffler function as the structural function, in which the MSD is a function of inverse Mittag-Leffler function. In this study, a new stretched logarithmic diffusion law and its underlying non-local structural derivative diffusion model are proposed to characterize the ultraslow diffusion in aging dense colloidal glass at both the short and long waiting times. It is observed that the aging dynamics of dense colloids is a class of the stretched logarithmic ultraslow diffusion processes. Compared with the power, the logarithmic, and the inverse Mittag-Leffler diffusion laws, the stretched logarithmic diffusion law has better precision in fitting the MSD of the colloidal particles at high densities. The corresponding non-local structural derivative diffusion equation manifests clear physical mechanism, and its structural function is equivalent to the first-order derivative of the MSD.

  6. Distributional behavior of diffusion coefficients obtained by single trajectories in annealed transit time model

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Akimoto, Takuma; Yamamoto, Eiji

    2016-12-01

    Local diffusion coefficients in disordered systems such as spin glass systems and living cells are highly heterogeneous and may change over time. Such a time-dependent and spatially heterogeneous environment results in irreproducibility of single-particle-tracking measurements. Irreproducibility of time-averaged observables has been theoretically studied in the context of weak ergodicity breaking in stochastic processes. Here, we provide rigorous descriptions of equilibrium and non-equilibrium diffusion processes for the annealed transit time model, which is a heterogeneous diffusion model in living cells. We give analytical solutions for the mean square displacement (MSD) and the relative standard deviation of the time-averaged MSD for equilibrium and non-equilibrium situations. We find that the time-averaged MSD grows linearly with time and that the time-averaged diffusion coefficients are intrinsically random (irreproducible) even in the long-time measurements in non-equilibrium situations. Furthermore, the distribution of the time-averaged diffusion coefficients converges to a universal distribution in the sense that it does not depend on initial conditions. Our findings pave the way for a theoretical understanding of distributional behavior of the time-averaged diffusion coefficients in disordered systems.

  7. Berkeley Lab - Materials Sciences Division

    Science.gov Websites

    MSD Support Human Resources Facilities & Space Planning Procurement and Property Proposals & ; Finance Templates Travel One-Stop Acknowledging MSD Support Human Resources Facilities & Space Operations For information regarding Human Resources, procedures for acknowledging MSD support, division

  8. The role of HIV infection in the etiology and epidemiology of diarrheal disease among children aged 0-59 months in Manhiça district, Rural Mozambique.

    PubMed

    Acácio, Sozinho; Nhampossa, Tacilta; Quintó, Llorenç; Vubil, Delfino; Sacoor, Charfudin; Kotloff, Karen; Farag, Tamer; Dilruba, Nasrin; Macete, Eusebio; Levine, Myron M; Alonso, Pedro; Mandomando, Inácio; Bassat, Quique

    2018-05-28

    Diarrhea is an important health problem among HIV-infected patients. This study evaluates the role of HIV on the epidemiology, etiology and severity of diarrheal disease among children. The Global Enteric Multicenter Study enrolled children with moderate-to-severe (MSD) and less severe (LSD) diarrhea between December 2007 and November 2012. One to three controls for MSD cases and one per LSD case were enrolled and matched by age, sex and neighborhood. All children were tested for HIV. Clinical, anthropometric data and stools were collected. A follow-up was performed at 60 days. 214 MSD cases and 418 controls, together with 349 LSD cases and 214 controls were tested. HIV prevalence among MSD cases was 25% (4% for matched controls) and 6% among LSD cases (6% among matched controls). HIV-infected children were more likely to have MSD (OR=5.6, p< 0.0001). Mortality rates were higher among HIV-infected children compared with uninfected (34 vs. 5 per 1000 children-weeks at risk; p=0.0039). Cryptosporidium, Giardia, EAEC (aatA only) were more prevalent among HIV-infected MSD-cases than uninfected ones. HIV is an important risk factor for MSD. The high mortality rate implies that children with MSD should be screened for HIV and managed accordingly. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  9. Prevalence and Risk Factors Associated with Musculoskeletal Discomfort in Spay and Neuter Veterinarians.

    PubMed

    White, Sara C

    2013-02-04

    A cross-sectional study to investigate musculoskeletal discomfort (MSD) surveyed 219 veterinarians who currently or previously perform spays and neuters at least 4 hours per week. Participants were asked about the presence and severity of hand and body MSD during the previous month, whether MSD interfered with work or daily activities, whether they attributed their MSD to their spay/neuter work, and whether MSD had ever necessitated absence from work. The period prevalence of MSD was 99.1%, with 76.7% experiencing hand or wrist pain and 98.2% experiencing body pain. Hand discomfort was most commonly reported in the right thumb and/or thumb base (49.8%) and the right wrist (37.9%). Body discomfort was most commonly reported in the lower back (76.7%), shoulders (72.6%), and neck (71.7%). Increasing career length, increasing weekly hours in surgery and decreasing job satisfaction were the work-related factors with the greatest relative contribution accounting for variation in hand pain severity and total pain. Although 94.4% of respondents felt that posture during surgery is important, only 30.6% had received any instruction in posture and positioning for surgery. Future interventions should aim to optimize surgical efficiency, surgeon work schedules, and working environment. Analysis and intervention studies are required to determine further causes of MSD in these veterinarians and develop interventions to prevent MSD.

  10. Conceptualization of the Sexual Response Models in Men: Are there Differences Between Sexually Functional and Dysfunctional Men?

    PubMed

    Connaughton, Catherine; McCabe, Marita; Karantzas, Gery

    2016-03-01

    Research to validate models of sexual response empirically in men with and without sexual dysfunction (MSD), as currently defined, is limited. To explore the extent to which the traditional linear or the Basson circular model best represents male sexual response for men with MSD and sexually functional men. In total, 573 men completed an online questionnaire to assess sexual function and aspects of the models of sexual response. In total, 42.2% of men (242) were sexually functional, and 57.8% (331) had at least one MSD. Models were built and tested using bootstrapping and structural equation modeling. Fit of models for men with and without MSD. The linear model and the initial circular model were a poor fit for men with and without MSD. A modified version of the circular model demonstrated adequate fit for the two groups and showed important interactions between psychological factors and sexual response for men with and without MSD. Male sexual response was not represented by the linear model for men with or without MSD, excluding possible healthy responsive desire. The circular model provided a better fit for the two groups of men but demonstrated that the relations between psychological factors and phases of sexual response were different for men with and without MSD as currently defined. Copyright © 2016 International Society for Sexual Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Pain-related musculoskeletal disorders, psychological comorbidity, and the relationship with physical and mental well-being in Gulf War veterans.

    PubMed

    Kelsall, Helen Louise; McKenzie, Dean Philip; Forbes, Andrew Benjamin; Roberts, Minainyo Helen; Urquhart, Donna Michelle; Sim, Malcolm Ross

    2014-04-01

    Occupational activities such as lifting loads, working in constrained spaces, and training increase the risk of pain-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) in military veterans. Few studies have investigated MSD and psychological disorder in veterans, and previous studies had limitations. This cross-sectional study compared pain-related MSD and psychological comorbidity and well-being between 1381 male Australian 1990-1991 Gulf War veterans (veterans) and a military comparison group (n=1377, of whom 39.6% were serving and 32.7% had previously deployed). At a medical assessment, 2000-2002, reported doctor-diagnosed arthritis or rheumatism, back or neck problems, joint problems, and soft tissue disorders were rated by medical practitioners as nonmedical, unlikely, possible, or probable diagnoses. Only probable MSDs were analysed. Psychological disorders in the past 12 months were measured using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview. The Short-Form Health Survey (SF-12) assessed 4-week physical and mental well-being. Almost one-quarter of veterans (24.5%) and the comparison group (22.4%) reported an MSD. Having any or specific MSD was associated with depression and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), but not alcohol disorders. Physical and mental well-being was poorer in those with an MSD compared to those without, in both study groups (eg, veterans with any MSD, difference in SF-12 physical component summary scale medians = -10.49: 95% confidence interval -12.40, -8.57), and in those with MSD and psychological comorbidity compared with MSD alone. Comorbidity of any MSD and psychological disorder was more common in veterans, but MSDs were associated with depression, PTSD, and poorer well-being in both groups. Psychological comorbidity needs consideration in MSD management. Longitudinal studies are needed to assess directionality and causality. Copyright © 2013 International Association for the Study of Pain. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Evaluation of monoclonal antibody-based sandwich direct ELISA (MSD-ELISA) for antigen detection of foot-and-mouth disease virus using clinical samples.

    PubMed

    Morioka, Kazuki; Fukai, Katsuhiko; Sakamoto, Kenichi; Yoshida, Kazuo; Kanno, Toru

    2014-01-01

    A monoclonal antibody-based sandwich direct ELISA (MSD-ELISA) method was previously developed for foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) viral antigen detection. Here we evaluated the sensitivity and specificity of two FMD viral antigen detection MSD-ELISAs and compared them with conventional indirect sandwich (IS)-ELISA. The MSD-ELISAs were able to detect the antigen in saliva samples of experimentally-infected pigs for a longer term compared to the IS-ELISA. We also used 178 RT-PCR-positive field samples from cattle and pigs affected by the 2010 type-O FMD outbreak in Japan, and we found that the sensitivities of both MSD-ELISAs were about 7 times higher than that of the IS-ELISA against each sample (P<0.01). In terms of the FMD-positive farm detection rate, the sensitivities of the MSD-ELISAs were about 6 times higher than that of the IS-ELISA against each farm (P<0.01). Although it is necessary to conduct further validation study using the other virus strains, MSD-ELISAs could be appropriate as a method to replace IS-ELISA for FMD antigen detection.

  13. An approach to the optical MSD adder

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Takahashi, Hideya; Matsushita, Kenji; Shimizu, Eiji

    1990-07-01

    The intrinsic parallelism of optical elements for computation is presently taken fuller advantage of than heretofore possible through an optical implementation of the modified signed digit (MSD) number system, which yields carry-free addition and subtraction. In the present optical implementation of the MSD system, optical phase data are used to preclude negative value representation. Attention is given to an MSD adder array for addition operations on two n-digit trinary numbers; the output is composed of n + 1 trinary digits.

  14. Langevin dynamics for ramified structures

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Méndez, Vicenç; Iomin, Alexander; Horsthemke, Werner; Campos, Daniel

    2017-06-01

    We propose a generalized Langevin formalism to describe transport in combs and similar ramified structures. Our approach consists of a Langevin equation without drift for the motion along the backbone. The motion along the secondary branches may be described either by a Langevin equation or by other types of random processes. The mean square displacement (MSD) along the backbone characterizes the transport through the ramified structure. We derive a general analytical expression for this observable in terms of the probability distribution function of the motion along the secondary branches. We apply our result to various types of motion along the secondary branches of finite or infinite length, such as subdiffusion, superdiffusion, and Langevin dynamics with colored Gaussian noise and with non-Gaussian white noise. Monte Carlo simulations show excellent agreement with the analytical results. The MSD for the case of Gaussian noise is shown to be independent of the noise color. We conclude by generalizing our analytical expression for the MSD to the case where each secondary branch is n dimensional.

  15. Physiotherapy in Primary Care Triage - the effects on utilization of medical services at primary health care clinics by patients and sub-groups of patients with musculoskeletal disorders: a case-control study.

    PubMed

    Bornhöft, Lena; Larsson, Maria E H; Thorn, Jörgen

    2015-01-01

    Primary Care Triage is a patient sorting system used in some primary health care clinics (PHCCs) in Sweden where patients with musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) are triaged directly to physiotherapists. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether sorting/triaging patients seeking a PHCC for MSD directly to physiotherapists affects their utilization of medical services at the clinic for the MSD and to determine whether the effects of the triaging system vary for different sub-groups of patients. A retrospective case-control study design was used at two PHCCs. At the intervention clinic, 656 patients with MSD were initially triaged to physiotherapists. At the control clinic, 1673 patients were initially assessed by general practitioners (GPs). The main outcome measures were the number of patients continuing to visit GPs after the initial assessment, the number of patients receiving referrals to specialists/external examinations, doctors' notes for sick-leave or prescriptions for analgesics during one year, all for the original MSD. Significantly fewer patients triaged to physiotherapists required multiple GP visits for the MSD or received MSD-related referrals to specialists/external examinations, sick-leave recommendations or prescriptions during the following year compared to the GP-assessed group. This applies to all sub-groups except for the group with lower extremity disorders, which did not reach significance for either multiple GP visits or sick-leave recommendations. The reduced utilization of medical services by patients with MSD who were triaged to physiotherapists at a PHCC is likely due to altered management of MSD with initial assessment by physiotherapists.

  16. Longitudinal relationship of work hours, mandatory overtime, and on-call to musculoskeletal problems in nurses.

    PubMed

    Trinkoff, Alison M; Le, Rong; Geiger-Brown, Jeanne; Lipscomb, Jane; Lang, Gary

    2006-11-01

    Nurses are at very high risk for work-related musculoskeletal injury/disorders (MSD) with low back pain/injury being the most frequently occurring MSD. Nurses are also likely to work extended schedules (long hours, on-call, mandatory overtime, working on days off). The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship of extended work schedules in nurses to MSD. Using a longitudinal, three wave survey of 2,617 registered nurses, Wave 1 work schedule data were related to neck, shoulder, and back (MSD) cases occurring in Waves 2 or 3. Schedule characteristics increasing MSD risk included 13+ hour/days, off-shifts, weekend work, work during time off (while sick, on days off, without breaks), and overtime/on-call. These increases in risk were not explained by psychological demands, but were largely explained by physical demands. Adverse schedules are significantly related to nurse MSD. Healthier schedules, less overtime, and reducing work on days off would minimize risk and recovery time. Copyright (c) 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  17. Study of sensor spectral responses and data processing algorithms and architectures for onboard feature identification

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Huck, F. O.; Davis, R. E.; Fales, C. L.; Aherron, R. M.

    1982-01-01

    A computational model of the deterministic and stochastic processes involved in remote sensing is used to study spectral feature identification techniques for real-time onboard processing of data acquired with advanced earth-resources sensors. Preliminary results indicate that: Narrow spectral responses are advantageous; signal normalization improves mean-square distance (MSD) classification accuracy but tends to degrade maximum-likelihood (MLH) classification accuracy; and MSD classification of normalized signals performs better than the computationally more complex MLH classification when imaging conditions change appreciably from those conditions during which reference data were acquired. The results also indicate that autonomous categorization of TM signals into vegetation, bare land, water, snow and clouds can be accomplished with adequate reliability for many applications over a reasonably wide range of imaging conditions. However, further analysis is required to develop computationally efficient boundary approximation algorithms for such categorization.

  18. The Msd1–Wdr8–Pkl1 complex anchors microtubule minus ends to fission yeast spindle pole bodies

    PubMed Central

    Yukawa, Masashi; Ikebe, Chiho

    2015-01-01

    The minus ends of spindle microtubules are anchored to a microtubule-organizing center. The conserved Msd1/SSX2IP proteins are localized to the spindle pole body (SPB) and the centrosome in fission yeast and humans, respectively, and play a critical role in microtubule anchoring. In this paper, we show that fission yeast Msd1 forms a ternary complex with another conserved protein, Wdr8, and the minus end–directed Pkl1/kinesin-14. Individual deletion mutants displayed the identical spindle-protrusion phenotypes. Msd1 and Wdr8 were delivered by Pkl1 to mitotic SPBs, where Pkl1 was tethered through Msd1–Wdr8. The spindle-anchoring defect imposed by msd1/wdr8/pkl1 deletions was suppressed by a mutation of the plus end–directed Cut7/kinesin-5, which was shown to be mutual. Intriguingly, Pkl1 motor activity was not required for its anchoring role once targeted to the SPB. Therefore, spindle anchoring through Msd1–Wdr8–Pkl1 is crucial for balancing the Cut7/kinesin-5–mediated outward force at the SPB. Our analysis provides mechanistic insight into the spatiotemporal regulation of two opposing kinesins to ensure mitotic spindle bipolarity. PMID:25987607

  19. A novel tamponade agent for management of post partum hemorrhage: adaptation of the Xstat mini-sponge applicator for obstetric use.

    PubMed

    Rodriguez, Maria I; Jensen, Jeffrey T; Gregory, Kenton; Bullard, Mary; Longo, Paul; Heidel, Jerry; Edelman, Alison

    2017-06-13

    Although uterine tamponade is an effective treatment for postpartum hemorrhage (PPH), current methods have key limitations in their use, particularly in low resource settings. The XStat™ Mini Sponge Dressing (MSD) is approved for the management of non-compressible wounds in the battlefield/trauma setting. The MSD applies highly compressed medical sponges capable of stopping high-flow arterial bleeding within seconds. The objective of our study was to adopt the MSD for use in managing PPH. We performed desktop testing using a uterine model with pressure sensors to compare key design elements of the obstetrical prototype MSD (fundal pressure achieved, reduction in fluid loss, time to deploy, and time to remove) with alternativetechniques (uterine packing, balloon tamponade). To evaluate safety, we delivered the fetus of pregnant ewes by cesarean section and used the prototype to deliver the MSD into one uterine horn, and closed the hysterotomy. We followed the clinical recovery of animals (n = 3) over 24 h, and then removed the reproductive tract for histologic evaluation. To evaluate late effects, we surgically removed the MSDs after 24 h, and followed the clinical recovery of animals (n = 6) for an additional seven days before tissue removal. The obstetrical prototype has a long tapered delivery system designed to be deployed during vaginal examination, and administers three times the volume of the approved MSD trauma bandage. The MSD are deployed within a mesh bag to facilitate removal by vaginaltraction. On desktop testing, the MSD resulted in the highest average fundal pressure (113 mmHg), followed by the MSD bag device (85.8 mmHg), gauze packing (15.5 mmHg), and the uterine balloon (8.2 mmHg). The MSD bag test group achieved the largest fluid flow reduction of -74%, followed by gauze packing (-55%), MSD (-35%), and uterine balloon (-19%). Animal testing demonstrated good uterine fill with no evidence of adverse clinical recovery, uterine trauma or infection at 24 h, or up to 7 days following device removal. We adapted a highly effective trauma dressing and applicator for use in the treatment of severe PPH. Preliminary desktop and animal testing provide a basis for initial clinical trials in women.

  20. Observed soil temperature trends associated with climate change in the Tibetan Plateau, 1960-2014

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fang, Xuewei; Luo, Siqiong; Lyu, Shihua

    2018-01-01

    Soil temperature, an important indicator of climate change, has rarely explored due to scarce observations, especially in the Tibetan Plateau (TP) area. In this study, changes observed in five meteorological variables obtained from the TP between 1960 and 2014 were investigated using two non-parametric methods, the modified Mann-Kendall test and Sen's slope estimator method. Analysis of annual series from 1960 to 2014 has shown that surface (0 cm), shallow (5-20 cm), deep (40-320 cm) soil temperatures (ST), mean air temperature (AT), and precipitation (P) increased with rates of 0.47 °C/decade, 0.36 °C/decade, 0.36 °C/decade, 0.35 °C/decade, and 7.36 mm/decade, respectively, while maximum frozen soil depth (MFD) as well as snow cover depth (MSD) decreased with rates of 5.58 and 0.07 cm/decade. Trends were significant at 99 or 95% confidence level for the variables, with the exception of P and MSD. More impressive rate of the ST at each level than the AT indicates the clear response of soil to climate warming on a regional scale. Monthly changes observed in surface ST in the past decades were consistent with those of AT, indicating a central place of AT in the soil warming. In addition, with the exception of MFD, regional scale increasing trend of P as well as the decreasing MSD also shed light on the mechanisms driving soil trends. Significant negative-dominated correlation coefficients (α = 0.05) between ST and MSD indicate the decreasing MSD trends in TP were attributable to increasing ST, especially in surface layer. Owing to the frozen ground, the relationship between ST and P is complicated in the area. Higher P also induced higher ST, while the inhibition of freeze and thaw process on the ST in summer. With the increasing AT, P accompanied with the decreasing MFD, MSD should be the major factors induced the conspicuous soil warming of the TP in the past decades.

  1. Fatigue analysis of multiple site damage at a row of holes in a wide panel

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Buhler, Kimberley; Grandt, Alten F., Jr.; Moukawsher, E. J.

    1994-01-01

    This paper is concerned with predicting the fatigue life of unstiffened panels which contain multiple site damage (MSD). The initial damage consists of through-the-thickness cracks emanating from a row of holes in the center of a finite width panel. A fracture mechanics analysis has been developed to predict the growth, interaction, and coalescence of the various cracks which propagate in the panel. A strain-life analysis incorporating Neuber's rule for notches, and Miner's rule for cumulative damage, is also employed to predict crack initiation for holes without initial cracking. This analysis is compared with the results of a series of fatigue tests on 2024-T3 aluminum panels, and is shown to do an excellent job of predicting the influence of MSD on the fatigue life of nine inch wide specimens. Having established confidence in the ability to analyze the influence of MSD on fatigue life, a parametric study is conducted to examine the influence of various MSD scenarios in an unstiffened panel. The numerical study considered 135 cases in all, with the parametric variables being the applied cyclic stress level, the lead crack geometry, and the number and location of MSD cracks. The numerical analysis provides details for the manner in which lead cracks and MSD cracks grow and coalesce leading to final failure. The results indicate that MSD located adjacent to lead cracks is the most damaging configuration, while for cases without lead cracks, MSD clusters which are not separated by uncracked holes are most damaging.

  2. Biomarkers of systemic inflammation in farmers with musculoskeletal disorders; a plasma proteomic study.

    PubMed

    Ghafouri, Bijar; Carlsson, Anders; Holmberg, Sara; Thelin, Anders; Tagesson, Christer

    2016-05-10

    Farmers have an increased risk for musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) such as osteoarthritis of the hip, low back pain, and neck and upper limb complaints. The underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. Work-related exposures and inflammatory responses might be involved. Our objective was to identify plasma proteins that differentiated farmers with MSD from rural referents. Plasma samples from 13 farmers with MSD and rural referents were included in the investigation. Gel based proteomics was used for protein analysis and proteins that differed significantly between the groups were identified by mass spectrometry. In total, 15 proteins differed significantly between the groups. The levels of leucine-rich alpha-2-glycoprotein, haptoglobin, complement factor B, serotransferrin, one isoform of kininogen, one isoform of alpha-1-antitrypsin, and two isoforms of hemopexin were higher in farmers with MSD than in referents. On the other hand, the levels of alpha-2-HS-glycoprotein, alpha-1B-glycoprotein, vitamin D- binding protein, apolipoprotein A1, antithrombin, one isoform of kininogen, and one isoform of alpha-1-antitrypsin were lower in farmers than in referents. Many of the identified proteins are known to be involved in inflammation. Farmers with MSD had altered plasma levels of protein biomarkers compared to the referents, indicating that farmers with MSD may be subject to a more systemic inflammation. It is possible that the identified differences of proteins may give clues to the biochemical changes occurring during the development and progression of MSD in farmers, and that one or several of these protein biomarkers might eventually be used to identify and prevent work-related MSD.

  3. Expert ratings of job demand and job control as predictors of injury and musculoskeletal disorder risk in a manufacturing cohort

    PubMed Central

    Cantley, Linda F; Tessier-Sherman, Baylah; Slade, Martin D; Galusha, Deron; Cullen, Mark R

    2016-01-01

    Objective To examine associations between workplace injury and musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) risk and expert ratings of job-level psychosocial demand and job control, adjusting for job-level physical demand. Methods Among a cohort of 9260 aluminium manufacturing workers in jobs for which expert ratings of job-level physical and psychological demand and control were obtained during the 2 years following rating obtainment, multivariate mixed effects models were used to estimate relative risk (RR) of minor injury and minor MSD, serious injury and MSD, minor MSD only and serious MSD only by tertile of demand and control, adjusting for physical demand as well as other recognised risk factors. Results Compared with workers in jobs rated as having low psychological demand, workers in jobs with high psychological demand had 49% greater risk of serious injury and serious MSD requiring medical treatment, work restrictions or lost work time (RR=1.49; 95% CI 1.10 to 2.01). Workers in jobs rated as having low control displayed increased risk for minor injury and minor MSD (RR=1.45; 95% CI 1.12 to 1.87) compared with those in jobs rated as having high control. Conclusions Using expert ratings of job-level exposures, this study provides evidence that psychological job demand and job control contribute independently to injury and MSD risk in a blue-collar manufacturing cohort, and emphasises the importance of monitoring psychosocial workplace exposures in addition to physical workplace exposures to promote worker health and safety. PMID:26163544

  4. Relationship between productivity, quality and musculoskeletal disorder risk among deboning workers in a Chilean salmon industry.

    PubMed

    Ilardi, Juan S

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this ergonomic investigation is to establish a relationship between quality, productivity and risk of musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) in manual bone-removal process in the salmon fish industry. The method consists in a follow up study of 14 workers in a lane that processes salmon steak. Time between each steak (work cycle), quality of the steak's meat through inspection of deepness and length of the gapping generated by the manual bone-removal process and risk for musculoskeletal disorders through OCRA method were considered for this study. IMC and musculoskeletal Nordic Questionnaire of Kourinka were applied to the workers evaluated. Fourteen women worker's completed the evaluation, age 37.67 ± 8.1, with 65.27 ± 34.41 months of experience, with an IMC of 27.18 ± 3.87 (1.52 ± 0.057 meters of height) at the time of the evaluation. Time for deboning per steak averaged 38 ± 14 seconds with 68.33 ± 14.79 steaks per hour per worker. In quality terms, 74% of the steaks were qualified as "premium steaks" and 26% as "grade or industrial" (lower category and cheapest price). OCRA index for the right hand average 13.79 ± 4.59 and 3.59 ± 0.41 for the left hand. From Nordic questionnaire 80% of the workers manifested musculoskeletal symptoms in the right hand/wrist, followed up by shoulder with 60% of the workers and arm/elbow with over 50%. There was no statistically significant relationship between productivity and quality of the steak after manual bone removal process and between quality and MSD risk. However, there was a statistically significant relationship between productivity and MSD risk (p<0.05). Discussion around the results allows to see complementary results that did have strong correlation between MSD risk and the presence of lower grade salmon steaks and between areas that present musculoskeletal symptoms (MSS) and the intensity of the MSS (p<0.05). The results showed that further research is needed to validate these relationships, due to the increasing demands of health-care services from this productive sector, considering its importance for this region.

  5. Canaries in the Coal Mine: Perceptions of Threat and Media System Dependency Relations.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Loges, William E.

    1994-01-01

    Investigates whether the intensity and scope of media system dependency (MSD) relations are positively related to perceptions of threats in the environment. Finds that higher perceptions of threat are associated with more intense MSD relations; threat perceptions are strong predictors of the intensity of MSD relations when demographic variables…

  6. 18 CFR 1304.101 - Nonnavigable houseboats.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... follows with a properly installed and operating Marine Sanitation Device (MSD) or Sewage Holding Tank and... or Type II MSD. (2) Nonnavigable houseboats moored in: “No Discharge Lakes” must be equipped with... equipped with a Type I or Type II MSD, it must be secured to prevent discharge into the lake. (d) Approved...

  7. 12 CFR 10.2 - Filing requirements.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ....2 Filing requirements. (a) A national bank shall use Form MSD-4 (Uniform Application for Municipal... § 10.1(b). A national bank receiving a completed MSD-4 form from a person identified in § 10.1(b) must... securities principal or a municipal securities representative. (b) A national bank must submit Form MSD-5...

  8. Cultural meanings of musculoskeletal diseases in Chile's Mapuche Population.

    PubMed

    Alarcon, Ana M; Vidal, Aldo; Castro, Marcela

    2013-10-01

    Eight out of 10 Mapuche indigenous women have a musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) and do not seek early medical aid. To study both the cultural meanings and implications of MSD from the Mapuche worldview. Ethnographic study carried out from 2008 to 2011 on indigenous reserves in southern Chile. Sixty-four Mapuches participated in comprehensive interviews, which were transcribed and analyzed by the research team. Five cultural domains: (a) foro kutran/bone disease is the general denomination of MSD; (b) Re-Rume Kutran/progressive and incurable course, refers to the course of the disease; (c) Kalül fücha mawiza/body is an old tree, describes internal manifestations such as worn bones, dry body, weak blood, and spiritual weakness; (d) witrür tripai foro/deformation is the external manifestation of MSD; and (e) Reñma ka lof kutran/family and community suffering refers to the impact of MSD. The explanation of MSD is consistent with the integrated body-nature-spirit worldview of the Mapuche. To provide cultural nursing health care so that patients receive prompt diagnosis and care.

  9. Low back pain and widespread pain predict sickness absence among industrial workers

    PubMed Central

    Morken, Tone; Riise, Trond; Moen, Bente; Hauge, Signe HV; Holien, Solrun; Langedrag, Anne; Pedersen, Svein; Saue, Inger Lise L; Seljebø, Guri M; Thoppil, Varughese

    2003-01-01

    Background The prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) in the aluminium industry is high, and there is a considerable work-related fraction. More knowledge about the predictors of sickness absence from MSD in this industry will be valuable in determining strategies for prevention. The aim of this study was to analyse the relative impact of body parts, psychosocial and individual factors as predictors for short- and long-term sickness absence from MSD among industrial workers. Methods A follow-up study was conducted among all the workers at eight aluminium plants in Norway. A questionnaire was completed by 5654 workers at baseline in 1998. A total of 3320 of these participated in the follow-up study in 2000. Cox regression analysis was applied to investigate the relative impact of MSD in various parts of the body and of psychosocial and individual factors reported in 1998 on short-term and long-term sickness absence from MSD reported in 2000. Results MSD accounted for 45% of all working days lost the year prior to follow-up in 2000. Blue-collar workers had significantly higher risk than white-collar workers for both short- and long-term sickness absence from MSD (long-term sickness absence: RR = 3.04, 95% CI 2.08–4.45). Widespread and low back pain in 1998 significantly predicted both short- and long-term sickness absence in 2000. In addition, shoulder pain predicted long-term sickness absence. Low social support predicted short-term sickness absence (RR = 1.28, 95% CI 1.11–1.49). Conclusions Reducing sickness absence from MSD among industrial workers requires focusing on the working conditions of blue-collar workers and risk factors for low back pain and widespread pain. Increasing social support in the work environment may have effects in reducing short-term sickness absence from MSD. PMID:12956891

  10. Effects of modified Sanhuang decoction () enema on serum tumor necrosis factor-α and colonic mucosa interleukin-1β, interleukin-6 levels in ulcerative colitis rats.

    PubMed

    Wang, Shuai; Zhou, Tao; Zhai, Jun-Peng; Wang, Li-Hua; Chen, Jing

    2014-11-01

    To investigate the effects of Modified Sanhuang Decoction (, MSD) enema on the serum tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and colonic mucosa interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels in experimental ulcerative colitis (UC) rats. Forty-five male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 4 groups: normal group (n=12), model group (n=11), salazosulfapyridine (SASP) group (n=11) and MSD group (n=11). The UC model was induced by 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS)/ethanol solution. Rats in the normal group and model group were clystered with 0.9% normal saline, while in the SASP group and MSD group were clystered with SASP and MSD enema, respectively. After drug administration (10 mL/kg body weight, for 7 days), colonic gross changes and colonic mucosa histology were observed, serum TNF-α and colonic mucosa IL-1β, IL-6 levels were tested by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay and radioimmunoassay, respectively. As compared with the normal group, the experimental UC rats, the colonic mucosal damage index scores (CMDIs), histopathological scores (HS) and the serum TNF-α and colonic mucosa IL-1β, IL-6 levels significantly increased (P<0.05 or P<0.01). In the MSD and SASP groups, the ulcer area significantly reduced, and edema disappeared. The CMDIs, HS, the serum TNF-α and colonic mucosa IL-1β, IL-6 levels in the MSD and SASP groups significantly decreased (P<0.05 or P<0.01) compared with the model group. The CMDIs in the MSD group were lower than that in the SASP group (P<0.05), but there were no significant differences in HS, serum TNF-α or colonic mucosa IL-1β, IL-6 levels between the MSD and SASP groups. MSD enema can improve colonic mucosa impairment and decrease serum TNF-α and colonic mucosa IL-1β, IL-6 levels in experimental UC.

  11. Association between pain catastrophising and musculoskeletal disorders is modified by past injuries in Malaysian military recruits.

    PubMed

    Mohd Din, F H; Rampal, Sanjay; Muslan, M A; Hoe, Victor C W

    2016-07-01

    Pain catastrophising is defined as exaggerated negative thoughts, which can occur during an actual or anticipated painful experience, such as musculoskeletal injuries (MSI) or disorders (MSD). The aims of this study are to examine the association between pain catastrophising and MSI and MSD in Malaysian Army male recruits, and evaluate the effects of past injury. A cohort of 611 male Malaysian Army recruits were recruited and followed up at 3 and 6 months. Pain catastrophising, MSD, sociodemographic and work factors were measured using a self-administered questionnaire, and MSI incidence was retrieved from the medical records. Multivariable fixed effects regression was used to model the cumulative incidence of MSD and MSI. Approximately 12% of the recruits were diagnosed with incident MSI and 80% reported incident MSD. Higher pain catastrophising at baseline was associated with higher 6 month MSD risk (adjusted OR (aOR) 1.6 per 1 SD increase of Pain Catastrophising Scale (PCS) scores; 95% CI 1.2 to 2.0), and longitudinally associated with MSD incidence (aOR 1.2, 95% CI 1.1 to 1.4). Pain catastrophising was not associated with MSI incidence (aOR 1.0, 95% CI 0.8 to 1.3). The association between pain catastrophising and self-reported MSD was stronger among recruits with self-reported past injury (p for interaction <0.001). Pain catastrophising was able to predict symptomatic MSD, and not physician-diagnosed MSI, and these findings are directly related to individual health beliefs. Pain catastrophising has a greater influence on how military recruits perceived their musculoskeletal conditions during training, and efforts to reduce pain catastrophising may be beneficial. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

  12. Work-life conflict and musculoskeletal disorders: a cross-sectional study of an unexplored association

    PubMed Central

    2011-01-01

    Background The health consequences of work-family or rather work-life conflict (WLC) have been studied by numerous researchers. The work-related causes of musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) are also well explored. And stress (at work) has been found to be a consequence of WLC as well as a cause of MSD. But very little is known about a potential association between WLC and MSD and the possible mediating role of stress in this relationship. Methods Survey data collected in 2007 among the workforces of four large companies in Switzerland were used for this study. The study population covered 6091 employees. As the exposure variable and hypothesized risk factor for MSD, WLC was measured by using a 10-item scale based on an established 18-item scale on work-family conflict. The outcome variables used as indicators of MSD were (low) back pain and neck/shoulder pain. Stress as the assumed intervening variable was assessed by a validated single-item measure of general stress perception. Correlation coefficients (r), standardized regression coefficients (β) and multiple adjusted odds ratios (OR) were calculated as measures of association. Results WLC was found to be quite strongly associated with MSD (β = .21). This association turned out to be substantially confounded by physical strain at work, workload and job autonomy and was considerably reduced but far from being completely eliminated after adjusting for general stress as another identified risk factor of MSD and a proven strong correlate of WLC (r = .44). A significant and relevant association still remained (β = .10) after having controlled for all considered covariates. This association could be fully attributed to only one direction of WLC, namely the work-to-life conflict. In subsequent analyses, a clear gradient between this WLC direction and both types of MSD was found, and proved to be consistent for both men and women. Employees who were most exposed to such work-to-life conflict were also most at risk and showed a fivefold higher prevalence rate (19%-42%) and also an up to sixfold increased relative risk (OR = 3.8-6.3) of suffering greatly from these types of MSD compared with the least exposed reference group showing very low WLC in this direction. Including stress in the regression models again reduced the strength of the association significantly (OR = 1.9-4.1), giving an indication for a possible indirect effect of WLC on MSD mediated by stress. Conclusion Future research and workplace interventions for the prevention of MSD need to consider WLC as an important stressor, and the MSD risk factor identified in this study. PMID:21410950

  13. Work-life conflict and musculoskeletal disorders: a cross-sectional study of an unexplored association.

    PubMed

    Hämmig, Oliver; Knecht, Michaela; Läubli, Thomas; Bauer, Georg F

    2011-03-16

    The health consequences of work-family or rather work-life conflict (WLC) have been studied by numerous researchers. The work-related causes of musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) are also well explored. And stress (at work) has been found to be a consequence of WLC as well as a cause of MSD. But very little is known about a potential association between WLC and MSD and the possible mediating role of stress in this relationship. Survey data collected in 2007 among the workforces of four large companies in Switzerland were used for this study. The study population covered 6091 employees. As the exposure variable and hypothesized risk factor for MSD, WLC was measured by using a 10-item scale based on an established 18-item scale on work-family conflict. The outcome variables used as indicators of MSD were (low) back pain and neck/shoulder pain. Stress as the assumed intervening variable was assessed by a validated single-item measure of general stress perception. Correlation coefficients (r), standardized regression coefficients (β) and multiple adjusted odds ratios (OR) were calculated as measures of association. WLC was found to be quite strongly associated with MSD (β=.21). This association turned out to be substantially confounded by physical strain at work, workload and job autonomy and was considerably reduced but far from being completely eliminated after adjusting for general stress as another identified risk factor of MSD and a proven strong correlate of WLC (r=.44). A significant and relevant association still remained (β=.10) after having controlled for all considered covariates. This association could be fully attributed to only one direction of WLC, namely the work-to-life conflict. In subsequent analyses, a clear gradient between this WLC direction and both types of MSD was found, and proved to be consistent for both men and women. Employees who were most exposed to such work-to-life conflict were also most at risk and showed a fivefold higher prevalence rate (19%-42%) and also an up to sixfold increased relative risk (OR = 3.8-6.3) of suffering greatly from these types of MSD compared with the least exposed reference group showing very low WLC in this direction. Including stress in the regression models again reduced the strength of the association significantly (OR=1.9-4.1), giving an indication for a possible indirect effect of WLC on MSD mediated by stress. Future research and workplace interventions for the prevention of MSD need to consider WLC as an important stressor, and the MSD risk factor identified in this study. © 2011 Hämmig et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

  14. 75 FR 53987 - Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-09-02

    ..., Washington, DC 20549-0213. Extension: Rule 15Ba2-1 and Form MSD; SEC File No. 270-0088; OMB Control No. 3235... by a bank municipal securities dealer must be filed on Form MSD (17 CFR 249.1100). The Commission uses the information contained in Form MSD to determine whether bank municipal securities dealers meet...

  15. Sexual dysfunction among Chinese married men aged 30-60 years: a population-based study in Hong Kong.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Huiping; Yip, Andrew W C; Fan, Susan; Yip, Paul S F

    2013-02-01

    To estimate the prevalence of, and risk factors associated with, sexual dysfunction among Hong Kong Chinese married men aged 30-60 years. The present study was a part of the Ninth Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice survey conducted in 2007 by the Family Planning Association of Hong Kong. The data set consisted of 728 face-to-face interviews with Hong Kong Chinese married men aged 30-60 years living in the community. The classification of sexual dysfunction in the "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition" was used to measure male sexual dysfunction (MSD). Regarding MSD prevalence, approximately 15% of men reported ≥ 1 form of MSD, with a lack of sexual interest, erectile dysfunction, and premature ejaculation present in 11.1%, 4.3%, and 4.7%, respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that age (odds ratio 2.39), employment status (odds ratio 3.62), having a wife who sought medical help for sexual problems (odds ratio 4.47), liberal attitudes toward female sexual initiation (odds ratio 2.07), and marital dissatisfaction (odds ratio 2.35) were all statistically significant risk factors for MSD and its specific components among the sample. However, having traditional attitudes toward female sexual refusal was a protective factor for MSD (odds ratio 0.51) and lack of sexual interest (odds ratio 0.51). The prevalence of MSD was low among young and middle-age married men in Hong Kong. Factors contributing to the risk of MSD spanned the domains of socioeconomic status, attitudes toward sex, and relationship factors. These findings suggest future directions for public health policies and the delivery of services that address the prevention and treatment of MSD. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Predictors of musculoskeletal discomfort: A cross-cultural comparison between Malaysian and Australian office workers.

    PubMed

    Maakip, Ismail; Keegel, Tessa; Oakman, Jodi

    2017-04-01

    Prevalence and predictors associated with musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) vary considerably between countries. It is plausible that socio-cultural contexts may contribute to these differences. We conducted a cross-sectional survey with 1184 Malaysian and Australian office workers with the aim to examine predictors associated with MSD discomfort. The 6-month period prevalence of self-reported MSD discomfort for Malaysian office workers was 92.8% and 71.2% among Australian workers. In Malaysia, a model regressing level of musculoskeletal discomfort against possible risk factors was significant overall (F [6, 370] = 17.35; p < 0.001) and explained 22% (r = 0.46) of its variance. MSD discomfort was significantly associated with predictors that included gender (β = 14), physical (β = 0.38) and psychosocial hazards (β = -0.10), and work-life balance (β = -0.13). In Australia, the regression model is also significant (F [6, 539] = 16.47; p < 0.001) with the model explaining 15.5% (r = 0.39) of the variance in MSD discomfort. Predictors such as gender (β = 0.14), physical (β = 24) and psychosocial hazards (β = -0.17), were associated with MSD discomfort in Australian office workers. Predictors associated with MSD discomfort were similar, but their relative importance differed. Work-life balance was significantly associated with increased MSD discomfort for the Malaysian population only. Design and implementation of MSD risk management needs to take into account the work practices and culture of the target population. Crown Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Expert ratings of job demand and job control as predictors of injury and musculoskeletal disorder risk in a manufacturing cohort.

    PubMed

    Cantley, Linda F; Tessier-Sherman, Baylah; Slade, Martin D; Galusha, Deron; Cullen, Mark R

    2016-04-01

    To examine associations between workplace injury and musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) risk and expert ratings of job-level psychosocial demand and job control, adjusting for job-level physical demand. Among a cohort of 9260 aluminium manufacturing workers in jobs for which expert ratings of job-level physical and psychological demand and control were obtained during the 2 years following rating obtainment, multivariate mixed effects models were used to estimate relative risk (RR) of minor injury and minor MSD, serious injury and MSD, minor MSD only and serious MSD only by tertile of demand and control, adjusting for physical demand as well as other recognised risk factors. Compared with workers in jobs rated as having low psychological demand, workers in jobs with high psychological demand had 49% greater risk of serious injury and serious MSD requiring medical treatment, work restrictions or lost work time (RR=1.49; 95% CI 1.10 to 2.01). Workers in jobs rated as having low control displayed increased risk for minor injury and minor MSD (RR=1.45; 95% CI 1.12 to 1.87) compared with those in jobs rated as having high control. Using expert ratings of job-level exposures, this study provides evidence that psychological job demand and job control contribute independently to injury and MSD risk in a blue-collar manufacturing cohort, and emphasises the importance of monitoring psychosocial workplace exposures in addition to physical workplace exposures to promote worker health and safety. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

  18. The Effect of Multiple Sulfatase Deficiency (MSD) on Dental Development: Can We Use the Teeth as an Early Diagnostic Tool?

    PubMed

    Zilberman, Uri; Bibi, Haim

    2016-01-01

    Multiple sulfatase deficiency (MSD) is a rare autosomal recessive inborn error of metabolism due to reduced catalytic activity of the different sulfatase. Affected individuals show neurologic deterioration with mental retardation, skeletal anomalies, organomegaly, and skin changes as in X-linked ichthyosis. The only organ that was not examined in MSD patients is the dentition. To evaluate the effect of the metabolic error on dental development in a patient with the intermediate severe late-infantile form of MSD (S155P). Histological and chemical study were performed on three deciduous and five permanent teeth from MSD patient and pair-matched normal patients. Tooth germ size and enamel thickness were reduced in both deciduous and permanent MSD teeth, and the scalloping feature of the DEJ was missing in MSD teeth causing enamel to break off from the dentin. The mineral components in the enamel and dentin were different. The metabolic error insults the teeth in the stage of organogenesis in both the deciduous and permanent dentition. The end result is teeth with very sharp cusp tips, thin hypomineralized enamel, and exposed dentin due to the break off of enamel. These findings are different from all other types of MPS syndromes.Clinically the phenotype of intermediate severe late-infantile form of MSD appeared during the third year of life. In children of parents that are carriers, we can diagnose the disease as early as birth using X-ray radiograph of the anterior upper region or as early as 6-8 months when the first deciduous tooth erupt and consider very early treatment to ameliorate the symptoms.

  19. Matched sibling versus matched unrelated allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in children with severe acquired aplastic anemia: experience of the polish pediatric group for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

    PubMed

    Szpecht, Dawid; Gorczyńska, Ewa; Kałwak, Krzysztof; Owoc-Lempach, Joanna; Choma, Marta; Styczyński, Jan; Goździk, Jolanta; Dłużniewska, Agnieszka; Wysocki, Mariusz; Kowalczyk, Jerzy R; Chybicka, Alicja; Pieczonka, Anna; Wachowiak, Jacek

    2012-06-01

    In the study, 48 children with severe acquired aplastic anemia (SAA) transplanted from matched sibling donor (MSD) between 1991 and 2009, and 38 children with SAA transplanted from matched unrelated donor (MUD) between 2000 and 2009 were evaluated. Engraftment was achieved in 45 (93.75 %) patients after MSD-hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) and in 33 (86.8 %) after MUD-HSCT. Transplant-related mortality rate after MSD-HSCT was 8 %, while 37 % after MUD-HSCT. After MSD-HSCT 44 (91.7 %) patients are alive for 1-216 months (median: 85 months), while after MUD-HSCT 24 (63.2 %) patients for 1-84 months (median: 16 months). The 5-year probability of event-free survival after MSD-HSCT and MUD-HSCT was 87 and 53 %, respectively, while 5 years of overall survival was 91 and 64 %, respectively. It was concluded that MSD-HSCT as the first line treatment for children with SAA is a safe therapeutic approach with a low rate of treatment failures and excellent outcome. Results of MUD-HSCT in pediatric patients with SAA who failed to respond to immunosuppressive therapy are still inferior than those of MSD-HSCT. Treatment failures of MUD-HSCT are mainly related to infectious complications and graft failure. It seems, however, that HLA-matching of unrelated donors at allelic level along with early MUD-HSCT after FCA (FLUDA, low-dose cyclophosphamide, and anti-thymocyte globulin) conditioning, perhaps using lower Thymoglobulin dose could enable further improvement of long-term results in children with SAA who lack MSD.

  20. Prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders among school teachers from urban and rural areas in Chuquisaca, Bolivia: a cross-sectional study.

    PubMed

    Solis-Soto, María Teresa; Schön, Anabel; Solis-Soto, Angel; Parra, Manuel; Radon, Katja

    2017-10-27

    Musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) are important health problems in working populations. The study aimed to determine the prevalence of MSD among school teachers from urban and rural areas in Chuquisaca, Bolivia. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 60 randomly selected schools. In total, 1062 teachers were invited to participate (response 58%). The Spanish version of the Standardized Nordic questionnaire was used assessing the 12-months and 7-days prevalence of MSD as well as the 12-months prevalence of work limiting pain. Prevalence were calculated for the different parts of the body; as summary measures, MSD in any part of the body and in ≥3 parts of the body were assessed. Crude and adjusted odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals were calculated using logistic regression models adjusting for age, sex, teaching level and school type. Prevalence of MSD in any part of the body was 86% during the last 12 months, 63% during the last 7 days and 15% for work limiting pain. MSD was most common in the neck (12-months prevalence 47%) and least common in the wrist/hands (26%). In the adjusted model, teachers working in rural areas presented significantly higher odds than teachers from urban schools for work-limiting pain during the last 12-months considering any part of the body (aOR 2.2; 95% CI 1.1-4.1), and for ≥3 parts of the body (aOR 3.7; 95% CI 1.3-10.6). The prevalence of MSD is high in School teachers, even more in teachers working in rural areas. It is needed to identify risk factors for MSD in teachers in order to propose appropriate strategies to control and reduce it.

  1. Design and implementation of the modified signed digit multiplication routine on a ternary optical computer.

    PubMed

    Xu, Qun; Wang, Xianchao; Xu, Chao

    2017-06-01

    Multiplication with traditional electronic computers is faced with a low calculating accuracy and a long computation time delay. To overcome these problems, the modified signed digit (MSD) multiplication routine is established based on the MSD system and the carry-free adder. Also, its parallel algorithm and optimization techniques are studied in detail. With the help of a ternary optical computer's characteristics, the structured data processor is designed especially for the multiplication routine. Several ternary optical operators are constructed to perform M transformations and summations in parallel, which has accelerated the iterative process of multiplication. In particular, the routine allocates data bits of the ternary optical processor based on digits of multiplication input, so the accuracy of the calculation results can always satisfy the users. Finally, the routine is verified by simulation experiments, and the results are in full compliance with the expectations. Compared with an electronic computer, the MSD multiplication routine is not only good at dealing with large-value data and high-precision arithmetic, but also maintains lower power consumption and fewer calculating delays.

  2. Interleukin-18 and CD30 serum levels in patients with moderate-severe depression.

    PubMed Central

    Merendino, Rosaria Alba; Di Rosa, Antonio Enrico; Di Pasquale, Giuseppe; Minciullo, Paola Lucia; Mangraviti, Carmela; Costantino, Antonella; Ruello, Antonella; Gangemi, Sebastiano

    2002-01-01

    Interleukin-18 (IL-18), a pro-inflammatory cytokine that plays an important role in the T-cell-helper type 1 response, is a new member of the family of cytokines produced in the brain. CD30 is a marker of T-cell-helper type 2 lymphocytes. We evaluated IL-18 and CD30 serum levels in 10 patients affected by moderate-severe depression (MSD). We demonstrated for the first time that serum IL-18 levels of MSD patients were significantly higher than those of healthy donors. On the contrary, no significant difference was found between serum CD30 levels of MSD patients compared with those of healthy donors. These data strengthen the hypothesis that MSD disease is associated with an inflammatory response, mainly T-cell-helper type 1, and suggest an important role for IL-18 in the pathophysiology of MSD. PMID:12396479

  3. The integration between Business Model Canvas and Manufacturing System Design

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Prasetyawan, Y.; Maulida, N.; Lutvitasari, M. R.

    2018-04-01

    Business Model Canvas (BMC) is an increasingly popular business design tool especially for a start-up business and new business player. In general, BMC seeks a balance between effective working patterns with suppliers, good relation with customers and ability to understand and manage internal resources. This balance will expedite the implementation of Manufacturing System Design (MSD). The existing use of BMC and MSD is frequently applied separately at various business levels. BMC business plan is primarily to have engagement with customers and explore potential revenue to increase profits, while MSD primarily aims to meet production targets with available resources. The purpose of this research is to provide a roadmap to align BMC and MSD. A series of simple mathematical (modified) and integration models are created to connect BMC and MSD. Several results in various industries (new, developed and mature) are presented and used as examples of implementation.

  4. 78 FR 36605 - Proposed Collection; Comment Request

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-06-18

    ..., Washington, DC 20549-0213. Extension: Rule 15Ba2-1 and Form MSD. SEC File No. 270-0088, OMB Control No. 3235... existing collection of information provided for in Rule 15Ba2-1 (17 CFR 240.15Ba2-1) and Form MSD (17 CFR... registration with the Commission by a bank municipal securities dealer must be filed on Form MSD. The...

  5. 75 FR 35853 - Proposed Collection; Comment Request

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-06-23

    ..., Washington, DC 20549-0213. Extension: Rule 15Ba2-1 and Form MSD; SEC File No. 270-0088; OMB Control No. 3235... collection of information provided for in Rule 15Ba2-1 (17 CFR 240.15Ba2-1) and Form MSD (17 CFR 249.1100... bank municipal securities dealer must be filed on Form MSD. The Commission uses the information...

  6. Toe thumb: a musculoskeletal disorder related to transesophageal echocardiography.

    PubMed

    Tewari, Prabhat; Raju, P S N; Neema, P K

    2014-01-01

    The musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) are common in healthcare providers and those who are doing sonography are also affected. There are reports of MSD in healthcare providers who do transthoracic echocardiography. Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is being regularly used in peri-operative setting. We describe MSD of hand in a cardiovascular and thoracic anesthesiologist who has been performing TEE scanning for 10% of his work-time in operating room and critical care area for the last 8 years. As the role of TEE is increasing and many doctors are doing it on a routine basis, the knowledge of association of MSD with TEE and measures to prevent it is important.

  7. Accuracy of a disability instrument to identify workers likely to develop upper extremity musculoskeletal disorders.

    PubMed

    Stover, Bert; Silverstein, Barbara; Wickizer, Thomas; Martin, Diane P; Kaufman, Joel

    2007-06-01

    Work related upper extremity musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) result in substantial disability, and expense. Identifying workers or jobs with high risk can trigger intervention before workers are injured or the condition worsens. We investigated a disability instrument, the QuickDASH, as a workplace screening tool to identify workers at high risk of developing upper extremity MSDs. Subjects included workers reporting recurring upper extremity MSD symptoms in the past 7 days (n = 559). The QuickDASH was reasonably accurate at baseline with sensitivity of 73% for MSD diagnosis, and 96% for symptom severity. Specificity was 56% for diagnosis, and 53% for symptom severity. At 1-year follow-up sensitivity and specificity for MSD diagnosis was 72% and 54%, respectively, as predicted by the baseline QuickDASH score. For symptom severity, sensitivity and specificity were 86% and 52%. An a priori target sensitivity of 70% and specificity of 50% was met by symptom severity, work pace and quality, and MSD diagnosis. The QuickDASH may be useful for identifying jobs or workers with increased risk for upper extremity MSDs. It may provide an efficient health surveillance screening tool useful for targeting early workplace intervention for prevention of upper extremity MSD problems.

  8. The neuroprotective effect of modified "Shengyu" decoction is mediated through an anti-inflammatory mechanism in the rat after traumatic brain injury.

    PubMed

    Zhao, Guang-Wei; Wang, Yong; Li, Yong-Cai; Jiang, Zheng-Lin; Sun, Li; Xi, Xin; He, Peng; Wang, Guo-Hua; Xu, Shi-Hui; Ma, Dong-Ming; Ke, Kai-Fu

    2014-01-01

    "Shengyu" decoction, a traditional Chinese medicine, has been used to treat diseases with deficit in "qi" and "blood" induced frequently by profound loss of blood or by long sores with heavy pus, in which a potential anti-inflammatory effect is implied. The modified "Shengyu" decoction (MSD) used in the present study was designed on the basis of the "Shengyu" decoction, additional four herbs were added in. Many ingredients in these herbs have been demonstrated to be anti-inflammatory and thus MSD may be used for the treatment of traumatic brain injury (TBI). To evaluate the neuroprotective effect and the underlying mechanisms of MSD on the rat brain after TBI. TBI was induced in the right cerebral cortex of male adult rats using Feeney's weight-drop method. The rats were administered a gavage of MSD (0.5, 1.0 or 2.0 ml/200 g) 6h after TBI. The neurological functions, brain water content, contusion volume, and neuron loss were determined. The levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-10 and the number of GFAP- and Iba1-positive cells in the brain ipsilateral to TBI were also measured. Moreover, the influence of MSD on these variables was observed at the same time. The neurological deficits, brain water content, and neuron loss were significantly reduced after 1.0 or 2.0 ml/200 g of MSD treatment but not after 0.5 ml/200 g. In addition, treatment with MSD (1.0 ml/200 g) significantly increased the level of IL-10 and reduced the level of TNF-α and IL-1β and the number of GFAP- and Iba1-positive cells after TBI. However, the contusion volume of brain tissue and the expression of IL-6 were not significantly changed. MSD may be a potential therapeutic for the treatment of TBI because MSD alleviated secondary brain injury induced by TBI. In addition, MSD inhibited the inflammatory response through reducing the expression of inflammatory cytokines and the activation of microglial cells and astrocytes in the brain tissue of rats after TBI. Therefore, a potential anti-inflammatory mechanism of the "Shengyu" decoction was confirmed, which may be one of the main reasons of "Shengyu" decoction used to treat diseases with obvious inflammatory responses. © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. E-MSD: improving data deposition and structure quality.

    PubMed

    Tagari, M; Tate, J; Swaminathan, G J; Newman, R; Naim, A; Vranken, W; Kapopoulou, A; Hussain, A; Fillon, J; Henrick, K; Velankar, S

    2006-01-01

    The Macromolecular Structure Database (MSD) (http://www.ebi.ac.uk/msd/) [H. Boutselakis, D. Dimitropoulos, J. Fillon, A. Golovin, K. Henrick, A. Hussain, J. Ionides, M. John, P. A. Keller, E. Krissinel et al. (2003) E-MSD: the European Bioinformatics Institute Macromolecular Structure Database. Nucleic Acids Res., 31, 458-462.] group is one of the three partners in the worldwide Protein DataBank (wwPDB), the consortium entrusted with the collation, maintenance and distribution of the global repository of macromolecular structure data [H. Berman, K. Henrick and H. Nakamura (2003) Announcing the worldwide Protein Data Bank. Nature Struct. Biol., 10, 980.]. Since its inception, the MSD group has worked with partners around the world to improve the quality of PDB data, through a clean up programme that addresses inconsistencies and inaccuracies in the legacy archive. The improvements in data quality in the legacy archive have been achieved largely through the creation of a unified data archive, in the form of a relational database that stores all of the data in the wwPDB. The three partners are working towards improving the tools and methods for the deposition of new data by the community at large. The implementation of the MSD database, together with the parallel development of improved tools and methodologies for data harvesting, validation and archival, has lead to significant improvements in the quality of data that enters the archive. Through this and related projects in the NMR and EM realms the MSD continues to improve the quality of publicly available structural data.

  10. The Effects of Modified Simiao Decoction in the Treatment of Gouty Arthritis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

    PubMed Central

    Huang, Ying; Wen, Cai-Yu-Zhu; Zhang, Jun-Jun; Xing, Guo-Lan; Chen, Zhe

    2017-01-01

    The modified Simiao decoctions (MSD) have been wildly applied in the treatment of gouty arthritis in China. However, the evidence needs to be evaluated by a systematic review and meta-analysis. After filtering, twenty-four randomised, controlled trials (RCTs) comparing the effects of MSD and anti-inflammation medications and/or urate-lowering therapies in patients with gouty arthritis were included. In comparison with anti-inflammation medications, urate-lowering therapies, or coadministration of anti-inflammation medications and urate-lowering therapies, MSD monotherapy significantly lowered serum uric acid (p < 0.00001, mean difference = −90.62, and 95% CI [−128.38, −52.86]; p < 0.00001, mean difference = −91.43, and 95% CI [−122.38, −60.49]; p = 0.02, mean difference = −40.30, and 95% CI [−74.24, −6.36], resp.). Compared with anti-inflammation medications and/or urate-lowering therapies, MSD monotherapy significantly decreased ESR (p < 0.00001; mean difference = −8.11; 95% CI [−12.53, −3.69]) and CRP (p = 0.03; mean difference = −3.21; 95% CI [−6.07, −0.36]). Additionally, the adverse effects (AEs) of MSD were fewer (p < 0.00001; OR = 0.08; 95% CI [0.05, 0.16]). MSD are effective in the treatment of gouty arthritis through anti-inflammation and lowering urate. However, the efficacy of MSD should be estimated with more RCTs. PMID:28373889

  11. Prevalence, diagnostics and management of musculoskeletal disorders in primary health care in Sweden – an investigation of 2000 randomly selected patient records

    PubMed Central

    Fahlström, Martin; Djupsjöbacka, Mats

    2016-01-01

    Abstract Rationale, aims and objectives The aims of this study is to investigate the prevalence of patients seeking care due to different musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) at primary health care centres (PHCs), to chart different factors such as symptoms, diagnosis and actions prescribed for patients that visited the PHCs due to MSD and to make comparisons regarding differences due to gender, age and rural or urban PHC. Methods Patient records (2000) for patients in working age were randomly selected equally distributed on one rural and one urban PHC. A 3‐year period was reviewed retrospectively. For all patient records' background data, cause to the visit and diagnosis were registered. For visits due to MSD, type and location of symptoms and actions to resolve the patients problems were registered. Data was analysed using cross tabulation, multidimensional chi‐squared. Results The prevalence of MSD was high; almost 60% of all patients were seeking care due to MSD. Upper and lower limb problems were most common. Symptoms were most prevalent in the young and middle age groups. The patients got a variety of different diagnoses, and between 13 and 35% of the patients did not receive a MSD diagnose despite having MSD symptoms. There was a great variation in how the cases were handled. Conclusions The present study points out some weaknesses regarding diagnostics and management of MSD in primary care. PMID:27538347

  12. Prevalence, diagnostics and management of musculoskeletal disorders in primary health care in Sweden - an investigation of 2000 randomly selected patient records.

    PubMed

    Wiitavaara, Birgitta; Fahlström, Martin; Djupsjöbacka, Mats

    2017-04-01

    The aims of this study is to investigate the prevalence of patients seeking care due to different musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) at primary health care centres (PHCs), to chart different factors such as symptoms, diagnosis and actions prescribed for patients that visited the PHCs due to MSD and to make comparisons regarding differences due to gender, age and rural or urban PHC. Patient records (2000) for patients in working age were randomly selected equally distributed on one rural and one urban PHC. A 3-year period was reviewed retrospectively. For all patient records' background data, cause to the visit and diagnosis were registered. For visits due to MSD, type and location of symptoms and actions to resolve the patients problems were registered. Data was analysed using cross tabulation, multidimensional chi-squared. The prevalence of MSD was high; almost 60% of all patients were seeking care due to MSD. Upper and lower limb problems were most common. Symptoms were most prevalent in the young and middle age groups. The patients got a variety of different diagnoses, and between 13 and 35% of the patients did not receive a MSD diagnose despite having MSD symptoms. There was a great variation in how the cases were handled. The present study points out some weaknesses regarding diagnostics and management of MSD in primary care. © 2016 The Authors. Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  13. Strange kinetics of bulk-mediated diffusion on lipid bilayers

    PubMed Central

    Campagnola, Grace; Nepal, Kanti; Peersen, Olve B.

    2016-01-01

    Diffusion at solid-liquid interfaces is crucial in many technological and biophysical processes. Although its behavior seems deceivingly simple, recent studies showing passive superdiffusive transport suggest diffusion on surfaces may hide rich complexities. In particular, bulk-mediated diffusion occurs when molecules are transiently released from the surface to perform three-dimensional excursions into the liquid bulk. This phenomenon bears the dichotomy where a molecule always return to the surface but the mean jump length is infinite. Such behavior is associated with a breakdown of the central limit theorem and weak ergodicity breaking. Here, we use single-particle tracking to study the statistics of bulk-mediated diffusion on a supported lipid bilayer. We find that the time-averaged mean square displacement (MSD) of individual trajectories, the archetypal measure in diffusion processes, does not converge to the ensemble MSD but it remains a random variable, even in the long observation-time limit. The distribution of time averages is shown to agree with a Lévy flight model. Our results also unravel intriguing anomalies in the statistics of displacements. The time averaged MSD is shown to depend on experimental time and investigations of fractional moments show a scaling 〈|r(t)|q〉 ∼ tqv(q) with non-linear exponents, i.e. v(q) ≠ const. This type of behavior is termed strong anomalous diffusion and is rare among experimental observations. PMID:27095275

  14. Haploidentical Transplantation Without In Vitro T-Cell Depletion Results in Outcomes Equivalent to Those of Contemporaneous Matched Sibling and Unrelated Donor Transplantation for Acute Leukemia.

    PubMed

    Yu, Sijian; Fan, Qian; Sun, Jing; Fan, Zhiping; Zhang, Yu; Jiang, Qianli; Huang, Fen; Xuan, Li; Dai, Min; Zhou, Hongsheng; Liu, Hui; Liu, Qi-Fa

    2016-03-01

    The aim of the study is to determine whether HLA-haploidentical-related donor (HRD) transplant can achieve equivalent outcomes and have stronger GVL compared to HLA-matched sibling donor (MSD) and HLA-matched unrelated donor (MUD) transplants. A total of 355 consecutive patients with acute leukemia undergoing allogeneic transplant at our single institute between March 2008 and March 2014 were enrolled in this retrospective investigation. Of the 355 patients, 96 cases received HRD, 153 MSD, and 106 MUD transplants. HRD transplant was associated with higher incidences of grade II to IV aGVHD (40.6%) compared with MSD (23.5%, P = 0.002) and MUD transplants (34.0%, P = 0.049), whereas incidences of grade III to IV aGVHD (11.4%, 7.8%, 10.5%, respectively; P = 0.590) and cGVHD (29.5%, 24.0%, 29.5%, respectively; P = 0.538) did not differ among 3 groups. Five-year relapse rates were 19.2%, 26.8%, and 23.0% in 3 groups, respectively (P = 0.419). However, of 206 high-risk patients, the relapse rate in HRD transplant was lower than in MSD transplant (23.8% vs 41.9%, P = 0.026). Multivariate analysis showed that HRD had beneficial impact on relapse (for MSD: P = 0.006). Five-year transplant-related mortality was lower in MSD transplant compared with those in HRD (17.3% vs 26.4%, P = 0.041) and MUD transplants (17.3% vs 24.1%, P = 0.037). Five-year overall survival were 60.4%, 64.6%, and 61.0%, respectively, in HRD, MSD, and MUD groups (P = 0.371); 5-year disease-free survival were 59.6%, 58.8%, and 54.9%, respectively (P = 0.423). Our results suggest that HRD transplant results in outcomes equivalent to MSD and MUD transplants. HRD might carry a superior GVL effect compared to MSD for high-risk patients.

  15. Radiological analysis of minimal safe distance and optimal screw angle to avoid facet violation in open-door laminoplasty using precontoured plate.

    PubMed

    Min, Woo-Kie; Seo, Il; Na, Sang-Bong; Choi, Young-Seo; Choi, Ji-Yeon

    2017-01-01

    This study aimed to present radiologic analysis of minimal safe distance (MSD) and optimal screw angle (OSA) that enables to fix screws in a lateral mass safely without facet joint violation in open-door laminoplasty using a plate. A retrospective analysis was made of 22 patients (male: 17; female: 5), average age 62 years. Seventy-nine lateral mass screws were fixed among a total of 158 screws. MSD that doesn't allow 5-mm screws to violate a facet joint was measured for C3-C7 and a comparative analysis was performed. If the MSD is not secured, the OSA to be given to the cephalad direction is calculated to avoid violation of the facet joint. The screws violating inferior facet joints accounted for 34.1% of the screws fixed in inferior lateral mass. Joint surface to distal mini-screw distances were 3.18 ± 1.46 mm and 4.75 ± 1.71 mm in groups of facet joint violation and non-facet violation (FV), respectively ( p = 0.001). When 5-mm screws were inserted into a lateral mass, MSD was 4.39 ± 0.83 mm. The average MSD of C3, C4, and C5 was 4.05 ± 0.78 mm, 4.10 ± 0.70 mm, and 4.26 ± 0.74 mm, respectively. There was no significant differences among levels ( p > 0.05). The average MSD of C6 and C7 was 4.92 ± 0.81 mm and 4.80 ± 0.96 mm, respectively, showing significant differences from those of C3, C4, and C5 ( p < 0.05). If 6 mm of the MSD isn't secured, OSA showed in the cephalad direction of 11.5° for 5 mm and 22° for 4 mm approximately. We suggest that mini-screw on lateral mass can be fixed safely without FV, if they are fixed at MSD of 6 mm from a joint surface. Facet joint violation doesn't occur if an OSA is given in the cephalad direction in case of not enough MSD for mini-screws.

  16. Improvement in the neural stem cell proliferation in rats treated with modified "Shengyu" decoction may contribute to the neurorestoration.

    PubMed

    Chen, Miao-Miao; Zhao, Guang-Wei; He, Peng; Jiang, Zheng-Lin; Xi, Xin; Xu, Shi-Hui; Ma, Dong-Ming; Wang, Yong; Li, Yong-Cai; Wang, Guo-Hua

    2015-05-13

    "Shengyu" decoction, a traditional Chinese medicine, has been used to treat diseases with deficit in "qi" and "blood". The modified "Shengyu" decoction (MSD) used in the present study was designed to treat traumatic brain injury (TBI) on the basis of the "Shengyu" decoction, in which additional four herbs were added. Many ingredients in these herbs have been demonstrated to be effective for the treatment of brain injury. The present study was performed to evaluate the neurorestorative effect and the underlying mechanisms of MSD on the rat brain after a TBI. TBI was induced in the right cerebral cortex of adult rats using Feeney's weight-drop method. Intragastrical administration of MSD (1.0 ml/200 g) was begun 6h after TBI. The neurological functions and neuronal loss in the cortex and hippocampus were determined. The levels of nerve growth-related factors GDNF, NGF, NCAM, TN-C, and Nogo-A and the number of GFAP(+)/GDNF(+), BrdU(+)/nestin(+), BrdU(+)/NeuN(+) immunoreactive cells in the brain ipsilateral to TBI were also measured. Moreover, the influences of MSD on these variables were observed at the same time. We found that treatment with MSD in TBI rats ameliorated the neurological functions and alleviated neuronal loss. MSD treatment elevated the expression of GDNF, NGF, NCAM, and TN-C, and inhibited the expression of Nogo-A. Moreover, MSD treatment increased the number of GFAP(+)/GDNF(+), BrdU(+)/nestin(+), and BrdU(+)/NeuN(+) immunoreactive cells in the cortex and hippocampus. The present results suggest that MSD treatment in TBI rats could improve the proliferation of neural stem/progenitor cells and differentiation into neurons, which may facilitate neural regeneration and tissue repair and thus contribute to the recovery of neurological functions. These effects of modified "Shengyu" decoction may provide a foundation for the use of MSD as a prescription of medicinal herbs in the traditional medicine to treat brain injuries in order to improve the neurorestoration. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Conserved linear dynamics of single-molecule Brownian motion.

    PubMed

    Serag, Maged F; Habuchi, Satoshi

    2017-06-06

    Macromolecular diffusion in homogeneous fluid at length scales greater than the size of the molecule is regarded as a random process. The mean-squared displacement (MSD) of molecules in this regime increases linearly with time. Here we show that non-random motion of DNA molecules in this regime that is undetectable by the MSD analysis can be quantified by characterizing the molecular motion relative to a latticed frame of reference. Our lattice occupancy analysis reveals unexpected sub-modes of motion of DNA that deviate from expected random motion in the linear, diffusive regime. We demonstrate that a subtle interplay between these sub-modes causes the overall diffusive motion of DNA to appear to conform to the linear regime. Our results show that apparently random motion of macromolecules could be governed by non-random dynamics that are detectable only by their relative motion. Our analytical approach should advance broad understanding of diffusion processes of fundamental relevance.

  18. Conserved linear dynamics of single-molecule Brownian motion

    PubMed Central

    Serag, Maged F.; Habuchi, Satoshi

    2017-01-01

    Macromolecular diffusion in homogeneous fluid at length scales greater than the size of the molecule is regarded as a random process. The mean-squared displacement (MSD) of molecules in this regime increases linearly with time. Here we show that non-random motion of DNA molecules in this regime that is undetectable by the MSD analysis can be quantified by characterizing the molecular motion relative to a latticed frame of reference. Our lattice occupancy analysis reveals unexpected sub-modes of motion of DNA that deviate from expected random motion in the linear, diffusive regime. We demonstrate that a subtle interplay between these sub-modes causes the overall diffusive motion of DNA to appear to conform to the linear regime. Our results show that apparently random motion of macromolecules could be governed by non-random dynamics that are detectable only by their relative motion. Our analytical approach should advance broad understanding of diffusion processes of fundamental relevance. PMID:28585925

  19. Conserved linear dynamics of single-molecule Brownian motion

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Serag, Maged F.; Habuchi, Satoshi

    2017-06-01

    Macromolecular diffusion in homogeneous fluid at length scales greater than the size of the molecule is regarded as a random process. The mean-squared displacement (MSD) of molecules in this regime increases linearly with time. Here we show that non-random motion of DNA molecules in this regime that is undetectable by the MSD analysis can be quantified by characterizing the molecular motion relative to a latticed frame of reference. Our lattice occupancy analysis reveals unexpected sub-modes of motion of DNA that deviate from expected random motion in the linear, diffusive regime. We demonstrate that a subtle interplay between these sub-modes causes the overall diffusive motion of DNA to appear to conform to the linear regime. Our results show that apparently random motion of macromolecules could be governed by non-random dynamics that are detectable only by their relative motion. Our analytical approach should advance broad understanding of diffusion processes of fundamental relevance.

  20. Predicting oscillatory dynamics in the movement of territorial animals.

    PubMed

    Giuggioli, L; Potts, J R; Harris, S

    2012-07-07

    Understanding ecological processes relies upon the knowledge of the dynamics of each individual component. In the context of animal population ecology, the way animals move and interact is of fundamental importance in explaining a variety of observed patterns. Here, we present a theoretical investigation on the movement dynamics of interacting scent-marking animals. We study how the movement statistics of territorial animals is responsible for the appearance of damped oscillations in the mean square displacement (MSD) of the animals. This non-monotonicity is shown to depend on one dimensionless parameter, given by the ratio of the correlation distance between successive steps to the size of the territory. As that parameter increases, the time dependence of the animal's MSD displays a transition from monotonic, characteristic of Brownian walks, to non-monotonic, characteristic of highly correlated walks. The results presented here represent a novel way of determining the degree of persistence in animal movement processes within confined regions.

  1. Predicting oscillatory dynamics in the movement of territorial animals

    PubMed Central

    Giuggioli, L.; Potts, J. R.; Harris, S.

    2012-01-01

    Understanding ecological processes relies upon the knowledge of the dynamics of each individual component. In the context of animal population ecology, the way animals move and interact is of fundamental importance in explaining a variety of observed patterns. Here, we present a theoretical investigation on the movement dynamics of interacting scent-marking animals. We study how the movement statistics of territorial animals is responsible for the appearance of damped oscillations in the mean square displacement (MSD) of the animals. This non-monotonicity is shown to depend on one dimensionless parameter, given by the ratio of the correlation distance between successive steps to the size of the territory. As that parameter increases, the time dependence of the animal's MSD displays a transition from monotonic, characteristic of Brownian walks, to non-monotonic, characteristic of highly correlated walks. The results presented here represent a novel way of determining the degree of persistence in animal movement processes within confined regions. PMID:22262814

  2. The role of transients in the Mid Summer Drought over the Tropical Americas

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Herrera, E.; Magaña Rueda, V.; Caetano, E.

    2013-05-01

    The Mid Summer Drought (MSD) has raised the interested of those interested in regional climate dynamics since it appears to be a unique characteristic of the tropical Americas climate. The MSD corresponds to a relative minimum in summer precipitation between July and August in the Mesoamerican region. Several theories have been posed to explain its origin including the annual cycle march of the ITCZ, a teleconnection from the Asian monsoon region, or an air sea interaction process that relates the warm pools over the eastern Pacific and the Caribbean Sea. However, none of them has addressed the various characteristics of the MSD described by Magaña et al (1999) and Magaña and Caetano (2005). In the present paper, the role of the transient mean flow interaction over the Caribbean Sea is explored. The Caribbean Low Level Jet (CLLJ) and the transients interact in such a way that the CLLJ reaches maximum intensity when the MSD occurs. This is a period of minimum Perturbation Kinetic Energy in the region, suggesting that a CLLJ stronger than approximately 15 m/s tends to inhibit the amplification of eddies. Transients are crucial dynamic elements to produce precipitation over the Mexico and Central American region. Over the eastern Pacific warm pool, tropical convection and sea surface temperature are related by a sort of Clausius Clapeyron exponential equation. However, there are two branches for the relationship, one for the first maximum in tropical convection during June, and a second one during September, with a relative minimum corresponding to the MSD in July - August. The most interesting aspect of such patterns is that while the June exponential curves occurs at SST larger than 28°C, the curve corresponding to September takes place at lower SSTs, suggesting that transient activity in this period is necessary to enhance tropical convective activity during the latter part of the summer rains in the region. This is exactly the period when PKE increases over the Intra Americas Seas and the eastern tropical Pacific. A more comprehensive qualitative model is proposed to connect the various dynamical elements in the region that result in the MSD. This new model presents a more complicated picture of the regional climate dynamics than various theories have proposed.

  3. Anomalous diffusion of a probe in a bath of active granular chains

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jerez, Michael Jade Y.; Confesor, Mark Nolan P.; Carpio-Bernido, M. Victoria; Bernido, Christopher C.

    2017-08-01

    We investigate the dynamics of a passive probe particle in a bath of active granular chains (AGC). The bath and the probe are enclosed in an experimental compartment with a sinusoidal boundary to prevent AGC congestion along the boundary while connected to an electrodynamic shaker. Single AGC trajectory analysis reveals a persistent type of motion compared to a purely Brownian motion as seen in its mean squared displacement (MSD). It was found that at small concentration, Φ ≤ 0.44, the MSD exhibits two dynamical regimes characterized by two different scaling exponents. For small time scales, the dynamics is superdiffusive (1.32-1.63) with the MSD scaling exponent increasing monotonically with increasing AGC concentration. On the other hand, at long time, we recover the Brownian dynamics regime, MSD = DΔt, where the mobility D ∝ Φ. We quantify the probe dynamics at short time scale by modeling it as a fractional Brownian motion. The analytical form of the MSD agrees with experimental results.

  4. Evaluation of Seismic Performance and Effectiveness of Multiple Slim-Type Damper System for Seismic Response Control of Building Structures

    PubMed Central

    Kim, David; Sung, Eun Hee; Park, Kwan-Soon; Park, Jaegyun

    2014-01-01

    This paper presents the evaluation of seismic performance and cost-effectiveness of a multiple slim-type damper system developed for the vibration control of earthquake excited buildings. The multiple slim-type damper (MSD) that consists of several small slim-type dampers and linkage units can control damping capacity easily by changing the number of small dampers. To evaluate the performance of the MSD, dynamic loading tests are performed with three slim-type dampers manufactured at a real scale. Numerical simulations are also carried out by nonlinear time history analysis with a ten-story earthquake excited building structure. The seismic performance and cost-effectiveness of the MSD system are investigated according to the various installation configurations of the MSD system. From the results of numerical simulation and cost-effectiveness evaluation, it is shown that combinations of the MSD systems can effectively improve the seismic performance of earthquake excited building structures. PMID:25301387

  5. Multitask saliency detection model for synthetic aperture radar (SAR) image and its application in SAR and optical image fusion

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, Chunhui; Zhang, Duona; Zhao, Xintao

    2018-03-01

    Saliency detection in synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images is a difficult problem. This paper proposed a multitask saliency detection (MSD) model for the saliency detection task of SAR images. We extract four features of the SAR image, which include the intensity, orientation, uniqueness, and global contrast, as the input of the MSD model. The saliency map is generated by the multitask sparsity pursuit, which integrates the multiple features collaboratively. Detection of different scale features is also taken into consideration. Subjective and objective evaluation of the MSD model verifies its effectiveness. Based on the saliency maps obtained by the MSD model, we apply the saliency map of the SAR image to the SAR and color optical image fusion. The experimental results of real data show that the saliency map obtained by the MSD model helps to improve the fusion effect, and the salient areas in the SAR image can be highlighted in the fusion results.

  6. AGOR 28: SIO Shipyard Representative Bi-Weekly Progress Report

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2015-10-23

    constant tension operation. These items will be rechecked next week. 3 • Red Fox MSD – Tested and Commissioned by vendor...No operational issues, however both overboarding pumps had cracked housings. Vendor suspects factory defect and is replace with new. MSD ...593-001-3 MSD System Operational Test 10/6 422-001-3 Navigation Signal & Search Light Demonstration 10/9. 573-001-2 125% & 100 % Portable Crane 10/12

  7. VX-809 corrects folding defects in cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator protein through action on membrane-spanning domain 1

    PubMed Central

    Ren, Hong Yu; Grove, Diane E.; De La Rosa, Oxana; Houck, Scott A.; Sopha, Pattarawut; Van Goor, Fredrick; Hoffman, Beth J.; Cyr, Douglas M.

    2013-01-01

    Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a fatal genetic disorder associated with defective hydration of lung airways due to the loss of chloride transport through the CF transmembrane conductance regulator protein (CFTR). CFTR contains two membrane-spanning domains (MSDs), two nucleotide-binding domains (NBDs), and a regulatory domain, and its channel assembly requires multiple interdomain contacts. The most common CF-causing mutation, F508del, occurs in NBD1 and results in misfolding and premature degradation of F508del-CFTR. VX-809 is an investigational CFTR corrector that partially restores CFTR function in people who are homozygous for F508del-CFTR. To identify the folding defect(s) in F508del-CFTR that must be repaired to treat CF, we explored the mechanism of VX-809 action. VX-809 stabilized an N-terminal domain in CFTR that contains only MSD1 and efficaciously restored function to CFTR forms that have missense mutations in MSD1. The action of VX-809 on MSD1 appears to suppress folding defects in F508del-CFTR by enhancing interactions among the NBD1, MSD1, and MSD2 domains. The ability of VX-809 to correct F508del-CFTR is enhanced when combined with mutations that improve F508del-NBD1 interaction with MSD2. These data suggest that the use of VX-809 in combination with an additional CFTR corrector that suppresses folding defects downstream of MSD1 may further enhance CFTR function in people with F508del-CFTR. PMID:23924900

  8. VX-809 corrects folding defects in cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator protein through action on membrane-spanning domain 1.

    PubMed

    Ren, Hong Yu; Grove, Diane E; De La Rosa, Oxana; Houck, Scott A; Sopha, Pattarawut; Van Goor, Fredrick; Hoffman, Beth J; Cyr, Douglas M

    2013-10-01

    Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a fatal genetic disorder associated with defective hydration of lung airways due to the loss of chloride transport through the CF transmembrane conductance regulator protein (CFTR). CFTR contains two membrane-spanning domains (MSDs), two nucleotide-binding domains (NBDs), and a regulatory domain, and its channel assembly requires multiple interdomain contacts. The most common CF-causing mutation, F508del, occurs in NBD1 and results in misfolding and premature degradation of F508del-CFTR. VX-809 is an investigational CFTR corrector that partially restores CFTR function in people who are homozygous for F508del-CFTR. To identify the folding defect(s) in F508del-CFTR that must be repaired to treat CF, we explored the mechanism of VX-809 action. VX-809 stabilized an N-terminal domain in CFTR that contains only MSD1 and efficaciously restored function to CFTR forms that have missense mutations in MSD1. The action of VX-809 on MSD1 appears to suppress folding defects in F508del-CFTR by enhancing interactions among the NBD1, MSD1, and MSD2 domains. The ability of VX-809 to correct F508del-CFTR is enhanced when combined with mutations that improve F508del-NBD1 interaction with MSD2. These data suggest that the use of VX-809 in combination with an additional CFTR corrector that suppresses folding defects downstream of MSD1 may further enhance CFTR function in people with F508del-CFTR.

  9. Neural, Hormonal, and Cognitive Correlates of Metabolic Dysfunction and Emotional Reactivity.

    PubMed

    Wolf, Tovah; Tsenkova, Vera; Ryff, Carol D; Davidson, Richard J; Willette, Auriel A

    2018-06-01

    Prediabetes and type 2 diabetes (i.e., hyperglycemia) are characterized by insulin resistance. These problems with energy metabolism may exacerbate emotional reactivity to negatively valenced stimuli and related phenomena such as predisposition toward negative affect, as well as cognitive deficits. Higher emotional reactivity is seen with hyperglycemia and insulin resistance. However, it is largely unknown how metabolic dysfunction correlates with related neural, hormonal, and cognitive outcomes. Among 331 adults from the Midlife in the United States study, eye-blink response (EBR) we cross sectionally examined to gauge reactivity to negative, positive, or neutrally valenced pictures from international affect picture system stimuli proximal to an acoustic startle probe. Increased EBR to negative stimuli was considered an index of stress reactivity. Frontal alpha asymmetry, a biomarker of negative affect predisposition, was determined using resting electroencephalography. Baseline urinary cortisol output was collected. Cognitive performance was gauged using the Brief Test of Adult Cognition by telephone. Fasting glucose and insulin characterized hyperglycemia or the homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance. Higher homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance corresponded to an increased startle response, measured by EBR magnitude, for negative versus positive stimuli (R = 0.218, F(1,457) = 5.48, p = .020, euglycemia: M(SD) = .092(.776), hyperglycemia: M(SD) = .120(.881)). Participants with hyperglycemia versus euglycemia showed greater right frontal alpha asymmetry (F(1,307) = 6.62, p = .011, euglycemia: M(SD) = .018(.167), hyperglycemia: M(SD) = -.029(.160)), and worse Brief Test of Adult Cognition by telephone arithmetic performance (F(1,284) = 4.25, p = .040, euglycemia: M(SD) = 2.390(1.526), hyperglycemia: M(SD) = 1.920(1.462)). Baseline urinary cortisol (log10 μg/12 hours) was also dysregulated in individuals with hyperglycemia (F(1,324) = 5.09, p = .025, euglycemia: M(SD) = 1.052 ± .332, hyperglycemia: M(SD) = .961 (.362)). These results suggest that dysmetabolism is associated with increased emotional reactivity, predisposition toward negative affect, and specific cognitive deficits.

  10. Prevalence and Risk Factors Associated with Musculoskeletal Discomfort in Spay and Neuter Veterinarians

    PubMed Central

    White, Sara C.

    2013-01-01

    Simple Summary This study examined musculoskeletal pain and discomfort in spay and neuter veterinarians using an internet-based questionnaire. Hand pain was most common in the right thumb and wrist, and body pain was most common in the lower back, shoulders, and neck. Several work-related risk factors for discomfort were discovered, including long career in spay and neuter, increasing weekly hours in surgery, and decreasing job satisfaction. Although most respondents felt posture during surgery was important, few spay and neuter veterinarians have received any instruction in posture or ergonomics in surgery. Abstract A cross-sectional study to investigate musculoskeletal discomfort (MSD) surveyed 219 veterinarians who currently or previously perform spays and neuters at least 4 hours per week. Participants were asked about the presence and severity of hand and body MSD during the previous month, whether MSD interfered with work or daily activities, whether they attributed their MSD to their spay/neuter work, and whether MSD had ever necessitated absence from work. The period prevalence of MSD was 99.1%, with 76.7% experiencing hand or wrist pain and 98.2% experiencing body pain. Hand discomfort was most commonly reported in the right thumb and/or thumb base (49.8%) and the right wrist (37.9%). Body discomfort was most commonly reported in the lower back (76.7%), shoulders (72.6%), and neck (71.7%). Increasing career length, increasing weekly hours in surgery and decreasing job satisfaction were the work-related factors with the greatest relative contribution accounting for variation in hand pain severity and total pain. Although 94.4% of respondents felt that posture during surgery is important, only 30.6% had received any instruction in posture and positioning for surgery. Future interventions should aim to optimize surgical efficiency, surgeon work schedules, and working environment. Analysis and intervention studies are required to determine further causes of MSD in these veterinarians and develop interventions to prevent MSD. PMID:26487311

  11. Reduced-Intensity Transplantation for Lymphomas Using Haploidentical Related Donors Versus HLA-Matched Sibling Donors: A Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research Analysis.

    PubMed

    Ghosh, Nilanjan; Karmali, Reem; Rocha, Vanderson; Ahn, Kwang Woo; DiGilio, Alyssa; Hari, Parameswaran N; Bachanova, Veronika; Bacher, Ulrike; Dahi, Parastoo; de Lima, Marcos; D'Souza, Anita; Fenske, Timothy S; Ganguly, Siddhartha; Kharfan-Dabaja, Mohamed A; Prestidge, Tim D; Savani, Bipin N; Smith, Sonali M; Sureda, Anna M; Waller, Edmund K; Jaglowski, Samantha; Herrera, Alex F; Armand, Philippe; Salit, Rachel B; Wagner-Johnston, Nina D; Fuchs, Ephraim; Bolaños-Meade, Javier; Hamadani, Mehdi

    2016-09-10

    Related donor haploidentical hematopoietic cell transplantation (Haplo-HCT) using post-transplantation cyclophosphamide (PT-Cy) is increasingly used in patients lacking HLA-matched sibling donors (MSD). We compared outcomes after Haplo-HCT using PT-Cy with MSD-HCT in patients with lymphoma, using the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research registry. We evaluated 987 adult patients undergoing either Haplo-HCT (n = 180) or MSD-HCT (n = 807) following reduced-intensity conditioning regimens. The haploidentical group received graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) prophylaxis with PT-Cy with or without a calcineurin inhibitor and mycophenolate. The MSD group received calcineurin inhibitor-based GVHD prophylaxis. Median follow-up of survivors was 3 years. The 28-day neutrophil recovery was similar in the two groups (95% v 97%; P = .31). The 28-day platelet recovery was delayed in the haploidentical group compared with the MSD group (63% v 91%; P = .001). Cumulative incidence of grade II to IV acute GVHD at day 100 was similar between the two groups (27% v 25%; P = .84). Cumulative incidence of chronic GVHD at 1 year was significantly lower after Haplo-HCT (12% v 45%; P < .001), and this benefit was confirmed on multivariate analysis (relative risk, 0.21; 95% CI, 0.14 to 0.31; P < .001). For Haplo-HCT v MSD-HCT, 3-year rates of nonrelapse mortality (15% v 13%; P = .41), relapse/progression (37% v 40%; P = .51), progression-free survival (48% v 48%; P = .96), and overall survival (61% v 62%; P = .82) were similar. Multivariate analysis showed no significant difference between Haplo-HCT and MSD-HCT in terms of nonrelapse mortality (P = .06), progression/relapse (P = .10), progression-free survival (P = .83), and overall survival (P = .34). Haplo-HCT with PT-Cy provides survival outcomes comparable to MSD-HCT, with a significantly lower risk of chronic GVHD. © 2016 by American Society of Clinical Oncology.

  12. Mortality with musculoskeletal disorders as underlying cause in Sweden 1997-2013: a time trend aggregate level study.

    PubMed

    Kiadaliri, Aliasghar A; Englund, Martin

    2016-04-14

    The aim was to assess time trend of mortality with musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) as underlying cause of death in Sweden from 1997 to 2013. We obtained data on MSD as underlying cause of death across age and sex groups from the National Board of Health and Welfare's Cause of Death Register. Age-standardized mortality rates per million population for all MSD, its six major subgroups, and all other ICD-10 (International Classification of Disease) chapters were calculated. We computed the average annual percent change (AAPC) in the mortality rates across age/sex groups using joinpoint regression analysis by fitting a regression line to the natural logarithm of the age-standardized mortality rates and calendar year as a predictor. There were a total of 7 976 deaths (0.5% of all causes deaths) with MSD as the underlying cause of death (32.5% of these deaths caused by rheumatoid arthritis [RA]). The overall age-standardized mortality rates (95% CI) were 16.0 (15.4 to 16.7) and 24.9 (24.1 to 25.7) per million among men and women, respectively (women/men rate ratio 1.55; 95%CI 1.47 to 1.63). On average, mortality rate declined by 2.3% per year and only circulatory system mortality had a more favourable decline than mortality with MSD as underlying cause. Among MSD the highest decline was observed in RA (3.7% per year) during study period. Across age groups, while there were generally stable or declining trends, spondylopathies and osteoporosis mortality among people ≥ 75 years increased by 2 and 1.5% per year, respectively. In overall, mortality with MSD as underlying cause has declined in Sweden over last two decades, with the highest decline for RA. However, there are variations across MSD subgroups which warrants further investigations.

  13. Reduced-Intensity Transplantation for Lymphomas Using Haploidentical Related Donors Versus HLA-Matched Sibling Donors: A Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research Analysis

    PubMed Central

    Ghosh, Nilanjan; Karmali, Reem; Rocha, Vanderson; Ahn, Kwang Woo; DiGilio, Alyssa; Hari, Parameswaran N.; Bachanova, Veronika; Bacher, Ulrike; Dahi, Parastoo; de Lima, Marcos; D’Souza, Anita; Fenske, Timothy S.; Ganguly, Siddhartha; Kharfan-Dabaja, Mohamed A.; Prestidge, Tim D.; Savani, Bipin N.; Smith, Sonali M.; Sureda, Anna M.; Waller, Edmund K.; Jaglowski, Samantha; Herrera, Alex F.; Armand, Philippe; Salit, Rachel B.; Wagner-Johnston, Nina D.; Fuchs, Ephraim; Bolaños-Meade, Javier

    2016-01-01

    Purpose Related donor haploidentical hematopoietic cell transplantation (Haplo-HCT) using post-transplantation cyclophosphamide (PT-Cy) is increasingly used in patients lacking HLA-matched sibling donors (MSD). We compared outcomes after Haplo-HCT using PT-Cy with MSD-HCT in patients with lymphoma, using the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research registry. Materials and Methods We evaluated 987 adult patients undergoing either Haplo-HCT (n = 180) or MSD-HCT (n = 807) following reduced-intensity conditioning regimens. The haploidentical group received graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) prophylaxis with PT-Cy with or without a calcineurin inhibitor and mycophenolate. The MSD group received calcineurin inhibitor–based GVHD prophylaxis. Results Median follow-up of survivors was 3 years. The 28-day neutrophil recovery was similar in the two groups (95% v 97%; P = .31). The 28-day platelet recovery was delayed in the haploidentical group compared with the MSD group (63% v 91%; P = .001). Cumulative incidence of grade II to IV acute GVHD at day 100 was similar between the two groups (27% v 25%; P = .84). Cumulative incidence of chronic GVHD at 1 year was significantly lower after Haplo-HCT (12% v 45%; P < .001), and this benefit was confirmed on multivariate analysis (relative risk, 0.21; 95% CI, 0.14 to 0.31; P < .001). For Haplo-HCT v MSD-HCT, 3-year rates of nonrelapse mortality (15% v 13%; P = .41), relapse/progression (37% v 40%; P = .51), progression-free survival (48% v 48%; P = .96), and overall survival (61% v 62%; P = .82) were similar. Multivariate analysis showed no significant difference between Haplo-HCT and MSD-HCT in terms of nonrelapse mortality (P = .06), progression/relapse (P = .10), progression-free survival (P = .83), and overall survival (P = .34). Conclusion Haplo-HCT with PT-Cy provides survival outcomes comparable to MSD-HCT, with a significantly lower risk of chronic GVHD. PMID:27269951

  14. Seeking Insights About Cycling Mood Disorders via Anonymized Search Logs

    PubMed Central

    White, Ryen W; Horvitz, Eric

    2014-01-01

    Background Mood disorders affect a significant portion of the general population. Cycling mood disorders are characterized by intermittent episodes (or events) of the disease. Objective Using anonymized Web search logs, we identify a population of people with significant interest in mood stabilizing drugs (MSD) and seek evidence of mood swings in this population. Methods We extracted queries to the Microsoft Bing search engine made by 20,046 Web searchers over six months, separately explored searcher demographics using data from a large external panel of users, and sought supporting information from people with mood disorders via a survey. We analyzed changes in information needs over time relative to searches on MSD. Results Queries for MSD focused on side effects and their relation to the disease. We found evidence of significant changes in search behavior and interests coinciding with days that MSD queries are made. These include large increases (>100%) in the access of nutrition information, commercial information, and adult materials. A survey of patients diagnosed with mood disorders provided evidence that repeated queries on MSD may come with exacerbations of mood disorder. A classifier predicting the occurrence of such queries one day before they are observed obtains strong performance (AUC=0.78). Conclusions Observed patterns in search behavior align with known behaviors and those highlighted by survey respondents. These observations suggest that searchers showing intensive interest in MSD may be patients who have been prescribed these drugs. Given behavioral dynamics, we surmise that the days on which MSD queries are made may coincide with commencement of mania or depression. Although we do not have data on mood changes and whether users have been diagnosed with bipolar illness, we see evidence of cycling in people who show interest in MSD and further show that we can predict impending shifts in behavior and interest. PMID:24568936

  15. In-line monitoring of a pharmaceutical blending process using FT-Raman spectroscopy.

    PubMed

    Vergote, G J; De Beer, T R M; Vervaet, C; Remon, J P; Baeyens, W R G; Diericx, N; Verpoort, F

    2004-03-01

    FT-Raman spectroscopy (in combination with a fibre optic probe) was evaluated as an in-line tool to monitor a blending process of diltiazem hydrochloride pellets and paraffinic wax beads. The mean square of differences (MSD) between two consecutive spectra was used to identify the time required to obtain a homogeneous mixture. A traditional end-sampling thief probe was used to collect samples, followed by HPLC analysis to verify the Raman data. Large variations were seen in the FT-Raman spectra logged during the initial minutes of the blending process using a binary mixture (ratio: 50/50, w/w) of diltiazem pellets and paraffinic wax beads (particle size: 800-1200 microm). The MSD-profiles showed that a homogeneous mixture was obtained after about 15 min blending. HPLC analysis confirmed these observations. The Raman data showed that the mixing kinetics depended on the particle size of the material and on the mixing speed. The results of this study proved that FT-Raman spectroscopy can be successfully implemented as an in-line monitoring tool for blending processes.

  16. Upward appraisal as a means for improving supervisory performance and promoting process improvement, with long-term implications for organizational change

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Siegfeldt, Denise V.

    1994-01-01

    This study represents the implementation phase of an organizational development project which was initiated last year in the Management Support Division (MSD) at Langley Research Center to diagnose organizational functioning. As a result of MSD survey data from last year's effort, a Quality Action Team was created to address the responses compiled from the MSD Organizational Assessment Questionnaire and Follow-Up Questionnaire. The team was officially named the MSD Employee Relations Improvement Team (MERIT). MERIT's goal was to analyze major concerns generated by the questionnaires and to present feasible solutions to management which would improve supervisory performance, promote process improvement; and ultimately, lead to a better organization. The team met weekly and was very disciplined in following guidelines needed to ensure a fully functioning team. Several TQM tools were used during the team process, including brainstorming and the cause and effect diagram. One of the products produced by MERIT was a 'report card', more formally known as an upward appraisal system, to evaluate supervisory performance in the division office, its three branches, and in teams. Major areas of emphasis on the 47 item report card were those identified by employees through the previously administered questionnaires as needing to be improved; specifically, training, recognition, teamwork, supervision and leadership, and communication. MERIT created an enlarged and modified version of the report card which enabled scores for each individual supervisor to be recorded on a separate form, along with summary results and employee comments. Report card results have been compiled and fed back to the Division Chief and Assistant Division Chief. These individuals will in turn, feed the results back to the remaining supervisors and the team leaders. Although results differ among supervisors, some similarities exist. Communication generally appears to be adequate, which represents an improvement over last year. In contrast, recognition and teamwork are the two major areas where improvement in supervisory performance seems to be most needed. The initial report card results will serve as a baseline against which future performance ratings will be compared. Once supervisors have been presented with their data and given an opportunity to analyze and discus the results, they will be assisted in developing an action plan for improving their performance and work processes. They will be provided with ongoing support from management in following through with the action plan.

  17. Perceptions, attitudes and experiences of family caregivers of patients with musculoskeletal diseases: a qualitative approach.

    PubMed

    Alfaro, Noelia; Lázaro, Pablo; Gabriele, Giovanna; Garcia-Vicuña, Rosario; Jover, Juan Ángel; Sevilla, Jordi

    2013-01-01

    To determine the perceptions, attitudes and experiences among family caregivers of patients with musculoskeletal diseases (MSD). Descriptive, exploratory, qualitative study. Two discussion groups were organized with family caregivers of MSD patients, representing the caregiver profile: gender (men/women) and age (31-45 years/46-65 years); and patient profiles: MSD type (rheumatoid arthritis/ankylosing spondylitis), work status (yes or no for the variables housewife, at least 3 episodes of sick leave, patients who abandoned their work, and patients with permanent work disability). A content analysis based on the Grounded Theory was done to detect and explore emerging categories. The emerging dimensions were: alterations in daily life activities, need for caregiver support, physical and psychological impact on the caregiver, characteristics of the patient, and several aspects of care. Relevant experiences mentioned were: the diagnosis of a MSD changes the patient and their family members' life affecting work, financial, social, psychological and physical spheres, making it necessary help for basic activities of daily living. Early age at onset or severe MSDs require dedication and effort on the part of caregivers which increases with time. This leads to a great emotional overload on the caregivers, which may be modulated by the support they receive when providing care. The primary consequences for caregivers are loss of purchasing power, work problems, social isolation and emotional stress. Programs for effective at-home support need to be developed with streamlined administrative processes to quickly classify the level of disability and provide official assistance. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier España, S.L. All rights reserved.

  18. Matched signal detection on graphs: Theory and application to brain imaging data classification.

    PubMed

    Hu, Chenhui; Sepulcre, Jorge; Johnson, Keith A; Fakhri, Georges E; Lu, Yue M; Li, Quanzheng

    2016-01-15

    Motivated by recent progress in signal processing on graphs, we have developed a matched signal detection (MSD) theory for signals with intrinsic structures described by weighted graphs. First, we regard graph Laplacian eigenvalues as frequencies of graph-signals and assume that the signal is in a subspace spanned by the first few graph Laplacian eigenvectors associated with lower eigenvalues. The conventional matched subspace detector can be applied to this case. Furthermore, we study signals that may not merely live in a subspace. Concretely, we consider signals with bounded variation on graphs and more general signals that are randomly drawn from a prior distribution. For bounded variation signals, the test is a weighted energy detector. For the random signals, the test statistic is the difference of signal variations on associated graphs, if a degenerate Gaussian distribution specified by the graph Laplacian is adopted. We evaluate the effectiveness of the MSD on graphs both with simulated and real data sets. Specifically, we apply MSD to the brain imaging data classification problem of Alzheimer's disease (AD) based on two independent data sets: 1) positron emission tomography data with Pittsburgh compound-B tracer of 30 AD and 40 normal control (NC) subjects, and 2) resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (R-fMRI) data of 30 early mild cognitive impairment and 20 NC subjects. Our results demonstrate that the MSD approach is able to outperform the traditional methods and help detect AD at an early stage, probably due to the success of exploiting the manifold structure of the data. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  19. Design and implementation of the one-step MSD adder of optical computer.

    PubMed

    Song, Kai; Yan, Liping

    2012-03-01

    On the basis of the symmetric encoding algorithm for the modified signed-digit (MSD), a 7*7 truth table that can be realized with optical methods was developed. And based on the truth table, the optical path structures and circuit implementations of the one-step MSD adder of ternary optical computer (TOC) were designed. Experiments show that the scheme is correct, feasible, and efficient. © 2012 Optical Society of America

  20. Magnetic field line random walk in two-dimensional dynamical turbulence

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, J. F.; Qin, G.; Ma, Q. M.; Song, T.; Yuan, S. B.

    2017-08-01

    The field line random walk (FLRW) of magnetic turbulence is one of the important topics in plasma physics and astrophysics. In this article, by using the field line tracing method, the mean square displacement (MSD) of FLRW is calculated on all possible length scales for pure two-dimensional turbulence with the damping dynamical model. We demonstrate that in order to describe FLRW with the damping dynamical model, a new dimensionless quantity R is needed to be introduced. On different length scales, dimensionless MSD shows different relationships with the dimensionless quantity R. Although the temporal effect affects the MSD of FLRW and even changes regimes of FLRW, it does not affect the relationship between the dimensionless MSD and dimensionless quantity R on all possible length scales.

  1. Common mental and musculoskeletal disorders as predictors of disability retirement among Finns.

    PubMed

    Kaila-Kangas, Leena; Haukka, Eija; Miranda, Helena; Kivekäs, Teija; Ahola, Kirsi; Luukkonen, Ritva; Shiri, Rahman; Kääriä, Sanna; Heliövaara, Markku; Leino-Arjas, Päivi

    2014-08-01

    The contribution of common mental disorders (CMD) co-occurring with chronic musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) to disability retirement is not known. A nationally representative sample (the Health 2000 survey) comprised 3943 occupationally active Finns aged 30-63. MSD and other chronic disorders were assessed by a physician in a standardized clinical examination, and CMD using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview. Disability pension data for 2000-2011 was retrieved from national pension records. Cox regression was used with censoring for death and pension other than that for disability. Covariate information was based on an interview. The baseline prevalence of CMD was 9.4% and of MSD 31.1%. CMD co-occurred with MSD in 3.3% of participants. The risks inflicted by CMD and MSD were additive. Thirty-eight per cent of the co-morbid subjects, 18% of those with CMD and 19% of those with MSD retired prematurely during the average follow-up of 8.6 years. Compared with those with neither type of disorder, the hazard ratio (HR) for disability pension was 2.4 (95% CI 1.7-2.7) for CMD only, 2.2 (1.8-2.7) for MSD only, and 4.1 (2.9-5.7) for the occurrence of both, allowing for age, gender, other chronic disorders, working conditions, and socio-economic and lifestyle factors. No synergistic or antagonistic interactive effects were observed. The determinants were measured only once and we had no information on incident disorders during the follow-up. It is important to identify subjects with both mental and musculoskeletal complaints in order to efficiently support their work ability. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. Depression and anxiety in multisomatoform disorder: prevalence and clinical predictors in primary care.

    PubMed

    Muller, Jacqueline E; Wentzel, Ignatius; Nel, Daniel G; Stein, Dan J

    2008-06-01

    Multisomatoform disorder (MSD) is characterised by > or = 3 medically inexplicable, troublesome physical symptoms, together with a > or = 2-year history of somatisation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of depressive and anxiety disorders in a South African sample MSD, and to compare demographic and clinical outcomes in those patients with and without co-morbidity. Fifty-one adult outpatients with MSD were recruited from primary care clinics in the Cape Town metropolitan area. Participants were assessed for the presence of co-morbid depressive and anxiety disorders using the Mini Neuropsychiatric Interview-Plus (MINI-Plus). Outcomes included somatic symptom severity, disability, reported sick days and health care visits, pain experience, patient satisfaction with health services, and clinician-experienced difficulty. A current co-morbid depressive disorder was present in 29.4% (N = 15) of patients, and a current co-morbid anxiety disorder in 52.9% (N = 27). MSD patients with a co-morbid depressive disorder (current or lifetime) had significantly higher physical symptom counts, greater functional impairment, higher unemployment rates, more clinician-reported difficulties, and more dissatisfaction with health care services than those without the disorder. A larger number of co-morbid disorders was associated with greater overall disability. High rates of co-morbid depressive and anxiety disorders were present in a South African sample of primary care patients with MSD. Not all patients had co-morbidity, which is consistent with the view that MSD should be viewed as an independent disorder. However, co-morbid depressive disorders were associated with increased symptom severity and functional impairment, consistent with previous reports from developing countries, emphasising the importance of comorbidity in MSD.

  3. Stone heterogeneity index on single-energy noncontrast computed tomography can be a positive predictor of urinary stone composition

    PubMed Central

    Lee, Jong Soo; Cho, Kang Su; Lee, Seung Hwan; Yoon, Young Eun; Kang, Dong Hyuk; Jeong, Won Sik; Jung, Hae Do; Kwon, Jong Kyou

    2018-01-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between stone composition and single-energy noncontrast computed tomography (NCCT) parameters, including stone heterogeneity index (SHI) and mean stone density (MSD), in patients with urinary calculi. We retrospectively reviewed medical records of 255 patients who underwent operations or procedures for urinary stones or had spontaneous stone passage between December 2014 and October 2015. Among these, 214 patients with urinary calculi who underwent NCCT and stone composition analyses were included in the study. Maximal stone length (MSL), mean stone density (MSD), and stone heterogeneity index (SHI) were determined on pretreatment NCCT. The mean MSD (454.68±177.80 HU) and SHI (115.82±96.31 HU) of uric acid stones were lower than those of all other types. Based on post hoc tests, MSD was lower for uric acid stones than for the other types (vs. CaOx: P<0.001; vs. infection stones: P<0.001). SHI was lower for uric acid stones than for the other types (vs. CaOx: P<0.001; vs. infection stones: P<0.001) Receiver operating characteristic curves of uric acid stones for MSD and SHI demonstrated that SHI (cut-off value: 140.4 HU) was superior to MSD (cut-off value: 572.3 HU) in predicting uric acid stones (P<0.001). PMID:29649219

  4. Phenotypic dysregulation of microglial activation in young offspring rats with maternal sleep deprivation-induced cognitive impairment

    PubMed Central

    Zhao, Qiuying; Xie, Xiaofang; Fan, Yonghua; Zhang, Jinqiang; Jiang, Wei; Wu, Xiaohui; Yan, Shuo; Chen, Yubo; Peng, Cheng; You, Zili

    2015-01-01

    Despite the potential adverse effects of maternal sleep deprivation (MSD) on physiological and behavioral aspects of offspring, the mechanisms remain poorly understood. The present study was intended to investigate the roles of microglia on neurodevelopment and cognition in young offspring rats with prenatal sleep deprivation. Pregnant Wistar rats received 72 h sleep deprivation in the last trimester of gestation, and their prepuberty male offspring were given the intraperitoneal injection with or without minocycline. The results showed the number of Iba1+ microglia increased, that of hippocampal neurogenesis decreased, and the hippocampus-dependent spatial learning and memory were impaired in MSD offspring. The classical microglial activation markers (M1 phenotype) IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, CD68 and iNOS were increased, while the alternative microglial activation markers (M2 phenotype) Arg1, Ym1, IL-4, IL-10 and CD206 were reduced in hippocampus of MSD offspring. After minocycline administration, the MSD offspring showed improvement in MWM behaviors and increase in BrdU+/DCX+ cells. Minocycline reduced Iba1+ cells, suppressed the production of pro-inflammatory molecules, and reversed the reduction of M2 microglial markers in the MSD prepuberty offspring. These results indicate that dysregulation in microglial pro- and anti-inflammatory activation is involved in MSD-induced inhibition of neurogenesis and impairment of spatial learning and memory. PMID:25830666

  5. Musculoskeletal disorders in shipyard industry: prevalence, health care use, and absenteeism.

    PubMed

    Alexopoulos, Evangelos C; Tanagra, Dimitra; Konstantinou, Eleni; Burdorf, Alex

    2006-11-24

    It is unclear whether the well-known risk factors for the occurrence of musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) also play an important role in the determining consequences of MSD in terms of sickness absence and health care use. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 853 shipyard employees. Data were collected by questionnaire on physical and psychosocial workload, need for recovery, perceived general health, occurrence of musculoskeletal complaints, and health care use during the past year. Retrospective data on absenteeism were also available from the company register. In total, 37%, 22%, and 15% of employees reported complaints of low back, shoulder/neck, and hand/wrist during the past 12 months, respectively. Among all employees with at least one MSD, 27% visited a physician at least once and 20% took at least one period of sick leave. Various individual and work-related factors were associated with the occurrence of MSD. Health care use and absenteeism were strongest influenced by chronicity of musculoskeletal complaints and comorbidity with other musculoskeletal complaints and, to a lesser extent, by work-related factors. In programmes aimed at preventing the unfavourable consequences of MSD in terms of sickness absence and health care use it is important to identify the (individual) factors that determine the development of chronicity of complaints. These factors may differ from the well-know risk factors for the occurrence of MSD that are targeted in primary prevention.

  6. Evaporation Rates of Chemical Warfare Agents Using 5-CM Wind Tunnels I. CASARM Sulfur Mustard (HD) from Glass

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2008-10-01

    Blank CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION 9 2. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURES 9 2.1 Wind Tunnel 9 2.2 Agent 10 2.3 Gas Chromatography /Mass Spectrometry Detection 10...protective equipment. 2.3 Gas Chromatography /Mass Spectrometry Detection (GC/MSD) The GC/MSD analysis of the thermal desorption tubes was performed on a...coupled to thermal desorption tubes that were analyzed using gas chromatography /mass spectrometry detection (GC/MSD). Differences between the tunnels

  7. HLA-Matched Sibling versus Unrelated versus Haploidentical Related Donor Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation for Patients Aged Over 60 Years with Acute Myeloid Leukemia: A Single-Center Donor Comparison.

    PubMed

    Devillier, Raynier; Legrand, Faezeh; Rey, Jérôme; Castagna, Luca; Fürst, Sabine; Granata, Angela; Charbonnier, Aude; Harbi, Samia; d'Incan, Evelyne; Pagliardini, Thomas; Faucher, Catherine; Lemarie, Claude; Saillard, Colombe; Calmels, Boris; Mohty, Bilal; Maisano, Valerio; Weiller, Pierre-Jean; Chabannon, Christian; Vey, Norbert; Blaise, Didier

    2018-02-12

    Haploidentical related donor (HRD) allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) was developed as a valid option for the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in the absence of a matched donor. However, many investigators are reluctant to consider the use of this alternative in elderly patients, anticipating high morbidity. Here, we report a single-center comparison of HRD versus matched sibling donor (MSD) and unrelated donor (UD) allo-HSCT for patients with AML aged ≥60 years. Ninety-four patients (MSD: n = 31; UD: n = 30; HRD: n = 33) were analyzed. The median age was 65 (range, 60 to 73) years. We observed a higher cumulative incidence of grade 3 to 4 acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) after UD allo-HSCT (MSD versus UD versus HRD: 3% versus 33% versus 6%, respectively; P = .006). Two-year cumulative incidence of moderate or severe chronic GVHD was 17%, 27%, and 16% in the MSD, UD, and HRD groups, respectively (P = .487). No difference was observed in the 2-year cumulative incidence of relapse or nonrelapse mortality (NRM) (relapse: MSD versus UD versus HRD: 32% versus 25% versus 25%, respectively; P = .411; NRM: MSD versus UD versus HRD: 19% versus 27% versus 24%, respectively; P = .709). At 2 years, progression-free survival, overall survival, and GVHD- and relapse-free survival were 48%, 50%, and 39%, respectively, in the MSD group; 48%, 51%, and 23%, respectively, in the UD group; and 50%, 52%, and 32%, respectively, in the HRD group, without statistically significant differences between the groups. We conclude that HRD allo-HSCT is highly feasible and no less efficient than MSD or UD allo-HSCT in patients with AML aged ≥60 years. Thus, the absence of a HLA-identical donor should not limit the consideration of allo-HSCT for the treatment of AML. Copyright © 2018 The American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Measurement error of mean sac diameter and crown-rump length among pregnant women at Mulago hospital, Uganda.

    PubMed

    Ali, Sam; Byanyima, Rosemary Kusaba; Ononge, Sam; Ictho, Jerry; Nyamwiza, Jean; Loro, Emmanuel Lako Ernesto; Mukisa, John; Musewa, Angella; Nalutaaya, Annet; Ssenyonga, Ronald; Kawooya, Ismael; Temper, Benjamin; Katamba, Achilles; Kalyango, Joan; Karamagi, Charles

    2018-05-04

    Ultrasonography is essential in the prenatal diagnosis and care for the pregnant mothers. However, the measurements obtained often contain a small percentage of unavoidable error that may have serious clinical implications if substantial. We therefore evaluated the level of intra and inter-observer error in measuring mean sac diameter (MSD) and crown-rump length (CRL) in women between 6 and 10 weeks' gestation at Mulago hospital. This was a cross-sectional study conducted from January to March 2016. We enrolled 56 women with an intrauterine single viable embryo. The women were scanned using a transvaginal (TVS) technique by two observers who were blinded of each other's measurements. Each observer measured the CRL twice and the MSD once for each woman. Intra-class correlation coefficients (ICCs), 95% limits of agreement (LOA) and technical error of measurement (TEM) were used for analysis. Intra-observer ICCs for CRL measurements were 0.995 and 0.993 while inter-observer ICCs were 0.988 for CRL and 0.955 for MSD measurements. Intra-observer 95% LOA for CRL were ± 2.04 mm and ± 1.66 mm. Inter-observer LOA were ± 2.35 mm for CRL and ± 4.87 mm for MSD. The intra-observer relative TEM for CRL were 4.62% and 3.70% whereas inter-observer relative TEM were 5.88% and 5.93% for CRL and MSD respectively. Intra- and inter-observer error of CRL and MSD measurements among pregnant women at Mulago hospital were acceptable. This implies that at Mulago hospital, the error in pregnancy dating is within acceptable margins of ±3 days in first trimester, and the CRL and MSD cut offs of ≥7 mm and ≥ 25 mm respectively are fit for diagnosis of miscarriage on TVS. These findings should be extrapolated to the whole country with caution. Sonographers can achieve acceptable and comparable diagnostic accuracy levels of MSD and CLR measurements with proper training and adherence to practice guidelines.

  9. Prevention of MSD by means of ergonomic risk assessment (tools) in all phases of the vehicle development process.

    PubMed

    Karlheinz, Schaub; Michaela, Kugler; Max, Bierwirth; Andrea, Sinn-Behrendt; Ralph, Bruder

    2012-01-01

    In industrialized countries musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) play an import role and are often responsible for almost one third of the total sick leave. The changes in the demographic profiles, i.e. aging work forces might even worsen this situation in the future. For a highly productive and sustainable use of human resources in production systems, ergonomics offers high potentials. In the recent years the authors have developed several ergonomic risk assessment tools, especially for the use in automotive industries. These methods may be used during the planning phases in the Tech Centers as well as during the production phase at shop floor level. The tools might also be used for a standardized communication in between the Tech Center and the plants to improve the effects of "lessons learned" for the design and layout of workstations and processes and the optimization of vehicle components. This paper describes suitable risk assessment tools as well as the integration of these tools into the vehicle development process. It introduces a comprehensive management approach for the integration of ergonomics into the management of production systems.

  10. Berkeley Lab - Materials Sciences Division

    Science.gov Websites

    Berkeley Lab Berkeley Lab A-Z Index Phone Book Jobs Search DOE Search MSD Go MSD - Materials Investigators Division Staff Facilities and Centers Staff Jobs Safety Personnel Resources Committees In Case of

  11. Prevention of musculoskeletal disorders within management systems: A scoping review of practices, approaches, and techniques.

    PubMed

    Yazdani, Amin; Neumann, W Patrick; Imbeau, Daniel; Bigelow, Philip; Pagell, Mark; Wells, Richard

    2015-11-01

    The purpose of this study was to identify and summarize the current research evidence on approaches to preventing musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) within Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems (OHSMS). Databases in business, engineering, and health and safety were searched and 718 potentially relevant publications were identified and examined for their relevance. Twenty-one papers met the selection criteria and were subjected to thematic analysis. There was very little literature describing the integration of MSD risk assessment and prevention into management systems. This lack of information may isolate MSD prevention, leading to difficulties in preventing these disorders at an organizational level. The findings of this review argue for further research to integrate MSD prevention into management systems and to evaluate the effectiveness of the approach. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

  12. Sanitation and Hygiene-Specific Risk Factors for Moderate-to-Severe Diarrhea in Young Children in the Global Enteric Multicenter Study, 2007-2011: Case-Control Study.

    PubMed

    Baker, Kelly K; O'Reilly, Ciara E; Levine, Myron M; Kotloff, Karen L; Nataro, James P; Ayers, Tracy L; Farag, Tamer H; Nasrin, Dilruba; Blackwelder, William C; Wu, Yukun; Alonso, Pedro L; Breiman, Robert F; Omore, Richard; Faruque, Abu S G; Das, Sumon Kumar; Ahmed, Shahnawaz; Saha, Debasish; Sow, Samba O; Sur, Dipika; Zaidi, Anita K M; Quadri, Fahreen; Mintz, Eric D

    2016-05-01

    Diarrheal disease is the second leading cause of disease in children less than 5 y of age. Poor water, sanitation, and hygiene conditions are the primary routes of exposure and infection. Sanitation and hygiene interventions are estimated to generate a 36% and 48% reduction in diarrheal risk in young children, respectively. Little is known about whether the number of households sharing a sanitation facility affects a child's risk of diarrhea. The objective of this study was to describe sanitation and hygiene access across the Global Enteric Multicenter Study (GEMS) sites in Africa and South Asia and to assess sanitation and hygiene exposures, including shared sanitation access, as risk factors for moderate-to-severe diarrhea (MSD) in children less than 5 y of age. The GEMS matched case-control study was conducted between December 1, 2007, and March 3, 2011, at seven sites in Basse, The Gambia; Nyanza Province, Kenya; Bamako, Mali; Manhiça, Mozambique; Mirzapur, Bangladesh; Kolkata, India; and Karachi, Pakistan. Data was collected for 8,592 case children aged <5 y old experiencing MSD and for 12,390 asymptomatic age, gender, and neighborhood-matched controls. An MSD case was defined as a child with a diarrheal illness <7 d duration comprising ≥3 loose stools in 24 h and ≥1 of the following: sunken eyes, skin tenting, dysentery, intravenous (IV) rehydration, or hospitalization. Site-specific conditional logistic regression models were used to explore the association between sanitation and hygiene exposures and MSD. Most households at six sites (>93%) had access to a sanitation facility, while 70% of households in rural Kenya had access to a facility. Practicing open defecation was a risk factor for MSD in children <5 y old in Kenya. Sharing sanitation facilities with 1-2 or ≥3 other households was a statistically significant risk factor for MSD in Kenya, Mali, Mozambique, and Pakistan. Among those with a designated handwashing area near the home, soap or ash were more frequently observed at control households and were significantly protective against MSD in Mozambique and India. This study suggests that sharing a sanitation facility with just one to two other households can increase the risk of MSD in young children, compared to using a private facility. Interventions aimed at increasing access to private household sanitation facilities may reduce the burden of MSD in children. These findings support the current World Health Organization/ United Nations Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) system that categorizes shared sanitation as unimproved.

  13. A probabilistic fatigue analysis of multiple site damage

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Rohrbaugh, S. M.; Ruff, D.; Hillberry, B. M.; Mccabe, G.; Grandt, A. F., Jr.

    1994-01-01

    The variability in initial crack size and fatigue crack growth is incorporated in a probabilistic model that is used to predict the fatigue lives for unstiffened aluminum alloy panels containing multiple site damage (MSD). The uncertainty of the damage in the MSD panel is represented by a distribution of fatigue crack lengths that are analytically derived from equivalent initial flaw sizes. The variability in fatigue crack growth rate is characterized by stochastic descriptions of crack growth parameters for a modified Paris crack growth law. A Monte-Carlo simulation explicitly describes the MSD panel by randomly selecting values from the stochastic variables and then grows the MSD cracks with a deterministic fatigue model until the panel fails. Different simulations investigate the influences of the fatigue variability on the distributions of remaining fatigue lives. Six cases that consider fixed and variable conditions of initial crack size and fatigue crack growth rate are examined. The crack size distribution exhibited a dominant effect on the remaining fatigue life distribution, and the variable crack growth rate exhibited a lesser effect on the distribution. In addition, the probabilistic model predicted that only a small percentage of the life remains after a lead crack develops in the MSD panel.

  14. Computational comparison of quantum-mechanical models for multistep direct reactions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Koning, A. J.; Akkermans, J. M.

    1993-02-01

    We have carried out a computational comparison of all existing quantum-mechanical models for multistep direct (MSD) reactions. The various MSD models, including the so-called Feshbach-Kerman-Koonin, Tamura-Udagawa-Lenske and Nishioka-Yoshida-Weidenmüller models, have been implemented in a single computer system. All model calculations thus use the same set of parameters and the same numerical techniques; only one adjustable parameter is employed. The computational results have been compared with experimental energy spectra and angular distributions for several nuclear reactions, namely, 90Zr(p,p') at 80 MeV, 209Bi(p,p') at 62 MeV, and 93Nb(n,n') at 25.7 MeV. In addition, the results have been compared with the Kalbach systematics and with semiclassical exciton model calculations. All quantum MSD models provide a good fit to the experimental data. In addition, they reproduce the systematics very well and are clearly better than semiclassical model calculations. We furthermore show that the calculated predictions do not differ very strongly between the various quantum MSD models, leading to the conclusion that the simplest MSD model (the Feshbach-Kerman-Koonin model) is adequate for the analysis of experimental data.

  15. Treatment of chromium contaminated plating shop rinsewater streams by reverse osmosis

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

    Walker, J.F.; Brown, C.H. Jr.; Wilson, J.H.

    1988-01-01

    Wastewater is discharged to the local sanitary sewer, which is regulated by a Metropolitan Sewer District (MSD). The MSD has established discharge limits and reports have indicated that the major source of wastewater and primary area of concern is the discharge from the industrial plating shop within the plant complex. This plating shop generates /approximately/1100 m/sup 3/ (300,000 gal) of wastewater per day. Because construction of a new plating shop is currently planned, a complete renovation of the existing plating shop is not economically feasible. The sponsor demonstrated the use of innovative wastewater treatment technologies that will minimize the amountmore » of wastewater generated from the plating processes and maintain compliance with MSD discharge limits until the new plating shop is constructed. The problems at the facility have been analyzed and a treatment system utilizing reverse osmosis (RO), with volume reduction of the RO concentrate by evaporation, has been recommended. The utilization of RO meets the specification for the demonstration of innovative technology. This paper discusses the problem analysis at the plant as well as the results of a pilot scale RO test program currently being conducted. The installation of the full scale unit is dependent on the successful completion of the RO pilot tests. 1 ref., 6 figs., 3 tabs.« less

  16. Transmembrane protein CD93 diffuses by a continuous time random walk.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Goiko, Maria; de Bruyn, John; Heit, Bryan

    Molecular motion within the cell membrane is a poorly-defined process. In this study, we characterized the diffusion of the transmembrane protein CD93. By careful analysis of the dependence of the ensemble-averaged mean squared displacement (EA-MSD, r2) on time t and the ensemble-averaged, time-averaged MSD (EA-TAMSD, δ2) on lag time τ and total measurement time T, we showed that the motion of CD93 is well-described by a continuous-time random walk (CTRW). CD93 tracks were acquired using single particle tracking. The tracks were classified as confined or free, and the behavior of the MSD analyzed. EA-MSDs of both populations grew non-linearly with t, indicative of anomalous diffusion. Their EA-TAMSDs were found to depend on both τ and T, indicating non-ergodicity. Free molecules had r2 tα and δ2 (τ /T 1 - α) , with α 0 . 5 , consistent with a CTRW. Mean maximal excursion analysis supported this result. Confined CD93 had r2 t0 and δ2 (τ / T) α , with α 0 . 3 , consistent with a confined CTRW. CTRWs are described by a series of random jumps interspersed with power-law distributed waiting times, and may arise due to the interactions of CD93 with the endocytic machinery. NSERC.

  17. Design of Protein Multi-specificity Using an Independent Sequence Search Reduces the Barrier to Low Energy Sequences

    PubMed Central

    Sevy, Alexander M.; Jacobs, Tim M.; Crowe, James E.; Meiler, Jens

    2015-01-01

    Computational protein design has found great success in engineering proteins for thermodynamic stability, binding specificity, or enzymatic activity in a ‘single state’ design (SSD) paradigm. Multi-specificity design (MSD), on the other hand, involves considering the stability of multiple protein states simultaneously. We have developed a novel MSD algorithm, which we refer to as REstrained CONvergence in multi-specificity design (RECON). The algorithm allows each state to adopt its own sequence throughout the design process rather than enforcing a single sequence on all states. Convergence to a single sequence is encouraged through an incrementally increasing convergence restraint for corresponding positions. Compared to MSD algorithms that enforce (constrain) an identical sequence on all states the energy landscape is simplified, which accelerates the search drastically. As a result, RECON can readily be used in simulations with a flexible protein backbone. We have benchmarked RECON on two design tasks. First, we designed antibodies derived from a common germline gene against their diverse targets to assess recovery of the germline, polyspecific sequence. Second, we design “promiscuous”, polyspecific proteins against all binding partners and measure recovery of the native sequence. We show that RECON is able to efficiently recover native-like, biologically relevant sequences in this diverse set of protein complexes. PMID:26147100

  18. Statistical analysis of particle trajectories in living cells

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Briane, Vincent; Kervrann, Charles; Vimond, Myriam

    2018-06-01

    Recent advances in molecular biology and fluorescence microscopy imaging have made possible the inference of the dynamics of molecules in living cells. Such inference allows us to understand and determine the organization and function of the cell. The trajectories of particles (e.g., biomolecules) in living cells, computed with the help of object tracking methods, can be modeled with diffusion processes. Three types of diffusion are considered: (i) free diffusion, (ii) subdiffusion, and (iii) superdiffusion. The mean-square displacement (MSD) is generally used to discriminate the three types of particle dynamics. We propose here a nonparametric three-decision test as an alternative to the MSD method. The rejection of the null hypothesis, i.e., free diffusion, is accompanied by claims of the direction of the alternative (subdiffusion or superdiffusion). We study the asymptotic behavior of the test statistic under the null hypothesis and under parametric alternatives which are currently considered in the biophysics literature. In addition, we adapt the multiple-testing procedure of Benjamini and Hochberg to fit with the three-decision-test setting, in order to apply the test procedure to a collection of independent trajectories. The performance of our procedure is much better than the MSD method as confirmed by Monte Carlo experiments. The method is demonstrated on real data sets corresponding to protein dynamics observed in fluorescence microscopy.

  19. Gestational sac and embryonic growth are not useful as criteria to define miscarriage: a multicenter observational study.

    PubMed

    Abdallah, Y; Daemen, A; Guha, S; Syed, S; Naji, O; Pexsters, A; Kirk, E; Stalder, C; Gould, D; Ahmed, S; Bottomley, C; Timmerman, D; Bourne, T

    2011-11-01

    We studied changes in mean gestational sac diameter (MSD) and embryonic crown-rump length (CRL) in intrauterine pregnancies of uncertain viability (IPUVs). We aimed to establish cut-off values for MSD and CRL growth that could be definitively associated with either viability or miscarriage, and to establish the relationship between growth in MSD and appearance of embryonic structures in the gestational sac. One thousand and sixty consecutive IPUVs were recruited prospectively from four London University hospitals: 462 with no yolk sac or embryo, 419 with a yolk sac but no embryo, and 179 with an embryo but no heartbeat visible. IPUV was defined as an empty gestational sac with or without a yolk sac but no embryo seen with MSD < 20 or < 30 mm (depending on center) or an embryo with no heartbeat and CRL < 6 mm or < 8 mm (depending on center). Scans were repeated 7-14 days later. The endpoint was viability at first-trimester screening ultrasonography between 11 and 14 weeks. Change in MSD and CRL between the first and second scans of each pregnancy was compared with respect to viability and appearance of embryonic structures using the two-sample t-test. The study included 359 pregnancies in which a gestational sac with or without embryo was identified at the follow-up scan 7-14 days later. Of these, 192 were viable and 167 non-viable at the 11-14-week scan. MSD growth was significantly higher in viable than non-viable pregnancies (mean 1.003 vs. 0.503 mm/day; P < 0.001, 95% CI of difference 0.403-0.596). A difference in CRL growth was found between the two groups (mean 0.673 vs. 0.148 mm/day; P < 0.001, 95% CI of difference 0.345-0.703). MSD growth of 0.6 mm/day was associated with a specificity for diagnosing miscarriage of 90.1%, a sensitivity of 61.7% and 19 false-positive test results. A cut-off of CRL growth rate of 0.2 mm/day gave a sensitivity of 76.3% and there were no false-positive test results for miscarriage. On repeat scan the failure of either a yolk sac or embryo to be visualized was always associated with miscarriage. There is an overlap in MSD growth rates between viable and non-viable IPUV. No cut-off exists for MSD growth below which a viable pregnancy could be safely excluded. A cut-off value for CRL growth of 0.2 mm/day was always associated with miscarriage. These data suggest that criteria to diagnose miscarriage based on growth in MSD and CRL are potentially unsafe. However, finding an empty gestational sac on two scans more than 7 days apart is highly likely to indicate miscarriage, irrespective of growth. Copyright © 2011 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  20. Self-Reported Musculoskeletal Disorders of the Distal Upper Extremities and the Neck in German Veterinarians: A Cross-Sectional Study

    PubMed Central

    Kozak, Agnessa; Schedlbauer, Grita; Peters, Claudia; Nienhaus, Albert

    2014-01-01

    Background Veterinary work is a physically demanding profession and entails the risk of injuries and diseases of the musculoskeletal system, particularly in the upper body. The prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders (MSD), the consequences and work-related accidents in German veterinarians were investigated. Work-related and individual factors associated with MSD of upper extremities and the neck were analyzed. Methods In 2011, a self-reporting Standardized Nordic Questionnaire was mailed to registered veterinarians in seven federal medical associations in Germany. A total of 3174 (38.4%) veterinarians responded. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine the association between risk factors and MSD-related impairment of daily activities. Results MSD in the neck (66.6%) and shoulder (60.5%) were more prevalent than in the hand (34.5%) or elbow (24.5%). Normal activities were affected in 28.7% (neck), 29.5% (shoulder), 19.4% (hand) and 14% (elbow) of the respondents. MSD in the upper body occurred significantly more often in large animal practitioners. Accidents that resulted in MSD were most frequently reported in the hand/wrist (14.3%) or in the shoulder (10.8%). The majority of all accidents in the distal upper extremities were caused by animals than by other factors (19% vs. 9.2%). For each area of the body, a specific set of individual and work-related factors contributed significantly to severe MSD: Older age, gender, previous injuries, BMI, practice type, veterinary procedures such as dentistry, rectal procedures and obstetric procedures as well as high demands and personal burnout. Conclusion From the perspective of occupational health and safety, it seems to be necessary to improve accident prevention and to optimize the ergonomics of specific tasks. Our data suggest the need for target group-specific preventive measures that also focus on the psychological factors at work. PMID:24586718

  1. The Prevalence of and Risk Factors Associated with Musculoskeletal Disorders among Sonographers in Central China: A Cross-Sectional Study

    PubMed Central

    Feng, Qingmin; Liu, Shenglin; Yang, Lei; Xie, Mingxing

    2016-01-01

    Objective Studies from industrialized countries show that musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) occur commonly in sonographers. However, little is known about sonographers in China, where the awareness of ergonomics and MSD, workload, and available equipment/facilities may differ. We aimed to investigate the prevalence of MSD and associated risk factors in sonographers in central China. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 381 sonographers from 14 randomly selected tertiary hospitals in Hubei province, central China. Musculoskeletal symptoms (using the Nordic Questionnaire) and risk factors (mostly derived from the Health Benefit Trust survey instrument and the Dutch Musculoskeletal Questionnaire) were recorded. Multivariate logistic regression was used to quantify associations between risk factors and MSD. Results The 12-month period prevalence of MSD was 98.3%, being highest in the neck (93.5%) and shoulder (92.2%), followed by the lower back (83.2%), wrist/hand, upper back, and elbow. Factors contributing to neck pain were psychological fatigue, shoulder abduction and trunk bend-and-twist posture. Height-adjustable tables and chairs were protective factors. Shoulder pain was associated with female sex, health status, mental stress, shoulder abduction, and trunk bend-and-twist posture. Height-adjustable chairs and the awareness of adjusting the workstation before scanning were protective factors. Elbow pain was associated with health status and height-adjustable tables. Wrist/hand pain was associated with female sex, bending the wrist, and working with obese patients. Upper back pain was associated with shoulder abduction, height-adjustable chairs, and device location. Lower back pain was associated with the number of scans performed per day, awkward postures, bending the trunk, twisting or bending the neck forward, and using a footrest. Conclusions This study suggests a high prevalence of MSD in sonographers in central China. Hence, it is necessary to improve the awareness of MSD by training, and the ergonomics of their current work environment by addressing physical workload, and psychological and equipment/facility-related factors. PMID:27695095

  2. [Analysis of the factors influencing the internal reporting of nosocomial infections. A review of 108 notifications].

    PubMed

    Penel, N; Fournier, C; Roussel-Delvallez, M; Deberles, M-F; Buisset, E; Cazin, J-L; Leclercq, B

    2003-11-29

    Since July 26, 2001, the external reporting to the regional office of health and social affairs (Direction départementale des affaires sanitaires et sociales--Ddass) and the coordination centre (Comité de lutte contre les infections nosocomiales--Cclin) for the fight against nosocomial infections (NI) is mandatory. However, the modalities of internal reporting to the Clin are unknown. We performed a retrospective analysis of 108 cases of NI reported over 23 months in 4 medical-surgical departments (MSD) with 14 to 35 NI reported/MSD. The distribution of the bacteria responsible was compared with that of the local epidemiological state (chi2 test). A correlation analysis was performed between the number of NI reported in each MSD and the structural characteristics and activity index of these MSD (Spearmann's correlation test). The NI were predominantly infections related to a catheter (43), lower respiratory tract (25) and infection of the site of surgery (19). Ninety were documented biologically, among which 10 implied multi-resistant bacteria. Ninety-four NI were associated with the prescription of an antibiotic. Compared with the local epidemiological state, the NI reported generally implied multi-resistant bacteria (p=0.009). The other microbiological data had little implication. In each of the MSD, the number of cases reported was independent of: the global activity, the number of interventions, the mean duration of hospitalisation, the number of beds, the number of clinicians, the number of new patients managed and the chemotherapy outpatient activity. Conversely, there was a strong correlation between the global consumption of antibiotics (r=0.78), and the number of the Clin members in each MSD DMC (r=0.82). In each MSD, the internal reporting of NI relies on the discovery of multi-resistant bacteria, but above all on the implication of those involved in the fight against nosocomial infections.

  3. Modified-Signed-Digit Optical Computing Using Fan-Out

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Liu, Hua-Kuang; Zhou, Shaomin; Yeh, Pochi

    1996-01-01

    Experimental optical computing system containing optical fan-out elements implements modified signed-digit (MSD) arithmetic and logic. In comparison with previous optical implementations of MSD arithmetic, this one characterized by larger throughput, greater flexibility, and simpler optics.

  4. Dissolution comparisons using a Multivariate Statistical Distance (MSD) test and a comparison of various approaches for calculating the measurements of dissolution profile comparison.

    PubMed

    Cardot, J-M; Roudier, B; Schütz, H

    2017-07-01

    The f 2 test is generally used for comparing dissolution profiles. In cases of high variability, the f 2 test is not applicable, and the Multivariate Statistical Distance (MSD) test is frequently proposed as an alternative by the FDA and EMA. The guidelines provide only general recommendations. MSD tests can be performed either on raw data with or without time as a variable or on parameters of models. In addition, data can be limited-as in the case of the f 2 test-to dissolutions of up to 85% or to all available data. In the context of the present paper, the recommended calculation included all raw dissolution data up to the first point greater than 85% as a variable-without the various times as parameters. The proposed MSD overcomes several drawbacks found in other methods.

  5. Job Hazard Analyses for Musculoskeletal Disorder Risk Factors in Pressing Operations of Dry-cleaning Establishments.

    PubMed

    Park, Jung-Keun

    2016-12-01

    Job hazard analyses were conducted to assess exposure to musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) risk factors in seven workers of three dry-cleaning establishments. In accordance with the Washington State Ergonomics Rule, the analyses were performed in two separate steps: (1) observation and checklist approaches were made to identify a "caution zone job" in the seven workers' pressing operations across the three shops; and (2) detailed posture and motion analyses were undertaken to determine a "MSD hazard" in one worker's operation using a video technique. One "caution zone job" was identified and it was the pressing operation job in which five physical risk factors were found in the pressing operations. The detailed analyses confirmed that one "MSD hazard", i.e., awkward posture in shoulders, was prevalent in the pressing operations of the three dry-cleaning facilities. It would be desirable to reduce MSD risk factors including awkward shoulder posture in the dry-cleaning industry.

  6. The Prevalence of Musculoskeletal Disorder and Association with Productivity Loss: A Preliminary Study among Labour Intensive Manual Harvesting Activities in Oil Palm Plantation

    PubMed Central

    NG, Yee Guan; TAMRIN, Shamsul Bahri Mohd; YIK, Wai Mun; YUSOFF, Irwan Syah Mohd; MORI, Ippei

    2013-01-01

    Production agriculture such as harvesting in oil palm plantation has been frequently associated with MSD and significant loss of productivities. This study tends to evaluate from the viewpoint of health, the association between self-reported prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders and productivities; the impact of musculoskeletal disorders on productivity. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 143 harvesters in oil palm plantation. A general questionnaire was used to collect socio-demographic background data while Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire was used to determine the prevalence of MSD. Expressed in 4 different indicators; daily harvesting quantity, efficiency score, sick leave and presenteeism, the productivity data were analysed for association. There is significant association between reported acute prevalence of MSD (within 7 d) and productivity loss in terms of presenteeism (χ2=5.088; p<0.05) as well as quantity of daily harvest (χ2=7.406; p<0.01). Logistic regression adjusted for age, BMI and smoking indicate that harvesters with MSD (past seven days) were more likely to be engaged in presenteeism (OR=2.87 95% CI=1.34, 6.14) and had lower daily productivity (OR=2.09 95% CI=1.02, 4.29) compared to harvesters without MSD (past 7 d). This study reveals that oil palm harvesters suffering acute MSD (for the past week) were likely to be still present to work and produce half lesser than their healthy counterparts. Thus, further study with comprehensive surveillance strategy is essential in order to determine the urgency or need of appropriate intervention. PMID:24292878

  7. Investigation on musculoskeletal discomfort and ergonomics risk factors among production team members at an automotive component assembly plant

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Aziz, Fazilah Abdul; Ghazalli, Zakri; Zuki Mohamed, Nik Mohd; Isfar, Amri

    2017-10-01

    Musculoskeletal discomfort (MSD) is very common condition in automotive industry. MSD is affecting the worker’s health, well-being and lower down the productivity. Therefore, the main objective of this study was to identify the prevalence of MSD and ergonomics risk factors among the production team members at a selected automotive component manufacturer in Malaysia. MSD data were collected by conducting structure interview with all participants by referring to the Cornell Musculoskeletal Disorder Questionnaire (CMDQ). Those production team members who achieved a total discomfort score for all body regions more than 100 was selected for job task assessment. The physical exposure risk factors of work related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSD) has evaluated by using Quick Exposure Check (QEC) techniques. The results of the study identified the severe MSD associated with production assembly team members. It is expected that the prevalence of MSD for those production assembly team members was lower back (75.4%), upper back (63.2%), right shoulder (61.4%), and right wrist (60%). The QEC analysis discovered that about 70% of job tasks had very high risks for neck posture and 60% had high risks for the back (in moving condition) and shoulder/arm postures. There were 80% of respondents have produced a high score for exposure risk to vibration. As a conclusion, the main implication of the current study is that special attention should be paid to the physical and psychosocial aspects in production team members with musculoskeletal discomfort to improve their safety, health, and well-being, maintain work ability and productivity.

  8. [Musculoskeletal disorders and temporary disability. Characteristics and duration. Catalonia, 2007-2010].

    PubMed

    Manent Bistué, Ignasi; Ramada Rodilla, José Mª; Serra Pujadas, Consol

    Musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) are the leading cause of sickness absence (SA) in Spain and the second in Catalonia. A greater knowledge of this field could allow the refocusing of social protection policies and interventions to reduce their frequency and duration. The objective of the study was to describe the characteristics and duration of SA due to MSD in Catalonia between 2007 and 2010. The study population included all incident SA episodes due to MSD during the period 2007-2010, registered in the Institut Català d'AvaluacionsMèdiques (ICAM) database.We selected the 10 most frequentMSD (824.646 episodes) and extracted 607.732 (74%) SA episodes. We calculated the median duration of SA and analyzed the differences with Mann-Whitney U or Kruskal-Wallis tests, and studied the differences with a post-hoc test. We also conducted a survival analysis using Kaplan-Meier curves. The most frequent MSD were low back pain and neck pain. Median duration was greater for gonarthrosis and calcific tendonitis of the shoulder. The median duration of SA episodes was greater when pain was due to an organic disorder, in women (Z=51770950,5; p<0,001), increased with age (K=17335,72; p<0,001), and was longer in self-employed workers (Z=20965263,1; p<0.001) and in those working in agriculture and livestock (K=736,822; p<0,001). This study shows that the median duration of SA caused by MSD is influenced by the diagnosis, sex, age, type of work and type of social protection. Copyright belongs to the Societat Catalana de Salut Laboral.

  9. Identifying the most successful dose (MSD) in dose-finding studies in cancer.

    PubMed

    Zohar, Sarah; O'Quigley, John

    2006-01-01

    For a dose finding study in cancer, the most successful dose (MSD), among a group of available doses, is that dose at which the overall success rate is the highest. This rate is the product of the rate of seeing non-toxicities together with the rate of tumor response. A successful dose finding trial in this context is one where we manage to identify the MSD in an efficient manner. In practice we may also need to consider algorithms for identifying the MSD which can incorporate certain restrictions, the most common restriction maintaining the estimated toxicity rate alone below some maximum rate. In this case the MSD may correspond to a different level than that for the unconstrained MSD and, in providing a final recommendation, it is important to underline that it is subject to the given constraint. We work with the approach described in O'Quigley et al. [Biometrics 2001; 57(4):1018-1029]. The focus of that work was dose finding in HIV where both information on toxicity and efficacy were almost immediately available. Recent cancer studies are beginning to fall under this same heading where, as before, toxicity can be quickly evaluated and, in addition, we can rely on biological markers or other measures of tumor response. Mindful of the particular context of cancer, our purpose here is to consider the methodology developed by O'Quigley et al. and its practical implementation. We also carry out a study on the doubly under-parameterized model, developed by O'Quigley et al. but not

  10. The prevalence of musculoskeletal disorder and association with productivity loss: a preliminary study among labour intensive manual harvesting activities in oil palm plantation.

    PubMed

    Ng, Yee Guan; Tamrin, Shamsul Bahri Mohd; Yik, Wai Mun; Yusoff, Irwan Syah Mohd; Mori, Ippei

    2014-01-01

    Production agriculture such as harvesting in oil palm plantation has been frequently associated with MSD and significant loss of productivities. This study tends to evaluate from the viewpoint of health, the association between self-reported prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders and productivities; the impact of musculoskeletal disorders on productivity. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 143 harvesters in oil palm plantation. A general questionnaire was used to collect socio-demographic background data while Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire was used to determine the prevalence of MSD. Expressed in 4 different indicators; daily harvesting quantity, efficiency score, sick leave and presenteeism, the productivity data were analysed for association. There is significant association between reported acute prevalence of MSD (within 7 d) and productivity loss in terms of presenteeism (χ(2)=5.088; p<0.05) as well as quantity of daily harvest (χ(2)=7.406; p<0.01). Logistic regression adjusted for age, BMI and smoking indicate that harvesters with MSD (past seven days) were more likely to be engaged in presenteeism (OR=2.87 95% CI=1.34, 6.14) and had lower daily productivity (OR=2.09 95% CI=1.02, 4.29) compared to harvesters without MSD (past 7 d). This study reveals that oil palm harvesters suffering acute MSD (for the past week) were likely to be still present to work and produce half lesser than their healthy counterparts. Thus, further study with comprehensive surveillance strategy is essential in order to determine the urgency or need of appropriate intervention.

  11. Looking for new biomarkers of skin wound vitality with a cytokine-based multiplex assay: preliminary study.

    PubMed

    Peyron, Pierre-Antoine; Baccino, Éric; Nagot, Nicolas; Lehmann, Sylvain; Delaby, Constance

    2017-02-01

    Determination of skin wound vitality is an important issue in forensic practice. No reliable biomarker currently exists. Quantification of inflammatory cytokines in injured skin with MSD ® technology is an innovative and promising approach. This preliminary study aims to develop a protocol for the preparation and the analysis of skin samples. Samples from ante mortem wounds, post mortem wounds, and intact skin ("control samples") were taken from corpses at the autopsy. After an optimization of the pre-analytical protocol had been performed in terms of skin homogeneisation and proteic extraction, the concentration of TNF-α was measured in each sample with the MSD ® approach. Then five other cytokines of interest (IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12p70 and IFN-γ) were simultaneously quantified with a MSD ® multiplex assay. The optimal pre-analytical conditions consist in a proteic extraction from a 6 mm diameter skin sample, in a PBS buffer with triton 0,05%. Our results show the linearity and the reproductibility of the TNF-α quantification with MSD ® , and an inter- and intra-individual variability of the concentrations of proteins. The MSD ® multiplex assay is likely to detect differential skin concentrations for each cytokine of interest. This preliminary study was used to develop and optimize the pre-analytical and analytical conditions of the MSD ® method using injured and healthy skin samples, for the purpose of looking for and identifying the cytokine, or the set of cytokines, that may be biomarkers of skin wound vitality.

  12. Is complementary and alternative medicine effective in job satisfaction among dentists with musculoskeletal disorders? A cross sectional study.

    PubMed

    Gupta, Devanand; Bhaskar, Dara John; Gupta, Rajendra Kumar; Jain, Ankita; Yadav, Priyanka; Dalai, Deepak Ranjan; Singh, Rajeshwar; Singh, Nisha; Chaudhary, Varunjeet; Singh, Ankit; Yadav, Ankit; Karim, Bushra

    2014-01-01

    Musculoskeletal disorders have serious impact on the profession of dentistry. There is common occurrence of pain due to incorrect posture in dental professionals. Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies may cast a new light on preventing and intercepting musculoskeletal disorders (MSD). An epidemiological study was conducted in an effort to contribute to the prevention of musculoskeletal disorders in dentistry. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of MSD at dentists using CAM as a treatment and preventive modality for MSD and to compare job/career satisfaction between dentists who use CAM and conventional therapy (CT). Dentists registered in Uttrakhand state, India, under the Dental Council of India and registered members of the Indian Dental Association, Uttrakhand branch (N = 1496) were surveyed. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS 17. A response rate of 84% (N = 1257) was obtained, revealing that 90% (N = 1131) had the problem of MSD. Seventy three percentage (N = 826) of dentists with MSD reported the use of CAM and CT. Complementary and alternative medicine users reported greater overall health (72.7% vs. 51%, p < 0.001), job satisfaction (61.2% vs. 35%, p < 0.001) and work efficiency compared to CT users. Complementary and alternative medicine therapies may improve quality of life, reduce work interruption and enhance job satisfaction for dentists who suffers from MSD. Through the course of their studies, dentists should be equipped with knowledge on ergonomics and CAM therapies, such as yoga and others, to help them prevent musculoskeletal disorders more effectively.

  13. Berkeley Lab - Materials Sciences Division

    Science.gov Websites

    MSD Support Human Resources Facilities & Space Planning Procurement and Property Proposals & ; Finance Templates Travel One-Stop Acknowledging MSD Support Human Resources Facilities & Space Planning Procurement and Property Proposals & Finance Templates Travel Human Resources General

  14. Back and neck pain disability and upper limb symptoms of home healthcare workers: A case-control study from Northern Italy.

    PubMed

    Riccò, Matteo; Pezzetti, Federica; Signorelli, Carlo

    2017-03-30

    Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) are quite frequent in healthcare workers (HCWs), but data about MSD in home-based healthcare workers (HHWs) are lacking. In this study we describe the prevalence of MSD among Italian HHWs. A case-control study was carried out among 300 random-selected female HCWs, the sample comprising 100 HHWs, 100 HCWs with a low exposure to patient handling (MAPO - Movimentazione e Assistenza Pazienti Ospedalizzati - Movement and Assistance of Hospital Patients index 0-5) and 100 HCWs with high exposure to patient handling (MAPO index ≥ 5.01). As a negative control group, 200 visual display unit workers were also randomly selected. Musculoskeletal disorder cases were collected using a standardized case definition. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed comparing the MSD prevalence in the 4 groups. The overall prevalence of MSD was 17% in the reference group and 28.3% for HCWs. HHWs and HCWs with MAPO index ≥ 5.01 had similar prevalence of neck pain (9% and 11%, respectively), whereas lumbosacral pain prevalence was higher in the HHWs group (31%), with similar results in residential HCWs groups (21% in MAPO index 0-5 group and 25% in MAPO index ≥ 5.01 group). HCWs of group MAPO index ≥ 5.01 and HHWs showed the higher prevalence of upper limb complaints, with a prevalence of 20% and 10%, respectively. In multivariate regression analysis, prevalence of MSD complaints was quite similar in HHWs (adjusted odds ratio (ORadj) = 2.335, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.318-4.138) and in HCWs of the group MAPO ≥ 5.01 (ORadj = 2.729, 95% CI: 1.552-4.797). The prevalence of MSD in the examined HCWs was relatively high, with HHWs appearing as a particularly high-risk group for lumbosacral back pain. In higher exposed HCWs, upper-limb symptoms were particularly frequent, probably reflecting the different tasks required to manage residential and homebased patients. In conclusion, this study reaffirms the high prevalence of MSD in HHWs, seemly similar to high-risk residential groups. Int J Occup Med Environ Health 2017;30(2):291-304. This work is available in Open Access model and licensed under a CC BY-NC 3.0 PL license.

  15. Neural correlates of cued recall in young and older adults: an event-related potential study.

    PubMed

    Angel, Lucie; Fay, Séverine; Bouazzaoui, Badiâa; Granjon, Lionel; Isingrini, Michel

    2009-01-07

    This experiment investigated age differences in electrophysiological correlates of retrieval success in a word-stem cued recall task. Young adults (M+/-SD: 21.4 years+/-1.9) performed this memory task more accurately than older participants (M+/-SD: 65.1 years+/-3.3). Robust event-related brain potential (ERP) old/new effects were identified in both age groups. The main age differences were observed in latency and lateralization of ERP effects. Young adults exhibited a parietal effect that became focused over left parietal electrodes, whereas no asymmetry was observed in older adults. Moreover, ERP effects were more delayed in the older group. Overall, these findings provide some evidence of the reduction of processing speed during aging and suggest that young and older adults may recruit distinct cerebral patterns during episodic cued recall.

  16. [Work-related musculoskeletal disorders and their association with occupational nursing].

    PubMed

    Barboza, Michele Cristiene Nachtigall; Milbrath, Viviane Marten; Bielemann, Valquíria Machado; de Siqueira, Hedi Crecencia Heckler

    2008-12-01

    Work-related musculoskeletal diseases (MSD) are disorders in the musculoskeletal structures caused by chronic occupational processes. The objective of this study was to get to know scientific papers on MSD related to the nursing profession. A bibliographic research of the last ten years was conducted at Health Virtual Library using the main data bases. Twenty-one summaries were found. Among them, thirteen were selected because they specifically focused on the subject. Three main areas were identified: occupational health nurses in relation to MSDs--their importance in health prevention and promotion; Ergonomics as MSDs prevention method: performed as changes on work consider risk factors; Vulnerability of Nursing staff to MSDs--predisposing factors to disease caused by inappropriate working conditions. The conclusion was that an occupational and ergonomic health service is important to prevent MSDs, especially among the nursing staff.

  17. Service user and family member perspectives on services for mental health, substance use/addiction, and violence: a qualitative study of their goals, experiences and recommendations.

    PubMed

    Haskell, Rebecca; Graham, Kathryn; Bernards, Sharon; Flynn, Andrea; Wells, Samantha

    2016-01-01

    Mental health and substance use disorders (MSD) are significant public health concerns that often co-occur with violence. To improve services that address MSD and violence [MSD(V)], it is critical to understand the perspectives of those most affected, people who have sought help for MSD(V) (i.e., "service users"), especially those with co-occurring issues, as well as their family members. We conducted structured interviews with 73 service users and 41 family members of service users in two Ontario communities (one urban, one rural) regarding their goals related to help-seeking, positive and negative experiences, and recommendations for improving systems of care. Overall, participants expressed a need for services that: (1) are respectful, nonjudgmental, and supportive, help service users to feel more 'normal' and include education to reduce stigma; (2) are accessible, varied and publicly funded, thereby meeting individual needs and addressing equity concerns at a systems level; and (3) are coordinated, holistic and inclusive of family members who often support service users. The findings provide a rich understanding of how service users and their families perceive services for MSD(V) issues and identify key ways to better meet their needs.

  18. Fracture analysis of stiffened panels under biaxial loading with widespread cracking

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Newman, J. C., Jr.; Dawicke, D. S.

    1995-01-01

    An elastic-plastic finite-element analysis with a critical crack-tip-opening angle (CTOA) fracture criterion was used to model stable crack growth and fracture of 2024-T3 aluminum alloy (bare and clad) panels for several thicknesses. The panels had either single or multiple-site damage (MSD) cracks subjected to uniaxial or biaxial loading. Analyses were also conducted on cracked stiffened panels with single or MSD cracks. The critical CTOA value for each thickness was determined by matching the failure load on a middle-crack tension specimen. Comparisons were made between the critical angles determined from the finite-element analyses and those measured with photographic methods. Predicted load-against-crack extension and failure loads for panels under biaxial loading, panels with MSD cracks, and panels with various number of stiffeners were compared with test data, whenever possible. The predicted results agreed well with the test data even for large-scale plastic deformations. The analyses were also able to predict stable tearing behavior of a large lead crack in the presence of MSD cracks. The analyses were then used to study the influence of stiffeners on residual strength in the presence of widespread fatigue cracking. Small MSD cracks were found to greatly reduce the residual strength for large lead cracks even for stiffened panels.

  19. Fracture analysis of stiffened panels under biaxial loading with widespread cracking

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Newman, J. C., Jr.

    1995-01-01

    An elastic-plastic finite-element analysis with a critical crack-tip opening angle (CTOA) fracture criterion was used to model stable crack growth and fracture of 2024-T3 aluminum alloy (bare and clad) panels for several thicknesses. The panels had either single or multiple-site damage (MSD) cracks subjected to uniaxial or biaxial loading. Analyses were also conducted on cracked stiffened panels with single or MSD cracks. The critical CTOA value for each thickness was determined by matching the failure load on a middle-crack tension specimen. Comparisons were made between the critical angles determined from the finite-element analyses and those measured with photographic methods. Predicted load-against-crack extension and failure loads for panels under biaxial loading, panels with MSD cracks, and panels with various numbers of stiffeners were compared with test data whenever possible. The predicted results agreed well with the test data even for large-scale plastic deformations. The analyses were also able to predict stable tearing behavior of a large lead crack in the presence of MSD cracks. The analyses were then used to study the influence of stiffeners on residual strength in the presence of widespread fatigue cracking. Small MSD cracks were found to greatly reduce the residual strength for large lead cracks even for stiffened panels.

  20. A laboratory study of multiple site damage in fuselage lap splices

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1993-12-01

    This report details an experimental study that was conducted to explore the causes of : fuselage lap splice multiple site damage (MSD), which has been observed in several : aging aircraft. MSD was partially responsible for the 1988 Aloha Airlines acc...

  1. Musculoskeletal disorders among nursing staff: a comparison of five hospitals in Uganda

    PubMed Central

    Munabi, Ian Guyton; Buwembo, William; Kitara, David Lagoro; Ochieng, Joseph; Nabirye, Rose Chalo; Mwaka, Erisa Sabakaki

    2014-01-01

    Introduction Low and middle income countries have severe nursing staff shortages which is associated with risk of poor quality of patient care and increased patient exposure to adverse events. This is accompanied with increased risk of musculoskeletal disorders to the nursing staff. This paper sets out to identify and compare factors associated with musculoskeletal disorders among nursing staff in 5 different hospitals in Uganda. Methods This was a cross sectional study on nurses from 5 different hospitals in Uganda. The study used a 12 month recall of reported Musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) among nurses. Ethical approval was obtained. Logistic regression analysis and ANOVA were used. The level of significance was set at 0.05 for all statistical tests. Results There were 755 respondents of whom 433 (58.4%) were nurses. The prevalence of MSD at anybody site was 80.8%. There were significant differences in reported MSD among nursing staff across different hospital settings which were worse in the public hospitals as compared to the private and private not for profit hospitals (p <0.001). Age (adjusted OR 1.03, 95% CI 1.01-1.06), self reported poor general health status (adj OR 4.5, 95% CI 2.8-7.24) and stress as suggested by waking up tired in the morning (adj OR 3.4, 95% CI 2.17-5.32) were significant associated factors for MSD in this population. Conclusiom Reported MSD among nursing staff across 5 different hospitals is worse in public as compared to private hospitals. Age, self reported poor general health status and stress were important factors for MSD in this population. PMID:25018829

  2. Relationship between fumonisin contamination of feed and mystery swine disease. A case-control study.

    PubMed

    Bane, D P; Neumann, E J; Hall, W F; Harlin, K S; Slife, R L

    1992-02-01

    Fumonisin is a recently identified mycotoxin that has been shown to be the cause of pulmonary edema disease in swine and leukoencephalomalacia in horses. Mystery Swine Disease (MSD), is an economically devastating disease complex of unknown etiology that has been reported to have occurred in several swine producing states since 1988. To determine the relationship between MSD and fumonisin, a case-control study was carried out in Illinois in mid-1990. Feed samples collected from 12 case and 9 control farms were analyzed for fumonisin. Sera from swine on all farms was screened for titers against encephalomyocarditis (EMC) virus and concentrations of alpha-1 acid glycoprotein (an acute phase reactive protein). Fumonisin concentrations greater than or equal to 20 ppm were found on 1 control farm (1/9) and 8 case farms (8/12). Titers against EMC virus (greater than or equal to 1:16) were found on 5 control farms (5/9) and on 6 case farms (6/12). Farms with greater than or equal to 20 ppm fumonisin in the feed were at significantly increased risk (OR = 11.2, Fisher's exact test p = 0.037) for MSD. Furthermore, the pi2 test for trend was (p = 0.017), meaning that as the level of fumonisin in the feed increased, the risk of MSD also increased. The presence of EMC virus titers in the sow herd was not a significant risk for MSD (OR = 1.25, Fisher's exact test p = 0.75). Alpha-1 acid glycoprotein concentrations obtained from a 2-week old nursing pigs differed significantly (p = 0.0005) between MSD case and control herds.

  3. Effectiveness of participatory training for prevention of musculoskeletal disorders: a randomized controlled trial.

    PubMed

    Yu, Wenzhou; Yu, Ignatius T S; Wang, Xiaorong; Li, Zhimin; Wan, Sabrina; Qiu, Hong; Lin, Hui; Xie, Shaohua; Sun, Trevor

    2013-05-01

    Health and safety training program has been applied to prevent work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) in workplace. We evaluated the effectiveness of participatory training and didactic training programs on MSD prevention among frontline workers in Shenzhen, China. The authors randomly assigned 918 workers from intervention factories to receive participatory training (intervention group), and 907 workers from intervention factories and 1,654 workers from control factories to receive didactic training (control_1 group, control_2 group, respectively) from June 1, 2008 to November 30, 2009. Participants were asked to report experience of ache, pain or discomfort in 10 body parts at baseline and 1 year after training. Data were analyzed to compare the MSD prevalence 1 year before and 1 year after training in different groups from 2009 to 2010. The follow-up rate was 61 % (2,120/3,479) at 1 year after training. In the year after training, there were no statistically significant changes in the proportion of workers who reported MSD in any body part. MSD prevalence rates in the intervention group reduced from 16.8 to 9.9 % for lower extremities (χ(2) = 13.102, p < 0.001) and from 12.9 to 8.3 % (χ(2) = 9.433, p = 0.002) for wrist and finger at 1 year after training. However, the rates did not change significantly for upper back, lower back, neck, shoulder and elbow in the intervention group and for all 10 body parts in two control groups. Overall, the training programs did not seem to prevent the occurrence of MSD among frontline workers. However, participatory training might be effective to reduce MSD in the lower extremities and wrist and finger.

  4. Autologous transplantation versus allogeneic transplantation in patients with follicular lymphoma experiencing early treatment failure.

    PubMed

    Smith, Sonali M; Godfrey, James; Ahn, Kwang Woo; DiGilio, Alyssa; Ahmed, Sairah; Agrawal, Vaibhav; Bachanova, Veronika; Bacher, Ulrike; Bashey, Asad; Bolaños-Meade, Javier; Cairo, Mitchell; Chen, Andy; Chhabra, Saurabh; Copelan, Edward; Dahi, Parastoo B; Aljurf, Mahmoud; Farooq, Umar; Ganguly, Siddhartha; Hertzberg, Mark; Holmberg, Leona; Inwards, David; Kanate, Abraham S; Karmali, Reem; Kenkre, Vaishalee P; Kharfan-Dabaja, Mohamed A; Klein, Andreas; Lazarus, Hillard M; Mei, Matthew; Mussetti, Alberto; Nishihori, Taiga; Ramakrishnan Geethakumari, Praveen; Saad, Ayman; Savani, Bipin N; Schouten, Harry C; Shah, Nirav; Urbano-Ispizua, Alvaro; Vij, Ravi; Vose, Julie; Sureda, Anna; Hamadani, Mehdi

    2018-06-15

    Early treatment failure (ETF) in follicular lymphoma (FL), defined as relapse or progression within 2 years of frontline chemoimmunotherapy, is a newly recognized marker of poor survival and identifies a high-risk group of patients with an expected 5-year overall survival (OS) rate of approximately 50%. Transplantation is an established option for relapsed FL, but its efficacy in this specific ETF FL population has not been previously evaluated. This study compared autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (auto-HCT) with either matched sibling donor (MSD) or matched unrelated donor (MUD) allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT) as the first transplantation approach for patients with ETF FL (age ≥ 18 years) undergoing auto-HCT or allo-HCT between 2002 and 2014. The primary endpoint was OS. The secondary endpoints were progression-free survival, relapse, and nonrelapse mortality (NRM). Four hundred forty FL patients had ETF (auto-HCT, 240; MSD hematopoietic stem cell transplantation [HCT], 105; and MUD HCT, 95). With a median follow-up of 69 to 73 months, the adjusted probability of 5-year OS was significantly higher after auto-HCT (70%) or MSD HCT (73%) versus MUD HCT (49%; P = .0008). The 5-year adjusted probability of NRM was significantly lower for auto-HCT (5%) versus MSD (17%) or MUD HCT (33%; P < .0001). The 5-year adjusted probability of disease relapse was lower with MSD (31%) or MUD HCT (23%) versus auto-HCT (58%; P < .0001). Patients with high-risk FL, as defined by ETF, undergoing auto-HCT for FL have low NRM and a promising 5-year OS rate (70%). MSD HCT has lower relapse rates than auto-HCT but similar OS. Cancer 2018;124:2541-51. © 2018 American Cancer Society. © 2018 American Cancer Society.

  5. Alessandra Lanzara

    Science.gov Websites

    Berkeley Lab Berkeley Lab A-Z Index Phone Book Jobs Search DOE Search MSD Go MSD - Materials Investigators Division Staff Facilities and Centers Staff Jobs Safety Personnel Resources Committees In Case of ; Finance Templates Travel One-Stop Investigators Division Staff Facilities and Centers Staff Jobs

  6. ENHANCING TEST SENSITIVITY IN TOXICITY TESTING BY USING A STATISTICAL PERFORMANCE STANDARD

    EPA Science Inventory

    Previous reports have shown that within-test sensitivity can vary markedly among laboratories. Experts have advocated an empirical approach to controlling test variability based on the MSD, control means, and other test acceptability criteria. (The MSD represents the smallest dif...

  7. 36 CFR 3.13 - What conditions apply to the use of Marine Sanitation Devices (MSD)?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... the door to the space enclosing the toilets with a padlock or door handle key lock. (c) The... fresh water that is equipped with toilet facilities and/or a MSD that is capable of discharge, must lock...

  8. 36 CFR 3.13 - What conditions apply to the use of Marine Sanitation Devices (MSD)?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... the door to the space enclosing the toilets with a padlock or door handle key lock. (c) The... fresh water that is equipped with toilet facilities and/or a MSD that is capable of discharge, must lock...

  9. 36 CFR 3.13 - What conditions apply to the use of Marine Sanitation Devices (MSD)?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... the door to the space enclosing the toilets with a padlock or door handle key lock. (c) The... fresh water that is equipped with toilet facilities and/or a MSD that is capable of discharge, must lock...

  10. Atomic mean-square displacement of a solid: A Green's-function approach

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shukla, R. C.; Hübschle, Hermann

    1989-07-01

    We have presented a Green's-function method of calculating the atomic mean-square displacement (MSD) of a solid. The method effectively sums a class of all anharmonic contributions to the MSD. From the point of view of perturbation theory (PT) our expression for MSD includes the lowest-order (λ2) PT contributions (cubic and quartic) with correct numerical coefficients. The numerical results obtained by this method in the high-temperature limit for a fcc nearest-neighbor Lennard-Jones-solid model are in excellent agreement with the Monte Carlo (MC) method for the same model over the entire temperature range of the solid. Highly accurate results for the order-λ2 PT contributions to MSD are obtained by eliminating the uncertainty in the convergence of the cubic contributions in the earlier work of Heiser, Shukla, and Cowly and they are now in much better agreement with the MC results but still inferior to the Green's-function method at the highest temperature.

  11. Animal-related factors associated with moderate-to-severe diarrhea in children younger than five years in western Kenya: A matched case-control study.

    PubMed

    Conan, Anne; O'Reilly, Ciara E; Ogola, Eric; Ochieng, J Benjamin; Blackstock, Anna J; Omore, Richard; Ochieng, Linus; Moke, Fenny; Parsons, Michele B; Xiao, Lihua; Roellig, Dawn; Farag, Tamer H; Nataro, James P; Kotloff, Karen L; Levine, Myron M; Mintz, Eric D; Breiman, Robert F; Cleaveland, Sarah; Knobel, Darryn L

    2017-08-01

    Diarrheal disease remains among the leading causes of global mortality in children younger than 5 years. Exposure to domestic animals may be a risk factor for diarrheal disease. The objectives of this study were to identify animal-related exposures associated with cases of moderate-to-severe diarrhea (MSD) in children in rural western Kenya, and to identify the major zoonotic enteric pathogens present in domestic animals residing in the homesteads of case and control children. We characterized animal-related exposures in a subset of case and control children (n = 73 pairs matched on age, sex and location) with reported animal presence at home enrolled in the Global Enteric Multicenter Study in western Kenya, and analysed these for an association with MSD. We identified potentially zoonotic enteric pathogens in pooled fecal specimens collected from domestic animals resident at children's homesteads. Variables that were associated with decreased risk of MSD were washing hands after animal contact (matched odds ratio [MOR] = 0.2; 95% CI 0.08-0.7), and presence of adult sheep that were not confined in a pen overnight (MOR = 0.1; 0.02-0.5). Variables that were associated with increased risk of MSD were increasing number of sheep owned (MOR = 1.2; 1.0-1.5), frequent observation of fresh rodent excreta (feces/urine) outside the house (MOR = 7.5; 1.5-37.2), and participation of the child in providing water to chickens (MOR = 3.8; 1.2-12.2). Of 691 pooled specimens collected from 2,174 domestic animals, 159 pools (23%) tested positive for one or more potentially zoonotic enteric pathogens (Campylobacter jejuni, C. coli, non-typhoidal Salmonella, diarrheagenic E. coli, Giardia, Cryptosporidium, or rotavirus). We did not find any association between the presence of particular pathogens in household animals, and MSD in children. Public health agencies should continue to promote frequent hand washing, including after animal contact, to reduce the risk of MSD. Future studies should address specific causal relations of MSD with sheep and chicken husbandry practices, and with the presence of rodents.

  12. Return-to-work for multiple jobholders with a work-related musculoskeletal disorder: A population-based, matched cohort in British Columbia.

    PubMed

    Maas, Esther T; Koehoorn, Mieke; McLeod, Christopher B

    2018-01-01

    Multiple jobholders (MJHs) have a higher risk of injury compared to single jobholders (SJHs), but it is unknown if return-to-work (RTW) after a work injury is affected by multiple jobholding. This study examined the association between multiple versus single jobholding and time to RTW for workers with a work-related musculoskeletal disorder (MSD). We used administrative workers' compensation data to identify injured workers with an accepted MSD lost-time claim between 2010-2014 in British Columbia, Canada (n = 125,639 SJHs and 9,029 MJHs). The outcome was days until RTW during twelve months after the first day of time-loss. The MJH and SJH cohorts were balanced using coarsened exact matching that yielded a final matched cohort of 8,389 MJHs and 8,389 SJHs. The outcome was estimated with Cox regression, using piecewise models, and the hazard ratios were stratified by type of MSD, a serious injury indicator, gender, weekly workdays preceding MSD, and wage categories. MJHs were less likely to RTW compared to SJHs within the first six months after the first time-loss day, with greater and longer lasting effects for males, workers with a serious injury, and a higher wage. No difference between MJHs and SJHs was found for workers who had a six- or seven-day work week preceding MSD, for workers with dislocations, and for workers who were still off work after six months. Overall, MJHs with a workweek of maximum five days are disadvantaged compared to SJHs in terms of RTW following a work-related MSD within the first six months after the first time-loss day. This difference might be caused by more precarious job contracts for MJHs that challenges RTW because of lack of support for modified work, higher workload, and reduced likelihood that MJHs file a workers' compensation claim. Despite adjusting for type of MSD, severity of injury and occupation, the differences persisted for the vast majority of the study sample.

  13. Return-to-work for multiple jobholders with a work-related musculoskeletal disorder: A population-based, matched cohort in British Columbia

    PubMed Central

    Koehoorn, Mieke; McLeod, Christopher B.

    2018-01-01

    Introduction Multiple jobholders (MJHs) have a higher risk of injury compared to single jobholders (SJHs), but it is unknown if return-to-work (RTW) after a work injury is affected by multiple jobholding. This study examined the association between multiple versus single jobholding and time to RTW for workers with a work-related musculoskeletal disorder (MSD). Methods We used administrative workers’ compensation data to identify injured workers with an accepted MSD lost-time claim between 2010–2014 in British Columbia, Canada (n = 125,639 SJHs and 9,029 MJHs). The outcome was days until RTW during twelve months after the first day of time-loss. The MJH and SJH cohorts were balanced using coarsened exact matching that yielded a final matched cohort of 8,389 MJHs and 8,389 SJHs. The outcome was estimated with Cox regression, using piecewise models, and the hazard ratios were stratified by type of MSD, a serious injury indicator, gender, weekly workdays preceding MSD, and wage categories. Results MJHs were less likely to RTW compared to SJHs within the first six months after the first time-loss day, with greater and longer lasting effects for males, workers with a serious injury, and a higher wage. No difference between MJHs and SJHs was found for workers who had a six- or seven-day work week preceding MSD, for workers with dislocations, and for workers who were still off work after six months. Conclusions Overall, MJHs with a workweek of maximum five days are disadvantaged compared to SJHs in terms of RTW following a work-related MSD within the first six months after the first time-loss day. This difference might be caused by more precarious job contracts for MJHs that challenges RTW because of lack of support for modified work, higher workload, and reduced likelihood that MJHs file a workers’ compensation claim. Despite adjusting for type of MSD, severity of injury and occupation, the differences persisted for the vast majority of the study sample. PMID:29614128

  14. Overview of a multi-stakeholder dialogue around Shared Services for Health: the Digital Health Opportunity in Bangladesh.

    PubMed

    Ashraf, Sania; Moore, Carolyn; Gupta, Vaibhav; Chowdhury, Anir; Azad, Abul K; Singh, Neelu; Hagan, David; Labrique, Alain B

    2015-12-09

    National level policymaking and implementation includes multiple stakeholders with varied interests and priorities. Multi-stakeholder dialogues (MSDs) can facilitate consensus building through collective identification of challenges, recognition of shared goals and interests, and creation of solution pathways. This can shape joint planning and implementation for long-term efficiency in health and other sectors. Scaling up the effective use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) requires cohesive strategic planning towards a shared goal. In Bangladesh, the government and partners convened an MSD in March 2015 to increase stakeholder engagement in policymaking and implementation of a national ICT or electronic or mobile health (eHealth or mHealth) strategy, which seeks to incorporate ICTs into the national health system, aligning with the Digital Bangladesh Vision 2021. Relevant stakeholders were identified and key priorities and challenges were mapped through key informant interviews. An MSD was conducted with key stakeholders in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The MSD included presentations, group option generation, agreement and prioritization of barriers to scaling up ICTs. The MSD approach to building consensus on key priorities highlights the value of dialogue and collaboration with relevant stakeholders to encourage country ownership of nationwide efforts such as ICT scale-up. This MSD showed the dynamic context in which stakeholders operate, including those from academia, donors and foundations, healthcare professionals, associations, multilateral organizations, non-governmental organizations, partner countries and the private sector. Through this MSD, participants improved understanding of each other's contributions and interests, identified existing relationships, and agreed on policy and implementation gaps that needed to be filled. Collaboration among stakeholders in ICT efforts and research can promote a cohesive approach to scaling up, as well as improve policymaking by integrating interests and feedback of different key cross sectoral actors. MSDs can align stakeholders to identify challenges and solution pathways, and lead to coordinated action and accountability for resources and results. In addition, the MSD template and approach has been useful to guide ICT scale up in Bangladesh and could be replicated in other contexts to facilitate multi-constituency, multi-sector collaboration.

  15. Tracer particles in two-dimensional elastic networks diffuse logarithmically slow

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lizana, Ludvig; Ambjörnsson, Tobias; Lomholt, Michael A.

    2017-01-01

    Several experiments on tagged molecules or particles in living systems suggest that they move anomalously slow—their mean squared displacement (MSD) increase slower than linearly with time. Leading models aimed at understanding these experiments predict that the MSD grows as a power law with a growth exponent that is smaller than unity. However, in some experiments the growth is so slow (fitted exponent  ˜0.1-0.2) that they hint towards other mechanisms at play. In this paper, we theoretically demonstrate how in-plane collective modes excited by thermal fluctuations in a two dimensional membrane lead to logarithmic time dependence for the the tracer particle’s MSD.

  16. Extracting quantitative measures from EAP: a small clinical study using BFOR.

    PubMed

    Hosseinbor, A Pasha; Chung, Moo K; Wu, Yu-Chien; Fleming, John O; Field, Aaron S; Alexander, Andrew L

    2012-01-01

    The ensemble average propagator (EAP) describes the 3D average diffusion process of water molecules, capturing both its radial and angular contents, and hence providing rich information about complex tissue microstructure properties. Bessel Fourier orientation reconstruction (BFOR) is one of several analytical, non-Cartesian EAP reconstruction schemes employing multiple shell acquisitions that have recently been proposed. Such modeling bases have not yet been fully exploited in the extraction of rotationally invariant q-space indices that describe the degree of diffusion anisotropy/restrictivity. Such quantitative measures include the zero-displacement probability (P(o)), mean squared displacement (MSD), q-space inverse variance (QIV), and generalized fractional anisotropy (GFA), and all are simply scalar features of the EAP. In this study, a general relationship between MSD and q-space diffusion signal is derived and an EAP-based definition of GFA is introduced. A significant part of the paper is dedicated to utilizing BFOR in a clinical dataset, comprised of 5 multiple sclerosis (MS) patients and 4 healthy controls, to estimate P(o), MSD, QIV, and GFA of corpus callosum, and specifically, to see if such indices can detect changes between normal appearing white matter (NAWM) and healthy white matter (WM). Although the sample size is small, this study is a proof of concept that can be extended to larger sample sizes in the future.

  17. Case Study: Installation and Monitoring of Green Infrastructure Stormwater Controls in Louisville, Kentucky

    EPA Science Inventory

    In 2005, the Louisville and Jefferson County Metropolitan Sewer District (MSD) entered into a Consent Decree with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection, and the U.S. Department of Justice. In 2009, MSD submitted the Inte...

  18. Berkeley Lab - Materials Sciences Division

    Science.gov Websites

    Synthesis Condensed Matter and Materials Physics Scattering and Instrumentation Science Centers Center for Berkeley Lab Berkeley Lab A-Z Index Phone Book Jobs Search DOE Search MSD Go MSD - Materials Sciences Division About Organization Contact Research Core Programs Materials Discovery, Design and

  19. Estimating the returns to United Kingdom publicly funded musculoskeletal disease research in terms of net value of improved health outcomes.

    PubMed

    Glover, Matthew; Montague, Erin; Pollitt, Alexandra; Guthrie, Susan; Hanney, Stephen; Buxton, Martin; Grant, Jonathan

    2018-01-10

    Building on an approach applied to cardiovascular and cancer research, we estimated the economic returns from United Kingdom public- and charitable-funded musculoskeletal disease (MSD) research that arise from the net value of the improved health outcomes in the United Kingdom. To calculate the economic returns from MSD-related research in the United Kingdom, we estimated (1) the public and charitable expenditure on MSD-related research in the United Kingdom between 1970 and 2013; (2) the net monetary benefit (NMB), derived from the health benefit in quality adjusted life years (QALYs) valued in monetary terms (using a base-case value of a QALY of £25,000) minus the cost of delivering that benefit, for a prioritised list of interventions from 1994 to 2013; (3) the proportion of NMB attributable to United Kingdom research; and (4) the elapsed time between research funding and health gain. The data collected from these four key elements were used to estimate the internal rate of return (IRR) from MSD-related research investments on health benefits. We analysed the uncertainties in the IRR estimate using a one-way sensitivity analysis. Expressed in 2013 prices, total expenditure on MSD-related research from 1970 to 2013 was £3.5 billion, and for the period used to estimate the rate of return, 1978-1997, was £1.4 billion. Over the period 1994-2013 the key interventions analysed produced 871,000 QALYs with a NMB of £16 billion, allowing for the net NHS costs resulting from them and valuing a QALY at £25,000. The proportion of benefit attributable to United Kingdom research was 30% and the elapsed time between funding and impact of MSD treatments was 16 years. Our best estimate of the IRR from MSD-related research was 7%, which is similar to the 9% for CVD and 10% for cancer research. Our estimate of the IRR from the net health gain to public and charitable funding of MSD-related research in the United Kingdom is substantial, and justifies the research investments made between 1978 and 1997. We also demonstrated the applicability of the approach previously used in assessing the returns from cardiovascular and cancer research. Inevitably, with a study of this kind, there are a number of important assumptions and caveats that we highlight, and these can inform future research.

  20. Unrelated donor versus matched sibling donor in adults with acute myeloid leukemia in first relapse: an ALWP-EBMT study.

    PubMed

    Ruggeri, Annalisa; Battipaglia, Giorgia; Labopin, Myriam; Ehninger, Gerhard; Beelen, Dietrich; Tischer, Johanna; Ganser, Arnold; Schwerdtfeger, Rainer; Glass, Bertram; Finke, Jurgen; Michallet, Mauricette; Stelljes, Matthias; Jindra, Pavel; Arnold, Renate; Kröger, Nicolaus; Mohty, Mohamad; Nagler, Arnon

    2016-09-17

    Allogeneic stem cell transplantation is the only curative option for patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) experiencing relapse. Either matched sibling donor (MSD) or unrelated donor (UD) is indicated. We analyzed 1554 adults with AML transplanted from MSD (n = 961) or UD (n = 593, HLA-matched 10/10, n = 481; 9/10, n = 112). Compared to MSD, UD recipients were older (49 vs 52 years, p = 0.001), transplanted more recently (2009 vs 2006, p = 0.001), and with a longer interval to transplant (10 vs 9 months, p = 0.001). Conditioning regimen was more frequently myeloablative for patients transplanted with a MSD (61 vs 46 %, p = 0.001). Median follow-up was 28 (range 3-157) months. Cumulative incidence (CI) of neutrophil engraftment (p = 0.07), grades II-IV acute GVHD (p = 0.11), chronic GVHD (p = 0.9), and non-relapse mortality (NRM, p = 0.24) was not different according to the type of donor. At 2 years, CI of relapse (relapse incidence (RI)) was 57 vs 49 % (p = 0.001). Leukemia-free survival (LFS) at 2 years was 21 vs 26 % (p = 0.001), and overall survival (OS) was 26 vs 33 % (p = 0.004) for MSD vs UD, respectively. Chronic GVHD as time-dependent variable was associated with lower RI (HR 0.78, p = 0.05), higher NRM (HR 1.71, p = 0.001), and higher OS (HR 0.69, p = 0.001). According to HLA match, RI was 57 vs 50 vs 45 %, (p = 0.001) NRM was 23 vs 23 vs 29 % (p = 0.26), and LFS at 2 years was 21 vs 27 vs 25 % (p = 0.003) for MSD, 10/10, and 9/10 UD, respectively. In multivariate analysis adjusted for differences between the two groups, UD was associated with lower RI (HR 0.76, p = 0.001) and higher LFS (HR 0.83, p = 0.001) compared to MSD. Interval between diagnosis and transplant was the other factor associated with better outcomes (RI (HR 0.62, p < 0.001) and LFS (HR 0.67, p < 0.001)). Transplantation using UD was associated with better LFS and lower RI compared to MSD for high-risk patients with AML transplanted in first relapse.

  1. Prevalence and risk factors of musculoskeletal disorders among Sri Lankan rubber tappers

    PubMed Central

    de Silva, Vijitha; Tharindra, Hemajith; Ostbye, Truls

    2016-01-01

    Background Rubber tapping exposes workers to risk factors for musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). Objectives This cross-sectional study assessed the prevalence and factors associated with MSDs among Sri Lankan rubber tappers. Methods Questionnaires were administered to 300 rubber tappers to measure MSDs and potential associated factors. Ergonomic exposure levels were measured for 90 tappers using the Quick Exposure Check instrument. MSD prevalence and prevalence ratios were calculated using log-binomial regression. Results In the past 12 months, 66% of rubber tappers in our sample experienced an MSD. Ergonomic exposure levels were high or very high in the back (94.4%), shoulders (96.7%), and neck (83.3%). Being female, older, Tamil, working two jobs, alternating tapping hands, and depression were significantly associated with increased risk of MSDs. Conclusions MSDs are common among rubber tappers in Sri Lanka. These results suggest a need for work process modifications to prevent MSDs. PMID:27092589

  2. Comparable Outcomes after HLA-Matched Sibling and Alternative Donor Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation for Children with Fanconi Anemia and Severe Aplastic Anemia.

    PubMed

    Ebens, Christen L; DeFor, Todd E; Tryon, Rebecca; Wagner, John E; MacMillan, Margaret L

    2018-04-01

    Fanconi anemia (FA)-associated severe aplastic anemia (SAA) requires allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) for cure. With the evolution of conditioning regimens over time, outcomes of alternative donor HCT (AD-HCT) have improved dramatically. We compared outcomes of HLA-matched sibling donor HCT (MSD-HCT; n = 17) and AD-HCT (n = 57) performed for FA-associated SAA at a single institution between 2001 and 2016. Overall survival at 5 years was 94% for MSD-HCT versus 86% for AD-HCT, neutrophil engraftment was 100% versus 95%, platelet recovery was 100% versus 89%, grade II-IV acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) was 6% versus 12%, grade III-IV acute GVHD was 6% versus 4%, and chronic GVHD was 0 versus 7%, with no statistically significant differences by type of transplant. The use of UCB was associated with decreased rates of neutrophil recovery in AD-HCT and platelet recovery in both MSD-HCT and AD-HCT. A trend toward a higher serious infection density before day +100 post-HCT was observed in AD-HCT compared with MSD-HCT (P = .02). These data demonstrate that AD-HCT should be considered at the same time as MSD-HCT for patients with FA-associated SAA. Copyright © 2017 The American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. Is there a stronger graft-versus-leukemia effect using HLA-haploidentical donors compared with HLA-identical siblings?

    PubMed

    Ringdén, O; Labopin, M; Ciceri, F; Velardi, A; Bacigalupo, A; Arcese, W; Ghavamzadeh, A; Hamladji, R M; Schmid, C; Nagler, A; Mohty, M

    2016-02-01

    Haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplants (HSCTs) are increasingly used, but it is unknown whether they have a stronger graft-versus-leukemia (GVL) effect. We analyzed 10 679 acute leukemia patients who underwent HSCT from an HLA-matched sibling donor (MSD, n=9815) or a haploidentical donor (⩾2 HLA-antigen disparity, n=864) between 2007 and 2012, reported to the European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation. In a Cox regression model, acute and chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) was added as time-dependent variables. There was no difference in probability of relapse between recipients of haploidentical and MSD grafts. Factors of importance for relapse after T-cell-replete grafts included remission status at HSCT, Karnofsky score ⩽80, acute GVHD of grade II or higher and chronic GVHD (P<10(-5)). Patients with post-transplant cyclophosphamide (n=194) had similar outcome as other T-cell-replete haploidentical transplants (n=369). Non-relapse mortality was significantly higher in the haploidentical group compared with that in MSD patients (P<10(-5)). Leukemia-free survival was superior in the MSD patients receiving T-cell-replete (P<10(-5)) or T-cell-depleted grafts (P=0.0006). The risk of relapse was the same in acute leukemia patients who received haploidentical donor grafts as in those given MSD transplants, suggesting a similar GVL effect.

  4. Effects of Modified Simiao Decoction on IL-1 β and TNF α Secretion in Monocytic THP-1 Cells with Monosodium Urate Crystals-Induced Inflammation.

    PubMed

    Liu, Ya-Fei; Tu, Sheng-Hao; Chen, Zhe; Wang, Yu; Hu, Yong-Hong; Dong, Hui

    2014-01-01

    Simiao pill, a Chinese herbal formula containing four herbs, has been used in the treatment of gouty arthritis for many years. The aim of this study was to explore the effects of modified Simiao decoction (MSD) on IL-1 β and TNF α secretion in monocytic THP-1 cells with monosodium urate (MSU) crystals-induced inflammation. The MSU crystals-induced inflammation model in THP-1 cells was successfully established by the stimulation of phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) and MSU crystals. Then, the MSD-derived serum or control serum extracted from rat was administered to different treatment groups. The morphology of MSU crystals and THP-1 cells was observed. IL-1 β and TNF α protein expression in supernatant of THP-1 cells were determined by ELISA. Our data demonstrated that MSU crystals induced time-dependent increase of IL-1 β and TNF α . Moreover, MSD significantly decreased IL-1 β release in THP-1 cells with MSU crystals-induced inflammation. These results suggest that MSD is promising in the treatment of MSU crystals-induced inflammation in THP-1 cells. MSD may act as an anti-IL-1 agent in treating gout. The underlying mechanism may be related to NALP3 inflammasome which needs to be validated in future studies.

  5. Effects of Modified Simiao Decoction on IL-1β and TNFα Secretion in Monocytic THP-1 Cells with Monosodium Urate Crystals-Induced Inflammation

    PubMed Central

    Liu, Ya-Fei; Tu, Sheng-Hao; Chen, Zhe; Wang, Yu; Hu, Yong-Hong; Dong, Hui

    2014-01-01

    Simiao pill, a Chinese herbal formula containing four herbs, has been used in the treatment of gouty arthritis for many years. The aim of this study was to explore the effects of modified Simiao decoction (MSD) on IL-1β and TNFα secretion in monocytic THP-1 cells with monosodium urate (MSU) crystals-induced inflammation. The MSU crystals-induced inflammation model in THP-1 cells was successfully established by the stimulation of phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) and MSU crystals. Then, the MSD-derived serum or control serum extracted from rat was administered to different treatment groups. The morphology of MSU crystals and THP-1 cells was observed. IL-1β and TNFα protein expression in supernatant of THP-1 cells were determined by ELISA. Our data demonstrated that MSU crystals induced time-dependent increase of IL-1β and TNFα. Moreover, MSD significantly decreased IL-1β release in THP-1 cells with MSU crystals-induced inflammation. These results suggest that MSD is promising in the treatment of MSU crystals-induced inflammation in THP-1 cells. MSD may act as an anti-IL-1 agent in treating gout. The underlying mechanism may be related to NALP3 inflammasome which needs to be validated in future studies. PMID:24999366

  6. Studying the association between musculoskeletal disorders, quality of life and mental health. A primary care pilot study in rural Crete, Greece

    PubMed Central

    2009-01-01

    Background The burden of musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) on the general health and well-being of the population has been documented in various studies. The objective of this study was to explore the association between MSD and the quality of life and mental health of patients and to discuss issues concerning care seeking patterns in rural Greece. Methods Patients registered at one rural Primary Care Centre (PCC) in Crete were invited to complete the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ) for the analysis of musculoskeletal symptoms, together with validated instruments for measuring health related quality of life (SF-36) and mental distress (GHQ-28). Results The prevalence rate of MSD was found to be 71.2%, with low back and knee pain being the most common symptoms. Most conditions significantly impaired the quality of life, especially the physical dimensions of SF-36. Depression was strongly correlated to most MSD (p < 0.001). Multiple logistic analyses revealed that patients who consulted the PCC due to MSD were likely to have more mental distress or impaired physical functioning compared to those who did not. Conclusion Musculoskeletal disorders were common in patients attending the rural PCC of this study and were associated with a poor quality of life and mental distress that affected their consultation behaviour. PMID:19930570

  7. Workers' experiences with compensated sick leave due to musculoskeletal disorder: a qualitative study.

    PubMed

    Choi, Min; Kim, Hyoung-Ryoul; Lee, Jinwoo; Lee, Hye-Eun; Byun, Junsu; Won, Jong Uk

    2014-01-01

    The most common occupational disease that is compensated by Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance (IACI) in Korea is musculoskeletal disease (MSD). Although complaints about the workers' compensation system have been raised by injured workers with MSD, studies that examine workers' experiences with the Korean system are rare. This paper is a qualitative study designed to examine injured workers' experiences with the workers' compensation system in Korea. The aim of this study is to explore the drawbacks of the workers' compensation system and to suggest ways to improve this system. All workers from an automobile parts factory in Anseong, GyeongGi province who were compensated for MSD by IACI from January 2003 to August 2013 were invited to participate. Among these 153 workers, 142 workers completed the study. Semi-structured open-ended interviews and questionnaires were administered by occupational physicians. The responses of 131 workers were analyzed after excluding 11 workers, 7 of whom provided incomplete answers and 4 of whom were compensated by accidental injury. Based on their age, disease, department of employment, and compensation time, 16 of these 131 workers were invited to participate in an individual in-depth interview. In-depth interviews were conducted by one of 3 occupational physicians until the interview contents were saturated. Injured workers with MSD reported that the workers' compensation system was intimidating. These workers suffered more emotional distress than physical illness due to the workers' compensation system. Injured workers reported that they were treated inadequately and remained isolated for most of the recuperation period. The compensation period was terminated without ample guidance or a plan for an appropriate rehabilitation process. Interventions to alleviate the negative experiences of injured workers, including quality control of the medical care institutions and provisions for mental and psychological care for injured workers, are needed to help injured workers return to work earlier and more healthy.

  8. VIP in construction: systematic development and evaluation of a multifaceted health programme aiming to improve physical activity levels and dietary patterns among construction workers

    PubMed Central

    2012-01-01

    Background The prevalence of both overweight and musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) in the construction industry is high. Many interventions in the occupational setting aim at the prevention and reduction of these health problems, but it is still unclear how these programmes should be designed. To determine the effectiveness of interventions on these health outcomes randomised controlled trials (RCTs) are needed. The aim of this study is to systematically develop a tailored intervention for prevention and reduction of overweight and MSD among construction workers and to describe the evaluation study regarding its (cost-)effectiveness. Methods/Design The Intervention Mapping (IM) protocol was applied to develop and implement a tailored programme aimed at the prevention and reduction of overweight and MSD. The (cost-) effectiveness of the intervention programme will be evaluated using an RCT. Furthermore, a process evaluation will be conducted. The research population will consist of blue collar workers of a large construction company in the Netherlands. Intervention The intervention programme will be aimed at improving (vigorous) physical activity levels and healthy dietary behaviour and will consist of tailored information, face-to-face and telephone counselling, training instruction (a fitness "card" to be used for exercises), and materials designed for the intervention (overview of the company health promoting facilities, waist circumference measuring tape, pedometer, BMI card, calorie guide, recipes, and knowledge test). Main study parameters/endpoints The intervention effect on body weight and waist circumference (primary outcome measures), as well as on lifestyle behaviour, MSD, fitness, CVD risk indicators, and work-related outcomes (i.e. productivity, sick leave) (secondary outcome measures) will be assessed. Discussion The development of the VIP in construction intervention led to a health programme tailored to the needs of construction workers. This programme, if proven effective, can be directly implemented. Trial registration Netherlands Trial Register (NTR): NTR2095 PMID:22289212

  9. Evaluation of the multi-seeded (msd) mutant of sorghum for ethanol production

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Grain sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench], a cost effective crop in semiarid regions, is an underestimated supplement to corn in starch based ethanol production. Twenty three multi-seeded (msd) mutant sorghums and one wild type sorghum BTx623 were evaluated for ethanol production and effect of che...

  10. 17 CFR 240.15Ba2-1 - Application for registration of municipal securities dealers which are banks or separately...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... Board), shall be filed with the Commission on Form MSD (§ 249.950 of this chapter), in accordance with... inaccurate for any reason, applicant shall promptly file an amendment on Form MSD (§ 249.950 of this chapter...

  11. Characterization of a multi-seeded (msd) mutant of sorghum that displays significant enhancement in seed number

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) cultivars and germplasm display branched inflorescence or panicle, characterized by spikelets composed of a single sessile, fertile floret that develop into viable seed and one or two adjacent sterile pedicellate florets (Monoseeded [MSD] trait). Based on total nu...

  12. Case Study: Installation and Monitoring of Green Infrastructure Stormwater Controls in Louisville, Kentucky (Abstract)

    EPA Science Inventory

    In 2005, the Louisville and Jefferson County Metropolitan Sewer District (MSD) entered into a Consent Decree with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Kentucky Dept. of Environmental Protection, and the U.S. Department of Justice. In 2009, the MSD submitted the Integr...

  13. Case Study: Installation and Monitoring of Green Infrastructure Stormwater Controls in Louisville, Kentucky - slides

    EPA Science Inventory

    In 2005, the Louisville and Jefferson County Metropolitan Sewer District (MSD) entered into a Consent Decree with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection, and the U.S. Department of Justice. MSD committed to monitor the pe...

  14. 18 CFR 1304.401 - Marine sanitation devices.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-04-01

    ... 18 Conservation of Power and Water Resources 2 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Marine sanitation... Miscellaneous § 1304.401 Marine sanitation devices. No person operating a commercial boat dock permitted under... equipped with a marine sanitation device (MSD) unless such MSD is in compliance with all applicable...

  15. 18 CFR 1304.401 - Marine sanitation devices.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 18 Conservation of Power and Water Resources 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Marine sanitation... Miscellaneous § 1304.401 Marine sanitation devices. No person operating a commercial boat dock permitted under... equipped with a marine sanitation device (MSD) unless such MSD is in compliance with all applicable...

  16. 18 CFR 1304.401 - Marine sanitation devices.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-04-01

    ... 18 Conservation of Power and Water Resources 2 2013-04-01 2012-04-01 true Marine sanitation... Miscellaneous § 1304.401 Marine sanitation devices. No person operating a commercial boat dock permitted under... equipped with a marine sanitation device (MSD) unless such MSD is in compliance with all applicable...

  17. 18 CFR 1304.401 - Marine sanitation devices.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-04-01

    ... 18 Conservation of Power and Water Resources 2 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Marine sanitation... Miscellaneous § 1304.401 Marine sanitation devices. No person operating a commercial boat dock permitted under... equipped with a marine sanitation device (MSD) unless such MSD is in compliance with all applicable...

  18. 18 CFR 1304.401 - Marine sanitation devices.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... 18 Conservation of Power and Water Resources 2 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Marine sanitation... Miscellaneous § 1304.401 Marine sanitation devices. No person operating a commercial boat dock permitted under... equipped with a marine sanitation device (MSD) unless such MSD is in compliance with all applicable...

  19. Berkeley Lab - Materials Sciences Division

    Science.gov Websites

    Computational Study of Excited-State Phenomena in Energy Materials Center for X-ray Optics MSD Facilities Ion Excited-State Phenomena in Energy Materials Center for X-ray Optics MSD Facilities Ion Beam Analysis Behavior of Lithium Metal across a Rigid Block Copolymer Electrolyte Membrane. Journal of the

  20. Potential of multiseeded mutant (msd) to boost sorghum grain yield

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Seed number per plant is an important determinant of the grain yield in cereal and other crops. We have isolated a class of multiseeded (msd) sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) mutants that are capable of producing three times the seed number and twice the seed weight per panicle as compared with t...

  1. Classification of Professional Values Based on Motivational Content: An Exploratory Study on Italian Adolescents

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pallini, Susanna; Bove, Giuseppe; Laghi, Fiorenzo

    2011-01-01

    This study applies a multidimensional scaling (MSD) technique to investigate the structural validity of the Work Values Inventory for Adolescents with a sample of Italian students. The MSD results indicated the presence of two underlying orthogonal dimensions: individuality versus sociality and conservation versus exploration. Implications for…

  2. Mainstream Teachers' Experiences of Communicating with Students with Multiple and Severe Disabilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    De Bortoli, Tania; Balandin, Susan; Foreman, Phil; Arthur-Kelly, Michael; Mathisen, Bernice

    2012-01-01

    The aim of this study was to explore regular teachers' perceptions and experiences of supports and obstacles to communicative interactions for students with multiple and severe disabilities (MSD). Five teachers of students with MSD participated in two in-depth interviews. Interview transcripts were analysed using content analysis. Transcripts were…

  3. Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease Preliminarily Diagnosed as Hypochondriasis.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Davidson, Michael Jay; And Others

    1990-01-01

    A case in which a dental student with hand, foot, and mouth disease was told he had "medical student disease" (MSD), or hypochondriasis, is related; literature pertaining to the occurrence and treatment of MSD is reviewed, and the importance of care in approaches to both students and patients are discussed. (MSE)

  4. Berkeley Lab - Materials Sciences Division

    Science.gov Websites

    Synthesis Condensed Matter and Materials Physics Scattering and Instrumentation Science Centers Center for materials and phenomena at multiple time and length scales. Through our core programs and research centers Berkeley Lab Berkeley Lab A-Z Index Phone Book Jobs Search DOE Search MSD Go MSD - Materials

  5. On decoding of multi-level MPSK modulation codes

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Lin, Shu; Gupta, Alok Kumar

    1990-01-01

    The decoding problem of multi-level block modulation codes is investigated. The hardware design of soft-decision Viterbi decoder for some short length 8-PSK block modulation codes is presented. An effective way to reduce the hardware complexity of the decoder by reducing the branch metric and path metric, using a non-uniform floating-point to integer mapping scheme, is proposed and discussed. The simulation results of the design are presented. The multi-stage decoding (MSD) of multi-level modulation codes is also investigated. The cases of soft-decision and hard-decision MSD are considered and their performance are evaluated for several codes of different lengths and different minimum squared Euclidean distances. It is shown that the soft-decision MSD reduces the decoding complexity drastically and it is suboptimum. The hard-decision MSD further simplifies the decoding while still maintaining a reasonable coding gain over the uncoded system, if the component codes are chosen properly. Finally, some basic 3-level 8-PSK modulation codes using BCH codes as component codes are constructed and their coding gains are found for hard decision multistage decoding.

  6. Prevalence and predictors for musculoskeletal discomfort in Malaysian office workers: Investigating explanatory factors for a developing country.

    PubMed

    Maakip, Ismail; Keegel, Tessa; Oakman, Jodi

    2016-03-01

    Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are a major occupational health issue for workers in developed and developing countries, including Malaysia. Most research related to MSDs has been undertaken in developed countries; given the different regulatory and cultural practices it is plausible that contributions of hazard and risk factors may be different. A population of Malaysian public service office workers were surveyed (N = 417, 65.5% response rate) to determine prevalence and associated predictors of MSD discomfort. The 6-month period prevalence of MSD discomfort was 92.8% (95%CI = 90.2-95.2%). Akaike's Information Criterion (AIC) analyses was used to compare a range of models and determine a model of best fit. Contributions associated with MSD discomfort in the final model consisted of physical demands (61%), workload (14%), gender (13%), work-home balance (9%) and psychosocial factors (3%). Factors associated with MSD discomfort were similar in developed and developing countries but the relative contribution of factors was different, providing insight into future development of risk management strategies. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

  7. Inflammation reduces physiological tissue tolerance in the development of work-related musculoskeletal disorders.

    PubMed

    Barr, Ann E; Barbe, Mary F

    2004-02-01

    Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) cause substantial worker discomfort, disability and loss of productivity. Due to the difficulty in analyzing the tissues of patients in the early stages of work-related MSD, there is controversy concerning the pathomechanisms of the development of these disorders. The pathophysiology of work-related MSD can be studied more easily in animal models. The purpose of this review is to relate theories of the development of tissue injury due to repeated motion to findings of recent investigations in animals that address the role of the inflammatory response in propagating tissue injury and contributing to chronic or recurring tissue injury. These tissue effects are related to behavioral indicators of discomfort and movement dysfunction with the aim of clarifying key time points for specific intervention approaches. The results from animal models of MSD are discussed in the light of findings in patients, whose tissues are examined at a much later phase of MSD development. Finally, a conceptual model of the potentially negative impact of inflammation on tissue tolerance is proposed along with suggestions for future research directions.

  8. Transvaginal ultrasound in threatened abortions with empty gestational sacs.

    PubMed

    Tongsong, T; Wanapirak, C; Srisomboon, J; Sirichotiyakul, S; Polsrisuthikul, T; Pongsatha, S

    1994-09-01

    To determine whether transvaginal ultrasound criteria alone can distinguish viable from non-viable gestational sacs at a single examination. A prospective descriptive study was undertaken and analysis performed on 211 pregnancies complicated by threatened abortion and empty gestation sacs diagnosed by transvaginal ultrasound. The main outcome measure was the final diagnosis of viable or non-viable gestation on subsequent transvaginal sonography. The study shows that a single transvaginal ultrasound examination is useful in differentiating viable from non-viable gestation sacs. The mean sac diameter (MSD) was found to be the most useful criterion for determining non-viability. An MSD of > or = 17 mm that lacked an embryo and an MSD of > or = 13 mm without visible yolk sac were reliable predictors of non-viable gestation sacs at a single examination with 100% specificity and 100% positive predictive value. An MSD > or = 13 mm without visible yolk sac was the most sensitive criterion. Using MSD criteria, 73% of non-viable gestations could be reliably identified without any false-positive diagnoses. Deformed shape, low position and thin decidual reaction are strong indicators of non-viable gestations but are not 100% accurate. There is still a significant proportion of empty sacs, where no accurate distinction between viable and non-viable can be made according to one criterion at a single examination and in these cases serial examinations should be carried out before any active management is advocated. In most cases, transvaginal sonographic criteria alone can distinguish viable from non-viable empty gestational sacs at a single examination.

  9. Musculoskeletal disorders and skin disease among workers in a Japanese CD manufacturing plant.

    PubMed

    Smith, Derek Richard; Takeda, Yasuhisa; Mizutani, Takashi; Yamagata, Zentaro

    2002-12-01

    We investigated the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) and skin disease within a Japanese compact disk (CD) manufacturing plant. For this study, a stratified cross-section of workers completed self-reported questionnaires distributed over a 6-month time period. Low back pain (LBP) was the most commonly reported category (affecting 20.1%), followed by MSD of the shoulder (15.4%), neck (10.1%) and head (5.4%). Dermatitis was the most frequent skin disease (affecting 8.1%), followed by eczema (3.4%), acne (3.4%) and xerosis (2.7%). The odds of suffering neck MSD was 10.8 times higher among staff who sat in a chair all day (95% CI 1.8-112.8, P < 0.05). Standing all day was also a risk factor for this condition (OR 8.2, 95% CI 1.2-81.7, P < 0.05). Female gender increased the risk of shoulder MSD 4.3 fold (95% CI 1.4-13.7, P < 0.05), as did alcohol consumption (OR 3.3, 95% CI 1.1-11.9, P < 0.05). The odds of suffering any skin disease were significantly enhanced by working longer than 12 months in one's current job (OR 10.7, 95% CI 1.5-7.3, P < 0.05) and having a history of atopic disease (OR 7.2, 95% CI 2.6-21.4, P < 0.001). Overall, the staff within our study reported generally lower levels of MSD and skin disease than in previous investigations of other workplaces.

  10. Comparison of outcomes of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation without chemotherapy conditioning by using matched sibling and unrelated donors for treatment of severe combined immunodeficiency.

    PubMed

    Dvorak, Christopher C; Hassan, Amel; Slatter, Mary A; Hönig, Manfred; Lankester, Arjan C; Buckley, Rebecca H; Pulsipher, Michael A; Davis, Jeffrey H; Güngör, Tayfun; Gabriel, Melissa; Bleesing, Jacob H; Bunin, Nancy; Sedlacek, Petr; Connelly, James A; Crawford, David F; Notarangelo, Luigi D; Pai, Sung-Yun; Hassid, Jake; Veys, Paul; Gennery, Andrew R; Cowan, Morton J

    2014-10-01

    Patients with severe combined immunodeficiency disease who have matched sibling donors (MSDs) can proceed to hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) without conditioning chemotherapy. We sought to determine whether the results of HCT without chemotherapy-based conditioning from matched unrelated donors (URDs), either from volunteer adults or umbilical cord blood, are comparable with those from MSDs. We performed a multicenter survey of severe combined immunodeficiency transplantation centers in North America, Europe, and Australia to compile retrospective data on patients who have undergone unconditioned HCT from either URDs (n = 37) or MSDs (n = 66). Most patients undergoing URD HCT (92%) achieved donor T-cell engraftment compared with 97% for those with MSDs; however, estimated 5-year overall and event-free survival were worse for URD recipients (71% and 60%, respectively) compared with MSD recipients (92% and 89%, respectively; P < .01 for both). URD recipients who received pre-HCT serotherapy had similar 5-year overall survival (100%) to MSD recipients. The incidences of grade II to IV acute and chronic graft-versus-host disease were higher in URD (50% and 39%, respectively) compared with MSD (22% and 5%, respectively) recipients (P < .01 for both). In the surviving patients there was no difference in T-cell reconstitution at the last follow-up between the URD and MSD recipients; however, MSD recipients were more likely to achieve B-cell reconstitution (72% vs 17%, P < .001). Unconditioned URD HCT achieves excellent rates of donor T-cell engraftment similar to that seen in MSD recipients, and reconstitution rates are adequate. However, only a minority will have myeloid and B-cell reconstitution, and attention must be paid to graft-versus-host disease prophylaxis. This approach might be safer in children ineligible for intense regimens to spare the potential complications of chemotherapy. Copyright © 2014 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Meta Salud Diabetes study protocol: a cluster-randomised trial to reduce cardiovascular risk among a diabetic population of Mexico

    PubMed Central

    Cornejo Vucovich, Elsa; Ingram, Maia; Valenica, Celina; Castro Vasquez, Maria del Carmen; Gonzalez-Fagoaga, Eduardo; Geurnsey de Zapien, Jill

    2018-01-01

    Introduction Northern Mexico has among the highest rates of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and diabetes in the world. This research addresses core gaps in implementation science to develop, test and scale-up CVD risk-reduction interventions in diabetics through a national primary care health system. Methods and analysis The Meta Salud Diabetes (MSD) research project is a parallel two-arm cluster-randomised clinical behavioural trial based in 22 (n=22) health centres in Sonora, Mexico. MSD aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the MSD intervention for the secondary prevention of CVD risk factors among a diabetic population (n=320) compared with the study control of usual care. The MSD intervention consists of 2-hour class sessions delivered over a 13-week period providing educational information to encourage sustainable behavioural change to prevent disease complications including the adoption of physical activity. MSD is delivered within the context of Mexico’s national primary care health centre system by health professionals, including nurses, physicians and community health workers via existing social support groups for individuals diagnosed with chronic disease. Mixed models are used to estimate the effect of MSD by comparing cardiovascular risk, as measured by the Framingham Risk Score, between the trial arms. Secondary outcomes include hypertension, behavioural risk factors and psychosocial factors. Ethics and dissemination This work is supported by the National Institutes of Health, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (1R01HL125996-01) and approved by the University of Arizona Research Institutional Review Board (Protocol 1508040144) and the Research Bioethics Committee at the University of Sonora. The first Internal Review Board approval date was 31 August 2015 with five subsequent approved amendments. This article refers to protocol V.0.2, dated 30 January 2017. Results will be disseminated via peer-reviewed publication and presentation at international conferences and will be shared through meetings with health systems officials. Trial registration number NCT0280469; Pre-results. PMID:29530914

  12. Quantitative PCR for detection of Shigella improves ascertainment of Shigella burden in children with moderate-to-severe diarrhea in low-income countries.

    PubMed

    Lindsay, Brianna; Ochieng, John B; Ikumapayi, Usman N; Toure, Aliou; Ahmed, Dilruba; Li, Shan; Panchalingam, Sandra; Levine, Myron M; Kotloff, Karen; Rasko, David A; Morris, Carolyn R; Juma, Jane; Fields, Barry S; Dione, Michel; Malle, Dramane; Becker, Stephen M; Houpt, Eric R; Nataro, James P; Sommerfelt, Halvor; Pop, Mihai; Oundo, Joe; Antonio, Martin; Hossain, Anowar; Tamboura, Boubou; Stine, O Colin

    2013-06-01

    Estimates of the prevalence of Shigella spp. are limited by the suboptimal sensitivity of current diagnostic and surveillance methods. We used a quantitative PCR (qPCR) assay to detect Shigella in the stool samples of 3,533 children aged <59 months from the Gambia, Mali, Kenya, and Bangladesh, with or without moderate-to-severe diarrhea (MSD). We compared the results from conventional culture to those from qPCR for the Shigella ipaH gene. Using MSD as the reference standard, we determined the optimal cutpoint to be 2.9 × 10(4) ipaH copies per 100 ng of stool DNA for set 1 (n = 877). One hundred fifty-eight (18%) specimens yielded >2.9 × 10(4) ipaH copies. Ninety (10%) specimens were positive by traditional culture for Shigella. Individuals with ≥ 2.9 × 10(4) ipaH copies have 5.6-times-higher odds of having diarrhea than those with <2.9 × 10(4) ipaH copies (95% confidence interval, 3.7 to 8.5; P < 0.0001). Nearly identical results were found using an independent set of samples. qPCR detected 155 additional MSD cases with high copy numbers of ipaH, a 90% increase from the 172 cases detected by culture in both samples. Among a subset (n = 2,874) comprising MSD cases and their age-, gender-, and location-matched controls, the fraction of MSD cases that were attributable to Shigella infection increased from 9.6% (n = 129) for culture to 17.6% (n = 262) for qPCR when employing our cutpoint. We suggest that qPCR with a cutpoint of approximately 1.4 × 10(4) ipaH copies be the new reference standard for the detection and diagnosis of shigellosis in children in low-income countries. The acceptance of this new standard would substantially increase the fraction of MSD cases that are attributable to Shigella.

  13. Dimerization of glycoprotein Ibα is not sufficient to induce platelet clearance.

    PubMed

    Liang, X; Syed, A K; Russell, S R; Ware, J; Li, R

    2016-02-01

    ESSENTIALS: Many anti-glycoprotein (GP)Ibα antibodies induce platelet clearance in a dimer-dependent manner. Characterization of monoclonal antibodies that bind the mechanosensitive domain (MSD) of GPIbα. An anti-MSD antibody binds two copies of GPIbα in platelets but does not induce platelet clearance. The prevailing clustering model of GPIbα signaling is incorrect or needs revision. The mechanism of platelet clearance is not clear. Many antibodies binding the membrane-distal ligand-binding domain of glycoprotein (GP)Ibα induce rapid clearance of platelets and acute thrombocytopenia, which requires the bifurcated antibody structure. It was thought that binding of these antibodies induced lateral dimerization or clustering of GPIbα in the plasma membrane, which leads to downstream signaling and platelet clearance. However, many antibodies targeting GPIbβ and GPIX, which are associated with GPIbα in the GPIb-IX complex, do not induce platelet clearance, which is in contradiction to the clustering model. To test whether dimerization or clustering of GPIbα is sufficient to transmit the signal that leads to platelet clearance. We have recently raised several mAbs targeting the mechanosensitive domain (MSD) of GPIbα. Binding of these anti-MSD antibodies was characterized with biochemical methods. Their ability to stimulate platelets and induce platelet clearance in mice was assessed. Infusion of anti-MSD antibodies does not cause thrombocytopenia in mice. These antibodies show no detectable effects on platelet activation and aggregation in vitro. Further biochemical investigation showed that the anti-MSD antibody 3D1 binds two copies of GPIbα on the platelet surface. Therefore, lateral dimerization of GPIbα induced by antibody binding is not sufficient to initiate GPIb-IX signaling and induce platelet clearance. Our results suggest that a factor other than or in addition to clustering of GPIbα is required to induce platelet clearance. © 2015 International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis.

  14. Animal-related factors associated with moderate-to-severe diarrhea in children younger than five years in western Kenya: A matched case-control study

    PubMed Central

    Conan, Anne; O’Reilly, Ciara E.; Ogola, Eric; Ochieng, J. Benjamin; Blackstock, Anna J.; Omore, Richard; Ochieng, Linus; Moke, Fenny; Parsons, Michele B.; Xiao, Lihua; Roellig, Dawn; Farag, Tamer H.; Nataro, James P.; Kotloff, Karen L.; Levine, Myron M.; Mintz, Eric D.; Breiman, Robert F.; Cleaveland, Sarah

    2017-01-01

    Background Diarrheal disease remains among the leading causes of global mortality in children younger than 5 years. Exposure to domestic animals may be a risk factor for diarrheal disease. The objectives of this study were to identify animal-related exposures associated with cases of moderate-to-severe diarrhea (MSD) in children in rural western Kenya, and to identify the major zoonotic enteric pathogens present in domestic animals residing in the homesteads of case and control children. Methodology/Principal findings We characterized animal-related exposures in a subset of case and control children (n = 73 pairs matched on age, sex and location) with reported animal presence at home enrolled in the Global Enteric Multicenter Study in western Kenya, and analysed these for an association with MSD. We identified potentially zoonotic enteric pathogens in pooled fecal specimens collected from domestic animals resident at children’s homesteads. Variables that were associated with decreased risk of MSD were washing hands after animal contact (matched odds ratio [MOR] = 0.2; 95% CI 0.08–0.7), and presence of adult sheep that were not confined in a pen overnight (MOR = 0.1; 0.02–0.5). Variables that were associated with increased risk of MSD were increasing number of sheep owned (MOR = 1.2; 1.0–1.5), frequent observation of fresh rodent excreta (feces/urine) outside the house (MOR = 7.5; 1.5–37.2), and participation of the child in providing water to chickens (MOR = 3.8; 1.2–12.2). Of 691 pooled specimens collected from 2,174 domestic animals, 159 pools (23%) tested positive for one or more potentially zoonotic enteric pathogens (Campylobacter jejuni, C. coli, non-typhoidal Salmonella, diarrheagenic E. coli, Giardia, Cryptosporidium, or rotavirus). We did not find any association between the presence of particular pathogens in household animals, and MSD in children. Conclusions and significance Public health agencies should continue to promote frequent hand washing, including after animal contact, to reduce the risk of MSD. Future studies should address specific causal relations of MSD with sheep and chicken husbandry practices, and with the presence of rodents. PMID:28783751

  15. Physician practicing preferences for conventional or homeopathic medicines in elderly subjects with musculoskeletal disorders in the EPI3-MSD cohort

    PubMed Central

    Danno, Karine; Joubert, Clementine; Duru, Gerard; Vetel, Jean-Marie

    2014-01-01

    Background Musculoskeletal pain is common in elderly persons. Analgesic use is high in the elderly and may involve unacceptable risk in individuals with chronic pain. Our aim was to compare the socio-demographic characteristics of elderly subjects with musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) and to assess medication use and clinical evolution of musculoskeletal pain according to physician prescribing preference: homeopathy (Ho) group, conventional medicine (CM) group, or mixed prescription (MX) group. Methods The EPI3 study was a 1 year observational survey carried out among general practitioners in France between March 2007 and July 2008. This sub-analysis was carried out on elderly subjects aged ≥70 years from the original EPI3 cohort. Socio-demographic data were collected at inclusion using a self-administered patient questionnaire and medical data were recorded for each patient. Quality of life was measured using the Short Form-12 questionnaire. Patients completed a structured telephone interview on their functional status (evaluated with the QuickDash questionnaire, EIFEL scale or Lequesne index) within 72 hours of inclusion. This telephone interview was repeated at 1, 3, and 12 months. Drug exposure was also assessed during these interviews. Results 146 patients (mean age ± standard deviation: 75.8±4.8 years) were analyzed (80.1% female, 74.7% MSD of the spine or lower limbs, 64.4% chronic MSD). Patients in the CM and MX groups were 3.7 times or 2.5 times more likely (odds ratio [OR] =3.71, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.12–12.30; OR =2.52, 95% CI: 1.05–6.05; respectively) to have used non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) than those in the Ho group. In contrast, analgesic use was comparable in the three groups (OR =1.06 [CM versus Ho], 95% CI: 0.09–12.11; OR =0.34 [MX versus Ho], 95% CI: 0.07–1.57). Overall functional score evolution was similar in the three groups over time (P=0.16). Conclusion NSAID use was significantly higher in elderly MSD patients consulting a conventional practice general practitioner. In contrast, analgesic use and MSD evolution were similar in the three groups. Consulting a homeopathic physician for MSD management does not appear to represent a loss of therapeutic opportunity, and decreases the use of NSAIDs. PMID:25298739

  16. Physician practicing preferences for conventional or homeopathic medicines in elderly subjects with musculoskeletal disorders in the EPI3-MSD cohort.

    PubMed

    Danno, Karine; Joubert, Clementine; Duru, Gerard; Vetel, Jean-Marie

    2014-01-01

    Musculoskeletal pain is common in elderly persons. Analgesic use is high in the elderly and may involve unacceptable risk in individuals with chronic pain. Our aim was to compare the socio-demographic characteristics of elderly subjects with musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) and to assess medication use and clinical evolution of musculoskeletal pain according to physician prescribing preference: homeopathy (Ho) group, conventional medicine (CM) group, or mixed prescription (MX) group. The EPI3 study was a 1 year observational survey carried out among general practitioners in France between March 2007 and July 2008. This sub-analysis was carried out on elderly subjects aged ≥70 years from the original EPI3 cohort. Socio-demographic data were collected at inclusion using a self-administered patient questionnaire and medical data were recorded for each patient. Quality of life was measured using the Short Form-12 questionnaire. Patients completed a structured telephone interview on their functional status (evaluated with the QuickDash questionnaire, EIFEL scale or Lequesne index) within 72 hours of inclusion. This telephone interview was repeated at 1, 3, and 12 months. Drug exposure was also assessed during these interviews. 146 patients (mean age ± standard deviation: 75.8±4.8 years) were analyzed (80.1% female, 74.7% MSD of the spine or lower limbs, 64.4% chronic MSD). Patients in the CM and MX groups were 3.7 times or 2.5 times more likely (odds ratio [OR] =3.71, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.12-12.30; OR =2.52, 95% CI: 1.05-6.05; respectively) to have used non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) than those in the Ho group. In contrast, analgesic use was comparable in the three groups (OR =1.06 [CM versus Ho], 95% CI: 0.09-12.11; OR =0.34 [MX versus Ho], 95% CI: 0.07-1.57). Overall functional score evolution was similar in the three groups over time (P=0.16). NSAID use was significantly higher in elderly MSD patients consulting a conventional practice general practitioner. In contrast, analgesic use and MSD evolution were similar in the three groups. Consulting a homeopathic physician for MSD management does not appear to represent a loss of therapeutic opportunity, and decreases the use of NSAIDs.

  17. Musculoskeletal disorder risk factors among nursing professionals in low resource settings: a cross-sectional study in Uganda.

    PubMed

    Munabi, Ian G; Buwembo, William; Kitara, David L; Ochieng, Joseph; Mwaka, Erisa S

    2014-02-24

    Musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) constitute one of the main occupational hazards among health care workers. However, few epidemiological studies on work related MSD among nursing professionals have been carried out in Africa. The purpose of this study was to assess the work related musculoskeletal disorders and associated risk factors among nursing professionals in Uganda. This was a cross-sectional study of MSD among 880 nursing professionals from five selected hospitals in Uganda. Data was collected using a questionnaire adapted from the Dutch Musculoskeletal and Nordic Musculoskeletal questionnaires. Descriptive (mean, standard deviation and percentages) and inferential (Chi square test and logistic regression analysis) statistics were used to analyse data. Alpha level was set at p < 0.05. A total of 741 completed questionnaires were analysed (response rate 85.4%). The average age of the respondents was 35.4 (SD 10.7) years and a majority were female (85.7%). The average working hours per week was 43.7 (SD 18.9 hours). The 12-month period-prevalence of MSD at anybody site was 80.8%. The most common site of MSD was the lower back (61.9%). Significant risk factors for reported MSD included often working in a slightly bent posture (adjOR 2.25, 95% CI 1.20-4.26), often working in a slightly twisted posture for long (adjOR 1.97, 95% CI 1.03-3.77), mental exhaustion (adjOR 2.05, 95% CI 1.17-3.5), being absent from the work station for more than 6 months due to illness or an accident (adjO|R, 4.35, 95% CI 1.44-13.08) and feeling rested after a break (adjOR 2.09, 95% CI 1.16-3.76). Musculoskeletal disorders affect more than 80% of nursing professionals in Uganda with the most commonly, affected site being the lower back. Significant risk factors for MSD include; being absent from the work station for more than 6 months due to illness or an accident, working in awkward postures, pushing/pulling of heavy loads and mental exhaustion. There is a need for greater advocacy, better working conditions and adoption of strategies to reduce occupational injuries.

  18. Langevin equation with fluctuating diffusivity: A two-state model

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Miyaguchi, Tomoshige; Akimoto, Takuma; Yamamoto, Eiji

    2016-07-01

    Recently, anomalous subdiffusion, aging, and scatter of the diffusion coefficient have been reported in many single-particle-tracking experiments, though the origins of these behaviors are still elusive. Here, as a model to describe such phenomena, we investigate a Langevin equation with diffusivity fluctuating between a fast and a slow state. Namely, the diffusivity follows a dichotomous stochastic process. We assume that the sojourn time distributions of these two states are given by power laws. It is shown that, for a nonequilibrium ensemble, the ensemble-averaged mean-square displacement (MSD) shows transient subdiffusion. In contrast, the time-averaged MSD shows normal diffusion, but an effective diffusion coefficient transiently shows aging behavior. The propagator is non-Gaussian for short time and converges to a Gaussian distribution in a long-time limit; this convergence to Gaussian is extremely slow for some parameter values. For equilibrium ensembles, both ensemble-averaged and time-averaged MSDs show only normal diffusion and thus we cannot detect any traces of the fluctuating diffusivity with these MSDs. Therefore, as an alternative approach to characterizing the fluctuating diffusivity, the relative standard deviation (RSD) of the time-averaged MSD is utilized and it is shown that the RSD exhibits slow relaxation as a signature of the long-time correlation in the fluctuating diffusivity. Furthermore, it is shown that the RSD is related to a non-Gaussian parameter of the propagator. To obtain these theoretical results, we develop a two-state renewal theory as an analytical tool.

  19. MODEL SCHOOL DIVISION--A REPORT OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION, JUNE, 1967.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    HANSEN, CARL F.; NICKENS, NORMAN W.

    DESCRIBED IN THIS REPORT IS THE MODEL SCHOOL DIVISION (MSD) WHICH SERVES THE INNER-CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF WASHINGTON, D.C. FUNCTIONING AS A SEMI-AUTONOMOUS UNIT WITHIN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, MSD HAS AS ITS BASIC OBJECTIVES IMPROVING EDUCATIONAL QUALITY, SERVING THE SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY, STIMULATING SCHOOL-COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT,…

  20. An Evaluation of a Summer Reading Institute, 1968.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rosenfeld, Michael

    This document describes part of the evaluation of a six-week reading institute for 69 K-3 teachers from the Raymond School, Model School Division (MSD), Washington, D.C. and thereby provides an evaluation model for schools to use in their own inservice training programs. Two evaluation instruments developed by an MSD innovation team in cooperation…

  1. 76 FR 78253 - New York State Prohibition of Discharges of Vessel Sewage; Final Affirmative Determination

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-12-16

    ... holding tank, to a municipal wastewater treatment plant or to an on-site septic system. With 37 pumpouts... and install holding tanks for effluent. Such retrofitting is complicated due to the extremely limited... Sanitation Device (MSD) can be converted to a Type III MSD, commonly called a holding tank, which can be...

  2. Virtual Reality and Cellular Phones as a Complementary Intervention for Veterans with PTSD and Substance Use Disorders

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2011-10-01

    substance use disorders (SUDs). The novel intervention uses virtual reality as a cue exposure platform to extinguish cravings to drug-related cues...Pretreatment Posttreament Outcome Variable M(SD) M(SD) PTSD Symptoms, past month (CAPS) 82.4 (18.7) 42.9 (33.5) Nicotine (Fagerstrom) 8.00 (3.46

  3. Wavepacket dynamics in one-dimensional system with long-range correlated disorder

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yamada, Hiroaki S.

    2018-03-01

    We numerically investigate dynamical property in the one-dimensional tight-binding model with long-range correlated disorder having power spectrum 1 /fα (α: spectrum exponent) generated by Fourier filtering method. For relatively small α <αc (=2) time-dependence of mean square displacement (MSD) of the initially localized wavepacket shows ballistic spread and localizes as time elapses. It is shown that α-dependence of the dynamical localization length determined by the MSD exhibits a simple scaling law in the localization regime for the relatively weak disorder strength W. Furthermore, scaled MSD by the dynamical localization length almost obeys an universal function from the ballistic to the localization regime in the various combinations of the parameters α and W.

  4. A fracture criterion for widespread cracking in thin-sheet aluminum alloys

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Newman, J. C., Jr.; Dawicke, D. S.; Sutton, M. A.; Bigelow, C. A.

    1993-01-01

    An elastic-plastic finite-element analysis was used with a critical crack-tip-opening angle (CTOA) fracture criterion to model stable crack growth in thin-sheet 2024-T3 aluminum alloy panels with single and multiple-site damage (MSD) cracks. Comparisons were made between critical angles determined from the analyses and those measured with photographic methods. Calculated load against crack extension and load against crack-tip displacement on single crack specimens agreed well with test data even for large-scale plastic deformations. The analyses were also able to predict the stable tearing behavior of large lead cracks in the presence of stably tearing MSD cracks. Small MSD cracks significantly reduced the residual strength for large lead cracks.

  5. Guidelines For Utilizing Rain Gardens as a Stormwater Management Tool in the Metropolitan Sewer District of Greater Cincinnati (MSD) - Steps to Getting off of the Storwater "Grid"

    EPA Science Inventory

    Rain gardens are designed to capture and infiltrate rainwater in the landscape. These gardens are also called "rain water gardens". Rainwater is routed to the garden and filtered naturally by the plants and soils in the garden. This filtration process removes nutrients and poll...

  6. An IEP for Me: Program Improvement for Rural Teachers of Students with Moderate to Severe Disability and Autism Spectrum Disorder

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pennington, Robert C.

    2017-01-01

    Developing high-quality programming for students with moderate to severe disability (MSD) and/or autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can be challenging for teachers across the range of experience and training including those in rural contexts. This article outlines a process for the iterative refinement of teaching programs comprised of an evaluation…

  7. The ergonomics body posture on repetitive and heavy lifting activities of workers in aerospace manufacturing warehouse

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kamat, S. R.; Zula, N. E. N. Md; Rayme, N. S.; Shamsuddin, S.; Husain, K.

    2017-06-01

    Warehouse is an important entity in manufacturing organizations. It usually involves working activities that relate ergonomics risk factors including repetitive and heavy lifting activities. Aerospace manufacturing workers are prone of having musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) problems because of the manual handling activities. From the questionnaires is states that the workers may have experience discomforts experience during manual handling work. Thus, the objectives of this study are; to investigate the body posture and analyze the level of discomfort for body posture of the workers while performing the repetitive and heavy lifting activities that cause MSD problems and to suggest proper body posture and alternatives to reduce the MSD related problems. Methodology of this study involves interviews, questionnaires distribution, anthropometry measurements, RULA (Right Upper Limb Assessment) assessment sheet and CATIA V5 RULA analysis, NIOSH lifting index (LI) and recommended weight limit (RWL). Ten workers are selected for pilot study and as for anthropometry measurement all workers in the warehouse department were involved. From the first pilot study, the RULA assessment score in CATIA V5 shows the highest score which is 7 for all postures and results after improvement of working posture is very low hence, detecting weight of the material handling is not in recommendation. To reduce the risk of MSD through the improvisation of working posture, the weight limit is also calculated in order to have a RWL for each worker. Therefore, proposing a guideline for the aerospace workers involved with repetitive movement and excessive lifting will help in reducing the risk of getting MSD.

  8. Cellular responses to the expression of unstable secretory proteins in the filamentous fungus Aspergillus oryzae.

    PubMed

    Yokota, Jun-Ichi; Shiro, Daisuke; Tanaka, Mizuki; Onozaki, Yasumichi; Mizutani, Osamu; Kakizono, Dararat; Ichinose, Sakurako; Shintani, Tomoko; Gomi, Katsuya; Shintani, Takahiro

    2017-03-01

    Filamentous fungi are often used as cell factories for recombinant protein production because of their ability to secrete large quantities of hydrolytic enzymes. However, even using strong transcriptional promoters, yields of nonfungal proteins are generally much lower than those of fungal proteins. Recent analyses revealed that expression of certain nonfungal secretory proteins induced the unfolded protein response (UPR), suggesting that they are recognized as proteins with folding defects in filamentous fungi. More recently, however, even highly expressed endogenous secretory proteins were found to evoke the UPR. These findings raise the question of whether the unfolded or misfolded state of proteins is selectively recognized by quality control mechanisms in filamentous fungi. In this study, a fungal secretory protein (1,2-α-D-mannosidase; MsdS) with a mutation that decreases its thermostability was expressed at different levels in Aspergillus oryzae. We found that, at moderate expression levels, wild-type MsdS was secreted to the medium, while the mutant was not. In the strain with a deletion for the hrdA gene, which is involved in the endoplasmic reticulum-associated degradation pathway, mutant MsdS had specifically increased levels in the intracellular fraction but was not secreted. When overexpressed, the mutant protein was secreted to the medium to a similar extent as the wild-type protein; however, the mutant underwent hyperglycosylation and induced the UPR. Deletion of α-amylase (the most abundant secretory protein in A. oryzae) alleviated the UPR induction by mutant MsdS overexpression. These findings suggest that misfolded MsdS and unfolded species of α-amylase might act synergistically for UPR induction.

  9. The contribution of major diagnostic causes to socioeconomic differences in disability retirement.

    PubMed

    Polvinen, Anu; Laaksonen, Mikko; Gould, Raija; Lahelma, Eero; Martikainen, Pekka

    2014-07-01

    The aim of this study was twofold: to investigate socioeconomic differences in disability retirement (DR) due to major diseases and find out which diseases contribute most to the overall socioeconomic differences in DR. The data were longitudinal register-based (10% sample of Finns) from Statistics Finland. These data included 258 428 participants aged 35-64 years during the follow-up. The participants were employed or unemployed before the follow-up period 1997-2010. Of all participants, 14 303 men and 13 188 women ended up in DR during the follow-up. Socioeconomic status was categorized into upper- and lower-class non-manual employees, manual workers, and self-employed persons. Cox models were used to estimate hazard ratios for DR due to different diseases. Compared to upper-class non-manual employees, DR was especially high for manual workers whose retirement diagnoses included psychoactive substance use, musculoskeletal diseases (MSD), or cardiovascular diseases. Socioeconomic differences in DR were stronger for younger age groups and men versus women. For females and males, the largest part of the excess DR among manual workers compared to upper-class non-manual employees was due to MSD. In the age group 54-64 years, the contribution of MSD to the total excess was >50% among male manual workers and 75% among female manual workers. Excess DR due to mental disorders concerned only 35-54-year-old manual workers (among 23% men and 26% women). The contribution of MSD to the total excess DR among lower socioeconomic groups was large. Prevention of MSD among manual workers would likely reduce socioeconomic differences in DR.

  10. A descriptive study of U.S. OSHA penalties and inspection frequency for musculoskeletal disorders in the workplace.

    PubMed

    Courtney, T K; Clancy, E A

    1998-08-01

    Information on the frequency and cost of OSHA enforcement penalties for musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) in the literature is limited. Such information would be of value to organizations in estimating the likelihood and financial impact of enforcement activity in their operations. This descriptive study utilized data from federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) inspections to examine the distribution of penalty costs arising from inspections with MSD-related citations from January 1985 to June 1994 and to estimate the probability of OSHA inspection in general and OSHA citation for MSD hazards from October 1985 to September 1993. The mean and median values of proposed penalties were $47,707 and $3600 respectively. A substantial influence of 1991 changes to the penalty structure was noted with decreasing mean and increasing median penalty values. Penalty values increased with establishment size and were higher for unplanned than for planned inspections. The probability of a federal OSHA inspection for any establishment ranged from 1:50 in 1986 to 1:100 in 1993 whereas the estimated probability of an inspection with MSD-related citations ranged from 1:167,000 in 1996 to as much as 1:38,000 during the peak of enforcement activity in 1990. The probability of an inspection with MSD citations for the largest establishments during the period was more than 1000 times greater than that for the smallest. The results of this study may be utilized by organizations seeking to demonstrate the advantages of reducing musculoskeletal morbidity in the workplace.

  11. Comparison of Musculoskeletal Disorder Health Claims Between Construction Floor Layers and a General Working Population

    PubMed Central

    Dale, Ann Marie; Ryan, Daniel; Welch, Laura; Olsen, Margaret A.; Buchholz, Bryan; Evanoff, Bradley

    2014-01-01

    Objectives Compare rates of medical insurance claims for musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) between workers in a construction trade and a general worker population to determine if higher physical exposures in construction lead to higher rates of claims on personal medical insurance. Methods Health insurance claims between 2006 and 2010 from floor layers were frequency matched by age, gender, eligibility time, and geographic location to claims from insured workers in general industry obtained from MarketScan. We extracted MSD claims and dates of service from six regions of the body: neck, low back, knee, lower extremity, shoulder, and distal arm, and evaluated differences in claim rates. Results Fifty-one percent of floor layers (n=1,475) experienced musculoskeletal claims compared to 39% of MarketScan members (p<0.001). Claim rates were higher for floor layers across all body regions with nearly double the rate ratios for the knee and neck regions (RR: 2.10 and 2.07). The excess risk was greatest for the neck and low back regions; younger workers had disproportionately higher rates in the knee, neck, low back, and distal arm. A larger proportion of floor layers (22%) filed MSD claims in more than one body region compared to general workers (10%; p<0.001). Conclusions Floor layers have markedly higher rates of MSD claims compared to a general worker population, suggesting shifting of medical costs for work-related MSD to personal health insurance. The occurrence of disorders in multiple body regions and among the youngest workers highlights the need for improved work methods and tools for construction workers. PMID:25224720

  12. Developing a Satellite Educational Program for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students Residing in a Rural Setting.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Witt, Sheree; Howell, Ruth

    The Allegany County School System and the Maryland School for the Deaf (MSD) have collaborated to develop a satellite program that brings MSD educational services to hard-of-hearing and deaf elementary students in rural western Maryland. In the past 5 years, the number of hearing-impaired preschoolers in Allegany and Garrett Counties increased…

  13. Five Essential Features of Quality Educational Programs for Students with Moderate and Severe Intellectual Disability: A Guide for Administrators

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pennington, Robert; Courtade, Ginevra; Jones Ault, Melinda; Delano, Monica

    2016-01-01

    Despite encouraging changes in the expectations of programming for persons with moderate to severe intellectual disability (MSD), data suggest that programs for these individuals are still lacking in several critical areas. Building administrators play a key role in promoting high quality programs for students with MSD within local schools but may…

  14. 36 CFR 3.13 - What conditions apply to the use of Marine Sanitation Devices (MSD)?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 36 Parks, Forests, and Public Property 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false What conditions apply to the use of Marine Sanitation Devices (MSD)? 3.13 Section 3.13 Parks, Forests, and Public Property NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR BOATING AND WATER USE ACTIVITIES § 3.13 What conditions apply...

  15. 36 CFR 3.13 - What conditions apply to the use of Marine Sanitation Devices (MSD)?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 36 Parks, Forests, and Public Property 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false What conditions apply to the use of Marine Sanitation Devices (MSD)? 3.13 Section 3.13 Parks, Forests, and Public Property NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR BOATING AND WATER USE ACTIVITIES § 3.13 What conditions apply...

  16. Examination of postures and frequency of musculoskeletal disorders among manual workers in Calcutta, India.

    PubMed

    Sarkar, Krishnendu; Dev, Samrat; Das, Tamal; Chakrabarty, Sabarni; Gangopadhyay, Somnath

    2016-04-01

    Manual material handling (MMH) activities require workers to adopt various awkward postures leading to the development of musculoskeletal disorders (MSD). To investigate the postures adopted during heavy load handling and the frequency of MSDs among MMH workers in Calcutta, India. We conducted a cross-sectional study with 100 MMH workers. MSD frequency was assessed via the Standardized Nordic Questionnaire. The Ovako Working Posture Assessment System (OWAS) was used to analyze working posture. We used logistic regression to predict MSD risk factors. Ninety five percent of workers reported a MSD in at least one body part in the past 12 months. According to OWAS results, 83% of the analysed work postures require immediate corrective measures for worker safety. The most harmful posture was carrying a heavy load overhead. Carrying more than 120 kg increased the odds of low back and neck pain by 4.527 and 4.555, respectively. This sample had a high frequency of reported MSDs, likely attributed to physiologically strenuous occupational activities repeated on average of 30-40 times daily. Ergonomic interventions, such as the use of handcarts, and occupational training are urgently needed.

  17. Interannual Variability of the Bimodal Distribution of Summertime Rainfall Over Central America and Tropical Storm Activity in the Far-Eastern Pacific

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Curtis, Scott; Starr, David OC. (Technical Monitor)

    2002-01-01

    The summer climate of southern Mexico and Central America is characterized by a mid summer drought (MSD), where rainfall is reduced by 40% in July as compared to June and September. A mid-summer reduction in the climatological number of eastern Pacific tropical cyclones has also been noted. Little is understood about the climatology and interannual variability of these minima. The present study uses a novel approach to quantify the bimodal distribution of summertime rainfall for the globe and finds that this feature of the annual cycle is most extreme over Pan America and adjacent oceans. One dominant interannual signal in this region occurs the summer before a strong winter El Nino/Southern Oscillation ENSO. Before El Nino events the region is dry, the MSD is strong and centered over the ocean, and the mid-summer minimum in tropical cyclone frequency is most pronounced. This is significantly different from Neutral cases (non-El Nino and non-La Nina) when the MSD is weak and positioned over the land bridge. The MSD is highly variable for La Nina years, and there is not an obvious mid-summer minimum in the number of tropical cyclones.

  18. Musculoskeletal disorder risk as a function of vehicle rotation angle during assembly tasks.

    PubMed

    Ferguson, Sue A; Marras, Williams S; Gary Allread, W; Knapik, Gregory G; Vandlen, Kimberly A; Splittstoesser, Riley E; Yang, Gang

    2011-07-01

    Musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) are costly and common problem in automotive manufacturing. The research goal was to quantify MSD exposure as a function of vehicle rotation angle and region during assembly tasks. The study was conducted at the Center for Occupational Health in Automotive Manufacturing (COHAM) Laboratory. Twelve subjects participated in the study. The vehicle was divided into seven regions, (3 interior, 2 underbody and 2 engine regions) representative of work areas during assembly. Three vehicle rotation angles were examined for each region. The standard horizontal assembly condition (0° rotation) was the reference frame. Exposure was assessed on the spine loads and posture, shoulder posture and muscle activity, neck posture and muscle activity as well as wrist posture. In all regions, rotating the vehicle reduced musculoskeletal exposure. In five of the seven regions 45° of vehicle rotation represented the position that reduced MSD exposure most. Two of the seven regions indicated 90° of vehicle rotation had the greatest impact for reducing MSD exposure. This study demonstrated that vehicle rotation shows promise for reducing exposure to risk factors for MDS during automobile assembly tasks. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

  19. Aging ballistic Lévy walks

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Magdziarz, Marcin; Zorawik, Tomasz

    2017-02-01

    Aging can be observed for numerous physical systems. In such systems statistical properties [like probability distribution, mean square displacement (MSD), first-passage time] depend on a time span ta between the initialization and the beginning of observations. In this paper we study aging properties of ballistic Lévy walks and two closely related jump models: wait-first and jump-first. We calculate explicitly their probability distributions and MSDs. It turns out that despite similarities these models react very differently to the delay ta. Aging weakly affects the shape of probability density function and MSD of standard Lévy walks. For the jump models the shape of the probability density function is changed drastically. Moreover for the wait-first jump model we observe a different behavior of MSD when ta≪t and ta≫t .

  20. [Between mind and body. Psychologicall methods for patients with musculoskeletal pain].

    PubMed

    Jabłońska-Brzozowska, Judyta

    According to the currently prevailing trends in medicine in restoring the psychosomatic unity of human, it is important to ask the question about the function and role of psychology in the rehabilitation of patients with chronic musculoskeletal disorder, MSD. In this article authors present the theoretical basis of psychical and body rehabilitation of patients with MSD. In the first part of this article, problem of the prevalence of MSD in population, its biological, psychological and social components and its impact on the economy of the country, have been discussed. Secondly, there was a focus on the mental representation of the body and its role as a psychophysical integrating unit. The following sections discuss therapeutic methods, like cognitive-behavioral therapy and chosen body work methods as complex rehabilitation of patients with musculoskeletal pain.

  1. The Burden of Cryptosporidium Diarrheal Disease among Children < 24 Months of Age in Moderate/High Mortality Regions of Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, Utilizing Data from the Global Enteric Multicenter Study (GEMS).

    PubMed

    Sow, Samba O; Muhsen, Khitam; Nasrin, Dilruba; Blackwelder, William C; Wu, Yukun; Farag, Tamer H; Panchalingam, Sandra; Sur, Dipika; Zaidi, Anita K M; Faruque, Abu S G; Saha, Debasish; Adegbola, Richard; Alonso, Pedro L; Breiman, Robert F; Bassat, Quique; Tamboura, Boubou; Sanogo, Doh; Onwuchekwa, Uma; Manna, Byomkesh; Ramamurthy, Thandavarayan; Kanungo, Suman; Ahmed, Shahnawaz; Qureshi, Shahida; Quadri, Farheen; Hossain, Anowar; Das, Sumon K; Antonio, Martin; Hossain, M Jahangir; Mandomando, Inacio; Nhampossa, Tacilta; Acácio, Sozinho; Omore, Richard; Oundo, Joseph O; Ochieng, John B; Mintz, Eric D; O'Reilly, Ciara E; Berkeley, Lynette Y; Livio, Sofie; Tennant, Sharon M; Sommerfelt, Halvor; Nataro, James P; Ziv-Baran, Tomer; Robins-Browne, Roy M; Mishcherkin, Vladimir; Zhang, Jixian; Liu, Jie; Houpt, Eric R; Kotloff, Karen L; Levine, Myron M

    2016-05-01

    The importance of Cryptosporidium as a pediatric enteropathogen in developing countries is recognized. Data from the Global Enteric Multicenter Study (GEMS), a 3-year, 7-site, case-control study of moderate-to-severe diarrhea (MSD) and GEMS-1A (1-year study of MSD and less-severe diarrhea [LSD]) were analyzed. Stools from 12,110 MSD and 3,174 LSD cases among children aged <60 months and from 21,527 randomly-selected controls matched by age, sex and community were immunoassay-tested for Cryptosporidium. Species of a subset of Cryptosporidium-positive specimens were identified by PCR; GP60 sequencing identified anthroponotic C. parvum. Combined annual Cryptosporidium-attributable diarrhea incidences among children aged <24 months for African and Asian GEMS sites were extrapolated to sub-Saharan Africa and South Asian regions to estimate region-wide MSD and LSD burdens. Attributable and excess mortality due to Cryptosporidium diarrhea were estimated. Cryptosporidium was significantly associated with MSD and LSD below age 24 months. Among Cryptosporidium-positive MSD cases, C. hominis was detected in 77.8% (95% CI, 73.0%-81.9%) and C. parvum in 9.9% (95% CI, 7.1%-13.6%); 92% of C. parvum tested were anthroponotic genotypes. Annual Cryptosporidium-attributable MSD incidence was 3.48 (95% CI, 2.27-4.67) and 3.18 (95% CI, 1.85-4.52) per 100 child-years in African and Asian infants, respectively, and 1.41 (95% CI, 0.73-2.08) and 1.36 (95% CI, 0.66-2.05) per 100 child-years in toddlers. Corresponding Cryptosporidium-attributable LSD incidences per 100 child-years were 2.52 (95% CI, 0.33-5.01) and 4.88 (95% CI, 0.82-8.92) in infants and 4.04 (95% CI, 0.56-7.51) and 4.71 (95% CI, 0.24-9.18) in toddlers. We estimate 2.9 and 4.7 million Cryptosporidium-attributable cases annually in children aged <24 months in the sub-Saharan Africa and India/Pakistan/Bangladesh/Nepal/Afghanistan regions, respectively, and ~202,000 Cryptosporidium-attributable deaths (regions combined). ~59,000 excess deaths occurred among Cryptosporidium-attributable diarrhea cases over expected if cases had been Cryptosporidium-negative. The enormous African/Asian Cryptosporidium disease burden warrants investments to develop vaccines, diagnostics and therapies.

  2. The Burden of Cryptosporidium Diarrheal Disease among Children < 24 Months of Age in Moderate/High Mortality Regions of Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, Utilizing Data from the Global Enteric Multicenter Study (GEMS)

    PubMed Central

    Nasrin, Dilruba; Blackwelder, William C.; Wu, Yukun; Farag, Tamer H.; Panchalingam, Sandra; Sur, Dipika; Zaidi, Anita K. M.; Faruque, Abu S. G.; Saha, Debasish; Adegbola, Richard; Alonso, Pedro L.; Breiman, Robert F.; Bassat, Quique; Tamboura, Boubou; Sanogo, Doh; Onwuchekwa, Uma; Manna, Byomkesh; Ramamurthy, Thandavarayan; Kanungo, Suman; Ahmed, Shahnawaz; Qureshi, Shahida; Quadri, Farheen; Hossain, Anowar; Das, Sumon K.; Antonio, Martin; Hossain, M. Jahangir; Mandomando, Inacio; Nhampossa, Tacilta; Acácio, Sozinho; Omore, Richard; Oundo, Joseph O.; Ochieng, John B.; Mintz, Eric D.; O’Reilly, Ciara E.; Berkeley, Lynette Y.; Livio, Sofie; Tennant, Sharon M.; Sommerfelt, Halvor; Nataro, James P.; Ziv-Baran, Tomer; Robins-Browne, Roy M.; Mishcherkin, Vladimir; Zhang, Jixian; Liu, Jie; Houpt, Eric R.; Kotloff, Karen L.; Levine, Myron M.

    2016-01-01

    Background The importance of Cryptosporidium as a pediatric enteropathogen in developing countries is recognized. Methods Data from the Global Enteric Multicenter Study (GEMS), a 3-year, 7-site, case-control study of moderate-to-severe diarrhea (MSD) and GEMS-1A (1-year study of MSD and less-severe diarrhea [LSD]) were analyzed. Stools from 12,110 MSD and 3,174 LSD cases among children aged <60 months and from 21,527 randomly-selected controls matched by age, sex and community were immunoassay-tested for Cryptosporidium. Species of a subset of Cryptosporidium-positive specimens were identified by PCR; GP60 sequencing identified anthroponotic C. parvum. Combined annual Cryptosporidium-attributable diarrhea incidences among children aged <24 months for African and Asian GEMS sites were extrapolated to sub-Saharan Africa and South Asian regions to estimate region-wide MSD and LSD burdens. Attributable and excess mortality due to Cryptosporidium diarrhea were estimated. Findings Cryptosporidium was significantly associated with MSD and LSD below age 24 months. Among Cryptosporidium-positive MSD cases, C. hominis was detected in 77.8% (95% CI, 73.0%-81.9%) and C. parvum in 9.9% (95% CI, 7.1%-13.6%); 92% of C. parvum tested were anthroponotic genotypes. Annual Cryptosporidium-attributable MSD incidence was 3.48 (95% CI, 2.27–4.67) and 3.18 (95% CI, 1.85–4.52) per 100 child-years in African and Asian infants, respectively, and 1.41 (95% CI, 0.73–2.08) and 1.36 (95% CI, 0.66–2.05) per 100 child-years in toddlers. Corresponding Cryptosporidium-attributable LSD incidences per 100 child-years were 2.52 (95% CI, 0.33–5.01) and 4.88 (95% CI, 0.82–8.92) in infants and 4.04 (95% CI, 0.56–7.51) and 4.71 (95% CI, 0.24–9.18) in toddlers. We estimate 2.9 and 4.7 million Cryptosporidium-attributable cases annually in children aged <24 months in the sub-Saharan Africa and India/Pakistan/Bangladesh/Nepal/Afghanistan regions, respectively, and ~202,000 Cryptosporidium-attributable deaths (regions combined). ~59,000 excess deaths occurred among Cryptosporidium-attributable diarrhea cases over expected if cases had been Cryptosporidium-negative. Conclusions The enormous African/Asian Cryptosporidium disease burden warrants investments to develop vaccines, diagnostics and therapies. PMID:27219054

  3. Preliminary results on the fracture analysis of multi-site cracking of lap joints in aircraft skins

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Beuth, J. L., Jr.; Hutchinson, John W.

    1992-07-01

    Results of a fracture mechanics analysis relevant to fatigue crack growth at rivets in lap joints of aircraft skins are presented. Multi-site damage (MSD) is receiving increased attention within the context of problems of aging aircraft. Fracture analyses previously carried out include small-scale modeling of rivet/skin interactions, larger-scale two-dimensional models of lap joints similar to that developed here, and full scale three-dimensional models of large portions of the aircraft fuselage. Fatigue testing efforts have included flat coupon specimens, two-dimensional lap joint tests, and full scale tests on specimens designed to closely duplicate aircraft sections. Most of this work is documented in the proceedings of previous symposia on the aging aircraft problem. The effect MSD has on the ability of skin stiffeners to arrest the growth of long skin cracks is a particularly important topic that remains to be addressed. One of the most striking features of MSD observed in joints of some test sections and in the joints of some of the older aircraft fuselages is the relative uniformity of the fatigue cracks from rivet to rivet along an extended row of rivets. This regularity suggests that nucleation of the cracks must not be overly difficult. Moreover, it indicates that there is some mechanism which keeps longer cracks from running away from shorter ones, or, equivalently, a mechanism for shorter cracks to catch-up with longer cracks. This basic mechanism has not been identified, and one of the objectives of the work is to see to what extent the mechanism is revealed by a fracture analysis of the MSD cracks. Another related aim is to present accurate stress intensity factor variations with crack length which can be used to estimate fatigue crack growth lifetimes once cracks have been initiated. Results are presented which illustrate the influence of load shedding from rivets with long cracks to neighboring rivets with shorter cracks. Results are also included for the effect of residual stress due to the riveting process itself.

  4. Preliminary results on the fracture analysis of multi-site cracking of lap joints in aircraft skins

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Beuth, J. L., Jr.; Hutchinson, John W.

    1992-01-01

    Results of a fracture mechanics analysis relevant to fatigue crack growth at rivets in lap joints of aircraft skins are presented. Multi-site damage (MSD) is receiving increased attention within the context of problems of aging aircraft. Fracture analyses previously carried out include small-scale modeling of rivet/skin interactions, larger-scale two-dimensional models of lap joints similar to that developed here, and full scale three-dimensional models of large portions of the aircraft fuselage. Fatigue testing efforts have included flat coupon specimens, two-dimensional lap joint tests, and full scale tests on specimens designed to closely duplicate aircraft sections. Most of this work is documented in the proceedings of previous symposia on the aging aircraft problem. The effect MSD has on the ability of skin stiffeners to arrest the growth of long skin cracks is a particularly important topic that remains to be addressed. One of the most striking features of MSD observed in joints of some test sections and in the joints of some of the older aircraft fuselages is the relative uniformity of the fatigue cracks from rivet to rivet along an extended row of rivets. This regularity suggests that nucleation of the cracks must not be overly difficult. Moreover, it indicates that there is some mechanism which keeps longer cracks from running away from shorter ones, or, equivalently, a mechanism for shorter cracks to catch-up with longer cracks. This basic mechanism has not been identified, and one of the objectives of the work is to see to what extent the mechanism is revealed by a fracture analysis of the MSD cracks. Another related aim is to present accurate stress intensity factor variations with crack length which can be used to estimate fatigue crack growth lifetimes once cracks have been initiated. Results are presented which illustrate the influence of load shedding from rivets with long cracks to neighboring rivets with shorter cracks. Results are also included for the effect of residual stress due to the riveting process itself.

  5. The Relationship between Mean Square Differences and Standard Error of Measurement: Comment on Barchard (2012)

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pan, Tianshu; Yin, Yue

    2012-01-01

    In the discussion of mean square difference (MSD) and standard error of measurement (SEM), Barchard (2012) concluded that the MSD between 2 sets of test scores is greater than 2(SEM)[superscript 2] and SEM underestimates the score difference between 2 tests when the 2 tests are not parallel. This conclusion has limitations for 2 reasons. First,…

  6. Berkeley Lab - Materials Sciences Division

    Science.gov Websites

    Berkeley Lab Berkeley Lab A-Z Index Phone Book Jobs Search DOE Search MSD Go MSD - Materials Investigators Ager, Joel W » Alivisatos, A Paul » Altman, Ehud » Analytis, James » Anderson, Christopher  , Naomi » Gullikson, Eric M » Harris, Stephen J » Hasan, M. Zahid » Hellman, Frances » Helms, Brett A

  7. SLAC Phone Directory: Search Form

    Science.gov Websites

    Facilities LCLS Hard X-Ray LCLS IT & Networking LCLS IT Photon Systems LCLS Instrumentation Dev LCLS Delivery Dept LCLS Science Research & DevDiv LCLS Soft X-Ray LCLS Technical Support LCLS User Beam Line Ops Sup SSRL MSD Hard X-rays SSRL MSD Soft X-rays SSRL MSDBeam Line Elec SSRL MSDBeam Line

  8. St. Francis Rain Garden Water Quality Sampling Interim Data Report; Total Nitrogen, Total Phosphorus, Sediments or Solids, and E. Coli for the period April to June, 2014

    EPA Science Inventory

    This interim data reported is being provided per request to the Metropolitan Sewer District (MSD) to provide summary statistics on a limited set of water quality parameters as measured at the St. Francis Rain Garden site in the Lick Run Valley as it pertains to MSD's Project Grou...

  9. Meta Salud Diabetes study protocol: a cluster-randomised trial to reduce cardiovascular risk among a diabetic population of Mexico.

    PubMed

    Sabo, Samantha; Denman Champion, Catalina; Bell, Melanie L; Cornejo Vucovich, Elsa; Ingram, Maia; Valenica, Celina; Castro Vasquez, Maria Del Carmen; Gonzalez-Fagoaga, Eduardo; Geurnsey de Zapien, Jill; Rosales, Cecilia B

    2018-03-12

    Northern Mexico has among the highest rates of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and diabetes in the world. This research addresses core gaps in implementation science to develop, test and scale-up CVD risk-reduction interventions in diabetics through a national primary care health system. The Meta Salud Diabetes (MSD) research project is a parallel two-arm cluster-randomised clinical behavioural trial based in 22 (n=22) health centres in Sonora, Mexico. MSD aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the MSD intervention for the secondary prevention of CVD risk factors among a diabetic population (n=320) compared with the study control of usual care. The MSD intervention consists of 2-hour class sessions delivered over a 13-week period providing educational information to encourage sustainable behavioural change to prevent disease complications including the adoption of physical activity. MSD is delivered within the context of Mexico's national primary care health centre system by health professionals, including nurses, physicians and community health workers via existing social support groups for individuals diagnosed with chronic disease. Mixed models are used to estimate the effect of MSD by comparing cardiovascular risk, as measured by the Framingham Risk Score, between the trial arms. Secondary outcomes include hypertension, behavioural risk factors and psychosocial factors. This work is supported by the National Institutes of Health, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (1R01HL125996-01) and approved by the University of Arizona Research Institutional Review Board (Protocol 1508040144) and the Research Bioethics Committee at the University of Sonora. The first Internal Review Board approval date was 31 August 2015 with five subsequent approved amendments. This article refers to protocol V.0.2, dated 30 January 2017. Results will be disseminated via peer-reviewed publication and presentation at international conferences and will be shared through meetings with health systems officials. NCT0280469; Pre-results. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

  10. [A comparative study of unrelated donor and matched-sibling donor allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in children and adolescents with acquired severe aplastic anemia].

    PubMed

    Zhou, J; Fu, Y W; Liang, L J; Wang, Q; Han, L J; Zu, Y L; Zhang, Yanli; Zhu, X H; Yu, F K; Fang, B J; Wei, X D; Song, Y P

    2016-12-01

    Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of unrelated donor allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation(URD allo-HSCT) for children and adolescents with severe aplastic anemia (SAA). Methods: Clinical data of 34 SAA children and adolescents undergoing allo-HSCT were retrospectively analyzed from October 2001 to October 2015. According to the source of donor, the patients were divided into matched sibling donor allo-HSCT group (MSD group) and unrelated donor group (URD group). The clinical outcome of SAA children and adolescents receiving URD allo-HSCT was assessed, and patients in MSD allo-HSCT group were enrolled as control at the same period. Results: The rate of hematopoietic reconstitution, the time of neutrophil and platelet engraftment, incidence of chimerism and graft rejection between two groups were not statistically different.The incidence of acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) in URD group was significantly higher than that in MSD group [42.9%(6/14) vs 10.5%(2/19), P =0.047]. The incidence of grade Ⅱ-Ⅳ acute GVHD and chronic GVHD in URD were higher than those in MSD group [21.4%(3/14) vs 5.3%(1/19), P =0.288; 35.7%(5/14) vs 5.3%(1/19), P =0.062, respectively], yet without significant difference between two groups. Other transplant-related complications including pulmonary complications, hemorrhagic cystitis, incidence of EBV and CMV reactivation and venous occlusive disease were comparable with two regimens. Estimated 5-years overall survival (OS) rate and disease free survival (DFS) rate were not statistically significant between URD group and MSD group [(84.4±6.6)% vs (89.4±7.1)%, (82.5±5.4)% vs (82.1±4.3)%; P =0.766, P =0.884, respectively]. Conclusions: By multivariate analysis, the outcome of URD allo-HSCT in SAA children and adolescent is similar to MSD allo-HSCT. It could be an alternative option as the first-line treatment for SAA children and adolescents without HLA matched sibling donors.

  11. Molecular and structural characteristics of multidrug resistance-associated protein 7 in Chinese liver fluke Clonorchis sinensis.

    PubMed

    Dai, Fuhong; Yoo, Won Gi; Lee, Ji-Yun; Lu, Yanyan; Pak, Jhang Ho; Sohn, Woon-Mok; Hong, Sung-Jong

    2017-03-01

    Multidrug resistance-associated protein 7 (MRP7, ABCC10) is a C subfamily member of the ATP-binding cassette (ABC) superfamily. MRP7 is a lipophilic anion transporter that pumps endogenous and xenobiotic substrates from the cytoplasm to the extracellular milieu. Here, we cloned and characterized CsMRP7 as a novel ABC transporter from the Chinese liver fluke, Clonorchis sinensis. Full-length cDNA of CsMRP7 was 5174 nt, encoded 1636 amino acids (aa), and harbored a 147-bp 5'-untranslated region (5'-UTR) and 116-bp 3'-UTR. Phylogenetic analysis confirmed that CsMRP7 was closer to the ABCC subfamily than the ABCB subfamily. Tertiary structures of the N-terminal region (1-322 aa) and core region (323-1621 aa) of CsMRP7 were generated by homology modeling using glucagon receptor (PDB ID: 5ee7_A) and P-glycoprotein (PDB ID: 4f4c_A) as templates, respectively. CsMRP7 nucleotide-binding domain 2 (NBD2) was conserved more than NBD1, which was the sites of ATP binding and hydrolysis. Like typical long MRPs, CsMRP7 has an additional membrane-spanning domain 0 (MSD0) and cytoplasmic loop, along with a common structural fold consisting of MSD1-NBD1-MSD2-NBD2 as a single polypeptide assembly. MSD0, MSD1, and MSD2 consisted of TM1-7, TM8-13, and TM14-19, respectively. The CsMRP7 transcript was more abundant in the metacercariae than in the adult worms. Truncated NBD1 (39 kDa) and NBD2 (44 kDa) were produced in bacteria and mouse immune sera were raised. CsMRP7 was localized in the apical side of the intestinal epithelium, sperm in the testes and seminal receptacle, receptacle membrane, and mesenchymal tissue around intestine in the adult worm. These results provide molecular information and insights into structural and functional characteristics of CsMRP7 and homologs of flukes.

  12. Development of the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease morning symptom diary (COPD-MSD).

    PubMed

    Globe, Gary; Currie, Brooke; Leidy, Nancy Kline; Jones, Paul; Mannino, David; Martinez, Fernando; Klekotka, Paul; O'Quinn, Sean; Karlsson, Niklas; Wiklund, Ingela

    2016-07-16

    The morning tends to be the most difficult time of day for many patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) when symptoms can limit one's ability to perform even simple activities. Morning symptoms have been linked to higher levels of work absenteeism, thereby increasing the already substantial economic burden associated with COPD. A validated patient-reported outcome (PRO) instrument designed to capture morning symptoms will allow for a more comprehensive approach to the evaluation of treatment benefit in COPD clinical trials. A qualitative interview study was conducted among a sample of symptomatic adults with COPD. Concept elicitation interviews (n = 35) were conducted to identify COPD morning symptoms, followed by cognitive interviews (n = 21) to ensure patient comprehension of the items, instructions and response options of the draft COPD Morning Symptom Diary (COPD-MSD). All interview transcript data were coded using ATLAS.ti software for content analysis. Mean age of the concept elicitation and cognitive interview sample was 65.0 years (±7.5) and 62.3 years (±8.3), respectively. The study sample represented the full range of COPD severity (Global Initiative for Chronic Lung Disease [GOLD] classifications I-IV) and included a mix of racial backgrounds, employment status and educational achievement. During the concept elicitation interviews, the three most frequently reported morning symptoms were shortness of breath (n = 35/35; 100 %), phlegm/mucus (n = 31/35; 88.6 %), and cough (n = 30/35; 85.7 %). A group of clinical and instrument development experts convened to review the concept elicitation data and develop the initial 32-item draft COPD-MSD. Cognitive interviews indicated subjects found the draft COPD-MSD to be comprehensive, clear, and easy to understand. The COPD-MSD underwent minor editorial revisions and streamlining based on cognitive interviews and input from the experts to yield the final 19-item daily diary. This study supports the content validity of the new COPD-MSD and positions the diary for quantitative psychometric testing.

  13. Validation of a multiplex electrochemiluminescent immunoassay platform in human and mouse samples

    PubMed Central

    Bastarache, J.A.; Koyama, T.; Wickersham, N.E; Ware, L.B.

    2014-01-01

    Despite the widespread use of multiplex immunoassays, there are very few scientific reports that test the accuracy and reliability of a platform prior to publication of experimental data. Our laboratory has previously demonstrated the need for new assay platform validation prior to use of biologic samples from large studies in order to optimize sample handling and assay performance. In this study, our goal was to test the accuracy and reproducibility of an electrochemiluminescent multiplex immunoassay platform (Meso Scale Discovery, MSD®) and compare this platform to validated, singleplex immunoassays (R&D Systems®) using actual study subject (human plasma and mouse bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and plasma) samples. We found that the MSD platform performed well on intra- and inter-assay comparisons, spike and recovery and cross-platform comparisons. The mean intra-assay CV% and range for MSD was 3.49 (0.0-10.4) for IL-6 and 2.04 (0.1-7.9) for IL-8. The correlation between values for identical samples measured on both MSD and R&D was R=0.97 for both analytes. The mouse MSD assay had a broader range of CV% with means ranging from 9.5-28.5 depending on the analyte. The range of mean CV% was similar for single plex ELISAs at 4.3-23.7 depending on the analyte. Regardless of species or sample type, CV% was more variable at lower protein concentrations. In conclusion, we validated a multiplex electrochemiluminscent assay system and found that it has superior test characteristics in human plasma compared to mouse BALF and plasma. Both human and MSD assays compared favorably to well-validated singleplex ELISA's PMID:24768796

  14. Impact of physician preferences for homeopathic or conventional medicines on patients with musculoskeletal disorders: results from the EPI3-MSD cohort.

    PubMed

    Rossignol, Michel; Begaud, Bernard; Engel, Pierre; Avouac, Bernard; Lert, France; Rouillon, Frederic; Bénichou, Jacques; Massol, Jacques; Duru, Gerard; Magnier, Anne-Marie; Guillemot, Didier; Grimaldi-Bensouda, Lamiae; Abenhaim, Lucien

    2012-10-01

    The objective of this study was to assess the effect of physician practicing preferences (PPP) in primary care for homeopathy (Ho), CAM (Complementary and alternative medicines) with conventional medicine (Mx) or exclusively conventional medicine (CM) on patients with musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), with reference to clinical progression, drug consumption, side effects and loss of therapeutic opportunity. The EPI3-MSD study was a nationwide observational cohort of a representative sample of general practitioners (GP) and their patients in France. Recruitment of GP was stratified by PPP, which was self-declared. Diagnoses and comorbidities were recorded by GP at inclusion. Patients completed a standardized telephone interview at inclusion, one, three and twelve months, including MSD-functional scales and medication consumption. 1153 MSD patients were included in the three PPP groups. Patients did not differ between groups except for chronicity of MSDs (>12 weeks), which was higher in the Ho group (62.1%) than in the CM (48.6%) and Mx groups (50.3%). The twelve-month development of specific functional scores was identical across the three groups after controlling for baseline score (p > 0.05). After adjusting for propensity scores, NSAID use over 12 months was almost half in the Ho group (OR, 0.54; 95%CI, 0.38-0.78) as compared to the CM group; no difference was found in the Mx group (OR, 0.81; 95% CI: 0.59-1.15). MSD patients seen by homeopathic physicians showed a similar clinical progression when less exposed to NSAID in comparison to patients seen in CM practice, with fewer NSAID-related adverse events and no loss of therapeutic opportunity. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  15. Relationship of Musculoskeletal Disorder Pain to Patterns of Clinical Care in California Dental Hygienists.

    PubMed

    Humann, Pamela; Rowe, Dorothy J

    2015-10-01

    To relate self-reported levels of musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) pain and patterns of clinical care among members of the California Dental Hygienists' Association (CDHA), using a web-based survey. The 24-item survey consisted of questions on patterns of clinical care, health habits, experience with MSD pain and demographic information. Recruitment information, including survey link and consent form, was emailed to the CDHA for distribution to its members. Descriptive analysis and cross tabulations were conducted using the online software program Qualtrics™. A Chi-square test determined statistical significant differences between the responses of the no/mild pain and moderate/severe pain groups. The response rate was 19% (500/2,700). Ninety-six percent of all respondents reported some level of MSD pain, causing nearly 25% of the respondents to miss work. Respondents, who reported moderate/severe pain, treated more patients per day (p=0.007) and on average treated greater numbers of moderate to heavy calculus patients (p=0.017) than those respondents reporting no/mild pain. Forty percent of the respondents in the moderate/severe group treated more than 8 patients per day. A higher percentage of respondents (p=0.000) in the moderate/severe pain group than in the no/mild group reported using proper posture less than 50% of treatment time. Using proper posture more than 50% of treatment time was more frequent in respondents who had practiced more than (p=0.012), compared with less than, 5 years. Workload and ergonomics are related to MSD pain. Educational programs need to emphasize the importance of these factors in the development and reduction of MSD pain. Copyright © 2015 The American Dental Hygienists’ Association.

  16. Health care seeking for Childhood Diarrhea in Developing Countries: Evidence from Seven Sites in Africa and Asia

    PubMed Central

    Nasrin, Dilruba; Wu, Yukun; Blackwelder, William C.; Farag, Tamer H.; Saha, Debasish; Sow, Samba O.; Alonso, Pedro L.; Breiman, Robert F.; Sur, Dipika; Faruque, Abu S. G.; Zaidi, Anita K. M.; Biswas, Kousick; Van Eijk, Anna Maria; Walker, Damian G.; Levine, Myron M.; Kotloff, Karen L.

    2013-01-01

    We performed serial Health Care Utilization and Attitudes Surveys (HUASs) among caretakers of children ages 0–59 months randomly selected from demographically defined populations participating in the Global Enteric Multicenter Study (GEMS), a case-control study of moderate-to-severe diarrhea (MSD) in seven developing countries. The surveys aimed to estimate the proportion of children with MSD who would present to sentinel health centers (SHCs) where GEMS case recruitment would occur and provide a basis for adjusting disease incidence rates to include cases not seen at the SHCs. The proportion of children at each site reported to have had an incident episode of MSD during the 7 days preceding the survey ranged from 0.7% to 4.4% for infants (0–11 months of age), from 0.4% to 4.7% for toddlers (12–23 months of age), and from 0.3% to 2.4% for preschoolers (24–59 months of age). The proportion of MSD episodes at each site taken to an SHC within 7 days of diarrhea onset was 15–56%, 17–64%, and 7–33% in the three age strata, respectively. High cost of care and insufficient knowledge about danger signs were associated with lack of any care-seeking outside the home. Most children were not offered recommended fluids and continuing feeds at home. We have shown the utility of serial HUASs as a tool for optimizing operational and methodological issues related to the performance of a large case-control study and deriving population-based incidence rates of MSD. Moreover, the surveys suggest key targets for educational interventions that might improve the outcome of diarrheal diseases in low-resource settings. PMID:23629939

  17. Main clinical, therapeutic and technical factors related to patient's maximum skin dose in interventional cardiology procedures

    PubMed Central

    Journy, N; Sinno-Tellier, S; Maccia, C; Le Tertre, A; Pirard, P; Pagès, P; Eilstein, D; Donadieu, J; Bar, O

    2012-01-01

    Objective The study aimed to characterise the factors related to the X-ray dose delivered to the patient's skin during interventional cardiology procedures. Methods We studied 177 coronary angiographies (CAs) and/or percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasties (PTCAs) carried out in a French clinic on the same radiography table. The clinical and therapeutic characteristics, and the technical parameters of the procedures, were collected. The dose area product (DAP) and the maximum skin dose (MSD) were measured by an ionisation chamber (Diamentor; Philips, Amsterdam, The Netherlands) and radiosensitive film (Gafchromic; International Specialty Products Advanced Materials Group, Wayne, NJ). Multivariate analyses were used to assess the effects of the factors of interest on dose. Results The mean MSD and DAP were respectively 389 mGy and 65 Gy cm−2 for CAs, and 916 mGy and 69 Gy cm−2 for PTCAs. For 8% of the procedures, the MSD exceeded 2 Gy. Although a linear relationship between the MSD and the DAP was observed for CAs (r=0.93), a simple extrapolation of such a model to PTCAs would lead to an inadequate assessment of the risk, especially for the highest dose values. For PTCAs, the body mass index, the therapeutic complexity, the fluoroscopy time and the number of cine frames were independent explanatory factors of the MSD, whoever the practitioner was. Moreover, the effect of technical factors such as collimation, cinematography settings and X-ray tube orientations on the DAP was shown. Conclusion Optimising the technical options for interventional procedures and training staff on radiation protection might notably reduce the dose and ultimately avoid patient skin lesions. PMID:22457404

  18. Climate Change and the Central American Mid-summer Drought - The Importance of Changing Precipitation Patterns for Food and Water Security

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Maurer, E. P.; Stewart, I. T.; Sundstrom, W.; Bacon, C. M.

    2016-12-01

    In addition to periodic long-term drought, much of Central America experiences a rainy season with two peaks separated by a dry period of weeks to over a month in duration, termed the mid-summer drought (MSD). Food and water security for smallholder farmers in the region hinge on accommodating this phenomenon, anticipating its arrival and estimating its duration. Model output from 1980 through the late 21st century projects changes in precipitation amount, variability, and timing, with potential to affect regional food production. Using surveys of farmer experiences in conjunction with gridded daily precipitation for a historic period on multiple scales, and with projections through the 21st century, we characterize the MSD across much of Central America using four measures: onset date, duration, intensity, and minimum, and test for significant changes. Our findings indicate that the most significant changes are for the duration, which, by the end of the century, is projected to increase by an average of over a week, and the MSD minimum precipitation, which is projected to decline by an average of over 26%, with statistically significant changes for most of Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala (assuming a higher emissions pathway through the 21st century). These changes toward a longer and drier MSD have important implications for food and water security for vulnerable communities through the region. We find that for the four metrics the changes in interannual variability are small compared to historical variability, and are generally statistically insignificant. New farmer survey results are compared to findings from our climate analysis for the historic period, are used to interpret what MSD characteristics are of greatest interest locally, and are used for the development of adaptation strategies.

  19. Comparison of musculoskeletal disorder health claims between construction floor layers and a general working population.

    PubMed

    Dale, Ann Marie; Ryan, Daniel; Welch, Laura; Olsen, Margaret A; Buchholz, Bryan; Evanoff, Bradley

    2015-01-01

    Compare rates of medical insurance claims for musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) between workers in a construction trade and a general worker population to determine if higher physical exposures in construction lead to higher rates of claims on personal medical insurance. Health insurance claims between 2006 and 2010 from floor layers were frequency matched by age, gender, eligibility time and geographic location to claims from insured workers in general industry obtained from MarketScan. We extracted MSD claims and dates of service from six regions of the body: neck, low back, knee, lower extremity, shoulder and distal arm, and evaluated differences in claim rates. Fifty-one per cent of floor layers (n=1475) experienced musculoskeletal claims compared with 39% of MarketScan members (p<0.001). Claim rates were higher for floor layers across all body regions with nearly double the rate ratios for the knee and neck regions (RR 2.10 and 2.07). The excess risk was greatest for the neck and low back regions; younger workers had disproportionately higher rates in the knee, neck, low back and distal arm. A larger proportion of floor layers (22%) filed MSD claims in more than one body region compared with general workers (10%; p<0.001). Floor layers have markedly higher rates of MSD claims compared with a general worker population, suggesting a shifting of medical costs for work-related MSD to personal health insurance. The occurrence of disorders in multiple body regions and among the youngest workers highlights the need for improved work methods and tools for construction workers. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

  20. Danish Observational Study of Eldercare work and musculoskeletal disorderS (DOSES): a prospective study at 20 nursing homes in Denmark

    PubMed Central

    Karstad, Kristina; Jørgensen, Anette F B; Greiner, Birgit A; Burdorf, Alex; Søgaard, Karen; Rugulies, Reiner; Holtermann, Andreas

    2018-01-01

    Purpose Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), sickness absence and premature retirement are highly prevalent among eldercare workers. We conducted a prospective observational workplace study with the main purpose to investigate longitudinal associations between physical and psychosocial working conditions and occurrence of MSD and its consequences (pain-related interference with daily work activities and sickness absence) among Danish eldercare workers. Participants At 20 Danish nursing homes, a total of 941 eldercare workers employed in day and evening shifts were invited to the study. Of those, 553 participated in the baseline measurements, and 441 completed the total period of 12 months follow-up. Findings to date Data were collected from September 2013 to January 2016. Physical and psychosocial working conditions were assessed with multiple methods (observations, accelerometer measurements and work schedules), and multiple levels of information (nursing home, ward, resident and eldercare worker) were incorporated in the data collection. MSD and the consequences hereof were assessed monthly during a 1-year follow-up. Study participants and non-participants were comparable on most of the 27 sociodemographic, health and working condition characteristics at baseline. The exceptions were higher neck–shoulder pain intensity, less sickness absence, more exposure to negative behaviour from residents and a higher percentage of working day shifts and fewer evening shifts among participants compared with non-participants. Future plans The first publications will report on the associations of physical and psychosocial working conditions with occurrence of MSD and its consequences. In addition, the cohort gives the opportunity to investigate the importance of organisational, management and team factors for distribution of physical work demands and development of MSD among the workers. This will provide important knowledge for future workplace interventions to reduce MSD and sickness absence. PMID:29490965

  1. Critical Conditions for Liquid Chromatography of Statistical Copolymers: Functionality Type and Composition Distribution Characterization by UP-LCCC/ESI-MS.

    PubMed

    Epping, Ruben; Panne, Ulrich; Falkenhagen, Jana

    2017-02-07

    Statistical ethylene oxide (EO) and propylene oxide (PO) copolymers of different monomer compositions and different average molar masses additionally containing two kinds of end groups (FTD) were investigated by ultra high pressure liquid chromatography under critical conditions (UP-LCCC) combined with electrospray ionization time-of flight mass spectrometry (ESI-TOF-MS). Theoretical predictions of the existence of a critical adsorption point (CPA) for statistical copolymers with a given chemical and sequence distribution1 could be studied and confirmed. A fundamentally new approach to determine these critical conditions in a copolymer, alongside the inevitable chemical composition distribution (CCD), with mass spectrometric detection, is described. The shift of the critical eluent composition with the monomer composition of the polymers was determined. Due to the broad molar mass distribution (MMD) and the presumed existence of different end group functionalities as well as monomer sequence distribution (MSD), gradient separation only by CCD was not possible. Therefore, isocratic separation conditions at the CPA of definite CCD fractions were developed. Although the various present distributions partly superimposed the separation process, the goal of separation by end group functionality was still achieved on the basis of the additional dimension of ESI-TOF-MS. The existence of HO-H besides the desired allylO-H end group functionalities was confirmed and their amount estimated. Furthermore, indications for a MSD were found by UPLC/MS/MS measurements. This approach offers for the first time the possibility to obtain a fingerprint of a broad distributed statistical copolymer including MMD, FTD, CCD, and MSD.

  2. Observed Changes in the Alertness and Communicative Involvement of Students with Multiple and Severe Disability Following In-Class Mentor Modelling for Staff in Segregated and General Education Classrooms

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Foreman, P.; Arthur-Kelly, M.; Bennett, D.; Neilands, J.; Colyvas, K.

    2014-01-01

    Background: The improvement of engagement and involvement in communicative and socially centred exchanges for individuals with multiple and severe disability (MSD) presents complex and urgent challenges to educators. This paper reports the findings of an intervention study designed to enhance the interactive skills of students with MSD using an…

  3. A prospective registration study to determine feasibility of hematopoietic SCT in adults with acute leukemia: planning, expectations and reality.

    PubMed

    Labopin, M; Gorin, N-C; Polge, E; Socié, G; Gurman, G; Gluckman, E; Jindra, P; Poiré, X; Schäfer-Eckart, K; Ruutu, T; Milone, G; Arcese, W; Mohty, M; Rocha, V

    2014-03-01

    For adults with acute leukemia, it is important to know whether the therapeutic schemes initially planned were actually implemented. The European Group for Blood and Marrow transplantation Acute Leukemia Working Party prospectively followed 695 consecutive patients who were registered at the time of HLA typing. Of 304 patients with an available matched sibling donor (MSD), SCT was planned in 264, chemotherapy in 33 and autografting in 7. For the rest, an unrelated donor (UD) search was initiated in 198. Among these, 117 were transplanted, 114 received chemotherapy and 77 underwent autografting. Probabilities of receiving a planned treatment were 60 and 65% at 1 and 2 years, respectively. Patients scheduled to receive MSD SCT had an 82% probability, whereas those scheduled to undergo UD SCT had a 57% probability, of receiving their transplant at 1 year. The only factor associated with a lower probability of MSD SCT in first remission was delayed HLA typing (HR=0.82; P=0.03). One year after enrollment, 40% of patients did not follow their initial treatment plan. Because OS was 50% only at 3 years and only 57% of the patients without a MSD underwent SCT, this suggests room for improvement in outcomes for adults with acute leukemia.

  4. Work–Life Imbalance and Musculoskeletal Disorders among South Korean Workers

    PubMed Central

    Kim, Young-Mee

    2017-01-01

    Employed workers often have family responsibilities such as childcare or homemaking. This dual burden may increase work-related health problems, particularly if there are conflicts between work and family responsibilities. This study assessed whether difficulty in work–life balance is associated with musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) among Korean employees. Data from the population-based Korean Working Conditions Survey of 2011, including 28,640 male and 21,392 female workers, were used. Men and women were analyzed separately to investigate gender differences. MSD were defined as pain in the back, neck, shoulder, or extremities during the past year. Self-assessed difficulty in work–life balance was defined as a work–life conflict (WLC). Adjustments for physical factors, as well as other occupational and socio-demographic variables, were made using multiple logistic regression analysis. Interaction terms including WLCs and key covariates were also incorporated. WLC was significantly associated with increased frequency of MSD in both men (OR: 1.49) and women (OR: 1.50). There were significant interaction effects between WLC and some key covariates (job stress for men and job stress, work hours, physical demand, and frequent overtime work for women). We suggest that having the flexibility to coordinate work and family life is important to prevent MSD among employees. PMID:29104228

  5. Multistate approaches in computational protein design

    PubMed Central

    Davey, James A; Chica, Roberto A

    2012-01-01

    Computational protein design (CPD) is a useful tool for protein engineers. It has been successfully applied towards the creation of proteins with increased thermostability, improved binding affinity, novel enzymatic activity, and altered ligand specificity. Traditionally, CPD calculations search and rank sequences using a single fixed protein backbone template in an approach referred to as single-state design (SSD). While SSD has enjoyed considerable success, certain design objectives require the explicit consideration of multiple conformational and/or chemical states. Cases where a “multistate” approach may be advantageous over the SSD approach include designing conformational changes into proteins, using native ensembles to mimic backbone flexibility, and designing ligand or oligomeric association specificities. These design objectives can be efficiently tackled using multistate design (MSD), an emerging methodology in CPD that considers any number of protein conformational or chemical states as inputs instead of a single protein backbone template, as in SSD. In this review article, recent examples of the successful design of a desired property into proteins using MSD are described. These studies employing MSD are divided into two categories—those that utilized multiple conformational states, and those that utilized multiple chemical states. In addition, the scoring of competing states during negative design is discussed as a current challenge for MSD. PMID:22811394

  6. Assembly and misassembly of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator: folding defects caused by deletion of F508 occur before and after the calnexin-dependent association of membrane spanning domain (MSD) 1 and MSD2.

    PubMed

    Rosser, Meredith F N; Grove, Diane E; Chen, Liling; Cyr, Douglas M

    2008-11-01

    Cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) is a polytopic membrane protein that functions as a Cl(-) channel and consists of two membrane spanning domains (MSDs), two cytosolic nucleotide binding domains (NBDs), and a cytosolic regulatory domain. Cytosolic 70-kDa heat shock protein (Hsp70), and endoplasmic reticulum-localized calnexin are chaperones that facilitate CFTR biogenesis. Hsp70 functions in both the cotranslational folding and posttranslational degradation of CFTR. Yet, the mechanism for calnexin action in folding and quality control of CFTR is not clear. Investigation of this question revealed that calnexin is not essential for CFTR or CFTRDeltaF508 degradation. We identified a dependence on calnexin for proper assembly of CFTR's membrane spanning domains. Interestingly, efficient folding of NBD2 was also found to be dependent upon calnexin binding to CFTR. Furthermore, we identified folding defects caused by deletion of F508 that occurred before and after the calnexin-dependent association of MSD1 and MSD2. Early folding defects are evident upon translation of the NBD1 and R-domain and are sensed by the RMA-1 ubiquitin ligase complex.

  7. Work-Life Imbalance and Musculoskeletal Disorders among South Korean Workers.

    PubMed

    Kim, Young-Mee; Cho, Sung-Il

    2017-11-01

    Employed workers often have family responsibilities such as childcare or homemaking. This dual burden may increase work-related health problems, particularly if there are conflicts between work and family responsibilities. This study assessed whether difficulty in work-life balance is associated with musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) among Korean employees. Data from the population-based Korean Working Conditions Survey of 2011, including 28,640 male and 21,392 female workers, were used. Men and women were analyzed separately to investigate gender differences. MSD were defined as pain in the back, neck, shoulder, or extremities during the past year. Self-assessed difficulty in work-life balance was defined as a work-life conflict (WLC). Adjustments for physical factors, as well as other occupational and socio-demographic variables, were made using multiple logistic regression analysis. Interaction terms including WLCs and key covariates were also incorporated. WLC was significantly associated with increased frequency of MSD in both men (OR: 1.49) and women (OR: 1.50). There were significant interaction effects between WLC and some key covariates (job stress for men and job stress, work hours, physical demand, and frequent overtime work for women). We suggest that having the flexibility to coordinate work and family life is important to prevent MSD among employees.

  8. Methods Engineering Workshop for the Shipbuilding Industry

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1985-09-01

    physiological process that reduces the performance capacity and motivation of humans sub- jected to excessive or repeated work stresses. fatigue allowance, Time...often involves basic business fundamentals, motivation , common sense, and the plain hard work of one person doing something. But the accomplishment that...utilize a batch mode form. ” (3) SERGE A. BIRN HAS A TRAINING SCHOOL IN CINCINNATI FOR MTM, MSD, MCD, MOTIVATION -PRODUCTIVITY , TIME STUDY, METHODS

  9. Determination of siloxanes and VOC in landfill gas and sewage gas by canister sampling and GC-MS/AES analysis

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

    Schweigkofler, M.; Niessner, R.

    1999-10-15

    Biogases such as landfill gas and sewage gas undergo a combustion process which is generating electric energy. Since several trace compounds such as siloxanes (also halogenated and sulfur compounds) are known to cause severe problems to these gas combustion engines, they are of particular interest. In this work, a new technique for sampling, identification, and quantification of siloxanes and volatile organic carbon (VOC) in landfill gas and sewage gas is presented. After sample collection using evacuated stainless steel canisters biogas was analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry/atomic emission spectroscopy (GC-MS/AES). Using gas canisters, the sampling process was simplified (no vacuum pumpmore » needed), and multiple analysis was possible. The simultaneous application of MSD and AED allowed a rapid screening of silicon compounds in the complex biogases. Individual substances were identified independently both by MSD analysis and by determination of their elemental constitution. Quantification of trace compounds was achieved using a 30 component external standard containing siloxanes, organochlorine and organosulfur compounds, alkanes, terpenes, and aromatic compounds. Precision, linearity, and detection limits have been studied. In real samples, concentrations of silicon containing compounds (trimethylsilanol, hexamethyldisiloxane, octamethyltrisiloxane, decamethyltetrasiloxane, hexamethylcyclotrisiloxane, octamethylcyclotetrasilioxane, decamethylcyclopentasiloxane, and dodecamethylcyclohexasiloxane) in the mg/m{sub 3} range have been observed.« less

  10. Musculoskeletal disorder costs and medical claim filing in the US retail trade sector.

    PubMed

    Bhattacharya, Anasua; Leigh, J Paul

    2011-01-01

    The average costs of Musculoskeletal Disorder (MSD) and odds ratios for filing medical claims related to MSD were examined. The medical claims were identified by ICD 9 codes for four US Census regions within retail trade. Large private firms' medical claims data from Thomson Reuters Inc. MarketScan databases for the years 2003 through 2006 were used. Average costs were highest for claims related to lumbar region (ICD 9 Code: 724.02) and number of claims were largest for low back syndrome (ICD 9 Code: 724.2). Whereas the odds of filing an MSD claim did not vary greatly over time, average costs declined over time. The odds of filing claims rose with age and were higher for females and southerners than men and non-southerners. Total estimated national medical costs for MSDs within retail trade were $389 million (2007 USD).

  11. Demonstration of an optoelectronic interconnect architecture for a parallel modified signed-digit adder and subtracter

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sun, Degui; Wang, Na-Xin; He, Li-Ming; Weng, Zhao-Heng; Wang, Daheng; Chen, Ray T.

    1996-06-01

    A space-position-logic-encoding scheme is proposed and demonstrated. This encoding scheme not only makes the best use of the convenience of binary logic operation, but is also suitable for the trinary property of modified signed- digit (MSD) numbers. Based on the space-position-logic-encoding scheme, a fully parallel modified signed-digit adder and subtractor is built using optoelectronic switch technologies in conjunction with fiber-multistage 3D optoelectronic interconnects. Thus an effective combination of a parallel algorithm and a parallel architecture is implemented. In addition, the performance of the optoelectronic switches used in this system is experimentally studied and verified. Both the 3-bit experimental model and the experimental results of a parallel addition and a parallel subtraction are provided and discussed. Finally, the speed ratio between the MSD adder and binary adders is discussed and the advantage of the MSD in operating speed is demonstrated.

  12. Kinetics of proton migration in liquid water.

    PubMed

    Chen, Hanning; Voth, Gregory A; Agmon, Noam

    2010-01-14

    We have utilized multistate empirical valence bond (MS-EVB3) simulations of protonated liquid water to calculate the relative mean-square displacement (MSD) and the history-independent time correlation function, c(t), of the hydrated proton center of excess charge (CEC) with respect to the water molecule on which it has initially resided. The MSD is nonlinear for the first 15 ps, suggesting that the relative diffusion coefficient increases from a small value, D(0), at short separations to its larger bulk value, D(infinity), at large separations. With the ensuing distance-dependent diffusion coefficient, D(r), the time dependence of both the MSD and c(t) agrees quantitatively with the solution of a diffusion equation for reversible geminate recombination. This suggests that the relative motion of the CEC is not independent from the nearby water molecules, in agreement with theoretical and experimental observations that large water clusters participate in the mechanism of proton mobility.

  13. Posturedontics: How does dentistry fit you?

    PubMed

    Jodalli, Praveen S; Kurana, Suchi; Shameema; Ragher, Mallikarjuna; Khed, Jaishree; Prabhu, Vishnu

    2015-08-01

    Dentists are at high risk for musculoskeletal disorders (MSD's) due to their work. MSD's is an umbrella term for number of injuries affecting different parts of the body, including joints, muscles, tendons, nerves that can arise from sudden exertion or making the same motions repeatedly. These injuries can develop over time and can lead to long-term disability. Dental professional often develop musculoskeletal problems due to bad working habits, uncomfortable physical posture causing unnecessary musculoskeletal loading, discomfort and fatigue. Ergonomic principles when it is applied, it will help to reduce stress and eliminate many potential injuries and disorders associated with the overuse of muscles, bad posture, and repeated tasks. This can be accomplished by using a proper dental chair, lighting and the selection of ergonomically-friendly equipment to fit the dental professionals physical capabilities and limitations. This review addresses about the basics of ergonomics, positioning, viewing, handling, and prevention of MSD's.

  14. Posturedontics: How does dentistry fit you?

    PubMed Central

    Jodalli, Praveen S.; Kurana, Suchi; Shameema; Ragher, Mallikarjuna; Khed, Jaishree; Prabhu, Vishnu

    2015-01-01

    Dentists are at high risk for musculoskeletal disorders (MSD's) due to their work. MSD's is an umbrella term for number of injuries affecting different parts of the body, including joints, muscles, tendons, nerves that can arise from sudden exertion or making the same motions repeatedly. These injuries can develop over time and can lead to long-term disability. Dental professional often develop musculoskeletal problems due to bad working habits, uncomfortable physical posture causing unnecessary musculoskeletal loading, discomfort and fatigue. Ergonomic principles when it is applied, it will help to reduce stress and eliminate many potential injuries and disorders associated with the overuse of muscles, bad posture, and repeated tasks. This can be accomplished by using a proper dental chair, lighting and the selection of ergonomically-friendly equipment to fit the dental professionals physical capabilities and limitations. This review addresses about the basics of ergonomics, positioning, viewing, handling, and prevention of MSD's. PMID:26538885

  15. Influence of age, body weight and body condition score before mating start date on the pubertal rate of maiden Holstein-Friesian heifers and implications for subsequent cow performance and profitability.

    PubMed

    Archbold, H; Shalloo, L; Kennedy, E; Pierce, K M; Buckley, F

    2012-07-01

    The aim of this study was to assess the influence of age, body weight (BW) and body condition score (BCS) of maiden Holstein-Friesian heifers before mating start date (MSD) on the rate of puberty, subsequent production and longevity and their implications with regard to farm profitability. Data were available on 871 Holstein-Friesian heifers from 48 herds. BW was recorded electronically and BCS was recorded by a single operator on a scale of 1 to 5. Heifer age was calculated as the number of days from birth to the day of visit. All of the independent variables of interest were grouped into three or four categories. Three age categories (thirtiles), four BW categories (quartiles) and four BCS categories (≤ 2.75, 3.00, 3.25 and ≥ 3.50) were formed. Heifers with an identifiable corpus lutuem (CL) in the presence or absence of large follicles and peri-ovulatory signs and with a plasma progesterone (P4) concentration ≥ 1 ng/ml were classified as pubertal. In addition, heifers without an identifiable CL in the presence or absence of large follicles and peri-ovulatory signs but with a P4 concentration ≥ 1 ng/ml were also classified as pubertal. Age, BW and BCS at MSD were all found to be significantly associated with pubertal rate (P < 0.05). Age was shown to have no practical implications on subsequent cow performance. BW at MSD was favourably associated with subsequent calving date (P < 0.05), subsequent cow BW (P < 0.001) and potential (305 days) milk fat plus protein yield (P < 0.001). BCS at MSD was found to be favourably associated with milk fat plus protein yield potential (P < 0.05) and BCS (P < 0.001) during lactation. The economic analysis undertaken indicated that larger, well-grown heifers will be more profitable because of superior production potential, all else being equal. However, because of the finding of poorer reproductive efficiency in heifers grown to more than 343 kg at MSD, heifers at ∼330 kg at MSD are deemed optimal. This will correspond to mature cow BW of ∼550 kg.

  16. Aging in mortal superdiffusive Lévy walkers.

    PubMed

    Stage, Helena

    2017-12-01

    A growing body of literature examines the effects of superdiffusive subballistic movement premeasurement (aging or time lag) on observations arising from single-particle tracking. A neglected aspect is the finite lifetime of these Lévy walkers, be they proteins, cells, or larger structures. We examine the effects of aging on the motility of mortal walkers, and discuss the means by which permanent stopping of walkers may be categorized as arising from "natural" death or experimental artifacts such as low photostability or radiation damage. This is done by comparison of the walkers' mean squared displacement (MSD) with the front velocity of propagation of a group of walkers, which is found to be invariant under time lags. For any running time distribution of a mortal random walker, the MSD is tempered by the stopping rate θ. This provides a physical interpretation for truncated heavy-tailed diffusion processes and serves as a tool by which to better classify the underlying running time distributions of random walkers. Tempering of aged MSDs raises the issue of misinterpreting superdiffusive motion which appears Brownian or subdiffusive over certain time scales.

  17. Design of Work Facilities for Reducing Musculoskeletal Disorders Risk in Paper Pallet Assembly Station

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mardi Safitri, Dian; Arfi Nabila, Zahra; Azmi, Nora

    2018-03-01

    Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSD) is one of the ergonomic risks due to manual activity, non-neutral posture and repetitive motion. The purpose of this study is to measure risk and implement ergonomic interventions to reduce the risk of MSD on the paper pallet assembly work station. Measurements to work posture are done by Ovako Working Posture Analysis (OWAS) methods and Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA) method, while the measurement of work repetitiveness was using Strain Index (SI) method. Assembly processes operators are identified has the highest risk level. OWAS score, Strain Index, and REBA values are 4, 20.25, and 11. Ergonomic improvements are needed to reduce that level of risk. Proposed improvements will be developed using the Quality Function Deployment (QFD) method applied with Axiomatic House of Quality (AHOQ) and Morphological Chart. As the result, risk level based on OWAS score & REBA score turn out from 4 & 11 to be 1 & 2. Biomechanics analysis of the operator also shows the decreasing values for L4-L5 moment, compression, joint shear, and joint moment strength.

  18. Aging in mortal superdiffusive Lévy walkers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Stage, Helena

    2017-12-01

    A growing body of literature examines the effects of superdiffusive subballistic movement premeasurement (aging or time lag) on observations arising from single-particle tracking. A neglected aspect is the finite lifetime of these Lévy walkers, be they proteins, cells, or larger structures. We examine the effects of aging on the motility of mortal walkers, and discuss the means by which permanent stopping of walkers may be categorized as arising from "natural" death or experimental artifacts such as low photostability or radiation damage. This is done by comparison of the walkers' mean squared displacement (MSD) with the front velocity of propagation of a group of walkers, which is found to be invariant under time lags. For any running time distribution of a mortal random walker, the MSD is tempered by the stopping rate θ . This provides a physical interpretation for truncated heavy-tailed diffusion processes and serves as a tool by which to better classify the underlying running time distributions of random walkers. Tempering of aged MSDs raises the issue of misinterpreting superdiffusive motion which appears Brownian or subdiffusive over certain time scales.

  19. In Conversation with Jim Schuck: Nano-optics

    ScienceCinema

    Jim Schuck and Alice Egan

    2017-12-09

    Sponsored by Berkeley Lab's Materials Sciences Division (MSD), "In Conversation with" is a next generation science seminar series. Host Alice Egan is the assistant to MSD Director Miquel Salmeron. Alice conducts a fun and informative interview, touching on the lives and work of the guest. The first In Conversation With took place July 9 with Jim Schuck, a staff scientist in the Molecular Foundry's Imaging and Manipulation Facility as our first guest. He discussed the world of Nano-optics.

  20. In Conversation with Jim Schuck: Nano-optics

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

    Jim Schuck and Alice Egan

    Sponsored by Berkeley Lab's Materials Sciences Division (MSD), "In Conversation with" is a next generation science seminar series. Host Alice Egan is the assistant to MSD Director Miquel Salmeron. Alice conducts a fun and informative interview, touching on the lives and work of the guest. The first In Conversation With took place July 9 with Jim Schuck, a staff scientist in the Molecular Foundry's Imaging and Manipulation Facility as our first guest. He discussed the world of Nano-optics.

  1. Communication: Distinguishing between short-time non-Fickian diffusion and long-time Fickian diffusion for a random walk on a crowded lattice

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

    Ellery, Adam J.; Simpson, Matthew J.; Baker, Ruth E.

    2016-05-07

    The motion of cells and molecules through biological environments is often hindered by the presence of other cells and molecules. A common approach to modeling this kind of hindered transport is to examine the mean squared displacement (MSD) of a motile tracer particle in a lattice-based stochastic random walk in which some lattice sites are occupied by obstacles. Unfortunately, stochastic models can be computationally expensive to analyze because we must average over a large ensemble of identically prepared realizations to obtain meaningful results. To overcome this limitation we describe an exact method for analyzing a lattice-based model of the motionmore » of an agent moving through a crowded environment. Using our approach we calculate the exact MSD of the motile agent. Our analysis confirms the existence of a transition period where, at first, the MSD does not follow a power law with time. However, after a sufficiently long period of time, the MSD increases in proportion to time. This latter phase corresponds to Fickian diffusion with a reduced diffusivity owing to the presence of the obstacles. Our main result is to provide a mathematically motivated, reproducible, and objective estimate of the amount of time required for the transport to become Fickian. Our new method to calculate this crossover time does not rely on stochastic simulations.« less

  2. Screening with an NMNAT2-MSD platform identifies small molecules that modulate NMNAT2 levels in cortical neurons.

    PubMed

    Ali, Yousuf O; Bradley, Gillian; Lu, Hui-Chen

    2017-03-07

    Nicotinamide mononucleotide adenylyl transferase 2 (NMNAT2) is a key neuronal maintenance factor and provides potent neuroprotection in numerous preclinical models of neurological disorders. NMNAT2 is significantly reduced in Alzheimer's, Huntington's, Parkinson's diseases. Here we developed a Meso Scale Discovery (MSD)-based screening platform to quantify endogenous NMNAT2 in cortical neurons. The high sensitivity and large dynamic range of this NMNAT2-MSD platform allowed us to screen the Sigma LOPAC library consisting of 1280 compounds. This library had a 2.89% hit rate, with 24 NMNAT2 positive and 13 negative modulators identified. Western analysis was conducted to validate and determine the dose-dependency of identified modulators. Caffeine, one identified NMNAT2 positive-modulator, when systemically administered restored NMNAT2 expression in rTg4510 tauopathy mice to normal levels. We confirmed in a cell culture model that four selected positive-modulators exerted NMNAT2-specific neuroprotection against vincristine-induced cell death while four selected NMNAT2 negative modulators reduced neuronal viability in an NMNAT2-dependent manner. Many of the identified NMNAT2 positive modulators are predicted to increase cAMP concentration, suggesting that neuronal NMNAT2 levels are tightly regulated by cAMP signaling. Taken together, our findings indicate that the NMNAT2-MSD platform provides a sensitive phenotypic screen to detect NMNAT2 in neurons.

  3. Screening with an NMNAT2-MSD platform identifies small molecules that modulate NMNAT2 levels in cortical neurons

    PubMed Central

    Ali, Yousuf O.; Bradley, Gillian; Lu, Hui-Chen

    2017-01-01

    Nicotinamide mononucleotide adenylyl transferase 2 (NMNAT2) is a key neuronal maintenance factor and provides potent neuroprotection in numerous preclinical models of neurological disorders. NMNAT2 is significantly reduced in Alzheimer’s, Huntington’s, Parkinson’s diseases. Here we developed a Meso Scale Discovery (MSD)-based screening platform to quantify endogenous NMNAT2 in cortical neurons. The high sensitivity and large dynamic range of this NMNAT2-MSD platform allowed us to screen the Sigma LOPAC library consisting of 1280 compounds. This library had a 2.89% hit rate, with 24 NMNAT2 positive and 13 negative modulators identified. Western analysis was conducted to validate and determine the dose-dependency of identified modulators. Caffeine, one identified NMNAT2 positive-modulator, when systemically administered restored NMNAT2 expression in rTg4510 tauopathy mice to normal levels. We confirmed in a cell culture model that four selected positive-modulators exerted NMNAT2-specific neuroprotection against vincristine-induced cell death while four selected NMNAT2 negative modulators reduced neuronal viability in an NMNAT2-dependent manner. Many of the identified NMNAT2 positive modulators are predicted to increase cAMP concentration, suggesting that neuronal NMNAT2 levels are tightly regulated by cAMP signaling. Taken together, our findings indicate that the NMNAT2-MSD platform provides a sensitive phenotypic screen to detect NMNAT2 in neurons. PMID:28266613

  4. Efficacy of a Combined Intracerebral and Systemic Gene Delivery Approach for the Treatment of a Severe Lysosomal Storage Disorder

    PubMed Central

    Spampanato, Carmine; De Leonibus, Elvira; Dama, Paola; Gargiulo, Annagiusi; Fraldi, Alessandro; Sorrentino, Nicolina Cristina; Russo, Fabio; Nusco, Edoardo; Auricchio, Alberto; Surace, Enrico M; Ballabio, Andrea

    2011-01-01

    Multiple sulfatase deficiency (MSD), a severe autosomal recessive disease is caused by mutations in the sulfatase modifying factor 1 gene (Sumf1). We have previously shown that in the Sumf1 knockout mouse model (Sumf1−/−) sulfatase activities are completely absent and, similarly to MSD patients, this mouse model displays growth retardation and early mortality. The severity of the phenotype makes MSD unsuitable to be treated by enzyme replacement or bone marrow transplantation, hence the importance of testing the efficacy of novel treatment strategies. Here we show that recombinant adeno-associated virus serotype 9 (rAAV9) vector injected into the cerebral ventricles of neonatal mice resulted in efficient and widespread transduction of the brain parenchyma. In addition, we compared a combined, intracerebral ventricles and systemic, administration of an rAAV9 vector encoding SUMF1 gene to the single administrations—either directly in brain, or systemic alone —in MSD mice. The combined treatment resulted in the global activation of sulfatases, near-complete clearance of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) and decrease of inflammation in both the central nervous system (CNS) and visceral organs. Furthermore, behavioral abilities were improved by the combined treatment. These results underscore that the “combined” mode of rAAV9 vector administration is an efficient option for the treatment of severe whole-body disorders. PMID:21326216

  5. Centriolar satellite– and hMsd1/SSX2IP-dependent microtubule anchoring is critical for centriole assembly

    PubMed Central

    Hori, Akiko; Peddie, Christopher J.; Collinson, Lucy M.; Toda, Takashi

    2015-01-01

    Centriolar satellites are numerous electron-dense granules dispersed around the centrosome. Mutations in their components are linked to various human diseases, but their molecular roles remain elusive. In particular, the significance of spatial communication between centriolar satellites and the centrosome is unknown. hMsd1/SSX2IP localizes to both the centrosome and centriolar satellites and is required for tethering microtubules to the centrosome. Here we show that hMsd1/SSX2IP-mediated microtubule anchoring is essential for proper centriole assembly and duplication. On hMsd1/SSX2IP knockdown, the centriolar satellites become stuck at the microtubule minus end near the centrosome. Intriguingly, these satellites contain many proteins that normally localize to the centrosome. Of importance, microtubule structures, albeit not being anchored properly, are still required for the emergence of abnormal satellites, as complete microtubule depolymerization results in the disappearance of these aggregates from the vicinity of the centrosome. We highlighted, using superresolution and electron microscopy, that under these conditions, centriole structures are faulty. Remarkably, these cells are insensitive to Plk4 overproduction–induced ectopic centriole formation, yet they accelerate centrosome reduplication upon hydroxyurea arrest. Finally, the appearance of satellite aggregates is cancer cell specific. Together our findings provide novel insights into the mechanism of centriole assembly and microtubule anchoring. PMID:25833712

  6. Continuous Sputter Deposition Coating of Long Monofilaments

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2014-04-01

    sectional view of sample 1. Using SEM, the copper coated monofilament was observed to be smooth with little to no indications of flaking or cracked...monofilament. The magnetron sputter deposition (MSD) process was used to apply copper coatings on the order of 10–100 nanometers thick onto both nylon...of monofilaments. Though only copper coatings are discussed in this report, the system could also be used to apply a variety of sputtered metal or

  7. Preliminary AMS Study in Cretaceous Igneous Rocks of Valle Chico Complex, Uruguay: Statistical Determination of Magnetic Susceptibility

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Barcelona, H.; Mena, M.; Sanchez-Bettucci, L.

    2009-05-01

    The Valle Chico Complex, at southeast Uruguay, is related Paraná-Etendeka Province. The study involved basaltic lavas, quarz-syenites, and rhyolitic and trachytic dikes. Samples were taken from 18 sites and the AMS of 250 specimens was analyzed. The AMS is modeled by a second order tensor K and it graphical representation is a symmetric ellipsoid. The axes relations determine parameters which describe different properties like shape, lineation, and foliation, degree of anisotropy and bulk magnetic susceptibility. Under this perspective, one lava, dike, or igneous body can be considered a mosaic of magnetic susceptibility domains (MSD). The DSM is an area with specific degree of homogeneity in the distribution of parameters values and cinematic conditions. An average tensor would weigh only one MSD, but if the site is a mosaic, subsets of specimens with similar parameters can be created. Hypothesis tests can be used to establish parameter similarities. It would be suitable considered as a MSD the subsets with statistically significant differences in at least one of its means parameters, and therefore, be treated independently. Once defined the MSDs the tensor analysis continues. The basalt-andesitic lavas present MSD with an NNW magnetic foliation, dipping 10. The K1 are sub-horizontal, oriented E-W and reprsent the magmatic flow direction. The quartz-syenites show a variable magnetic fabric or prolate ellipsoids mayor axes dispose parallel to the flow direction (10 to the SSE). Deformed syenites show N300/11 magnetic foliation, consistent with the trend of fractures. The K1 is subvertical. The MSD defined in rhyolitic dikes have magnetic foliations consistent with the structural trend. The trachytic dikes show an important indetermination in the magnetic response. However, a 62/N90 magnetic lineation was defined. The MSDs obtained are consistent with the geological structures and contribute to the knowledge of the tectonic, magmatic and kinematic events.

  8. SU-E-J-129: Atlas Development for Cardiac Automatic Contouring Using Multi-Atlas Segmentation

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

    Zhou, R; Yang, J; Pan, T

    Purpose: To develop a set of atlases for automatic contouring of cardiac structures to determine heart radiation dose and the associated toxicity. Methods: Six thoracic cancer patients with both contrast and non-contrast CT images were acquired for this study. Eight radiation oncologists manually and independently delineated cardiac contours on the non-contrast CT by referring to the fused contrast CT and following the RTOG 1106 atlas contouring guideline. Fifteen regions of interest (ROIs) were delineated, including heart, four chambers, four coronary arteries, pulmonary artery and vein, inferior and superior vena cava, and ascending and descending aorta. Individual expert contours were fusedmore » using the simultaneous truth and performance level estimation (STAPLE) algorithm for each ROI and each patient. The fused contours became atlases for an in-house multi-atlas segmentation. Using leave-one-out test, we generated auto-segmented contours for each ROI and each patient. The auto-segmented contours were compared with the fused contours using the Dice similarity coefficient (DSC) and the mean surface distance (MSD). Results: Inter-observer variability was not obvious for heart, chambers, and aorta but was large for other structures that were not clearly distinguishable on CT image. The average DSC between individual expert contours and the fused contours were less than 50% for coronary arteries and pulmonary vein, and the average MSD were greater than 4.0 mm. The largest MSD of expert contours deviating from the fused contours was 2.5 cm. The mean DSC and MSD of auto-segmented contours were within one standard deviation of expert contouring variability except the right coronary artery. The coronary arteries, vena cava, and pulmonary vein had DSC<70% and MSD>3.0 mm. Conclusion: A set of cardiac atlases was created for cardiac automatic contouring, the accuracy of which was comparable to the variability in expert contouring. However, substantial modification may need for auto-segmented contours of indistinguishable small structures.« less

  9. Similar outcome of upfront-unrelated and matched sibling stem cell transplantation in idiopathic paediatric aplastic anaemia. A study on behalf of the UK Paediatric BMT Working Party, Paediatric Diseases Working Party and Severe Aplastic Anaemia Working Party of EBMT.

    PubMed

    Dufour, Carlo; Veys, Paul; Carraro, Elisa; Bhatnagar, Neha; Pillon, Marta; Wynn, Rob; Gibson, Brenda; Vora, Ajay J; Steward, Colin G; Ewins, Anna M; Hough, Rachael E; de la Fuente, Josu; Velangi, Mark; Amrolia, Persis J; Skinner, Roderick; Bacigalupo, Andrea; Risitano, Antonio M; Socie, Gerard; Peffault de Latour, Regis; Passweg, Jakob; Rovo, Alicia; Tichelli, André; Schrezenmeier, Hubert; Hochsmann, Britta; Bader, Peter; van Biezen, Anja; Aljurf, Mahmoud D; Kulasekararaj, Austin; Marsh, Judith C; Samarasinghe, Sujith

    2015-11-01

    We explored the feasibility of unrelated donor haematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) upfront without prior immunosuppressive therapy (IST) in paediatric idiopathic severe aplastic anaemia (SAA). This cohort was then compared to matched historical controls who had undergone first-line therapy with a matched sibling/family donor (MSD) HSCT (n = 87) or IST with horse antithymocyte globulin and ciclosporin (n = 58) or second-line therapy with unrelated donor HSCT post-failed IST (n = 24). The 2-year overall survival in the upfront cohort was 96 ± 4% compared to 91 ± 3% in the MSD controls (P = 0·30) and 94 ± 3% in the IST controls (P = 0·68) and 74 ± 9% in the unrelated donor HSCT post-IST failure controls (P = 0·02).The 2-year event-free survival in the upfront cohort was 92 ± 5% compared to 87 ± 4% in MSD controls (P = 0·37), 40 ± 7% in IST controls (P = 0·0001) and 74 ± 9% in the unrelated donor HSCT post-IST failure controls (n = 24) (P = 0·02). Outcomes for upfront-unrelated donor HSCT in paediatric idiopathic SAA were similar to MSD HSCT and superior to IST and unrelated donor HSCT post-IST failure. Front-line therapy with matched unrelated donor HSCT is a novel treatment approach and could be considered as first-line therapy in selected paediatric patients who lack a MSD. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  10. A two-stage rule-constrained seedless region growing approach for mandibular body segmentation in MRI.

    PubMed

    Ji, Dong Xu; Foong, Kelvin Weng Chiong; Ong, Sim Heng

    2013-09-01

    Extraction of the mandible from 3D volumetric images is frequently required for surgical planning and evaluation. Image segmentation from MRI is more complex than CT due to lower bony signal-to-noise. An automated method to extract the human mandible body shape from magnetic resonance (MR) images of the head was developed and tested. Anonymous MR images data sets of the head from 12 subjects were subjected to a two-stage rule-constrained region growing approach to derive the shape of the body of the human mandible. An initial thresholding technique was applied followed by a 3D seedless region growing algorithm to detect a large portion of the trabecular bone (TB) regions of the mandible. This stage is followed with a rule-constrained 2D segmentation of each MR axial slice to merge the remaining portions of the TB regions with lower intensity levels. The two-stage approach was replicated to detect the cortical bone (CB) regions of the mandibular body. The TB and CB regions detected from the preceding steps were merged and subjected to a series of morphological processes for completion of the mandibular body region definition. Comparisons of the accuracy of segmentation between the two-stage approach, conventional region growing method, 3D level set method, and manual segmentation were made with Jaccard index, Dice index, and mean surface distance (MSD). The mean accuracy of the proposed method is [Formula: see text] for Jaccard index, [Formula: see text] for Dice index, and [Formula: see text] mm for MSD. The mean accuracy of CRG is [Formula: see text] for Jaccard index, [Formula: see text] for Dice index, and [Formula: see text] mm for MSD. The mean accuracy of the 3D level set method is [Formula: see text] for Jaccard index, [Formula: see text] for Dice index, and [Formula: see text] mm for MSD. The proposed method shows improvement in accuracy over CRG and 3D level set. Accurate segmentation of the body of the human mandible from MR images is achieved with the proposed two-stage rule-constrained seedless region growing approach. The accuracy achieved with the two-stage approach is higher than CRG and 3D level set.

  11. Toxic Substances Registry System. Index of Material Safety Data Sheets

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1994-01-01

    The October 1994 revision of the KSC Toxic Substances Registry System (TSRS) Material Safety Data Sheets (MSD's) is presented. The listed MSD's which were submitted to the TSRS are maintained by the Base Operations Contractors of the Biomedical Operations and Research Office of KSC. The purpose of the index is to provide a means of accessing information on the hazards associated with the toxic and otherwise hazardous chemicals stored and used at KSC. Indices are provided for manufacturers, trademarks, and stock numbers.

  12. Non-equilibrium Numerical Analysis of Microwave-supported Detonation Threshold Propagating through Diatomic Gas

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shiraishi, Hiroyuki

    2015-09-01

    Microwave-supported Detonation (MSD), one type of Microwave-supported Plasma (MSP), is considered as one of the most important phenomena because it can generate high pressure and high temperature for beam-powered space propulsion systems. In this study, I numerically simulate MSD waves propagating through a diatomic gas. In order to evaluate the threshold of beam intensity, I use the physical-fluid dynamics scheme, which has been developed for simulating unsteady and non-equilibrium LSD waves propagating through a hydrogen gas.

  13. The Effect of a Third Generation Hemostatic Dressing in a Subclavian Artery and Vein Transection Porcine Model

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2014-04-01

    The MSD is comprised of a syringe applicator filled with compressed chitosan coated sponges which are delivered into the wound at the site of the...transmitted effectively to the deep subclavian vessels to stop hemorrhage. As a result of their non-compressible nature and paucity of effective field...followed by three minutes of compression to the packed dressing. The mini- sponge dressing (MSD) is a novel product that utilizes compressed, chitosan

  14. 40 CFR 98.150 - Definition of the source category.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... (CONTINUED) MANDATORY GREENHOUSE GAS REPORTING HCFC-22 Production and HFC-23 Destruction § 98.150 Definition of the source category. The HCFC-22 production and HFC-23 destruction source category consists of HCFC-22 production processes and HFC-23 destruction processes. (a) An HCFC-22 production process...

  15. 40 CFR 98.150 - Definition of the source category.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... (CONTINUED) MANDATORY GREENHOUSE GAS REPORTING HCFC-22 Production and HFC-23 Destruction § 98.150 Definition of the source category. The HCFC-22 production and HFC-23 destruction source category consists of HCFC-22 production processes and HFC-23 destruction processes. (a) An HCFC-22 production process...

  16. Musculoskeletal disorders and associated healthcare costs among family members of injured workers.

    PubMed

    Asfaw, Abay; Pana-Cryan, Regina; Bushnell, Tim; Sauter, Steven

    2015-11-01

    Research has infrequently looked beyond the injured worker when gauging the burden of occupational injury. We explored the relationship between occupational injury and musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) among family members of injured workers. We used 2005 and 2006 Truven Health Analytics databases, which contain information on workers' compensation and family healthcare claims. We used descriptive analyses, and negative binomial and two-part models. Family members of severely injured workers had a 15% increase in the total number of MSD outpatient claims and a 34% increase in the mean cost of MSD claims compared to family members of non-severely injured workers within 3 months after injury. Extrapolating cost results to the national level implies that severe occupational injury would be associated with between $29 and $33 million additional cost of family member outpatient MSD claims. Occupational injury can impose a formerly unrecognized health burden on family members of injured workers. Published 2015. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

  17. Musculoskeletal symptoms as related to ergonomic factors in Iranian hand-woven carpet industry and general guidelines for workstation design.

    PubMed

    Choobineh, Alireza; Lahmi, Mohammadali; Shahnavaz, Houshang; Jazani, Reza Khani; Hosseini, Mostafa

    2004-01-01

    Carpet weaving is a high risk occupation for developing musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). The objectives of the present study, which was carried out in the Iranian hand-woven carpet industry, were determination of the prevalence of MSD symptoms, identification of major factors associated with MSD symptoms and development of guidelines for workstation design. 1,439 randomly selected weavers participated in this study. A questionnaire was used to collect data on MSD symptoms. The results revealed that the prevalence rates for symptoms in different body regions were high as compared to the general Iranian population (for neck, back and large joints, p <.0001). The results of multivariate analyses showed that major ergonomic factors associated with musculoskeletal symptoms were loom type, working posture, daily working time and seat type. Based on the results, some general guidelines for designing weaving workstations were developed. A prototype test showed that the new workstation was acceptable for subject tests and that it improved working posture.

  18. Measuring a diffusion coefficient by single-particle tracking: statistical analysis of experimental mean squared displacement curves.

    PubMed

    Ernst, Dominique; Köhler, Jürgen

    2013-01-21

    We provide experimental results on the accuracy of diffusion coefficients obtained by a mean squared displacement (MSD) analysis of single-particle trajectories. We have recorded very long trajectories comprising more than 1.5 × 10(5) data points and decomposed these long trajectories into shorter segments providing us with ensembles of trajectories of variable lengths. This enabled a statistical analysis of the resulting MSD curves as a function of the lengths of the segments. We find that the relative error of the diffusion coefficient can be minimized by taking an optimum number of points into account for fitting the MSD curves, and that this optimum does not depend on the segment length. Yet, the magnitude of the relative error for the diffusion coefficient does, and achieving an accuracy in the order of 10% requires the recording of trajectories with about 1000 data points. Finally, we compare our results with theoretical predictions and find very good qualitative and quantitative agreement between experiment and theory.

  19. A comment on the position dependent diffusion coefficient representation of structural heterogeneity

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wolfson, Molly; Liepold, Christopher; Lin, Binhua; Rice, Stuart A.

    2018-05-01

    Experimental studies of the variation of the mean square displacement (MSD) of a particle in a confined colloid suspension that exhibits density variations on the scale length of the particle diameter are not in agreement with the prediction that the spatial variation in MSD should mimic the spatial variation in density. The predicted behavior is derived from the expectation that the MSD of a particle depends on the system density and the assumption that the force acting on a particle is a point function of position. The experimental data are obtained from studies of the MSDs of particles in narrow ribbon channels and between narrowly spaced parallel plates and from new data, reported herein, of the radial and azimuthal MSDs of a colloid particle in a dense colloid suspension confined to a small circular cavity. In each of these geometries, a dense colloid suspension exhibits pronounced density oscillations with spacing of a particle diameter. We remove the discrepancy between prediction and experiment using the Fisher-Methfessel interpretation of how local equilibrium in an inhomogeneous system is maintained to argue that the force acting on a particle is delocalized over a volume with radius equal to a particle diameter. Our interpretation has relevance to the relationship between the scale of inhomogeneity and the utility of translation of the particle MSD into a position dependent diffusion coefficient and to the use of a spatially dependent diffusion coefficient to describe mass transport in a heterogeneous system.

  20. Effect of systematic ergonomic hazard identification and control implementation on musculoskeletal disorder and injury risk.

    PubMed

    Cantley, Linda F; Taiwo, Oyebode A; Galusha, Deron; Barbour, Russell; Slade, Martin D; Tessier-Sherman, Baylah; Cullen, Mark R

    2014-01-01

    This study aimed to examine the effect of an ergonomic hazard control (HC) initiative, undertaken as part of a company ergonomics standard, on worker injury risk. Using the company's ergonomic hazards database to identify jobs with and without ergonomic HC implementation and linking to individual job and injury histories, injury risk among person-jobs with HC implementation (the HC group) was compared to those without HC (NoHC group) using random coefficient models. Further analysis of the HC group was conducted to determine the effect of additional ergonomic hazards controlled on injury risk. Among 123 jobs at 17 plant locations, 347 ergonomic hazards were quantitatively identified during the study period. HC were implemented for 204 quantified ergonomic hazards in 84 jobs, impacting 10 385 persons (12 967 person-jobs). No HC were implemented for quantified ergonomic hazards in the remaining 39 jobs affecting 4155 persons (5046 person-jobs). Adjusting for age, sex, plant origin, and year to control for any temporal trend in injury risk, the relative risk (RR) for musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) was 0.85 and the RR for any injury or MSD was 0.92 in the HC compared to NoHC group. Among the HC group, each ergonomic hazard controlled was associated with risk reduction for MSD and acute injury outcomes (RR 0.93). Systematic ergonomic HC through participatory ergonomics, as part of a mandatory company ergonomics standard, is associated with MSD and injury risk reduction among workers in jobs with HC implemented.

  1. Association Between Shigella Infection and Diarrhea Varies Based on Location and Age of Children.

    PubMed

    Lindsay, Brianna; Saha, Debasish; Sanogo, Doh; Das, Sumon Kumar; Omore, Richard; Farag, Tamer H; Nasrin, Dilruba; Li, Shan; Panchalingam, Sandra; Levine, Myron M; Kotloff, Karen; Nataro, James P; Magder, Laurence; Hungerford, Laura; Faruque, A S G; Oundo, Joseph; Hossain, M Anowar; Adeyemi, Mitchell; Stine, Oscar Colin

    2015-11-01

    Molecular identification of the invasion plasmid antigen-H (ipaH) gene has been established as a useful detection mechanism for Shigella spp. The Global Enteric Multicenter Study (GEMS) identified the etiology and burden of moderate-to-severe diarrhea (MSD) in sub-Saharan Africa and south Asia using a case-control study and traditional culture techniques. Here, we used quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) to identify Shigella spp. in 2,611 stool specimens from GEMS and compared these results to those using culture. Demographic and nutritional characteristics were assessed as possible risk factors. The qPCR identified more cases of shigellosis than culture; however, the distribution of demographic characteristics was similar by both methods. In regression models adjusting for Shigella quantity, age, and site, children who were exclusively breast-fed had significantly lower odds of MSD compared with children who were not breast-fed (odds ratio [OR] = 0.47, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.28-0.81). The association between Shigella quantity and MSD increased with age, with a peak in children of 24-35 months of age (OR = 8.2, 95% CI = 4.3-15.7) and the relationship between Shigella quantity and disease was greatest in Bangladesh (OR = 13.2, 95% CI = 7.3-23.8). This study found that qPCR identified more cases of Shigella and age, site, and breast-feeding status were significant risk factors for MSD. © The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

  2. Paleoecological reconstruction of hominin-bearing middle Pliocene localities at Woranso-Mille, Ethiopia.

    PubMed

    Curran, Sabrina C; Haile-Selassie, Yohannes

    2016-07-01

    Woranso-Mille is a paleoanthropological site in Ethiopia sampling an important and under-represented time period in human evolution (3.8-3.6 million years ago). Specimens of cf. Australopithecus anamensis, Australopithecus afarensis, and the recently named Australopithecus deyiremeda have been recovered from this site. Using multiple habitat proxies, this study provides a paleoecological reconstruction of two fossiliferous collection areas from Woranso-Mille, Aralee Issie (ARI) and Mesgid Dora (MSD). Previous reconstructions based on faunal assemblages have pointed, due to the presence of aepycerotins, alcelaphins, and proboscideans, to the existence of open habitats as well as more closed ones, based on the occurrence of cercopithecids, giraffids, and traglephins. Results from community structure analysis (proportions of locomotor and dietary adaptations) at ARI and MSD indicated a predominance of open habitats, such as shrublands. Mesowear analysis revealed that ungulates of all dietary types (grazers, leaf and fruit browsers, and mixed feeders) were present in nearly equal proportions. Ecomorphological analyses using linear measurements of the astragalus and phalanges indicated that bovids utilizing locomotor behaviors associated with all habitat types were present, though the intermediate-cover habitat bovids were best represented in the sample (Heavy cover at ARI and Light cover at MSD). Together, these results suggest that the ARI and MSD localities were heterogeneous habitats (mosaics), likely with densely vegetated areas along a paleo-river and more open regions (woodlands, grasslands) available away from the river. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. How compatible are participatory ergonomics programs with occupational health and safety management systems?

    PubMed

    Yazdani, Amin; Neumann, W Patrick; Imbeau, Daniel; Bigelow, Philip; Pagell, Mark; Theberge, Nancy; Hilbrecht, Margo; Wells, Richard

    2015-03-01

    Musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) are a major cause of pain, disability, and costs. Prevention of MSD at work is frequently described in terms of implementing an ergonomics program, often a participatory ergonomics (PE) program. Most other workplace injury prevention activities take place under the umbrella of a formal or informal occupational health and safety management system (OHSMS). This study assesses the similarities and differences between OHSMS and PE as such knowledge could help improve MSD prevention activities. Methods Using the internationally recognized Occupational Health and Safety Assessment Series (OHSAS 18001), 21 OHSMS elements were extracted. In order to define PE operationally, we identified the 20 most frequently cited papers on PE and extracted content relevant to each of the OHSAS 18001 elements. The PE literature provided a substantial amount of detail on five elements: (i) hazard identification, risk assessment and determining controls; (ii) resources, roles, responsibility, accountability, and authority; (iii) competence, training and awareness; (iv) participation and consultation; and (v) performance measurement and monitoring. However, of the 21 OHSAS elements, the PE literature was silent on 8 and provided few details on 8 others. The PE literature did not speak to many elements described in OHSMS and even when it did, the language used was often different. This may negatively affect the effectiveness and sustainability of PE initiatives within organizations. It is expected that paying attention to the approaches and language used in management system frameworks could make prevention of MSD activities more effective and sustainable.

  4. Enzymatic activities produced by mixed Saccharomyces and non-Saccharomyces cultures: relationship with wine volatile composition.

    PubMed

    Maturano, Yolanda Paola; Assof, Mariela; Fabani, María Paula; Nally, María Cristina; Jofré, Viviana; Rodríguez Assaf, Leticia Anahí; Toro, María Eugenia; Castellanos de Figueroa, Lucía Inés; Vazquez, Fabio

    2015-11-01

    During certain wine fermentation processes, yeasts, and mainly non-Saccharomyces strains, produce and secrete enzymes such as β-glucosidases, proteases, pectinases, xylanases and amylases. The effects of enzyme activity on the aromatic quality of wines during grape juice fermentation, using different co-inoculation strategies of non-Saccharomyces and Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeasts, were assessed in the current study. Three strains with appropriate enological performance and high enzymatic activities, BSc562 (S. cerevisiae), BDv566 (Debaryomyces vanrijiae) and BCs403 (Candida sake), were assayed in pure and mixed Saccharomyces/non-Saccharomyces cultures. β-Glucosidase, pectinase, protease, xylanase and amylase activities were quantified during fermentations. The aromatic profile of pure and mixed cultures was determined at the end of each fermentation. In mixed cultures, non-Saccharomyces species were detected until day 4-5 of the fermentation process, and highest populations were observed in MSD2 (10% S. cerevisiae/90% D. vanrijiae) and MSC1 (1% S. cerevisiae/99% C. sake). According to correlation and multivariate analysis, MSD2 presented the highest concentrations of terpenes and higher alcohols which were associated with pectinase, amylase and xylanase activities. On the other hand, MSC1 high levels of β-glucosidase, proteolytic and xylanolytic activities were correlated to esters and fatty acids. Our study contributes to a better understanding of the effect of enzymatic activities by yeasts on compound transformations that occur during wine fermentation.

  5. Cost Effectiveness Study of Wastewater Management Systems for Selected U.S. Coast Guard Vessels. Volume V. Characteristics and Cost Estimates of Selected Marine Sanitary Devices

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1977-02-01

    emissions to meet Applicable standards for () disposal Of oJ~l-cOntAminated residues At sAG (A) MSD) suhsystem tias no potential for prr’ducing ail...odoriferous compounds are oxidized to mainly carbon dioxide and water vapor. The vapor treatment section (VTS) consists mainly of 1-1/2 inch piping...materials in black water stream. 61 Ability of MSD secondary emissions to moot applicable standards for tile discharge of air pollutants (a) No

  6. Determination of low ppm levels of dimethyl sulfate in an aqueous soluble API intermediate using liquid-liquid extraction and GC-MS.

    PubMed

    Zheng, Jie; Pritts, Wayne A; Zhang, Shuhong; Wittenberger, Steve

    2009-12-05

    Dimethyl sulfate (DMS) is an alkylating reagent commonly used in organic syntheses and pharmaceutical manufacturing processes. Due to its potential carcinogenicity, the level of DMS in the API process needs to be carefully monitored. However, in-process testing for DMS is challenging because of its reactivity and polarity as well as complex matrix effects. In this short communication, we report a GC-MS method for determination of DMS in an API intermediate that is a methyl sulfate salt. To overcome the complex matrix interference, DMS and an internal standard, d6-DMS, were extracted from the matrix with methyl tert-butyl ether. GC separation was conducted on a DB-624 column (30 m long, 0.32 mm ID, 1.8 microm film thickness). MS detection was performed on a single-quad Agilent MSD equipped with an electron impact source while the MSD signal was acquired in selected ion monitoring mode. This GC/MS method showed a linear response for DMS equivalent from 1.0 to 60 ppm. The practical quantitation limit for DMS was 1.0 ppm and the practical detection limit was 0.3 ppm. The relative standard derivation for analyte response was found as 0.1% for six injections of a working standard equivalent to 18.6 ppm of DMS. The spike recovery was ranged from 102.1 to 108.5% for a sample of API intermediate spiked with 8.0 ppm of DMS. In summary, the GC/MS method showed adequate specificity, linearity, sensitivity, repeatability and accuracy for determination of DMS in the API intermediate. This method has been successfully applied to study the efficiency of removing DMS from the process.

  7. An Investigation into the Effects of Sprue Attachment Design on Porosity and Castability

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1990-12-01

    of a dental alloy: sprue design, mold temperature, fusing and casting temperature of the alloy, type of casting machine, casting force, burnout time... Student at: University of Texas, San Antonio AFIT/CI/CIA-90-119 AFIT/CI Wright-Patterson AFB OH 45433-6583 Approved for Public Release IAW AFR 190-1...Supervising Professor: E. Steven Duke, D.D.S., M.S.D. Many variables are involved in the process of fabricating a dense dental casting which accurately

  8. Prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal injuries among South Indian hand screen-printing workers.

    PubMed

    Shankar, S; Naveen Kumar, R; Mohankumar, P; Jayaraman, Srinivasan

    2017-01-01

    Hand screen-printing (HSP) plays a predominant role in textile industries in developing countries. Workers from HSP industry were mostly affected by musculoskeletal injury due to monotonous, and prolonged work nature and poor workplace environment. The present study aims to investigate the prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) symptoms and risk factors associated among the HSP industry workers. Cochran's sample size for categorical data was used to select 385 HSP workers of 1000 samples from various provinces of Tamil Nadu, INDIA. Modified Nordic based questionnaire was used to assess the musculoskeletal injuries and risk factors among HSP workers. The statistical analysis revealed that 62.5% workers are prone to MSD symptoms with lower back (75.1%), shoulder (66.2%), knees (58.7%), and ankle/feet (55.6%). Age, experience, marital status, stress in the job were the risk factors which significantly (p < 0.05) associated with the reported MSDs. Further, this study result infers that the subjects with higher age and experience are exposed higher levels of MSD prevalence of 85.5% and 92.0% respectively in past 12 months than other groups. Among the different work categories in HSP task, the workers reported with the maximum discomfort during printing work (63.1%) with Odds ratio as 10.38 and 95% CI is 6.18-17.4. than the material handling and drying task. Study results infer that HSP workers are prone to lower back and shoulder pain followed by knees and ankle feet regions. Socio-demographic factors, awkward posture and repetitive movements contribute to cause MSD among hand screen-printing workers.

  9. Effect of systematic ergonomic hazard identification and control implementation on musculoskeletal disorder and injury risk

    PubMed Central

    Cantley, Linda F; Taiwo, Oyebode A; Galusha, Deron; Barbour, Russell; Slade, Martin D; Tessier-Sherman, Baylah; Cullen, Mark R

    2014-01-01

    Objectives This study aimed to examine the effect of an ergonomic hazard control (HC) initiative, undertaken as part of a company ergonomics standard, on worker injury risk. Methods Using the company's ergonomic hazards database to identify jobs with and without ergonomic HC implementation and linking to individual job and injury histories, injury risk among person-jobs with HC implementation (the HC group) was compared to those without HC (NoHC group) using random coefficient models. Further analysis of the HC group was conducted to determine the effect of additional ergonomic hazards controlled on injury risk. Results Among 123jobs at 17 plant locations, 347 ergonomic hazards were quantitatively identified during the study period. HC were implemented for 204 quantified ergonomic hazards in 84 jobs, impacting 10 385 persons (12 967 person-jobs). No HC were implemented for quantified ergonomic hazards in the remaining 39 jobs affecting 4155 persons (5046 person-jobs). Adjusting for age, sex, plant origin, and year to control for any temporal trend in injury risk, the relative risk (RR) for musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) was 0.85 and the RR for any injury or MSD was 0.92 in the HC compared to NoHC group. Among the HC group, each ergonomic hazard controlled was associated with risk reduction for MSD and acute injury outcomes (RR 0.93). Conclusion Systematic ergonomic HC through participatory ergonomics, as part of a mandatory company ergonomics standard, is associated with MSD and injury risk reduction among workers in jobs with HC implemented. PMID:24142048

  10. Workstyle and Musculoskeletal Discomfort (MSD): Exploring the Influence of Work Culture in Malaysia.

    PubMed

    Maakip, Ismail; Keegel, Tessa; Oakman, Jodi

    2015-12-01

    Workstyle can be defined as an individual pattern of cognitions, behaviours and physiological reactivity that can occur while performing job tasks. Workstyle has been associated with the development of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) amongst office workers in developed countries. However, little is known about the contribution of workstyle on MSDs in developing countries such as Malaysia. The objective of this cross-sectional study was to examine the relationship between workstyle and musculoskeletal discomfort in a sample of office workers in Malaysia. Office workers (N = 417; response rate 65.5 %) from four organisations completed a survey measuring physical and psychosocial hazards, job satisfaction, work-life balance, workstyle, and MSD discomfort levels. Hierarchical regression analyses were undertaken to examine predictors associated with self-reported musculoskeletal discomfort, and more specifically the relationship between workstyle and MSD discomfort. Musculoskeletal discomfort was significantly associated with working through pain, mental health, physical demands, gender and work-life balance (R (2) = 50.2, adjusted R (2) = 0.48; F (13, 324) = 25.09, p = 0.001). Working through pain is the strongest risk factor associated with MSD discomfort (ß = 0.49, p = 0.001) compared to other potential risk factors. Working through pain is influenced by work, social culture and religious beliefs. Workplace MSDs interventions that focus on the impact of physical and psychosocial hazards with emphasis on addressing adverse workstyles should take into account aspects related to work and social culture of the target population. Changes are recommended at both employee and management levels such as better communications and understanding concerning workplace problems with regards to minimizing MSDs at work.

  11. Role of Occupational Stress and Burnout in Prevalence of Musculoskeletal Disorders Among Embassy Personnel of Foreign Countries in Iran

    PubMed Central

    Aghilinejad, Mashaallah; Sadeghi, Zargham; Abdullah, Amer; Sarebanha, Shima; Bahrami-Ahmadi, Amir

    2014-01-01

    Background: Occupation is one of the major parts of our daily lives that might cause a great amount of stress. Stress and job burnout are linked together. The association between musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) and burnout syndrome as a psychosocial factor was investigated previously. Objectives: The aim of this study was to identify the role of occupational stress and burnout in musculoskeletal complaint among diplomatic employees of different embassies in Iran. Materials and Methods: In a cross-sectional study, we assessed 200 employees of the foreign countries embassies in Iran. The participants were selected randomly from all the embassy personnel. Study questionnaires were delivered to the participants and finally 161 questionnaires were returned to the researchers (response rate: 80.5%). An assessment of burnout and MSD were made using the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) and Nordic questionnaires. The work place stress was measured by the work place stress questionnaire. Results: Mean occupational stress was significantly higher among embassy personnel with MSD than among the personnel without this syndrome during the preceding week (17.18 ± 3.42 and 16.06 ± 2.19, respectively; P = 0.02) and the preceding year (17.17 ± 3.11 and 16.74 ± 3.03, respectively; P < 0.01) to the study. Only smoking and occupational stress were identified as independent predictors of MSD among embassy personnel. Conclusions: It seems that association between musculoskeletal complaints and burnout syndrome was more complex than being attributed to only occupation stress. Further studies are recommended to determine other related factors to this association. PMID:25031868

  12. [Hematopoietic Reconstitution and Prognosis of HLA Matched and Haploidentical Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Using Modified FC/ATG Conditioning for Treatment of Severe Aplastic Anemia].

    PubMed

    Wang, Li; Wu, Ya-Mei; Cao, Yong-Bin; Li, Xiao-Hong; Xu, Li-Xin; Wang, Hai-Tao; Gao, Ya-Hui; Wu, Xiao-Xiong

    2016-12-01

    To analyse the feasibility and compare differences between hematopoietic reconstitution and prognosis of patients with severe aplastic anemia(SAA) after matched sibling donor (MSD) or haploidentical family donor (HFD) hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) using the modified FC/ATG conditioning. The clinical data of 56 patients with SAA who received HSCT in First Affiliated Hospital of Chinese PLA General Hospital from January 2011 to June 2016 were analyzed retrospectively. The hematopoietic reconstitution, graft verus host disease (GVHD), transplantation related toxicity (TRT) and prognosis after transplantation were compared. Furthermore, the modifed conditioning FC/ATG included low-dose cyclophosphamide (total dose 100 mg/kg), infustion of third-party donor-derived mesenchymal stem cells. All 56 patients with MSD-HSCT or HFD-HSCT achieved hematopoietic reconstitution. Among them, not only the recovery of neutrophils and platelets, but also the incidences of III-IV aGVHD, extensive cGVHD and TRT were not significantly different (the P value were 0.58, 0.61, 0.73, 0.73 and 0.67, respectively). After following-up for 32(2-66) months, 48 patients alive well, the 1-year overall survival rates were 86% in HFD-HSCT group and 89% in MSD-HSCT group, respectively (P=0.58). After HSCT using the modifed FC/ATG conditioning, patients with SAA achieved stable engraftment, low toxicity, mild GVHD and excellent outcomes. Furthermore, the HFD-HSCT achieved comparable outcomes to MSD-HSCT and may be served as an alternate therapy for patients with SAA.

  13. Role of occupational stress and burnout in prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders among embassy personnel of foreign countries in iran.

    PubMed

    Aghilinejad, Mashaallah; Sadeghi, Zargham; Abdullah, Amer; Sarebanha, Shima; Bahrami-Ahmadi, Amir

    2014-05-01

    Occupation is one of the major parts of our daily lives that might cause a great amount of stress. Stress and job burnout are linked together. The association between musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) and burnout syndrome as a psychosocial factor was investigated previously. The aim of this study was to identify the role of occupational stress and burnout in musculoskeletal complaint among diplomatic employees of different embassies in Iran. In a cross-sectional study, we assessed 200 employees of the foreign countries embassies in Iran. The participants were selected randomly from all the embassy personnel. Study questionnaires were delivered to the participants and finally 161 questionnaires were returned to the researchers (response rate: 80.5%). An assessment of burnout and MSD were made using the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) and Nordic questionnaires. The work place stress was measured by the work place stress questionnaire. Mean occupational stress was significantly higher among embassy personnel with MSD than among the personnel without this syndrome during the preceding week (17.18 ± 3.42 and 16.06 ± 2.19, respectively; P = 0.02) and the preceding year (17.17 ± 3.11 and 16.74 ± 3.03, respectively; P < 0.01) to the study. Only smoking and occupational stress were identified as independent predictors of MSD among embassy personnel. It seems that association between musculoskeletal complaints and burnout syndrome was more complex than being attributed to only occupation stress. Further studies are recommended to determine other related factors to this association.

  14. Health-related effects of early part-time sick leave due to musculoskeletal disorders: a randomized controlled trial.

    PubMed

    Shiri, Rahman; Kausto, Johanna; Martimo, Kari-Pekka; Kaila-Kangas, Leena; Takala, Esa-Pekka; Viikari-Juntura, Eira

    2013-01-01

    Previously we reported that early part-time sick leave enhances return to work (RTW) among employees with musculoskeletal disorders (MSD). This paper assesses the health-related effects of this intervention. Patients aged 18-60 years who were unable to perform their regular work due to MSD were randomized to part- or full-time sick leave groups. In the former, workload was reduced by halving working time. Using validated questionnaires, we assessed pain intensity and interference with work and sleep, region-specific disability due to MSD, self-rated general health, health-related quality of life (measured via EuroQol), productivity loss, depression, and sleep disturbance at baseline, 1, 3, 8, 12, and 52 weeks. We analyzed the repeated measures data (171-356 observations) with the generalized estimating equation approach. The intervention (part-time sick leave) and control (full-time sick leave) groups did not differ with regard to pain intensity, pain interference with work and sleep, region-specific disability, productivity loss, depression, or sleep disturbance. The intervention group reported better self-rated general health (adjusted P=0.07) and health-related quality of life (adjusted P=0.02) than the control group. In subgroup analyses, the intervention was more effective among the patients whose current problem began occurring <6 weeks before baseline and those with ≤30% productivity loss at baseline. Our findings showed that part-time sick leave did not exacerbate pain-related symptoms and functional disability, but improved self-rated general health and health-related quality of life in the early stage of work disability due to MSD.

  15. Evaluation of Treatment Technologies for Wastewater from Insensitive Munitions Production. Phase 1: Technology Down-Selection

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2013-11-01

    the AOP reactor according to the target process formulation. Gases were vented to a GAC vessel. ERDC/EL TR-13-20 94 10.2.2 Results and Discussion...destructive and filtration methods such as biological treatment (destructive), chemical reduction (destructive), reverse osmosis (RO)/nano- filtration ... filtration ), and advanced oxidation processes (destructive). A comprehensive evaluation of alternatives relies on a detailed list of criteria, allowing for

  16. Chromosomal locus tracking with proper accounting of static and dynamic errors

    PubMed Central

    Backlund, Mikael P.; Joyner, Ryan; Moerner, W. E.

    2015-01-01

    The mean-squared displacement (MSD) and velocity autocorrelation (VAC) of tracked single particles or molecules are ubiquitous metrics for extracting parameters that describe the object’s motion, but they are both corrupted by experimental errors that hinder the quantitative extraction of underlying parameters. For the simple case of pure Brownian motion, the effects of localization error due to photon statistics (“static error”) and motion blur due to finite exposure time (“dynamic error”) on the MSD and VAC are already routinely treated. However, particles moving through complex environments such as cells, nuclei, or polymers often exhibit anomalous diffusion, for which the effects of these errors are less often sufficiently treated. We present data from tracked chromosomal loci in yeast that demonstrate the necessity of properly accounting for both static and dynamic error in the context of an anomalous diffusion that is consistent with a fractional Brownian motion (FBM). We compare these data to analytical forms of the expected values of the MSD and VAC for a general FBM in the presence of these errors. PMID:26172745

  17. Genetic variation in heat tolerance-related traits in a population of wheat multiple synthetic derivatives

    PubMed Central

    Elbashir, Awad A. E.; Gorafi, Yasir S. A.; Tahir, Izzat S. A.; Elhashimi, Ashraf. M. A.; Abdalla, Modather G. A.; Tsujimoto, Hisashi

    2017-01-01

    In wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) high temperature (≥30°C) during grain filling leads to considerable reduction in grain yield. We studied 400 multiple synthetic derivatives (MSD) lines to examine the genetic variability of heat stress–adaptive traits and to identify new sources of heat tolerance to be used in wheat breeding programs. The experiment was arranged in an augmented randomized complete block design in four environments in Sudan. A wide range of genetic variability was found in most of the traits in all environments. For all traits examined, we found MSD lines that showed better performance than their parent ‘Norin 61’ and two adapted Sudanese cultivars. Using the heat tolerance efficiency, we identified 13 highly heat-tolerant lines and several lines with intermediate heat tolerance and good yield potential. We also identified lines with alleles that can be used to increase wheat yield potential. Our study revealed that the use of the MSD population is an efficient way to explore the genetic variation in Ae. tauschii for wheat breeding and improvement. PMID:29398942

  18. Isolating long-wavelength fluctuation from structural relaxation in two-dimensional glass: cage-relative displacement

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shiba, Hayato; Keim, Peter; Kawasaki, Takeshi

    2018-03-01

    It has recently been revealed that long-wavelength fluctuation exists in two-dimensional (2D) glassy systems, having the same origin as that given by the Mermin-Wagner theorem for 2D crystalline solids. In this paper, we discuss how to characterise quantitatively the long-wavelength fluctuation in a molecular dynamics simulation of a lightly supercooled liquid. We employ the cage-relative mean-square displacement (MSD), defined on relative displacement to its cage, to quantitatively separate the long-wavelength fluctuation from the original MSD. For increasing system size the amplitude of acoustic long wavelength fluctuations not only increases but shifts to later times causing a crossover with structural relaxation of caging particles. We further analyse the dynamic correlation length using the cage-relative quantities. It grows as the structural relaxation becomes slower with decreasing temperature, uncovering an overestimation by the four-point correlation function due to the long-wavelength fluctuation. These findings motivate the usage of cage-relative MSD as a starting point for analysis of 2D glassy dynamics.

  19. Analysis and prediction of Multiple-Site Damage (MSD) fatigue crack growth

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Dawicke, D. S.; Newman, J. C., Jr.

    1992-01-01

    A technique was developed to calculate the stress intensity factor for multiple interacting cracks. The analysis was verified through comparison with accepted methods of calculating stress intensity factors. The technique was incorporated into a fatigue crack growth prediction model and used to predict the fatigue crack growth life for multiple-site damage (MSD). The analysis was verified through comparison with experiments conducted on uniaxially loaded flat panels with multiple cracks. Configuration with nearly equal and unequal crack distribution were examined. The fatigue crack growth predictions agreed within 20 percent of the experimental lives for all crack configurations considered.

  20. Novel algorithm and MATLAB-based program for automated power law analysis of single particle, time-dependent mean-square displacement

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Umansky, Moti; Weihs, Daphne

    2012-08-01

    In many physical and biophysical studies, single-particle tracking is utilized to reveal interactions, diffusion coefficients, active modes of driving motion, dynamic local structure, micromechanics, and microrheology. The basic analysis applied to those data is to determine the time-dependent mean-square displacement (MSD) of particle trajectories and perform time- and ensemble-averaging of similar motions. The motion of particles typically exhibits time-dependent power-law scaling, and only trajectories with qualitatively and quantitatively comparable MSD should be ensembled. Ensemble averaging trajectories that arise from different mechanisms, e.g., actively driven and diffusive, is incorrect and can result inaccurate correlations between structure, mechanics, and activity. We have developed an algorithm to automatically and accurately determine power-law scaling of experimentally measured single-particle MSD. Trajectories can then categorized and grouped according to user defined cutoffs of time, amplitudes, scaling exponent values, or combinations. Power-law fits are then provided for each trajectory alongside categorized groups of trajectories, histograms of power laws, and the ensemble-averaged MSD of each group. The codes are designed to be easily incorporated into existing user codes. We expect that this algorithm and program will be invaluable to anyone performing single-particle tracking, be it in physical or biophysical systems. Catalogue identifier: AEMD_v1_0 Program summary URL:http://cpc.cs.qub.ac.uk/summaries/AEMD_v1_0.html Program obtainable from: CPC Program Library, Queen's University, Belfast, N. Ireland Licensing provisions: Standard CPC licence, http://cpc.cs.qub.ac.uk/licence/licence.html No. of lines in distributed program, including test data, etc.: 25 892 No. of bytes in distributed program, including test data, etc.: 5 572 780 Distribution format: tar.gz Programming language: MATLAB (MathWorks Inc.) version 7.11 (2010b) or higher, program should also be backwards compatible. Symbolic Math Toolboxes (5.5) is required. The Curve Fitting Toolbox (3.0) is recommended. Computer: Tested on Windows only, yet should work on any computer running MATLAB. In Windows 7, should be used as administrator, if the user is not the administrator the program may not be able to save outputs and temporary outputs to all locations. Operating system: Any supporting MATLAB (MathWorks Inc.) v7.11 / 2010b or higher. Supplementary material: Sample output files (approx. 30 MBytes) are available. Classification: 12 External routines: Several MATLAB subfunctions (m-files), freely available on the web, were used as part of and included in, this code: count, NaN suite, parseArgs, roundsd, subaxis, wcov, wmean, and the executable pdfTK.exe. Nature of problem: In many physical and biophysical areas employing single-particle tracking, having the time-dependent power-laws governing the time-averaged meansquare displacement (MSD) of a single particle is crucial. Those power laws determine the mode-of-motion and hint at the underlying mechanisms driving motion. Accurate determination of the power laws that describe each trajectory will allow categorization into groups for further analysis of single trajectories or ensemble analysis, e.g. ensemble and time-averaged MSD. Solution method: The algorithm in the provided program automatically analyzes and fits time-dependent power laws to single particle trajectories, then group particles according to user defined cutoffs. It accepts time-dependent trajectories of several particles, each trajectory is run through the program, its time-averaged MSD is calculated, and power laws are determined in regions where the MSD is linear on a log-log scale. Our algorithm searches for high-curvature points in experimental data, here time-dependent MSD. Those serve as anchor points for determining the ranges of the power-law fits. Power-law scaling is then accurately determined and error estimations of the parameters and quality of fit are provided. After all single trajectory time-averaged MSDs are fit, we obtain cutoffs from the user to categorize and segment the power laws into groups; cutoff are either in exponents of the power laws, time of appearance of the fits, or both together. The trajectories are sorted according to the cutoffs and the time- and ensemble-averaged MSD of each group is provided, with histograms of the distributions of the exponents in each group. The program then allows the user to generate new trajectory files with trajectories segmented according to the determined groups, for any further required analysis. Additional comments: README file giving the names and a brief description of all the files that make-up the package and clear instructions on the installation and execution of the program is included in the distribution package. Running time: On an i5 Windows 7 machine with 4 GB RAM the automated parts of the run (excluding data loading and user input) take less than 45 minutes to analyze and save all stages for an 844 trajectory file, including optional PDF save. Trajectory length did not affect run time (tested up to 3600 frames/trajectory), which was on average 3.2±0.4 seconds per trajectory.

  1. Mortality Surveillance for Infectious Diseases in the U.S. Department of Defense (1998-2013).

    PubMed

    Potter, Robert N; Tremaine, Ladd A; Gaydos, Joel C

    2017-03-01

    The Mortality Surveillance Division (MSD) of the U.S. Armed Forces Medical Examiner System was established in 1998 to improve surveillance for all military deaths although emphasizing deaths from infectious diseases. Establishment of the MSD was part of the 1997 Department of Defense initiative to improve surveillance and response for emerging infectious diseases. Before 1998, mortality surveillance was limited to compiling information from death certificates, a system that provided limited useful information and lacked the timeliness needed to take meaningful action to address emerging infectious disease threats. The MSD was tasked to quickly identify all infectious disease deaths and the infecting agents. The system developed by the MSD staff identified deaths in near real-time and immediately notified military Public Health authorities of situations that warranted an investigation. Autopsy, medical, and investigative reports were collected. Testing specimens for agent identification was encouraged. The data and information collected were archived in the MSD-developed Medical Mortality Registry (MMR), a database that included all active duty Service Member deaths and contained manner and cause of death with medical, demographic, circumstantial, and diagnostic information. The MMR was the only comprehensive, autopsy-based source for mortality information on active duty military deaths. During 1998-2013, 217 (1.3%) infectious disease deaths were identified among 16,192 noncombat deaths. Of the 217 deaths, 29.5% were classified as respiratory, 18.0% cardiac, 15.2% blood borne, 12.9% nervous system, and 12.4% sepsis. A pathogen was identified for 64.5%. Agents of military interest identified included Neisseria meningitidis, influenza viruses, adenoviruses, and malaria. Neisseria meningitidis was identified in 10 fatal cases; grouping of the agent was done for eight cases. Four were group B, two were C, and two were Y. All eight had been immunized with a quadrivalent meningococcal vaccine. The most commonly detected respiratory agent was influenza virus (nine deaths), three of which were the 2009 pandemic H1N1 influenza virus. Adenoviruses were identified as the infectious agents in a total of nine deaths. Two deaths resulted from Plasmodium falciparum malaria infections acquired in Africa during military deployments. An important but unexplained finding was that Black Service Members made up only16.3% of all military personnel but accounted for 28.6% of all infectious disease deaths. The time lag between death and notification of the MSD at the start of this surveillance program was 24 to 48 hours. The lag at the end of the reported surveillance period was 8 to 24 hours. The MSD surveillance system identified an agent in 140 of 217 (64.5%) uniformed deaths. In a similar program by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 122 cases with specimens, an agent could be identified in 34 (28%). MMR data and information provided strong support for re-establishing the military recruit adenovirus vaccination program, which ceased in 1999 and was finally re-established in 2011. MMR data and information also assisted in monitoring the military meningococcal vaccine program, helped to describe the virulence of circulating influenza viruses, and identified areas where deadly malaria infections were not being prevented. Reprint & Copyright © 2017 Association of Military Surgeons of the U.S.

  2. Comparison of three gas chromatography methods for the determination of slip agents in polyethylene films.

    PubMed

    Garrido-López, Alvaro; Esquiu, Vanesa; Tena, María Teresa

    2007-05-25

    Polymers require the use of some slip agents, such as oleamide and erucamide, in order to reduce their friction coefficient and to make films easier to handle. In this communication, three analytical methods consisting in pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) and gas chromatography (GC) are used to determine oleamide and erucamide in polyethylene films. The sample was extracted with pure isopropanol (two times) at 105 degrees C for 16 min. Then, the liquid extract containing oleamide and erucamide was analyzed by GC and three different detection systems: flame ionization detector (FID), thermoionic selective detector (TSD) and ion-trap mass spectrometry detector (MSD). Oleamide and erucamide were separated using a 30 m x 0.25 mm (I.D.) 5% phenyl-95% dimethyl-polysiloxane capillary column in 12 min. The chromatographic methods were characterized and compared in terms of repeatability, linearity and sensitivity. The GC-FID and GC-TSD methods were linear up to about 60 microg ml(-1), whereas the linear range for the GC-MSD method was shorter, from 20.5 to 42 microg ml(-1). LODs identified with GC-MSD were two times higher than those identified with the other two methods. Repeatability values (expressed as relative standard deviation) of less than 2.5% were found for FID and TSD but they were above 10% for MSD. Finally, each method was applied to determine the content of erucamide and oleamide in several polyethylene films and the results obtained were compared with those obtained from the nitrogen content measured by pyrolysis and gas-phase chemiluminescence. No significant differences were observed between the results of the methods.

  3. Haploidentical transplantation compared with matched sibling and unrelated donor transplantation for adults with standard-risk acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in first complete remission.

    PubMed

    Han, Li-Jie; Wang, Yu; Fan, Zhi-Ping; Huang, Fen; Zhou, Jian; Fu, Yue-Wen; Qu, Hong; Xuan, Li; Xu, Na; Ye, Jie-Yu; Bian, Zhi-Lei; Song, Yong-Ping; Huang, Xiao-Jun; Liu, Qi-Fa

    2017-10-01

    We retrospectively investigated outcomes of haploidentical donor (HID) transplant for adults with standard-risk acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) in first complete remission (CR1) compared with human leucocyte antigen (HLA)-matched sibling donor (MSD) and HLA-matched unrelated donor (MUD) transplants. A total of 348 adult patients were enrolled, including 127 HID, 144 MSD and 77 MUD recipients. The cumulative incidence of grade II-IV acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) was 39·5%, 24·0% and 40·3% for HID, MSD and MUD, respectively (P = 0·020). However, there was no difference in grade III-IV aGVHD (11·4%, 7·7%, 13·5%, respectively, P = 0·468). The 5-year cumulative transplant-related mortality was 16·4%, 11·6% and 19·6% (P = 0·162), the 5-year relapse rate post-transplantation was 14·8%, 21·1% and 16·7% (P = 0·231), the 5-year overall survival was 70·1%, 73·7% and 69·8% (P = 0·525), and the 5-year disease-free survival was 68·7%, 67·3% and 63·7%, respectively (P = 0·606). Furthermore, the 3-year GVHD-free, relapse-free survival was not different (50·8%, 54·9% and 52·2%, respectively, P = 0·847). Our results indicate that the outcomes of HID transplants are equivalent to those of MSD and MUD, and that HID transplantation is a valid alternative for standard-risk adults with ALL in CR1 who lack matched donors. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  4. Mediterranean-style diet reduces metabolic syndrome components in obese children and adolescents with obesity

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    Background The beneficial effects of the Mediterranean diet have been amply proven in adults with cardiovascular risk factors. The effects of this diet have not been extensively assessed in pediatric populations with obesity, insulin resistance (IR) and metabolic syndrome (MetS). The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of the Mediterranean style diet (MSD) to decrease cardiovascular risk factors in children and adolescents with obesity. Methods Participants were randomly assigned to a MSD rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, fiber, flavonoids and antioxidants (60% of energy from carbohydrate, 25% from fat, and 15% from protein, (n = 24); or a standard diet (55% of carbohydrate, 30% from fat and 15% from protein, (n = 25), the caloric ingest was individualized. At baseline and 16-week of intervention, the glucose, triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), HDL-C, LDL-C were measured as well as the body composition and anthropometric data. The diet compliance was determined by the 24-hour recalls. Paired Student’s t and Macnemar’s test were used to compare effects in biochemical, body composition, anthropometric, and dietary variables. Results The MSD group had a significantly decrease in BMI, lean mass, fat mass, glucose, TC, TG, HDL-C and LDL-C. (p < 0.05); the diet compliance increased consumption of omega 9 fatty acids, zinc, vitamin E, selenium, and decreased consumption of saturated fatty acids (p < 0.05). The standard diet group decrease in glucose levels and frequency of glucose >100 mg/dL (p < 0.05). Conclusion The MSD improves the BMI, glucose and lipid profile in children and adolescents with obesity and any MetS component. PMID:24997634

  5. A promising biotechnical approach to pest management of Diabrotica virgifera virgifera in Illinois maize fields under kairomonal shielding with the new MSD technique.

    PubMed

    Hummel, H E; Shaw, J T; Hein, D F

    2005-01-01

    Environmentally compatible and sustainable plant protection requires novel approaches to pest management characterized by minimal emphasis on toxicants. Classical toxicants traditionally dominated economic entomology for half a century. But worldwide problems with environmental pollution and with increasing resistance levels in all major pesticide classes and in many key insect species including Diabrotica virgifera virgifera (D.v.v.) strongly advocate a rethinking and a change in management paradigms used. Soft, minimally invasive, biological, biotechnical and cultural approaches should replace hard pesticides which are in favor up to now. Fortunately, pheromones, kairomones, plant attractants, better traps, new plant varieties and cultural methods like crop rotation, in short more sophisticated methods are now available as pressure for finding and exploring novel strategies increases. Facing this situation, a new biotechnical approach of population reduction of D.v.v., called "MSD" technique, is introduced. MSD is characterized as an approach combining mass trapping, shielding and deflecting of adult insects along an invisible odor barrier of synthetic kairomone which diminishes the flux of insects across a high capacity trap line baited with kairomone, thus reducing both the population fluctuation and number and its reproductive success within the shielded area. In the case of D.v.v. in Zea mays fields, effects realized by the MSD technique have been measured simultaneously by a number of independent criteria during the summers of 2003 and 2004 at 2 different locations in Illinois maize fields of up to one half hectare size. Results observed are statistically significant and cannot be explained by mass trapping alone. There is also an additional shielding and deflection, in short "diversion" effect whose basic sensory and behavioral mechanisms call for future exploration.

  6. Determination of patulin in fruit juices using HPLC-DAD and GC-MSD techniques.

    PubMed

    Moukas, Athanasios; Panagiotopoulou, Vasiliki; Markaki, Panagiota

    2008-08-15

    A high performance liquid chromatography with a diode-array detector (HPLC-DAD) and a gas chromatography with a mass spectrometer (GC-MSD) are described for the determination of patulin (PAT) in apple juice. The limits of detection (DL) and quantification (QL) for the HPLC-DAD and GC-MSD method were found to be (DL=0.23μgkg(-1) QL=1.2μgkg(-1)) and (DL=5.8μgkg(-1) and QL=13.8μgkg(-1)), respectively. The recovery factors for HPLC-DAD and GC-MSD were found to be 99.5% (RSD%=0.73) and 41% (RSD%=10.03), respectively. The HPLC-DAD method was used to determine the occurrence of PAT in 90 samples of fruit juices. Results revealed the presence of PAT in 100% of the samples examined. The mean values of PAT in concentrated fruit juices and in the commercial fruit juices collected from the Greek market were found to be 10.54μg PAT kg(-1) and 5.57μg PAT kg(-1) juice, respectively. The most contaminated samples were four concentrated juices ranging from 18.10μg PAT kg(-1) to 36.8μg PAT kg(-1) juice. The daily exposure to patulin for the consumers of all ages in Greece, is ranging from 0.008μg PAT kg(-1) bw to 0.1μg PAT kg(-1) bw if the daily intake of fruit juices is from 0.1 to 0.5kg. With the exception to the most contaminated sample, the daily exposure due to the samples examined, is below the provisional maximum tolerable daily intake for PAT (0.4μg PAT kg(-1) bw). Copyright © 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Integration of GC-MSD and ER-Calux® assay into a single protocol for determining steroid estrogens in environmental samples.

    PubMed

    Avberšek, Miha; Žegura, Bojana; Filipič, Metka; Heath, Ester

    2011-11-01

    There are many published studies that use either chemical or biological methods to investigate steroid estrogens in the aquatic environment, but rarer are those that combine both. In this study, gas chromatography with mass selective detection (GC-MSD) and the ER-Calux(®) estrogenicity assay were integrated into a single protocol for simultaneous determination of natural (estrone--E1, 17β-estradiol--E2, estriol--E3) and synthetic (17α-ethinylestradiol--EE2) steroid estrogens concentrations and the total estrogenic potential of environmental samples. For integration purposes, several solvents were investigated and the commonly used dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO) in the ER-Calux(®) assay was replaced by ethyl acetate, which is more compatible with gas chromatography and enables the same sample to be analysed by both GC-MSD and the ER-Calux(®) assay. The integrated protocol was initially tested using a standard mixture of estrogens. The results for pure standards showed that the estrogenicity calculated on the basis of GC-MSD and the ER-Calux(®) assay exhibited good correlation (r(2)=0.96; α=0.94). The result remained the same when spiked waste water extracts were tested (r(2)=0.92, α=1.02). When applied to real waste water influent and effluent samples the results proved (r(2)=0.93; α=0.99) the applicability of the protocol. The main advantages of this newly developed protocol are simple sample handling for both methods, and reduced material consumption and labour. In addition, it can be applied as either a complete or sequential analysis where the ER-Calux(®) assay is used as a pre-screening method prior to the chemical analysis. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Mediterranean-style diet reduces metabolic syndrome components in obese children and adolescents with obesity.

    PubMed

    Velázquez-López, Lubia; Santiago-Díaz, Gerardo; Nava-Hernández, Julia; Muñoz-Torres, Abril V; Medina-Bravo, Patricia; Torres-Tamayo, Margarita

    2014-07-05

    The beneficial effects of the Mediterranean diet have been amply proven in adults with cardiovascular risk factors. The effects of this diet have not been extensively assessed in pediatric populations with obesity, insulin resistance (IR) and metabolic syndrome (MetS). The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of the Mediterranean style diet (MSD) to decrease cardiovascular risk factors in children and adolescents with obesity. Participants were randomly assigned to a MSD rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, fiber, flavonoids and antioxidants (60% of energy from carbohydrate, 25% from fat, and 15% from protein, (n = 24); or a standard diet (55% of carbohydrate, 30% from fat and 15% from protein, (n = 25), the caloric ingest was individualized. At baseline and 16-week of intervention, the glucose, triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), HDL-C, LDL-C were measured as well as the body composition and anthropometric data. The diet compliance was determined by the 24-hour recalls.Paired Student's t and Macnemar's test were used to compare effects in biochemical, body composition, anthropometric, and dietary variables. The MSD group had a significantly decrease in BMI, lean mass, fat mass, glucose, TC, TG, HDL-C and LDL-C. (p < 0.05); the diet compliance increased consumption of omega 9 fatty acids, zinc, vitamin E, selenium, and decreased consumption of saturated fatty acids (p < 0.05). The standard diet group decrease in glucose levels and frequency of glucose >100 mg/dL (p < 0.05). The MSD improves the BMI, glucose and lipid profile in children and adolescents with obesity and any MetS component.

  9. The Global Enteric Multicenter Study (GEMS) of Diarrheal Disease in Infants and Young Children in Developing Countries: Epidemiologic and Clinical Methods of the Case/Control Study

    PubMed Central

    Kotloff, Karen L.; Blackwelder, William C.; Nasrin, Dilruba; Nataro, James P.; Farag, Tamer H.; van Eijk, Annemieke; Adegbola, Richard A.; Alonso, Pedro L.; Breiman, Robert F.; Golam Faruque, Abu Syed; Saha, Debasish; Sow, Samba O.; Sur, Dipika; Zaidi, Anita K. M.; Biswas, Kousick; Panchalingam, Sandra; Clemens, John D.; Cohen, Dani; Glass, Roger I.; Mintz, Eric D.; Sommerfelt, Halvor; Levine, Myron M.

    2012-01-01

    Background. Diarrhea is a leading cause of illness and death among children aged <5 years in developing countries. This paper describes the clinical and epidemiological methods used to conduct the Global Enteric Multicenter Study (GEMS), a 3-year, prospective, age-stratified, case/control study to estimate the population-based burden, microbiologic etiology, and adverse clinical consequences of acute moderate-to-severe diarrhea (MSD) among a censused population of children aged 0–59 months seeking care at health centers in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. Methods. GEMS was conducted at 7 field sites, each serving a population whose demography and healthcare utilization practices for childhood diarrhea were documented. We aimed to enroll 220 MSD cases per year from selected health centers serving each site in each of 3 age strata (0–11, 12–23, and 24–59 months), along with 1–3 matched community controls. Cases and controls supplied clinical, epidemiologic, and anthropometric data at enrollment and again approximately 60 days later, and provided enrollment stool specimens for identification and characterization of potential diarrheal pathogens. Verbal autopsy was performed if a child died. Analytic strategies will calculate the fraction of MSD attributable to each pathogen and the incidence, financial costs, nutritional consequences, and case fatality overall and by pathogen. Conclusions. When completed, GEMS will provide estimates of the incidence, etiology, and outcomes of MSD among infants and young children in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. This information can guide development and implementation of public health interventions to diminish morbidity and mortality from diarrheal diseases. PMID:23169936

  10. Ureteral stenting can be a negative predictor for successful outcome following shock wave lithotripsy in patients with ureteral stones.

    PubMed

    Kang, Dong Hyuk; Cho, Kang Su; Ham, Won Sik; Chung, Doo Yong; Kwon, Jong Kyou; Choi, Young Deuk; Lee, Joo Yong

    2016-11-01

    To evaluate ureteral stenting as a negative predictive factor influencing ureteral stone clearance and to estimate the probability of one-session success in shock wave lithotripsy (SWL) patients with a ureteral stone. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 1,651 patients who underwent their first SWL. Among these patients, 680 had a ureteral stone measuring 4-20 mm and were thus eligible for our study. The 57 patients who underwent ureteral stenting during SWL were identified. Maximal stone length (MSL), mean stone density (MSD), skin-to-stone distance (SSD), and stone heterogeneity index (SHI) were determined by pre-SWL noncontrast computed tomography. After propensity score matching, 399 patients were extracted from the total patient cohort. There were no significant differences between stenting and stentless groups after matching, except for a higher one-session success rate in the stentless group (78.6% vs. 49.1%, p=0.026). In multivariate analysis, shorter MSL, lower MSD, higher SHI, and absence of a stent were positive predictors for one-session success in patients who underwent SWL. Using cutoff values of MSL and MSD obtained from receiver operator curve analysis, in patients with a lower MSD (≤784 HU), the success rate was lower in those with a stent (61.1%) than in those without (83.5%) (p=0.001). However, in patients with a higher MSL (>10 mm), the success rate was lower in those with a stent (23.6%) than in those without (52.2%) (p=0.002). Ureteral stenting during SWL was a negative predictor of one-session success in patients with a ureteral stone.

  11. A population of wheat multiple synthetic derivatives: an effective platform to explore, harness and utilize genetic diversity of Aegilops tauschii for wheat improvement.

    PubMed

    Gorafi, Yasir Serag Alnor; Kim, June-Sik; Elbashir, Awad Ahmed Elawad; Tsujimoto, Hisashi

    2018-04-28

    The multiple synthetic derivatives platform described in this study will provide an opportunity for effective utilization of Aegilops tauschii traits and genes for wheat breeding. Introducing genes from wild relatives is the best option to increase genetic diversity and discover new alleles necessary for wheat improvement. A population harboring genomic fragments from the diploid wheat progenitor Aegilops tauschii Coss. in the background of bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) was developed by crossing and backcrossing 43 synthetic wheat lines with the common wheat cultivar Norin 61. We named this population multiple synthetic derivatives (MSD). To validate the suitability of this population for wheat breeding and genetic studies, we randomly selected 400 MSD lines and genotyped them by using Diversity Array Technology sequencing markers. We scored black glume as a qualitative trait and heading time in two environments in Sudan as a quantitative trait. Our results showed high genetic diversity and less recombination which is expected from the nature of the population. Genome-wide association (GWA) analysis showed one QTL at the short arm of chromosome 1D different from those alleles reported previously indicating that black glume in the MSD population is controlled by new allele at the same locus. For heading time, from the two environments, GWA analysis revealed three QTLs on the short arms of chromosomes 2A, 2B and 2D and two on the long arms of chromosomes 5A and 5D. Using the MSD population, which represents the diversity of 43 Ae. tauschii accessions representing most of its natural habitat, QTLs or genes and desired phenotypes (such as drought, heat and salinity tolerance) could be identified and selected for utilization in wheat breeding.

  12. Diffusing-wave spectroscopy in an inhomogeneous object: Local viscoelastic spectra from ultrasound-assisted measurement of correlation decay arising from the ultrasound focal volume

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chandran, R. Sriram; Sarkar, Saikat; Kanhirodan, Rajan; Roy, Debasish; Vasu, Ram Mohan

    2014-07-01

    We demonstrate diffusing-wave spectroscopy (DWS) in a localized region of a viscoelastically inhomogeneous object by measurement of the intensity autocorrelation [g2(τ)] that captures only the decay introduced by the temperature-induced Brownian motion in the region. The region is roughly specified by the focal volume of an ultrasound transducer which introduces region specific mechanical vibration owing to insonification. Essential characteristics of the localized non-Markovian dynamics are contained in the decay of the modulation depth [M(τ)], introduced by the ultrasound forcing in the focal volume selected, on g2(τ). The modulation depth M (τi) at any delay time τi can be measured by short-time Fourier transform of g2(τ) and measurement of the magnitude of the spectrum at the ultrasound drive frequency. By following the established theoretical framework of DWS, we are able to connect the decay in M (τ) to the mean-squared displacement (MSD) of scattering centers and the MSD to G*(ω), the complex viscoelastic spectrum. A two-region composite polyvinyl alcohol phantom with different viscoelastic properties is selected for demonstrating local DWS-based recovery of G*(ω) corresponding to these regions from the measured region specific M (τi)vsτi. The ultrasound-assisted measurement of MSD is verified by simulating, using a generalized Langevin equation (GLE), the dynamics of the particles in the region selected as well as by the usual DWS experiment without the ultrasound. It is shown that whereas the MSD obtained by solving the GLE without the ultrasound forcing agreed with its experimental counterpart covering small and large values of τ, the match was good only in the initial transients in regard to experimental measurements with ultrasound.

  13. Statistics of actin-propelled trajectories in noisy environments

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wen, Fu-Lai; Chen, Hsuan-Yi; Leung, Kwan-tai

    2016-06-01

    Actin polymerization is ubiquitously utilized to power the locomotion of eukaryotic cells and pathogenic bacteria in living systems. Inevitably, actin polymerization and depolymerization proceed in a fluctuating environment that renders the locomotion stochastic. Previously, we have introduced a deterministic model that manages to reproduce actin-propelled trajectories in experiments, but not to address fluctuations around them. To remedy this, here we supplement the deterministic model with noise terms. It enables us to compute the effects of fluctuating actin density and forces on the trajectories. Specifically, the mean-squared displacement (MSD) of the trajectories is computed and found to show a super-ballistic scaling with an exponent 3 in the early stage, followed by a crossover to a normal, diffusive scaling of exponent 1 in the late stage. For open-end trajectories such as straights and S-shaped curves, the time of crossover matches the decay time of orientational order of the velocities along trajectories, suggesting that it is the spreading of velocities that leads to the crossover. We show that the super-ballistic scaling of MSD arises from the initial, linearly increasing correlation of velocities, before time translational symmetry is established. When the spreading of velocities reaches a steady state in the long-time limit, short-range correlation then yields a diffusive scaling in MSD. In contrast, close-loop trajectories like circles exhibit localized periodic motion, which inhibits spreading. The initial super-ballistic scaling of MSD arises from velocity correlation that both linearly increases and oscillates in time. Finally, we find that the above statistical features of the trajectories transcend the nature of noises, be it additive or multiplicative, and generalize to other self-propelled systems that are not necessarily actin based.

  14. Calculating the number of shock waves, expulsion time, and optimum stone parameters based on noncontrast computerized tomography characteristics.

    PubMed

    Foda, Khaled; Abdeldaeim, Hussein; Youssif, Mohamed; Assem, Akram

    2013-11-01

    To define the parameters that accompanied a successful extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL), namely the number of shock waves (SWs), expulsion time (ET), mean stone density (MSD), and the skin-to-stone distance (SSD). A total of 368 patients diagnosed with renal calculi using noncontrast computerized tomography had their MSD, diameter, and SSD recorded. All patients were treated using a Siemens lithotripter. ESWL success meant a stone-free status or presence of residual fragments <3 mm, ET was the time in days for the successful clearance of stone fragments. Correlation was performed between the stone characteristics, number of SWs, and ET. Two multiple regression analysis models defined the number of SWs and ET. Two receiver operating characteristic curves plotted the best MSD cutoff value and optimum SSD for a successful ESWL. Three hundred one patients were ESWL successes. A significant positive correlation was elicited between number of SWs and stone diameter, density and SSD; between ET and stone diameter and density. Multiple regressions concluded 2 equations: Number of SWs = 265.108 + 5.103 x1 + 22.39 x2 + 10.931 x3 ET (days) = -10.85 + 0.031 x1 + 2.11 x2 x1 = stone density (Hounsfield unit [HUs]), x2 = stone diameter (mm), and x3 = SSD (mm). Receiver operating characteristic curves demonstrated a cutoff value of ≤ 934 HUs with 94.4% sensitivity and 66.7% specificity and P = .0211. The SSD curve showed that a distance ≤ 99 mm was 85.7% sensitive, 87.5% specific, P <.0001. Stone disintegration is not recommended if MSD is >934 HUs and SSD >99 mm. The required number of SWs and the expected ET can be anticipated. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Stability and change of body mass index as a predictor of disability pension.

    PubMed

    Ropponen, Annina; Silventoinen, Karri; Koskenvuo, Markku; Svedberg, Pia; Kaprio, Jaakko

    2016-06-01

    To investigate whether stability or change in body mass index (BMI) predict disability pension (DP) due to musculoskeletal diagnosis (MSD) when controlling for familial confounding. Our study cohort consisted of 17,169 Finnish twins born before 1958. Data on BMI and multiple covariates from questionnaires in 1975 and 1981 were included and DPs were collected from the national pension registers until the end of 2004. Cox proportional hazards regression models with Hazard Ratios (HR) and 95% Confidence Intervals (CI) were used for statistical analyses. General DP was granted to 2853 individuals and DP due to MSD to 1143 individuals during the 23-year follow-up. A one-unit increase in BMI in both 1975 (HR 1.08, 95% CI 1.05, 1.10) and 1981 (HR 1.06, 95% CI 1.04, 1.07), as well as the stability of and change in BMI from 1975 to 1981 were all associated with an increased risk of DP. These associations held in the analyses controlling for multiple covariates (age, sex, socioeconomic status, education, marital status, leisure-time physical activity, and musculoskeletal pain), and mainly also familial confounding, that is, genetics and shared environment. HR for stable obesity was 2.28 (95% CI 1.69, 3.08) for DP due to MSD, and 1.91 (95% CI 1.56, 2.34) for general DP in the fully adjusted models. CONCLUSIONS BMI IS AN EARLY PREDICTOR OF GENERAL DP AND ALSO OF DP DUE TO MSD OWING TO THE INDEPENDENCY OF VARIOUS COVARIATES AND POTENTIALLY ALSO FAMILIAL CONFOUNDING, BMI MAY POSSIBLY HAVE A DIRECT EFFECT ON THE RISK OF DP. © 2016 the Nordic Societies of Public Health.

  16. Contribution of dot-blot assay to the diagnosis and management of myositis: a three-year practice at a university hospital centre.

    PubMed

    Martel, Clothilde; Vignaud, Guillaume; Liozon, Eric; Magy, Laurent; Gallouedec, Gael; Ly, Kim; Bezanahary, Holly; Cypierre, Anne; Lapébie, François-Xavier; Palat, Sylvain; Gondran, Guillaume; Jauberteau, Marie-Odile; Fauchais, Anne-Laure

    2016-01-01

    Idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIM) are heterogeneous autoimmune diseases with wide clinical spectrum that may lead to delayed diagnosis. The aim of this study was to examine the impact of IIM-specific dot-blot assay on diagnostic process of patients presenting with muscular or systemic symptoms evocating of IIM. We collected all the prescriptions of an IIM specific dot-blot assay (8 autoantigens including Jo-1, PL-7, PL-12, SRP, Mi-2, Ku, PM/Scl and Scl-70) over a 38-month period. 316 myositis dot-blot assays (MSD) were performed in 274 patients (156 women, mean age 53±10.6 years) referring for muscular and/or systemic symptoms suggesting IIM. The timing of dot prescription through the diagnostic process was highly variable: without (35%), concomitantly (16%) or after electromyographic studies (35%). Fifty-nine patients (22%) had IIM according to Bohan and Peter's criteria. Among them, 29 (49%) had positive dot (8 Jo-1, 6 PM-Scl, 5 PL-12, 5 SRP, 2 Mi-2, 2 PL-7 and 1 Ku). Various other diagnoses were performed including 35 autoimmune disease or granulomatosis (12%), 19 inflammatory rheumatic disease (7%), 16 non inflammatory muscular disorders (6%), 10 drug-induced myalgia (4%), 11 infectious myositis (4%). Except 11 borderline SRP results and one transient PM-Scl, MSD was positive only in one case of IIM. Dot allowed clinicians to correct diagnosis in 4 cases and improved the diagnosis of IIM subtypes in 4 cases. This study reflects the interest of myositis dot in the rapid diagnosis process of patients with non-specific muscular symptoms leading to various diagnoses including IIM.

  17. Thermodynamic properties of semiconductor compounds studied based on Debye-Waller factors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Van Hung, Nguyen; Toan, Nguyen Cong; Ba Duc, Nguyen; Vuong, Dinh Quoc

    2015-08-01

    Thermodynamic properties of semiconductor compounds have been studied based on Debye-Waller factors (DWFs) described by the mean square displacement (MSD) which has close relation with the mean square relative displacement (MSRD). Their analytical expressions have been derived based on the statistical moment method (SMM) and the empirical many-body Stillinger-Weber potentials. Numerical results for the MSDs of GaAs, GaP, InP, InSb, which have zinc-blende structure, are found to be in reasonable agreement with experiment and other theories. This paper shows that an elements value for MSD is dependent on the binary semiconductor compound within which it resides.

  18. Automatic segmentation and classification of gestational sac based on mean sac diameter using medical ultrasound image

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Khazendar, Shan; Farren, Jessica; Al-Assam, Hisham; Sayasneh, Ahmed; Du, Hongbo; Bourne, Tom; Jassim, Sabah A.

    2014-05-01

    Ultrasound is an effective multipurpose imaging modality that has been widely used for monitoring and diagnosing early pregnancy events. Technology developments coupled with wide public acceptance has made ultrasound an ideal tool for better understanding and diagnosing of early pregnancy. The first measurable signs of an early pregnancy are the geometric characteristics of the Gestational Sac (GS). Currently, the size of the GS is manually estimated from ultrasound images. The manual measurement involves multiple subjective decisions, in which dimensions are taken in three planes to establish what is known as Mean Sac Diameter (MSD). The manual measurement results in inter- and intra-observer variations, which may lead to difficulties in diagnosis. This paper proposes a fully automated diagnosis solution to accurately identify miscarriage cases in the first trimester of pregnancy based on automatic quantification of the MSD. Our study shows a strong positive correlation between the manual and the automatic MSD estimations. Our experimental results based on a dataset of 68 ultrasound images illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed scheme in identifying early miscarriage cases with classification accuracies comparable with those of domain experts using K nearest neighbor classifier on automatically estimated MSDs.

  19. V-T theory for the self-intermediate scattering function in a monatomic liquid

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wallace, Duane C.; Chisolm, Eric D.; De Lorenzi-Venneri, Giulia

    2017-02-01

    In V-T theory the atomic motion is harmonic vibrations in a liquid-specific potential energy valley, plus transits, which move the system rapidly among the multitude of such valleys. In its first application to the self intermediate scattering function (SISF), V-T theory produced an accurate account of molecular dynamics (MD) data at all wave numbers q and time t. Recently, analysis of the mean square displacement (MSD) resolved a crossover behavior that was not observed in the SISF study. Our purpose here is to apply the more accurate MSD calibration to the SISF, and assess the results. We derive and discuss the theoretical equations for vibrational and transit contributions to the SISF. The time evolution is divided into three successive intervals: the vibrational interval when the vibrational contribution alone accurately accounts for the MD data; the crossover when the vibrational contribution saturates and the transit contribution becomes resolved; and the diffusive interval when the transit contribution alone accurately accounts for the MD data. The resulting theoretical error is extremely small at all q and t. V-T theory is compared to mode-coupling theories for the MSD and SISF, and to recent developments in Brownian motion experiments and theory.

  20. Quality of Piped and Stored Water in Households with Children Under Five Years of Age Enrolled in the Mali Site of the Global Enteric Multi-Center Study (GEMS)

    PubMed Central

    Baker, Kelly K.; Sow, Samba O.; Kotloff, Karen L.; Nataro, James P.; Farag, Tamer H.; Tamboura, Boubou; Doumbia, Mama; Sanogo, Doh; Diarra, Drissa; O'Reilly, Ciara E.; Mintz, Eric; Panchalingam, Sandra; Wu, Yukun; Blackwelder, William C.; Levine, Myron M.

    2013-01-01

    Water, sanitation, and hygiene information was collected during a matched case-control study of moderate and severe diarrhea (MSD) among 4,096 children < 5 years of age in Bamako, Mali. Primary use of piped water (conditional odds ratio [cOR] = 0.45; 0.34–0.62), continuous water access (cOR = 0.30; 0.20–0.43), fetching water daily (cOR = 0.77; 0.63–0.96), and breastfeeding (cOR = 0.65; 0.49–0.88) significantly reduced the likelihood of MSD. Fetching water in > 30 minutes (cOR = 2.56; 1.55–4.23) was associated with MSD. Piped tap water and courier-delivered water contained high (> 2 mg/L) concentrations of free residual chlorine and no detectable Escherichia coli. However, many households stored water overnight, resulting in inadequate free residual chlorine (< 0.2 mg/L) for preventing microbial contamination. Coliforms and E. coli were detected in 48% and 8% of stored household water samples, respectively. Although most of Bamako's population enjoys access to an improved water source, water quality is often compromised during household storage. PMID:23836570

  1. Atomic motion from the mean square displacement in a monatomic liquid

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

    Wallace, Duane C.; De Lorenzi-Venneri, Giulia; Chisolm, Eric D.

    V-T theory is constructed in the many-body Hamiltonian formulation, and is being developed as a novel approach to liquid dynamics theory. In this theory the liquid atomic motion consists of two contributions, normal mode vibrations in a single representative potential energy valley, and transits, which carry the system across boundaries between valleys. The mean square displacement time correlation function (the MSD) is a direct measure of the atomic motion, and our goal is to determine if the V-T formalism can produce a physically sensible account of this motion. We employ molecular dynamics (MD) data for a system representing liquid Na,more » and find the motion evolves in three successive time intervals: on the first 'vibrational' interval, the vibrational motion alone gives a highly accurate account of the MD data; on the second 'crossover' interval, the vibrational MSD saturates to a constant while the transit motion builds up from zero; on the third 'random walk' interval, the transit motion produces a purely diffusive random walk of the vibrational equilibrium positions. Furthermore, this motional evolution agrees with, and adds refinement to, the MSD atomic motion as described by current liquid dynamics theories.« less

  2. Atomic motion from the mean square displacement in a monatomic liquid

    DOE PAGES

    Wallace, Duane C.; De Lorenzi-Venneri, Giulia; Chisolm, Eric D.

    2016-04-08

    V-T theory is constructed in the many-body Hamiltonian formulation, and is being developed as a novel approach to liquid dynamics theory. In this theory the liquid atomic motion consists of two contributions, normal mode vibrations in a single representative potential energy valley, and transits, which carry the system across boundaries between valleys. The mean square displacement time correlation function (the MSD) is a direct measure of the atomic motion, and our goal is to determine if the V-T formalism can produce a physically sensible account of this motion. We employ molecular dynamics (MD) data for a system representing liquid Na,more » and find the motion evolves in three successive time intervals: on the first 'vibrational' interval, the vibrational motion alone gives a highly accurate account of the MD data; on the second 'crossover' interval, the vibrational MSD saturates to a constant while the transit motion builds up from zero; on the third 'random walk' interval, the transit motion produces a purely diffusive random walk of the vibrational equilibrium positions. Furthermore, this motional evolution agrees with, and adds refinement to, the MSD atomic motion as described by current liquid dynamics theories.« less

  3. Residual Strength Analyses of Riveted Lap-Splice Joints

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Seshadri, B. R.; Newman, J. C., Jr.

    2000-01-01

    The objective of this paper was to analyze the crack-linkup behavior in riveted-stiffened lap-splice joint panels with small multiple-site damage (MSD) cracks at several adjacent rivet holes. Analyses are based on the STAGS (STructural Analysis of General Shells) code with the critical crack-tip-opening angle (CTOA) fracture criterion. To account for high constraint around a crack front, the "plane strain core" option in STAGS was used. The importance of modeling rivet flexibility with fastener elements that accurately model load transfer across the joint is discussed. Fastener holes are not modeled but rivet connectivity is accounted for by attaching rivets to the sheet on one side of the cracks that simulated both the rivet diameter and MSD cracks. Residual strength analyses made on 2024-T3 alloy (1.6-mm thick) riveted-lap-splice joints with a lead crack and various size MSD cracks were compared with test data from Boeing Airplane Company. Analyses were conducted for both restrained and unrestrained buckling conditions. Comparison of results from these analyses and results from lap-splice-joint test panels, which were partially restrained against buckling indicate that the test results were bounded by the failure loads predicted by the analyses with restrained and unrestrained conditions.

  4. A multiple maximum scatter difference discriminant criterion for facial feature extraction.

    PubMed

    Song, Fengxi; Zhang, David; Mei, Dayong; Guo, Zhongwei

    2007-12-01

    Maximum scatter difference (MSD) discriminant criterion was a recently presented binary discriminant criterion for pattern classification that utilizes the generalized scatter difference rather than the generalized Rayleigh quotient as a class separability measure, thereby avoiding the singularity problem when addressing small-sample-size problems. MSD classifiers based on this criterion have been quite effective on face-recognition tasks, but as they are binary classifiers, they are not as efficient on large-scale classification tasks. To address the problem, this paper generalizes the classification-oriented binary criterion to its multiple counterpart--multiple MSD (MMSD) discriminant criterion for facial feature extraction. The MMSD feature-extraction method, which is based on this novel discriminant criterion, is a new subspace-based feature-extraction method. Unlike most other subspace-based feature-extraction methods, the MMSD computes its discriminant vectors from both the range of the between-class scatter matrix and the null space of the within-class scatter matrix. The MMSD is theoretically elegant and easy to calculate. Extensive experimental studies conducted on the benchmark database, FERET, show that the MMSD out-performs state-of-the-art facial feature-extraction methods such as null space method, direct linear discriminant analysis (LDA), eigenface, Fisherface, and complete LDA.

  5. Pain, fatigue, function and participation among long-term manual wheelchair users partnered with a mobility service dog.

    PubMed

    Vincent, Claude; Gagnon, Dany H; Dumont, Frédéric

    2017-11-20

    To assess the effects of a mobility service dog (MSD) on pain, fatigue, wheelchair-related functional tasks, participation and satisfaction among manual wheelchair users over a nine-month period. A longitudinal study with repeated assessment times before and three, six and nine months after intervention was achieved. Intervention consisted in partnering each participant with a MSD. The setting is a well-established provincial service dog training school and participants homes. A convenience sample of 24 long-term manual wheelchair users with a spinal cord injury was involved. Outcome measures were: Wheelchair User's Shoulder Pain Index (WUSPI), Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE), vitality scale from the SF-36, grip strength, Wheelchair Skills Test (WST), Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM), Reintegration to Normal Living Index (RNLI), Life Space Assessment, Psychosocial Impact of Assistive Devices Scale (PIADS) and Quebec User Evaluation of Satisfaction with assistive Technology (QUEST 2.0). Shoulder and wrist pain as well as fatigue decreased significantly over time with the use of a MSD as evidenced by scores from WUSPI, RPE and SF-36 (feeling less worn out). Manual wheelchair propulsion skills (steep slopes, soft surfaces and thresholds) improved significantly over time as confirmed by the WST. Participation increased significantly over time as revealed by the COPM (for five occupations) and the RNLI (for five items). Satisfaction with the MSD was high over time (QUEST: nine items) and with a high positive psychosocial impact (PIADS: 10 items). MSD represents a valuable mobility assistive technology option for manual wheelchair users. IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATION   For manual wheelchair users partenered with mobility service dog  • Shoulder pain and fatigue significantly decreased and continued to decrease between the third and sixth month and the ninth month.   • Performance with propelling the wheelchair up steep slopes increased from 41 to 88% and on soft surfaces increased from 53 to 100% after 3 months, respectively.   • Occupational performance satisfaction was significantly increased for mobility in relation with the transfers, navigating in a natural environment and picking up objects.   • High satisfaction towards psychosocial competency, psychosocial adequacy and self-esteem were reported at months three, six and nine.

  6. Stability and change in health behaviours as predictors for disability pension: a prospective cohort study of Swedish twins

    PubMed Central

    2011-01-01

    Background Stability or changes of health behaviours have not been studied in association with incidence of disability pension (DP). The aims were to (1) investigate if stability or changes in health behaviours predict DP due to musculoskeletal diagnosis (MSD), (2) to evaluate if an association exists for DP in general, and (3) after taking familial confounding into account. Methods The study sample was 16,713 like-sexed twin individuals born in Sweden between 1935-1958 (6195 complete twin pairs) who had participated in two surveys 25 years apart, were alive, and not pensioned at the time of the latest survey. Cox proportional hazards analysis was used to assess the associations (hazard ratios (HR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI)) between stability and change in health behaviours (physical activity, tobacco and alcohol use, body mass index (BMI)), and number of pain locations collected at two time points 25 years apart and the incidence of DP until 2008. Results During the follow-up, 1843 (11%) individuals were granted DP with 747 of these due to MSD. A higher proportion of women were granted DP than men. Increase in BMI and stable use of tobacco products were predictors for DP due to MSD (HR 1.21-1.48) and DP in general (HR 1.10-1.41). The stability in the frequency of physical activity and increased frequency of physical activity were protective factors for DP due to MSD only when accounting for familial confounding. However, the number of pain locations (stability, increase, or decrease) was the strongest predictor for future DP due to MSD (HR 3.69, CI 2.99-4.56) and DP in general (HR 2.15, CI 1.92-2.42). In discordant pair analysis, the HRs for pain were lower, indicating potential familial confounding. Conclusions Health behaviours in adulthood, including an increase in pain locations were associated with the incidence of DP. The association between physical activity and DP was especially related to adulthood choices or habits, i.e., the individual decision about frequency of exercising. Thus, it is important to e.g. increase public awareness of the potential beneficial effects of exercise throughout life to avoid permanent exclusion from the labour market for medical reasons. PMID:21880151

  7. Stability and change in health behaviours as predictors for disability pension: a prospective cohort study of Swedish twins.

    PubMed

    Ropponen, Annina; Narusyte, Jurgita; Alexanderson, Kristina; Svedberg, Pia

    2011-08-31

    Stability or changes of health behaviours have not been studied in association with incidence of disability pension (DP). The aims were to (1) investigate if stability or changes in health behaviours predict DP due to musculoskeletal diagnosis (MSD), (2) to evaluate if an association exists for DP in general, and (3) after taking familial confounding into account. The study sample was 16,713 like-sexed twin individuals born in Sweden between 1935-1958 (6195 complete twin pairs) who had participated in two surveys 25 years apart, were alive, and not pensioned at the time of the latest survey. Cox proportional hazards analysis was used to assess the associations (hazard ratios (HR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI)) between stability and change in health behaviours (physical activity, tobacco and alcohol use, body mass index (BMI)), and number of pain locations collected at two time points 25 years apart and the incidence of DP until 2008. During the follow-up, 1843 (11%) individuals were granted DP with 747 of these due to MSD. A higher proportion of women were granted DP than men. Increase in BMI and stable use of tobacco products were predictors for DP due to MSD (HR 1.21-1.48) and DP in general (HR 1.10-1.41). The stability in the frequency of physical activity and increased frequency of physical activity were protective factors for DP due to MSD only when accounting for familial confounding. However, the number of pain locations (stability, increase, or decrease) was the strongest predictor for future DP due to MSD (HR 3.69, CI 2.99-4.56) and DP in general (HR 2.15, CI 1.92-2.42). In discordant pair analysis, the HRs for pain were lower, indicating potential familial confounding. Health behaviours in adulthood, including an increase in pain locations were associated with the incidence of DP. The association between physical activity and DP was especially related to adulthood choices or habits, i.e., the individual decision about frequency of exercising. Thus, it is important to e.g. increase public awareness of the potential beneficial effects of exercise throughout life to avoid permanent exclusion from the labour market for medical reasons.

  8. A Quantitative Comparison of Single-Dye Tracking Analysis Tools Using Monte Carlo Simulations

    PubMed Central

    McColl, James; Irvine, Kate L.; Davis, Simon J.; Gay, Nicholas J.; Bryant, Clare E.; Klenerman, David

    2013-01-01

    Single-particle tracking (SPT) is widely used to study processes from membrane receptor organization to the dynamics of RNAs in living cells. While single-dye labeling strategies have the benefit of being minimally invasive, this comes at the expense of data quality; typically a data set of short trajectories is obtained and analyzed by means of the mean square displacements (MSD) or the distribution of the particles’ displacements in a set time interval (jump distance, JD). To evaluate the applicability of both approaches, a quantitative comparison of both methods under typically encountered experimental conditions is necessary. Here we use Monte Carlo simulations to systematically compare the accuracy of diffusion coefficients (D-values) obtained for three cases: one population of diffusing species, two populations with different D-values, and a population switching between two D-values. For the first case we find that the MSD gives more or equally accurate results than the JD analysis (relative errors of D-values <6%). If two diffusing species are present or a particle undergoes a motion change, the JD analysis successfully distinguishes both species (relative error <5%). Finally we apply the JD analysis to investigate the motion of endogenous LPS receptors in live macrophages before and after treatment with methyl-β-cyclodextrin and latrunculin B. PMID:23737978

  9. A quantitative comparison of single-dye tracking analysis tools using Monte Carlo simulations.

    PubMed

    Weimann, Laura; Ganzinger, Kristina A; McColl, James; Irvine, Kate L; Davis, Simon J; Gay, Nicholas J; Bryant, Clare E; Klenerman, David

    2013-01-01

    Single-particle tracking (SPT) is widely used to study processes from membrane receptor organization to the dynamics of RNAs in living cells. While single-dye labeling strategies have the benefit of being minimally invasive, this comes at the expense of data quality; typically a data set of short trajectories is obtained and analyzed by means of the mean square displacements (MSD) or the distribution of the particles' displacements in a set time interval (jump distance, JD). To evaluate the applicability of both approaches, a quantitative comparison of both methods under typically encountered experimental conditions is necessary. Here we use Monte Carlo simulations to systematically compare the accuracy of diffusion coefficients (D-values) obtained for three cases: one population of diffusing species, two populations with different D-values, and a population switching between two D-values. For the first case we find that the MSD gives more or equally accurate results than the JD analysis (relative errors of D-values <6%). If two diffusing species are present or a particle undergoes a motion change, the JD analysis successfully distinguishes both species (relative error <5%). Finally we apply the JD analysis to investigate the motion of endogenous LPS receptors in live macrophages before and after treatment with methyl-β-cyclodextrin and latrunculin B.

  10. Mesoscale Simulations of Gravity Waves During the 2008-2009 Major Stratospheric Sudden Warming

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Limpasuvan, Varavut; Alexander, M. Joan; Orsolini, Yvan J.; Wu, Dong L.; Xue, Ming; Richter, Jadwiga H.; Yamashita, Chihoko

    2011-01-01

    A series of 24 h mesoscale simulations (of 10 km horizontal and 400 m vertical resolution) are performed to examine the characteristics and forcing of gravity waves (GWs) relative to planetary waves (PWs) during the 2008-2009 major stratospheric sudden wam1ing (SSW). Just prior to SSW occurrence, widespread westward propagating GWs are found along the vortex's edge and associated predominantly with major topographical features and strong near-surface winds. Momentum forcing due to GWs surpasses PW forcing in the upper stratosphere and tends to decelerate the polar westerly jet in excess of 30 m/s/d. With SSW onset, PWs dominate the momentum forcing, providing decelerative effects in excess of 50 m/s/d throughout the upper polar stratosphere. GWs related to topography become less widespread largely due to incipient wind reversal as the vortex starts to elongate. During the SSW maturation and early recovery, the polar vortex eventually splits and both wave signatures and forcing greatly subside. Nonetheless, during SSW, westward and eastward propagating GWs are found in the polar region and may be generated in situ by flow adjustment processes in the stratosphere or by secondary GW breaking. The simulated large-scale features agree well with those resolved in satellite observations and analysis products.

  11. Destruction of organic pollutants by cerium(IV) MEO process: a study on the influence of process conditions for EDTA mineralization.

    PubMed

    Balaji, Subramanian; Chung, Sang Joon; Matheswaran, Manickam; Vasilivich, Kokovkin Vasily; Moon, Il Shik

    2008-02-11

    The mediated electrochemical oxidation (MEO) process with cerium(IV) and nitric acid as the oxidizing medium was employed for the destruction of various model organic pollutants in continuous organic feeding mode. A near complete destruction was observed for all the organics studied. The effects of various experimental conditions were evaluated with respect to EDTA mineralization. The key parameters varied in the process were concentration of EDTA (67-268 mM), temperature (70, 80 and 95 degrees C), concentrations of Ce(IV) (0.7, 0.8 and 0.95 M), nitric acid (2, 3 and 4M) and duration of organic addition (30 and 120 min). Under the experimental conditions of 80 degrees C and 0.95 M Ce(IV) in 3 M nitric acid, nearly 90% destruction was achieved based on CO(2) production and 95% based on TOC analyses for all the organic compounds studied. The in situ regeneration of mediator ion by the electrochemical cell was found to be good during the organic destruction within the range of experimental conditions studied. In the case of long term organic feeding (120 min) the destruction was calculated after the CO(2) evolution attained the steady state and under this condition the destruction efficiency was found to be 85% based on CO(2) evolution.

  12. OXIDATIVE TREATMENT OF INDUSTRIAL WASTEWATER

    EPA Science Inventory

    This paper defines industrial waste treatment process as falling into categories of oxidative destruction, reductive destruction, and non-destructive, separation operations. The various oxidative approaches, including biological, chemical and thermal methods, are then discussed i...

  13. Technology resource document for the assembled chemical weapons assessment environmental impact statement. Vol. 2 : assembled systems for weapons destruction at Anniston Army Depot.

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

    Kimmell, T.; Folga, S., Frey, G.; Molberg, J.

    2001-05-04

    This volume of the Technical Resource Document (TRD) for the ''Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Design, Construction and Operation of One or More Pilot Test Facilities for Assembled Chemical Weapons Destruction Technologies at One or More Sites'' (PMACWA 2001g) pertains to the destruction of assembled chemical weapons (ACW) stored at Anniston Army Depot (ANAD), located outside Anniston, Alabama. This volume presents technical and process information on each of the destruction technologies applicable to treatment of the specific ACW stored at ANAD. The destruction technologies described are those that have been demonstrated as part of the Assembled Chemical Weapons Assessmentmore » (ACWA) selection process (see Volume 1).« less

  14. High-temperature photochemical destruction of toxic organic wastes using concentrated solar radiation

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

    Dellinger, B.; Graham, J.L.; Berman, J.M.

    1994-05-01

    Application of concentrated solar energy has been proposed to be a viable waste disposal option. Specifically, this concept of solar induced high-temperature photochemistry is based on the synergistic contribution of concentrated infrared (IR) radiation, which acts as an intense heating source, and near ultraviolet and visible (UV-VIS) radiation, which can induce destructive photochemical processes. Some significant advances have been made in the theoretical framework of high-temperature photochemical processes (Section 2) and development of experimental techniques for their study (Section 3). Basic thermal/photolytic studies have addressed the effect of temperature on the photochemical destruction of pure compounds (Section 4). Detailed studiesmore » of the destruction of reaction by-products have been conducted on selected waste molecules (Section 5). Some very limited results are available on the destruction of mixtures (Section 6). Fundamental spectroscopic studies have been recently initiated (Section 7). The results to date have been used to conduct some relatively simple scale-up studies of the solar detoxification process. More recent work has focused on destruction of compounds that do not directly absorb solar radiation. Research efforts have focused on homogeneous as well as heterogeneous methods of initiating destructive reaction pathways (Section 9). Although many conclusions at this point must be considered tentative due to lack of basic research, a clearer picture of the overall process is emerging (Section 10). However, much research remains to be performed and most follow several veins, including photochemical, spectroscopic, combustion kinetic, and engineering scale-up (Section 11).« less

  15. Anomalous Diffusion of Particles Dispersed in Xanthan Solutions Subjected to Shear Flow

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Takikawa, Yoshinori; Yasuta, Muneharu; Fujii, Shuji; Orihara, Hiroshi; Tanaka, Yoshimi; Nishinari, Katsuyoshi

    2018-05-01

    Xanthan gum exhibits viscoelastic and shear-thinning properties. We investigate the Brownian motion of particles dispersed in xanthan gum solutions that are subjected to simple shear flow. The mean square displacements (MSDs) are obtained in both the flow and vorticity directions. In the absence of shear flow, subdiffusion is observed, MSD ∝ tα with α < 1, where t is time. In the presence of shear flow, however, the exponent α becomes larger together with the MSD itself in both the flow and vorticity directions. We show that the diffusion is enhanced by Taylor dispersion in the flow direction, whereas in the vorticity direction it is enhanced by nonthermal self-diffusion.

  16. NASA airframe structural integrity program

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Harris, Charles E.

    1991-01-01

    NASA has initiated a research program with the long-term objective of supporting the aerospace industry in addressing issues related to the aging commercial transport fleet. The interdisciplinary program combines advanced fatigue crack growth prediction methodology with innovative nondestructive examination technology with the focus on multi-site damage (MSD) at riveted connections. A fracture mechanics evaluation of the concept of pressure proof testing the fuselage to screen for MSD has been completed. Also, a successful laboratory demonstration of the ability of the thermal flux method to detect disbonds at riveted lap splice joints has been conducted. All long-term program elements have been initiated and the plans for the methodology verification program are being coordinated with the airframe manufacturers.

  17. NASA airframe structural integrity program

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Harris, Charles E.

    1990-01-01

    NASA initiated a research program with the long-term objective of supporting the aerospace industry in addressing issues related to the aging of the commercial transport fleet. The program combines advanced fatigue crack growth prediction methodology with innovative nondestructive examination technology with the focus on multi-stage damage (MSD) at rivited connections. A fracture mechanics evaluation of the concept of pressure proof testing the fuselage to screen for MSD was completed. A successful laboratory demonstration of the ability of the thermal flux method to detect disbonds at rivited lap splice joints was conducted. All long-term program elements were initiated, and the plans for the methodology verification program are being coordinated with the airframe manufacturers.

  18. Technology resource document for the assembled chemical weapons assessment environmental impact statement. Vol. 4 : assembled systems for weapons destruction at Pueblo Chemical Depot.

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

    Kimmell, T.; Folga, S., Frey, G.; Molberg, J.

    2001-04-30

    This volume of the Technical Resource Document (TRD) for the ''Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Design, Construction and Operation of One or More Pilot Test Facilities for Assembled Chemical Weapons Destruction Technologies at One or More Sites'' (PMACWA 2001c) pertains to the destruction of assembled chemical weapons (ACW) stored at Pueblo Chemical Depot (PCD), located outside Pueblo, Colorado. This volume presents technical and process information on each of the destruction technologies applicable to treatment of the specific ACW stored at PCD. The destruction technologies described are those that have been demonstrated during Phase I of the Assembled Chemical Weaponsmore » Assessment (ACWA) demonstration process (see Volume 1).« less

  19. Detecting uniaxial single domain grains with a modified IRM technique

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mitra, R.; Tauxe, L.; Gee, J. S.

    2011-12-01

    Mid-ocean ridge basalt (MORB) specimens have often been found to have high ratios of saturation remanence to saturation magnetization (Mrs/Ms). This has been attributed either to dominant cubic anisotropy or to insufficient saturating field leading to overestimation of Mrs/Ms of a dominantly uniaxial single domain (USD) assemblage. To resolve this debate, we develop an independent technique to detect USD assemblages. The experimental protocol involves subjecting the specimen to bidirectional impulse fields at each step. The experiment is similar to the conventional isothermal remanent magnetization (IRM) acquisition experiment but the field is applied twice, in antiparallel directions. We define a new parameter, IRAT, as the ratio of the remanences at each field step and show it to have characteristic behaviour for the two assemblages; IRAT ˜1 at all field steps for USD and <1 with a strong field dependence for multi-axial single domain (MSD) grains. We verified the theoretical predictions experimentally with representative USD and MSD specimens. Experiments with MORBs gave low IRATs for specimens having high Mrs/Ms. This argues for a dominant MSD assemblage in the MORBs, possibly cubic in nature. Although undersaturation of the samples can indeed be a contributing factor to the exceptionally high Mrs/Ms, this study shows that the nature of the assemblage cannot be dominantly USD.

  20. V-T theory for the Self-Intermediate Scattering Function in a Monatomic Liquid

    DOE PAGES

    Wallace, Duane C.; Chisolm, Eric D.; De Lorenzi-Venneri, Giulia

    2016-12-12

    In V-T theory the atomic motion is harmonic vibrations in a liquid-specific potential energy valley, plus transits, which move the system rapidly among the multitude of such valleys. Here, in its first application to the self intermediate scattering function (SISF), V-T theory produced an accurate account of molecular dynamics (MD) data at all wave numbers q and time t. Recently, analysis of the mean square displacement (MSD) resolved a crossover behavior that was not observed in the SISF study. Our purpose here is to apply the more accurate MSD calibration to the SISF, and assess the results. We derive andmore » discuss the theoretical equations for vibrational and transit contributions to the SISF. The time evolution is divided into three successive intervals: the vibrational interval when the vibrational contribution alone accurately accounts for the MD data; the crossover when the vibrational contribution saturates and the transit contribution becomes resolved; and the diffusive interval when the transit contribution alone accurately accounts for the MD data. Finally, the resulting theoretical error is extremely small at all q and t. V-T theory is compared to mode-coupling theories for the MSD and SISF, and to recent developments in Brownian motion experiments and theory.« less

  1. Wheat multiple synthetic derivatives: a new source for heat stress tolerance adaptive traits

    PubMed Central

    Elbashir, Awad Ahmed Elawad; Gorafi, Yasir Serag Alnor; Tahir, Izzat Sidahmed Ali; Kim, June-Sik; Tsujimoto, Hisashi

    2017-01-01

    Heat stress is detrimental to wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) productivity. In this study, we aimed to select heat-tolerant plants from a multiple synthetic derivatives (MSD) population and evaluate their agronomic and physiological traits. We selected six tolerant plants from the population with the background of the cultivar ‘Norin 61’ (N61) and established six MNH (MSD population of N61 selected as heat stress-tolerant) lines. We grew these lines with N61 in the field and growth chamber. In the field, we used optimum and late sowings to ensure plant exposure to heat. In the growth chamber, in addition to N61, we used the heat-tolerant cultivars ‘Gelenson’ and ‘Bacanora’. We confirmed that MNH2 and MNH5 lines acquired heat tolerance. These lines had higher photosynthesis and stomata conductance and exhibited no reduction in grain yield and biomass under heat stress compared to N61. We noticed that N61 had relatively good adaptability to heat stress. Our results indicate that the MSD population includes the diversity of Aegilops tauschii and is a promising resource to uncover useful quantitative traits derived from this wild species. Selected lines could be useful for heat stress tolerance breeding. PMID:28744178

  2. The effects of physical and psychosocial factors and ergonomic conditions on the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders among dentists in Malaysia.

    PubMed

    Taib, Mohd Firdaus Mohd; Bahn, Sangwoo; Yun, Myung Hwan; Taib, Mohd Syukri Mohd

    2017-01-01

    Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) have been recognized as one of the main occupational health problems for dentists. Many studies have suggested that dentists experience work-related pain or discomfort in the neck, shoulder, and back, as well as in other parts of the body. This study aimed to examine the relationship between specific physical and psychosocial factors and/or ergonomic conditions on MSD symptoms among dentists in Malaysia. A group of 85 dentists was asked to complete a questionnaire to determine whether their complaints were related to physical and psychosocial factors and/or ergonomic conditions in their practices. Among the nine reviewed body areas, the shoulders were most often affected by symptoms of MSDs (92.7%). Moreover, MSDs of the neck and upper back were most likely to prevent these practitioners from engaging in normal activities (32.9%). In general, no significant differences were found in the prevalence of MSD symptoms in relation to gender, age, body mass index, years in practice, number of patients, and frequency of breaks. Our results were consistent with those reported in other studies that focused on MSD problems among dentists in other countries. To reduce the prevalence of MSDs, more attention should be paid to instituting ergonomically sensible approaches in the dental practice setting.

  3. Influence of obesity and physical workload on disability benefits among construction workers followed up for 37 years.

    PubMed

    Robroek, Suzan J W; Järvholm, Bengt; van der Beek, Allard J; Proper, Karin I; Wahlström, Jens; Burdorf, Alex

    2017-09-01

    The objectives of this study are to investigate the relation between obesity and labour force exit via diagnosis-specific disability benefits, and whether physical workload modifies this association. A longitudinal analysis was performed among 3 28 743 Swedish construction workers in the age of 15-65 years. Body weight and height were measured at a health examination and enriched with register information on disability benefits up to 37 years later. Diagnoses of disability benefits were categorised into cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), musculoskeletal diseases (MSDs), mental disorders and others. A job exposure matrix, based on self-reported lifting of heavy loads and working in bent forward or twisted position, was applied as a measure of physical workload. Cox proportional hazards regression analyses were performed, and the relative excess risk due to interaction (RERI) between obesity and physical workload was calculated. Obese construction workers were at increased risk of receiving disability benefits (HR 1.70, 95% CI 1.65 to 2.76), mainly through CVD (HR 2.30) and MSD (HR 1.71). Construction workers with a high physical workload were also more likely to receive a disability benefit (HR 2.28, 95% CI 2.21 to 2.34), particularly via MSD (HR 3.02). Obesity in combination with a higher physical workload increased the risk of disability benefits (RERI 0.28) more than the sum of the risks of obesity and higher physical workload, particularly for MSD (RERI 0.44). Obesity and a high physical workload are risk factors for disability benefit. Furthermore, these factors are synergistic risk factors for labour force exit via disability benefit through MSD. Comprehensive programmes that target health promotion to prevent obesity and ergonomic interventions to reduce physical workload are important to facilitate sustained employment. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

  4. Metastatic Spine Tumor Surgery: A Comparative Study of Minimally Invasive Approach Using Percutaneous Pedicle Screws Fixation Versus Open Approach.

    PubMed

    Kumar, Naresh; Malhotra, Rishi; Maharajan, Karthikeyan; Zaw, Aye S; Wu, Pang Hung; Makandura, Milindu C; Po Liu, Gabriel Ka; Thambiah, Joseph; Wong, Hee-Kit

    2017-10-01

    Prospective cohort study. Minimally invasive spinal surgery (MISS) has been gaining recognition in patients with metastatic spine disease (MSD). The advantages are reduction in blood loss, hospital stay, and postoperative morbidity. Most of the studies were case series with very few comparing the outcomes of MISS to open approaches. To evaluate and compare the clinical and perioperative outcomes of MISS versus open approach in patients with symptomatic MSD, who underwent posterior spinal stabilization and/or decompression. Our study included 45 MSD patients; 27 managed by MISS and 18 by open approach. All patients had MSD presenting with symptoms of neurological deficit, spinal instability, or both. Preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative data were collected for comparison of the 2 approaches. All patients were followed up until the end of study period (maximum up to 4 years from time of surgery) or till their demise. The clinical outcome measures were pain control, neurological and functional status, whereas perioperative outcomes were blood loss, operative time, length of hospital stay, and time taken to initiate radiotherapy/chemotherapy after index surgery. Majority of patients in both groups showed improvement in pain, neurological status, independent ambulation, and ECOG score in the postoperative period with no significant differences between the 2 groups. There was a significant reduction in intraoperative blood loss (621 mL less, P<0.001) in the MISS group. The average time to initiate radiotherapy after surgery was 13 days (range, 12-16 d) in MISS and 24 days (range, 16-40 d) in the open group. This difference was statistically significant (P<0.001). Operative time and duration of hospital stay were also favorable in the MISS group, although the differences were not significant. MISS is comparable with open approach demonstrating similar improvements in clinical outcomes, that is pain control, neurological and functional status. MISS approaches have also shown promising results due to lesser intraoperative blood loss and allowing earlier radiotherapy/chemotherapy.

  5. Automated toxicological screening reports of modified Agilent MSD Chemstation combined with Microsoft Visual Basic application programs.

    PubMed

    Choe, Sanggil; Kim, Suncheun; Choi, Hyeyoung; Choi, Hwakyoung; Chung, Heesun; Hwang, Bangyeon

    2010-06-15

    Agilent GC-MS MSD Chemstation offers automated library search report for toxicological screening using total ion chromatogram (TIC) and mass spectroscopy in normal mode. Numerous peaks appear in the chromatogram of biological specimen such as blood or urine and often large migrating peaks obscure small target peaks, in addition, any target peaks of low abundance regularly give wrong library search result or low matching score. As a result, retention time and mass spectrum of all the peaks in the chromatogram have to be checked to see if they are relevant. These repeated actions are very tedious and time-consuming to toxicologists. MSD Chemstation software operates using a number of macro files which give commands and instructions on how to work on and extract data from the chromatogram and spectroscopy. These macro files are developed by the own compiler of the software. All the original macro files can be modified and new macro files can be added to the original software by users. To get more accurate results with more convenient method and to save time for data analysis, we developed new macro files for reports generation and inserted new menus in the Enhanced Data Analysis program. Toxicological screening reports generated by these new macro files are in text mode or graphic mode and these reports can be generated with three different automated subtraction options. Text reports have Brief mode and Full mode and graphic reports have the option with or without mass spectrum mode. Matched mass spectrum and matching score for detected compounds are printed in reports by modified library searching modules. We have also developed an independent application program named DrugMan. This program manages drug groups, lists and parameters that are in use in MSD Chemstation. The incorporation of DrugMan with modified macro modules provides a powerful tool for toxicological screening and save a lot of valuable time on toxicological work. (c) 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Dynamic behaviors of water contained in calcium-silicate-hydrate gel at different temperatures studied by quasi-elastic neutron scattering spectroscopy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yi, Zhou; Deng, Pei-Na; Zhang, Li-Li; Li, Hua

    2016-10-01

    The dynamic behaviors of water contained in calcium-silicate-hydrate (C-S-H) gel with different water content values from 10% to 30% (by weight), are studied by using an empirical diffusion model (EDM) to analyze the experimental data of quasi-elastic neutron scattering (QENS) spectra at measured temperatures ranging from 230 K to 280 K. In the study, the experimental QENS spectra with the whole Q-range are considered. Several important parameters including the bound/immobile water elastic coefficient A, the bound water index BWI, the Lorentzian with a half-width at half-maximum (HWHM) Γ 1(Q) and Γ 2(Q), the self-diffusion coefficients D t1 and D t2 of water molecules, the average residence times τ 01 and τ 02, and the proton mean squared displacement (MSD) are obtained. The results show that the QENS spectra can be fitted very well not only for small Q (≤ 1 Å-1) but also for large Q. The bound/immobile water fraction in a C-S-H gel sample can be shown by the fitted BWI. The distinction between bound/immobile and mobile water, which includes confined water and ultra-confined water, can be seen by the fitted MSD. All the MSD tend to be the smallest value below 0.25 Å2 (the MSD of bound/immobile water) as the Q increases to 1.9 Å-1, no matter what the temperature and water content are. Furthermore, by the abrupt changes of the fitted values of D t1, τ 01, and Γ 1(Q), a crossover temperature at 250 K, namely the liquid-to-crystal-like transition temperature, can be identified for confined water in large gel pores (LGPs) and/or small gel pores (SGPs) contained in the C-S-H gel sample with 30% water content.

  7. An improved size exclusion-HPLC method for molecular size distribution analysis of immunoglobulin G using sodium perchlorate in the eluent.

    PubMed

    Wang, Hsiaoling; Levi, Mark S; Del Grosso, Alfred V; McCormick, William M; Bhattacharyya, Lokesh

    2017-05-10

    Size exclusion (SE) high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) is widely used for the molecular size distribution (MSD) analyses of various therapeutic proteins. We report development and validation of a SE-HPLC method for MSD analyses of immunoglobulin G (IgG) in products using a TSKgel SuperSW3000 column and eluting it with 0.4M NaClO 4 , a chaotropic salt, in 40mM phosphate buffer, pH 6.8. The chromatograms show distinct peaks of aggregates, tetramer, and two dimers, as well as the monomer and fragment peaks. In addition, the method offers about half the run time (12min), better peak resolution, improved peak shape and more stable base-line compared to HPLC methods reported in the literature, including that in the European Pharmacopeia (EP). A comparison of MSD analysis results between our method and the EP method shows interactions between the protein and the stationary phase and partial adsorption of aggregates and tetramer on the stationary phase, when the latter method is used. Thus, the EP method shows lower percent of aggregates and tetramer than are actually present in the products. In view of the fact that aggregates have been attributed to playing a critical role in adverse reactions due to IgG products, our observation raises a major concern regarding the actual aggregate content in these products since the EP method is widely used for MSD analyses of IgG products. Our method eliminates (or substantially reduces) the interactions between the proteins and stationary phase as well as the adsorption of proteins onto the column. Our results also show that NaClO 4 in the eluent is more effective in overcoming the protein/column interactions compared to Arg-HCl, another chaotropic salt. NaClO 4 is shown not to affect the molecular size and relative distribution of different molecular forms of IgG. The method validated as per ICH Q2(R1) guideline using IgG products, shows good specificity, accuracy, precision and a linear concentration dependence of peak areas for different molecular forms. In summary, our method gives more reliable results than the SE-HPLC methods for MSD analyses of IgG reported in the literature, including the EP, particularly for aggregates and tetramer. The results are interpreted in terms of ionic (polar) and hydrophobic interactions between the stationary phase and the IgG protein. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  8. Treating inertia in passive microbead rheology.

    PubMed

    Indei, Tsutomu; Schieber, Jay D; Córdoba, Andrés; Pilyugina, Ekaterina

    2012-02-01

    The dynamic modulus G(*) of a viscoelastic medium is often measured by following the trajectory of a small bead subject to Brownian motion in a method called "passive microbead rheology." This equivalence between the positional autocorrelation function of the tracer bead and G(*) is assumed via the generalized Stokes-Einstein relation (GSER). However, inertia of both bead and medium are neglected in the GSER so that the analysis based on the GSER is not valid at high frequency where inertia is important. In this paper we show how to treat both contributions to inertia properly in one-bead passive microrheological analysis. A Maxwell fluid is studied as the simplest example of a viscoelastic fluid to resolve some apparent paradoxes of eliminating inertia. In the original GSER, the mean-square displacement (MSD) of the tracer bead does not satisfy the correct initial condition. If bead inertia is considered, the proper initial condition is realized, thereby indicating an importance of including inertia, but the MSD oscillates at a time regime smaller than the relaxation time of the fluid. This behavior is rather different from the original result of the GSER and what is observed. What is more, the discrepancy from the GSER result becomes worse with decreasing bead mass, and there is an anomalous gap between the MSD derived by naïvely taking the zero-mass limit in the equation of motion and the MSD for finite bead mass as indicated by McKinley et al. [J. Rheol. 53, 1487 (2009)]. In this paper we show what is necessary to take the zero-mass limit of the bead safely and correctly without causing either the inertial oscillation or the anomalous gap, while obtaining the proper initial condition. The presence of a very small purely viscous element can be used to eliminate bead inertia safely once included in the GSER. We also show that if the medium contains relaxation times outside the window where the single-mode Maxwell behavior is observed, the oscillation can be attenuated inside the window. This attenuation is realized even in the absence of a purely viscous element. Finally, fluid inertia also affects the bead autocorrelation through the Basset force and the fluid dragged around with the bead. We show that the Basset force plays the same role as the purely viscous element in high-frequency regime, and the oscillation of MSD is suppressed if fluid density and bead density are comparable. © 2012 American Physical Society

  9. Technology resource document for the assembled chemical weapons assessment environmental impact statement. Vol. 5 : assembled systems for weapons destruction at Blue Grass Army Depot.

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

    Kimmell, T.; Folga, S., Frey, G.; Molberg, J.

    2001-05-02

    This volume of the Technical Resource Document (TRD) for the ''Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Design, Construction and Operation of One or More Pilot Test Facilities for Assembled Chemical Weapons Destruction Technologies at One or More Sites'' (PMACWA 2001g) pertains to the destruction of assembled chemical weapons (ACW) stored in the U.S. Army's unitary chemical stockpile at Blue Grass Army Depot (BGAD), located outside Richmond, Kentucky. This volume presents technical and process information on each of the destruction technologies applicable to treatment of the specific ACW stored at BGAD. The destruction technologies described are those that have been demonstratedmore » as part of the Assembled Chemical Weapons Assessment (ACWA) selection process (see Volume 1).« less

  10. Effects of moisture content or particle size on the in situ degradability of maize silage and alfalfa haylage in lactating dairy cows.

    PubMed

    Zou, Yang; Dong, Shuangzhao; Du, Yun; Li, Shengli; Wang, Yajing; Cao, Zhijun

    2016-09-01

    A study using four Holstein cows with ruminal cannulas was conducted to evaluate the degradability of different moisture content or particle size of maize silage and alfalfa haylage. The maize silage (MS; 20-mm length) and alfalfa haylage (AH; 40-mm length) samples were wet (wet maize silage, MSW; wet alfalfa haylage, AHW), dried (dried maize silage, MSD; dried alfalfa haylage, AHD), or ground to pass through a 2.5-mm screen (dried ground maize silage, MSG; dried ground alfalfa haylage, AHG). Samples were incubated in the rumen for 2, 6, 12, 24, 36, 48, and 72 h. Cows were fed ad libitum and allowed free access to water. High moisture content treatment of MSW expressed a lower rinsing NDF and ADF degradability at 2 h ( P  < 0.05) compared with dried samples (MSD and MSG). Different moisture content and particle size had a significant impact ( P  < 0.05) on the NDF degradability at 72 h, ADF degradability at 36, 48, and 72 h, and ruminally degradable ADF. All of the highest values were observed in small particle size and low moisture content AHG treatment. Based on this study, sample processing, such as drying and grinding, should be considered when evaluating nutritive values of forages.

  11. [Risks and health problems caused by the use of video terminals].

    PubMed

    Tamez González, Silvia; Ortiz-Hernández, Luis; Martínez-Alcántara, Susana; Méndez-Ramírez, Ignacio

    2003-01-01

    To evaluate the association between video display terminal (VDT) use and health hazards, occupational risks, and psychosocial factors, in newspaper workers. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 1998 in a representative sample (n = 68) drawn from a population of 218 VDT operators in Mexico City. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire. Data were confirmed by performing physical examinations. The research hypothesis was that both the current and cumulative use of VDT are associated with visual, musculoskeletal system, and skin illnesses, as well as with fatigue and mental or psychosomatic disorders. Occupational health hazards were assessed (visual problems, postural risks, sedentary work, computer mouse use, excessive heat, and overcrowding), as well as psychosocial factors related to work organization (psychological demands, work control, and social support). Prevalence ratios were adjusted for confounding variables like age, sex and schooling. Women were more likely than men to have upper extremity musculoskeletal disorders (MSD), dermatitis, and seborrheic eczema. VDT use was associated with neuro-visual fatigue, upper extremity MSD, dermatitis, and seborrheic eczema. Computer mouse use and postural risks were significantly associated with health problems. Psychosocial factors were mainly associated with mental problems, psychosomatic disorders, and fatigue. Intense use of video screens has been found to cause musculoskeletal disorders of the hand. The diversification of tasks and control of labor processes itself had a protective effect against psychosomatic disorders and pathological fatigue.

  12. Berkeley Lab - Materials Sciences Division

    Science.gov Websites

    ; Finance Templates Travel One-Stop Acknowledging MSD Support Human Resources Facilities & Space Planning Procurement and Property Proposals & Finance Templates Travel Facilities & Space Planning

  13. 256 fs, 2 nJ soliton pulse generation from MoS2 mode-locked fiber laser

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jiang, Zike; Chen, Hao; Li, Jiarong; Yin, Jinde; Wang, Jinzhang; Yan, Peiguang

    2017-12-01

    We demonstrate an Er-doped fiber laser (EDFL) mode-locked by a MoS2 saturable absorber (SA), delivering a 256 fs, 2 nJ soliton pulse at 1563.4 nm. The nonlinear property of the SA prepared by magnetron sputtering deposition (MSD) is measured with a modulation depth (MD) of ∼19.48% and a saturable intensity of 4.14 MW/cm2. To the best of our knowledge, the generated soliton pulse has the highest pulse energy of 2 nJ among the reported mode-locked EDFLs based on transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs). Our results indicate that MSD-grown SAs could offer an exciting platform for high pulse energy and ultrashort pulse generation.

  14. CORONA DESTRUCTION: AN INNOVATIVE CONTROL TECHNOLOGY FOR VOCS AND AIR TOXICS

    EPA Science Inventory

    This paper discusses the work and results to date leading to the demonstration of the corona destruction process at pilot scale. The research effort in corona destruction of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and air toxics has shown significant promise for providing a valuable co...

  15. Physical basis of destruction of concrete and other building materials

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Suleymanova, L. A.; Pogorelova, I. A.; Kirilenko, S. V.; Suleymanov, K. A.

    2018-03-01

    In the article the scientifically-grounded views of authors on the physical essence of destruction process of concrete and other materials are stated; it is shown that the mechanism of destruction of materials is similar in its essence during the mechanical, thermal, physical-chemical and combined influences, and that in its basis Newton's third law lays. In all cases destruction consists in decompaction of structures, loosening of the internal bonds in materials, in the further integrity damage and their division into separate loosely-bound (full destruction) and unbound with each other (incomplete destruction) elements, which depends on the kind of external influence and perfection of materials structure.

  16. 49 CFR 225.5 - Definitions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... also does not include counseling. Musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) means a disorder of the muscles... illness resulting from a sexual assault; (3) Mental illnesses; (4) HIV infection, hepatitis, or...

  17. A visual ergonomics intervention in mail sorting facilities: effects on eyes, muscles and productivity.

    PubMed

    Hemphälä, Hillevi; Eklund, Jörgen

    2012-01-01

    Visual requirements are high when sorting mail. The purpose of this visual ergonomics intervention study was to evaluate the visual environment in mail sorting facilities and to explore opportunities for improving the work situation by reducing visual strain, improving the visual work environment and reducing mail sorting time. Twenty-seven postmen/women participated in a pre-intervention study, which included questionnaires on their experiences of light, visual ergonomics, health, and musculoskeletal symptoms. Measurements of lighting conditions and productivity were also performed along with eye examinations of the postmen/women. The results from the pre-intervention study showed that the postmen/women who suffered from eyestrain had a higher prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) and sorted slower, than those without eyestrain. Illuminance and illuminance uniformity improved as a result of the intervention. The two post-intervention follow-ups showed a higher prevalence of MSD among the postmen/women with eyestrain than among those without. The previous differences in sorting time for employees with and without eyestrain disappeared. After the intervention, the postmen/women felt better in general, experienced less work induced stress, and considered that the total general lighting had improved. The most pronounced decreases in eyestrain, MSD, and mail sorting time were seen among the younger participants of the group. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

  18. Local collective motion analysis for multi-probe dynamic imaging and microrheology

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Khan, Manas; Mason, Thomas G.

    2016-08-01

    Dynamical artifacts, such as mechanical drift, advection, and hydrodynamic flow, can adversely affect multi-probe dynamic imaging and passive particle-tracking microrheology experiments. Alternatively, active driving by molecular motors can cause interesting non-Brownian motion of probes in local regions. Existing drift-correction techniques, which require large ensembles of probes or fast temporal sampling, are inadequate for handling complex spatio-temporal drifts and non-Brownian motion of localized domains containing relatively few probes. Here, we report an analytical method based on local collective motion (LCM) analysis of as few as two probes for detecting the presence of non-Brownian motion and for accurately eliminating it to reveal the underlying Brownian motion. By calculating an ensemble-average, time-dependent, LCM mean square displacement (MSD) of two or more localized probes and comparing this MSD to constituent single-probe MSDs, we can identify temporal regimes during which either thermal or athermal motion dominates. Single-probe motion, when referenced relative to the moving frame attached to the multi-probe LCM trajectory, provides a true Brownian MSD after scaling by an appropriate correction factor that depends on the number of probes used in LCM analysis. We show that LCM analysis can be used to correct many different dynamical artifacts, including spatially varying drifts, gradient flows, cell motion, time-dependent drift, and temporally varying oscillatory advection, thereby offering a significant improvement over existing approaches.

  19. Reduced dose cyclophosphamide, fludarabine and antithymocyte globulin for sibling and unrelated transplant of children with severe and very severe aplastic anemia.

    PubMed

    Chung, Nack-Gyun; Lee, Jae Wook; Jang, Pil-Sang; Jeong, Dae-Chul; Cho, Bin; Kim, Hack-Ki

    2013-06-01

    We evaluated the results of a novel conditioning regimen of reduced dose cyclophosphamide (Cy, 25 mg/kg for four days), fludarabine (Flu, 30 mg/m(2) for four days), and rabbit ATG (2.5 mg/kg for three days) for allogeneic transplant of children with SAA, implemented since January 2009. Overall, 23 patients were treated with this regimen (16 male, seven female), including 10 diagnosed with VSAA. Donors included eight-MSD and 15 UD (five-matched UD, and 10 mismatched UD). All patients showed neutrophil and platelet engraftment. Cumulative incidence of acute (grade 2 or above) and chronic GVHD was 26.1% and 8.7%, respectively. Estimated two-yr FFS and OS for the entire cohort was 90.3 ± 6.5%. Rates of TRM and graft failure were 5.3% and 4.3%, respectively. No difference in OS was found according to disease severity (SAA vs. VSAA, p = 0.184), or according to donor type (MSD vs. UD, p = 0.699). Excellent outcomes of patients with VSAA underscore the efficacy of allogeneic transplant as a means of expediting hematopoietic recovery. Improved survival of UD transplant reaffirms its role as a valid therapeutic alternative in the absence of MSD. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

  20. Widespread fatigue damage monitoring: Issues and concerns

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Swift, T.

    1994-01-01

    This paper is intended to illustrate the considerable effect that small in-service undetectable multi-site-damage (MSD) can have on the residual strength capability of aging aircraft structures. In general, very few people in the industry believe that tiny cracks of undetectable size are a problem because they know that many aircraft have been able to survive much larger damage. In fact they have been certified for this large damage capability. However, this is not the issue. The real issue is the effect the tiny cracks, at multiple sites, have on the large damage capability which the industry has become accustomed to expect and which the aircraft have been certified to sustain. The concern is that this message does not appear to be fully understood by many people outside the fracture community. The prime purpose of this paper, therefore, has been to convey this message by describing in simple terms the net section yielding phenomenon in ductile materials which causes loss in lead crack residual strength in the presence of MSD. The explanation continues with a number of examples on complex stiffened structures, using the results of previous finite element analyses, which illustrate that the effect of MSD is extremely sensitive to structural configuration. It is hoped that those members of the aviation community who believe that tiny cracks are not a problem will read this paper very carefully.

  1. Recent advances in treatment of aplastic anemia

    PubMed Central

    Shin, Seung Hwan; Lee, Sung Eun

    2014-01-01

    Recent advances in the treatment of aplastic anemia (AA) made most of patients to expect to achieve a long-term survival. Allogeneic stem cell transplantation (SCT) from HLA-matched sibling donor (MSD-SCT) is a preferred first-line treatment option for younger patients with severe or very severe AA, whereas immunosuppressive treatment (IST) is an alternative option for others. Horse anti-thymocyte globuline (ATG) with cyclosporin A (CsA) had been a standard IST regimen with acceptable response rate. Recently, horse ATG had been not available and replaced with rabbit ATG in most countries. Subsequently, recent comparative studies showed that the outcomes of patients who received rabbit ATG/CsA were similar or inferior compared to those who received horse ATG/CsA. Therefore, further studies to improve the outcomes of IST, including additional eltrombopag, are necessary. On the other hand, the upper age limit of patients who are able to receive MSD-SCT as first-line treatment is a current issue because of favorable outcomes of MSD-SCT of older patients using fludarabine-based conditioning. In addition, further studies to improve the outcomes of patients who receive allogeneic SCT from alternative donors are needed. In this review, current issues and the newly emerging trends that may improve their outcomes in near futures will be discussed focusing the management of patients with AA. PMID:25378968

  2. Automatic falx cerebri and tentorium cerebelli segmentation from magnetic resonance images

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Glaister, Jeffrey; Carass, Aaron; Pham, Dzung L.; Butman, John A.; Prince, Jerry L.

    2017-03-01

    The falx cerebri and tentorium cerebelli are dural structures found in the brain. Due to the roles both structures play in constraining brain motion, the falx and tentorium must be identified and included in finite element models of the head to accurately predict brain dynamics during injury events. To date there has been very little research work on automatically segmenting these two structures, which is understandable given that their 1) thin structure challenges the resolution limits of in vivo 3D imaging, and 2) contrast with respect to surrounding tissue is low in standard magnetic resonance imaging. An automatic segmentation algorithm to find the falx and tentorium which uses the results of a multi-atlas segmentation and cortical reconstruction algorithm is proposed. Gray matter labels are used to find the location of the falx and tentorium. The proposed algorithm is applied to five datasets with manual delineations. 3D visualizations of the final results are provided, and Hausdorff distance (HD) and mean surface distance (MSD) is calculated to quantify the accuracy of the proposed method. For the falx, the mean HD is 43.84 voxels and the mean MSD is 2.78 voxels, with the largest errors occurring at the frontal inferior falx boundary. For the tentorium, the mean HD is 14.50 voxels and mean MSD is 1.38 voxels.

  3. Automatic falx cerebri and tentorium cerebelli segmentation from Magnetic Resonance Images.

    PubMed

    Glaister, Jeffrey; Carass, Aaron; Pham, Dzung L; Butman, John A; Prince, Jerry L

    2017-02-01

    The falx cerebri and tentorium cerebelli are dural structures found in the brain. Due to the roles both structures play in constraining brain motion, the falx and tentorium must be identified and included in finite element models of the head to accurately predict brain dynamics during injury events. To date there has been very little research work on automatically segmenting these two structures, which is understandable given that their 1) thin structure challenges the resolution limits of in vivo 3D imaging, and 2) contrast with respect to surrounding tissue is low in standard magnetic resonance imaging. An automatic segmentation algorithm to find the falx and tentorium which uses the results of a multi-atlas segmentation and cortical reconstruction algorithm is proposed. Gray matter labels are used to find the location of the falx and tentorium. The proposed algorithm is applied to five datasets with manual delineations. 3D visualizations of the final results are provided, and Hausdorff distance (HD) and mean surface distance (MSD) is calculated to quantify the accuracy of the proposed method. For the falx, the mean HD is 43.84 voxels and the mean MSD is 2.78 voxels, with the largest errors occurring at the frontal inferior falx boundary. For the tentorium, the mean HD is 14.50 voxels and mean MSD is 1.38 voxels.

  4. Berkeley Lab - Materials Sciences Division

    Science.gov Websites

    MSD Support Human Resources Facilities & Space Planning Procurement and Property Proposals & Planning Procurement and Property Proposals & Finance Templates Travel Procurement and Property This

  5. Berkeley Lab - Materials Sciences Division

    Science.gov Websites

    ; Finance Templates Travel One-Stop Acknowledging MSD Support Human Resources Facilities & Space Planning Procurement and Property Proposals & Finance Templates Travel Travel This page has been moved

  6. 27 CFR 19.315 - Removal or destruction of distilling material.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 27 Alcohol, Tobacco Products and Firearms 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Removal or destruction of distilling material. 19.315 Section 19.315 Alcohol, Tobacco Products and Firearms ALCOHOL AND TOBACCO TAX AND...) spirits, (2) alcoholic beverages, or (3) vinegar by the vaporizing process; or (c) for destruction. The...

  7. 3D exemplar-based random walks for tooth segmentation from cone-beam computed tomography images

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

    Pei, Yuru, E-mail: peiyuru@cis.pku.edu.cn; Ai, Xin

    Purpose: Tooth segmentation is an essential step in acquiring patient-specific dental geometries from cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) images. Tooth segmentation from CBCT images is still a challenging task considering the comparatively low image quality caused by the limited radiation dose, as well as structural ambiguities from intercuspation and nearby alveolar bones. The goal of this paper is to present and discuss the latest accomplishments in semisupervised tooth segmentation with adaptive 3D shape constraints. Methods: The authors propose a 3D exemplar-based random walk method of tooth segmentation from CBCT images. The proposed method integrates semisupervised label propagation and regularization by 3Dmore » exemplar registration. To begin with, the pure random walk method is to get an initial segmentation of the teeth, which tends to be erroneous because of the structural ambiguity of CBCT images. And then, as an iterative refinement, the authors conduct a regularization by using 3D exemplar registration, as well as label propagation by random walks with soft constraints, to improve the tooth segmentation. In the first stage of the iteration, 3D exemplars with well-defined topologies are adapted to fit the tooth contours, which are obtained from the random walks based segmentation. The soft constraints on voxel labeling are defined by shape-based foreground dentine probability acquired by the exemplar registration, as well as the appearance-based probability from a support vector machine (SVM) classifier. In the second stage, the labels of the volume-of-interest (VOI) are updated by the random walks with soft constraints. The two stages are optimized iteratively. Instead of the one-shot label propagation in the VOI, an iterative refinement process can achieve a reliable tooth segmentation by virtue of exemplar-based random walks with adaptive soft constraints. Results: The proposed method was applied for tooth segmentation of twenty clinically captured CBCT images. Three metrics, including the Dice similarity coefficient (DSC), the Jaccard similarity coefficient (JSC), and the mean surface deviation (MSD), were used to quantitatively analyze the segmentation of anterior teeth including incisors and canines, premolars, and molars. The segmentation of the anterior teeth achieved a DSC up to 98%, a JSC of 97%, and an MSD of 0.11 mm compared with manual segmentation. For the premolars, the average values of DSC, JSC, and MSD were 98%, 96%, and 0.12 mm, respectively. The proposed method yielded a DSC of 95%, a JSC of 89%, and an MSD of 0.26 mm for molars. Aside from the interactive definition of label priors by the user, automatic tooth segmentation can be achieved in an average of 1.18 min. Conclusions: The proposed technique enables an efficient and reliable tooth segmentation from CBCT images. This study makes it clinically practical to segment teeth from CBCT images, thus facilitating pre- and interoperative uses of dental morphologies in maxillofacial and orthodontic treatments.« less

  8. 3D exemplar-based random walks for tooth segmentation from cone-beam computed tomography images.

    PubMed

    Pei, Yuru; Ai, Xingsheng; Zha, Hongbin; Xu, Tianmin; Ma, Gengyu

    2016-09-01

    Tooth segmentation is an essential step in acquiring patient-specific dental geometries from cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) images. Tooth segmentation from CBCT images is still a challenging task considering the comparatively low image quality caused by the limited radiation dose, as well as structural ambiguities from intercuspation and nearby alveolar bones. The goal of this paper is to present and discuss the latest accomplishments in semisupervised tooth segmentation with adaptive 3D shape constraints. The authors propose a 3D exemplar-based random walk method of tooth segmentation from CBCT images. The proposed method integrates semisupervised label propagation and regularization by 3D exemplar registration. To begin with, the pure random walk method is to get an initial segmentation of the teeth, which tends to be erroneous because of the structural ambiguity of CBCT images. And then, as an iterative refinement, the authors conduct a regularization by using 3D exemplar registration, as well as label propagation by random walks with soft constraints, to improve the tooth segmentation. In the first stage of the iteration, 3D exemplars with well-defined topologies are adapted to fit the tooth contours, which are obtained from the random walks based segmentation. The soft constraints on voxel labeling are defined by shape-based foreground dentine probability acquired by the exemplar registration, as well as the appearance-based probability from a support vector machine (SVM) classifier. In the second stage, the labels of the volume-of-interest (VOI) are updated by the random walks with soft constraints. The two stages are optimized iteratively. Instead of the one-shot label propagation in the VOI, an iterative refinement process can achieve a reliable tooth segmentation by virtue of exemplar-based random walks with adaptive soft constraints. The proposed method was applied for tooth segmentation of twenty clinically captured CBCT images. Three metrics, including the Dice similarity coefficient (DSC), the Jaccard similarity coefficient (JSC), and the mean surface deviation (MSD), were used to quantitatively analyze the segmentation of anterior teeth including incisors and canines, premolars, and molars. The segmentation of the anterior teeth achieved a DSC up to 98%, a JSC of 97%, and an MSD of 0.11 mm compared with manual segmentation. For the premolars, the average values of DSC, JSC, and MSD were 98%, 96%, and 0.12 mm, respectively. The proposed method yielded a DSC of 95%, a JSC of 89%, and an MSD of 0.26 mm for molars. Aside from the interactive definition of label priors by the user, automatic tooth segmentation can be achieved in an average of 1.18 min. The proposed technique enables an efficient and reliable tooth segmentation from CBCT images. This study makes it clinically practical to segment teeth from CBCT images, thus facilitating pre- and interoperative uses of dental morphologies in maxillofacial and orthodontic treatments.

  9. Investigation and development of a non-destructive system to evaluate critical properties of asphalt pavements during the compaction process.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2013-10-01

    The purpose of this report is to present findings from a two-stage investigation to develop a non-destructive system to : evaluate critical properties and characteristics of asphalt pavements during the compaction process. The first stage aligned : c...

  10. 40 CFR 98.152 - GHGs to report.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... GREENHOUSE GAS REPORTING HCFC-22 Production and HFC-23 Destruction § 98.152 GHGs to report. (a) You must report under subpart C of this part (General Stationary Fuel Combustion Sources) the emissions of CO2... must report HFC-23 emissions from HCFC-22 production processes and HFC-23 destruction processes. ...

  11. 40 CFR 98.152 - GHGs to report.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... GREENHOUSE GAS REPORTING HCFC-22 Production and HFC-23 Destruction § 98.152 GHGs to report. (a) You must report under subpart C of this part (General Stationary Fuel Combustion Sources) the emissions of CO2... must report HFC-23 emissions from HCFC-22 production processes and HFC-23 destruction processes. ...

  12. 40 CFR 98.152 - GHGs to report.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... GREENHOUSE GAS REPORTING HCFC-22 Production and HFC-23 Destruction § 98.152 GHGs to report. (a) You must report under subpart C of this part (General Stationary Fuel Combustion Sources) the emissions of CO2... must report HFC-23 emissions from HCFC-22 production processes and HFC-23 destruction processes. ...

  13. 40 CFR 98.152 - GHGs to report.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... GREENHOUSE GAS REPORTING HCFC-22 Production and HFC-23 Destruction § 98.152 GHGs to report. (a) You must report under subpart C of this part (General Stationary Fuel Combustion Sources) the emissions of CO2... must report HFC-23 emissions from HCFC-22 production processes and HFC-23 destruction processes. ...

  14. 40 CFR 98.152 - GHGs to report.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... GREENHOUSE GAS REPORTING HCFC-22 Production and HFC-23 Destruction § 98.152 GHGs to report. (a) You must report under subpart C of this part (General Stationary Fuel Combustion Sources) the emissions of CO2... must report HFC-23 emissions from HCFC-22 production processes and HFC-23 destruction processes. ...

  15. On the mechanism of influence of explosive compounds: Destruction process on sensitivity of these compounds to mechanic impacts

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

    Filin, V.P.; Loboyko, B.G.; Averin, A.N.

    1996-05-01

    The results of investigations into sensitivity of the HMX-based explosive compound samples to mechanic stimuli are shown in the presented report. As a result of experimental studies it was illustrated, that explosives deformation and destruction processes under mechanical stimuli are accompanied by occurrence of different electric phenomena. The hypothesis on possible influence of electric phenomena occurring under deformation and destruction on the mechanism of formation of zones with high density of energy is discussed in the report. {copyright} {ital 1996 American Institute of Physics.}

  16. Berkeley Lab - Materials Sciences Division

    Science.gov Websites

    Emergency Diversity and Inclusion Committee Members Lab Contacts Resources & Operations Acknowledging ; Finance Templates Travel One-Stop Personnel Resources Committees In Case of Emergency Looking for MSD0010

  17. Sexual dysfunction and relationship stress: how does this association vary for men and women?

    PubMed

    McCabe, Marita P; Connaughton, Catherine

    2017-02-01

    This paper examines the association between relationship stress and sexual dysfunction. The results demonstrated a strong association between female sexual dysfunction (FSD) and relationship stress, and between male sexual dysfunction (MSD) and relationship stress among their female partners. No studies examined the association between FSD and relationship stress of male partners. Treatment for MSD was associated with improved relationship stress for female partners, but no studies were located that examined this association for treatment of FSD. These findings suggest that FSD and relationship stress are strongly related, but the association does not seem to be so strong for men. The review highlights the need for further research in this field to inform therapy for both sexual dysfunction and relationship problems. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Universal time-dependent dispersion properties for diffusion in a one-dimensional critically tilted potential

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Guérin, T.; Dean, D. S.

    2017-01-01

    We consider the time-dependent dispersion properties of overdamped tracer particles diffusing in a one-dimensional periodic potential under the influence of an additional constant tilting force F . The system is studied in the region where the force is close to the critical value Fc at which the barriers separating neighboring potential wells disappear. We show that, when F crosses the critical value, the shape of the mean-square displacement (MSD) curves is strongly modified. We identify a diffusive regime at intermediate-time scales with an effective diffusion coefficient which is much larger than the late-time diffusion coefficient for F >Fc , whereas for F

  19. Remediation of the protein data bank archive.

    PubMed

    Henrick, Kim; Feng, Zukang; Bluhm, Wolfgang F; Dimitropoulos, Dimitris; Doreleijers, Jurgen F; Dutta, Shuchismita; Flippen-Anderson, Judith L; Ionides, John; Kamada, Chisa; Krissinel, Eugene; Lawson, Catherine L; Markley, John L; Nakamura, Haruki; Newman, Richard; Shimizu, Yukiko; Swaminathan, Jawahar; Velankar, Sameer; Ory, Jeramia; Ulrich, Eldon L; Vranken, Wim; Westbrook, John; Yamashita, Reiko; Yang, Huanwang; Young, Jasmine; Yousufuddin, Muhammed; Berman, Helen M

    2008-01-01

    The Worldwide Protein Data Bank (wwPDB; wwpdb.org) is the international collaboration that manages the deposition, processing and distribution of the PDB archive. The online PDB archive at ftp://ftp.wwpdb.org is the repository for the coordinates and related information for more than 47 000 structures, including proteins, nucleic acids and large macromolecular complexes that have been determined using X-ray crystallography, NMR and electron microscopy techniques. The members of the wwPDB-RCSB PDB (USA), MSD-EBI (Europe), PDBj (Japan) and BMRB (USA)-have remediated this archive to address inconsistencies that have been introduced over the years. The scope and methods used in this project are presented.

  20. Effects of subcutaneously injected Ca Cu EDTA on concentrations of Cu in liver, milk production and reproductive performance in New Zealand dairy cows.

    PubMed

    Hawkins, D

    2014-09-01

    To determine the effect of dose and frequency of injection of Cu as Ca Cu EDTA on concentrations of Cu in liver, and the effect of a single 200 mg treatment on milk production and reproductive performance in New Zealand dairy cows. Four groups of dairy cows (n=18 per group) on three farms were injected with 100 or 200 mg Cu S/C once, or three times at 6-weekly intervals, commencing 6-8 weeks into lactation. Concentrations of Cu in liver were determined to 119 days after treatment. Cows at peak lactation on one farm were treated with 200 mg of Cu S/C, or received no treatment (n=92 per group). Milk production was determined 11 days before and 24 hours following treatment. In seven dairy herds from throughout New Zealand cows were injected S/C with 200 mg Cu 10 days prior to mating start date (MSD) or received no treatment. Oestrus detection and artificial inseminations were carried out for ≥ 2 - 4 days from MSD. Pregnancy diagnosis was performed at 12 weeks following MSD. The percentage of cows inseminated in the 21 days after MSD (21-day submission rate; n=2,022) and cows pregnant after 21 or 28 days (21- and 28-day pregnancy rates; n=2520) was determined. Injecting with 200 mg Cu once or 6-weekly increased concentrations of Cu in liver compared with 100 mg (p<0.05). Injection of 200 mg Cu decreased total milk yield (p=0.006) and protein production (p<0.001) in the 24-36 hours after treatment. Compared with Control cows, 200 mg Cu 10 days before MSD reduced 21-day submission (78 vs. 75%; p=0.04) and 21-day pregnancy rates (47 vs. 43%; p=0.03). For 28-day pregnancy rates there was a farm by treatment interaction (p=0.02), with a negative effect observed on some, but not other, farms. Injection of 200 mg Cu raised concentrations of Cu in liver for >42 days. A negative impact on milk yield and composition occurred immediately following injection. Injection 10 days prior to mating had a negative effect on submission and pregnancy rates. Further study is required to determine a safe treatment to mating interval and the mechanism by which adverse impacts occur. Although 200 mg of Cu as Ca Cu EDTA is an effective supplement and generally well tolerated, determining the necessity for, and giving specific thought to the timing of, parenteral Cu supplementation is imperative to avoid negative impacts on herd production and reproductive performance.

  1. Celebrate the Past.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mathematics Teaching in the Middle School, 1995

    1995-01-01

    A collection of significant quotations related to mathematics education since the founding of NCTM in 1920 indicating policies and philosophies that foreshadowed the current Curriculum and Evaluation Standards and the Professional Teaching Standards. (MSD)

  2. Modeling of porous concrete elements under load

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Demchyna, B. H.; Famuliak, Yu. Ye.; Demchyna, Kh. B.

    2017-12-01

    It is known that cell concretes are almost immediately destroyed under load, having reached certain critical stresses. Such kind of destruction is called a "catastrophic failure". Process of crack formation is one of the main factors, influencing process of concrete destruction. Modern theory of crack formation is mainly based on the Griffith theory of destruction. However, the mentioned theory does not completely correspond to the structure of cell concrete with its cell structure, because the theory is intended for a solid body. The article presents one of the possible variants of modelling of the structure of cell concrete and gives some assumptions concerning the process of crack formation in such hollow, not solid environment.

  3. Thermoluminescence Dynamics During Destructions of Porous Structures Formed by Nitrogen Nanoclusters in Bulk Superfluid Helium

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Meraki, Adil; Mao, Shun; McColgan, Patrick T.; Boltnev, Roman E.; Lee, David M.; Khmelenko, Vladimir V.

    2016-11-01

    We studied the dynamics of thermoluminescence during destruction of porous structures formed by nanoclusters of nitrogen molecules containing high concentrations of stabilized nitrogen atoms. The porous structures were formed in bulk superfluid helium by injection of the products of discharges in nitrogen-helium gas mixtures through the liquid helium surface. Fast recombination of nitrogen atoms during warming-up led to explosive destruction of the porous structures accompanied by bright flashes. Intense emissions from the α -group of nitrogen atoms, the β -group of oxygen atoms and the Vegard-Kaplan bands of N_2 molecules were observed at the beginning of destruction. At the end of destruction the M- and β -bands of NO molecules as well as bands of O_2 molecules were also observed. Observation of the emissions from NO molecules at the end of destruction was explained by processes of accumulation of NO molecules in the system due to the large van der Waals interaction of NO molecules. For the first time, we observed the emission of the O_2 molecules at the end of destruction of the porous nitrogen structures as a result of the (NO)_2 dimer formation in solid nitrogen and subsequent processes leading to the appearance of excited O_2 molecules.

  4. [Prospects in getting accordance between chemical analytic control means and medical technical requirements to safety system concerning chemical weapons destruction].

    PubMed

    Rembovskiĭ, V R; Mogilenkova, L A; Savel'eva, E I

    2005-01-01

    The major unit monitoring chemical weapons destruction objects is a system of chemical analyticcontrol over the technologic process procedures and possibility of environment and workplace pollution withtoxicchemicals and their destruction products. At the same time, physical and chemical control means meet sanitary and hygienic requirements incompletely. To provide efficient control, internationally recognized approaches should be adapted to features of Russian system monitoring pollution of chemical weapons destruction objects with toxic chemicals.

  5. Destruction of acenaphthene, fluorene, anthracene and pyrene by a dc gliding arc plasma reactor.

    PubMed

    Yu, Liang; Tu, Xin; Li, Xiaodong; Wang, Yu; Chi, Yong; Yan, Jianhua

    2010-08-15

    In this study, four kinds of PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) i.e. acenaphthene, fluorene, anthracene and pyrene are used as targets for investigation of PAHs treatment process assisted by dc gliding arc discharge. The effects of carrier gas and external resistance on the PAHs decomposition process are discussed. The results indicate that the destruction rate can be achieved to the highest with the carrier gas of oxygen and the external resistance of 50 kOmega independent of type of PAHs. Furthermore, experimental results suggest that destruction energy efficiency of gliding arc plasma would be improved by treating higher concentration pollutants. Based on the analysis of experimental results, possible destruction mechanisms in different gas discharge are discussed. Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Differential Modulation of Rhythmic Brain Activity in Healthy Adults by a T-Type Calcium Channel Blocker: An MEG Study

    PubMed Central

    Walton, Kerry D.; Maillet, Emeline L.; Garcia, John; Cardozo, Timothy; Galatzer-Levy, Isaac; Llinás, Rodolfo R.

    2017-01-01

    1-octanol is a therapeutic candidate for disorders involving the abnormal activation of the T-type calcium current since it blocks this current specifically. Such disorders include essential tremor and a group of neurological and psychiatric disorders resulting from thalamocortical dysrhythmia (TCD). For example, clinically, the observable phenotype in essential tremor is the tremor itself. The differential diagnostic of TCD is not based only on clinical signs and symptoms. Rather, TCD incorporates an electromagnetic biomarker, the presence of abnormal thalamocortical low frequency brain oscillations. The effect of 1-octanol on brain activity has not been tested. As a preliminary step to such a TCD study, we examined the short-term effects of a single dose of 1-octanol on resting brain activity in 32 healthy adults using magnetoencephalograpy. Visual inspection of baseline power spectra revealed that the subjects fell into those with strong low frequency activity (set 2, n = 11) and those without such activity, but dominated by an alpha peak (set 1, n = 22). Cross-validated linear discriminant analysis, using mean spectral density (MSD) in nine frequency bands as predictors, found overall that 82.5% of the subjects were classified as determined by visual inspection. The effect of 1-octanol on the MSD in narrow frequency bands differed between the two subject groups. In set 1 subjects the MSD increased in the 4.5-6.5Hz and 6.5–8.5 Hz bands. This was consistent with a widening of the alpha peak toward lower frequencies. In the set two subjects the MSD decrease in the 2.5–4.5 Hz and 4.5–6.5 Hz bands. This decreased power is consistent with the blocking effect of 1-octanol on T-type calcium channels. The subjects reported no adverse effects of the 1-octanol. Since stronger low frequency activity is characteristic of patients with TCD, 1-octanol and other T-type calcium channel blockers are good candidates for treatment of this group of disorders following a placebo-controlled study. PMID:28217089

  7. Search for HRV-parameters that detect a sympathetic shift in heart failure patients on β-blocker treatment.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Yanru; de Peuter, Olav R; Kamphuisen, Pieter W; Karemaker, John M

    2013-01-01

    A sympathetic shift in heart rate variability (HRV) from high to lower frequencies may be an early signal of deterioration in a monitored patient. Most chronic heart failure (CHF) patients receive β-blockers. This tends to obscure HRV observation by increasing the fast variations. We tested which HRV parameters would still detect the change into a sympathetic state. β-blocker (Carvedilol®) treated CHF patients underwent a protocol of 10 min supine rest, followed by 10 min active standing. CHF patients (NYHA Class II-IV) n = 15, 10m/5f, mean age 58.4 years (47-72); healthy controls n = 29, 18m/11f, mean age 62.9 years (49-78). Interbeat intervals (IBI) were extracted from the finger blood pressure wave (Nexfin®). Both linear and non-linear HRV analyses were applied that (1) might be able to differentiate patients from healthy controls under resting conditions and (2) detect the change into a sympathetic state in the present short recordings. Linear: mean-IBI, SD-IBI, root mean square of successive differences (rMSSD), pIBI-50 (the proportion of intervals that differs by more than 50 ms from the previous), LF, HF, and LF/HF ratio. Non-linear: Sample entropy (SampEn), Multiscale entropy (MSE), and derived: Multiscale variance (MSV) and Multiscale rMSSD (MSD). In the supine resting situation patients differed from controls by having higher HF and, consequently, lower LF/HF. In addition their longer range (τ = 6-10) MSE was lower as well. The sympathetic shift was, in controls, detected by mean-IBI, rMSSD, pIBI-50, and LF/HF, all going down; in CHF by mean-IBI, rMSSD, pIBI-50, and MSD (τ = 6-10) going down. MSD6-10 introduced here works as a band-pass filter favoring frequencies from 0.02 to 0.1 Hz. In β-blocker treated CHF patients, traditional time domain analysis (mean-IBI, rMSSD, pIBI-50) and MSD6-10 provide the most useful information to detect a condition change.

  8. Epidemiology, Seasonality and Factors Associated with Rotavirus Infection among Children with Moderate-to-Severe Diarrhea in Rural Western Kenya, 2008–2012: The Global Enteric Multicenter Study (GEMS)

    PubMed Central

    Omore, Richard; Tate, Jacqueline E.; O’Reilly, Ciara E.; Ayers, Tracy; Williamson, John; Moke, Feny; Schilling, Katie A.; Awuor, Alex O.; Jaron, Peter; Ochieng, John B.; Oundo, Joseph; Parashar, Umesh D.; Parsons, Michele B.; Bopp, Cheryl C.; Nasrin, Dilruba; Farag, Tamer H.; Kotloff, Karen L.; Nataro, James P.; Panchalingam, Sandra; Levine, Myron M.; Laserson, Kayla F.; Nuorti, J. Pekka; Mintz, Eric D.; Breiman, Robert F.

    2016-01-01

    Objective To evaluate factors associated with rotavirus diarrhea and to describe severity of illness among children <5 years old with non-dysenteric, moderate-to-severe diarrhea (MSD) in rural western Kenya. Methods We analyzed data from children <5 years old with non-dysenteric MSD enrolled as cases in the Global Enteric Multicenter Study (GEMS) in Kenya. A non-dysenteric MSD case was defined as a child with ≥3 loose stools in 24 hrs. and one or more of the following: sunken eyes, skin tenting, intravenous rehydration, or hospitalization, who sought care at a sentinel health center within 7 days of illness onset. Rotavirus antigens in stool samples were detected by ELISA. Demographic and clinical information was collected at enrollment and during a single follow-up home visit at approximately 60 days. We analyzed diarrhea severity using a GEMS 17 point numerical scoring system adapted from the Vesikari score. We used logistic regression to evaluate factors associated with rotavirus infection. Results From January 31, 2008 to September 30, 2012, among 1,637 (92%) non-dysenteric MSD cases, rotavirus was detected in stools of 245 (15.0%). Rotavirus-positive compared with negative cases were: younger (median age, 8 vs. 13 months; p<0.0001), had more severe illness (median severity score, 9 vs 8; p<0.0001) and had to be hospitalized more frequently (37/245 [15.1%] vs. 134/1,392 [9.6%]), p <0.013). Independent factors associated with rotavirus infection included age 0–11 months old (aOR = 5.29, 95% CI 3.14–8.89) and presenting with vomiting ≥3 times/24hrs (aOR = 2.58, 95% CI [1.91–3.48]). Rotavirus was detected more commonly in warm and dry months than in the cool and rainy months (142/691 [20%] vs 70/673 [10%]) p<0.0001). Conclusions Diarrhea caused by rotavirus is associated with severe symptoms leading to hospitalization. Consistent with other settings, infants had the greatest burden of disease. PMID:27494517

  9. Differential Modulation of Rhythmic Brain Activity in Healthy Adults by a T-Type Calcium Channel Blocker: An MEG Study.

    PubMed

    Walton, Kerry D; Maillet, Emeline L; Garcia, John; Cardozo, Timothy; Galatzer-Levy, Isaac; Llinás, Rodolfo R

    2017-01-01

    1-octanol is a therapeutic candidate for disorders involving the abnormal activation of the T-type calcium current since it blocks this current specifically. Such disorders include essential tremor and a group of neurological and psychiatric disorders resulting from thalamocortical dysrhythmia (TCD). For example, clinically, the observable phenotype in essential tremor is the tremor itself. The differential diagnostic of TCD is not based only on clinical signs and symptoms. Rather, TCD incorporates an electromagnetic biomarker, the presence of abnormal thalamocortical low frequency brain oscillations. The effect of 1-octanol on brain activity has not been tested. As a preliminary step to such a TCD study, we examined the short-term effects of a single dose of 1-octanol on resting brain activity in 32 healthy adults using magnetoencephalograpy. Visual inspection of baseline power spectra revealed that the subjects fell into those with strong low frequency activity (set 2, n = 11) and those without such activity, but dominated by an alpha peak (set 1, n = 22). Cross-validated linear discriminant analysis, using mean spectral density (MSD) in nine frequency bands as predictors, found overall that 82.5% of the subjects were classified as determined by visual inspection. The effect of 1-octanol on the MSD in narrow frequency bands differed between the two subject groups. In set 1 subjects the MSD increased in the 4.5-6.5Hz and 6.5-8.5 Hz bands. This was consistent with a widening of the alpha peak toward lower frequencies. In the set two subjects the MSD decrease in the 2.5-4.5 Hz and 4.5-6.5 Hz bands. This decreased power is consistent with the blocking effect of 1-octanol on T-type calcium channels. The subjects reported no adverse effects of the 1-octanol. Since stronger low frequency activity is characteristic of patients with TCD, 1-octanol and other T-type calcium channel blockers are good candidates for treatment of this group of disorders following a placebo-controlled study.

  10. Outcomes of Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation in Children and Young Adults with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia: A CIBMTR Cohort Analysis.

    PubMed

    Chaudhury, Sonali; Sparapani, Rodney; Hu, Zhen-Huan; Nishihori, Taiga; Abdel-Azim, Hisham; Malone, Adriana; Olsson, Richard; Hamadani, Mehdi; Daly, Andrew; Bacher, Ulrike; Wirk, Baldeep M; Kamble, Rammurti T; Gale, Robert P; Wood, William A; Hale, Gregory; Wiernik, Peter H; Hashmi, Shahrukh K; Marks, David; Ustun, Celalettin; Munker, Reinhold; Savani, Bipin N; Alyea, Edwin; Popat, Uday; Sobecks, Ronald; Kalaycio, Matt; Maziarz, Richard; Hijiya, Nobuko; Saber, Wael

    2016-06-01

    Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) in children and young adults is uncommon. Young patients have long life expectancies and low morbidity with hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). Prolonged tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) use may cause significant morbidity. In addition, indication for HCT in patients in the first chronic phase is not established. We hence retrospectively evaluated outcomes in 449 CML patients with early disease receiving myeloablative HCT reported to the CIBMTR. We analyzed various factors affecting outcome, specifically the effect of age and pre-HCT TKI in pediatric patients (age < 18 years, n = 177) and young adults (age 18 to 29 years, n = 272) with the goal of identifying prognostic factors. Post-HCT probability rates of 5-year overall survival (OS) and leukemia-free survival (LFS) were 75% and 59%, respectively. Rates of OS and LFS were 76% and 57% in <18-year and 74% and 60% in 18- to 29-year group, respectively, by univariate analysis (P = .1 and = .6). Five-year rates of OS for HLA matched sibling donor (MSD) and bone marrow (BM) stem cell source were 83% and 80%, respectively. In multivariate analysis there was no effect of age (<18 versus 18 to 29) or pre-HCT TKI therapy on OS, LFS, transplant related mortality, or relapse. Favorable factors for OS were MSD (P < .001) and recent HCT (2003 to 2010; P = .04). LFS was superior with MSD (P < .001), BM as graft source (P = .001), and performance scores > 90 (P = .03) compared with unrelated or mismatched peripheral blood stem cells donors and recipients with lower performance scores. Older age was associated with increased incidence of chronic graft-versus-host disease (P = .0002). In the current era, HCT outcomes are similar in young patients and children with early CML, and best outcomes are achieved with BM grafts and MSD. Copyright © 2016 The American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation. All rights reserved.

  11. Anomalous transport and stochastic processes

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

    Balescu, R.

    1996-03-01

    The relation between kinetic transport theory and theory of stochastic processes is reviewed. The Langevin equation formalism provides important, but rather limited information about diffusive processes. A quite promising new approach to modeling complex situations, such as transport in incompletely destroyed magnetic surfaces, is provided by the theory of Continuous Time Random Walks (CTRW), which is presented in some detail. An academic test problem is discussed in great detail: transport of particles in a fluctuating magnetic field, in the limit of infinite perpendicular correlation length. The well-known subdiffusive behavior of the Mean Square Displacement (MSD), proportional to t{sup 1/2}, ismore » recovered by a CTRW, but the complete density profile is not. However, the quasilinear approximation of the kinetic equation has the form of a non-Markovian diffusion equation and can thus be generated by a CTRW. 16 refs., 3 figs.« less

  12. Line-edge roughness performance targets for EUV lithography

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Brunner, Timothy A.; Chen, Xuemei; Gabor, Allen; Higgins, Craig; Sun, Lei; Mack, Chris A.

    2017-03-01

    Our paper will use stochastic simulations to explore how EUV pattern roughness can cause device failure through rare events, so-called "black swans". We examine the impact of stochastic noise on the yield of simple wiring patterns with 36nm pitch, corresponding to 7nm node logic, using a local Critical Dimension (CD)-based fail criteria Contact hole failures are examined in a similar way. For our nominal EUV process, local CD uniformity variation and local Pattern Placement Error variation was observed, but no pattern failures were seen in the modest (few thousand) number of features simulated. We degraded the image quality by incorporating Moving Standard Deviation (MSD) blurring to degrade the Image Log-Slope (ILS), and were able to find conditions where pattern failures were observed. We determined the Line Width Roughness (LWR) value as a function of the ILS. By use of an artificial "step function" image degraded by various MSD blur, we were able to extend the LWR vs ILS curve into regimes that might be available for future EUV imagery. As we decreased the image quality, we observed LWR grow and also began to see pattern failures. For high image quality, we saw CD distributions that were symmetrical and close to Gaussian in shape. Lower image quality caused CD distributions that were asymmetric, with "fat tails" on the low CD side (under-exposed) which were associated with pattern failures. Similar non-Gaussian CD distributions were associated with image conditions that caused missing contact holes, i.e. CD=0.

  13. Directional radiative transfer by SCOPE, SLC and DART using laser scan derived structural forest parameters

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Timmermans, Joris; Gastellu-Etchegorry, Jean Philippe; van der Tol, Christiaan; Verhoef, Wout; Vekerdy, Zoltan; Su, Zhongbo

    2017-04-01

    Accurate estimation of the radiative transfer (RT) over vegetation is the corner stone of agricultural and hydrological remote sensing applications. Present remote sensing sensors mostly use traditional optical, thermal and microwave observations. However with these traditional observations characterization of the light efficiency and photosynthetic rate can only be accomplished indirectly. A promising new method of observing these processes is by using the fluorescent emitted radiation. This approach was recently highlighted due to the selection of the FLEX sensor as a future Earth Explorer by the European Space agency (ESA). Several modelling activities have been undertaken to better understand the technical feasibilities of this sensor. Within these studies, the SCOPE model has been chosen as the baseline algorithm. This model combines a detailed RT description of the canopy, using a discrete version of the SAIL model, with a description of photosynthetic processes (by use of the Farquhar/Ball-Berry model). Consequently, this model is capable of simulating simultaneously the biophysical processes and jointly the fluorescent, optical and thermal RT. The SAIL model however is a 1D RT model and consequently provides higher uncertainties with increasing vegetation structures. The main objective of this research is to investigate the limitations of the RT model component of the SCOPE model over complex canopies. In particular the aim of this research is to evaluate the validity for increasingly structural complex canopies', on the bidirectional reflectance distribution functions (BRDF) of these canopies. This was accomplished by evaluating the simulated outgoing radiation from SCOPE/SAIL against simulations of the DART 3D RT model. In total nine different scenarios were simulated with the DART RTM with increasing structural complexity, ranging from the simple 'Plot' scenario to the highly complex 'Multiple Crown' scenario. The canopy parameters are retrieved from a terrestrial laser scan of the Speulderbos in the Netherlands. The comparison between DART and SCOPE/SLC models showed a good match for the simple scenarios. Calculated rMSDs showed lower than 7.5% errors for crown coverage values lower than 0.87, with the Near-Hotspot viewing angles found to be the largest contributor to this deviation. For more complex scenarios (using Multiple Crowns), the comparison between SCOPE and DART showed mixed results. Good results were obtained for crown coverage values of 0.93, with rMSD (6.77% and 5.96%), lower than the defined threshold value, except near hotspot. For scenarios with crown coverages lower than 0.93 the rMSD were too large to validate the use of SCOPE model. When considering the Soil Leaf Canopy (SLC) model, an improved version of SAIL that considers the canopy clumping, better results were obtained for these complex scenarios, with good agreement for medium crown coverage values (0.93 and 0.87) with rMSD (6.33% and 5.99; 6.66% and 7.12%). This indicates that the radiative transfer model within SCOPE might be upgraded in the future.

  14. Model of the discrete destruction process of a solid body

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Glagolev, V. V.; Markin, A. A.

    2018-03-01

    Destruction is considered as a discrete thermomechanical process, in which the deformation of a solid body is achieved by changing the boundary stresses acting on the part of the volume being destroyed with the external load unchanged. On the basis of the proposed concept, a model for adhesive stratification of a composite material is constructed. When adhesive stratification is used, the stress state of one or two boundaries of the adhesive layer changes to zero if the bonds with the joined body are broken. As a result of the stratification, the interaction between the part of the composite, which may include an adhesive layer and the rest of the body stops. When solving the elastoplastic problem of cohesive stratification, the region in which the destruction criterion is achieved is identified. With the help of a repeated solution of the problem of subcritical deformation with the known law of motion of the boundary of the region, the distribution of the load (nodal forces) acting from the region to the body is located. The next step considers the change in the stress–strain state of the body in the process of destruction of the selected area. The elastoplastic problem is solved with a simple unloading of the formed surface of the body and preservation of the external load corresponding to the beginning of the process of destruction.

  15. Formation and dissolution processes of the 6-thioguanine (6TG) self-assembled monolayer. A kinetic study.

    PubMed

    Madueño, Rafael; Pineda, Teresa; Sevilla, José Manuel; Blázquez, Manuel

    2005-02-03

    This is a report on the kinetics of the destruction and formation processes of the 6-thioguanine self-assembled monolayer (6TG SAM) on a mercury electrode from acid solutions by chronoamperometry. The destruction of the 6TG SAM that has been previously formed under open circuit potential conditions is carried out by stepping the potential from an initial value where the chemisorbed layer is stable up to potentials where the molecules are no longer chemisorbed. The destruction of the SAM has been described by a model that involves three types of contributions: (i) a Langmuir-type adsorption process, (ii) a 2D nucleation mechanism followed by a growth controlled by surface diffusion, and (iii) a 2D nucleation mechanism followed by a growth at a constant rate. The nonlinear fit of the experimental transients by using this procedure allows the quantitative determination of the individual contributions to the overall process. The kinetics of the formation process is studied under electrochemical conditions. The chronoamperometric experiment allows us to monitor the early stages of 6TG SAM formation. The implications of the physisorbed state at low potentials in the type of monolayer formation and destruction processes as well as the influence of temperature are also discussed.

  16. Injury and destruction of Moraxella-Acinetobacter in the radappertization process. Final Report Apr 78-1 May 80

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

    Maxcy, R.B.; Rowley, D.B.

    1981-02-01

    Some highly radiation-resistant Moraxella-Acinetobacter (M-A) may survive the radappertization process for meat preservation, because these vegetative bacteria are more resistant than spores to radiation. They are, however, more susceptible than spores to other destructive factors. This work was to determine the effect of some environmental factors that influence the radappertization process. M-A, M. radiodurans, and B. cereus spores varied greatly in their response to changes in temperature of radiation and menstruum in which they were suspended. Available water was critical in response of vegetative cells to radiation. Salts at the level incorporated into meat for the radappertization process suppressed growthmore » of both injured and uninjured M-A. This effect was attributed to reduction in water activity of the menstruum. Freezing and thawing of M-A indicated some destruction and some injury. The injured cells recovered during subsequent incubation. Thus, specific food products and conditions of radappertization must be considered for setting processing parameters. When all the factors of injury, destruction, and suppression of microbial growth are considered in the radappertization process, it is apparent there is little likelihood any of the low number of naturally occurring M-A cells would survive.« less

  17. Initiatives and Challenges in Consequence Management after a WMD Attack

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2004-08-01

    Challenges in Consequence Management people to seek shelter or other protection when possible, to avoid exposure to weapons of mass destruction effects . The...Potential Effects .........................................9 V. Methods for Managing the Consequences of WMD Use.................14 VI. Toward a...mass destruction (WMD). Consequence management1 is a process to mitigate the effects of the use of weapons of mass destruction, including

  18. [Diagnostic and curative bronchoscopy for purulent-destructive pulmonary diseases].

    PubMed

    Pinchuk, T P; Yasnogorodsky, O O; Guryanova, Yu V; Taldykin, M V; Kachikin, A S; Catane, Yu A

    To assess an efficacy of diagnostic and curative bronchoscopy in patients with purulent-destructive pulmonary diseases. Diagnosis and treatment of 34 patients with purulent-destructive pulmonary diseases including small-focal destruction (14) and lung abscesses (19) were analyzed. 33 patients underwent diagnostic fibrobronchoscopy (FBS) with brush and transbronchial biopsy. Curative endoscopy included bronchial tree sanation, peribronchial administration of antibiotics (5) and transbronchial drainage of abscess (14). Atrophic bronchitis and cicatricial deformity of the 2-3rd segmental bronchi were revealed in 81.8% and 15.2% respectively. Transbronchial biopsy confirmed malignant neoplasms (15.2%) and pulmonary tuberculosis (6.1%). Peribronchial administration of amikacin in patients with small-focal pulmonary destruction and transbronchial drainage of abscesses accelerated pulmonary tissue repair and complete recovery. Transbronchial biopsy in patients with destructive pulmonary diseases verifies pathological process and excludes malignant and specific pulmonary damage. Complex use of endoscopic methods is associated with positive clinical result in all patients with pulmonary destruction.

  19. Facts about Hospital Worker Safety

    MedlinePlus

    ... Transferred FTE full-time employee (or full-time equivalent) HIPAA Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act MSD ... injury and illness rates per 100 full-time equivalent employees (FTEs)—also known as the Total Case ...

  20. Marine Sanitation Devices (MSDs)

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    Marine sanitation devices treat or retain sewage from vessels, and have performance standards set by the EPA. This page provides information on MSDs, including who must use an MSD, states' roles, types of MSDs and standards.

  1. Universal time-dependent dispersion properties for diffusion in a one-dimensional critically tilted potential.

    PubMed

    Guérin, T; Dean, D S

    2017-01-01

    We consider the time-dependent dispersion properties of overdamped tracer particles diffusing in a one-dimensional periodic potential under the influence of an additional constant tilting force F. The system is studied in the region where the force is close to the critical value F_{c} at which the barriers separating neighboring potential wells disappear. We show that, when F crosses the critical value, the shape of the mean-square displacement (MSD) curves is strongly modified. We identify a diffusive regime at intermediate-time scales with an effective diffusion coefficient which is much larger than the late-time diffusion coefficient for F>F_{c}, whereas for F

  2. GPS receiver CODE bias estimation: A comparison of two methods

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    McCaffrey, Anthony M.; Jayachandran, P. T.; Themens, D. R.; Langley, R. B.

    2017-04-01

    The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a valuable tool in the measurement and monitoring of ionospheric total electron content (TEC). To obtain accurate GPS-derived TEC, satellite and receiver hardware biases, known as differential code biases (DCBs), must be estimated and removed. The Center for Orbit Determination in Europe (CODE) provides monthly averages of receiver DCBs for a significant number of stations in the International Global Navigation Satellite Systems Service (IGS) network. A comparison of the monthly receiver DCBs provided by CODE with DCBs estimated using the minimization of standard deviations (MSD) method on both daily and monthly time intervals, is presented. Calibrated TEC obtained using CODE-derived DCBs, is accurate to within 0.74 TEC units (TECU) in differenced slant TEC (sTEC), while calibrated sTEC using MSD-derived DCBs results in an accuracy of 1.48 TECU.

  3. Enhanced magnetostriction derived from magnetic single domain structures in cluster-assembled SmCo films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bai, Yulong; Yang, Bo; Guo, Fei; Lu, Qingshan; Zhao, Shifeng

    2017-11-01

    Cluster-assembled SmCo alloy films were prepared by low energy cluster beam deposition. The structure, magnetic domain, magnetization, and magnetostriction of the films were characterized. It is shown that the as-prepared films are assembled in compact and uniformly distributed spherical cluster nanoparticles, most of which, after vacuum in situ annealing at 700 K, aggregated to form cluster islands. These cluster islands result in transformations from superparamagnetic states to magnetic single domain (MSD) states in the films. Such MSD structures contribute to the enhanced magnetostrictive behaviors with a saturation magnetostrictive coefficient of 160 × 10-6 in comparison to 105 × 10-6 for the as-prepared films. This work demonstrates candidate materials that could be applied in nano-electro-mechanical systems, low power information storage, and weak magnetic detecting devices.

  4. Time averaging, ageing and delay analysis of financial time series

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cherstvy, Andrey G.; Vinod, Deepak; Aghion, Erez; Chechkin, Aleksei V.; Metzler, Ralf

    2017-06-01

    We introduce three strategies for the analysis of financial time series based on time averaged observables. These comprise the time averaged mean squared displacement (MSD) as well as the ageing and delay time methods for varying fractions of the financial time series. We explore these concepts via statistical analysis of historic time series for several Dow Jones Industrial indices for the period from the 1960s to 2015. Remarkably, we discover a simple universal law for the delay time averaged MSD. The observed features of the financial time series dynamics agree well with our analytical results for the time averaged measurables for geometric Brownian motion, underlying the famed Black-Scholes-Merton model. The concepts we promote here are shown to be useful for financial data analysis and enable one to unveil new universal features of stock market dynamics.

  5. U1snRNP-mediated suppression of polyadenylation in conjunction with the RNA structure controls poly (A) site selection in foamy viruses

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Background During reverse transcription, retroviruses duplicate the long terminal repeats (LTRs). These identical LTRs carry both promoter regions and functional polyadenylation sites. To express full-length transcripts, retroviruses have to suppress polyadenylation in the 5′LTR and activate polyadenylation in the 3′LTR. Foamy viruses have a unique LTR structure with respect to the location of the major splice donor (MSD), which is located upstream of the polyadenylation signal. Results Here, we describe the mechanisms of foamy viruses regulating polyadenylation. We show that binding of the U1 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein (U1snRNP) to the MSD suppresses polyadenylation at the 5′LTR. In contrast, polyadenylation at the 3′LTR is achieved by adoption of a different RNA structure at the MSD region, which blocks U1snRNP binding and furthers RNA cleavage and subsequent polyadenylation. Conclusion Recently, it was shown that U1snRNP is able to suppress the usage of intronic cryptic polyadenylation sites in the cellular genome. Foamy viruses take advantage of this surveillance mechanism to suppress premature polyadenylation at the 5’end of their RNA. At the 3’end, Foamy viruses use a secondary structure to presumably block access of U1snRNP and thereby activate polyadenylation at the end of the genome. Our data reveal a contribution of U1snRNP to cellular polyadenylation site selection and to the regulation of gene expression. PMID:23718736

  6. Impaired parkin-mediated mitochondrial targeting to autophagosomes differentially contributes to tissue pathology in lysosomal storage diseases

    PubMed Central

    de Pablo-Latorre, Raquel; Saide, Assunta; Polishhuck, Elena V.; Nusco, Edoardo; Fraldi, Alessandro; Ballabio, Andrea

    2012-01-01

    Dysfunctional mitochondria are a well-known disease hallmark. The accumulation of aberrant mitochondria can alter cell homeostasis, thus resulting in tissue degeneration. Lysosomal storage disorders (LSDs) are a group of inherited diseases characterized by the buildup of undegraded material inside the lysosomes that leads to autophagic-lysosomal dysfunction. In LSDs, autophagic stress has been associated to mitochondrial accumulation and dysfunction. However, the mechanisms underlying mitochondrial aberrations and how these are involved in tissue pathogenesis remain largely unexplored. In normal conditions, mitochondrial clearance occurs by mitophagy, a selective form of autophagy, which relies on a parkin-mediated mitochondrial priming and subsequent sequestration by autophagosomes. Here, we performed a detailed analysis of key steps of mitophagy in a mouse model of multiple sulfatase deficiency (MSD), a severe type of LSD characterized by both neurological and systemic involvement. We demonstrated that in MSD liver reduced parkin levels resulted in inefficient mitochondrial priming, thus contributing to the accumulation of giant mitochondria that are located outside autophagic vesicles ultimately leading to cytochrome c release and apoptotic cell death. Morphological and functional changes were also observed in mitochondria from MSD brain but these were not directly associated with neuronal cell loss, suggesting a secondary contribution of mitochondria to neurodegeneration. Together, these data shed new light on the mechanisms underlying mitochondrial dysfunction in LSDs and on their tissue-specific differential contribution to the pathogenesis of this group of metabolic disorders. PMID:22215441

  7. New DTM Extraction Approach from Airborne Images Derived Dsm

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mousa, Y. A.; Helmholz, P.; Belton, D.

    2017-05-01

    In this work, a new filtering approach is proposed for a fully automatic Digital Terrain Model (DTM) extraction from very high resolution airborne images derived Digital Surface Models (DSMs). Our approach represents an enhancement of the existing DTM extraction algorithm Multi-directional and Slope Dependent (MSD) by proposing parameters that are more reliable for the selection of ground pixels and the pixelwise classification. To achieve this, four main steps are implemented: Firstly, 8 well-distributed scanlines are used to search for minima as a ground point within a pre-defined filtering window size. These selected ground points are stored with their positions on a 2D surface to create a network of ground points. Then, an initial DTM is created using an interpolation method to fill the gaps in the 2D surface. Afterwards, a pixel to pixel comparison between the initial DTM and the original DSM is performed utilising pixelwise classification of ground and non-ground pixels by applying a vertical height threshold. Finally, the pixels classified as non-ground are removed and the remaining holes are filled. The approach is evaluated using the Vaihingen benchmark dataset provided by the ISPRS working group III/4. The evaluation includes the comparison of our approach, denoted as Network of Ground Points (NGPs) algorithm, with the DTM created based on MSD as well as a reference DTM generated from LiDAR data. The results show that our proposed approach over performs the MSD approach.

  8. Homology of aspartyl- and lysyl-tRNA synthetases.

    PubMed Central

    Gampel, A; Tzagoloff, A

    1989-01-01

    The yeast nuclear gene MSD1 coding for mitochondrial aspartyl-tRNA synthetase has been cloned and sequenced. The identity of the gene is confirmed by the following evidence. (i) The primary structure of the protein derived from the gene sequence is similar to that of the yeast cytoplasmic aspartyl-tRNA synthetase. (ii) In situ disruption of MSD1 in a respiratory-competent haploid strain of yeast induces a pleiotropic phenotype consistent with a lesion in mitochondrial protein synthesis. (iii) Mitochondria from a mutant with a disrupted chromosomal copy of MSD1 are unable to acylate mitochondrial aspartyl-tRNA. The primary structures of the cytoplasmic and mitochondrial aspartyl-tRNA synthetases are similar to the yeast cytoplasmic lysyl-tRNA synthetase, suggesting that the two types of synthetases may have a common evolutionary origin. Searches of the current protein banks also have revealed a high degree of sequence similarity of the lysyl-tRNA synthetase to the product of the Escherichia coli herC gene and to the partial sequence of a protein encoded by an unidentified reading frame located adjacent to the E. coli frdA gene. Based on the sequence similarities and the map positions of the herC and frdA loci, we propose herC to be the structural gene of the constitutively expressed lysyl-tRNA synthetase of E. coli and the unidentified reading frame to be the structural gene of the heat-inducible lysyl-tRNA synthetase. Images PMID:2668951

  9. Determination of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) in human urine with mass selective detection.

    PubMed

    Hughes, D L; Ritter, D J; Wilson, R D

    2001-11-01

    Method development and validation studies have been completed on an assay that will allow the determination of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) in human urine. The accurate determination of 2,4-D in urine is an important factor in monitoring worker and population exposure. These studies successfully validated a method for the detection of 2,4-D in urine at a limit of quantitation (LOQ) of 5.00 ppb (parts per billion) using gas chromatography with mass selective detection (GC/MSD). The first study involved the determination of 2,4-D in control human urine and urine samples fortified with 2,4-D. Due to chromatographic interference, a second study was conducted using 14C-2,4-D to verify the recoverability of 2,4-D from human urine at low levels using the GC/MSD method. The second study supports the results of the original data. The 2,4-D was extracted from human urine using a procedure involving hydrolysis using potassium hydroxide, followed by a liquid-liquid extraction into methylene chloride. The extracted samples were derivatized with diazomethane. The methylated fraction was analyzed by GC/MSD. Quantitation was made by comparison to methylated reference standards of 2,4-D. Aliquots fortified at 5-, 50-, and 500-ppb levels were analyzed. The overall mean recovery for all fortified samples was 90.3% with a relative standard deviation of 14.31%.

  10. ADVANCED OXIDATION PROCESSES (AOPS) FOR DESTRUCTION OF METHYL TERTIARY BUTYL ETHER (MTBE -AN UNREGULATED CONTAMINANT) IN DRINKING WATER

    EPA Science Inventory

    Advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) provide a promising treatment option for the destruction of MTBE directly in surface and ground waters. An ongoing study is evaluating the ability of three AOPs; hydrogen peroxide/ozone (H2O2/ O3), ultraviolet irradiation/ozone (UV/O3) and ultr...

  11. Treatment of statin compounds by advanced oxidation processes: Kinetic considerations and destruction mechanisms

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Razavi, Behnaz; Song, Weihua; Santoke, Hanoz; Cooper, William J.

    2011-03-01

    This study examined the use of advanced oxidation/reduction processes (AO/RPs) for the destruction of cholesterol lowering statin pharmaceuticals. AO/RPs which utilize the oxidizing hydroxyl radical ( rad OH) and reducing aqueous electron (e -aq), to degrade chemical contaminants are alternatives to traditional water treatment methods, and are alternatives as water reuse becomes more generally implemented. Four major statin pharmaceuticals, fluvastatin, lovastatin, pravastatin and simvastatin, were studied, and the absolute bimolecular reaction rate constants with rad OH determined, (6.96±0.16)×10 9, (2.92±0.06)×10 9, (4.16±0.13)×10 9, and (3.13±0.15)×10 9 M -1 s -1, and for e -aq (2.31±0.06)×10 9, (0.45±0.01)×10 9, (1.26±0.01)×10 9, and (0.69±0.02)×10 9 M -1 s -1, respectively. To provide additional information on the radicals formed upon oxidation, transient spectra were measured and the overall reaction efficiency determined. Radical-based destruction mechanisms for destruction of the statins are proposed based on the LC-MS determination of the stable reaction by-products formed using 137Cs γ-irradiation of statin solutions. Knowing the reaction rates, reaction efficiencies and destruction mechanisms of these compounds is essential for the consideration of the use of advanced oxidation/reduction processes for the destruction of statins in aqueous systems.

  12. [Anniversary of the medical department of the Federal Office for Safe Storage and Destruction of Chemical Weapons].

    PubMed

    Kuz'menko, I E

    2013-01-01

    The article is devoted to the process of formation and development of CW destruction management system and medical support of professional activities of personnel. Founders of Medical department of the Federal Directorate for Safe Storage and Destruction of Chemical Weapons are presented. Main principles and ways of working of medical department in specific conditions are covered.

  13. Identification of the Thickness of Nugget on Worksheet Spot Welding Using Non Destructive Test (NDT) - Effect of Pressure

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sifa, A.; Baskoro, A. S.; Sugeng, S.; Badruzzaman, B.; Endramawan, T.

    2018-02-01

    Resistance Spot Welding (RSW) is a process of connecting between two worksheet with thermomechanical loading process, RSW is widely used in automotive industry, the quality of splicing spot welding is influenced by several factors. One of the factors at the time of the welding process is pressure. The quality of welding on the nuggets can be determined by undertaking non-destructive testing by using Non Destructive Test (NDT) - Ultrasonic Test. In the NDT test is done by detecting the thickness of the nugget area, the purpose of research conducted to determine the effect of pressure to welding quality with Nugget thickness gauge measurement with Non Destructive Test method and manual measurement with micrometer, Experimental welding process by entering the welding parameters that have been specified and pressure variables 1 -5 bars on the worksheet thickness of 1 mm. The results of testing with NDT show there is addition of thickness in nugget superiority after compare with measurement result of thickness of nugget with micrometer which slightly experience thickness in nugget area, this indicates that the welding results have a connection between worksheet 1 and worksheet 2.

  14. Computer simulation of low-temperature composites sintering processes for additive technologies

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tovpinets, A. O.; Leytsin, V. N.; Dmitrieva, M. A.

    2017-12-01

    This is impact research of mixture raw components characteristics on the low-temperature composites structure formation during the sintering process. The obtained results showed that the structure determination of initial compacts obtained after thermal destruction of the polymer binder lets quantify the concentrations of main components and the refractory crystalline product of thermal destruction. Accounting for the distribution of thermal destruction refractory product allows us to refine the forecast of thermal stresses in the matrix of sintered composite. The presented results can be considered as a basis for optimization of initial compositions of multilayer low-temperature composites obtained by additive technologies.

  15. Assessment of recovery and recrystallisation behaviours of cold rolled IF steel through non-destructive electromagnetic characterisation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Roy, Rajat K.; Dutta, Siuli; Panda, Ashis K.; Rajinikanth, V.; Das, Swapan K.; Mitra, Amitava; Strangwood, M.; Davis, Claire L.

    2018-07-01

    The recovery and recrystallisation behaviours of cold rolled IF steel have been investigated by destructive (optical microscopy and hardness) and non-destructive electromagnetic sensor, (which allows direct measurement of strip samples with no surface preparation) techniques. The onset and completion of recrystallisation are clearly monitored through destructive techniques of optical microscopy and hardness measurements. The nucleation of new recrystallised grains is observed in the sample annealed at 600 °C/15 min, while completion of recrystallisation takes place at 700 °C/15 min. The destructive techniques are not very accurate in monitoring recovery, for example, changes in hardness of <20% are seen. In contrast, the magnetic properties of annealed steel show the onsets of both recovery and recrystallisation, with recovery accounting for ≈60% change in the coercivity value. Therefore, the measurement of magnetic softening through an electromagnetic sensor acts a crucial role for understanding recovery and recrystallisation behaviours of steels during industrial processing. The present investigation is aimed not only for controlling product quality but also saving characterisation time through off line monitoring during steel processing at industry.

  16. Remediation of the protein data bank archive

    PubMed Central

    Henrick, Kim; Feng, Zukang; Bluhm, Wolfgang F.; Dimitropoulos, Dimitris; Doreleijers, Jurgen F.; Dutta, Shuchismita; Flippen-Anderson, Judith L.; Ionides, John; Kamada, Chisa; Krissinel, Eugene; Lawson, Catherine L.; Markley, John L.; Nakamura, Haruki; Newman, Richard; Shimizu, Yukiko; Swaminathan, Jawahar; Velankar, Sameer; Ory, Jeramia; Ulrich, Eldon L.; Vranken, Wim; Westbrook, John; Yamashita, Reiko; Yang, Huanwang; Young, Jasmine; Yousufuddin, Muhammed; Berman, Helen M.

    2008-01-01

    The Worldwide Protein Data Bank (wwPDB; wwpdb.org) is the international collaboration that manages the deposition, processing and distribution of the PDB archive. The online PDB archive at ftp://ftp.wwpdb.org is the repository for the coordinates and related information for more than 47 000 structures, including proteins, nucleic acids and large macromolecular complexes that have been determined using X-ray crystallography, NMR and electron microscopy techniques. The members of the wwPDB–RCSB PDB (USA), MSD-EBI (Europe), PDBj (Japan) and BMRB (USA)–have remediated this archive to address inconsistencies that have been introduced over the years. The scope and methods used in this project are presented. PMID:18073189

  17. Nondestructive examination of recovery stage during annealing of a cold-rolled low-carbon steel using eddy current testing technique

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Seyfpour, M.; Ghanei, S.; Mazinani, M.; Kashefi, M.; Davis, C.

    2018-04-01

    The recovery process in steel is usually investigated by conventional destructive tests that are expensive, time-consuming and also cumbersome. In this study, an alternative non-destructive test technique (based on eddy current testing) is used to characterise the recovery process during annealing of cold-rolled low-carbon steels. For assessing the reliability of eddy current results corresponding to different levels of recovery, X-ray line broadening analysis is also employed. It is shown that there is a strong relationship between eddy current outputs and the extent to which recovery occurs at different annealing temperatures. Accordingly, the non-destructive eddy current test technique represents the potential to be used as a reliable process for detection of the occurrence of recovery in the steel microstructure.

  18. Non-destructive system to evaluate critical properties of asphalt compaction : [research brief].

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2013-12-01

    The Wisconsin Highway Research Program sponsored a two-stage investigation to develop a non-destructive system to evaluate critical compaction properties and characteristics of asphalt pavements during the densification process. Stage One activities ...

  19. Workshop on the Growth of Continental Crust

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ashwal, Lewis D. (Editor)

    1988-01-01

    Constraints and observations were discussed on a fundamental unsolved problem of global scale relating to the growth of planetary crusts. All of the terrestrial planets were considered, but emphasis was placed on the Earth's continental crust. The title of each session is: (1) Extraterrestrial crustal growth and destruction; (2) Constraints for observations and measurements of terrestrial rocks; (3) Models of crustal growth and destruction; and (4) Process of crustal growth and destruction.

  20. Riemannian geometric approach to human arm dynamics, movement optimization, and invariance

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Biess, Armin; Flash, Tamar; Liebermann, Dario G.

    2011-03-01

    We present a generally covariant formulation of human arm dynamics and optimization principles in Riemannian configuration space. We extend the one-parameter family of mean-squared-derivative (MSD) cost functionals from Euclidean to Riemannian space, and we show that they are mathematically identical to the corresponding dynamic costs when formulated in a Riemannian space equipped with the kinetic energy metric. In particular, we derive the equivalence of the minimum-jerk and minimum-torque change models in this metric space. Solutions of the one-parameter family of MSD variational problems in Riemannian space are given by (reparametrized) geodesic paths, which correspond to movements with least muscular effort. Finally, movement invariants are derived from symmetries of the Riemannian manifold. We argue that the geometrical structure imposed on the arm’s configuration space may provide insights into the emerging properties of the movements generated by the motor system.

  1. Improved computational treatment of transonic flow about swept wings

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ballhaus, W. F.; Bailey, F. R.; Frick, J.

    1976-01-01

    Relaxation solutions to classical three-dimensional small-disturbance (CSD) theory for transonic flow about lifting swept wings are reported. For such wings, the CSD theory was found to be a poor approximation to the full potential equation in regions of the flow field that are essentially two-dimensional in a plane normal to the sweep direction. The effect of this deficiency on the capture of embedded shock waves in terms of (1) the conditions under which shock waves can exist and (2) the relations they must satisfy when they do exist is emphasized. A modified small-disturbance (MSD) equation, derived by retaining two previously neglected terms, was proposed and shown to be a consistent approximation to the full potential equation over a wider range of sweep angles. The effect of these extra terms is demonstrated by comparing CSD, MSD, and experimental wing surface pressures.

  2. Localization and Ballistic Diffusion for the Tempered Fractional Brownian-Langevin Motion

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chen, Yao; Wang, Xudong; Deng, Weihua

    2017-10-01

    This paper discusses the tempered fractional Brownian motion (tfBm), its ergodicity, and the derivation of the corresponding Fokker-Planck equation. Then we introduce the generalized Langevin equation with the tempered fractional Gaussian noise for a free particle, called tempered fractional Langevin equation (tfLe). While the tfBm displays localization diffusion for the long time limit and for the short time its mean squared displacement (MSD) has the asymptotic form t^{2H}, we show that the asymptotic form of the MSD of the tfLe transits from t^2 (ballistic diffusion for short time) to t^{2-2H}, and then to t^2 (again ballistic diffusion for long time). On the other hand, the overdamped tfLe has the transition of the diffusion type from t^{2-2H} to t^2 (ballistic diffusion). The tfLe with harmonic potential is also considered.

  3. Performance of fuselage pressure structure

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Maclin, James R.

    1992-01-01

    There are currently more than 1,000 Boeing airplanes around the world over 20 years old. That number is expected to double by the year 1995. With these statistics comes the reality that structural airworthiness will be in the forefront of aviation issues well into the next century. The results of previous and recent test programs Boeing has implemented to study the structural performance of older airplanes relative to pressurized fuselage sections are described. Included in testing were flat panels with multiple site damage (MSD), a full-scale 737 and 2 747s as well as panels representing a 737 and 777, and a generic aircraft in large pressure-test fixtures. Because damage is a normal part of aging, focus is on the degree to which structural integrity is maintained after failure or partial failure of any structural element, including multiple site damage (MSD), and multiple element damage (MED).

  4. Multiband selection with linear array detectors

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Richard, H. L.; Barnes, W. L.

    1985-01-01

    Several techniques that can be used in an earth-imaging system to separate the linear image formed after the collecting optics into the desired spectral band are examined. The advantages and disadvantages of the Multispectral Linear Array (MLA) multiple optics, the MLA adjacent arrays, the imaging spectrometer, and the MLA beam splitter are discussed. The beam-splitter design approach utilizes, in addition to relatively broad spectral region separation, a movable Multiband Selection Device (MSD), placed between the exit ports of the beam splitter and a linear array detector, permitting many bands to be selected. The successful development and test of the MSD is described. The device demonstrated the capacity to provide a wide field of view, visible-to-near IR/short-wave IR and thermal IR capability, and a multiplicity of spectral bands and polarization measuring means, as well as a reasonable size and weight at minimal cost and risk compared to a spectrometer design approach.

  5. Superdiffusive motion of membrane-targeting C2 domains

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Campagnola, Grace; Nepal, Kanti; Schroder, Bryce W.; Peersen, Olve B.; Krapf, Diego

    2015-12-01

    Membrane-targeting domains play crucial roles in the recruitment of signalling molecules to the plasma membrane. For most peripheral proteins, the protein-to-membrane interaction is transient. After proteins dissociate from the membrane they have been observed to rebind following brief excursions in the bulk solution. Such membrane hops can have broad implications for the efficiency of reactions on membranes. We study the diffusion of membrane-targeting C2 domains using single-molecule tracking in supported lipid bilayers. The ensemble-averaged mean square displacement (MSD) exhibits superdiffusive behaviour. However, traditional time-averaged MSD analysis of individual trajectories remains linear and does not reveal superdiffusion. Our observations are explained in terms of bulk excursions that introduce jumps with a heavy-tail distribution. These hopping events allow proteins to explore large areas in a short time. The experimental results are shown to be consistent with analytical models of bulk-mediated diffusion and numerical simulations.

  6. Encoding Schemes For A Digital Optical Multiplier Using The Modified Signed-Digit Number Representation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lasher, Mark E.; Henderson, Thomas B.; Drake, Barry L.; Bocker, Richard P.

    1986-09-01

    The modified signed-digit (MSD) number representation offers full parallel, carry-free addition. A MSD adder has been described by the authors. This paper describes how the adder can be used in a tree structure to implement an optical multiply algorithm. Three different optical schemes, involving position, polarization, and intensity encoding, are proposed for realizing the trinary logic system. When configured in the generic multiplier architecture, these schemes yield the combinatorial logic necessary to carry out the multiplication algorithm. The optical systems are essentially three dimensional arrangements composed of modular units. Of course, this modularity is important for design considerations, while the parallelism and noninterfering communication channels of optical systems are important from the standpoint of reduced complexity. The authors have also designed electronic hardware to demonstrate and model the combinatorial logic required to carry out the algorithm. The electronic and proposed optical systems will be compared in terms of complexity and speed.

  7. "Then They Trust You …": Managing Ergonomics in Home Care.

    PubMed

    Love, Marsha; Tendick-Matesanz, Felipe; Thomason, Jane; Carter, Davine; Glassman, Myra; Zanoni, Joseph

    2017-08-01

    The home care workforce, already at 2.7 million caregivers, will become the nation's fastest growing occupation by 2024 as the senior boom generation accelerates the demand for in home services to meet its long-term care needs. The physically challenging work of assisting clients with intimate, essential acts of daily living places home care workers (HCWs) at risk for musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs); yet, HCWs typically receive little formal job training and may lack appropriate assistive devices. In this qualitative pilot study, HCW focus groups described workplace MSD risk factors and identified problem-solving strategies to improve ergonomic conditions. The results revealed that HCWs rely on their behavioral insights, self-styled communications skills and caring demeanor to navigate MSD risks to themselves and increase clients' physical independence of movement. We suggest changes in employer and government policies to acknowledge HCWs as valued team members in long-term care and to enhance their effectiveness as caregivers.

  8. Scaling for hard-sphere colloidal glasses near jamming

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zargar, Rojman; DeGiuli, Eric; Bonn, Daniel

    2016-12-01

    Hard-sphere colloids are model systems in which to study the glass transition and universal properties of amorphous solids. Using covariance matrix analysis to determine the vibrational modes, we experimentally measure here the scaling behavior of the density of states, shear modulus, and mean-squared displacement (MSD) in a hard-sphere colloidal glass. Scaling the frequency with the boson-peak frequency, we find that the density of states at different volume fractions all collapse on a single master curve, which obeys a power law in terms of the scaled frequency. Below the boson peak, the exponent is consistent with theoretical results obtained by real-space and phase-space approaches to understanding amorphous solids. We find that the shear modulus and the MSD are nearly inversely proportional, and show a singular power-law dependence on the distance from random close packing. Our results are in very good agreement with the theoretical predictions.

  9. Gender differences in public office workers' satisfaction, subjective symptoms and musculoskeletal complaints in workplace and office environments.

    PubMed

    Lee, Sangbok; Park, Myoung Hwan; Jeong, Byung Yong

    2018-06-01

    This study investigates differences between male and female public office workers' satisfaction levels, sick building syndrome (SBS) symptoms and musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) complaints in workplace and office environments. Questionnaire surveys were performed in 30 offices from 15 public institutions. Male and female workers of the same age were coupled and selected from each office, gathering a total of 120 male and 120 female subjects. The results show that differences exist between genders in noise and lighting satisfaction levels, SBS-related symptoms (eye, nose, skin) and MSD complaints of hand/wrist/finger, while there is no difference in overall satisfaction level of office environments. The study also suggests that office design for public office workers should take into account gender differences in preventing MSDs and also SBS. The findings of this study are expected to serve as basic data for designing effective public office environments.

  10. 1- and 2-particle Microrheology of Hyaluronic Acid

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sagan, Austin; Kearns, Sarah; Ross, David; Das, Moumita; Thurston, George; Franklin, Scott

    2015-03-01

    Hyaluronic acid (also called HA or Hyaluronan) is a high molecular weight polysaccaride ubiquitous in the extracellular matrix of soft tissue such as cartilage, skin, the eye's vitreous gel and synovial fluid. It has been shown to play an important role in mechanotransduction, cell migration and proliferation, and in tissue morphodynamics. We present a confocal microrheology study of hyaluronic acid of varying concentrations. The mean squared displacement (MSD) of sub-micron colloidal tracer particles is tracked in two dimensions and shows a transition from diffusive motion at low concentrations to small-time trapping by the protein network as the concentration increases. Correlations between particle motion can be used to determine an effective mean-squared displacement which deviates from the single-particle MSD as the fluid becomes less homogeneous. The real and effective mean-squared displacements are used to probe the local and space-averaged frequency dependent rheological properties of the fluid as the concentration changes.

  11. Pre-processing of data coming from a laser-EMAT system for non-destructive testing of steel slabs.

    PubMed

    Sgarbi, Mirko; Colla, Valentina; Cateni, Sivia; Higson, Stuart

    2012-01-01

    Non destructive test systems are increasingly applied in the industrial context for their strong potentialities in improving and standardizing quality control. Especially in the intermediate manufacturing stages, early detection of defects on semi-finished products allow their direction towards later production processes according to their quality, with consequent considerable savings in time, energy, materials and work. However, the raw data coming from non destructive test systems are not always immediately suitable for sophisticated defect detection algorithms, due to noise and disturbances which are unavoidable, especially in harsh operating conditions, such as the ones which are typical of the steelmaking cycle. The paper describes some pre-processing operations which are required in order to exploit the data coming from a non destructive test system. Such a system is based on the joint exploitation of Laser and Electro-Magnetic Acoustic Transducer technologies and is applied to the detection of surface and sub-surface cracks in cold and hot steel slabs. Copyright © 2011 ISA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Atlantis Non-destructive Testing

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2003-10-29

    In the Orbiter Processing Facility, the nose cap (foreground) removed from Atlantis (behind) waits to be shipped to the original manufacturing company, Vought in Ft. Worth, Texas, a subsidiary of Lockheed Martin, to undergo non-destructive testing such as CAT scan and thermography.

  13. Working mothers and early childhood outcomes: lessons from the Canadian National Longitudinal Study on Children and Youth.

    PubMed

    Sherlock, R L; Synnes, A R; Koehoorn, M

    2008-04-01

    More mothers are choosing to return to work during the first 2 years of their child's life with an uncertain impact on early developmental outcomes. To determine the association between duration of maternity leave and motor and social development of toddlers. Population-based, retrospective cohort study. The Canadian National Longitudinal Survey on Children and Youth (NLSCY) Cycle 3 provides data on the characteristics and life experience of Canadian children. For sampled households, the person most knowledgeable about the child completed a survey on demographics, parent characteristics and family environment. The analysis was limited to 6664 families with children up to 2 years. Logistic regression was used to assess the association between duration of maternity leave and impaired performance (<-1 SD below the mean) on the Motor and Social Development (MSD) scale adjusted for multiple covariates including maternal age, gender, breastfeeding and socioeconomic status. One month of maternity leave increased the odds of impaired performance on the MSD by 3% (OR 1.03, 95% CI 1.02, 1.04). This was also seen with categorized maternity leave duration. Being male (OR 1.53, 95% CI 1.35, 1.74) and having a younger mother (OR 1.48, 95% CI 0.98, 2.23) increased the risk of impaired performance on the MSD while being of higher SES reduced the risk (OR 0.96, 95% CI 0.93, 1.00). There is an association between duration of maternity leave and impaired performance in motor and social development in children up to 2 years.

  14. Should studies of risk factors for musculoskeletal disorders be stratified by gender? Lessons from the 1998 Québec Health and Social Survey.

    PubMed

    Messing, Karen; Stock, Susan R; Tissot, France

    2009-03-01

    Several studies have reported male-female differences in the prevalence of symptoms of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSD), some arising from workplace exposure differences. The objective of this paper was to compare two strategies analyzing a single dataset for the relationships between risk factors and MSD in a population-based sample with a wide range of exposures. The 1998 Québec Health and Social Survey surveyed 11 735 respondents in paid work and reported "significant" musculoskeletal pain in 11 body regions during the previous 12 months and a range of personal, physical, and psychosocial risk factors. Five studies concerning risk factors for four musculoskeletal outcomes were carried out on these data. Each included analyses with multiple logistic regression (MLR) performed separately for women, men, and the total study population. The results from these gender-stratified and unstratified analyses were compared. In the unstratified MLR models, gender was significantly associated with musculoskeletal pain in the neck and lower extremities, but not with low-back pain. The gender-stratified MLR models identified significant associations between each specific musculoskeletal outcome and a variety of personal characteristics and physical and psychosocial workplace exposures for each gender. Most of the associations, if present for one gender, were also found in the total population. But several risk factors present for only one gender could be detected only in a stratified analysis, whereas the unstratified analysis added little information. Stratifying analyses by gender is necessary if a full range of associations between exposures and MSD is to be detected and understood.

  15. Is mobility in the labor market a solution to sustainable return to work for some sick listed persons?

    PubMed

    Ekberg, Kerstin; Wåhlin, Charlotte; Persson, Jan; Bernfort, Lars; Öberg, Birgitta

    2011-09-01

    The study aims to identify characteristics associated with long-term expectations of professional stability or mobility among recently sick-listed workers, and to study whether expectations of professional mobility and turnover intentions were associated with duration of sick leave. A cross-sectional study was performed on baseline measures in a prospective cohort study of patients who were granted sick leave due to musculoskeletal (MSD) or mental (MD) disorders. A total of 1,375 individuals fulfilled the inclusion criteria. A baseline questionnaire was sent by mail within 3 weeks of their first day of certified medical sickness; 962 individuals responded (70%). The main diagnosis was MSD in 595 (62%) individuals and MD in 367 (38%). Expectations of ability to remain in the present profession in 2 years was associated with better health and health-related resources, younger age, higher education, and better effort-reward balance. Effort-reward imbalance, MD, high burnout scores, and better educational and occupational position were associated with turnover intentions. Low expectations of ability to remain in the present profession defined two vulnerable groups with regard to RTW, those with no turnover intentions were older, had lower personal resources, more often had MSD, and slower RTW rate. Those with turnover intentions had a clear effort-reward imbalance and high burnout scores. The results of this explorative study underline the importance of differentiating RTW-interventions based on knowledge about the sick-listed person's resources in relation to the labor market and the work place, and their expectations of future employment and employability.

  16. The role of Kenya in the trans-African spread of maize streak virus strain A.

    PubMed

    Pande, Daniel; Madzokere, Eugene; Hartnady, Penelope; Kraberger, Simona; Hadfield, James; Rosario, Karyna; Jäschke, Anja; Monjane, Adérito L; Owor, Betty E; Dida, Mathews M; Shepherd, Dionne N; Martin, Darren P; Varsani, Arvind; Harkins, Gordon W

    2017-03-15

    Maize streak virus (MSV), the causal agent of maize streak disease (MSD), is the most important viral pathogen of Africa's staple food crop, maize. Previous phylogeographic analyses have revealed that the most widely-distributed and common MSV variant, MSV-A 1 , has been repeatedly traversing Africa over the past fifty years with long-range movements departing from either the Lake Victoria region of East Africa, or the region around the convergence of Zimbabwe, South Africa and Mozambique in southern Africa. Despite Kenya being the second most important maize producing country in East Africa, little is known about the Kenyan MSV population and its contribution to the ongoing diversification and trans-continental dissemination of MSV-A 1 . We therefore undertook a sampling survey in this country between 2008 and 2011, collecting MSD prevalence data in 119 farmers' fields, symptom severity data for 170 maize plants and complete MSV genome sequence data for 159 MSV isolates. We then used phylogenetic and phylogeographic analyses to show that whereas the Kenyan MSV population is likely primarily derived from the MSV population in neighbouring Uganda, it displays considerably more geographical structure than the Ugandan population. Further, this geographical structure likely confounds apparent associations between virus genotypes and both symptom severity and MSD prevalence in Kenya. Finally, we find that Kenya is probably a sink rather than a source of MSV diversification and movement, and therefore, unlike Uganda, Kenya probably does not play a major role in the trans-continental dissemination of MSV-A 1 . Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Improving the accuracy of protein stability predictions with multistate design using a variety of backbone ensembles.

    PubMed

    Davey, James A; Chica, Roberto A

    2014-05-01

    Multistate computational protein design (MSD) with backbone ensembles approximating conformational flexibility can predict higher quality sequences than single-state design with a single fixed backbone. However, it is currently unclear what characteristics of backbone ensembles are required for the accurate prediction of protein sequence stability. In this study, we aimed to improve the accuracy of protein stability predictions made with MSD by using a variety of backbone ensembles to recapitulate the experimentally measured stability of 85 Streptococcal protein G domain β1 sequences. Ensembles tested here include an NMR ensemble as well as those generated by molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, by Backrub motions, and by PertMin, a new method that we developed involving the perturbation of atomic coordinates followed by energy minimization. MSD with the PertMin ensembles resulted in the most accurate predictions by providing the highest number of stable sequences in the top 25, and by correctly binning sequences as stable or unstable with the highest success rate (≈90%) and the lowest number of false positives. The performance of PertMin ensembles is due to the fact that their members closely resemble the input crystal structure and have low potential energy. Conversely, the NMR ensemble as well as those generated by MD simulations at 500 or 1000 K reduced prediction accuracy due to their low structural similarity to the crystal structure. The ensembles tested herein thus represent on- or off-target models of the native protein fold and could be used in future studies to design for desired properties other than stability. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  18. T-cell-replete haploidentical HSCT with low-dose anti-T-lymphocyte globulin compared with matched sibling HSCT and unrelated HSCT.

    PubMed

    Luo, Yi; Xiao, Haowen; Lai, Xiaoyu; Shi, Jimin; Tan, Yamin; He, Jingsong; Xie, Wanzhuo; Zheng, Weiyan; Zhu, Yuanyuan; Ye, Xiujin; Yu, Xiaohong; Cai, Zhen; Lin, Maofang; Huang, He

    2014-10-23

    We developed an approach of T-cell-replete haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) with low-dose anti-T-lymphocyte globulin and prospectively compared outcomes of all contemporaneous T-cell-replete HSCT performed at our center using matched sibling donors (MSDs), unrelated donors (URDs), and haploidentical related donors (HRDs). From 2008 to 2013, 90 patients underwent MSD-HSCT, 116 underwent URD-HSCT, and 99 underwent HRD-HSCT. HRDs were associated with higher incidences of grades 2 to 4 (42.4%) and severe acute graft-versus-host disease (17.2%) and nonrelapse mortality (30.5%), compared with MSDs (15.6%, 5.6%, and 4.7%, respectively; P < .05), but were similar to URDs, even fully 10/10 HLA-matched URDs. For high-risk patients, a superior graft-versus-leukemia effect was observed in HRD-HSCT, with 5-year relapse rates of 15.4% in HRD-HSCT, 28.2% in URD-HSCT (P = .07), and 49.9% in MSD-HSCT (P = .002). Furthermore, 5-year disease-free survival rates were not significantly different for patients undergoing transplantation using 3 types of donors, with 63.6%, 58.4%, and 58.3% for MSD, URD, and HRD transplantation, respectively (P = .574). Our data indicate that outcomes after HSCT from suitably matched URDs and HRDs with low-dose anti-T-lymphocyte globulin are similar and that HRD improves outcomes of patients with high-risk leukemia. This trial was registered at www.chictr.org (Chinese Clinical Trial Registry) as #ChiCTR-OCH-12002490. © 2014 by The American Society of Hematology.

  19. Comparison of Eight Equations That Predict Percent Body Fat Using Skinfolds in American Youth

    PubMed Central

    Roberts, Amy; Cai, Jianwen; Berge, Jerica M.; Stevens, June

    2016-01-01

    Abstract Background: Skinfolds are often used in equations to predict percent body fat (PBF) in youth. Although there are numerous such equations published, there is limited information to help researchers determine which equation to use for their sample. Methods: Using data from the 1999–2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES), we compared eight published equations for prediction of PBF. These published equations all included triceps and/or subscapular skinfold measurements. We examined the PBF equations in a nationally representative sample of American youth that was matched by age, sex, and race/ethnicity to the original equation development population and a full sample of 8- to 18-year-olds. We compared the equation-predicted PBF to the dual-emission X-ray absorptiometry (DXA)-measured PBF. The adjusted R2, root mean square error (RMSE), and mean signed difference (MSD) were compared. The MSDs were used to examine accuracy and differential bias by age, sex, and race/ethnicity. Results: When applied to the full range of 8- 18-year-old youth, the R2 values ranged from 0.495 to 0.738. The MSD between predicted and DXA-measured PBF indicated high average accuracy (MSD between −1.0 and 1.0) for only three equations (Bray subscapular equation and Dezenberg equations [with and without race/ethnicity]). The majority of the equations showed differential bias by sex, race/ethnicity, weight status, or age. Conclusions: These findings indicate that investigators should use caution in the selection of an equation to predict PBF in youth given that results may vary systematically in important subgroups. PMID:27045618

  20. Correlations in distribution and concentration of calcium, copper and iron with zinc in isolated extracellular deposits associated with age-related macular degeneration

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Flinn, Jane M; Kakalec, Peter; Tappero, Ryan; Jones, Blair F.; Lengyel, Imre

    2014-01-01

    Zinc (Zn) is abundantly enriched in sub-retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) deposits, the hallmarks of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), and is thought to play a role in the formation of these deposits. However, it is not known whether Zn is the only metal relevant for sub-RPE deposit formation. Because of their involvement in the pathogenesis of AMD, we determined the concentration and distribution of calcium (Ca), iron (Fe) and copper (Cu) and compared these with Zn in isolated and sectioned macular (MSD), equatorial (PHD) and far peripheral (FPD) sub-RPE deposits from an 86 year old donor eye with post mortem diagnosis of early AMD. The sections were mounted on Zn free microscopy slides and analyzed by microprobe synchrotron X-ray fluorescence (μSXRF). Metal concentrations were determined using spiked sectioned sheep brain matrix standards, prepared the same way as the samples. The heterogeneity of metal distributions was examined using pixel by pixel comparison. The orders of metal concentrations were Ca ⋙ Zn > Fe in all three types of deposits but Cu levels were not distinguishable from background values. Zinc and Ca were consistently present in all deposits but reached highest concentration in MSD. Iron was present in some but not all deposits and was especially enriched in FPD. Correlation analysis indicated considerable variation in metal distribution within and between sub-RPE deposits. The results suggest that Zn and Ca are the most likely contributors to deposit formation especially in MSD, the characteristic risk factor for the development of AMD in the human eye.

  1. Comparison of Eight Equations That Predict Percent Body Fat Using Skinfolds in American Youth.

    PubMed

    Truesdale, Kimberly P; Roberts, Amy; Cai, Jianwen; Berge, Jerica M; Stevens, June

    2016-08-01

    Skinfolds are often used in equations to predict percent body fat (PBF) in youth. Although there are numerous such equations published, there is limited information to help researchers determine which equation to use for their sample. Using data from the 1999-2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES), we compared eight published equations for prediction of PBF. These published equations all included triceps and/or subscapular skinfold measurements. We examined the PBF equations in a nationally representative sample of American youth that was matched by age, sex, and race/ethnicity to the original equation development population and a full sample of 8- to 18-year-olds. We compared the equation-predicted PBF to the dual-emission X-ray absorptiometry (DXA)-measured PBF. The adjusted R(2), root mean square error (RMSE), and mean signed difference (MSD) were compared. The MSDs were used to examine accuracy and differential bias by age, sex, and race/ethnicity. When applied to the full range of 8- 18-year-old youth, the R(2) values ranged from 0.495 to 0.738. The MSD between predicted and DXA-measured PBF indicated high average accuracy (MSD between -1.0 and 1.0) for only three equations (Bray subscapular equation and Dezenberg equations [with and without race/ethnicity]). The majority of the equations showed differential bias by sex, race/ethnicity, weight status, or age. These findings indicate that investigators should use caution in the selection of an equation to predict PBF in youth given that results may vary systematically in important subgroups.

  2. Comparative study of in vitro ocular surface cytotoxicity of a fixed combination of 0.5% timolol/1% dorzolamide eyedrop and its components with 0.005% benzalkonium chloride.

    PubMed

    Ayaki, Masahiko; Iwasawa, Atsuo; Niwano, Yoshimi

    2012-01-01

    We evaluated the cytotoxicity of antiglaucoma ophthalmic solutions preserved with the same concentration of benzalkonium chloride (BAK) in four cultured corneal and conjunctival cell lines. The viability of cell cultures was determined following the exposure of cells to timolol maleate, dorzolamide, and their fixed combination, Kosoputo(®) (MSD, a Japanese formulation of Cosopt(®) (Merck)), and two commercially available eyedrop solutions, 0.5% Timpotol(®) (containing 0.5% timolol maleate, MSD) and 1% Trusopt(®) (containing 1% dorzolamide, MSD) for varying exposure times and at various dilutions using the MTT and neutral red assays. All the three commercially available eyedrop solutions tested in this study were preserved with 0.005% BAK. The toxicity of each solution was compared using the % cell viability score (CVS) . Cell viability was also subjected to statistical analysis using ANOVA, Dunnett's multiple comparison tests and a chi-square test. %CVS50/%CVS40/80s for the tested solutions were 53/-13 for 0.5% Timoptol(®), 100/88 for preservative-free 0.5% timolol maleate, 50/ -10 for 1% Trusopt(®), 72/100 for preservative-free 1% dorzolamide, and 44/-17 for Kosoputo(®). The results of statistical analysis were consistent to them. In conclusion, Kosoputo(®) had greater cytotoxicity than each component; however, in actual use it may have the advantages of reduced toxicity (side effect) due to reduced instillation frequency, and better patient adherence to the treatment regimen as well as a comparable pressure reduction effect.

  3. Destruction of VX by aqueous-phase oxidation using peroxydisulfate (direct chemical oxidation)

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

    Cooper, J.F.; Krueger, R.; Farmer, J.C.

    1995-10-11

    Chemical warfare agents may be completely destroyed (converted to H{sub 2}O, CO{sub 2}, salts) by oxidation at 90--100 C using acidified ammonium peroxydisulfate, with recycle of NH{sub 4}SO{sub 4} byproduct. The process requires no toxic or expended catalysts and produces no secondary wastes other than the precipitated inorganic content of the agents. To determine oxidative capability of peroxydisulfate at low reductant contents, we measured rate data for oxidation of 20 diverse compounds with diverse functional groups; 4 of these have bonds similar to those found in VX, HD, and GB. On an equivalence basis, integral first-order rate constants for 100more » C oxidation are 0.012{plus_minus}0.005 min{sup {minus}1} for di-isopropyl-methyl-phosphonate, methyl phosphonic acid, triethylamine, and 2,2{prime}-thiodiethanol at low initial concentrations of 50 ppM(as carbon) and pH 1.5. To provide scale-up equations for a bulk chemical agent destruction process, we measured time-dependent oxidation of bulk model chemicals at high concentrations (0.5 N) and developed and tested a quantitative model. A practical process for bulk VX destruction would begin with chemical detoxification by existing techniques (eg, hydrolysis or mild oxidation using oxone), followed by mineralization of the largely detoxified products by peroxydisulfate. Secondary wastes would be avoided by use of commercial electrolysis equipment to regenerate the oxidant. Reagent requirements, mass balance and scaleup parameters are given for VX destruction, using peroxydisulfate alone, or supplemented with hydrogen peroxide. For the use of 2.5 N peroxydisulfate as the oxidant, a 1 m{sup 3} digester will process about 200 kg (as C) per day. The process may be extended to total destruction of HD and hydrolysis products of G agents.« less

  4. Investigation of Fuselage Structure Subject to Widespread Fatigue Damage

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1996-01-01

    This report documents the results of the "Investigation of Fuselage Structure Subject to Widespread Fatigue Damage" contract. The primary program objective was to obtain data on airplane fuselage structures subject to multiple site damage (MSD) in an...

  5. Finite Memory Walk and Its Application to Small-World Network

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Oshima, Hiraku; Odagaki, Takashi

    2012-07-01

    In order to investigate the effects of cycles on the dynamical process on both regular lattices and complex networks, we introduce a finite memory walk (FMW) as an extension of the simple random walk (SRW), in which a walker is prohibited from moving to sites visited during m steps just before the current position. This walk interpolates the simple random walk (SRW), which has no memory (m = 0), and the self-avoiding walk (SAW), which has an infinite memory (m = ∞). We investigate the FMW on regular lattices and clarify the fundamental characteristics of the walk. We find that (1) the mean-square displacement (MSD) of the FMW shows a crossover from the SAW at a short time step to the SRW at a long time step, and the crossover time is approximately equivalent to the number of steps remembered, and that the MSD can be rescaled in terms of the time step and the size of memory; (2) the mean first-return time (MFRT) of the FMW changes significantly at the number of remembered steps that corresponds to the size of the smallest cycle in the regular lattice, where ``smallest'' indicates that the size of the cycle is the smallest in the network; (3) the relaxation time of the first-return time distribution (FRTD) decreases as the number of cycles increases. We also investigate the FMW on the Watts--Strogatz networks that can generate small-world networks, and show that the clustering coefficient of the Watts--Strogatz network is strongly related to the MFRT of the FMW that can remember two steps.

  6. Molecular dynamics study of congruent melting of the equimolar ionic liquid-benzene inclusion crystal [emim][NTf2]•C6H6

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kowsari, M. H.; Alavi, Saman; Ashrafizaadeh, Mahmud; Najafi, Bijan

    2010-01-01

    We use molecular dynamics simulations to study the structure, dynamics, and details of the mechanism of congruent melting of the equimolar mixture of 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl) imide with benzene, [emim][NTf2]•C6H6. Changes in the molecular arrangement, radial distribution functions, and the dynamic behavior of species are used to detect the solid to liquid transition, show an indication of the formation of polar islands by aggregating of the ions in the liquid phase, and characterize the melting process. The predicted enthalpy of melting ΔHm=38±2 kJ mol-1 for the equimolar inclusion mixture at 290 K is in good agreement with the differential scanning calorimetry experimental results of 42±2 kJ mol-1. The dynamics of the ions and benzene molecules were studied in the solid and liquid states by calculating the mean-square displacement (MSD) and the orientational autocorrelation function. The MSD plots show strong association between ion pairs of the ionic liquid in the inclusion mixture. Indeed, the presence of a stoichiometric number of benzene molecules does not affect the nearest neighbor ionic association between [emim]+ and [NTf2]-, but increases the MSDs of both cations and anions compared to pure liquid [emim][NTf2], showing that second shell ionic associations are weakened. We monitored the rotational motion of the alkyl chain sides of imidazolium cations and also calculated the activation energy for rotation of benzene molecules about their C6 symmetry axes in their lattice sites prior to melting.

  7. An intercomparison of long-term planetary boundary layer heights retrieved from CALIPSO, ground-based lidar, and radiosonde measurements over Hong Kong

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Su, Tianning; Li, Jing; Li, Chengcai; Xiang, Pengzhan; Lau, Alexis Kai-Hon; Guo, Jianping; Yang, Dongwei; Miao, Yucong

    2017-04-01

    The planetary boundary layer height (PBLH) is a very important parameter in the atmosphere, because it determines the range where the most effective dispersion processes take place, and serves as a constraint on the vertical transport of heat, moisture, and pollutants. As the only space-borne lidar, Cloud-Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization onboard Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations (CALIPSO) measures the vertical distribution of aerosol signals and thus offers the potential to retrieve large-scale PBLH climatology. In this study, we explore different techniques for retrieving PBLH from CALIPSO measurements and validate the results against those obtained from ground-based micropulse lidar (MPL) and radiosonde (RS) data over Hong Kong, where long-term MPL and RS measurements are available. Two methods, namely maximum standard deviation (MSD) and wavelet covariance transform (WCT), are used to retrieve PBLH from CALIPSO. Results show that the RS- and MPL-derived PBLHs share similar interannual variation and seasonality and can complement each other. Both MSD and WCT perform reasonably well compared with MPL/RS products, especially under sufficient aerosol loading. Uncertainties increase when aerosol loading is low and the CALIPSO signal consequently becomes noisier. Overall, CALIPSO captures the general PBLH seasonal variability over Hong Kong, despite a high bias in spring and a low bias in summer. The spring high bias is likely associated with elevated aerosol layers due to transport, while the summer low bias can be attributed to higher noise level associated with weaker aerosol signal.

  8. Molecular dynamics simulation of imidazolium-based ionic liquids. I. Dynamics and diffusion coefficient.

    PubMed

    Kowsari, M H; Alavi, Saman; Ashrafizaadeh, Mahmud; Najafi, Bijan

    2008-12-14

    Molecular dynamics simulations are used to study the dynamics and transport properties of 12 room-temperature ionic liquids of the 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium [amim](+) (alkyl = methyl, ethyl, propyl, and butyl) family with PF(6)(-), NO(3)(-), and Cl(-) counterions. The explicit atom transferable force field of Canongia Lopes et al. [J. Phys. Chem. B 108, 2038 (2004)] is used in the simulations. In this first part, the dynamics of the ionic liquids are characterized by studying the mean-square displacement (MSD) and the velocity autocorrelation function (VACF) for the centers of mass of the ions at 400 K. Trajectory averaging was employed to evaluate the diffusion coefficients at two temperatures from the linear slope of MSD(t) functions in the range of 150-300 ps and from the integration of the VACF(t) functions at 400 K. Detailed comparisons are made between the diffusion results from the MSD and VACF methods. The diffusion coefficients from the integration of the VACFs are closer to experimental values than the diffusion coefficients calculated from the slope of MSDs. Both methods can show good agreement with experiment in predicting relative trends in the diffusion coefficients and determining the role of the cation and anion structures on the dynamical behavior of this family of ionic liquids. The MSD and self-diffusion of relatively heavier imidazolium cations are larger than those of the lighter anions from the Einstein results, except for the case of [bmim][Cl]. The cationic transference number generally decreases with temperature, in good agreement with experiments. For the same anion, the cationic transference numbers decrease with increasing length of the alkyl chain, and for the same cation, the trends in the cationic transference numbers are [NO(3)](-) < [Cl](-) < [PF(6)](-). The trends in the diffusion coefficient in the series of cations with identical anions are [emim](+) > [pmim](+) > [bmim](+) and those for anions with identical cations are [NO(3)](-) > [PF(6)](-) > [Cl](-). The [dmim](+) has a relatively low diffusion coefficient due to its symmetric structure and good packing in the liquid phase. The major factor for determining the magnitude of the self-diffusion is the geometric shape of the anion of the ionic liquid. Other important factors are the ion size and the charge delocalization in the anion.

  9. Relationship among diet habit and lower urinary tract symptoms and sexual function in outpatient-based males with LUTS/BPH: a multiregional and cross-sectional study in China

    PubMed Central

    Chen, Yuke; Yu, Wei; Zhou, Liqun; Wu, Shiliang; Yang, Yang; Wang, Jianye; Tian, Ye; He, Dalin; Xu, Yong; Huang, Jian; Wang, Xiaofeng; Gao, Xin; Li, Hanzhong; Ma, Lulin; Zhang, Ning; Zhao, Shengtian; Jin, Xunbo

    2016-01-01

    Objectives This study assessed the effect of diet habits on lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and sexual function in Chinese men with LUTS/benign prostatic hypertrophy (LUTS/BPH). Setting Multicentre study conducted between July 2013 and December 2013 in 11 hospitals in 3 geographic regions in China. Participants Overall, participants with LUTS/BPH accounted for 61.4% (2584/4208) of the respondents, whose data were processed in the following statistical analysis. Primary and secondary outcome measures LUTS and sexual function were assessed based on the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) and the International Index of Erectile Function 5 (IIEF-5) score. Prostate volume (PV) was determined by ultrasound. Results A total of 4208 participants met the inclusion criteria. The average age of the whole participants was 65.8±7.7 years. Overall, participants with LUTS/BPH accounted for 61.4% (2584/4208) of the respondents, whose data were processed in the following statistical analysis. Generally, prostate enlargement was greatest in south China. LUTS and male sexual dysfunction (MSD) were most severe in northwest China. Based on multivariable analysis, PV enlarged as the age (p<0.001), body mass index (BMI; p<0.001) and vegetable intake (p<0.001) increased. Age (p<0.001) and BMI (p<0.05) independently increased the IPSS. A higher level of education (p<0.001) and more frequent meat, fish and egg intake (p<0.05) decreased the IPSS. Age (p<0.001), BMI (p<0.001), low education level (p<0.05), vegetable intake (p=0.001), and milk and dairy product intake (p=0.001) decreased the IIEF-5 score. Conclusions In addition to factors including age, obesity and level of education, dietary habits and geographic difference might also play an important role in the variation of PV, LUTS and MSD for Chinese men with LUTS/BPH. PMID:27580828

  10. Numerical Simulation of Hydrothermal Salt Separation Process and Analysis and Cost Estimating of Shipboard Liquid Waste Disposal

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2007-06-01

    possible means to improve a variety of processes: supercritical water in steam Rankine cycles (fossil-fuel powered plants), supercritical carbon ... dioxide and supercritical water in advanced nuclear power plants, and oxidation in supercritical water for use in destroying toxic military wastes and...destruction technologies are installed in a class of ship. Additionally, the properties of one waste water destruction medium, supercritical

  11. Functional Interrupts and Destructive Failures from Single Event Effect Testing of Point-Of-Load Devices

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Chen, Dakai; Phan, Anthony; Kim, Hak; Swonger, James; Musil, Paul; LaBel, Kenneth

    2013-01-01

    We show examples of single event functional interrupt and destructive failure in modern POL devices. The increasing complexity and diversity of the design and process introduce hard SEE modes that are triggered by various mechanisms.

  12. Integrated Assessment and Improvement of the Quality Assurance System for the Cosworth Casting Process

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yousif, Dilon

    The purpose of this study was to improve the Quality Assurance (QA) System at the Nemak Windsor Aluminum Plant (WAP). The project used Six Sigma method based on Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control (DMAIC). Analysis of in process melt at WAP was based on chemical, thermal, and mechanical testing. The control limits for the W319 Al Alloy were statistically recalculated using the composition measured under stable conditions. The "Chemistry Viewer" software was developed for statistical analysis of alloy composition. This software features the Silicon Equivalency (SiBQ) developed by the IRC. The Melt Sampling Device (MSD) was designed and evaluated at WAP to overcome traditional sampling limitations. The Thermal Analysis "Filters" software was developed for cooling curve analysis of the 3XX Al Alloy(s) using IRC techniques. The impact of low melting point impurities on the start of melting was evaluated using the Universal Metallurgical Simulator and Analyzer (UMSA).

  13. Detection of Secondary Phases in UNS S32760 Superduplex Stainless Steel by Destructive and Non-destructive Techniques

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Argandona, G.; Biezma, M. V.; Berrueta, J. M.; Berlanga, C.; Ruiz, A.

    2016-12-01

    Duplex stainless steels (DSS), with a microstructure of an approximately equal mixture of ferrite ( α) and austenite ( γ) phases, are susceptible to the formation of undesirable phases if manufacturing processes are not carefully controlled. In particular, sigma phase (σ) is a Cr- and Mo-rich intermetallic phase, formed generally when DSS are by the temperature range from 600 to 900 °C, even for very short time periods. The precipitation of this phase induces detrimental effects in mechanical and corrosion resistance properties in the material, and even a low volume percentage of σ phase can significantly affect these properties. The current paper presents the effect of thermal treatments on UNS S32760 superduplex stainless steel seamless tubes, applied in order to promote the precipitation of different σ phase percentages in a ferrite/austenite microstructure. The detection and quantification of the σ phase using non-destructive ultrasounds testing has been one of the most relevant events of this study that contributes to improving the correlation of the results obtained using destructive and non-destructive techniques for the quantification of undesirable phases in superduplex seamless tubes during the manufacturing process.

  14. Assessment of Vegetation Destruction Due to Wenchuan Earthquake and Its Recovery Process Using MODIS Data

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zou, Z.; Xiao, X.

    2015-12-01

    With a high temporal resolution and a large covering area, MODIS data are particularly useful in assessing vegetation destruction and recovery of a wide range of areas. In this study, MOD13Q1 data of the growing season (Mar. to Nov.) are used to calculate the Maximum NDVI (NDVImax) of each year. This study calculates each pixel's mean and standard deviation of the NDVImaxs in the 8 years before the earthquake. If the pixel's NDVImax of 2008 is two standard deviation smaller than the mean NDVImax, this pixel is detected as a vegetation destructed pixel. For each vegetation destructed pixel, its similar pixels of the same vegetation type are selected within the latitude difference of 0.5 degrees, altitude difference of 100 meters and slope difference of 3 degrees. Then the NDVImax difference of each vegetation destructed pixel and its similar pixels are calculated. The 5 similar pixels with the smallest NDVImax difference in the 8 years before the earthquake are selected as reference pixels. The mean NDVImaxs of these reference pixels after the earthquake are calculated and serve as the criterion to assess the vegetation recovery process.

  15. Laser Simulations of the Destructive Impact of Nuclear Explosions on Hazardous Asteroids

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Aristova, E. Yu.; Aushev, A. A.; Baranov, V. K.; Belov, I. A.; Bel'kov, S. A.; Voronin, A. Yu.; Voronich, I. N.; Garanin, R. V.; Garanin, S. G.; Gainullin, K. G.; Golubinskii, A. G.; Gorodnichev, A. V.; Denisova, V. A.; Derkach, V. N.; Drozhzhin, V. S.; Ericheva, I. A.; Zhidkov, N. V.; Il'kaev, R. I.; Krayukhin, A. A.; Leonov, A. G.; Litvin, D. N.; Makarov, K. N.; Martynenko, A. S.; Malinov, V. I.; Mis'ko, V. V.; Rogachev, V. G.; Rukavishnikov, A. N.; Salatov, E. A.; Skorochkin, Yu. V.; Smorchkov, G. Yu.; Stadnik, A. L.; Starodubtsev, V. A.; Starodubtsev, P. V.; Sungatullin, R. R.; Suslov, N. A.; Sysoeva, T. I.; Khatunkin, V. Yu.; Tsoi, E. S.; Shubin, O. N.; Yufa, V. N.

    2018-01-01

    We present the results of preliminary experiments at laser facilities in which the processes of the undeniable destruction of stony asteroids (chondrites) in space by nuclear explosions on the asteroid surface are simulated based on the principle of physical similarity. We present the results of comparative gasdynamic computations of a model nuclear explosion on the surface of a large asteroid and computations of the impact of a laser pulse on a miniature asteroid simulator confirming the similarity of the key processes in the fullscale and model cases. The technology of fabricating miniature mockups with mechanical properties close to those of stony asteroids is described. For mini-mockups 4-10 mm in size differing by the shape and impact conditions, we have made an experimental estimate of the energy threshold for the undeniable destruction of a mockup and investigated the parameters of its fragmentation at a laser energy up to 500 J. The results obtained confirm the possibility of an experimental determination of the criteria for the destruction of asteroids of various types by a nuclear explosion in laser experiments. We show that the undeniable destruction of a large asteroid is possible at attainable nuclear explosion energies on its surface.

  16. 17 CFR 400.4 - Information concerning associated persons of financial institutions that are government...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-04-01

    ... who have filed Forms MSD-4 or U-4 with the financial institution since the last such filing... to update the information about such individual as provided in paragraph (b) of this section and will...

  17. 17 CFR 400.4 - Information concerning associated persons of financial institutions that are government...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-04-01

    ... who have filed Forms MSD-4 or U-4 with the financial institution since the last such filing... to update the information about such individual as provided in paragraph (b) of this section and will...

  18. 17 CFR 400.4 - Information concerning associated persons of financial institutions that are government...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-04-01

    ... who have filed Forms MSD-4 or U-4 with the financial institution since the last such filing... to update the information about such individual as provided in paragraph (b) of this section and will...

  19. 17 CFR 400.4 - Information concerning associated persons of financial institutions that are government...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... who have filed Forms MSD-4 or U-4 with the financial institution since the last such filing... to update the information about such individual as provided in paragraph (b) of this section and will...

  20. Full-Scale Testing and Analysis of Curved Aircraft Fuselage Panels.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1993-12-01

    The report presents data on (1) residual strength of aircraft panels containing Multiple-Site Damage (MSD) in lap splices, and (2) fatigue strength of panels subjected to cyclic pressure loading. The testing was conducted using the dedicated Aging Ai...

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