Sample records for factor chop affects

  1. A comparative analysis of prognostic factor models for follicular lymphoma based on a phase III trial of CHOP-rituximab versus CHOP + 131iodine--tositumomab.

    PubMed

    Press, Oliver W; Unger, Joseph M; Rimsza, Lisa M; Friedberg, Jonathan W; LeBlanc, Michael; Czuczman, Myron S; Kaminski, Mark; Braziel, Rita M; Spier, Catherine; Gopal, Ajay K; Maloney, David G; Cheson, Bruce D; Dakhil, Shaker R; Miller, Thomas P; Fisher, Richard I

    2013-12-01

    There is currently no consensus on optimal frontline therapy for patients with follicular lymphoma. We analyzed a phase III randomized intergroup trial comparing six cycles of CHOP-R (cyclophosphamide-Adriamycin-vincristine-prednisone (Oncovin)-rituximab) with six cycles of CHOP followed by iodine-131 tositumomab radioimmunotherapy (RIT) to assess whether any subsets benefited more from one treatment or the other, and to compare three prognostic models. We conducted univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses of 532 patients enrolled on this trial and compared the prognostic value of the FLIPI (follicular lymphoma international prognostic index), FLIPI2, and LDH + β2M (lactate dehydrogenase + β2-microglobulin) models. Outcomes were excellent, but not statistically different between the two study arms [5-year progression-free survival (PFS) of 60% with CHOP-R and 66% with CHOP-RIT (P = 0.11); 5-year overall survival (OS) of 92% with CHOP-R and 86% with CHOP-RIT (P = 0.08); overall response rate of 84% for both arms]. The only factor found to potentially predict the impact of treatment was serum β2M; among patients with normal β2M, CHOP-RIT patients had better PFS compared with CHOP-R patients, whereas among patients with high serum β2M, PFS by arm was similar (interaction P value = 0.02). All three prognostic models (FLIPI, FLIPI2, and LDH + β2M) predicted both PFS and OS well, though the LDH + β2M model is easiest to apply and identified an especially poor risk subset. In an exploratory analysis using the latter model, there was a statistically significant trend suggesting that low-risk patients had superior observed PFS if treated with CHOP-RIT, whereas high-risk patients had a better PFS with CHOP-R. ©2013 AACR.

  2. Patterns of growth factor usage and febrile neutropenia among older patients with diffuse large B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma treated with CHOP or R-CHOP: the Intergroup experience (CALGB 9793; ECOG-SWOG 4494).

    PubMed

    Morrison, Vicki A; Weller, Edie A; Habermann, Thomas M; Li, Shuli; Fisher, Richard I; Cheson, Bruce D; Peterson, Bruce A

    2017-08-01

    Patterns of myeloid growth factor (GF) usage and febrile neutropenia (FN) were examined in patients >60 years of age with diffuse large B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (DLBCL) enrolled on CALGB 9793/ECOG-SWOG 4494, receiving initial therapy with cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, prednisone (CHOP) or rituximab + CHOP (R-CHOP). Myeloid GFs were administered to 256/520 (49%) patients. Indications for use were: prevent dose reduction/dose delay (81%, 207/256); treat FN or non-febrile neutropenia (NFN) (19%, 48/256). One or more FN episodes occurred in 41% (212/520) of patients, with FN most often in cycle 1 (38% of episodes). In multivariate analysis, risk factors for FN included age >65 years (odds ratio (OR) = 2.6, 95% CI: [1.4, 4.9]) and anemia (hemoglobin <12 g/dl) (OR =2.2, 95% confidence intervals (CI): [1.4, 3.5]. Myeloid GF use was common in this older DLBCL population receiving CHOP-based therapy, as was FN, especially during cycle one. Risk factors predictive for FN should be used prospectively to identify patients for whom myeloid GFs are best utilized.

  3. Flowability parameters for chopped switchgrass, wheat straw and corn stover

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

    Chevanan, Nehru; Womac, A.R.; Bitra, V.S.P.

    2009-02-01

    A direct shear cell to measure the shear strength and flow properties of chopped switchgrass, wheat straw, and corn stover was designed, fabricated, and tested. Yield loci (r2=0.99) determined at pre-consolidation pressures of 3.80 kPa and 5.02 kPa indicated that chopped biomass followed Mohr-Coulomb failure. Normal stress significantly affected the displacement required for shear failure, as well as the friction coefficient values for all three chopped biomass types. Displacement at shear failure ranged from 30 to 80 mm, and depended on pre-consolidation pressure, normal stress, and particle size. Friction coefficient was inversely related to normal stress, and was highest formore » chopped corn stover. Also, chopped corn stover exhibited the highest angle of internal friction, unconfined yield strength, major consolidation strength, and cohesive strength, all of which indicated increased challenges in handling chopped corn stover. The measured angle of internal friction and cohesive strength indicated that chopped biomass cannot be handled by gravity alone. The measured angle of internal friction and cohesive strength were 43 and 0.75 kPa for chopped switchgrass; 44 and 0.49 kPa for chopped wheat straw; and 48 and 0.82 kPa for chopped corn stover. Unconfined yield strength and major consolidation strength used for characterization of bulk flow materials and design of hopper dimensions were 3.4 and 10.4 kPa for chopped switchgrass; 2.3 and 9.6 kPa for chopped wheat straw and 4.2 and 11.8 kPa for chopped corn stover. These results are useful for development of efficient handling, storage, and transportation systems for biomass in biorefineries.« less

  4. Comparison between L-CHOP and an L-CHOP protocol with interposed treatments of CCNU and MOPP (L-CHOP-CCNU-MOPP) for lymphoma in dogs.

    PubMed

    Rassnick, K M; Bailey, D B; Malone, E K; Intile, J L; Kiselow, M A; Flory, A B; Barlow, L L; Balkman, C E; Barnard, S M; Waite, A H

    2010-12-01

    An L-CHOP protocol with interposed treatments of CCNU and MOPP (L-CHOP-CCNU-MOPP) was evaluated in 66 dogs with stages III-V lymphoma. Results were compared with a historical group of 71 dogs treated with an L-CHOP protocol. Complete remission (CR) rates (85 and 80%, respectively) did not differ significantly between protocols (P = 0.48). First CR duration for dogs treated with L-CHOP-CCNU-MOPP was significantly longer: median, 317 days; 2-year CR rate, 35% versus median, 298 days; 2-year CR rate, 13%, P = 0.05). For the L-CHOP-CCNU-MOPP protocol, dogs in substage-b had a 4.3 times greater hazard of having a relapse than dogs in substage-a (P = 0.002). Frequency of adverse chemotherapy-associated gastrointestinal effects did not differ between protocols (P = 0.77). Neutropenia (primarily after CCNU) occurred more frequently in dogs treated with L-CHOP-CCNU-MOPP (P < 0.001). In summary, the L-CHOP-CCNU-MOPP protocol showed an improved duration of first CR as compared with an L-CHOP protocol, but the relevance of this finding might be subject to clinical judgement. © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  5. Factors Affecting Detection of Hepatitis E Virus on Canadian Retail Pork Chops and Pork Livers Assayed Using Real-Time RT-PCR.

    PubMed

    Wilhelm, B J; Leblanc, D; Avery, B; Pearl, D L; Houde, A; Rajić, A; McEwen, S A

    2016-03-01

    We collected 599 Canadian retail pork chops and 283 pork livers routinely (usually weekly) from April 2011 to March 2012 using the Canadian Integrated Program for Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance (CIPARS) retail sampling platform. Samples were assayed using validated real-time (q) reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and nested classical RT-PCR for the detection of hepatitis E virus (HEV), porcine enteric calicivirus (PEC) and rotavirus (RV). The presence of Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp. and Campylobacter spp. was measured on a subset of our samples. Exact logistic regression models were fitted for predictors for HEV detection, for each assay. For both assays, sample type (pork chop versus liver) was a significant predictor for HEV RNA detection. For nested classical RT-PCR but not qRT-PCR, region of sample collection was a significant predictor (P = 0.008) of HEV detection. Odds of HEV detection were greatest in spring relative to other seasons. E. coli was a significant predictor for HEV RNA detection using the qRT-PCR (P = 0.03). Overall, the prevalence of E. coli, Salmonella spp. and Campylobacter spp. was significantly greater than HEV, PEC or RV on our retail pork samples. Our sparse data set for the detection of PEC and RV precluded modelling of risk factors for the detection of these viruses. © 2015 Zoonoses and Public Health © 2015 Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada Reproduced with the permission of the Minister of the Public Health Agency of Canada.

  6. The effect of long or chopped straw on pig behaviour.

    PubMed

    Lahrmann, H P; Oxholm, L C; Steinmetz, H; Nielsen, M B F; D'Eath, R B

    2015-05-01

    In the EU, pigs must have permanent access to manipulable materials such as straw, rope, wood, etc. Long straw can fulfil this function, but can increase labour requirements for cleaning pens, and result in problems with blocked slatted floors and slurry systems. Chopped straw might be more practical, but what is the effect on pigs' behaviour of using chopped straw instead of long straw? Commercial pigs in 1/3 slatted, 2/3 solid pens of 15 pigs were provided with either 100 g/pig per day of long straw (20 pens) or of chopped straw (19 pens). Behavioural observations were made of three focal pigs per pen (one from each of small, medium and large weight tertiles) for one full day between 0600 and 2300 h at each of ~40 and ~80 kg. The time spent rooting/investigating overall (709 s/pig per hour at 40 kg to 533 s/pig per hour at 80 kg), or directed to the straw/solid floor (497 s/pig per hour at 40 kg to 343 s/pig per hour at 80 kg), was not affected by straw length but reduced with age. Time spent investigating other pigs (83 s/pig per hour at 40 kg), the slatted floor (57 s/pig per hour) or pen fixtures (21 s/pig per hour) was not affected by age or straw length. Aggressive behaviour was infrequent, but lasted about twice as long in pens with chopped straw (2.3 s/pig per hour at 40 kg) compared with pens with long straw (1.0 s/pig per hour at 40 kg, P=0.060). There were no significant effects of straw length on tail or ear lesions, but shoulders were significantly more likely to have minor scratches with chopped straw (P=0.031), which may reflect the higher levels of aggression. Smaller pigs showed more rooting/investigatory behaviour, and in particular directed towards the straw/solid floor and the slatted floor than their larger pen-mates. Females exhibited more straw and pen fixture-directed behaviour than males. There were no effects of pig size or sex on behaviour directed towards other pigs. In summary, pigs spent similar amounts of time interacting with straw

  7. Hydrogen sulfide increases survival during sepsis: Protective effect of CHOP inhibition

    PubMed Central

    Ferlito, Marcella; Wang, Qihong; Fulton, William B; Colombani, Paul; Marchionni, Luigi; Fox-Talbot, Karen; Paolocci, Nazareno; Steenbergen, Charles

    2014-01-01

    Sepsis is a major cause of mortality, and dysregulation of the immune response plays a central role in this syndrome. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S), a recently discovered gaso-transmitter, is endogenously generated by many cell types, regulating a number of physiologic processes and pathophysiologic conditions. Here we report that H2S increased survival after experimental sepsis induced by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) in mice. Exogenous H2S decreased the systemic inflammatory response, reduced apoptosis in the spleen, and accelerated bacterial eradication. We found that CHOP, a mediator of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress response, was elevated in several organs after CLP and its expression was inhibited by H2S treatment. Using CHOP knockout (KO) mice, we demonstrated for the first time that genetic deletion of Chop increased survival after lipopolysaccharide (LPS) injection or CLP. CHOP KO mice displayed diminished splenic caspase-3 activation and apoptosis, decreased cytokine production and augmented bacterial clearance. Furthermore, septic CHOP KO mice treated with H2S showed no additive survival benefit compared to septic CHOP KO mice. Finally, we showed that H2S inhibited CHOP expression in macrophages by a mechanism involving Nrf2 activation. In conclusion, our findings show a protective effect of H2S treatment afforded, at least partially, by inhibition of CHOP expression. The data reveal a major negative role for the transcription factor CHOP in overall survival during sepsis and suggest a new target for clinical intervention as well potential strategies for treatment. PMID:24403532

  8. Effect of chopping time and heating on 1 H nuclear magnetic resonance and rheological behavior of meat batter matrix.

    PubMed

    Zhou, Fen; Dong, Hui; Shao, Jun-Hua; Zhang, Jun-Long; Liu, Deng-Yong

    2018-04-01

    The effect of chopping time and heating on physicochemical properties of meat batters was investigated by low-field nuclear magnetic resonance and rheology technology. Cooking loss and L* increased while texture profile analysis index decreased between chopping 5 and 6 min. The relaxation time T 21 (bound water) and its peak area ratio decreased, while the ratio of T 22 peak area (immobilized water) in raw meat batters gradually increased with the extension of chopping time. However, T 22 was opposite after being heated and a new component T 23 (free water) appeared (T 2i is the spin - spin relaxation time for the ith component.). The initial damping factor (Tan δ) gradually decreased and there were significant difference between 4 and 5 min of chopping time. There were significantly positive correlations between the ratio of peak area of T 22 and chopping time, the storage modulus (G'), cooking loss, and L*, respectively. Continued chopping time could improve the peak area proportion of T 22 in raw meat batters. Further, the higher the peak area proportion of T 22 in raw meat batters, the cooking loss of heated meat gel was higher. Also, the stronger the mobility of immobilized water in meat batter, the higher the L* of the fresh meat batters. Thus, it is revealed that the physicochemical properties of meat batter are significantly influenced by chopping time which further affects the water holding capacity and the texture of emulsification gel. © 2017 Japanese Society of Animal Science.

  9. Evaluation of chopped switchgrass and chopped bermudagrass as litter materials over multiple heavy broiler flocks

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Chopped switchgrass (SG) and chopped bermudagrass (BG) were evaluated as alternatives to pine shavings (PS) for broiler litter over 3 flocks. Twenty-four pens were filled with the 3 litter types. Live performance parameters included mortality, BW, BW gain, feed consumption, and feed conversion. Mort...

  10. Bulk density and compaction behavior of knife mill chopped switchgrass,wheat straw, and corn stover

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

    Chevanan, Nehru; Womac, A.R.; Bitra, V.S.P.

    2009-08-01

    Bulk density of comminuted biomass significantly increased by vibration during handling and transportation, and by normal pressure during storage. Compaction characteristics affecting the bulk density of switchgrass, wheat straw, and corn stover chopped in a knife mill at different operating conditions and using four different classifying screens were studied. Mean loose-filled bulk densities were 67.5 18.4 kg/m3 for switchgrass, 36.1 8.6 kg/m3 for wheat straw, and 52.1 10.8 kg/m3 for corn stover. Mean tapped bulk densities were 81.8 26.2 kg/m3 for switchgrass, 42.8 11.7 kg/m3 for wheat straw, and 58.9 13.4 kg/m3 for corn stover. Percentage changes in compressibility duemore » to variation in particle size obtained from a knife mill ranged from 64.3 to 173.6 for chopped switchgrass, 22.2 51.5 for chopped wheat straw and 42.1 117.7 for chopped corn stover within the tested consolidation pressure range of 5 120 kPa. Pressure and volume relationship of chopped biomass during compression with application of normal pressure can be characterized by the Walker model and Kawakita and Ludde model. Parameter of Walker model was correlated to the compressibility with Pearson correlation coefficient greater than 0.9. Relationship between volume reduction in chopped biomass with respect to number of tappings studied using Sone s model indicated that infinite compressibility was highest for chopped switchgrass followed by chopped wheat straw and corn stover. Degree of difficulty in packing measured using the parameters of Sone s model indicated that the chopped wheat straw particles compacted very rapidly by tapping compared to chopped switchgrass and corn stover. These results are very useful for solving obstacles in handling bulk biomass supply logistics issues for a biorefinery.« less

  11. Bulk density and compaction behavior of knife mill chopped switchgrass, wheat straw, and corn stover.

    PubMed

    Chevanan, Nehru; Womac, Alvin R; Bitra, Venkata S P; Igathinathane, C; Yang, Yuechuan T; Miu, Petre I; Sokhansanj, Shahab

    2010-01-01

    Bulk density of comminuted biomass significantly increased by vibration during handling and transportation, and by normal pressure during storage. Compaction characteristics affecting the bulk density of switchgrass, wheat straw, and corn stover chopped in a knife mill at different operating conditions and using four different classifying screens were studied. Mean loose-filled bulk densities were 67.5+/-18.4 kg/m(3) for switchgrass, 36.1+/-8.6 kg/m(3) for wheat straw, and 52.1+/-10.8 kg/m(3) for corn stover. Mean tapped bulk densities were 81.8+/-26.2 kg/m(3) for switchgrass, 42.8+/-11.7 kg/m(3) for wheat straw, and 58.9+/-13.4 kg/m(3) for corn stover. Percentage changes in compressibility due to variation in particle size obtained from a knife mill ranged from 64.3 to 173.6 for chopped switchgrass, 22.2-51.5 for chopped wheat straw and 42.1-117.7 for chopped corn stover within the tested consolidation pressure range of 5-120 kPa. Pressure and volume relationship of chopped biomass during compression with application of normal pressure can be characterized by the Walker model and Kawakita and Ludde model. Parameter of Walker model was correlated to the compressibility with Pearson correlation coefficient greater than 0.9. Relationship between volume reduction in chopped biomass with respect to number of tappings studied using Sone's model indicated that infinite compressibility was highest for chopped switchgrass followed by chopped wheat straw and corn stover. Degree of difficulty in packing measured using the parameters of Sone's model indicated that the chopped wheat straw particles compacted very rapidly by tapping compared to chopped switchgrass and corn stover. These results are very useful for solving obstacles in handling bulk biomass supply logistics issues for a biorefinery.

  12. Effect of meat appearance on consumer preferences for pork chops in Greece and Cyprus.

    PubMed

    Fortomaris, P; Arsenos, G; Georgiadis, M; Banos, G; Stamataris, C; Zygoyiannis, D

    2006-04-01

    The effect of meat appearance on consumers' preferences for pork chops was assessed using images manipulated for appearance characteristics. Data were collected from 412 consumers in Greece and Cyprus. Consumers were asked for their preference for pork chops from a book of computer-modified images and then completed a questionnaire of socio-demographic information, including eating and purchasing behaviour. Consumers under the age of 35 years showed preferences for dark red, lean pork, while consumers aged 35 years and older preferred either dark or light red pork. Gender appeared to be an important selection factor as men showed an increased preference for dark red pork while women preferred the light red. Consumers who stated that they like pork for its taste (91%) preferred either dark or light red pork chops while those who like pork for reasons other than taste preferred dark red, lean pork. Urban consumers preferred light red, fatty pork chops while the rural consumers preferred the dark red pork chops.

  13. CHOP chemotherapy for the treatment of canine multicentric T-cell lymphoma.

    PubMed

    Rebhun, R B; Kent, M S; Borrofka, S A E B; Frazier, S; Skorupski, K; Rodriguez, C O

    2011-03-01

    Dogs with multicentric T-cell lymphoma are commonly treated with CHOP chemotherapy protocols that include cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisone. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the use of CHOP chemotherapy for dogs with multicentric T-cell lymphoma. Identification of prognostic factors in this specific subset of dogs was of secondary interest. Twenty-three out of 24 dogs responded to CHOP chemotherapy and these dogs remained on the protocol for a median of 146 days. No variable was associated with progression free survival (PFS) including stage, substage, hypercalcemia or radiographic evidence of a cranial mediastinal mass. The median overall survival time (OST) for all dogs was 235 days. Dogs that were thrombocytopenic at presentation experienced a significantly longer OST (323 versus 212 days, P=0.01). © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  14. R-CHOP with or without bevacizumab in patients with previously untreated diffuse large B-cell lymphoma: final MAIN study outcomes

    PubMed Central

    Seymour, John F.; Pfreundschuh, Michael; Trnĕný, Marek; Sehn, Laurie H.; Catalano, John; Csinady, Eva; Moore, Nicola; Coiffier, Bertrand

    2014-01-01

    Vascular endothelial growth factor is involved in lymphoma growth, suggesting a potential role for anti-vascular endothelial growth factor therapies in hematologic malignancies. In this phase III study, patients with CD20-positive diffuse large B-cell lymphoma were randomized to rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone plus either placebo (R-CHOP) or bevacizumab (RA-CHOP). Treatment was administered every 21 (8 cycles) or 14 days (6 cycles plus 2 rituximab cycles) as per institutional practice. An early analysis of risk/benefit by the Data and Safety Monitoring Board showed that RA-CHOP increased cardiotoxicity without prolonging progression-free survival compared with R-CHOP, and the trial was stopped early. The study protocol was amended to allow for 12 additional months of follow up to evaluate safety. With 787 patients enrolled, median follow up was 23.7 and 23.6 months for R-CHOP and RA-CHOP, respectively. Median progression-free survival for R-CHOP and RA CHOP was 42.9 and 40.2 months, respectively (hazard ratio=1.09; P=0.49). The proportion of deaths was identical for R-CHOP (83 of 387, 21%) and RA-CHOP (82 of 390, 21%). Relative to R-CHOP, RA-CHOP had a higher rate of left ventricular ejection fraction perturbation (18% vs. 8%; odds ratio=2.51; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.60–3.93) and congestive heart failure (16% vs. 7%; odds ratio=2.79; 95%CI: 1.72–4.54). Bevacizumab added to R-CHOP increased cardiac events, without increasing efficacy, arguing against further evaluation of RA-CHOP in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. The MAIN study is registered at clinicaltrials.gov identifier:00486759. PMID:24895339

  15. R-CHOP with or without bevacizumab in patients with previously untreated diffuse large B-cell lymphoma: final MAIN study outcomes.

    PubMed

    Seymour, John F; Pfreundschuh, Michael; Trnĕný, Marek; Sehn, Laurie H; Catalano, John; Csinady, Eva; Moore, Nicola; Coiffier, Bertrand

    2014-08-01

    Vascular endothelial growth factor is involved in lymphoma growth, suggesting a potential role for anti-vascular endothelial growth factor therapies in hematologic malignancies. In this phase III study, patients with CD20-positive diffuse large B-cell lymphoma were randomized to rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone plus either placebo (R-CHOP) or bevacizumab (RA-CHOP). Treatment was administered every 21 (8 cycles) or 14 days (6 cycles plus 2 rituximab cycles) as per institutional practice. An early analysis of risk/benefit by the Data and Safety Monitoring Board showed that RA-CHOP increased cardiotoxicity without prolonging progression-free survival compared with R-CHOP, and the trial was stopped early. The study protocol was amended to allow for 12 additional months of follow up to evaluate safety. With 787 patients enrolled, median follow up was 23.7 and 23.6 months for R-CHOP and RA-CHOP, respectively. Median progression-free survival for R-CHOP and RA CHOP was 42.9 and 40.2 months, respectively (hazard ratio=1.09; P=0.49). The proportion of deaths was identical for R-CHOP (83 of 387, 21%) and RA-CHOP (82 of 390, 21%). Relative to R-CHOP, RA-CHOP had a higher rate of left ventricular ejection fraction perturbation (18% vs. 8%; odds ratio=2.51; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.60-3.93) and congestive heart failure (16% vs. 7%; odds ratio=2.79; 95%CI: 1.72-4.54). Bevacizumab added to R-CHOP increased cardiac events, without increasing efficacy, arguing against further evaluation of RA-CHOP in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. The MAIN study is registered at clinicaltrials.gov identifier:00486759. Copyright© Ferrata Storti Foundation.

  16. Chopped molecular beam multiplexing system

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Adams, Billy R. (Inventor)

    1986-01-01

    The integration of a chopped molecular beam mass spectrometer with a time multiplexing system is described. The chopping of the molecular beam is synchronized with the time intervals by a phase detector and a synchronous motor. Arithmetic means are generated for phase shifting the chopper with respect to the multiplexer. A four channel amplifier provides the capacity to independently vary the baseline and amplitude in each channel of the multiplexing system.

  17. Voltammetric detection of biological molecules using chopped carbon fiber.

    PubMed

    Sugawara, Kazuharu; Yugami, Asako; Kojima, Akira

    2010-01-01

    Voltammetric detection of biological molecules was carried out using chopped carbon fibers produced from carbon fiber reinforced plastics that are biocompatible and inexpensive. Because chopped carbon fibers normally are covered with a sizing agent, they are difficult to use as an electrode. However, when the surface of a chopped carbon fiber was treated with ethanol and hydrochloric acid, it became conductive. To evaluate the functioning of chopped carbon fibers, voltammetric measurements of [Fe(CN)(6)](3-) were carried out. Redoxes of FAD, ascorbic acid and NADH as biomolecules were recorded using cyclic voltammetry. The sizing agents used to bundle the fibers were epoxy, polyamide and polyurethane resins. The peak currents were the greatest when using the chopped carbon fibers that were created with epoxy resins. When the electrode response of the chopped carbon fibers was compared with that of a glassy carbon electrode, the peak currents and the reversibility of the electrode reaction were sufficient. Therefore, the chopped carbon fibers will be useful as disposable electrodes for the sensing of biomolecules.

  18. Baked Pork Chops With Apple Cranberry Sauce

    MedlinePlus

    ... chops—try serving with a side of brown rice and steamed broccoli Ingredients For pork chops: 4 boneless pork chops (about 3 oz each) 1/4 tsp ground black pepper 1 medium orange, rinsed, for 1/4 ...

  19. Cost-benefit analysis of prophylactic granulocyte colony-stimulating factor during CHOP antineoplastic therapy for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

    PubMed

    Dranitsaris, G; Altmayer, C; Quirt, I

    1997-06-01

    Several randomised comparative trials have shown that granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) reduces the duration of neutropenia, hospitalisation and intravenous antibacterial use in patients with cancer who are receiving high-dosage antineoplastic therapy. However, one area that has received less attention is the role of G-CSF in standard-dosage antineoplastic regimens. One such treatment that is considered to have a low potential for inducing fever and neutropenia is the CHOP regimen (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisone) for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. We conducted a cost-benefit analysis from a societal perspective in order to estimate the net cost or benefit of prophylactic G-CSF in this patient population. This included direct costs for hospitalisation with antibacterial support, as well as indirect societal costs, such as time off work and antineoplastic therapy delays secondary to neutropenia. The findings were then tested by a comprehensive sensitivity analysis. The administration of G-CSF at a dosage of 5 micrograms/kg/day for 11 doses following CHOP resulted in an overall net cost of $Can1257. In the sensitivity analysis, lowering the G-CSF dosage to 2 micrograms/kg/day generated a net benefit of $Can6564, indicating a situation that was cost saving to society. The results of the current study suggest that the use of G-CSF in patients receiving CHOP antineoplastic therapy produces a situation that is close to achieving cost neutrality. However, low-dosage (2 micrograms/kg/day) G-CSF is an economically attractive treatment strategy because it may result in overall savings to society.

  20. The stress-response sensor chop regulates the function and accumulation of myeloid-derived suppressor cells in tumors.

    PubMed

    Thevenot, Paul T; Sierra, Rosa A; Raber, Patrick L; Al-Khami, Amir A; Trillo-Tinoco, Jimena; Zarreii, Parisa; Ochoa, Augusto C; Cui, Yan; Del Valle, Luis; Rodriguez, Paulo C

    2014-09-18

    Adaptation of malignant cells to the hostile milieu present in tumors is an important determinant of their survival and growth. However, the interaction between tumor-linked stress and antitumor immunity remains poorly characterized. Here, we show the critical role of the cellular stress sensor C/EBP-homologous protein (Chop) in the accumulation and immune inhibitory activity of tumor-infiltrating myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs). MDSCs lacking Chop had decreased immune-regulatory functions and showed the ability to prime T cell function and induce antitumor responses. Chop expression in MDSCs was induced by tumor-linked reactive oxygen and nitrogen species and regulated by the activating-transcription factor-4. Chop-deficient MDSCs displayed reduced signaling through CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein-β, leading to a decreased production of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and low expression of phospho-STAT3. IL-6 overexpression restored immune-suppressive activity of Chop-deficient MDSCs. These findings suggest the role of Chop in tumor-induced tolerance and the therapeutic potential of targeting Chop in MDSCs for cancer immunotherapy. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. Model and Study on Cascade Control System Based on IGBT Chopping Control

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Niu, Yuxin; Chen, Liangqiao; Wang, Shuwen

    2018-01-01

    Thyristor cascade control system has a wide range of applications in the industrial field, but the traditional cascade control system has some shortcomings, such as a low power factor, serious harmonic pollution. In this paper, not only analyzing its system structure and working principle, but also discussing the two main factors affecting the power factor. Chopping-control cascade control system, adopted a new power switching device IGBT, which could overcome traditional cascade control system’s two main drawbacks efficiently. The basic principle of this cascade control system is discussed in this paper and the model of speed control system is built by using MATLAB/Simulink software. Finally, the simulation results of the system shows that the system works efficiently. This system is worthy to be spread widely in engineering application.

  2. A novel type of EWS-CHOP fusion gene in myxoid liposarcoma

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

    Matsui, Yoshito; Ueda, Takafumi; Kubo, Takahiro

    2006-09-22

    The cytogenetic hallmark of myxoid type and round cell type liposarcoma consists of reciprocal translocation of t(12;16)(q13;p11) and t(12;22)(q13;q12), which results in fusion of TLS/FUS and CHOP, and EWS and CHOP, respectively. Nine structural variations of the TLS/FUS-CHOP chimeric transcript have been reported, however, only two types of EWS-CHOP have been described. We describe here a case of myxoid liposarcoma containing a novel EWS-CHOP chimeric transcript and identified the breakpoint occurring in intron 13 of EWS. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and direct sequence showed that exon 13 of EWS was in-frame fused to exon 2 of CHOP. Genomic analysis revealedmore » that the breaks were located in intron 13 of EWS and intron 1 of CHOP.« less

  3. Parkin regulation of CHOP modulates susceptibility to cardiac endoplasmic reticulum stress.

    PubMed

    Han, Kim; Hassanzadeh, Shahin; Singh, Komudi; Menazza, Sara; Nguyen, Tiffany T; Stevens, Mark V; Nguyen, An; San, Hong; Anderson, Stasia A; Lin, Yongshun; Zou, Jizhong; Murphy, Elizabeth; Sack, Michael N

    2017-05-18

    The regulatory control of cardiac endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress is incompletely characterized. As ER stress signaling upregulates the E3-ubiquitin ligase Parkin, we investigated the role of Parkin in cardiac ER stress. Parkin knockout mice exposed to aortic constriction-induced cardiac pressure-overload or in response to systemic tunicamycin (TM) developed adverse ventricular remodeling with excessive levels of the ER regulatory C/EBP homologous protein CHOP. CHOP was identified as a Parkin substrate and its turnover was Parkin-dose and proteasome-dependent. Parkin depletion in cardiac HL-1 cells increased CHOP levels and enhanced susceptibility to TM-induced cell death. Parkin reconstitution rescued this phenotype and the contribution of excess CHOP to this ER stress injury was confirmed by reduction in TM-induced cell death when CHOP was depleted in Parkin knockdown cardiomyocytes. Isogenic Parkin mutant iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes showed exaggerated ER stress induced CHOP and apoptotic signatures and myocardium from subjects with dilated cardiomyopathy showed excessive Parkin and CHOP induction. This study identifies that Parkin functions to blunt excessive CHOP to prevent maladaptive ER stress-induced cell death and adverse cardiac ventricular remodeling. Additionally, Parkin is identified as a novel post-translational regulatory moderator of CHOP stability and uncovers an additional stress-modifying function of this E3-ubiquitin ligase.

  4. Diffraction effects in mechanically chopped laser pulses

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gambhir, Samridhi; Singh, Mandip

    2018-06-01

    A mechanical beam chopper consists of a rotating disc of regularly spaced wide slits which allow light to pass through them. A continuous light beam, after passing through the rotating disc, is switched-on and switched-off periodically, and a series of optical pulses are produced. The intensity of each pulse is expected to rise and fall smoothly with time. However, a careful study has revealed that the edges of mechanically chopped laser light pulses consist of periodic intensity undulations which can be detected with a photo detector. In this paper, it is shown that the intensity undulations in mechanically chopped laser pulses are produced by diffraction of light from the rotating disc, and a detailed explanation is given of the intensity undulations in mechanically chopped laser pulses. An experiment presented in this paper provides an efficient method to capture a one dimensional diffraction profile of light from a straight sharp-edge in the time domain. In addition, the experiment accurately measures wavelengths of three different laser beams from the undulations in mechanically chopped laser light pulses.

  5. Cyclophilin B is involved in p300-mediated degradation of CHOP in tumor cell adaptation to hypoxia.

    PubMed

    Jeong, K; Kim, H; Kim, K; Kim, S-J; Hahn, B-S; Jahng, G-H; Yoon, K-S; Kim, S S; Ha, J; Kang, I; Choe, W

    2014-03-01

    The regulation of CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein-homologous protein (CHOP), an endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-response factor, is key to cellular survival. Hypoxia is a physiologically important stress that induces cell death in the context of the ER, especially in solid tumors. Although our previous studies have suggested that Cyclophilin B (CypB), a molecular chaperone, has a role in ER stress, currently, there is no direct information supporting its mechanism under hypoxia. Here, we demonstrate for the first time that CypB is associated with p300 E4 ligase, induces ubiquitination and regulates the proteasomal turnover of CHOP, one of the well-known pro-apoptotic molecules under hypoxia. Our findings show that CypB physically interacts with the N-terminal α-helix domain of CHOP under hypoxia and cooperates with p300 to modulate the ubiquitination of CHOP. We also show that CypB is transcriptionally induced through ATF6 under hypoxia. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that CypB prevents hypoxia-induced cell death through modulation of ubiquitin-mediated CHOP protein degradation, suggesting that CypB may have an important role in the tight regulation of CHOP under hypoxia.

  6. Cyclophilin B is involved in p300-mediated degradation of CHOP in tumor cell adaptation to hypoxia

    PubMed Central

    Jeong, K; Kim, H; Kim, K; Kim, S-J; Hahn, B-S; Jahng, G-H; Yoon, K-S; Kim, S S; Ha, J; Kang, I; Choe, W

    2014-01-01

    The regulation of CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein-homologous protein (CHOP), an endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-response factor, is key to cellular survival. Hypoxia is a physiologically important stress that induces cell death in the context of the ER, especially in solid tumors. Although our previous studies have suggested that Cyclophilin B (CypB), a molecular chaperone, has a role in ER stress, currently, there is no direct information supporting its mechanism under hypoxia. Here, we demonstrate for the first time that CypB is associated with p300 E4 ligase, induces ubiquitination and regulates the proteasomal turnover of CHOP, one of the well-known pro-apoptotic molecules under hypoxia. Our findings show that CypB physically interacts with the N-terminal α-helix domain of CHOP under hypoxia and cooperates with p300 to modulate the ubiquitination of CHOP. We also show that CypB is transcriptionally induced through ATF6 under hypoxia. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that CypB prevents hypoxia-induced cell death through modulation of ubiquitin-mediated CHOP protein degradation, suggesting that CypB may have an important role in the tight regulation of CHOP under hypoxia. PMID:24270407

  7. [Comparative study on the efficacy of Hyper CVAD/MA regimen and CHOP or CHOP like regimen in the treatment of primary peripheral T cell lymphoma].

    PubMed

    Wang, Jin; Gao, Lei; Qiu, Huiying; Zhang, Weiping; Yang, Jianmin; Song, Xianmin; Lyu, Shuqing; Chen, Jie; Wang, Jianmin

    2014-10-01

    To evaluate the curative efficacy and safety of two regimens, Hyper CVAD/MA and CHOP/CHOP, in the treatment of primary peripheral T cell lymphoma (PTCL). The clinical data of 80 primary PTCL patients were retrospectively analyzed, and the efficacy and safety of the two regimens, Hyper CVAD/MA and CHOP/CHOP, were evaluated. Of 80 patients with primary PTCL, 23 were treated with Hyper CVAD/MA regimen (HM group, experimental group) and 57 with CHOP or CHOP-like regimen (CC group, control group). The differences between overall response rate (ORR) among HM group and CC group (78.3% vs 54.4%, P = 0.047), ORR in patients with IPI score of 0-2 (86.7% vs 55.2%, P = 0.037), courses of chemotherapy to achieve remission (4 vs 6, P = 0.004), median progression-free survival (PFS) time (24 months vs 12 months, P = 0.039) and 1- year PFS rate (82.6% against 45.6%, P = 0.006) were statistically significant. The relapse rates were similar between 2 groups (50.0% vs 54.8%, P = 0.744). The 2-year and 3-year progression-free survivals and 3 year overall survival were not significantly different (P > 0.05). Patients in Hyper CVAD/MA group are more susceptible to neutropenia (<1.5 × 10⁹/L) (73.9% vs 38.6%, P=0.004). The curative effect of Hyper CVAD/MA regimen as induction therapy in treatment of PTCL patients except ALK positive PTCL patients was better than that of CHOP/CHOP-like regimen.

  8. Method of Fabricating Chopped-Fiber Composite Piston

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Rivers, H. Kevin (Inventor); Ransone, Philip O. (Inventor); Northam, G. Burton (Inventor)

    1999-01-01

    A three-dimensional piston molding is fabricated from a mixture of chopped, carbon tow filaments of variable length, which are prepregged with carbonaceous organic resins and/or pitches and molded by conventional molding processes into a near net shape, to form a carbon-fiber reinforced organic-matrix composite part. Continuous reinforcement in the form of carbon-carbon composite tapes or pieces of fabric can be also laid in the mold before or during the charging of the mold with the chopped-fiber mixture, to enhance the strength in the crown and wrist-pin areas. The molded chopped-fiber reinforced organic-matrix composite parts are then pyrolized in an inert atmosphere, to convert the organic matrix materials to carbon. These pyrolized parts are then densified by reimpregnation with resins or pitches, which are subsequently carbonized. Densification is also accomplished by direct infiltration with carbon by vapor deposition processes. Once the desired density has been achieved, the piston molds are machined to final piston dimensions, and piston ring grooves are added. To prevent oxidation and/or to seal the piston surface or near surface, the chopped-fiber piston is coated with ceramic and/or metallic sealants: and/or coated with a catalyst.

  9. CHOP plus etoposide and gemcitabine (CHOP-EG) as front-line chemotherapy for patients with peripheral T cell lymphomas.

    PubMed

    Kim, Jong Gwang; Sohn, Sang Kyun; Chae, Yee Soo; Kim, Dong Hwan; Baek, Jin Ho; Lee, Kyu Bo; Lee, Je-Jung; Chung, Ik-Joo; Kim, Hyeoung-Joon; Yang, Deok-Hwan; Lee, Won-Sik; Joo, Young-Don; Sohn, Chang-Hak

    2006-07-01

    The present study evaluated the feasibility of CHOP (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone) plus etoposide and gemcitabine (CHOP-EG) as front-line chemotherapy in patients with peripheral T cell lymphomas (PTCLs). Twenty-six patients with newly diagnosed PTCLs were enrolled into the pilot study. Treatment consisted of classical CHOP plus etoposide 100 mg/m(2) intravenously (i.v.) on day 1 and gemcitabine 600 mg/m(2) i.v. on day 1 in a 3 week interval. Fifteen complete responses (CR, 57.7%) or one unconfirmed complete response (uCR, 3.8%) and four partial responses (PR, 15.4%) were confirmed, giving an overall response rate of 76.9% (95% CI, 58.3-96.3%). Median survival has not yet been reached, while median event free survival was 215 days at a median follow-up duration of 383 days. Estimated overall survival at 1 year was 69.6%. The most severe haematological adverse event was neutropaenia, which occurred with a grade 4 intensity in 14 patients (53.8%). Additionally, febrile neutropaenia was observed in four patients (15.4%). However, there was no treatment-related death. The CHOP-EG regimen was found to be feasible in patients with PTCLs. For further investigation on the role of gemcitabine in the treatment of PTCLs, a more large scale phase II or phase III study is warranted.

  10. Role of intrinsic search cues in the formation of consumer preferences and choice for pork chops.

    PubMed

    Verbeke, Wim; De Smet, Stefaan; Vackier, Isabelle; Van Oeckel, Monique J; Warnants, Nathalie; Van Kenhove, Patrick

    2005-02-01

    This study investigates the role of drip, colour, marbling and fat cover as intrinsic search cues in the formation of pork chop preferences and individual determinants. Data are collected from a sample of 443 pork consumers in Belgium through using repeated selection of chops from randomised photobooks and questionnaires including socio-demographic, attitudinal and behavioural variables. Data analysis includes mixture regression analysis, bivariate descriptive statistics and the estimation of multivariate probit models. Consumers sampled in this study prefer pork chops without fat cover. Preference for fat cover is stronger among male, 35+ aged consumers with lower levels of awareness of the relation between food and health and who like pork for other reasons than taste and nutritional value (all p<0.05). Preference for colour is equally consistent within an individual, though fifty-fifty light-dark, with dark chops being more preferred by 35+ aged consumers (p<0.05). Preferences for marbling and drip are not consistent and not determined by joint socio-demographic, attitudinal and behavioural factors. Preferences for cue levels are not correlated, except a weak relation between preference for dark chops without drip (r=0.116). Preferences are apparently formed by deductions with the use of single cues as key information, mainly based on fat cover or colour, and random choice on marbling and drip.

  11. A prospective randomized study of Chop versus Chop plus alpha-2B interferon in patients with intermediate and high grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: the International Oncology Study Group NHL1 Study .

    PubMed

    Giles, F J; Shan, J; Advani, S H; Akan, H; Aydogdu, I; Aziz, Z; Azim, H A; Bapsy, P P; Buyukkececi, F; Chaimongkol, B; Chen, P M; Cheong, S K; Ferhanoglu, B; Hamza, R; Khalid, H M; Intragumtornchai, T; Kim, S W; Kim, S Y; Koc, H; Kumar, L; Kumar, R; Lei, K I; Lekhakula, A; Muthalib, A; Patel, M; Poovalingam, V P; Prayoonwiwat, W; Rana, F; Reksodiputro, A H; Ruff, P; Sagar, T G; Schwarer, A P; Song, H S; Suh, C W; Suharti, C; Supindiman, I; Tee, G Y; Thamprasit, T; Villalon, A H; Wickham, N R; Wong, J E; Yalcin, A; Jootar, S

    2000-12-01

    The addition of a brief alpha interferon regimen to each CHOP induction cycle, plus one year of alpha interferon thrice weekly maintenance therapy, has no early effect on response rates or survival in patients with Intermediate or High grade cell NHL. The CHOP (Cyclophosphamide, Adriamycin. Vincristine, Prednisone) regimen is the most widely used first-line therapy for patients with Intermediate or High Grade (IG/HG) non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). Alpha 2b interferon (INF) enhances response rates and improves survival in low-grade NHL. The International Oncology Study Group (IOSG) conducted a prospective randomized study comparing CHOP alone or combined with INF in patients with IG/HG-NHL. The primary study aim was to compare the objective response rates in these patient cohorts. Patients with a confirmed diagnosis of measurable NHL of International Working Formulation (IWF) groups D to H histology were randomized to receive CHOP alone or CHOP with 5Mu INF s.c. for 5 days on days 22 to 26 of each 28 day cycle with INF 5 million units (Mu) given three times per week subcutaneously for 52 weeks in those patients who responded to CHOP plus INF. The overall response rates were equivalent in both groups: CHOP alone (214 patients) 81% (complete 55%, partial 26%); CHOP plus INF (221 patients) 80% (complete 54%, partial 26%). At 36 months, the actuarial survival rate was equivalent in both groups. There is no apparent early advantage in terms of response or survival conferred by adding the study INF regimen to CHOP therapy for patients with IG/HG-NHL.

  12. Chop deletion reduces oxidative stress, improves β cell function, and promotes cell survival in multiple mouse models of diabetes

    PubMed Central

    Song, Benbo; Scheuner, Donalyn; Ron, David; Pennathur, Subramaniam; Kaufman, Randal J.

    2008-01-01

    The progression from insulin resistance to type 2 diabetes is caused by the failure of pancreatic β cells to produce sufficient levels of insulin to meet the metabolic demand. Recent studies indicate that nutrient fluctuations and insulin resistance increase proinsulin synthesis in β cells beyond the capacity for folding of nascent polypeptides within the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) lumen, thereby disrupting ER homeostasis and triggering the unfolded protein response (UPR). Chronic ER stress promotes apoptosis, at least in part through the UPR-induced transcription factor C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP). We assessed the effect of Chop deletion in multiple mouse models of type 2 diabetes and found that Chop–/– mice had improved glycemic control and expanded β cell mass in all conditions analyzed. In both genetic and diet-induced models of insulin resistance, CHOP deficiency improved β cell ultrastructure and promoted cell survival. In addition, we found that isolated islets from Chop–/– mice displayed increased expression of UPR and oxidative stress response genes and reduced levels of oxidative damage. These findings suggest that CHOP is a fundamental factor that links protein misfolding in the ER to oxidative stress and apoptosis in β cells under conditions of increased insulin demand. PMID:18776938

  13. CHOP mediates XBP1S-induced renal mesangial cell necrosis following high glucose treatment.

    PubMed

    Shao, Decui; Ni, Jun; Shen, Yang; Liu, Jia; Zhou, Li; Xue, Hong; Huang, Yu; Zhang, Wei; Lu, Limin

    2015-07-05

    High glucose (HG)-induced apoptosis in mesangial cells (MCs) is a critical determinant during the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy. The signaling cascade inducing MCs apoptosis by HG involves overproduction of reactive oxygen species. Our previous studies have demonstrated that HG-induced oxidative stress is mediated by suppression of spliced/active X-box binding protein 1 (XBP1S), suggesting the importance of XBP1S in HG-induced MCs apoptosis. CHOP, an endoplasmic reticulum stress-associated proapoptotic signal, is involved in downstream of XBP1S. In the present study, we explored the effect of XBP1S in modulating HG-induced apoptosis in renal MCs and then identified the role of CHOP in these processes. Apoptosis and necrosis were quantified by flow cytometry; protein levels of XBP1S, caspase3, Bax, Bcl2, BNIP3, and CHOP were analyzed by Western blotting. The cellular localization of XBP1S was determined by immunofluorescence histochemistry. The binding of XBP1 to CHOP promoter was determined by chromatin immunoprecipitation assays. In addition, adenoviruses harboring XBP1S gene (Ad-XBP1S) were used to overexpress XBP1S, whereas the knockdown of CHOP was achieved by small interference RNA. HG suppressed nuclear distribution of XBP1S and induced apoptosis and necrosis in MCs. Ad-XBP1S infection enhanced the nuclear translocation of XBP1S and reduced MCs apoptosis and necrosis. XBP1S bound to the promoter region of CHOP and upregulated CHOP expression. Conversely, CHOP expression was reduced upon HG exposure and knockdown of CHOP increased necrosis but not apoptosis in MCs. These results suggest that XBP1S protected MCs from HG-induced apoptosis and necrosis, and CHOP participates in XBP1S-regulated necrosis but not apoptosis. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  14. Influence of the chopped frequency of light on optical transport characteristics of human skin including at acupuncture points

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yang, Hong-qin; Xie, Shu-sen; Liu, Song-hao; Li, Hui; Wang, Yu-hua; Guo, Zhou-yi

    2007-11-01

    An experimental protocol was established for noninvasively measuring the optical transport characteristics of skin tissue along human meridian direction over body surface including at acupuncture points. The diffuse remittance for 658 nm light radiation along the pericardium meridian and non-meridian directions were measured respectively. The influence of the chopped frequency of light on the detected light signal was investigated. It is shown that the optical transport characteristics of skin tissue accords with the Beer's exponential attenuation law along the meridian including at acupuncture points and non-median directions. However there is an obvious difference between the propagations along the meridian direction and non-meridian direction (P<0.05). Furthermore, the chopped frequency can affect the detected signal. The diffuse remittance signal decreased with the chopped frequency's increase and it was different between the meridian and non-meridian directions. These findings are important and meaningful for interpreting the human meridian phenomena by biomedical optics.

  15. Phaco chop technique for cataract surgery in the dog.

    PubMed

    Warren, Christi

    2004-01-01

    Phaco chop is a bimanual phacoemulsification technique to remove cataracts. The technique was first presented at the 1993 3rd American-International Congress on Cataract, IOL, and Refractive Surgery in Seattle by Dr Kunihiro Nagahara. He compared the lens with a block of wood and by applying chopping forces parallel to the natural planes of the lens lamellae, as one does in splitting wood, a nucleus can be cleaved with surprisingly little force and time. Dr Nagahara used the phaco tip to impale and high vacuum to hold the nucleus while a second instrument, or chopper, hooked the equator and was pulled centrally, splitting the nucleus along its natural cleavage planes. This was a breakthrough for surgeons who had been utilizing several minutes of phaco energy sculpting grooves and bowls in a lens. Studies have shown that compared with four-quadrant 'divide and conquer', the phaco chop technique uses less phaco time and energy, significantly reducing endothelial cell damage. Other advantages of phaco chop include reduction of zonular and capsular stress because forces are directed toward an opposing instrument and the phaco tip is kept in a central 'safe zone' in the middle of the pupil. This technique has also been successfully adapted to the canine phacoemulsification procedure. The larger canine lens requires some modifications, and lenses with hard nuclear and cortical material may not be amenable to this procedure.

  16. CHOP Contributes to, But Is Not the Only Mediator of, IAPP Induced β-Cell Apoptosis.

    PubMed

    Gurlo, T; Rivera, J F; Butler, A E; Cory, M; Hoang, J; Costes, S; Butler, Peter C

    2016-04-01

    The islet in type 2 diabetes is characterized by β-cell loss, increased β-cell apoptosis, and islet amyloid derived from islet amyloid polypeptide (IAPP). When protein misfolding protective mechanisms are overcome, human IAPP (h-IAPP) forms membrane permeant toxic oligomers that induce β-cell dysfunction and apoptosis. In humans with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and mice transgenic for h-IAPP, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress has been inferred from nuclear translocation of CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein homologous protein (CHOP), an established mediator of ER stress. To establish whether h-IAPP toxicity is mediated by ER stress, we evaluated diabetes onset and β-cell mass in h-IAPP transgenic (h-TG) mice with and without deletion of CHOP in comparison with wild-type controls. Diabetes was delayed in h-TG CHOP(-/-) mice, with relatively preserved β-cell mass and decreased β-cell apoptosis. Deletion of CHOP attenuates dysfunction of the autophagy/lysosomal pathway in β-cells of h-TG mice, uncovering a role for CHOP in mediating h-IAPP-induced dysfunction of autophagy. As deletion of CHOP delayed but did not prevent h-IAPP-induced β-cell loss and diabetes, we examined CHOP-independent stress pathways. JNK, a target of the IRE-1pTRAF2 complex, and the Bcl-2 family proapoptotic mediator BIM, a target of ATF4, were comparably activated by h-IAPP expression in the presence and absence of CHOP. Therefore, although these studies affirm that CHOP is a mediator of h-IAPP-induced ER stress, it is not the only one. Therefore, suppression of CHOP alone is unlikely to be a durable therapeutic strategy to protect against h-IAPP toxicity because multiple stress pathways are activated.

  17. Chopped or Long Roughage: What Do Calves Prefer? Using Cross Point Analysis of Double Demand Functions

    PubMed Central

    Webb, Laura E.; Bak Jensen, Margit; Engel, Bas; van Reenen, Cornelis G.; Gerrits, Walter J. J.; de Boer, Imke J. M.; Bokkers, Eddie A. M.

    2014-01-01

    The present study aimed to quantify calves'(Bos taurus) preference for long versus chopped hay and straw, and hay versus straw, using cross point analysis of double demand functions, in a context where energy intake was not a limiting factor. Nine calves, fed milk replacer and concentrate, were trained to work for roughage rewards from two simultaneously available panels. The cost (number of muzzle presses) required on the panels varied in each session (left panel/right panel): 7/35, 14/28, 21/21, 28/14, 35/7. Demand functions were estimated from the proportion of rewards achieved on one panel relative to the total number of rewards achieved in one session. Cross points (cp) were calculated as the cost at which an equal number of rewards was achieved from both panels. The deviation of the cp from the midpoint (here 21) indicates the strength of the preference. Calves showed a preference for long versus chopped hay (cp  = 14.5; P  = 0.004), and for hay versus straw (cp  = 38.9; P = 0.004), both of which improve rumen function. Long hay may stimulate chewing more than chopped hay, and the preference for hay versus straw could be related to hedonic characteristics. No preference was found for chopped versus long straw (cp  = 20.8; P = 0.910). These results could be used to improve the welfare of calves in production systems; for example, in systems where calves are fed hay along with high energy concentrate, providing long hay instead of chopped could promote roughage intake, rumen development, and rumination. PMID:24558426

  18. Strengthening behavior of chopped multi-walled carbon nanotube reinforced aluminum matrix composites

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

    Shin, S.E.; Bae, D.H., E-mail: donghyun@yonsei.ac.kr

    2013-09-15

    Strengthening behavior of the aluminum composites reinforced with chopped multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) or aluminum carbide formed during annealing at 500 °C has been investigated. The composites were fabricated by hot-rolling the powders which were ball-milled under various conditions. During the early annealing process, aluminum atoms can cluster inside the tube due to the diffusional flow of aluminum atoms into the tube, providing an increase of the strength of the composite. Further annealing induces the formation of the aluminum carbide phase, leading to an overall drop in the strength of the composites. While the strength of the composites can bemore » evaluated according to the rule of mixture, a particle spacing effect can be additionally imparted on the strength of the composites reinforced with the chopped MWCNTs or the corresponding carbides since the reinforcing agents are smaller than the submicron matrix grains. - Highlights: • Strengthening behavior of chopped CNT reinforced Al-based composites is investigated. • Chopped CNTs have influenced the strength and microstructures of the composites. • Chopped CNTs are created under Ar- 3% H2 atmosphere during mechanical milling. • Strength can be evaluated by the rule of the mixture and a particle spacing effect.« less

  19. Additional Survival Benefit of Involved-Lesion Radiation Therapy After R-CHOP Chemotherapy in Limited Stage Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma

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

    Kwon, Jeanny; Kim, Il Han, E-mail: ihkim@snu.ac.kr; Cancer Research Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul

    Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the role of involved-lesion radiation therapy (ILRT) after rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (R-CHOP) chemotherapy in limited stage diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) by comparing outcomes of R-CHOP therapy alone with R-CHOP followed by ILRT. Methods and Materials: We identified 198 patients treated with R-CHOP (median, 6 cycles) for pathologically confirmed DLBCL of limited stage from July 2004 to December 2012. Clinical characteristics of these patients were 33% with stage I and 66.7% with stage II; 79.8% were in the low or low-intermediate risk group; 13.6% had B symptoms; 29.8%more » had bulky tumors (≥7 cm); and 75.3% underwent ≥6 cycles of R-CHOP therapy. RT was given to 43 patients (21.7%) using ILRT technique, which included the prechemotherapy tumor volume with a median margin of 2 cm (median RT dose: 36 Gy). Results: After a median follow-up of 40 months, 3-year progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were 85.8% and 88.9%, respectively. Multivariate analysis showed ≥6 cycles of R-CHOP (PFS, P=.004; OS, P=.004) and ILRT (PFS, P=.021; OS, P=.014) were favorable prognosticators of PFS and OS. A bulky tumor (P=.027) and response to R-CHOP (P=.012) were also found to be independent factors of OS. In subgroup analysis, the effect of ILRT was prominent in patients with a bulky tumor (PFS, P=.014; OS, P=.030) or an elevated level of serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH; PFS, P=.004; OS, P=.012). Conclusions: Our results suggest that ILRT after R-CHOP therapy improves PFS and OS in patients with limited stage DLBCL, especially in those with bulky disease or an elevated serum LDH level.« less

  20. Addition of rituximab to chop does not increase the risk of cardiotoxicity in patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

    PubMed

    Kilickap, Saadettin; Yavuz, Bunyamin; Aksoy, Sercan; Sahiner, Levent; Dincer, Murat; Harputluoglu, Hakan; Erman, Mustafa; Aytemir, Kudret; Tokgozoglu, Lale; Barista, Ibrahim

    2008-01-01

    The addition of rituximab to doxorubicin-containing standard chemotherapy significantly improves response to therapy and reduces the risk of death in B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) patients. However, the impact of this approach on doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity has not been elucidated. Patients who had been planned to receive CHOP or rituximab plus CHOP (R-CHOP) combination chemotherapy with a diagnosis of NHL were included in the study. In all patients, systolic and diastolic parameters were measured by using conventional and pulsed-wave tissue Doppler echocardiography, which is more sensitive than conventional lead-dependent techniques, both before and in the sixth month of therapy. There were 28 (M/F; 14/14) patients on CHOP and 33 (M/F; 16/17) patients on R-CHOP. Median age in CHOP and R-CHOP was 49 and 50 years (P = 0.44), respectively. Cumulative doxorubicin doses were 280 and 286 mg/m(2) on CHOP and R-CHOP (P = 0.65), respectively. None of the patients developed clinically evident congestive heart failure. Parameters of systolic function such as LVEF and FS did not significantly change in any patients. In both arms, tissue Doppler parameters of diastolic function such as lateral E and septal E velocity of mitral annulus decreased significantly after therapy (P < 0.001). However, the decrease in diastolic function was similar in both arms (P > 0.05). Conventional Doppler echocardiography yielded consistent findings. Both CHOP and R-CHOP cause diastolic dysfunction in the early period following their administration. The addition of rituximab to CHOP chemotherapy does not significantly increase the risk of doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity during this period.

  1. Etching radical controlled gas chopped deep reactive ion etching

    DOEpatents

    Olynick, Deidre; Rangelow, Ivo; Chao, Weilun

    2013-10-01

    A method for silicon micromachining techniques based on high aspect ratio reactive ion etching with gas chopping has been developed capable of producing essentially scallop-free, smooth, sidewall surfaces. The method uses precisely controlled, alternated (or chopped) gas flow of the etching and deposition gas precursors to produce a controllable sidewall passivation capable of high anisotropy. The dynamic control of sidewall passivation is achieved by carefully controlling fluorine radical presence with moderator gasses, such as CH.sub.4 and controlling the passivation rate and stoichiometry using a CF.sub.2 source. In this manner, sidewall polymer deposition thicknesses are very well controlled, reducing sidewall ripples to very small levels. By combining inductively coupled plasmas with controlled fluorocarbon chemistry, good control of vertical structures with very low sidewall roughness may be produced. Results show silicon features with an aspect ratio of 20:1 for 10 nm features with applicability to nano-applications in the sub-50 nm regime. By comparison, previous traditional gas chopping techniques have produced rippled or scalloped sidewalls in a range of 50 to 100 nm roughness.

  2. Effect of dietary zinc and ractopamine hydrochloride on pork chop muscle fiber type distribution, tenderness, and color characteristics.

    PubMed

    Paulk, C B; Tokach, M D; Nelssen, J L; Burnett, D D; Vaughn, M A; Phelps, K J; Dritz, S S; Derouchey, J M; Goodband, R D; Woodworth, J C; Houser, T A; Haydon, K D; Gonzalez, J M

    2014-05-01

    was a trend for increased (linear, P = 0.07) cooking loss with increasing Zn in RAC diets and treatments did not affect tenderness as measured by Warner-Bratzler shear force (P > 0.07). In conclusion, RAC+ diets produced chops that were lighter and less red but maintained a greater percentage of surface oxymyoglobin throughout a 5-d simulated retail display. Ractopamine reduced MRA at the end of the display period, but supplementing Zn to RAC diets restored MRA to near CON treatment levels at the end of the display period.

  3. Assessment of temporal association of relapse of canine multicentric lymphoma with components of the CHOP protocol: Is cyclophosphamide the weakest link?

    PubMed

    Wang, Shang-Lin; Lee, Jih-Jong; Liao, Albert Taiching

    2016-07-01

    Combination chemotherapy, using cyclophosphamide, hydroxydaunorubicin, vincristine and prednisolone (CHOP), is the most commonly used treatment for canine lymphoma. Most affected dogs respond during the initial stages of chemotherapy, but many relapse. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between the use of specific chemotherapy drugs and clinical relapse, using the modified Madison-Wisconsin, 25 week chemotherapy protocol. Forty-one of 68 dogs affected with multicentric lymphoma relapsed during the treatment period. Relapse occurred more frequently after the administration of cyclophosphamide (n = 24; P < 0.01), compared with vincristine (n = 9) or doxorubicin (n = 5). Therefore, the therapeutic outcome of traditional CHOP-based chemotherapy might be improved by replacing cyclophosphamide with other cytotoxic drugs. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Retrospective analysis for treatment of naïve canine multicentric lymphoma with a 15-week, maintenance-free CHOP protocol.

    PubMed

    Curran, K; Thamm, D H

    2016-08-01

    Standard of care treatment of dogs with multicentric lymphoma includes combination chemotherapy with cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisone (CHOP); however, owners may be hesitant to commit the resources necessary to complete a lengthy, multi-drug protocol. One hundred thirty-four client-owned dogs with multicentric lymphoma were treated with a 15-week CHOP chemotherapy protocol. The overall response rate was 98% with 104 dogs experiencing a complete response (CR). The median progression-free survival (PFS) time for all dogs was 176 days, and the median disease-specific overall survival time was 311 days. Prognostic factors identified on multivariate analysis as significant for PFS included substage, immunophenotype, hospitalization for adverse events, need for dose reduction, presence of neutrophilia at diagnosis, presence of anemia and experiencing a CR as best response to therapy. In conclusion, this protocol may be a viable alternative to CHOP protocols using a larger number of treatments. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  5. 9 CFR 381.401 - Required nutrition labeling of ground or chopped poultry products.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-01-01

    ... 9 Animals and Animal Products 2 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Required nutrition labeling of ground or chopped poultry products. 381.401 Section 381.401 Animals and Animal Products FOOD SAFETY AND... Nutrition Labeling § 381.401 Required nutrition labeling of ground or chopped poultry products. Nutrition...

  6. 9 CFR 381.401 - Required nutrition labeling of ground or chopped poultry products.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... 9 Animals and Animal Products 2 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Required nutrition labeling of ground or chopped poultry products. 381.401 Section 381.401 Animals and Animal Products FOOD SAFETY AND... Nutrition Labeling § 381.401 Required nutrition labeling of ground or chopped poultry products. Nutrition...

  7. 9 CFR 381.401 - Required nutrition labeling of ground or chopped poultry products.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ... 9 Animals and Animal Products 2 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Required nutrition labeling of ground or chopped poultry products. 381.401 Section 381.401 Animals and Animal Products FOOD SAFETY AND... Nutrition Labeling § 381.401 Required nutrition labeling of ground or chopped poultry products. Nutrition...

  8. 9 CFR 381.401 - Required nutrition labeling of ground or chopped poultry products.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ... 9 Animals and Animal Products 2 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Required nutrition labeling of ground or chopped poultry products. 381.401 Section 381.401 Animals and Animal Products FOOD SAFETY AND... Nutrition Labeling § 381.401 Required nutrition labeling of ground or chopped poultry products. Nutrition...

  9. 9 CFR 317.301 - Required nutrition labeling of ground or chopped meat products.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ... 9 Animals and Animal Products 2 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Required nutrition labeling of ground or chopped meat products. 317.301 Section 317.301 Animals and Animal Products FOOD SAFETY AND... Nutrition Labeling § 317.301 Required nutrition labeling of ground or chopped meat products. (a) Nutrition...

  10. 9 CFR 317.301 - Required nutrition labeling of ground or chopped meat products.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... 9 Animals and Animal Products 2 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Required nutrition labeling of ground or chopped meat products. 317.301 Section 317.301 Animals and Animal Products FOOD SAFETY AND... Nutrition Labeling § 317.301 Required nutrition labeling of ground or chopped meat products. (a) Nutrition...

  11. 9 CFR 317.301 - Required nutrition labeling of ground or chopped meat products.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-01-01

    ... 9 Animals and Animal Products 2 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Required nutrition labeling of ground or chopped meat products. 317.301 Section 317.301 Animals and Animal Products FOOD SAFETY AND... Nutrition Labeling § 317.301 Required nutrition labeling of ground or chopped meat products. (a) Nutrition...

  12. 9 CFR 317.301 - Required nutrition labeling of ground or chopped meat products.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ... 9 Animals and Animal Products 2 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Required nutrition labeling of ground or chopped meat products. 317.301 Section 317.301 Animals and Animal Products FOOD SAFETY AND... Nutrition Labeling § 317.301 Required nutrition labeling of ground or chopped meat products. (a) Nutrition...

  13. A crosstalk between p21 and UPR-induced transcription factor C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP) linked to type 2 diabetes.

    PubMed

    Mihailidou, Chrysovalantou; Papavassiliou, Athanasios G; Kiaris, Hippokratis

    2014-04-01

    Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a disease that is characterized by raised levels of glucose in the blood combined with insulin resistance and relative insulin deficiency. The pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes is associated with the induction of the unfolded protein response (UPR). While UPR aims to restore tissue homeostasis following stress of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), prolonged ER stress triggers apoptosis at least in part through the unfolded protein response (UPR)-activated transcription factor C/EBP (CCAAT/enhancer binding protein) homologous protein (CHOP). CHOP has elevated as a critical mediator connecting accumulation and aggregation of unfolded proteins in the ER and oxidative stress and also contributes to the induction of apoptosis in β-cell (beta-cell) - cells under conditions of increased insulin demand. p21 is a cell cycle regulator that is implicated in the regulation of the UPR by various mechanisms involving inhibition of apoptosis and facilitation of the regeneration capacity of the β cells. In this review we summarize the role of ER stress in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes which is associated with the induction of the unfolded protein response (UPR). We also review recent evidence associating p21 activity with β cell health and regenerative capacity by mechanisms that may interfere with the effects of p21 in the UPR or operate independently of ER stress. Most likely understanding the molecular details of the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes will be beneficial for the management of the disease. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  14. Stronger proteasomal inhibition and higher CHOP induction are responsible for more effective induction of paraptosis by dimethoxycurcumin than curcumin

    PubMed Central

    Yoon, M J; Kang, Y J; Lee, J A; Kim, I Y; Kim, M A; Lee, Y S; Park, J H; Lee, B Y; Kim, I A; Kim, H S; Kim, S-A; Yoon, A-R; Yun, C-O; Kim, E-Y; Lee, K; Choi, K S

    2014-01-01

    Although curcumin suppresses the growth of a variety of cancer cells, its poor absorption and low systemic bioavailability have limited its translation into clinics as an anticancer agent. In this study, we show that dimethoxycurcumin (DMC), a methylated, more stable analog of curcumin, is significantly more potent than curcumin in inducing cell death and reducing the clonogenicity of malignant breast cancer cells. Furthermore, DMC reduces the tumor growth of xenografted MDA-MB 435S cells more strongly than curcumin. We found that DMC induces paraptosis accompanied by excessive dilation of mitochondria and the endoplasmic reticulum (ER); this is similar to curcumin, but a much lower concentration of DMC is required to induce this process. DMC inhibits the proteasomal activity more strongly than curcumin, possibly causing severe ER stress and contributing to the observed dilation. DMC treatment upregulates the protein levels of CCAAT-enhancer-binding protein homologous protein (CHOP) and Noxa, and the small interfering RNA-mediated suppression of CHOP, but not Noxa, markedly attenuates DMC-induced ER dilation and cell death. Interestingly, DMC does not affect the viability, proteasomal activity or CHOP protein levels of human mammary epithelial cells, suggesting that DMC effectively induces paraptosis selectively in breast cancer cells, while sparing normal cells. Taken together, these results suggest that DMC triggers a stronger proteasome inhibition and higher induction of CHOP compared with curcumin, giving it more potent anticancer effects on malignant breast cancer cells. PMID:24625971

  15. Nupr1/Chop signal axis is involved in mitochondrion-related endothelial cell apoptosis induced by methamphetamine

    PubMed Central

    Cai, D; Huang, E; Luo, B; Yang, Y; Zhang, F; Liu, C; Lin, Z; Xie, W-B; Wang, H

    2016-01-01

    Methamphetamine (METH) abuse has been a serious global public health problem for decades. Previous studies have shown that METH causes detrimental effects on the nervous and cardiovascular systems. METH-induced cardiovascular toxicity has been, in part, attributed to its destructive effect on vascular endothelial cells. However, the underlying mechanism of METH-caused endothelium disruption has not been investigated systematically. In this study, we identified a novel pathway involved in endothelial cell apoptosis induced by METH. We demonstrated that exposure to METH caused mitochondrial apoptosis in human umbilical vein endothelial cells and rat cardiac microvascular endothelial cells in vitro as well as in rat cardiac endothelial cells in vivo. We found that METH mediated endothelial cell apoptosis through Nupr1–Chop/P53–PUMA/Beclin1 signaling pathway. Specifically, METH exposure increased the expression of Nupr1, Chop, P53 and PUMA. Elevated p53 expression raised up PUMA expression, which initiated mitochondrial apoptosis by downregulating antiapoptotic Bcl-2, followed by upregulation of proapoptotic Bax, resulting in translocation of cytochrome c (cyto c), an apoptogenic factor, from the mitochondria to cytoplasm and activation of caspase-dependent pathways. Interestingly, increased Beclin1, upregulated by Chop, formed a ternary complex with Bcl-2, thereby decreasing the dissociative Bcl-2. As a result, the ratio of dissociative Bcl-2 to Bax was also significantly decreased, which led to translocation of cyto c and initiated more drastic apoptosis. These findings were supported by data showing METH-induced apoptosis was significantly inhibited by silencing Nupr1, Chop or P53, or by PUMA or Beclin1 knockdown. Based on the present data, a novel mechanistic model of METH-induced endothelial cell toxicity is proposed. Collectively, these results highlight that the Nupr1–Chop/P53–PUMA/Beclin1 pathway is essential for mitochondrion-related METH

  16. Evaluation of a 15-week CHOP protocol for the treatment of canine multicentric lymphoma.

    PubMed

    Burton, J H; Garrett-Mayer, E; Thamm, D H

    2013-12-01

    Dose intense CHOP protocols have been shown to improve outcome for people with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, but evaluation of dose intense CHOP protocols for canine lymphoma is currently limited. The hypothesis of this retrospective study was that a 15-week dose intense CHOP protocol would have shorter treatment duration with similar efficacy to other doxorubicin-based multidrug protocols. Thirty-one client owned dogs with multicentric lymphoma were treated with a 15-week CHOP chemotherapy protocol with an overall response rate of 100% and a median progression-free interval (PFI) of 140 days [95% confidence interval (CI) 91-335 days]. Dogs that had two or more treatment delays had significantly prolonged PFI and overall survival in multivariate analysis. Dose intensity did not correlate with patient outcome. Dogs experiencing multiple treatment delays secondary to adverse events may receive their individual maximally tolerated dose while dogs with no adverse events may be underdosed. Future studies should focus on individual patient dose optimization. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  17. Emissions from cold heavy oil production with sands (CHOPS) facilities in Alberta, Canada

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Roscioli, J. R.; Herndon, S. C.; Yacovitch, T. I.; Knighton, W. B.; Zavala-Araiza, D.; Johnson, M. R.; Tyner, D. R.

    2017-12-01

    Cold heavy oil production with sands (CHOPS) is generally characterized as a pump driven oil extraction method producing a mixture of sand, water, and heavy oil to heated liquid storage tanks. In addition to fluids, CHOPS sites also produce solution gas, primarily composed of methane, through the well annulus. Depending on formation and well production characteristics, large volumes of this solution gas are frequently vented to the atmosphere without flaring or conservation. To better understand these emission we present measurements of methane, ethane, propane and aromatic emission rates from CHOPS sites using dual tracer flux ratio methodology. The use of two tracers allowed on-site emission sources to be accurately identified and in one instance indicated that the annular vent was responsible for >75% of emissions at the facility. Overall, a measurement survey of five CHOPS sites finds that the methane emissions are in general significantly under-reported by operators. This under-reporting may arise from uncertainties associated with measured gas-to-oil ratios upon which the reported vent volume is based. Finally, measurements of ethane, propane and aromatics from these facilities indicates surprisingly low non-methane hydrocarbon content.

  18. CHOP or THP-COP regimens in the treatment of newly diagnosed peripheral T-cell lymphoma, not otherwise specified: a comparison of doxorubicin and pirarubicin.

    PubMed

    Shibata, Yuhei; Hara, Takeshi; Kasahara, Senji; Yamada, Toshiki; Sawada, Michio; Mabuchi, Ryoko; Matsumoto, Takuro; Nakamura, Nobuhiko; Nakamura, Hiroshi; Ninomiya, Soranobu; Kitagawa, Junichi; Kanemura, Nobuhiro; Kito, Yusuke; Goto, Naoe; Miyazaki, Tatsuhiko; Takami, Tsuyoshi; Takeuchi, Tamotsu; Shimizu, Masahito; Tsurumi, Hisashi

    2017-06-01

    The CHOP regimen consisting of cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin (DOX), vincristine and prednisolone has been the most used regimen for peripheral T-cell lymphoma, not otherwise specified (PTCL-NOS). Pirarubicin [tetrahydropyranyladriamycin (THP)], a derivative of DOX, is an anthracycline with reportedly less cardiotoxicity than DOX. Here, we confirmed the efficacy of THP-COP using THP instead of DOX in the treatment of PTCL-NOS. The study protocol employed a retrospective, consecutive entry design. We retrospectively analysed 56 patients with PTCL-NOS who had received THP-COP or CHOP. These regimens were performed every 21 days. Twenty-nine patients received THP-COP, and 27 received CHOP. There were no significant differences in known prognostic factors, including in the International Prognostic Index (IPI) and the prognostic index for T-cell lymphoma (PIT), between the two groups. Complete remission rates in patients with THP-COP and CHOP were 52% in both groups; the 3-year overall survival (OS) rates were 67% and 52% (p = 0.074), and the 3-year progression-free survival (PFS) rates were 51% and 29% (p = 0.070), respectively. In patients with low IPI (low or low-intermediate), THP-COP had significantly better 3-year OS (100% vs. 64%; p < 0.001) and 3-year PFS (75% vs. 33%; p < 0.05) than CHOP. Similar differences between THP-COP and CHOP were observed in patients with a low PIT (groups 1 or 2). Our study showed that THP-COP produced results equivalent to CHOP regarding efficacy and safety in patients with PTCL-NOS. In patients with low IPI or PIT, THP-COP resulted in significantly better prognosis. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  19. A Biomechanical Analysis of the Karate Chop.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cavanagh, Peter R.; Landa, Jean

    Although the sport of karate has been somewhat neglected by scientists, the following two isolated biomechanical studies exist in literature: (1) tracings of a karate chop in two planes were presented, but no data was given concerning the rates of movement of the limb segments, and (2) pre- and postimpact phenomena of five subjects were studied,…

  20. Characterization of methane emissions from five cold heavy oil production with sands (CHOPS) facilities.

    PubMed

    Roscioli, Joseph R; Herndon, Scott C; Yacovitch, Tara I; Knighton, W Berk; Zavala-Araiza, Daniel; Johnson, Matthew R; Tyner, David R

    2018-03-07

    Cold heavy oil production with sands (CHOPS) is a common oil extraction method in the Canadian provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan that can result in significant methane emissions due to annular venting. Little is known about the magnitude of these emissions, nor their contributions to the regional methane budget. Here the authors present the results of field measurements of methane emissions from CHOPS wells and compare them with self-reported venting rates. The tracer ratio method was used not only to analyze total site emissions but at one site it was also used to locate primary emission sources and quantify their contributions to the facility-wide emission rate, revealing the annular vent to be a dominant source. Emissions measured from five different CHOPS sites in Alberta showed large discrepancies between the measured and reported rates, with emissions being mainly underreported. These methane emission rates are placed in the context of current reporting procedures and the role that gas-oil ratio (GOR) measurements play in vented volume estimates. In addition to methane, emissions of higher hydrocarbons were also measured; a chemical "fingerprint" associated with CHOPS wells in this region reveals very low emission ratios of ethane, propane, and aromatics versus methane. The results of this study may inform future studies of CHOPS sites and aid in developing policy to mitigate regional methane emissions. Methane measurements from cold heavy oil production with sand (CHOPS) sites identify annular venting to be a potentially major source of emissions at these facilities. The measured emission rates are generally larger than reported by operators, with uncertainty in the gas-oil ratio (GOR) possibly playing a large role in this discrepancy. These results have potential policy implications for reducing methane emissions in Alberta in order to achieve the Canadian government's goal of reducing methane emissions by 40-45% below 2012 levels within 8 yr.

  1. Chopped random-basis quantum optimization

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

    Caneva, Tommaso; Calarco, Tommaso; Montangero, Simone

    2011-08-15

    In this work, we describe in detail the chopped random basis (CRAB) optimal control technique recently introduced to optimize time-dependent density matrix renormalization group simulations [P. Doria, T. Calarco, and S. Montangero, Phys. Rev. Lett. 106, 190501 (2011)]. Here, we study the efficiency of this control technique in optimizing different quantum processes and we show that in the considered cases we obtain results equivalent to those obtained via different optimal control methods while using less resources. We propose the CRAB optimization as a general and versatile optimal control technique.

  2. Diffraction, chopping, and background subtraction for LDR

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Wright, Edward L.

    1988-01-01

    The Large Deployable Reflector (LDR) will be an extremely sensitive infrared telescope if the noise due to the photons in the large thermal background is the only limiting factor. For observations with a 3 arcsec aperture in a broadband at 100 micrometers, a 20-meter LDR will emit 10(exp 12) per second, while the photon noise limited sensitivity in a deep survey observation will be 3,000 photons per second. Thus the background subtraction has to work at the 1 part per billion level. Very small amounts of scattered or diffracted energy can be significant if they are modulated by the chopper. The results are presented for 1-D and 2-D diffraction calculations for the lightweight, low-cost LDR concept that uses an active chopping quaternary to correct the wavefront errors introduced by the primary. Fourier transforms were used to evaluate the diffraction of 1 mm waves through this system. Unbalanced signals due to dust and thermal gradients were also studied.

  3. Competition After Windrowing or Single-Roller Chopping For Site Preparation in the Southern Piedmont

    Treesearch

    James H. Miller

    1980-01-01

    For two years, post-treatment regrowth of herbaceous and woody species was sampled on two adjoining areas in the southern Piedmont where they had been either sheared and piled into windrows or chopped by a single pass of a single-drum roller-chopper. Windrowing yielded 55% less total standing crop of woody trees, shrubs, and vines after 2 years than chopping did. But...

  4. ERK1/2-dependent bestrophin-3 expression prevents ER-stress-induced cell death in renal epithelial cells by reducing CHOP.

    PubMed

    Lee, Wing-Kee; Chakraborty, Prabir K; Roussa, Eleni; Wolff, Natascha A; Thévenod, Frank

    2012-10-01

    Upon endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress induction, cells endeavor to survive by engaging the adaptive stress response known as the unfolded protein response or by removing aggregated proteins via autophagy. Chronic ER stress culminates in apoptotic cell death, which involves induction of pro-apoptotic CHOP. Here, we show that bestrophin-3 (Best-3), a protein previously associated with Ca(2+)-activated Cl(-) channel activity, is upregulated by the ER stressors, thapsigargin (TG), tunicamycin (TUN) and the toxic metal Cd(2+). In cultured rat kidney proximal tubule cells, ER stress, CHOP and cell death were induced after 6h by Cd(2+) (25μM), TG (3μM) and TUN (6μM), were associated with increased cytosolic Ca(2+) and downstream formation of reactive oxygen species and attenuated by the Ca(2+) chelator BAPTA-AM (10μM), the antioxidant α-tocopherol (100μM), or overexpression of catalase (CAT). Immunofluorescence staining showed Best-3 expression in the plasma membrane, nuclei and intracellular compartments, though not in the ER, in cultured cells and rat kidney cortex sections. Best-3 mRNA was augmented by ER stress and signaled through increased Ca(2+), oxidative stress and ERK1/2 phosphorylation, because it was attenuated by α-tocopherol, CAT expression, BAPTA-AM, calmodulin kinase inhibitor calmidazolium (40μM), ERK1/2 inhibitor U0126 (10μM), and ERK1/2 RNAi. Knockdown of Best-3 resulted in decreased cell number consequentially of cell death, as determined by nuclear staining and PARP-1 cleavage. Furthermore, reduced ER stress-cell death by Best-3 overexpression is attributed to diminished CHOP. Since Best-3 overexpression did not affect upstream signaling pathways, we hypothesize that Best-3 possibly interferes with CHOP transcription. From our novel observations, we conclude that ERK1/2-dependent Best-3 activation regulates cell fate decisions during ER stress by suppressing CHOP induction and death. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Correlation between compressive strength and ultrasonic pulse velocity of high strength concrete incorporating chopped basalt fibre

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shafiq, Nasir; Fadhilnuruddin, Muhd; Elshekh, Ali Elheber Ahmed; Fathi, Ahmed

    2015-07-01

    Ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV), is considered as the most important test for non-destructive techniques that are used to evaluate the mechanical characteristics of high strength concrete (HSC). The relationship between the compressive strength of HSC containing chopped basalt fibre stands (CBSF) and UPV was investigated. The concrete specimens were prepared using a different ratio of CBSF as internal strengthening materials. The compressive strength measurements were conducted at the sample ages of 3, 7, 28, 56 and 90 days; whilst, the ultrasonic pulse velocity was measured at 28 days. The result of HSC's compressive strength with the chopped basalt fibre did not show any improvement; instead, it was decreased. The UPV of the chopped basalt fibre reinforced concrete has been found to be less than that of the control mix for each addition ratio of the basalt fibre. A relationship plot is gained between the cube compressive strength for HSC and UPV with various amounts of chopped basalt fibres.

  6. The antimicrobial effects of chopped garlic in ground beef and raw meatball (ciğ köfte).

    PubMed

    Aydin, Ali; Bostan, Kamil; Erkan, Mehmet Emin; Bingöl, Bariş

    2007-03-01

    This study was carried out to investigate the antimicrobial effects of chopped garlic in ground beef and raw meatball (çig köfte), which is a traditional food product eaten raw. Fresh minced ground beef and raw meatball batter prepared with traditional methods were separated into groups. Chopped and crushed garlic was added to each batch in order to reach various concentrations from 0% to 10%. The ground beef samples were stored at refrigerator and ambient temperatures. The raw meatball samples were only stored at room temperature. All samples were analyzed in order to determine the microbial counts at the 2(nd), 6(th), 12(th), and 24(th) hours of storage. Garlic addition decreased the microbial growth in some ground beef samples kept either at room temperature or in the refrigerator. However, microbial growth increased in some ground beef samples kept in similar conditions. The difference was found in samples kept in the refrigerator for 24 hours in terms of total aerobic mesophilic bacteria and coliform bacteria when garlic used at 10%. The effects of garlic on the microbial growth of both coliforms and Staphylococcus/Micrococcus in the samples kept at room temperature were increased. The yeast and mold counts in ground beef samples kept in any condition were not affected by garlic addition. However, the addition of garlic to the raw meatball mix decreased the microbial count, in terms of total aerobic mesophilic bacteria and yeast and mold counts, when the garlic was added at 5% or 10% (P < .05). The addition of 10% garlic to raw meatball caused a permanent decrease in yeast and mold count, unlike in ground beef. The results of this study indicate that the chopped garlic has a slowing-down effect on microbiological growth in ground meat depending on the garlic concentration, but this effect was not at an expected level even at the highest concentration, because potential antimicrobial agents in chopped garlic were probably insufficiently extracted.

  7. Deliverability and efficacy of R-CHOP chemotherapy in very elderly patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma: an Australian retrospective analysis.

    PubMed

    Millar, A; Ellis, M; Mollee, P; Cochrane, T; Fletcher, J; Caudron, A; Webster, B; Trotman, J

    2015-11-01

    Elderly patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) have an inferior prognosis, due in part to advanced age and pre-existing comorbidities, with reduced tolerability and deliverability of standard R-CHOP chemotherapy. To examine the deliverability, toxicity and efficacy of R-CHOP and the prevalence of the germinal and non-germinal phenotype DLBCL in an elderly Australian cohort. This retrospective analysis included patients ≥75 years diagnosed with DLBCL. Comprehensive chemotherapy and toxicity data were collected for patients treated with R-CHOP. Baseline demographics and chemotherapy characteristics were compared with progression-free (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Immunohistochemical staining identified the prevalence of the non-germinal centre (non-GCB) phenotype. Of the 111 patients, 92 (83%) commenced R-CHOP with 26/92 (28%) receiving ≤4 cycles. Median average relative dose (ARD) was 0.80 (0.07-1.17). Median average relative dose intensity (ARDI) was 0.89 (0.33-1.18). Serious adverse events occurred in 77% of patients with ≥Gd3 adverse events in 74%. Overall response rate was 85%. Two-year PFS was 63% and OS 74%. ARD and performance status ≥2 were significant prognostic factors for PFS and OS but not ARDI. Non-GCB-phenotype was identified in 44/72 (61%) of patients with immunohistochemical data. Despite high response rates and respectable survival estimates, the absence of standard therapy in 17% of patients, and dose reductions and serious toxicity of R-CHOP in this Australian cohort highlights the need for the development of less toxic yet efficacious treatments for very elderly patients with DLBCL. The high prevalence of the non-GCB phenotype highlights the potential value of targeted biological therapy for this demographic. © 2015 Royal Australasian College of Physicians.

  8. Successful management with CHOP for pulmonary lymphomatoid granulomatosis in a dog.

    PubMed

    Hatoya, Singo; Kumagai, Daijiro; Takeda, Seiko; Yamamoto, Emi; Nakanishi, Masako; Kuwamura, Mitsuru; Sugiura, Kikuya; Sasai, Hiroshi; Yamate, Jyoji; Inaba, Toshio

    2011-04-01

    A 3-year-old, spayed female miniature dachshund was presented for vomiting and anorexia. Thoracic radiographs and CT scan revealed abnormal pulmonary opacities at bilateral caudal lobe. Cytological analysis of the pulmonary mass revealed the presence of large lymphohistiocytic cells and small lymphocytes with occasional neutrophils and plasma cells. An open lung biopsy was performed and a diagnosis of pulmonary lymphomatoid granulomatosis (LYG) was made. The dog was administered CHOP based therapy (modified UW-25), and it survived for 1,022 days after admission. Immunohistochemistry revealed pulmonary lesions consisted of many CD79a positive B cells aggregation and proliferation with prominent angiocentric pattern. This was the first case of canine pulmonary LYG managed by CHOP chemotherapy.

  9. Salmonella Immunotherapy Improves the Outcome of CHOP Chemotherapy in Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma-Bearing Mice

    PubMed Central

    Bascuas, Thais; Moreno, María; Grille, Sofía; Chabalgoity, José A.

    2018-01-01

    We have previously shown that Salmonella immunotherapy is effective to treat B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (B-NHL) in mice. However, this model involves animals with high tumor burden, whereas in the clinics B-NHL patients are usually treated with chemotherapy (CHOP: cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone) as first-line therapy prior to immunotherapy. Recently, we have described a NHL-B preclinical model using CHOP chemotherapy to achieve MRD in immunocompetent animals that closely resemble patients’ conditions. In this work, we assessed the efficacy of Salmonella immunotherapy in B-NHL-bearing mice undergoing chemotherapy. Salmonella administration significantly delayed tumor growth and prolonged survival of chemotherapy-treated NHL-bearing animals. Mice receiving the CHOP–Salmonella combined therapy showed increased numbers of tumor-infiltrating leukocytes and a different profile of cytokines and chemokines expressed in the tumor microenvironment. Further, Salmonella immunotherapy in CHOP-treated animals also enhanced NK cells cytotoxic activity as well as induced systemic lymphoma-specific humoral and cellular responses. Chemotherapy treatment profoundly impacted on the general health status of recipient animals, but those receiving Salmonella showed significantly better overall body condition. Altogether, the results clearly demonstrated that Salmonella immunotherapy could be safely used in individuals under CHOP treatment, resulting in a better prognosis. These results give strong support to consider Salmonella as a neoadjuvant therapy in a clinical setting. PMID:29410666

  10. The prednisone dosage in the CHOP chemotherapy regimen for non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHL): is there a standard?

    PubMed

    Moreno, A; Colon-Otero, G; Solberg, L A

    2000-01-01

    Discrepancies in the quoted prednisone dosages in the regimens reported as the only standard CHOP regimen stimulated our interest in reviewing the medical literature regarding this issue and to assess whether practicing hematologists and oncologists in the U.S. are aware of the different dose schedules of prednisone in the published CHOP programs. Sixteen textbooks and chemotherapy reference books were reviewed. A MEDLINE search of English-language articles published between January 1970 and December 1998 was performed. An eight-point questionnaire was sent via e-mail with responses obtained from 421 hematology/oncology physicians in the U.S. Sixteen textbooks and chemotherapy reference books reviewed quoted only one prednisone dosage as part of the standard CHOP regimen; the prednisone dosages quoted as standard varied between publications. More than 4,000 eligible non-Hodgkin's lymphoma patients have been treated with the CHOP chemotherapy as part of 43 different clinical trials reviewed. The dosages of prednisone and prednisolone used varied among six different levels. Thirty percent (127/421) of practicing U.S. physicians were not aware of the existence of more than one prednisone dose schedule as part of the CHOP regimen. The three most frequently used dosages are 100 mg/days 1-5 (67%), 100 mg/m(2)/days 1-5 (17%), and 60 mg/m(2)/days 1-5 (13%). Discrepancies in steroid dosages used as part of the reported standard CHOP regimens are common and not well recognized in the medical literature nor by practicing U.S. hematologists/oncologists. Based on this study, a prednisone dose of 100 mg/day for five days should be considered the standard dose.

  11. SOFIA pointing and chopping: performance and prospect

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Reinacher, Andreas; Lammen, Yannick; Graf, Friederike; Jakob, Holger

    2016-09-01

    The Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) is a 2.5m infrared telescope built into a Boeing 747 SP. In 2014 SOFIA reached its Full Operational Capability milestone and nowadays takes off about three times a week to observe the infrared sky from altitudes above most of the atmosphere's water vapor content. Despite reaching this major milestone the work to improve the observatory's performance is continuing in many areas. This paper focuses on the telescope's current pointing and chopping performance and gives an overview over the ongoing and foreseen work to further improve in those two areas. Pointing performance as measured with the fast focal plane camera in flight is presented and based on that data it is elaborated how and in which frequency bands a further reduction of image jitter might be achieved. One contributor to the remaining jitter as well as the major actuator to reduce jitter with frequencies greater than 5 Hz is SOFIA's Secondary Mirror Assembly (SMA) or Chopper. As-is SMA jitter and chopping performance data as measured in flight is presented as well as recent improvements to the position sensor cabling and calibration and their effect on the SMA's pointing accuracy. Furthermore a brief description of a laboratory mockup of the SMA is given and the intended use of this mockup to test major hardware changes for further performance improvement is explained.

  12. Chopping and webbing control saw-palmetto in south Florida

    Treesearch

    Clifford E. Lewis

    1972-01-01

    Saw-palmetto is one of the more troublesome plants growing in south Florida, and its control is often desirable in programs of range and timber management. Both cross-chopping and webbing (root plowing) proved to be effective control measures, but webbing appeared to be less effective on a moist site. Many other shrubs were also effectively reduced by these treatments...

  13. The "Tomahawk Chop": The Continuous Struggle of Unlearning "Indian" Stereotypes.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pewewardy, Cornel D.

    "Indian" mascots of athletic teams can be offensive to Native Americans when they portray negative and stereotypical images. The notion of the "tomahawk chop" invented by Atlanta Braves fans and all the antics that go along with such images prevent millions of Americans from understanding the authentic Indian America, both long…

  14. Effects of alfalfa hay and its physical form (chopped versus pelleted) on performance of Holstein calves.

    PubMed

    Jahani-Moghadam, M; Mahjoubi, E; Hossein Yazdi, M; Cardoso, F C; Drackley, J K

    2015-06-01

    Inclusion of forage and its physical form in starter may affect rumen development, average daily gain (ADG), and dry matter intake (DMI) of dairy calves. To evaluate the effects of forage and its physical form (chopped vs. pelleted) on growth of calves under a high milk feeding regimen, 32 Holstein calves (38.8±1.1kg) were assigned at birth to 1 of 3 treatments in a completely randomized block design. Dietary treatments (% of dry matter) were (1) 100% semi-texturized starter (CON); (2) 90% semi-texturized starter + 10% chopped alfalfa hay (mean particle size=5.4mm) as a total mixed ration (TMR; CH); and (3) 90% semi-texturized starter + 10% pelleted alfalfa (mean=5.8mm) hay as a TMR (PH). Data were subjected to mixed model analysis with contrasts used to evaluate effect of forage inclusion. Calves were weaned at 76 d of age and the experiment finished 2 wk after weaning. Individual milk and solid feed consumption were recorded daily. Solid feed consumption and ADG increased as age increased (effect of week), but neither forage inclusion nor physical form of forage affected these variables pre- or postweaning. Plasma urea N was affected by treatments such that the CON group had a lower concentration than forage-fed groups. Forage inclusion, but not physical form, resulted in increased total protein in plasma. Although days with elevated rectal temperature, fecal score, and general appearance were not affected by dietary treatments, calves fed alfalfa hay during the first month of life had fewer days with respiratory issues, regardless of physical form of hay. We concluded that provision of forage does have some beneficial effects in calves fed large amounts of milk replacer, but pelleted alfalfa hay did not result in any improvement in calf performance or health. Copyright © 2015 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Chopping Time of the FPU {α }-Model

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Carati, A.; Ponno, A.

    2018-03-01

    We study, both numerically and analytically, the time needed to observe the breaking of an FPU α -chain in two or more pieces, starting from an unbroken configuration at a given temperature. It is found that such a "chopping" time is given by a formula that, at low temperatures, is of the Arrhenius-Kramers form, so that the chain does not break up on an observable time-scale. The result explains why the study of the FPU problem is meaningful also in the ill-posed case of the α -model.

  16. Comparison of gemcitabin, cisplatin, and dexamethasone (GDP), CHOP, and CHOPE in the first-line treatment of peripheral T-cell lymphomas.

    PubMed

    Jia, Bo; Hu, Shaoxuan; Yang, Jianliang; Zhou, Shengyu; Liu, Peng; Qin, Yan; Gui, Lin; Yang, Sheng; Lin, Hua; Zhang, Changgong; Xing, Puyuan; Wang, Lin; Dong, Mei; Zhou, Liqiang; Sun, Yan; He, Xiaohui; Shi, Yuankai

    2016-10-01

    Optimal chemotherapy regimen for peripheral T-cell lymphomas (PTCL) has not been fully defined. This study aimed to evaluate the optimal chemotherapy regimen in the first-line treatment for PTCL patients. Between 2003 and 2014, 93 consecutive patients with PTCL were enrolled in this study. Of 93 patients, 42 patients received CHOPE, 40 patients with CHOP, and 11 patients with GDP regimen. Response could be evaluated in 88 of 93 patients at the end of primary treatment. The CR rate for patients received CHOP (n = 38), CHOPE (n = 39), and GDP (n = 11) were 28.9, 51.3, and 45.5%, respectively, (P = 0.132) with an ORR of 65.8, 76.9, and 90.9%, respectively, (P = 0.210). The median follow-up time was 17.1 (1.4-108.3) months. Median progression-free survival (PFS) in CHOP (n = 40), CHOPE (n = 42), and GDP (n = 11) groups were 6.0, 15.3, and 9.7 months (P = 0.094) with 1-year PFS of 35.0, 54.8, and 45.5%, respectively, (P = 0.078). One-year OS for patients received CHOP (n = 40), CHOPE (n = 42), and GDP (n = 11) were 65.0, 83.3, and 100%, respectively, (P = 0.013) (CHOP vs CHOPE, P = 0.030; CHOP vs GDP, P = 0.024; CHOPE vs GDP, P = 0.174). CHOPE has a trend to improve CR rate, 1-year PFS and OS compared with CHOP alone. GDP shows promising efficacy which worth further exploration in large cohort studies. Clinical experience presented in this study may serve as reference for future large cohort studies.

  17. Identification of residues within the African swine fever virus DP71L protein required for dephosphorylation of translation initiation factor eIF2α and inhibiting activation of pro-apoptotic CHOP

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

    Barber, Claire; Netherton, Chris; Goatley, Lynnett

    The African swine fever virus DP71L protein recruits protein phosphatase 1 (PP1) to dephosphorylate the translation initiation factor 2α (eIF2α) and avoid shut-off of global protein synthesis and downstream activation of the pro-apoptotic factor CHOP. Residues V16 and F18A were critical for binding of DP71L to PP1. Mutation of this PP1 binding motif or deletion of residues between 52 and 66 reduced the ability of DP71L to cause dephosphorylation of eIF2α and inhibit CHOP induction. The residues LSAVL, between 57 and 61, were also required. PP1 was co-precipitated with wild type DP71L and the mutant lacking residues 52- 66 ormore » the LSAVL motif, but not with the PP1 binding motif mutant. The residues in the LSAVL motif play a critical role in DP71L function but do not interfere with binding to PP1. Instead we propose these residues are important for DP71L binding to eIF2α. - Highlights: •The African swine fever virus DP71L protein recruits protein phosphatase 1 (PP1) to dephosphorylate translation initiation factor eIF2α (eIF2α). •The residues V{sup 16}, F{sup 18} of DP71L are required for binding to the α, β and γ isoforms of PP1 and for DP71L function. •The sequence LSAVL downstream from the PP1 binding site (residues 57–61) are also important for DP71L function. •DP71L mutants of the LSAVL sequence retain ability to co-precipitate with PP1 showing these sequences have a different role to PP1 binding.« less

  18. Mars Science Laboratory Launch-Arrival Space Study: A Pork Chop Plot Analysis

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Cianciolo, Alicia Dwyer; Powell, Richard; Lockwood, Mary Kae

    2006-01-01

    Launch-Arrival, or "pork chop", plot analysis can provide mission designers with valuable information and insight into a specific launch and arrival space selected for a mission. The study begins with the array of entry states for each pair of selected Earth launch and Mars arrival dates, and nominal entry, descent and landing trajectories are simulated for each pair. Parameters of interest, such as maximum heat rate, are plotted in launch-arrival space. The plots help to quickly identify launch and arrival regions that are not feasible under current constraints or technology and also provide information as to what technologies may need to be developed to reach a desired region. This paper provides a discussion of the development, application, and results of a pork chop plot analysis to the Mars Science Laboratory mission. This technique is easily applicable to other missions at Mars and other destinations.

  19. Effect of the type of frying culinary fat on volatile compounds isolated in fried pork loin chops by using SPME-GC-MS.

    PubMed

    Ramírez, María Rosario; Estévez, Mario; Morcuende, David; Cava, Ramón

    2004-12-15

    The effect of the type of frying culinary fat (olive oil, sunflower oil, butter, and pig lard) on volatile compounds isolated from fried pork loin chops (m. Longissimus dorsi) was measured by SPME-GC-MS. Frying modified the fatty acid composition of lipids from pork loin chops, which tended to be similar to that of the culinary fat used to fry. Volatile compounds formed from the oxidation of fatty acids increased, such as aldehydes, ketones, alcohols, and hydrocarbons. Besides, each culinary fat used modified the volatile profiles in fried meat differently. Sunflower oil-fried pork loin chops presented the highest aldehyde aliphatic content, probably due to their highest content of polyunsaturated acids. Hexanal, the most abundant aldehyde in fried samples, presented the most elevated content in sunflower oil-fried pork loin chops. In addition, these samples presented more heterocyclic compounds from the Maillard reaction than other fried samples. Volatiles detected in olive oil-fried pork loin chops were mainly lipid-derived compounds such as pentan-1-ol, hexanal, hept-2-enal, nonanal, decanal, benzaldehyde, and nonan-2-one. Butter-fried pork loins were abundant in ketones with a high number of carbons (heptan-2-one, nonan-2-one, undecan-2-one, tridecanone, and heptadecan-2-one). Pig lard-fried pork loin chops presented some Strecker aldehydes isolated in only these samples, such as 2-methylbutanal and 3-(methylthio)propanal, and a sulfur compound (dimethyl disulfide) related to Strecker aldehydes.

  20. Frontline rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, and prednisone with bortezomib (VR-CAP) or vincristine (R-CHOP) for non-GCB DLBCL.

    PubMed

    Offner, Fritz; Samoilova, Olga; Osmanov, Evgenii; Eom, Hyeon-Seok; Topp, Max S; Raposo, João; Pavlov, Viacheslav; Ricci, Deborah; Chaturvedi, Shalini; Zhu, Eugene; van de Velde, Helgi; Enny, Christopher; Rizo, Aleksandra; Ferhanoglu, Burhan

    2015-10-15

    This phase 2 study evaluated whether substituting bortezomib for vincristine in frontline rituximab plus cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (R-CHOP) therapy could improve efficacy in non-germinal center B-cell-like diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (non-GCB DLBCL), centrally confirmed by immunohistochemistry (Hans method). In total, 164 patients were randomized 1:1 to receive six 21-day cycles of rituximab 375 mg/m(2), cyclophosphamide 750 mg/m(2), and doxorubicin 50 mg/m(2), all IV day 1, prednisone 100 mg/m(2) orally days 1-5, plus either bortezomib 1.3 mg/m(2) IV days 1, 4, 8, 11 (rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, and prednisone with bortezomib [VR-CAP]; n = 84) or vincristine 1.4 mg/m(2) (maximum 2 mg) IV day 1 (R-CHOP; n = 80). There were no significant differences between VR-CAP and R-CHOP in complete response rate (64.5%, 66.2%; odds ratio [OR], 0.91; P = .80), overall response rate (93.4%, 98.6%; OR, 0.21; P = .11), progression-free survival (hazard ratio [HR], 1.12; P = .76), or overall survival (HR, 0.89; P = .75). Rates of grade ≥3 adverse events (AEs; 88%, 89%), serious AEs (38%, 34%), discontinuations due to AEs (7%, 3%), and deaths due to AEs (2%, 5%) were similar with VR-CAP and R-CHOP. Grade ≥3 peripheral neuropathy rates were 6% and 3%, respectively. VR-CAP did not improve efficacy vs R-CHOP in non-GCB DLBCL. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT01040871. © 2015 by The American Society of Hematology.

  1. The role of 3DCT for the evaluation of chop injuries in clinical forensic medicine.

    PubMed

    Wittschieber, Daniel; Beck, Laura; Vieth, Volker; Hahnemann, Maria L

    2016-09-01

    As hatchet blows to the human head frequently cause fatal injuries, the forensic examination of survivors with cranial chop injuries is a rare phenomenon in forensic casework. Besides evaluation of clinical records, photographs, and medico-legal physical examination, the analysis and 3-dimensional reconstruction of pre-treatment computed tomography data (3DCT) must be considered an important and indispensable tool for the assessment of those cases because the characteristics of chopping trauma often appear masked or changed by clinical treatment. In the present article, the role of 3DCT for the evaluation of chop wounds in clinical forensic medicine is demonstrated by an illustrative case report of a young man who was attacked with a hatchet. 3DCT provides additional possibilities for supplementing missing information, such as number and direction of blows as well as weapon identification. Furthermore, 3DCT facilitates demonstration in court and understanding of medical lay people. We conclude that 3DCT is of particular value for the evaluation of survivors of life-threatening head and face injury. An increasing significance of this technique may be expected. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. The regulation of cellular apoptosis by the ROS-triggered PERK/EIF2α/chop pathway plays a vital role in bisphenol A-induced male reproductive toxicity

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

    Yin, Li

    Bisphenol A (2,2-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)propane, BPA) is ubiquitous in the environment, wildlife, and humans. Evidence from past studies suggests that BPA is associated with decreased semen quality. However, the molecular basis for the adverse effect of BPA on male reproductive toxicity remains unclear. We evaluated the effect of BPA on mouse spermatocytes GC-2 cells and adult mice, and we explored the potential mechanism of its action. The results showed that BPA inhibited cell proliferation and increased the apoptosis rate. The testes from BPA-treated mice showed fewer spermatogenic cells and sperm in the seminiferous tubules. In addition, BPA caused reactive oxygen species (ROS)more » accumulation. Previous study has verified that mitochondrion was the organelle affected by the BPA-triggered ROS accumulation. We found that BPA induced damage to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) in addition to mitochondria, and most ER stress-related proteins were activated in cellular and animal models. Knocking down of the PERK/EIF2α/chop pathway, one of the ER stress pathways, partially recovered the BPA-induced cell apoptosis. In addition, an ROS scavenger attenuated the expression of the PERK/EIF2α/chop pathway-related proteins. Taken together, these data suggested that the ROS regulated PERK/EIF2α/chop pathway played a vital role in BPA-induced male reproductive toxicity. - Highlights: • BPA exposure caused the damage of the endoplasmic reticulum. • BPA exposure activated ER stress related proteins in male reproductive system. • ROS regulated PERK/EIF2α/chop pathway played a vital role in BPA-induced toxicity.« less

  3. Effects of chopping time, meat source and storage temperature on the colour of New Zealand type fresh beef sausages.

    PubMed

    Boles, J A; Mikkelsen, V L; Swan, J E

    1998-05-01

    The colour stability of finely chopped fresh sausages made from post-rigor, pre-rigor salt added (1.5% w/w) or pre-rigor no salt added beef mince was evaluated using a Hunter Miniscan (L (∗) a (∗) b (∗)) and sensory colour panel. Batters were chopped for various times and sausages stored at -1.5 °, + 4.0 ° and + 8.0 °C. Regardless of meat source or chopping time, colour stability was greatest at -1.5 °C. Panellists found the colour of all sausages stored at -1.5 °C acceptable for at least six days. Sausages made from unsalted pre-rigor mince had markedly better colour stability than those made from the other meats, especially when stored at 4 °C or 8 °C.

  4. Preclinical anti-tumor activity of antibody-targeted chemotherapy with CMC-544 (inotuzumab ozogamicin), a CD22-specific immunoconjugate of calicheamicin, compared with non-targeted combination chemotherapy with CVP or CHOP.

    PubMed

    DiJoseph, John F; Dougher, Maureen M; Evans, Deborah Y; Zhou, Bin-Bing; Damle, Nitin K

    2011-04-01

    CMC-544 (inotuzumab ozogamicin) is a CD22-specific immunoconjugate of calicheamicin currently being evaluated in patients with non-Hodgkin's B-cell lymphoma (BCL). CHOP and CVP represent untargeted combination chemotherapy comprised of cyclophosphamide, vincristine and prednisone with or without doxorubicin, commonly used in the treatment of NHL. Here, we describe anti-tumor efficacy of CMC-544, CHOP or CVP against human BCL xenografts. In vitro, human BCLs were cultured with CMC-544 or individual constituents of CHOP for inhibition of their growth. In vivo, immunocompromised mice with established BCL xenografts were administered CHOP, CVP or CMC-544 to monitor their survival and BCL growth. In vitro, CMC-544 was more potent in causing growth inhibition of various BCL than cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine or dexamethasone. In vivo, treatment with CHOP or CVP inhibited growth of BCL xenografts for up to 40 days after which BCL relapsed. Tumor growth inhibition by CMC-544 (>100 days) lasted longer than that by CHOP or CVP. BCL xenografts that relapsed after the treatment with CHOP or CVP were far less responsive to CHOP or CVP re-treatment but regressed upon subsequent treatment with CMC-544. CVP could be co-administered with suboptimal doses of CMC-544, while CHOP could be administered on alternant days with CMC-544 to cause enhanced regression of established BCL xenografts. Preclinically, CMC-544 provides greater therapeutic benefit than CVP or CHOP against BCL xenografts. CMC-544 may also be co-administered with standard chemotherapeutic regimens in the treatment of B-NHL for superior anti-tumor activity.

  5. Generation of the novel monoclonal antibody against TLS/EWS-CHOP chimeric oncoproteins that is applicable to one of the most sensitive assays for myxoid and round cell liposarcomas.

    PubMed

    Oikawa, Kosuke; Ishida, Tsuyoshi; Imamura, Tetsuo; Yoshida, Keiichi; Takanashi, Masakatsu; Hattori, Hiroyuki; Ishikawa, Akio; Fujita, Koji; Yamamoto, Kengo; Matsubayashi, Jun; Kuroda, Masahiko; Mukai, Kiyoshi

    2006-03-01

    The fusion oncoproteins, TLS-CHOP and EWS-CHOP, are characteristic markers for myxoid and round cell liposarcomas (MLS/RCLS). Especially, the peptide sequence of 26 amino acids corresponding to the normally untranslated CHOP exon 2 and parts of exon 3 (5'-UTR) is a unique structure for these chimeric proteins. In this report, we have generated monoclonal antibodies against the unique peptide sequence of TLS/EWS-CHOP oncoproteins. These antibodies reacted with TLS-CHOP fusion protein, but not reacted with normal TLS and CHOP proteins by Western blot analysis. In addition, one of the antibodies also recognized the chimeric oncoprotein in archival paraffin-embedded tissue samples of MLS/RCLS. The oncoprotein was detectable by the antibody even in the paraffin-embedded tissue samples whose mRNAs were too degraded to be detected by a nested reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction-based assay. Thus, the molecular assay using the novel antibody is expected to be one of the most sensitive diagnostic assays for MLS/RCLS.

  6. Validation of the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Retinopathy of Prematurity (CHOP ROP) Model.

    PubMed

    Binenbaum, Gil; Ying, Gui-Shuang; Tomlinson, Lauren A

    2017-08-01

    The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Retinopathy of Prematurity (CHOP ROP) model uses birth weight (BW), gestational age at birth (GA), and weight gain rate to predict the risk of severe retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). In a model development study, it predicted all infants requiring treatment, while greatly reducing the number of examinations compared with current screening guidelines. To validate the CHOP ROP model in a multicenter cohort that is large enough to obtain a precise estimate of the model's sensitivity for treatment-requiring ROP. This investigation was a secondary analysis of data from the Postnatal Growth and Retinopathy of Prematurity (G-ROP) Study. The setting was 30 hospitals in the United States and Canada between January 1, 2006, and June 30, 2012. The dates of analysis were September 28 to October 5, 2015. Participants were premature infants at risk for ROP with a known ROP outcome. Sensitivity for Early Treatment of Retinopathy of Prematurity type 1 ROP and potential reduction in the number of infants requiring examinations. In the primary analysis, the CHOP ROP model was applied weekly to predict the risk of ROP. If the risk was above a cut-point level (high risk), examinations were indicated, while low-risk infants received no examinations. In a secondary analysis, low-risk infants received fewer examinations rather than no examinations. Participants included 7483 premature infants at risk for ROP with a known ROP outcome. Their median BW was 1070 g (range, 310-3000 g), and their median GA was 28 weeks (range, 22-35 weeks). Among them, 3575 (47.8%) were female, and their race/ethnicity was 3615 white (48.3%), 2310 black (30.9%), 233 Asian (3.1%), 93 Pacific Islander (1.2%), and 40 American Indian/Alaskan native (0.5%). The original CHOP ROP model correctly predicted 452 of 459 infants who developed type 1 ROP (sensitivity, 98.5%; 95% CI, 96.9%-99.3%), reducing the number of infants requiring examinations by 34.3% if only high

  7. Consumer visual appraisal and shelf life of leg chops from suckling kids raised with natural milk or milk replacer.

    PubMed

    Ripoll, Guillermo; Alcalde, María J; Argüello, Anastasio; Córdoba, María G; Panea, Begoña

    2018-05-01

    The use of milk replacers to feed suckling kids could affect the shelf life and appearance of the meat. Leg chops were evaluated by consumers and the instrumental color was measured. A machine learning algorithm was used to relate them. The aim of this experiment was to study the shelf life of the meat of kids reared with dam's milk or milk replacers and to ascertain which illuminant and instrumental color variables are used by consumers as criteria to evaluate that visual appraisal. Meat from kids reared with milk replacers was more valuable and had a longer shelf life than meat from kids reared with natural milk. Consumers used the color of the whole surface of the leg chop to assess the appearance of meat. Lightness and hue angle were the prime cues used to evaluate the appearance of meat. Illuminant D65 was more useful for relating the visual appraisal with the instrumental color using a machine learning algorithm. The machine learning algorithms showed that the underlying rules used by consumers to evaluate the appearance of suckling kid meat are not at all linear and can be computationally schematized into a simple algorithm. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

  8. Baicalin Protects the Cardiomyocytes from ER Stress-Induced Apoptosis: Inhibition of CHOP through Induction of Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase

    PubMed Central

    Wang, Bo; Guo, Xiaowang; Zeng, Chao; Xu, Yong; Shen, Liangliang; Cheng, Ke; Xia, Yuesheng; Li, Xiumin; Wang, Haichang; Fan, Li; Wang, Xiaoming

    2014-01-01

    Baicalin, the main active ingredient of the Scutellaria root, exerts anti-oxidant and anti-apoptotic effects in cardiovascular diseases. However, the therapeutic mechanism of baicalin remains unknown. Cultured neonatal rat cardiomyocytes were pre-treated with baicalin (0–50 µM) for 24 h, and subsequently treated with tunicamycin (100 ng/ml). Cell viability was detected by MTT assay, and cell damage was determined by LDH release and TUNEL assay. The expression of CHOP, JNK, caspase-3, eNOS was analyzed by western blot. NO was measured by DAF-FM staining. As a result, treatment with baicalin significantly reduced apoptosis induced by ER stress inducer tunicamycin in cardiomyocytes. Molecularly, baicalin ameliorated tunicamycin-induced ER stress by downregulation of CHOP. In addition, baicalin inverted tunicamycin-induced decreases of eNOS mRNA and protein levels, phospho eNOS and NO production through CHOP pathway. However, the protective effects of baicalin were significantly decreased in cardiomyocytes treated with L-NAME, which suppressed activation of nitric oxide synthase. In conclusion, our results implicate that baicalin could protect cardiomyocytes from ER stress-induced apoptosis via CHOP/eNOS/NO pathway, and suggest the therapeutic values of baicalin against ER stress-associated cardiomyocyte apoptosis. PMID:24520378

  9. Choline kinase inhibition induces exacerbated endoplasmic reticulum stress and triggers apoptosis via CHOP in cancer cells

    PubMed Central

    Sanchez-Lopez, E; Zimmerman, T; Gomez del Pulgar, T; Moyer, M P; Lacal Sanjuan, J C; Cebrian, A

    2013-01-01

    Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is a central organelle in eukaryotic cells that regulates protein synthesis and maturation. Perturbation of ER functions leads to ER stress, which has been previously associated with a broad variety of diseases. ER stress is generally regarded as compensatory, but prolonged ER stress has been involved in apoptosis induced by several cytotoxic agents. Choline kinase α (ChoKα), the first enzyme in the Kennedy pathway, is responsible for the generation of phosphorylcholine (PCho) that ultimately renders phosphatidylcholine. ChoKα overexpression and high PCho levels have been detected in several cancer types. Inhibition of ChoKα has demonstrated antiproliferative and antitumor properties; however, the mechanisms underlying these activities remain poorly understood. Here, we demonstrate that ChoKα inhibitors (ChoKIs), MN58b and RSM932A, induce cell death in cancer cells (T47D, MCF7, MDA-MB231, SW620 and H460), through the prolonged activation of ER stress response. Evidence of ChoKIs-induced ER stress includes enhanced production of glucose-regulated protein, 78 kDa (GRP78), protein disulfide isomerase, IRE1α, CHOP, CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein beta (C/EBPβ) and TRB3. Although partial reduction of ChoKα levels by small interfering RNA was not sufficient to increase the production of ER stress proteins, silencing of ChoKα levels also show a decrease in CHOP overproduction induced by ChoKIs, which suggests that ER stress induction is due to a change in ChoKα protein folding after binding to ChoKIs. Silencing of CHOP expression leads to a reduction in C/EBPβ, ATF3 and GRP78 protein levels and abrogates apoptosis in tumor cells after treatment with ChoKIs, suggesting that CHOP maintains ER stress responses and triggers the pro-apoptotic signal. Consistent with the differential effect of ChoKIs in cancer and primary cells previously described, ChoKIs only promoted a transient and moderated ER stress response in the non

  10. Profile based image analysis for identification of chopped biomass stem nodes and internodes

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Because of their significant variation in chemical composition, segregation of chopped biomass into nodes and internodes helps in efficient utilization of these feedstocks. Stem internodes having low ash content are a better feedstock for bioenergy and biofuel applications than nodes. However, separ...

  11. A Comparative study of two RVE modelling methods for chopped carbon fiber SMC

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

    Chen, Zhangxing; Li, Yi; Shao, Yimin

    To achieve vehicle light-weighting, the chopped carbon fiber sheet molding compound (SMC) is identified as a promising material to replace metals. However, there are no effective tools and methods to predict the mechanical property of the chopped carbon fiber SMC due to the high complexity in microstructure features and the anisotropic properties. In this paper, the Representative Volume Element (RVE) approach is used to model the SMC microstructure. Two modeling methods, the Voronoi diagram-based method and the chip packing method, are developed for material RVE property prediction. The two methods are compared in terms of the predicted elastic modulus andmore » the predicted results are validated using the Digital Image Correlation (DIC) tensile test results. Furthermore, the advantages and shortcomings of these two methods are discussed in terms of the required input information and the convenience of use in the integrated processing-microstructure-property analysis.« less

  12. Use of the chop hook to stabilize the capsular bag in patients with crystalline lens dislocations and cataracts.

    PubMed

    Zeng, Yanfeng; Fan, Licheng; Lu, Peirong

    2017-04-01

    Objective To observe the treatment effects of chop hook-assisted phacoemulsification surgery in patients with crystalline lens dislocation. Methods Thirty-seven eyes with cataracts and crystalline lens dislocations underwent cataract surgery. An L-shaped chop hook was introduced into the anterior chamber, and the tip was pushed or pulled to the centre of the anterior capsular edge of the zonular dialysis during the cataract operation. Postoperative follow-up was conducted for ≥ 1 month. Results All patients' postoperative visual abilities improved except one patient with glaucoma. One patient who underwent -5D intraocular lens implantation exhibited vision of 1/50. Visual acuity was less than 6/20 in 6 eyes, 6/20 to 10/20 in 7 eyes, and greater than 10/20 in 22 eyes. Conclusions L-shaped chop hooks can be used to push or pull the anterior capsular edge of the zonular dialysis for protection and avoidance of further zonular damage. This strategy provides satisfactory effects and reduces use of additional instruments.

  13. Comparison between Antiemetic Effects of Palonosetron and Granisetron on Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting in Japanese Patients Treated with R-CHOP.

    PubMed

    Uchida, Mayako; Mori, Yasuo; Nakamura, Tsutomu; Kato, Koji; Kamezaki, Kenjiro; Takenaka, Katsuto; Shiratsuchi, Motoaki; Kadoyama, Kaori; Miyamoto, Toshihiro; Akashi, Koichi

    2017-01-01

    In the present study, the antiemetic effect of palonosetron, not combined with dexamethasone and aprepitant, on chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting was evaluated in patients with malignant lymphoma receiving first-line rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (R-CHOP) therapy, and was compared to that of granisetron. A total of 74 patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma were included in this study (April 2007 to December 2015). Palonosetron (0.75 mg) or granisetron (3 mg) was intravenously administered before R-CHOP therapy. The proportions of patients with complete response (CR) during the overall (0-120 h after the start of R-CHOP therapy), acute (0-24 h) and delayed (24-120 h) phases were evaluated. CR was defined as no vomiting and no use of antiemetic rescue medication. A total of 32 and 42 patients were treated with palonosetron and granisetron, respectively. The CR rate in the palonosetron group was significantly higher than that in the granisetron group during the delayed phase (90.6 and 61.9%, respectively; p=0.007). Logistic regression analysis showed that use of palonosetron improved the CR rate during the delayed phase, compared to use of granisetron. Female sex, age less than 60 years, no habitual alcohol intake, and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (ECOG-PS) score of 1 were significant risk factors associated with non-CR. The findings of this study suggested the superiority of palonosetron to granisetron, without accompanying dexamethasone and aprepitant, for chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in patients with malignant lymphoma.

  14. Diffuse thyroid 18F-FDG uptake after R-CHOP therapy predicts favorable outcome in patients with DLBCL.

    PubMed

    Song, Moo-Kon; Chung, Joo-Seop; Kim, Seong-Jang; Kim, Sang-Soo; Shin, Ho-Jin

    2015-06-01

    Therapy-induced autoimmunity may mediate the destruction of cancer cells. Previous studies have demonstrated that presence of autoimmune thyroid disorder is associated with favorable outcome in patients with solid cancer. Patients with diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) who achieved complete response on positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) after rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (R-CHOP) therapy were enrolled in this study. The patients with and without diffuse thyroid uptake (DTU) were classified by PET/CT. A total of 270 patients were enrolled in this study. DTU related to autoimmune thyroiditis was present in 61 patients. The median time to DTU detection was 5.7 months (range, 0-21.3 months). High International Prognostic Index (IPI) score (progression-free survival [PFS], p = 0.001; overall survival [OS], p = 0.008), bulky mass ≥10 cm (PFS, p = 0.001; OS, p = 0.001), bone marrow involvement (PFS, p < 0.001; OS, p = 0.001), and DTU after R-CHOP therapy (PFS, p < 0.001; OS, p = 0.001) were significantly associated with PFS and OS. High IPI score (PFS, p = 0.003; OS, p = 0.014), BM involvement (PFS, p = 0.009; OS, p = 0.039), and DTU after R-CHOP therapy (PFS, p = 0.002; OS, p = 0.002) were independently associated with PFS and OS. DTU after R-CHOP therapy independently predicted favorable outcomes in patients with DLBCL.

  15. The γ-secretase cleavage product of Polycystin-1 regulates TCF and CHOP-mediated transcriptional activation through a p300-dependent mechanism

    PubMed Central

    Merrick, David; Chapin, Hannah; Baggs, Julie E.; Yu, Zhiheng; Somlo, Stefan; Sun, Zhaoxia; Hogenesch, John B.; Caplan, Michael

    2011-01-01

    Summary Mutations in Pkd1, encoding polycystin-1 (PC1), cause Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease (ADPKD). We show that the carboxy-terminal tail (CTT) of PC1 is released by γ-secretase-mediated cleavage and regulates the Wnt and CHOP pathways by binding the transcription factors TCF and CHOP, disrupting their interaction with the common transcriptional co-activator p300. Loss of PC1 causes increased proliferation and apoptosis, while reintroducing PC1-CTT into cultured Pkd1 null cells reestablishes normal growth rate, suppresses apoptosis, and prevents cyst formation. Inhibition of γ-secretase activity impairs the ability of PC1 to suppress growth and apoptosis, and leads to cyst formation in cultured renal epithelial cells. Expression of the PC1-CTT is sufficient to rescue the dorsal body curvature phenotype in zebrafish embryos resulting from either γ-secretase inhibition or suppression of Pkd1 expression. Thus, γ-secretase-dependent release of the PC1-CTT creates a protein fragment whose expression is sufficient to suppress ADPKD-related phenotypes in vitro and in vivo. PMID:22178500

  16. A star-and-sky chopping polarimeter - Design and performance

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jain, S. K.; Srinivasulu, G.

    1991-09-01

    A star-and-sky chopping polarimeter is developed for accurate measurements of linear polarization of starlight in the standard astronomical photometric U, B, V, R, and I bands. The instrumental polarization, as determined by observing the standard unpolarized stars, is 0.04 percent. It is possible to use the instrument for the measurements of circular polarization as well. A Unicorn microcomputer controls the various operations of the instrument, acquires the data, and does the on-line data reduction. This paper describes the design and performance of the polarimeter.

  17. Effect of packaging type during postmortem aging and degree of doneness on pork chop sensory traits of loins selected to vary in color and marbling.

    PubMed

    Klehm, B J; King, D A; Dilger, A C; Shackelford, S D; Boler, D D

    2018-05-04

    The objective was to determine the interactions between packaging type and degree of doneness on sensory traits of pork loins classified based on the newly proposed USDA quality grades. A total of 144 loins were selected from 2 groups of pigs (lean growth or meat quality production focus) to represent as much variation in visual color and marbling as possible. Selection was achieved with a VQG grading camera. The ventral surface of the loins was evaluated for loin quality traits at 1 d postmortem. At 2 d postmortem loins were sliced into 28-mm-thick chops. Chop within each loin was randomly assigned to either individual vacuum packages or to individual Styrofoam trays and overwrapped in polyvinyl chloride (PVC) oxygen permeable film. Overwrapped PVC packages were then placed in bulk packages and flushed with a gas mixture that contained approximately 0.4% carbon monoxide, 30% carbon dioxide, and 80% nitrogen. Vacuum-packaged chops were aged until 14 d postmortem. Chops packaged in PVC overwrap were aged until 9 d postmortem in the bulk packages, then placed on simulated retail display until 14 d postmortem. Chops from each packaging type were cooked to an internal temperature of either 63 °C or 71 °C for the evaluation of slice shear force (SSF) or for evaluation of tenderness, juiciness, and flavor by a trained panel. Data were analyzed as split-split plot design with production focus of the pigs, proposed USDA quality grade, packaging type, and degree of doneness as fixed effects. While there were main effect differences between production focuses, there were no interactions with production focus. There were also no 3-way (P ≥ 0.19) interactions and only one 2-way interaction among quality grade, packaging type, or degree of doneness. There were no differences in sensory tenderness (P = 0.30), juiciness (P = 0.49), flavor (P = 0.89), SSF (P = 0.13), or cook loss (P = 0.06) among USDA quality grades. There were no differences in sensory tenderness (P = 0

  18. Clinical Significance of Non-neutropenic Fever in the Management of Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma Patients Treated with Rituximab-CHOP: Comparison with Febrile Neutropenia and Risk Factor Analysis.

    PubMed

    Park, Silvia; Kang, Cheol-In; Chung, Doo Ryeon; Peck, Kyong Ran; Kim, Won Seog; Kim, Seok Jin

    2015-07-01

    Rituximab plus cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (R-CHOP) is the standard chemotherapy in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) patients. Although febrile neutropenia (FN) is the major toxicity of this regimen, non-neutropenic fever (NNF) becomes an emerging issue. We analyzed clinical features and outcomes of febrile complications from 397 patients with newly diagnosed DLBCL who were registered in the prospective cohort study. They had completed R-CHOP between September 2008 and January 2013. Thirty-nine patients (9.8%) had NNF whereas 160 patients (40.3%) had FN. Among them, 24 patients (6.0%) had both during their treatment. Compared to frequent occurrence of initial FN after the first cycle (> 50% of total events), more than 80% of NNF cases occurred after the third cycle. Interstitial pneumonitis comprised the highest proportion of NNF cases (54.8%), although the causative organism was not identified in the majority of cases. Thus, pathogen was identified in a limited number of patients (n=9), and Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia (PJP) was the most common. Considering that interstitial pneumonitis without documented pathogen could be clinically diagnosed with PJP, the overall rate of PJP including probable cases was 4.5% (18 cases from 397 patients). The NNF-related mortality rate was 10.3% (four deaths from 39 patients with NNF) while the FN-related mortality rate was only 1.3%. NNF was observed with incidence of 10% during R-CHOP treatment, and showed different clinical manifestations with respect to the time of initial episode and causes.

  19. CHOP versus GEM-P in previously untreated patients with peripheral T-cell lymphoma (CHEMO-T): a phase 2, multicentre, randomised, open-label trial.

    PubMed

    Gleeson, Mary; Peckitt, Clare; To, Ye Mong; Edwards, Laurice; Oates, Jacqueline; Wotherspoon, Andrew; Attygalle, Ayoma D; Zerizer, Imene; Sharma, Bhupinder; Chua, Sue; Begum, Ruwaida; Chau, Ian; Johnson, Peter; Ardeshna, Kirit M; Hawkes, Eliza A; Macheta, Marian P; Collins, Graham P; Radford, John; Forbes, Adam; Hart, Alistair; Montoto, Silvia; McKay, Pamela; Benstead, Kim; Morley, Nicholas; Kalakonda, Nagesh; Hasan, Yasmin; Turner, Deborah; Cunningham, David

    2018-05-01

    Outcomes with CHOP (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisolone) or CHOP-like chemotherapy in peripheral T-cell lymphoma are poor. We investigated whether the regimen of gemcitabine, cisplatin, and methylprednisolone (GEM-P) was superior to CHOP as front-line therapy in previously untreated patients. We did a phase 2, parallel-group, multicentre, open-label randomised trial in 47 hospitals: 46 in the UK and one in Australia. Participants were patients aged 18 years and older with bulky (tumour mass diameter >10 cm) stage I to stage IV disease (WHO performance status 0-3), previously untreated peripheral T-cell lymphoma not otherwise specified, angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma, anaplastic lymphoma kinase-negative anaplastic large cell lymphoma, enteropathy-associated T-cell lymphoma, or hepatosplenic γδ T-cell lymphoma. We randomly assigned patients (1:1) stratified by subtype of peripheral T-cell lymphoma and international prognostic index to either CHOP (intravenous cyclophosphamide 750 mg/m 2 , doxorubicin 50 mg/m 2 , and vincristine 1·4 mg/m 2 [maximum 2 mg] on day 1, and oral prednisolone 100 mg on days 1-5) every 21 days for six cycles; or GEM-P (intravenous gemcitabine 1000 mg/m 2 on days 1, 8, and 15, cisplatin 100 mg/m 2 on day 15, and oral or intravenous methylprednisolone 1000 mg on days 1-5) every 28 days for four cycles. The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients with a CT-based complete response or unconfirmed complete response on completion of study chemotherapy, to detect a 20% superiority of GEM-P compared with CHOP, assessed in all patients who received at least one cycle of treatment and had an end-of-treatment CT scan or reported clinical progression as the reason for stopping trial treatment. Safety was assessed in all patients who received at least one dose of study medication. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT01719835) and the European Clinical Trials Database (EudraCT 2011-004146-18). Between

  20. Factors affecting sign retroreflectivity

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2001-01-01

    This study was undertaken to better understand the factors that may affect road sign retroreflectivity, specifically age and physical orientation. A better understanding of these factors could provide guidance to ODOT in managing its inventory of roa...

  1. Straight and chopped DC performance data for a reliance EV-250AT motor with a General Electric EV-1 controller

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Edie, P. C.

    1981-01-01

    Straight and chopped DC motor performances for a Reliance EV-250AT motor with an EV-1 controller were examined. Effects of motor temperature and operating voltage are shown. It is found that the maximum motor efficiency is approximately 85% at low operating temperatures in the straight DC mode. Chopper efficiency is 95% under all operating conditions. For equal speeds, the motor operated in the chopped mode develops slightly more torque and draws more current than it does in the straight DC mode.

  2. 4-Phenylbutyrate Inhibits Tunicamycin-Induced Acute Kidney Injury via CHOP/GADD153 Repression

    PubMed Central

    Carlisle, Rachel E.; Brimble, Elise; Werner, Kaitlyn E.; Cruz, Gaile L.; Ask, Kjetil; Ingram, Alistair J.; Dickhout, Jeffrey G.

    2014-01-01

    Different forms of acute kidney injury (AKI) have been associated with endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress; these include AKI caused by acetaminophen, antibiotics, cisplatin, and radiocontrast. Tunicamycin (TM) is a nucleoside antibiotic known to induce ER stress and is a commonly used inducer of AKI. 4-phenylbutyrate (4-PBA) is an FDA approved substance used in children who suffer from urea cycle disorders. 4-PBA acts as an ER stress inhibitor by aiding in protein folding at the molecular level and preventing misfolded protein aggregation. The main objective of this study was to determine if 4-PBA could protect from AKI induced by ER stress, as typified by the TM-model, and what mechanism(s) of 4-PBA's action were responsible for protection. C57BL/6 mice were treated with saline, TM or TM plus 4-PBA. 4-PBA partially protected the anatomic segment most susceptible to damage, the outer medullary stripe, from TM-induced AKI. In vitro work showed that 4-PBA protected human proximal tubular cells from apoptosis and TM-induced CHOP expression, an ER stress inducible proapoptotic gene. Further, immunofluorescent staining in the animal model found similar protection by 4-PBA from CHOP nuclear translocation in the tubular epithelium of the medulla. This was accompanied by a reduction in apoptosis and GRP78 expression. CHOP−/− mice were protected from TM-induced AKI. The protective effects of 4-PBA extended to the ultrastructural integrity of proximal tubule cells in the outer medulla. When taken together, these results indicate that 4-PBA acts as an ER stress inhibitor, to partially protect the kidney from TM-induced AKI through the repression of ER stress-induced CHOP expression. PMID:24416259

  3. Effect of borage and green tea aqueous extracts on the quality of lamb leg chops displayed under retail conditions.

    PubMed

    Bellés, M; Alonso, V; Roncalés, P; Beltrán, J A

    2017-07-01

    Different concentrations of two aqueous extracts from green tea leaves and borage seeds with potential antioxidant activity were evaluated in lamb leg chops. Chops were sprayed with 0.005, 0.05, 0.5, 5% (p/v) green tea extracts (T) and 0.5, 5 and 10% (p/v) borage seed extracts (B) and displayed under retail conditions for 13days. Total polyphenols, TBARS, colour, microbial and sensory analyses were performed. The extracts showed a concentration-dependent action; the minimum concentration of polyphenols which significantly reduced lipid oxidation was 2.08mgGAE/100cm 2 of meat. Both 0.5% T and 10% B limited colour deterioration, reducing also metmyoglobin formation. The extracts showed no antimicrobial effect, exceeding microbial counts of 7logCFU/cm 2 at 13days of display. Sensory analyses determined that none of the extracts added herb odours or flavours to lamb. In conclusion, 0.5% T or 10% B extracts extended lamb shelf life from 8 to 11days, so both would be recommended for lamb chops preservation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Association between quality of response and outcomes in patients with newly diagnosed mantle cell lymphoma receiving VR-CAP versus R-CHOP in the phase 3 LYM-3002 study.

    PubMed

    Verhoef, Gregor; Robak, Tadeusz; Huang, Huiqiang; Pylypenko, Halyna; Siritanaratkul, Noppadol; Pereira, Juliana; Drach, Johannes; Mayer, Jiri; Okamoto, Rumiko; Pei, Lixia; Rooney, Brendan; Cakana, Andrew; van de Velde, Helgi; Cavalli, Franco

    2017-05-01

    In the phase 3 LYM-3002 study comparing intravenous VR-CAP with R-CHOP in patients with newly-diagnosed, measurable stage II-IV mantle cell lymphoma, not considered or ineligible for transplant, the median progression-free survival was significantly improved with VR-CAP (24.7 versus 14.4 months with R-CHOP; P <0.001). This post-hoc analysis evaluated the association between the improved outcomes and quality of responses achieved with VR-CAP versus R-CHOP in LYM-3002. Patients were randomized to six to eight 21-day cycles of VR-CAP or R-CHOP. Outcomes included progression-free survival, duration of response (both assessed by an independent review committee), and time to next anti-lymphoma treatment, evaluated by response (complete response/unconfirmed complete response and partial response), MIPI risk status, and maximum reduction of lymph-node measurements expressed as the sum of the product of the diameters. Within each response category, the median progression-free survival was longer for patients given VR-CAP than for those given R-CHOP (complete response/unconfirmed complete response: 40.9 versus 19.8 months; partial response: 17.1 versus 11.7 months, respectively); similarly, the median time to next anti-lymphoma treatment was longer among the patients given VR-CAP than among those treated with R-CHOP (complete response/unconfirmed complete response: not evaluable versus 26.6 months; partial response: 35.3 versus 24.3 months). Within the complete/unconfirmed complete and partial response categories, improvements in progression-free survival, duration of response and time to next anti-lymphoma treatment were more pronounced in patients with low-and intermediate-risk MIPI treated with VR-CAP than with R-CHOP. In each response category, more VR-CAP than R-CHOP patients had a sum of the product of the diameters nadir of 0 during serial radiological assessments. Results of this post-hoc analysis suggest a greater duration and quality of response in patients treated

  5. Factors affecting construction performance: exploratory factor analysis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Soewin, E.; Chinda, T.

    2018-04-01

    The present work attempts to develop a multidimensional performance evaluation framework for a construction company by considering all relevant measures of performance. Based on the previous studies, this study hypothesizes nine key factors, with a total of 57 associated items. The hypothesized factors, with their associated items, are then used to develop questionnaire survey to gather data. The exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was applied to the collected data which gave rise 10 factors with 57 items affecting construction performance. The findings further reveal that the items constituting ten key performance factors (KPIs) namely; 1) Time, 2) Cost, 3) Quality, 4) Safety & Health, 5) Internal Stakeholder, 6) External Stakeholder, 7) Client Satisfaction, 8) Financial Performance, 9) Environment, and 10) Information, Technology & Innovation. The analysis helps to develop multi-dimensional performance evaluation framework for an effective measurement of the construction performance. The 10 key performance factors can be broadly categorized into economic aspect, social aspect, environmental aspect, and technology aspects. It is important to understand a multi-dimension performance evaluation framework by including all key factors affecting the construction performance of a company, so that the management level can effectively plan to implement an effective performance development plan to match with the mission and vision of the company.

  6. Factors Affecting Medical Service Quality.

    PubMed

    Mosadeghrad, Ali Mohammad

    2014-02-01

    A better understanding of factors influencing quality of medical service can pinpoint better strategies for quality assurance in medical services. This study aimed to identify factors affecting the quality of medical services provided by Iranian physicians. Exploratory in-depth individual interviews were conducted with sixty-four physicians working in various medical institutions in Iran. Individual, organizational and environmental factors enhance or inhibit the quality of medical services. Quality of medical services depends on the personal factors of the physician and patient, and factors pertaining to the healthcare setting and the broader environment. Differences in internal and external factors such as availability of resources, patient cooperation and collaboration among providers affect the quality of medical services and patient outcomes. Supportive leadership, proper planning, education and training and effective management of resources and processes improve the quality of medical services. This article contributes to healthcare theory and practice by developing a conceptual framework for understanding factors that influence medical services quality.

  7. Extremely compact secondary mirror unit for the SOFIA Telescope capable of 6-degree-of-freedom alignment plus chopping

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zago, Lorenzo; Genequand, Pierre M.; Moerschell, Joseph

    1998-08-01

    SOFIA is a 2.5-m telescope to be carried on a special Boeing 747 for airborne observations at about 15'000 m. The paper describes the main features of the secondary mirror unit. The SOFIA secondary mirror needs active control for alignment along five degrees of freedom as well as for very fast chopping with a frequency up to 20 Hz. Moreover the general optical concept and the housing of the telescope inside a Boeing 747 have required the design of a very compact mechanism: indeed while the secondary mirror has a diameter of 350 mm the entire height of the secondary mirror unit (including the mirror) cannot be greater than 300 mm, which makes the SOFIA design much more compact than any other similar project. The objective is achieved by a very tight integration between a novel hexapod mechanism, in charge of tilt offsets and alignment along 3 axes, and a fast chopping mechanism based on advanced flexure structure technology. In the hexapod mechanism (which is in fact capable of 6-dof), the six linear actuators are arranged in an original geometry in order to leave as much space as possible to the overlying chopping system. Also, the actuators' `hinges' are here materialized by flexure elements. Three motorized levers are linked by flexure elements to the mirror isostatic interface as well as to a reaction ring for compensating angular momentum, which is mechanically driven together with the mirror. This a major difference from other designs (e.g. Keck or VLT) where the compensation mass is driven and controlled separately. The SOFIA solution obtains thus various advantages in term of used volume and has a simpler control system. Various details of the chopping mechanism are provided in the paper. Simulation preliminary results are also given.

  8. Progesterone production is affected by unfolded protein response (UPR) signaling during the luteal phase in mice.

    PubMed

    Park, Hyo-Jin; Park, Sun-Ji; Koo, Deog-Bon; Lee, Sang-Rae; Kong, Il-Keun; Ryoo, Jae-Woong; Park, Young-Il; Chang, Kyu-Tae; Lee, Dong-Seok

    2014-09-15

    We examined whether the three unfolded protein response (UPR) signaling pathways, which are activated in response to endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-stress, are involved in progesterone production in the luteal cells of the corpus luteum (CL) during the mouse estrous cycle. The luteal phase of C57BL/6 female mice (8 weeks old) was divided into two stages: the functional stage (16, 24, and 48 h) and the regression stage (72 and 96 h). Western blotting and reverse transcription (RT)-PCR were performed to analyze UPR protein/gene expression levels in each stage. We investigated whether ER stress affects the progesterone production by using Tm (0.5 μg/g BW) or TUDCA (0.5 μg/g BW) through intra-peritoneal injection. Our results indicate that expressions of Grp78/Bip, p-eIF2α/ATF4, p50ATF6, and p-IRE1/sXBP1 induced by UPR activation were predominantly maintained in functional and early regression stages of the CL. Furthermore, the expression of p-JNK, CHOP, and cleaved caspase3 as ER-stress mediated apoptotic factors increased during the regression stage. Cleaved caspase3 levels increased in the late-regression stage after p-JNK and CHOP expression in the early-regression stage. Additionally, although progesterone secretion and levels of steroidogenic enzymes decreased following intra-peritoneal injection of Tunicamycin, an ER stress inducer, the expression of Grp78/Bip, p50ATF6, and CHOP dramatically increased. These results suggest that the UPR signaling pathways activated in response to ER stress may play important roles in the regulation of the CL function. Furthermore, our findings enhance the understanding of the basic mechanisms affecting the CL life span. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Consumer choice of pork chops in Taiwan.

    PubMed

    Chen, M T; Guo, H L; Tseng, T F; Roan, S W; Ngapo, T M

    2010-07-01

    Digital photographs of pork chops varying systematically in appearance were presented to 716 Taiwanese consumers in a study that aimed to identify the most important characteristics of fresh pork which determine consumer choice in Taiwan. Relationships between consumer segmentation in choice and socio-demographic and cultural differences were also investigated. Colour and fat cover were the most frequently chosen of the four characteristics studied. Dark red colour was preferred by 64% of consumers and lean fat cover by 44%. Marbling and drip were less important in the decision making process being used by less than a half of consumers. The four preference-based clusters of consumers showed no correlation with socio-demographic-based consumer clusters, but did show significant links with possession of a refrigerator, age at which schooling was completed, liking pork for its price and gender of consumer. Crown Copyright 2010. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Prognostic importance of the soluble form of IL-2 receptorα (sIL-2Rα) and its relationship with surface expression of IL-2Rα (CD25) of lymphoma cells in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma treated with CHOP-like regimen with or without rituximab: a retrospective analysis of 338 cases.

    PubMed

    Hashimoto, Yoko; Yokohama, Akihiko; Saitoh, Akio; Nakahashi, Hirotaka; Toyama, Kohtaro; Mitsui, Takeki; Koiso, Hiromi; Saitoh, Takayuki; Handa, Hiroshi; Uchiumi, Hideki; Jinbo, Takahiro; Murayama, Kayoko; Matsumoto, Morio; Sawamura, Morio; Karasawa, Masamitsu; Murakami, Hirokazu; Hirato, Junko; Nojima, Yoshihisa; Kojima, Masaru; Tsukamoto, Norifumi

    2013-01-01

    We evaluated the prognostic significance of the serum level of the soluble form of interleukin-2 receptorα (sIL-2Rα) and investigated its association with CD25 expression on tumor cells in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). Three hundred and thirty-eight adult patients with newly diagnosed DLBCL were eligible for this retrospective study. 32.2% of patients were treated with CHOP-like regimen and 67.8% with R-CHOP-like regimen. CD25 expression on the surface of tumor cells was evaluated in 143 cases and its relationship with sIL-2Rα level was also investigated. Both overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were poorer in patients with higher sIL-2Rα, in both R-CHOP and CHOP groups. sIL-2Rα > 1,000 U/mL and performance status (PS) ≥ 2 were independently associated with poorer OS, and sIL-2Rα > 1,000 U/mL, age > 60 years, and ≥ 2 extranodal sites were independently associated with poorer PFS in the R-CHOP group. The sIL-2Rα level was higher in the CD25-positive group than in the CD25-negative group in stage 3 or 4 disease (p = 0.010). Multiple linear regression analysis showed CD25 expression to be independently correlated with sIL-2Rα levels. High sIL-2Rα is an important risk factor for survival in DLBCL treated with not only CHOP-like, but also R-CHOP-like regimens, regardless of the tumor's expression of CD25.

  11. NCRI phase II study of CHOP in combination with ofatumumab in induction and maintenance in newly diagnosed Richter syndrome.

    PubMed

    Eyre, Toby A; Clifford, Ruth; Bloor, Adrian; Boyle, Lucy; Roberts, Corran; Cabes, Maite; Collins, Graham P; Devereux, Stephen; Follows, George; Fox, Christopher P; Gribben, John; Hillmen, Peter; Hatton, Chris S; Littlewood, Tim J; McCarthy, Helen; Murray, Jim; Pettitt, Andrew R; Soilleux, Elizabeth; Stamatopoulos, Basile; Love, Sharon B; Wotherspoon, Andrew; Schuh, Anna

    2016-10-01

    Richter syndrome (RS) is associated with chemotherapy resistance and a poor historical median overall survival (OS) of 8-10 months. We conducted a phase II trial of standard CHOP-21 (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, prednisolone every 21 d) with ofatumumab induction (Cycle 1: 300 mg day 1, 1000 mg day 8, 1000 mg day 15; Cycles 2-6: 1000 mg day 1) (CHOP-O) followed by 12 months ofatumumab maintenance (1000 mg given 8-weekly for up to six cycles). Forty-three patients were recruited of whom 37 were evaluable. Seventy-three per cent were aged >60 years. Over half of the patients received a fludarabine and cyclophosphamide-based regimen as prior CLL treatment. The overall response rate was 46% (complete response 27%, partial response 19%) at six cycles. The median progression-free survival was 6·2 months (95% confidence interval [CI] 4·9-14·0 months) and median OS was 11·4 months (95% CI 6·4-25·6 months). Treatment-naïve and TP53-intact patients had improved outcomes. Fifteen episodes of neutropenic fever and 46 non-neutropenic infections were observed. There were no treatment-related deaths. Seven patients received platinum-containing salvage at progression, with only one patient obtaining an adequate response to proceed to allogeneic transplantation. CHOP-O with ofatumumab maintenance provides minimal benefit beyond CHOP plus rutuximab. Standard immunochemotherapy for RS remains wholly inadequate for unselected RS. Multinational trials incorporating novel agents are urgently needed. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  12. Modeling and Simulation of Compression Molding Process for Sheet Molding Compound (SMC) of Chopped Carbon Fiber Composites

    DOE PAGES

    Li, Yang; Chen, Zhangxing; Xu, Hongyi; ...

    2017-01-02

    Compression molded SMC composed of chopped carbon fiber and resin polymer which balances the mechanical performance and manufacturing cost presents a promising solution for vehicle lightweight strategy. However, the performance of the SMC molded parts highly depends on the compression molding process and local microstructure, which greatly increases the cost for the part level performance testing and elongates the design cycle. ICME (Integrated Computational Material Engineering) approaches are thus necessary tools to reduce the number of experiments required during part design and speed up the deployment of the SMC materials. As the fundamental stage of the ICME workflow, commercial softwaremore » packages for SMC compression molding exist yet remain not fully validated especially for chopped fiber systems. In this study, SMC plaques are prepared through compression molding process. The corresponding simulation models are built in Autodesk Moldflow with the same part geometry and processing conditions as in the molding tests. The output variables of the compression molding simulations, including press force history and fiber orientation of the part, are compared with experimental data. Influence of the processing conditions to the fiber orientation of the SMC plaque is also discussed. It is found that generally Autodesk Moldflow can achieve a good simulation of the compression molding process for chopped carbon fiber SMC, yet quantitative discrepancies still remain between predicted variables and experimental results.« less

  13. Modeling and Simulation of Compression Molding Process for Sheet Molding Compound (SMC) of Chopped Carbon Fiber Composites

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

    Li, Yang; Chen, Zhangxing; Xu, Hongyi

    Compression molded SMC composed of chopped carbon fiber and resin polymer which balances the mechanical performance and manufacturing cost presents a promising solution for vehicle lightweight strategy. However, the performance of the SMC molded parts highly depends on the compression molding process and local microstructure, which greatly increases the cost for the part level performance testing and elongates the design cycle. ICME (Integrated Computational Material Engineering) approaches are thus necessary tools to reduce the number of experiments required during part design and speed up the deployment of the SMC materials. As the fundamental stage of the ICME workflow, commercial softwaremore » packages for SMC compression molding exist yet remain not fully validated especially for chopped fiber systems. In this study, SMC plaques are prepared through compression molding process. The corresponding simulation models are built in Autodesk Moldflow with the same part geometry and processing conditions as in the molding tests. The output variables of the compression molding simulations, including press force history and fiber orientation of the part, are compared with experimental data. Influence of the processing conditions to the fiber orientation of the SMC plaque is also discussed. It is found that generally Autodesk Moldflow can achieve a good simulation of the compression molding process for chopped carbon fiber SMC, yet quantitative discrepancies still remain between predicted variables and experimental results.« less

  14. 9 CFR 319.311 - Chow mein vegetables with meat, and chop suey vegetables with meat.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... chop suey vegetables with meat. 319.311 Section 319.311 Animals and Animal Products FOOD SAFETY AND... PRODUCTS INSPECTION AND VOLUNTARY INSPECTION AND CERTIFICATION DEFINITIONS AND STANDARDS OF IDENTITY OR COMPOSITION Canned, Frozen, or Dehydrated Meat Food Products § 319.311 Chow mein vegetables with meat, and...

  15. 9 CFR 319.311 - Chow mein vegetables with meat, and chop suey vegetables with meat.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... chop suey vegetables with meat. 319.311 Section 319.311 Animals and Animal Products FOOD SAFETY AND... PRODUCTS INSPECTION AND VOLUNTARY INSPECTION AND CERTIFICATION DEFINITIONS AND STANDARDS OF IDENTITY OR COMPOSITION Canned, Frozen, or Dehydrated Meat Food Products § 319.311 Chow mein vegetables with meat, and...

  16. Successful treatment with biweekly CHOP for bone marrow relapse of blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm.

    PubMed

    Ono, Keiko; Ise, Mikiko; Ikebe, Dai; Sato, Akiyasu; Wang, Xiaofei; Sugawara, Takeaki; Tsujimura, Hideki; Itami, Makiko; Kumagai, Kyoya

    2017-01-01

    Blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm (BPDCN) is a rare and aggressive hematological malignancy derived from precursors of plasmacytoid dendritic cells. The majority of patients initially respond to multi-agent chemotherapy, though most relapse within a year and the prognosis is very poor. We report a 67-year-old man with erythema on the right chest and a nasopharyngeal mass. Histological examination revealed a mass of tumor cells expressing CD4, CD56, and CD123, but neither CD3 nor CD20. He was diagnosed with BPDCN. Bone marrow involvement was not seen at diagnosis. He achieved complete remission (CR) with CHOP-like chemotherapy. After 1 year, he relapsed with a cutaneous tumor on the head, a nasopharyngeal tumor, and massive bone marrow involvement. Relapsed BPDCN is generally resistant to chemotherapy and the prognosis is dismal. However, he was successfully treated with biweekly CHOP therapy and achieved a second CR lasting 16 months.

  17. Reliability model for ductile hybrid FRP rebar using randomly dispersed chopped fibers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Behnam, Bashar Ramzi

    Fiber reinforced polymer composites or simply FRP composites have become more attractive to civil engineers in the last two decades due to their unique mechanical properties. However, there are many obstacles such as low elasticity modulus, non-ductile behavior, high cost of the fibers, high manufacturing costs, and absence of rigorous characterization of the uncertainties of the mechanical properties that restrict the use of these composites. However, when FRP composites are used to develop reinforcing rebars in concrete structural members to replace the conventional steel, a huge benefit can be achieved since FRP materials don't corrode. Two FRP rebar models are proposed that make use of multiple types of fibers to achieve ductility, and chopped fibers are used to reduce the manufacturing costs. In order to reach the most optimum fractional volume of each type of fiber, to minimize the cost of the proposed rebars, and to achieve a safe design by considering uncertainties in the materials and geometry of sections, appropriate material resistance factors have been developed, and a Reliability Based Design Optimization (RBDO), has been conducted for the proposed schemes.

  18. R-THP-COP versus R-CHOP in patients younger than 70 years with untreated diffuse large B cell lymphoma: A randomized, open-label, noninferiority phase 3 trial.

    PubMed

    Hara, Takeshi; Yoshikawa, Takeshi; Goto, Hideko; Sawada, Michio; Yamada, Toshiki; Fukuno, Kenji; Kasahara, Senji; Shibata, Yuhei; Matsumoto, Takuro; Mabuchi, Ryoko; Nakamura, Nobuhiko; Nakamura, Hiroshi; Ninomiya, Soranobu; Kitagawa, Junichi; Kanemura, Nobuhiro; Nannya, Yasuhito; Katsumura, Naoki; Takahashi, Takeshi; Kito, Yusuke; Takami, Tsuyoshi; Miyazaki, Tatsuhiko; Takeuchi, Tamotsu; Shimizu, Masahito; Tsurumi, Hisashi

    2018-06-08

    Pirarubicin (tetrahydropyranyl adriamycin [THP]) is an anthracyclin with less cardiotoxicity than doxorubicin (DOX). We previously reported the efficacy and safety of R-THP-COP consisting of rituximab (R), THP, cyclophosphamide (CPA), vincristine (VCR), and prednisolone (PSL) for diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) in phase 2 studies. Here, we prospectively compared the efficacy and safety of the R-THP-COP and standard R-CHOP regimen (consisting of R, CPA, DOX, VCR, and PSL) in a noninferiority phase 3 trial. This prospective, randomized phase 3 study included patients younger than 70 years of age with previously untreated DLBCL. The regimen consisted of R (day 1), DOX, or THP (day 3), CPA (day 3), VCR (day 3), and PSL for 5 days every 3 weeks for 6 to 8 cycles. Between July 5, 2006 and June 11, 2013, 81 patients were randomly assigned to the treatment groups (R-CHOP group, 40 patients; R-THP-COP group, 41 patients). R-THP-COP was noninferior to R-CHOP, as assessed by the primary endpoint of complete response rate (85% vs 85% respectively). With a median follow-up of 75.2 months, the 5-year overall survival was 87% in the R-CHOP group and 82% in the R-THP-COP group (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.89, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.31-2.49; P = .82). The 5-year progression-free survival was 74% in the R-CHOP group and 79% in the R-THP-COP group (HR: 1.37, 95% CI: 0.56-3.55; P = .49). No grade 3 cardiac side effects were observed in either group. No serious late adverse reactions were observed in either group, with the exception of therapy-related acute myeloid leukemia in the R-THP-COP group. These data indicate that R-THP-COP is noninferior to R-CHOP with regard to clinical response, and has an acceptable safety profile. Thus, this regimen may be an alternative therapy to R-CHOP. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  19. Influence of fresh alfalfa supplementation on fat skatole and indole concentration and chop odour and flavour in lambs grazing a cocksfoot pasture.

    PubMed

    Devincenzi, T; Prunier, A; Meteau, K; Nabinger, C; Prache, S

    2014-12-01

    We investigated the influence of the level of fresh alfalfa supplementation on fat skatole and indole concentration and chop sensory attributes in grazing lambs. Four groups of nine male Romane lambs grazing a cocksfoot pasture were supplemented with various levels of alfalfa for at least 60days before slaughter. Perirenal fat skatole concentration was higher for lambs that consumed alfalfa than for those that consumed only cocksfoot. The intensity of 'animal' odour in the lean part of the chop and of 'animal' flavour in both the lean and fat parts of the chop, evaluated by a trained sensory panel, increased from the lowest level of alfalfa supplementation onwards and did not increase further with increasing levels of alfalfa supplementation. The outcome of this study therefore suggests that these sensory attributes may reach a plateau when perirenal fat skatole concentration is in the range 0.16-0.24μg/g of liquid fat. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  20. Effects of replacing maize silage with lucerne silage and lucerne silage chop length on rumen function and milk fatty acid composition.

    PubMed

    Thomson, A L; Humphries, D J; Kliem, K E; Dittmann, M T; Reynolds, C K

    2017-09-01

    The objective of this study was to investigate whether higher lucerne (Medicago sativa; alfalfa) silage inclusion rate and longer lucerne chop length improves rumen function through increased provision of physically effective fiber, when included in a maize and lucerne silage-based total mixed ration. Diets were formulated to contain a 50:50 forage:concentrate ratio [dry matter (DM) basis] and be isonitrogenous and contain equal levels of neutral detergent fiber (320 g/kg). The forage portion of the offered diets was composed of maize and lucerne silage DM in proportions (wt/wt) of either 25:75 (high lucerne; HL) or 75:25 (low lucerne; LL). Second-cut lucerne was harvested and conserved as silage at either a long (L) or a short (S) chop length (geometric mean particle lengths of 9.0 and 14.3 mm, respectively). These variables were combined in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement to give 4 treatments (HLL, HLS, LLL, LLS), which were fed in a 4 × 4 Latin square design study to 4 rumen-cannulated, multiparous, Holstein dairy cows in mid lactation. Effects on DM intake, chewing behavior, rumen volatile fatty acid concentration, rumen pH, rumen and fecal particle size, milk production, and milk fatty acid profile were measured. Longer chop length increased rumination times per kilogram of DM intake (+2.8 min/kg) relative to the S chop length, with HLL diets resulting in the most rumination chews. Rumen concentrations of total volatile fatty acids, acetate, and n-valerate were higher for the HLS diet than the other 3 diets, whereas rumen propionate concentration was lowest for the HLL diet. Physically effective fiber (particles >4 mm) percentage in the rumen mat was increased when L chop length was fed regardless of lucerne inclusion rate. No effect of treatment was observed for milk yield, although milk protein concentration was increased by L for the LL diet (+1.6 g/kg) and decreased by L for the HLL diet (-1.4 g/kg). Milk fat concentrations of total cis-18:1 (+3.7 g/100 g

  1. Mechanical characterization of glass fiber (woven roving/chopped strand mat E-glass fiber) reinforced polyester composites

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bhaskar, V. Vijaya; Srinivas, Kolla

    2017-07-01

    Polymer reinforced composites have been replacing most of the engineering material and their applications become more and more day by day. Polymer composites have been analyzing from past thirty five years for their betterment for adapting more applications. This paper aims at the mechanical properties of polyester reinforced with glass fiber composites. The glass fiber is reinforced with polyester in two forms viz Woven Rovings (WRG) and Chopped Strand Mat (CSMG) E-glass fibers. The composites are fabricated by hand lay-up technique and the composites are cut as per ASTM Standard sizes for corresponding tests like flexural, compression and impact tests, so that flexural strength, compression strength, impact strength and inter laminar shear stress(ILSS) of polymer matrix composites are analyzed. From the tests and further calculations, the polyester composites reinforced with Chopped Strand Mat glass fiber have shown better performance against flexural load, compression load and impact load than that of Woven Roving glass fiber.

  2. Effect of length of chopped pristine and intercalated graphite fibers on the resistivity of fiber networks

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Gaier, James R.; Stahl, Mark

    1988-01-01

    Samples of Amoco P-100 fibers were chopped to lengths of 3.14, 2.53, 1.90, 1.27, 0.66 mm, or milled for 2 hours. The two-point resistivity of compacts of these fibers were measured as a function of pressure from 34 kPa to 143 MPa. Samples of each fiber length were intercalated with bromine at room temperature and similarly measured. The low pressure resistivity of the compacts decreased with increasing fiber length. Intercalation lowered the resistivity of each of the chopped length compacts, but raised the resistivity of the milled fiber compacts. Bulk resistivity of all samples decreased with increasing pressure at similar rates. Even though fiber volumes were as low as 5 percent, all measurements exhibited measurable resistivity. A greater change with pressure in the resistance was observed for shorter fibers than for longer, probably an indication of tighter fiber packing. Intercalation appeared to have no effect on the fiber to fiber contact resistance.

  3. Factors Affecting Tocopherol Concentrations in Soybean Seeds.

    PubMed

    Carrera, Constanza S; Seguin, Philippe

    2016-12-21

    Soybean seeds contain several health-beneficial compounds, including tocopherols, which are used by the nutraceutical and functional food industries. Soybean tocopherol concentrations are, however, highly variable. Large differences observed in tocopherol concentrations among soybean genotypes together with the relatively simple biosynthetic pathway involving few genes support the feasibility of selecting for high-tocopherol soybean. Tocopherol concentrations are also highly influenced by environmental factors and field management. Temperature during seed filling and soil moisture appear to be the main factors affecting tocopherol concentrations; other factors such as soil fertility and solar radiation also affect concentrations and composition. Field management decisions including seeding date, row spacing, irrigation, and fertilization also affect tocopherols. Knowledge of factors affecting soybean tocopherols is essential to develop management strategies that will lead to the production of seeds with consistent target concentrations that will meet the needs of the nutraceutical and functional food industries.

  4. Web-based Factors Affecting Online Purchasing Behaviour

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ariff, Mohd Shoki Md; Sze Yan, Ng; Zakuan, Norhayati; Zaidi Bahari, Ahamad; Jusoh, Ahmad

    2013-06-01

    The growing use of internet and online purchasing among young consumers in Malaysia provides a huge prospect in e-commerce market, specifically for B2C segment. In this market, if E-marketers know the web-based factors affecting online buyers' behaviour, and the effect of these factors on behaviour of online consumers, then they can develop their marketing strategies to convert potential customers into active one, while retaining existing online customers. Review of previous studies related to the online purchasing behaviour in B2C market has point out that the conceptualization and empirical validation of the online purchasing behaviour of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) literate users, or ICT professional, in Malaysia has not been clearly addressed. This paper focuses on (i) web-based factors which online buyers (ICT professional) keep in mind while shopping online; and (ii) the effect of web-based factors on online purchasing behaviour. Based on the extensive literature review, a conceptual framework of 24 items of five factors was constructed to determine web-based factors affecting online purchasing behaviour of ICT professional. Analysis of data was performed based on the 310 questionnaires, which were collected using a stratified random sampling method, from ICT undergraduate students in a public university in Malaysia. The Exploratory factor analysis performed showed that five factors affecting online purchase behaviour are Information Quality, Fulfilment/Reliability/Customer Service, Website Design, Quick and Details, and Privacy/Security. The result of Multiple Regression Analysis indicated that Information Quality, Quick and Details, and Privacy/Security affect positively online purchase behaviour. The results provide a usable model for measuring web-based factors affecting buyers' online purchase behaviour in B2C market, as well as for online shopping companies to focus on the factors that will increase customers' online purchase.

  5. Randomized Trial Comparing R-CHOP Versus High-Dose Sequential Chemotherapy in High-Risk Patients With Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphomas.

    PubMed

    Cortelazzo, Sergio; Tarella, Corrado; Gianni, Alessandro Massimo; Ladetto, Marco; Barbui, Anna Maria; Rossi, Andrea; Gritti, Giuseppe; Corradini, Paolo; Di Nicola, Massimo; Patti, Caterina; Mulé, Antonino; Zanni, Manuela; Zoli, Valerio; Billio, Atto; Piccin, Andrea; Negri, Giovanni; Castellino, Claudia; Di Raimondo, Francesco; Ferreri, Andrés J M; Benedetti, Fabio; La Nasa, Giorgio; Gini, Guido; Trentin, Livio; Frezzato, Maurizio; Flenghi, Leonardo; Falorio, Simona; Chilosi, Marco; Bruna, Riccardo; Tabanelli, Valentina; Pileri, Stefano; Masciulli, Arianna; Delaini, Federica; Boschini, Cristina; Rambaldi, Alessandro

    2016-11-20

    Purpose The benefit of high-dose chemotherapy with autologous stem-cell transplantation (ASCT) as first-line treatment in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphomas is still a matter of debate. To address this point, we designed a randomized phase III trial to compare rituximab plus cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (R-CHOP)-14 (eight cycles) with rituximab plus high-dose sequential chemotherapy (R-HDS) with ASCT. Patients and Methods From June 2005 to June 2011, 246 high-risk patients with a high-intermediate (56%) or high (44%) International Prognostic Index score were randomly assigned to the R-CHOP or R-HDS arm, and 235 were analyzed by intent to treat. The primary efficacy end point of the study was 3-year event-free survival, and results were analyzed on an intent-to-treat basis. Results Clinical response (complete response, 78% v 76%; partial response, 5% v 9%) and failures (no response, 15% v 11%; and early treatment-related mortality, 2% v 3%) were similar after R-CHOP versus R-HDS, respectively. After a median follow-up of 5 years, the 3-year event-free survival was 62% versus 65% ( P = .83). At 3 years, compared with the R-CHOP arm, the R-HDS arm had better disease-free survival (79% v 91%, respectively; P = .034), but this subsequently vanished because of late-occurring treatment-related deaths. No difference was detected in terms of progression-free survival (65% v 75%, respectively; P = .12), or overall survival (74% v 77%, respectively; P = .64). Significantly higher hematologic toxicity ( P < .001) and more infectious complications ( P < .001) were observed in the R-HDS arm. Conclusion In this study, front-line intensive R-HDS chemotherapy with ASCT did not improve the outcome of high-risk patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphomas.

  6. Prognostic value of interim FDG-PET in R-CHOP-treated diffuse large B-cell lymphoma: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

    PubMed

    Adams, Hugo J A; Kwee, Thomas C

    2016-10-01

    This study aimed to systematically review and meta-analyze the prognostic value of interim (18)F-fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) patients treated with rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisolone (R-CHOP). MEDLINE and EMBASE were systematically searched for suitable studies. Included studies were methodologically appraised, and results were summarized both descriptively and meta-analytically. Nine studies, comprising a total of 996 R-CHOP-treated DLBCL patients, were included. Overall, studies were of moderate methodological quality. The area under the summary receiver operating curve (AUC) of interim FDG-PET in predicting treatment failure and death were 0.651 and 0.817, respectively. There was no heterogeneity in diagnostic odds ratios across available studies (I(2)=0.0%). At multivariable analysis, 2 studies reported interim FDG-PET to have independent prognostic value in addition to the International Prognostic Index (IPI) in predicting treatment failure, whereas 3 studies reported that this was not the case. One study reported interim FDG-PET to have independent prognostic value in addition to the IPI in predicting death, whereas 2 studies reported that this was not the case. In conclusion, interim FDG-PET in R-CHOP-treated DLBCL has some correlation with outcome, but its prognostic value is homogeneously suboptimal across studies and it has not consistently proven to surpass the prognostic potential of the IPI. Moreover, there is a lack of studies that compared interim FDG-PET to the recently developed and superior National Comprehensive Cancer Network-IPI. Therefore, at present there is no scientific base to support the clinical use of interim FDG-PET in R-CHOP-treated DLBCL. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (CHOP) in the treatment of stage IE/IIE extranodal natural killer/T cell lymphoma, nasal type: 13-year follow-up in 135 patients.

    PubMed

    Wang, Liang; Xia, Zhong-jun; Huang, Hui-qiang; Lu, Yue; Zhang, Yu-jing

    2012-11-01

    We conducted a retrospective study of 135 patients of stage IE/IIE extranodal natural killer/T cell lymphoma, nasal type (ENKTL) treated with CHOP as induction chemotherapy to find some valuable prognostic factors and analyze the usefulness of International Prognostic Index (IPI) and Korean Prognostic Index (KPI) in predicting prognosis. Most of the patients were in the low-risk group (IPI score 0-1). Complete remission (CR) after induction chemotherapy was achieved in 31.8 % of the patients, which increased to 69.6 % after radiotherapy. The 2-, 5-, and 10-year overall survival (OS) rates were 60, 48, and 43 %, respectively. Patients with better performance status (ECOG 0-1), normal serum LDH level, without local invasiveness, low KPI scores, and IPI score of 0 had significantly better overall survival (P < 0.05) in univariate analysis. Using multivariate analysis, we identified serum LDH level, ECOG PS score and local invasiveness to be independent prognostic factors. In conclusion, ENKTL is an aggressive lymphoma that shows heterogeneity. The IPI and KPI score systems should be improved further to classify patients into different groups, and should be validated in larger prospective trials. Due to the multi-drug resistance mechanism of ENKTL, CHOP is no longer the state of art and novel drugs should be incorporated into future treatments.

  8. Modulation of Pancreatic Islets' Function and Survival During Aging Involves the Differential Regulation of Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress by p21 and CHOP.

    PubMed

    Mihailidou, Chrysovalantou; Chatzistamou, Ioulia; Papavassiliou, Athanasios G; Kiaris, Hippokratis

    2017-08-01

    Although endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress is recognized as a major mechanism causing pancreatic dysfunction in diabetes, little is known on how aging modulates the process. Here, we compared the response with ER stress, viability, and insulin release from pancreatic islets of young (6 weeks) or aged (14 months) mice. Islets from aged mice were more sensitive to ER stress than their younger counterparts; they exhibited more pronounced unfolded protein response (UPR) and caspase activation and displayed compromised insulin release after high-glucose stimulation. Genetic ablation of p21 sensitized the islets to ER stress, especially in the aged group, whereas CHOP ablation was protective for islets from both aged and younger animals. Ciclopirox (CPX), an iron chelator that stimulates p21 expression, protected islets from glucotoxicity and mice from diet-induced diabetes, especially in the aged group in a manner that was both p21 and CHOP dependent. For the first time, the study shows that age-dependent susceptibility to diet-induced diabetes is associated with the activity of p21 and CHOP in pancreatic islets and that CPX protects islets from glucotoxicity and mice from diabetes in an age-dependent manner. Our results identify ER stress as an age-dependent modifier of islet survival and function by mechanisms implicating enhancement of CHOP activity and inhibition of the protective activity of p21. These findings suggest that interventions restoring the homeostatic activity of ER stress, by agents such as CPX, may be particularly beneficial for the management of diabetes in the elderly. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 27, 185-200.

  9. Treatment of AIDS related non-Hodgkin's lymphoma with combination mitoguazone dihydrochloride and low dose CHOP chemotherapy: results of a phase II study.

    PubMed

    Tulpule, Anil; Espina, Byron M; Pedro Santabarbara, A B; Palmer, Maria; Schiflett, Joanne; Boswell, William; Smith, Susan; Levine, Alexandra M

    2004-01-01

    To evaluate the response and side effects of combination therapy with low dose CHOP chemotherapy and mitoguazone dihydrochloride in patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma associated with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS-NHL). Eighteen patients newly diagnosed with intermediate or high-grade AIDS-NHL were treated with low dose CHOP as follows: day 1, cyclophosphamide 350 mg/m(2), intravenously (IV); doxorubicin 25mg/m(2) IV; vincristine 2mg IV; and prednisone 100mg given orally on days 1 through 5. In addition, mitoguazone dihydrochloride was given at a dose of 600 mg/m(2) IV on days 1 and 15 of each 28-day treatment cycle. Seventeen males and one female patient were accrued. Twelve patients had high-grade pathologies while the remainder had an intermediate grade pathology (diffuse large cell). The median CD4+ lymphocyte count was 98/dl (range 1-924). Three patients (17%) reported an AIDS-defining illness prior to lymphoma diagnosis. Of 14 evaluable patients, 6 (43%) achieved a complete remission and 5 (35%) a partial remission. The median failure free and overall survival times were 6.5 and 8.4 months, respectively. Major toxicity was hematologic with grade 3 or 4 neutropenia in 72%; two patients died of neutropenic sepsis. Mitoguazone in combination with low dose CHOP is a safe regimen, associated with a response rate of 79% (CR 43%, PR 36%, 95% CI=49-95%). These preliminary results suggest no major improvement in terms of response over use of CHOP without mitoguazone.

  10. EFFECTS OF TEMPERATURE AND ENVIRONMENT ON MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF TWO CHOPPED-FIBER AUTOMOTIVE STRUCTURAL COMPOSITES

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

    Ruggles-Wrenn, M.B.

    2003-10-06

    The Durability of Lightweight Composite Structures Project was established at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) by the U.S. Department of Energy to provide the experimentally-based, durability-driven design guidelines necessary to assure long-term structural integrity of automotive composite components. The initial focus of the ORNL Durability Project was on composite materials consisting of polyurethane reinforced with E-glass. Current focus of the project is on composite materials reinforced with carbon fibers. The primary purpose of this report is to provide the individual specimen test date. Basic mechanical property testing and results for two chopped-fiber composite materials, one reinforced with glass- and themore » other with carbon fiber are provided. Both materials use the same polyurethane matrix. Preforms for both materials were produced using the P4 process. Behavioral trends, effects of temperature and environment, and corresponding design knockdown factors are established for both materials. Effects of prior short-time loads and of prior thermal cycling are discussed.« less

  11. Factors Affecting Wound Healing

    PubMed Central

    Guo, S.; DiPietro, L.A.

    2010-01-01

    Wound healing, as a normal biological process in the human body, is achieved through four precisely and highly programmed phases: hemostasis, inflammation, proliferation, and remodeling. For a wound to heal successfully, all four phases must occur in the proper sequence and time frame. Many factors can interfere with one or more phases of this process, thus causing improper or impaired wound healing. This article reviews the recent literature on the most significant factors that affect cutaneous wound healing and the potential cellular and/or molecular mechanisms involved. The factors discussed include oxygenation, infection, age and sex hormones, stress, diabetes, obesity, medications, alcoholism, smoking, and nutrition. A better understanding of the influence of these factors on repair may lead to therapeutics that improve wound healing and resolve impaired wounds. PMID:20139336

  12. Factors affecting wound healing.

    PubMed

    Guo, S; Dipietro, L A

    2010-03-01

    Wound healing, as a normal biological process in the human body, is achieved through four precisely and highly programmed phases: hemostasis, inflammation, proliferation, and remodeling. For a wound to heal successfully, all four phases must occur in the proper sequence and time frame. Many factors can interfere with one or more phases of this process, thus causing improper or impaired wound healing. This article reviews the recent literature on the most significant factors that affect cutaneous wound healing and the potential cellular and/or molecular mechanisms involved. The factors discussed include oxygenation, infection, age and sex hormones, stress, diabetes, obesity, medications, alcoholism, smoking, and nutrition. A better understanding of the influence of these factors on repair may lead to therapeutics that improve wound healing and resolve impaired wounds.

  13. 76 FR 76890 - Nutrition Labeling of Single-Ingredient Products and Ground or Chopped Meat and Poultry Products...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-12-09

    .... FSIS-2005-0018] Nutrition Labeling of Single-Ingredient Products and Ground or Chopped Meat and Poultry... (FSIS) is delaying the effective date of the final regulations that require nutrition labeling of the... December 29, 2010, FSIS published the final rule, ``Nutrition Labeling of Single-Ingredient Products and...

  14. Grinding energy and physical properties of chopped and hammer-milled barley, wheat, oat, and canola straws

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

    J.S. Tumuluru; L.G. Tabil; Y. Song

    2014-01-01

    In the present study, specific energy for grinding and physical properties of wheat, canola, oat and barley straw grinds were investigated. The initial moisture content of the straw was about 0.13–0.15 (fraction total mass basis). Particle size reduction experiments were conducted in two stages: (1) a chopper without a screen, and (2) a hammer mill using three screen sizes (19.05, 25.4, and 31.75 mm). The lowest grinding energy (1.96 and 2.91 kWh t-1) was recorded for canola straw using a chopper and hammer mill with 19.05-mm screen size, whereas the highest (3.15 and 8.05 kWh t-1) was recorded for barleymore » and oat straws. The physical properties (geometric mean particle diameter, bulk, tapped and particle density, and porosity) of the chopped and hammer-milled wheat, barley, canola, and oat straw grinds measured were in the range of 0.98–4.22 mm, 36–80 kg m-3, 49–119 kg m-3, 600–1220 kg m-3, and 0.9–0.96, respectively. The average mean particle diameter was highest for the chopped wheat straw (4.22-mm) and lowest for the canola grind (0.98-mm). The canola grinds produced using the hammer mill (19.05-mm screen size) had the highest bulk and tapped density of about 80 and 119 kg m-3; whereas, the wheat and oat grinds had the lowest of about 58 and 88–90 kg m-3. The results indicate that the bulk and tapped densities are inversely proportional to the particle size of the grinds. The flow properties of the grinds calculated are better for chopped straws compared to hammer milled using smaller screen size (19.05 mm).« less

  15. Factors Affecting Sign Retroreflectivity : final report.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2001-01-01

    This study was undertaken to better understand the factors that may affect road sign retroreflectivity, specifically age and physical orientation. A better understanding of these factors could provide guidance to ODOT in managing its inventory of roa...

  16. Modulation of Pancreatic Islets' Function and Survival During Aging Involves the Differential Regulation of Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress by p21 and CHOP

    PubMed Central

    Mihailidou, Chrysovalantou; Chatzistamou, Ioulia; Papavassiliou, Athanasios G.

    2017-01-01

    Abstract Aims: Although endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress is recognized as a major mechanism causing pancreatic dysfunction in diabetes, little is known on how aging modulates the process. Here, we compared the response with ER stress, viability, and insulin release from pancreatic islets of young (6 weeks) or aged (14 months) mice. Results: Islets from aged mice were more sensitive to ER stress than their younger counterparts; they exhibited more pronounced unfolded protein response (UPR) and caspase activation and displayed compromised insulin release after high-glucose stimulation. Genetic ablation of p21 sensitized the islets to ER stress, especially in the aged group, whereas CHOP ablation was protective for islets from both aged and younger animals. Ciclopirox (CPX), an iron chelator that stimulates p21 expression, protected islets from glucotoxicity and mice from diet-induced diabetes, especially in the aged group in a manner that was both p21 and CHOP dependent. Innovation: For the first time, the study shows that age-dependent susceptibility to diet-induced diabetes is associated with the activity of p21 and CHOP in pancreatic islets and that CPX protects islets from glucotoxicity and mice from diabetes in an age-dependent manner. Conclusions: Our results identify ER stress as an age-dependent modifier of islet survival and function by mechanisms implicating enhancement of CHOP activity and inhibition of the protective activity of p21. These findings suggest that interventions restoring the homeostatic activity of ER stress, by agents such as CPX, may be particularly beneficial for the management of diabetes in the elderly. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 27, 185–200. PMID:27931122

  17. Bendamustine plus rituximab versus CHOP plus rituximab as first-line treatment for patients with indolent and mantle-cell lymphomas: an open-label, multicentre, randomised, phase 3 non-inferiority trial.

    PubMed

    Rummel, Mathias J; Niederle, Norbert; Maschmeyer, Georg; Banat, G Andre; von Grünhagen, Ulrich; Losem, Christoph; Kofahl-Krause, Dorothea; Heil, Gerhard; Welslau, Manfred; Balser, Christina; Kaiser, Ulrich; Weidmann, Eckhart; Dürk, Heinz; Ballo, Harald; Stauch, Martina; Roller, Fritz; Barth, Juergen; Hoelzer, Dieter; Hinke, Axel; Brugger, Wolfram

    2013-04-06

    Rituximab plus chemotherapy, most often CHOP (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone), is the first-line standard of care for patients with advanced indolent lymphoma, and for elderly patients with mantle-cell lymphoma. Bendamustine plus rituximab is effective for relapsed or refractory disease. We compared bendamustine plus rituximab with CHOP plus rituximab (R-CHOP) as first-line treatment for patients with indolent and mantle-cell lymphomas. We did a prospective, multicentre, randomised, open-label, non-inferiority trial at 81 centres in Germany between Sept 1, 2003, and Aug 31, 2008. Patients aged 18 years or older with a WHO performance status of 2 or less were eligible if they had newly diagnosed stage III or IV indolent or mantle-cell lymphoma. Patients were stratified by histological lymphoma subtype, then randomly assigned according to a prespecified randomisation list to receive either intravenous bendamustine (90 mg/m(2) on days 1 and 2 of a 4-week cycle) or CHOP (cycles every 3 weeks of cyclophosphamide 750 mg/m(2), doxorubicin 50 mg/m(2), and vincristine 1.4 mg/m(2) on day 1, and prednisone 100 mg/day for 5 days) for a maximum of six cycles. Patients in both groups received rituximab 375 mg/m(2) on day 1 of each cycle. Patients and treating physicians were not masked to treatment allocation. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival, with a non-inferiority margin of 10%. Analysis was per protocol. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT00991211, and the Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices of Germany, BfArM 4021335. 274 patients were assigned to bendamustine plus rituximab (261 assessed) and 275 to R-CHOP (253 assessed). At median follow-up of 45 months (IQR 25-57), median progression-free survival was significantly longer in the bendamustine plus rituximab group than in the R-CHOP group (69.5 months [26.1 to not yet reached] vs 31.2 months [15.2-65.7]; hazard ratio 0.58, 95% CI 0.44-0.74; p

  18. Fabrication of porous calcite using chopped nylon fiber and its evaluation using rats.

    PubMed

    Ishikawa, Kunio; Tram, Nguyen Xuan Thanh; Tsuru, Kanji; Toita, Riki

    2015-02-01

    Although porous calcite has attracted attention as bone substitutes, limited studies have been made so far. In the present study, porous calcite block was fabricated by introducing chopped nylon fiber as porogen. Ca(OH)2 powder containing 10 wt% chopped nylon fiber was compacted at 150 MPa, and sintered to burn out the fiber and to carbonate the Ca(OH)2 under stream of 1:2 O2-CO2. Sintering of Ca(OH)2 at 750 °C or lower temperature resulted in incomplete burning out of the fiber whereas sintering at 800 °C or higher temperature resulted in the formation of CaO due to the thermal decomposition of Ca(OH)2. However, sintering at 770 °C resulted in complete burning out of the fiber and complete carbonation of Ca(OH)2 to calcite without forming CaO. Macro- and micro-porosities of the porous calcite were approximately 23 and 16%, respectively. Diameter of the macropores was approximately 100 μm which is suitable for bone tissue penetration. Porous calcite block fabricated by this method exhibited good tissue response when implanted in the bone defect in femur of 12-weeks-old rat. Four weeks after implantation, bone bonded on the surface of calcite. Furthermore, bone tissue penetrated interior to the macropore at 8 weeks. These results demonstrated the good potential value of porous calcite as artificial bone substitutes.

  19. True retention of nutrients on cooking of Australian retail lamb cuts of differing carcass classification characteristics.

    PubMed

    Kosulwat, Somkiat; Greenfield, Heather; Buckle, Kenneth A

    2003-12-01

    The true retention of nutrients (proximate principles and cholesterol) on cooking of three retail cuts from lambs classified by weight, sex and fatness score was investigated. Fat retentions of the total cut and of the lean portion of lamb legs and mid-loin chops were not affected by carcass fatness, weight and sex or their interactions, however, the fat retention of the total cut and of the lean portion of forequarter chops was affected by fat score, with forequarter chops from fat score 1 retaining more fat than did chops of carcasses of higher fat score. Overall, fat was lost by all cuts (total cut) on cooking, with only 70-80% of fat being retained, but fat content of lean only increased on cooking (retention >100%), indicating the passage of fat into the lean portion from the external fat cover during the cooking process. Carcass factors and their interactions had little or no effect on the protein, water and ash retentions of the total cut or the lean portions of the three cuts. Cholesterol retention by the lean portion of three cooked lamb cuts was not affected by any carcass factors or their interactions. Cholesterol retentions were ∼99% for total cuts and tended to be ∼102% for the lean portions.

  20. Straight and chopped DC performance data for a General Electric 5BY436A1 DC shunt motor with a General Electric EV-1 controller

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Edie, P. C.

    1981-01-01

    Both straight and chopped dc motor performance data for a General Electric 5BY436A1 motor with a General Electric EV-1 controller is presented in tabular and graphical formats. Effects of motor temperature and operating voltage are also shown. The maximum motor efficiency is approximately 85% at low operating temperatures in the straight dc mode. Chopper efficiency can be assumed to be 95% under all operating conditions. For equal speeds, the motor operated in the chopped mode develops slightly more torque and draws more current than it does in the straight mode.

  1. Age Learning Factors Affecting Pilot Education.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Torbert, Brison

    This document, intended for pilot education and flight safety specialists, consists chiefly of a review of the literature on physiological factors that affect pilot education and an examination of environmental factors that should be scrutinized in order to improve the effectiveness of aviation learning facilities. The physiological factors…

  2. A fermented bean flour extract downregulates LOX-1, CHOP and ICAM-1 in HMEC-1 stimulated by ox-LDL.

    PubMed

    Gabriele, Morena; Pucci, Laura; La Marca, Margherita; Lucchesi, Daniela; Della Croce, Clara Maria; Longo, Vincenzo; Lubrano, Valter

    2016-01-01

    This study focused on an extract from fermented flour from the Lady Joy variety of the common bean Phaseolus vulgaris . The extract, Lady Joy lysate (Lys LJ), is enriched in antioxidant compounds during the fermentation. We assessed it for its protective effect on endothelial cells treated with oxidized-LDL (ox-LDL). The oxidative stress was determined by measuring the contents of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances and reactive oxygen metabolites. ICAM-1, ET-1 and IL-6 concentrations were assessed using ELISA. LOX-1 and CHOP expression were analyzed using both quantitative RT-PCR and ELISA or western blotting. Ox-LDL treatment induced significant oxidative stress, which was strongly reduced by pre-treatment with the extract. The ox-LDL exposure significantly enhanced ICAM-1, IL-6 and ET-1 levels over basal levels. Lys LJ pre-treatment exerted an inhibitory effect on ox-LDL-induced endothelial activation with ICAM-1 levels comparable to those for the untreated cells. IL-6 and ET-1 production, although reduced, was still significantly higher than for the control. Both LOX-1 and CHOP expression were upregulated after ox-LDL exposure, but this effect was significantly decreased after Lys LJ pre-treatment. Lys LJ alone did not alter the ICAM-1, IL-6 and ET-1 concentrations or CHOP expression, but it did significantly lower the LOX-1 protein level. Our data suggest that Lys LJ is an effective antioxidant that is able to inhibit the oxidation process, but that it is only marginally active against inflammation and ET-1 production in HMEC-1 exposed to ox-LDL.

  3. Environmental Factors Affecting Preschoolers' Motor Development

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Venetsanou, Fotini; Kambas, Antonis

    2010-01-01

    The process of development occurs according to the pattern established by the genetic potential and also by the influence of environmental factors. The aim of the present study was to focus on the main environmental factors affecting motor development. The review of the literature revealed that family features, such as socioeconomic status,…

  4. Nutritional Factors Affecting Adult Neurogenesis and Cognitive Function.

    PubMed

    Poulose, Shibu M; Miller, Marshall G; Scott, Tammy; Shukitt-Hale, Barbara

    2017-11-01

    Adult neurogenesis, a complex process by which stem cells in the hippocampal brain region differentiate and proliferate into new neurons and other resident brain cells, is known to be affected by many intrinsic and extrinsic factors, including diet. Neurogenesis plays a critical role in neural plasticity, brain homeostasis, and maintenance in the central nervous system and is a crucial factor in preserving the cognitive function and repair of damaged brain cells affected by aging and brain disorders. Intrinsic factors such as aging, neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, and brain injury, as well as lifestyle factors such as high-fat and high-sugar diets and alcohol and opioid addiction, negatively affect adult neurogenesis. Conversely, many dietary components such as curcumin, resveratrol, blueberry polyphenols, sulforaphane, salvionic acid, polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), and diets enriched with polyphenols and PUFAs, as well as caloric restriction, physical exercise, and learning, have been shown to induce neurogenesis in adult brains. Although many of the underlying mechanisms by which nutrients and dietary factors affect adult neurogenesis have yet to be determined, nutritional approaches provide promising prospects to stimulate adult neurogenesis and combat neurodegenerative diseases and cognitive decline. In this review, we summarize the evidence supporting the role of nutritional factors in modifying adult neurogenesis and their potential to preserve cognitive function during aging. © 2017 American Society for Nutrition.

  5. Factors affecting dignity of patients with multiple sclerosis.

    PubMed

    Sharifi, Simin; Borhani, Fariba; Abbaszadeh, Abbas

    2016-12-01

    MS is one of the most common chronic diseases of the nervous system. Apart from disease progression, other complications such as unemployment, separation and divorce could potentially threat patients' dignity. Most of the previous studies have been done of maintaining patients' dignity in interaction with healthcare team, but studies on affecting factors of dignity in chronic patients in the society and in interaction with usual people are scarce. We aimed to investigate factors affecting dignity of Iranian patients with MS in daily living and in interaction of them with the society. In this qualitative study, 13 patients with multiple sclerosis were chosen by purposive sampling and semi-structured interviews were conducted until data saturation. The study was done in Tehran, the capital city of Iran. Factors affecting dignity were classified as 'personal factors' and 'social factors'. Personal factors consist of the following subcategories: patients' communication with self, patients' knowledge, patients' values and beliefs and patients' resources. Social factors include others' communication with patients, social knowledge, social values and beliefs and social resources. Multiple personal and social factors interfere in perceived patient dignity. In fact, interaction between personal and social factors can be influential in final perceived dignity. By focusing on whole aspects of the patients' lives, we can identify dignity-promoting or dignity-threatening factors and help patients maintain their dignity by taking appropriate measures for moderating threatening factors and improving dignity enhancing ones. © 2016 Nordic College of Caring Science.

  6. Prognostic Value of the Pretreatment Advanced Lung Cancer Inflammation Index (ALI) in Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma Patients Treated with R-CHOP Chemotherapy.

    PubMed

    Park, Young Hoon; Yi, Hyeon Gyu; Lee, Moon Hee; Kim, Chul Soo; Lim, Joo Han

    2017-01-01

    The Advanced Lung Cancer Inflammation Index (ALI, body mass index × albumin/neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio) has been demonstrated to be a prognostic factor of survival in some solid cancers. We retrospectively investigated the usefulness of the ALI to predict chemotherapy response and survival in 212 patients with diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) treated with R-CHOP (rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisolone) chemotherapy. Patients were allocated to a low ALI group (n = 82, 38.7%) or a high ALI group (n = 130, 61.3%) according to an optimal pretreatment ALI cut-off value of 15.5 as determined by receiver operating curve analysis. The low ALI group displayed more adverse clinical characteristics, lower rates of complete remission (54.9 vs. 75.4%, p = 0.008), and poorer 5-year progression-free (PFS, 58.1 vs. 77.3%, p = 0.006) and overall (OS, 64.2 vs. 80.2%, p = 0.008) survival. Multivariate analysis showed that low ALI was found to independently predict shorter PFS and OS. Interestingly, a low ALI reverted to a high ALI during treatment in 58 patients (27.4%), and the 5-year OS of these patients was better than that of patients whose ALI remained low (n = 24, 72.5 vs. 24%, p < 0.001). ALI might be an easily available marker for predicting clinical outcomes in DLBCL patients treated with R-CHOP chemotherapy. © 2017 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  7. Outcomes of MYC-associated lymphomas after R-CHOP with and without consolidative autologous stem cell transplant: Subset analysis of randomized trial intergroup SWOG S9704

    PubMed Central

    Puvvada, Soham D.; Stiff, Patrick J.; Leblanc, Michael; Cook, James R.; Couban, Stephen; Leonard, John P.; Kahl, Brad; Marcellus, Deborah; Shea, Thomas C.; Winter, Jane N.; Li, Hongli; Rimsza, Lisa M.; Friedberg, Jonathan W.; Smith, Sonali M.

    2016-01-01

    Summary Double hit lymphoma (DHL) and double protein-expressing (MYC and BCL2) lymphomas (DPL) fare poorly with R-CHOP; consolidative autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT) may improve outcomes. S9704, a phase III randomized study of CHOP +/−R with or without ASCT allows evaluation of intensive consolidation. Immunohistochemical analysis identified 27 of 198 patients (13.6%) with MYC IHC overexpression and 20 (74%) harboring concurrent BCL2 overexpression. Four had DHL and 16 had DPL only. With median follow-up 127 months, there is a trend favoring outcomes after consolidative ASCT in DPL and MYC protein overexpressing patients, whereas all DHL patients have died irrespective of ASCT. PMID:27072903

  8. The dynamic changes of endoplasmic reticulum stress pathway markers GRP78 and CHOP in the hippocampus of diabetic mice.

    PubMed

    Zhao, Yongmei; Yan, Ying; Zhao, Zhiwei; Li, Sen; Yin, Jie

    2015-02-01

    Diabetic encephalopathy has recently been recognized late complication of diabetes resulting in progressive cognitive deficits. Emerging evidence has indicated that endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-mediated apoptosis is involved in the pathogenesis of diabetic eye and kidney as well as non-diabetic neurodegeneration. However, there was little direct evidence for the involvement of ER stress in diabetic encephalopathy up to now. In the present work, we investigated the role of ER stress in the pathogenesis of diabetic encephalopathy. Our results have demonstrated the existence of ER stress in the hippocampus of streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic mice. STZ injection i.p. rapidly induced up-regulation of the ER stress marker, the prosurvival chaperone glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78), as early as 6-24h and persisted at least for up to 72h in the hippocampus of mice, indicating the UPR activation soon after STZ administration. The increased expression of GRP78 in hippocampal cells is to relieve the ER stress. With the development of diabetes, the expression of GRP78 decreases while the expression of UPR-associated proapoptotic transcriptional regulator C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP) increases significantly in the hippocampal neurons of diabetic mice from 1 week after STZ administration to 12 weeks/the end of the study. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling-positive cells in the hippocampus of diabetic mice were largely colocalized with NeuN- and CHOP-positive cells, indicating that the up-regulation of CHOP in hippocampal neurons of diabetic mice may promote neuronal apoptosis and account for the damaged learning and memory ability of diabetic mice. Therefore, our study provides evidence that ER stress may play an important role in the pathogenesis of neuronal degeneration and may contribute to cognitive dysfunction of diabetic encephalopathy. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. A prospective study of reduced-dose three-course CHOP followed by involved-field radiotherapy for patients 70 years old or more with localized aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma

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

    Shikama, Naoto; Oguchi, Masahiko; Isobe, Koichi

    2006-09-01

    Purpose: We conducted a multicenter prospective study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of reduced-dose three-course CHOP (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisolone) followed by involved-field radiotherapy for elderly patients with localized aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The primary endpoint was compliance with the combined modality. Methods and Materials: This study included untreated patients, {>=}70 years old, with diffuse aggressive lymphoma, Stage IA or contiguous nonbulky Stage IIA. 80%-CHOP (cyclophosphamide 600 mg/m{sup 2}, doxorubicin 40 mg/m{sup 2}, vincristine 1.1 mg/m{sup 2}, and prednisolone at 80 mg/day for 5 days) was repeated every 3 weeks. After three cycles of chemotherapy, involved-field radiotherapy was performedmore » with a radiation dose of 30-50 Gy in 15-28 fractions. Results: Twenty-four patients with a median age of 75 years (range, 70-84 years) were enrolled. The compliance rate of the protocol study was 87.5% (95% confidence interval [CI], 67.6-97.3). Three patients received only two cycles of chemotherapy because of toxicity or second neoplasm. There were no deaths caused by severe toxicity. The 3-year progression-free and overall survival rates were 83.1% (95% CI, 75.4-90.8) and 82.9% (95% CI, 75.1-90.6), respectively. Conclusion: Three-course 80%-CHOP followed by involved-field radiotherapy may be safe for administration to elderly patients over 70 years old. The next step is to evaluate three-course 80%-CHOP and rituximab followed by radiotherapy in elderly patients with localized disease.« less

  10. Parecoxib suppresses CHOP and Foxo1 nuclear translocation, but increases GRP78 levels in a rat model of focal ischemia.

    PubMed

    Ye, Zhi; Wang, Na; Xia, Pingping; Wang, E; Liao, Juan; Guo, Qulian

    2013-04-01

    Parecoxib, a novel COX-2 inhibitor, functions as a neuroprotective agent and rescues neurons from cerebral ischemic reperfusion injury-induced apoptosis. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying parecoxib neuroprotection remain to be elucidated. There is growing evidence that endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress plays an important role in neuronal death caused by brain ischemia. However, very little is known about the role of parecoxib in mediating pathophysiological reactions to ER stress induced by ischemic reperfusion injury. Therefore, in the present study, we investigated whether delayed administration of parecoxib attenuates brain damage via suppressing ER stress-induced cell death. Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were administered parecoxib (10 or 30 mg kg(-1), IP) or isotonic saline twice a day starting 24 h after middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) for three consecutive days. The expressions of glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78) and oxygen-regulated protein 150 (ORP150) and C/EBP-homologous protein (CHOP) and forkhead box protein O 1 (Foxo1) in cytoplasmic and nuclear fraction were determined by Western blotting. The levels of caspase-12 expression were checked by immunohistochemistry analysis, served as a marker for ER stress-induced apoptosis. Parecoxib significantly suppressed cerebral ischemic injury-induced nuclear translocation of CHOP and Foxo1 and attenuated the immunoreactivity of caspase-12 in ischemic penumbra. Furthermore, the protective effect of delayed administration of parecoxib was accompanied by an increased GRP78 and ORP150 expression. Therefore, our study suggested that elevation of GRP78 and ORP150, and suppression of CHOP and Foxo1 nuclear translocation may contribute to parecoxib-mediated neuroprotection during ER stress responses.

  11. Economic and Cultural Factors Affecting University Excellence

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jabnoun, Naceur

    2009-01-01

    Purpose: The ranking of top universities in the world has generated increased interest in the factors that enhance university performance. The purpose of this paper is to identify economic and cultural factors that affect the number of top ranking universities in each country. Design/methodology/approach: This paper first identifies the number of…

  12. Evaluation of factors associated with second remission in dogs with lymphoma undergoing retreatment with a cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone chemotherapy protocol: 95 cases (2000-2007).

    PubMed

    Flory, Andrea B; Rassnick, Kenneth M; Erb, Hollis N; Garrett, Laura D; Northrup, Nicole C; Selting, Kim A; Phillips, Brenda S; Locke, Jennifer E; Chretin, John D

    2011-02-15

    To evaluate factors associated with second remission in dogs with lymphoma retreated with a cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (CHOP) protocol after relapse following initial treatment with a first-line 6-month CHOP protocol. Retrospective case series. 95 dogs with lymphoma. Medical records were reviewed. Remission duration was estimated by use of the Kaplan-Meier method. Factors potentially associated with prognosis were examined. Median remission duration after the first-line CHOP protocol was 289 days (range, 150 to 1,457 days). Overall, 78% (95% confidence interval [CI], 69% to 86%) of dogs achieved a complete remission following retreatment, with a median second remission duration of 159 days (95% CI, 126 to 212 days). Duration of time off chemotherapy was associated with likelihood of response to retreatment; median time off chemotherapy was 140 days for dogs that achieved a complete remission after retreatment and 84 days for dogs that failed to respond to retreatment. Second remission duration was associated with remission duration after initial chemotherapy; median second remission duration for dogs with initial remission duration ≥ 289 days was 214 days (95% CI, 168 to 491 days), compared with 98 days (95% CI, 70 to 144 days) for dogs with initial remission duration < 289 days. Findings suggested that retreatment with the CHOP protocol can be effective in dogs with lymphoma that successfully complete an initial 6-month CHOP protocol.

  13. ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS AFFECTING BREAST CANCER SUSCEPTIBILITY

    EPA Science Inventory

    Environmental Factors Affecting Breast Cancer Susceptibility
    Suzanne. E. Fenton
    US EPA, ORD, MD-67 NHEERL, Reproductive Toxicology Division, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711.

    Breast cancer is still the most common malignancy afflicting women in the Western world. Alt...

  14. Factors Affecting Radon Concentration in Houses

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Al-Sharif, Abdel-Latif; Abdelrahman, Y. S.

    2001-03-01

    The dangers to the human health upon exposure to radon and its daughter products is the main motivation behind the vast number of studies performed to find the concentration of radon in our living environment, including our houses. The presence of radon and its daughter products in houses are due to various sources including building materials and the soil under the houses. Many factors affect radon concentration in our houses, the elevation above ground level,ventilation, building materials and room usage being among these factors. In our paper, we discuss the effect of elevation above ground level, room usage and ventilation on the Radon concentration in houses. The faculty residences of the Mu'tah University (Jordan) were chosen in our study. Our results showed that the concentration of radon decreases with elevation. Ventilation rate was also found to affect radon concentration, where low concentrations observed for areas with good ventilation.

  15. Ablation of the Proapoptotic Genes Chop or Ask1 Does Not Prevent or Delay Loss of Visual Function in a P23H Transgenic Mouse Model of Retinitis Pigmentosa

    PubMed Central

    Adekeye, Adeseye; Haeri, Mohammad; Solessio, Eduardo; Knox, Barry E.

    2014-01-01

    The P23H mutation in rhodopsin (RhoP23H) is a prevalent cause of autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa. We examined the role of the ER stress proteins, Chop and Ask1, in regulating the death of rod photoreceptors in a mouse line harboring the RhoP23H rhodopsin transgene (GHL+). We used knockout mice models to determine whether Chop and Ask1 regulate rod survival or retinal degeneration. Electrophysiological recordings showed similar retinal responses and sensitivities for GHL+, GHL+/Chop−/− and GHL+/Ask1−/− animals between 4–28 weeks, by which time all three mouse lines exhibited severe loss of retinal function. Histologically, ablation of Chop and Ask1 did not rescue photoreceptor loss in young animals. However, in older mice, a regional protective effect was observed in the central retina of GHL+/Chop−/− and GHL+/Ask1−/−, a region that was severely degenerated in GHL+ mice. Our results show that in the presence of the RhoP23H transgene, the rate of decline in retinal sensitivity is similar in Chop or Ask1 ablated and wild-type retinas, suggesting that these proteins do not play a major role during the acute phase of photoreceptor loss in GHL+ mice. Instead they may be involved in regulating secondary pathological responses such as inflammation that are upregulated during later stages of disease progression. PMID:24523853

  16. Factors affecting caregivers' ability to make environmental modifications.

    PubMed

    Messecar, D C

    2000-12-01

    This study explored factors that family caregivers described as affecting their ability to use environmental modifications. Intensive interviews and participant observation were used to collect detailed data from 24 primary family caregivers. Several factors that affect the caregivers' ability to implement modification strategies were identified in the analysis. These factors included attributes of the elderly individual, attributes of the modification, quality of the caregiver-elderly relationship, caregivers' skills, personal resources of the caregiver, and the informal and formal supports available. Of these factors, the most important were the salient skills that caregivers need to implement environmental modifications. These findings point to the importance of caregivers receiving skills training in this important dimension of caregiving. Intervention should be based on a collaborative approach that ensures the caregiver and care receiver's needs and preferences are respected.

  17. R-hyper-CVAD versus R-CHOP/cytarabine with high-dose therapy and autologous haematopoietic stem cell support in fit patients with mantle cell lymphoma: 20 years of single-center experience.

    PubMed

    Widmer, Fabienne; Balabanov, Stefan; Soldini, Davide; Samaras, Panagiotis; Gerber, Bernhard; Manz, Markus G; Goede, Jeroen S

    2018-02-01

    Standard of care for untreated mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is still debated. At the University Hospital Zurich, advanced MCL in physically fit patients is treated either with rituximab plus cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisone induction followed by consolidating high-dose chemotherapy and autologous stem cell support (R-CHOP/HD-ASCT), or with rituximab plus fractionated cyclophosphamide, vincristine, doxorubicin and dexamethasone alternating with high-dose methotrexate-cytarabine (R-hyper-CVAD/MTX-AraC) without consolidating HD-ASCT upon physicians' and patients' choice. We retrospectively analysed the outcome and therapy tolerance in patients with MCL treated with R-CHOP/HD-ASCT or R-hyper-CVAD/MTX-AraC at the University Hospital Zurich between January 1996 and January 2016. Forty-three patients were included; 29 patients received R-CHOP/HD-ASCT and 14 patients R-hyper-CVAD/MTX-AraC. Mean age at diagnosis was 54.4 years (range 38-68 years). Thirty-five patients (81.4%) completed the entire first-line therapy (n = 24 in the R-CHOP/HD-ASCT group, n = 11 in the R-hyper-CVAD group). Of those, all patients responded and 97% achieved a complete remission (CR). With a mean follow-up of 5.7 years 10-year progression-free survival (PFS) for all patients was 32% and overall survival (OS) was 76%, with no difference between the two therapy groups. Complication-induced hospitalisation rate, haematological toxicity and economic burden were significantly higher in the R-hyper-CVAD therapy group. In contrast, quality of life and global health state were better in the R-hyper-CVAD therapy group. Both first-line therapies showed similar outcome with a median OS longer than 10 years. Due to significantly lower haematological toxicity and lower economic burden, we recommend R-CHOP/HD-ASCT as first-line therapy in fit adult patients with advanced MCL.

  18. Which factors affect software projects maintenance cost more?

    PubMed

    Dehaghani, Sayed Mehdi Hejazi; Hajrahimi, Nafiseh

    2013-03-01

    The software industry has had significant progress in recent years. The entire life of software includes two phases: production and maintenance. Software maintenance cost is increasingly growing and estimates showed that about 90% of software life cost is related to its maintenance phase. Extraction and considering the factors affecting the software maintenance cost help to estimate the cost and reduce it by controlling the factors. In this study, the factors affecting software maintenance cost were determined then were ranked based on their priority and after that effective ways to reduce the maintenance costs were presented. This paper is a research study. 15 software related to health care centers information systems in Isfahan University of Medical Sciences and hospitals function were studied in the years 2010 to 2011. Among Medical software maintenance team members, 40 were selected as sample. After interviews with experts in this field, factors affecting maintenance cost were determined. In order to prioritize the factors derived by AHP, at first, measurement criteria (factors found) were appointed by members of the maintenance team and eventually were prioritized with the help of EC software. Based on the results of this study, 32 factors were obtained which were classified in six groups. "Project" was ranked the most effective feature in maintenance cost with the highest priority. By taking into account some major elements like careful feasibility of IT projects, full documentation and accompany the designers in the maintenance phase good results can be achieved to reduce maintenance costs and increase longevity of the software.

  19. A new prognostic score for elderly patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma treated with R-CHOP: the prognostic role of blood monocyte and lymphocyte counts is absent.

    PubMed

    Procházka, Vít; Pytlík, Robert; Janíková, Andrea; Belada, David; Sálek, David; Papajík, Tomáš; Campr, Vít; Fürst, Tomáš; Furstova, Jana; Trněný, Marek

    2014-01-01

    Absolute lymphocyte count (ALC) and absolute monocyte count (AMC) have been documented as independent predictors of survival in patients with newly diagnosed Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma (DLBCL). Analysis of the prognostic impact of ALC and AMC in the context of International Prognostic Index (IPI) and other significant variables in elderly population treated in the R-CHOP regime has not been carried out yet. In this retrospective study, a cohort of 443 newly diagnosed DLBCL patients with age ≥ 60 was analyzed. All patients were treated with the R-CHOP therapy. An extensive statistical analysis was performed to identify risk factors of 3-year overall survival (OS). In multivariate analysis, only three predictors proved significant: Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (ECOG), age and bulky disease presence. These predictors were dichotomized (ECOG ≥ 1, age ≥ 70, bulk ≥ 7.5) to create a novel four-level score. This score predicted 3-year OS of 94.0%, 77.4%, 62.7% and 35.4% in the low-, low-intermediate, high-intermediate and high-risk groups, respectively (P<0.001). Further, a three-level score was tested which stratifies the population better (3-year OS: 91.9%, 67.2%, 36.2% in the low, intermediate and high-risk groups, respectively) but is more difficult to interpret. Both the 3- and 4-level scores were compared to standard scoring systems and, in our population, were shown to be superior in terms of patients risk stratification with respect to 3-year OS prediction. The results were successfully validated on an independent cohort of 162 patients of similar group characteristics. The prognostic role of baseline ALC, AMC or their ratio (LMR) was not confirmed in the multivariate context in elderly population with DLBCL treated with R-CHOP. The newly proposed age-specific index stratifies the elderly population into risk groups more precisely than the conventional IPI and its existing variants.

  20. Preslaughter factors affecting poultry meat quality chapter 2.

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Poultry meat quality is affected by numerous antemortem factors, in particular those occurring during the last 24 hours that the bird is alive. These short term factors influence carcass yield (live shrink), carcass defects (bruising, broken/dislocated bones), carcass microbiological contamination, ...

  1. FACTORS ADVERSELY AFFECTING AMPHIBIAN POPULATIONS IN THE US

    EPA Science Inventory

    Factors known or suspected to be adversely affecting native amphibian populations in the US were identified using information from species accounts written in a standardized format by multiple authors in a forthcoming book. Specific adverse factors were identified for 53 (58%) of...

  2. Factors affecting radiographers' organizational commitment.

    PubMed

    Akroyd, Duane; Jackowski, Melissa B; Legg, Jeffrey S

    2007-01-01

    A variety of factors influence employees' attitudes toward their workplace and commitment to the organization that employs them. However, these factors have not been well documented among radiologic technologists. To determine the predictive ability of selected organizational, leadership, work-role and demographic variables on organizational commitment for a national sample of radiographers. Three thousand radiographers registered by the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists working full time in clinical settings were surveyed by mail regarding their commitment to their employers, leadership within the organization that employs them, employer support and demographic information. Overall, radiographers were found to have only a moderate level of commitment to their employers. Among the factors that significantly affected commitment were the radiographer's educational level, perceived level of organizational support, role clarity and organizational leadership. The results of this study could provide managers and supervisors with insights on how to empower and challenge radiographers and offer opportunities that will enhance radiographers' commitment to the organization, thus reducing costly turnover and improving employee performance.

  3. Factors Affecting Faculty Web Portal Usability

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bringula, Rex P.; Basa, Roselle S.

    2011-01-01

    The study investigated the factors that might significantly affect web portal usability. Results of the study were intended to serve as inputs for faculty web portal development of the University of the East-Manila. Descriptive statistics utilized questionnaire data from 82 faculty members. The data showed that most of the respondents were…

  4. Low Calorie Diet Affects Aging-Related Factors

    MedlinePlus

    ... Research News From NIH Low Calorie Diet Affects Aging-Related Factors Past Issues / Summer 2006 Table of ... project sponsored by the NIH's National Institute on Aging (NIA) to learn more about the effects of ...

  5. What Factors Affect Response to Ads? A Perspective.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rotzoll, Kim B.

    The concept of "frame of reference" offers a perspective from which to examine the many factors which affect advertising response. The advertiser is interested in affecting two types of overt behavior. First, the individual is induced to select a particular stimulus (the advertisement) from competing stimuli (such as other people, noise,…

  6. CGK733-induced LC3 II formation is positively associated with the expression of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21Waf1/Cip1 through modulation of the AMPK and PERK/CHOP signaling pathways.

    PubMed

    Wang, Yufeng; Kuramitsu, Yasuhiro; Baron, Byron; Kitagawa, Takao; Tokuda, Kazuhiro; Akada, Junko; Nakamura, Kazuyuki

    2015-11-24

    Microtubule-associated protein 1A/1B-light chain 3 (LC3)-II is essential for autophagosome formation and is widely used to monitor autophagic activity. We show that CGK733 induces LC3 II and LC3-puncta accumulation, which are not involved in the activation of autophagy. The treatment of CGK733 did not alter the autophagic flux and was unrelated to p62 degradation. Treatment with CGK733 activated the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and protein kinase RNA-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase/CCAAT-enhancer-binding protein homologous protein (PERK/CHOP) pathways and elevated the expression of p21Waf1/Cip1. Inhibition of both AMPK and PERK/CHOP pathways by siRNA or chemical inhibitor could block CGK733-induced p21Waf1/Cip1 expression as well as caspase-3 cleavage. Knockdown of LC3 B (but not LC3 A) abolished CGK733-triggered LC3 II accumulation and consequently diminished AMPK and PERK/CHOP activity as well as p21Waf1/Cip1 expression. Our results demonstrate that CGK733-triggered LC3 II formation is an initial event upstream of the AMPK and PERK/CHOP pathways, both of which control p21Waf1/Cip1 expression.

  7. Botulism from chopped garlic: delayed recognition of a major outbreak.

    PubMed

    St Louis, M E; Peck, S H; Bowering, D; Morgan, G B; Blatherwick, J; Banerjee, S; Kettyls, G D; Black, W A; Milling, M E; Hauschild, A H

    1988-03-01

    Diagnosis of botulism in two teenaged sisters in Montreal led to the identification of 36 previously unrecognized cases of type B botulism in persons who had eaten at a restaurant in Vancouver, British Columbia, during the preceding 6 weeks. A case-control study implicated a new vehicle for botulism, commercial chopped garlic in soybean oil (P less than 10(-4)). Relatively mild and slowly progressive illness, dispersion of patients over at least eight provinces and states in three countries, and a previously unsuspected vehicle had contributed to prolonged misdiagnoses, including myasthenia gravis (six patients), psychiatric disorders (four), stroke (three), and others. Ethnic background influenced severity of illness: 60% of Chinese patients but only 4% of others needed mechanical ventilation (P less than 10(-3]. Trypsinization of serum was needed to show toxemia in one patient. Electromyography results with high-frequency repetitive stimulation corroborated the diagnosis of botulism up to 2 months after onset. Although botulism is a life-threatening disease, misdiagnosis may be common and large outbreaks can escape recognition completely.

  8. Affective and Social Factors in a Project-Based Writing Course

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kathpalia, Sujata Surinder; Heah, Carmel

    2011-01-01

    Much of the work in academic writing has focused on the cognitive rather than the affective and social aspects involved in project-based writing. Emphasis in past research has been on skills and processes of writing rather than on affective factors such as motivation, attitudes, feelings or social factors involving intrapersonal and interpersonal…

  9. Substrate-Related Factors Affecting Enzymatic Saccharification of Lignocelluloses: Our Recent Understanding

    Treesearch

    Shao-Yuan Leu; J.Y. Zhu

    2013-01-01

    Enzymatic saccharification of cellulose is a key step in conversion of plant biomass to advanced biofuel and chemicals. Many substrate-related factors affect saccharification. Rather than examining the role of each individual factor on overall saccharification efficiency, this study examined how each factor affects the three basic processes of a heterogeneous...

  10. Microbiologic factors affecting Clostridium difficile recurrence.

    PubMed

    Chilton, C H; Pickering, D S; Freeman, J

    2018-05-01

    Recurrent Clostridium difficile infection (rCDI) places a huge economic and practical burden on healthcare facilities. Furthermore, rCDI may affect quality of life, leaving patients in an rCDI cycle and dependant on antibiotic therapy. To discuss the importance of microbiologic factors in the development of rCDI. Literature was drawn from a search of PubMed from 2000 onwards with the search term 'recurrent Clostridium difficile infection' and further references cited within these articles. Meta-analyses and systematic reviews have shown that CDI and rCDI risk factors are similar. Development of rCDI is attendant on many factors, including immune status or function, comorbidities and concomitant treatments. Studies suggest that poor bacterial diversity is correlated with clinical rCDI. Narrow-spectrum gut microflora-sparing antimicrobials (e.g. surotomycin, cadazolid, ridinilazole) are in development for CDI treatment, while microbiota therapeutics (faecal microbiota transplantation, nontoxigenic C. difficile, stool substitutes) are increasingly being explored. rCDI can only occur when viable C. difficile spores are present, either within the gut lumen after infection or when reacquired from the environment. C. difficile spore germination can be influenced by gut environmental factors resulting from dysbiosis, and spore outgrowth may be affected stage by some antimicrobials (e.g. fidaxomicin, ramoplanin, oritavancin). rCDI is a significant challenge for healthcare professionals, requiring a multifaceted approach; optimized infection control to minimize reinfection; C. difficile-targeted antibiotics to minimize dysbiosis; and gut microflora restoration to promote colonization resistance. These elements should be informed by our understanding of the microbiologic factors involved in both C. difficile itself and the gut microbiome. Copyright © 2017 European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Factors affecting strategic plan implementation using interpretive structural modeling (ISM).

    PubMed

    Bahadori, Mohammadkarim; Teymourzadeh, Ehsan; Tajik, Hamidreza; Ravangard, Ramin; Raadabadi, Mehdi; Hosseini, Seyed Mojtaba

    2018-06-11

    Purpose Strategic planning is the best tool for managers seeking an informed presence and participation in the market without surrendering to changes. Strategic planning enables managers to achieve their organizational goals and objectives. Hospital goals, such as improving service quality and increasing patient satisfaction cannot be achieved if agreed strategies are not implemented. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the factors affecting strategic plan implementation in one teaching hospital using interpretive structural modeling (ISM). Design/methodology/approach The authors used a descriptive study involving experts and senior managers; 16 were selected as the study sample using a purposive sampling method. Data were collected using a questionnaire designed and prepared based on previous studies. Data were analyzed using ISM. Findings Five main factors affected strategic plan implementation. Although all five variables and factors are top level, "senior manager awareness and participation in the strategic planning process" and "creating and maintaining team participation in the strategic planning process" had maximum drive power. "Organizational structure effects on the strategic planning process" and "Organizational culture effects on the strategic planning process" had maximum dependence power. Practical implications Identifying factors affecting strategic plan implementation is a basis for healthcare quality improvement by analyzing the relationship among factors and overcoming the barriers. Originality/value The authors used ISM to analyze the relationship between factors affecting strategic plan implementation.

  12. Exploring paraprofessional and classroom factors affecting teacher supervision.

    PubMed

    Irvin, Dwight W; Ingram, Paul; Huffman, Jonathan; Mason, Rose; Wills, Howard

    2018-02-01

    Paraprofessionals serve a primary role in supporting students with disabilities in the classroom, which necessitates teachers' supervision as a means to improve their practice. Yet, little is known regarding what factors affect teacher supervision. We sought to identify how paraprofessional competence and classroom type affected the levels of teacher direction. We administered an adapted version of the Paraprofessional Needs, Knowledge & Tasks Survey and the Survey for Teachers Supervising Paraprofessionals to teachers supervising paraprofessionals in elementary schools. Structural Equation Modeling was used to examine the link between paraprofessional competence and classroom factors affecting the level of teacher supervision. Our results indicated that when teachers perceived paraprofessionals as being more skilled, they provided more supervision, and when more supervision was provided the less they thought paraprofessionals should be doing their assigned tasks. Additionally, paraprofessionals working in classrooms with more students with mild disabilities received less supervision than paraprofessionals working in classrooms with more students with moderate-to-severe disabilities. Those paraprofessionals in classrooms serving mostly children with mild disabilities were also perceived as having lower levels of skill competence than those serving in classrooms with students with more moderate-to-severe disabilities. By understanding the factors that affect teacher supervision, policy and professional development opportunities can be refined/developed to better support both supervising teachers and paraprofessionals and, in turn, improve the outcomes of children with disabilities. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. The CHOP postnatal weight gain, birth weight, and gestational age retinopathy of prematurity risk model.

    PubMed

    Binenbaum, Gil; Ying, Gui-Shuang; Quinn, Graham E; Huang, Jiayan; Dreiseitl, Stephan; Antigua, Jules; Foroughi, Negar; Abbasi, Soraya

    2012-12-01

    To develop a birth weight (BW), gestational age (GA), and postnatal-weight gain retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) prediction model in a cohort of infants meeting current screening guidelines. Multivariate logistic regression was applied retrospectively to data from infants born with BW less than 1501 g or GA of 30 weeks or less at a single Philadelphia hospital between January 1, 2004, and December 31, 2009. In the model, BW, GA, and daily weight gain rate were used repeatedly each week to predict risk of Early Treatment of Retinopathy of Prematurity type 1 or 2 ROP. If risk was above a cut-point level, examinations would be indicated. Of 524 infants, 20 (4%) had type 1 ROP and received laser treatment; 28 (5%) had type 2 ROP. The model (Children's Hospital of Philadelphia [CHOP]) accurately predicted all infants with type 1 ROP; missed 1 infant with type 2 ROP, who did not require laser treatment; and would have reduced the number of infants requiring examinations by 49%. Raising the cut point to miss one type 1 ROP case would have reduced the need for examinations by 79%. Using daily weight measurements to calculate weight gain rate resulted in slightly higher examination reduction than weekly measurements. The BW-GA-weight gain CHOP ROP model demonstrated accurate ROP risk assessment and a large reduction in the number of ROP examinations compared with current screening guidelines. As a simple logistic equation, it can be calculated by hand or represented as a nomogram for easy clinical use. However, larger studies are needed to achieve a highly precise estimate of sensitivity prior to clinical application.

  14. Ranking factors affecting emissions of GHG from incubated agricultural soils.

    PubMed

    García-Marco, S; Ravella, S R; Chadwick, D; Vallejo, A; Gregory, A S; Cárdenas, L M

    2014-07-01

    Agriculture significantly contributes to global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and there is a need to develop effective mitigation strategies. The efficacy of methods to reduce GHG fluxes from agricultural soils can be affected by a range of interacting management and environmental factors. Uniquely, we used the Taguchi experimental design methodology to rank the relative importance of six factors known to affect the emission of GHG from soil: nitrate (NO 3 - ) addition, carbon quality (labile and non-labile C), soil temperature, water-filled pore space (WFPS) and extent of soil compaction. Grassland soil was incubated in jars where selected factors, considered at two or three amounts within the experimental range, were combined in an orthogonal array to determine the importance and interactions between factors with a L 16 design, comprising 16 experimental units. Within this L 16 design, 216 combinations of the full factorial experimental design were represented. Headspace nitrous oxide (N 2 O), methane (CH 4 ) and carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) concentrations were measured and used to calculate fluxes. Results found for the relative influence of factors (WFPS and NO 3 - addition were the main factors affecting N 2 O fluxes, whilst glucose, NO 3 - and soil temperature were the main factors affecting CO 2 and CH 4 fluxes) were consistent with those already well documented. Interactions between factors were also studied and results showed that factors with little individual influence became more influential in combination. The proposed methodology offers new possibilities for GHG researchers to study interactions between influential factors and address the optimized sets of conditions to reduce GHG emissions in agro-ecosystems, while reducing the number of experimental units required compared with conventional experimental procedures that adjust one variable at a time.

  15. Ranking factors affecting emissions of GHG from incubated agricultural soils

    PubMed Central

    García-Marco, S; Ravella, S R; Chadwick, D; Vallejo, A; Gregory, A S; Cárdenas, L M

    2014-01-01

    Agriculture significantly contributes to global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and there is a need to develop effective mitigation strategies. The efficacy of methods to reduce GHG fluxes from agricultural soils can be affected by a range of interacting management and environmental factors. Uniquely, we used the Taguchi experimental design methodology to rank the relative importance of six factors known to affect the emission of GHG from soil: nitrate (NO3−) addition, carbon quality (labile and non-labile C), soil temperature, water-filled pore space (WFPS) and extent of soil compaction. Grassland soil was incubated in jars where selected factors, considered at two or three amounts within the experimental range, were combined in an orthogonal array to determine the importance and interactions between factors with a L16 design, comprising 16 experimental units. Within this L16 design, 216 combinations of the full factorial experimental design were represented. Headspace nitrous oxide (N2O), methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations were measured and used to calculate fluxes. Results found for the relative influence of factors (WFPS and NO3− addition were the main factors affecting N2O fluxes, whilst glucose, NO3− and soil temperature were the main factors affecting CO2 and CH4 fluxes) were consistent with those already well documented. Interactions between factors were also studied and results showed that factors with little individual influence became more influential in combination. The proposed methodology offers new possibilities for GHG researchers to study interactions between influential factors and address the optimized sets of conditions to reduce GHG emissions in agro-ecosystems, while reducing the number of experimental units required compared with conventional experimental procedures that adjust one variable at a time. PMID:25177207

  16. Nupr1 Modulates Methamphetamine-Induced Dopaminergic Neuronal Apoptosis and Autophagy through CHOP-Trib3-Mediated Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress Signaling Pathway

    PubMed Central

    Xu, Xiang; Huang, Enping; Tai, Yunchun; Zhao, Xu; Chen, Xuebing; Chen, Chuanxiang; Chen, Rui; Liu, Chao; Lin, Zhoumeng; Wang, Huijun; Xie, Wei-Bing

    2017-01-01

    Methamphetamine (METH) is an illegal and widely abused psychoactive stimulant. METH exposure causes detrimental effects on multiple organ systems, primarily the nervous system, especially dopaminergic pathways, in both laboratory animals and humans. In this study, we hypothesized that Nuclear protein 1 (Nupr1/com1/p8) is involved in METH-induced neuronal apoptosis and autophagy through endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress signaling pathway. To test this hypothesis, we measured the expression levels of Nupr1, ER stress protein markers CHOP and Trib3, apoptosis-related protein markers cleaved-caspase3 and PARP, as well as autophagy-related protein markers LC3 and Beclin-1 in brain tissues of adult male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats, rat primary cultured neurons and the rat adrenal pheochromocytoma cells (PC12 cells) after METH exposure. We also determined the effects of METH exposure on the expression of these proteins after silencing Nupr1, CHOP, or Trib3 expression with synthetic small hairpin RNA (shRNA) or siRNA in vitro, and after silencing Nupr1 in the striatum of rats by injecting lentivirus containing shRNA sequence targeting Nupr1 gene to rat striatum. The results showed that METH exposure increased Nupr1 expression that was accompanied with increased expression of ER stress protein markers CHOP and Trib3, and also led to apoptosis and autophagy in rat primary neurons and in PC12 cells after 24 h exposure (3.0 mM), and in the prefrontal cortex and striatum of rats after repeated intraperitoneal injections (15 mg/kg × 8 injections at 12 h intervals). Silencing of Nupr1 expression partly reduced METH-induced apoptosis and autophagy in vitro and in vivo. These results suggest that Nupr1 plays an essential role in METH-caused neuronal apoptosis and autophagy at relatively higher doses and may be a potential therapeutic target in high-dose METH-induced neurotoxicity. PMID:28694771

  17. Reviews on factors affecting fatigue behavior of high-Mn steels

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kim, Sangshik; Jeong, Daeho; Sung, Hyokyung

    2018-01-01

    A variety of factors affect the fatigue behavior of high-Mn steels, which include both extrinsic (i.e., loading type, R ratio, specimen type, surface condition, temperature, and environment) and intrinsic (i.e., chemical composition, grain size, microstructure, stacking fault energy) factors. Very often, the influence of extrinsic factors on the fatigue behavior is even greater than that of intrinsic factors, misleading the interpretation of fatigue data. The metallurgical factors influence the initiation and propagation behaviors of fatigue by altering the characteristics of slip that is prerequisite for fatigue damage accumulation. It is however not easy to separate the effect of each factor since they affect the fatigue behavior of high-Mn steels in complex and synergistic way. In this review, the fatigue data of high-Mn steels are summarized and the factors complicating the interpretation are discussed.

  18. Review: Factors affecting fouling in conventional pens for slaughter pigs.

    PubMed

    Larsen, M L V; Bertelsen, M; Pedersen, L J

    2018-02-01

    This review assesses factors affecting fouling in conventional pens for slaughter pigs. Fouling of the pen happens when pigs change their excretory behaviour from occurring in the designated dunging area to the lying area. This can result in a lower hygiene, bad air quality, extra work for the farmer, disturbance of the pigs' resting behaviour and an increase in agonistic interactions. A systematic search was conducted and results narrowed down to 21 articles. Four factors were found to affect fouling directly: insufficient space allowance, the flooring design of the pen, the thermal climate and pigs' earlier experience. Further, these primary factors are affected by secondary factors such as the shape of the pen, the weight of the pigs and especially the heat balance of the pigs, which is affected by several tertiary factors including, for example, temperature, humidity and draught. Results indicate that the most important factor to control when trying to prevent fouling of a pen is the pen climate. An appropriate climate may be accomplished through floor cooling in the designated lying area, sprinklers above the designated dunging area and by ensuring a more optimal ambient temperature curve that also fits the weight of the pigs in different stages of the production. All in all, fouling of the pen in conventional slaughter pigs is a multifactorial problem, but it is important to focus on increasing the comfortability, and especially the climate, of the designated lying area.

  19. Therapeutic trials for a rabbit model of EBV-associated Hemophagocytic Syndrome (HPS): effects of vidarabine or CHOP, and development of Herpesvirus papio (HVP)-negative lymphomas surrounded by HVP-infected lymphoproliferative disease.

    PubMed

    Hayashi, K; Joko, H; Koirala, T R; Onoda, S; Jin, Z-S; Munemasa, M; Ohara, N; Oda, W; Tanaka, T; Oka, T; Kondo, E; Yoshino, T; Takahashi, K; Yamada, M; Akagi, T

    2003-10-01

    Epstein-Barr virus-associated hemophagocytic syndrome (EBV-AHS), which is often associated with fatal infectious mononucleosis or T-cell lymphoproliferative diseases (LPD), is a distinct disease characterized by high mortality. Treatment of patients with EBV-AHS has proved challenging. To develop some therapeutic interventions for EBV-AHS, we examined the effectiveness of an antiviral agent (vidarabine) or chemotherapy (CHOP), using a rabbit model for EBV-AHS. Fourteen untreated rabbits were inoculated intravenously with cell-free virions of the EBV-like virus Herpesvirus papio (HVP). All of the rabbits died of HVP-associated (LPD) and hemophagocytic syndrome (HPS) between 21 and 31 days after inoculation. Furthermore, three HVP-infected rabbits treated with vidarabine died between days 23 and 28 after inoculation, and their clinicopathological features were no different from those of untreated rabbits, indicating that this drug is not effective at all to treat HVP-induced rabbit LPD and HPS. Three of the infected rabbits that were treated with one course, with an incomplete set of three courses, or with three full courses of CHOP treatment died of HVP-induced LPD and HPS with a bleeding tendency and/or with opportunistic infections. They died on the 26th, 62nd and 105th day after virus inoculation, respectively. CHOP treatment transiently suppressed the HVP-induced LPD and contributed to the prolonged survival time of two infected rabbits. However, it did not remove all of the HVP-infected cells from the infected rabbits, and residual HVP-infected lymphocytes caused recurrences of rabbit LPD and HPS. The most interesting finding of this experiment was observed in the infected rabbit with the longest survival time of 105 days: HVP-negative lymphomas surrounded by HVP-induced LPD developed in the larynx and ileum of this rabbit, causing an obstruction of the lumen. We concluded that these were not secondary lymphomas caused by CHOP treatment, because no suspicious

  20. Factors affecting the quality of life in childhood epilepsy in China.

    PubMed

    Yong, L; Chengye, J; Jiong, Q

    2006-03-01

    To explore the level of, and factors affecting the quality of life (QOL) in childhood epilepsy in China. At the Peking University First Hospital, we consecutively identified 418 parents whose children were with known epilepsy to complete a questionnaire, which included children's demographic characteristics, clinical message of epilepsy, QOL, familial message, parental symptoms of anxiety/depression. Significant (p<0.05) affecting factors of children's quality of life included current educational degree, mental development, age at diagnosis, age at onset, seizure frequency, duration, AED number; parental significant (p<0.05) affecting factors included anxiety, depression and health. On regression analysis, parental anxiety was the most important factor in explaining lower QOL in childhood epilepsy. AEDs, familial economic state, paternal career, seizure frequency were also significant factors. Parental anxiety outweighed the physical factors in determining QOL in childhood epilepsy. Recognition of this will be helpful for professionals to treat disease and improve the QOL of childhood epilepsy.

  1. Factors affecting academic leadership in dermatology.

    PubMed

    Martires, Kathryn J; Aquino, Lisa L; Wu, Jashin J

    2015-02-01

    Although prior studies have examined methods by which to recruit and retain academic dermatologists, few have examined factors that are important for developing academic leaders in dermatology. This study sought to examine characteristics of dermatology residency programs that affect the odds of producing department or division chairs/chiefs and program directors (PDs). Data regarding program size, faculty, grants, alumni residency program attended, lectures, and publications for all accredited US dermatology residency programs were collected. Of the 103 programs examined, 46% had graduated at least 1 chair/chief, and 53% had graduated at least 1 PD. Results emphasize that faculty guidance and research may represent modifiable factors by which a dermatology residency program can increase its graduation of academic leaders.

  2. 78 FR 46418 - Proposed Information Collection (Obligation To Report Factors Affecting Entitlement) Activity...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-07-31

    ... (Obligation To Report Factors Affecting Entitlement) Activity; Comment Request AGENCY: Veterans Benefits... use of other forms of information technology. Title: Obligation to Report Factors Affecting... entitlement factors. Individual factors such as income, marital status, and the beneficiary's number of...

  3. 75 FR 62634 - Proposed Information Collection (Obligation to Report Factors Affecting Entitlement) Activity...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-10-12

    ... (Obligation to Report Factors Affecting Entitlement) Activity: Comment Request AGENCY: Veterans Benefits... use of other forms of information technology. Title: Obligation to Report Factors Affecting... entitlement factors. Individual factors such as income, marital status, and the beneficiary's number of...

  4. Analysis of factors affecting employee satisfaction: A case study from Pakistan.

    PubMed

    Rukh, Lala; Choudhary, Muhammad Abbas; Abbasi, Saddam Akber

    2015-01-01

    Employee job satisfaction has been a research focal point throughout the world. It is a key factor when measuring the performance of an organization and individuals. A leading engineering goods manufacturing enterprise in Pakistan, has been used in this case study. In Pakistan, very limited research has been done with respect to factors affecting job satisfaction. Some research has been done in medical institutions, banks, universities and the information technology sector but large public sector organizations in Pakistan have not been studied. A theoretical foundation for researching factors affecting job satisfaction in large organizations is outlined. The objective of this research is to analyze various demographic, financial and non-financial factors affecting the satisfaction level of employees and to study the effects across different employee groups. This study is based on quantitative data analysis. The employees of the organization under study have been divided into 10 homogeneous groups based on their departments. Information on job related factors (affecting the satisfaction level) have been collected from subsamples of each group using a self-administered questionnaire. An overall sample of 250 (out of total 1100) employees has been selected. Before conducting the survey, reliability of the questionnaire was measured using Cronbach's alpha. The normality of data was also examined using the Kolmogorov Smirnov test. Hypotheses devised to address the research questions were tested by using non-parametric Spearman correlation and Kruskal-Wallis tests. The response rate was 73.2%. Research findings indicated the significant factors that affect the satisfaction level of employees. Median group differences existed between responses based on age, work experience, salary and designation (i.e. job position/rank) of employees. Job satisfaction was also positively and significantly associated with job related factors such as pay, promotion, relation with employees

  5. Factors Affecting Successful Implementation of Hospital Information Systems.

    PubMed

    Farzandipur, Mehrdad; Jeddi, Fatemeh Rangraz; Azimi, Esmaeil

    2016-02-01

    Today, the use of information systems in health environments, like any other fields, is necessary and organizational managers are convinced to use these systems. However, managers' satisfaction is not the only factor in successfully implementing these systems and failed information technology projects (IT) are reported despite the consent of the directors. Therefore, this study aims to determine the factors affecting the successful implementation of a hospital information system. The study was carried out as a descriptive method in 20 clinical hospitals that the hospital information system (HIS) was conducted in them. The clinical and paraclinical users of mentioned hospitals are the study group. 400 people were chosen as samples in scientific method and the data was collected using a questionnaire consisted of three main human, managerial and organizational, and technological factors, by questionnaire and interview. Then the data was scored in Likert scale (score of 1 to 5) and were analyzed using the SPSS software. About 75 percent of the population were female, with average work experience of 10 years and the mean age was 30 years. The human factors affecting the success of hospital information system implementation achieved the mean score of 3.5, both organizational and managerial factors 2.9 and technological factors the mean of 3. Human factors including computer skills, perceiving usefulness and perceiving the ease of a hospital information system use are more effective on the acceptance and successful implementation of hospital information systems; then the technological factors play a greater role. It is recommended that for the successful implementation of hospital information systems, most of these factors to be considered.

  6. Factors Affecting Open-Set Word Recognition in Adults with Cochlear Implants

    PubMed Central

    Holden, Laura K.; Finley, Charles C.; Firszt, Jill B.; Holden, Timothy A.; Brenner, Christine; Potts, Lisa G.; Gotter, Brenda D.; Vanderhoof, Sallie S.; Mispagel, Karen; Heydebrand, Gitry; Skinner, Margaret W.

    2012-01-01

    A monosyllabic word test was administered to 114 postlingually-deaf adult cochlear implant (CI) recipients at numerous intervals from two weeks to two years post-initial CI activation. Biographic/audiologic information, electrode position, and cognitive ability were examined to determine factors affecting CI outcomes. Results revealed that Duration of Severe-to-Profound Hearing Loss, Age at Implantation, CI Sound-field Threshold Levels, Percentage of Electrodes in Scala Vestibuli, Medio-lateral Electrode Position, Insertion Depth, and Cognition were among the factors that affected performance. Knowledge of how factors affect performance can influence counseling, device fitting, and rehabilitation for patients and may contribute to improved device design. PMID:23348845

  7. Factors affecting self-regulated learning in medical students: a qualitative study

    PubMed Central

    Jouhari, Zahra; Haghani, Fariba; Changiz, Tahereh

    2015-01-01

    Introduction Clinical courses are required of all medical students and means that they must develop the key skill of self-regulation during learning. The ability to self-regulate learning strategies is affected by different factors. This study determined the views of medical students on the factors affecting self-regulated learning (SRL). Method This study uses a qualitative approach and the content analysis method. Nineteen medical students in their fourth, fifth, and sixth years of study at Isfahan University of Medical Science participated in semi-structured, in-depth interviews. The students were selected using purposive sampling based on their overall grade point average (GPA). Results Five main themes were found to affect SRL. These themes included family with the two subthemes of family supervisory and supportive roles; peers with the two subthemes of facilitating and inhibiting roles; instructors with the two subthemes of personal and educational instructor's characteristics; educational environment with the two subthemes of facilitator and inhibitor roles; and student with the two subthemes of facilitating and inhibiting personal factors. Conclusion The outcomes of student understanding of the factors affecting self-regulation indicate that facilitating factors should be used on an individual basis to reduce the effect of inhibiting factors to improve self-regulation in students. PMID:26549046

  8. Factors affecting self-regulated learning in medical students: a qualitative study.

    PubMed

    Jouhari, Zahra; Haghani, Fariba; Changiz, Tahereh

    2015-01-01

    Introduction Clinical courses are required of all medical students and means that they must develop the key skill of self-regulation during learning. The ability to self-regulate learning strategies is affected by different factors. This study determined the views of medical students on the factors affecting self-regulated learning (SRL). Method This study uses a qualitative approach and the content analysis method. Nineteen medical students in their fourth, fifth, and sixth years of study at Isfahan University of Medical Science participated in semi-structured, in-depth interviews. The students were selected using purposive sampling based on their overall grade point average (GPA). Results Five main themes were found to affect SRL. These themes included family with the two subthemes of family supervisory and supportive roles; peers with the two subthemes of facilitating and inhibiting roles; instructors with the two subthemes of personal and educational instructor's characteristics; educational environment with the two subthemes of facilitator and inhibitor roles; and student with the two subthemes of facilitating and inhibiting personal factors. Conclusion The outcomes of student understanding of the factors affecting self-regulation indicate that facilitating factors should be used on an individual basis to reduce the effect of inhibiting factors to improve self-regulation in students.

  9. Factors affecting self-regulated learning in medical students: a qualitative study.

    PubMed

    Jouhari, Zahra; Haghani, Fariba; Changiz, Tahereh

    2015-01-01

    Clinical courses are required of all medical students and means that they must develop the key skill of self-regulation during learning. The ability to self-regulate learning strategies is affected by different factors. This study determined the views of medical students on the factors affecting self-regulated learning (SRL). This study uses a qualitative approach and the content analysis method. Nineteen medical students in their fourth, fifth, and sixth years of study at Isfahan University of Medical Science participated in semi-structured, in-depth interviews. The students were selected using purposive sampling based on their overall grade point average (GPA). Five main themes were found to affect SRL. These themes included family with the two subthemes of family supervisory and supportive roles; peers with the two subthemes of facilitating and inhibiting roles; instructors with the two subthemes of personal and educational instructor's characteristics; educational environment with the two subthemes of facilitator and inhibitor roles; and student with the two subthemes of facilitating and inhibiting personal factors. The outcomes of student understanding of the factors affecting self-regulation indicate that facilitating factors should be used on an individual basis to reduce the effect of inhibiting factors to improve self-regulation in students.

  10. 14 CFR Appendix B to Part 1215 - Factors Affecting Standard Charges

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... 14 Aeronautics and Space 5 2011-01-01 2010-01-01 true Factors Affecting Standard Charges B Appendix B to Part 1215 Aeronautics and Space NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION TRACKING AND DATA RELAY SATELLITE SYSTEM (TDRSS) Pt. 1215, App. B Appendix B to Part 1215—Factors Affecting Standard...

  11. Methods of Combinatorial Optimization to Reveal Factors Affecting Gene Length

    PubMed Central

    Bolshoy, Alexander; Tatarinova, Tatiana

    2012-01-01

    In this paper we present a novel method for genome ranking according to gene lengths. The main outcomes described in this paper are the following: the formulation of the genome ranking problem, presentation of relevant approaches to solve it, and the demonstration of preliminary results from prokaryotic genomes ordering. Using a subset of prokaryotic genomes, we attempted to uncover factors affecting gene length. We have demonstrated that hyperthermophilic species have shorter genes as compared with mesophilic organisms, which probably means that environmental factors affect gene length. Moreover, these preliminary results show that environmental factors group together in ranking evolutionary distant species. PMID:23300345

  12. Factors Affecting Smoking Tendency and Smoking Intensity

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    David, Nissim Ben; Zion, Uri Ben

    2009-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to measure the relative effect of relevant explanatory variable on smoking tendency and smoking intensity. Design/methodology/approach: Using survey data collected by the Israeli Bureau of Statistics in 2003-2004, a probit procedure is estimated for analyzing factors that affect the probability of being a…

  13. Impact of salvage treatment modalities in patients with positive FDG-PET/CT after R-CHOP chemotherapy for aggressive B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

    PubMed

    Chin, Vicky; Fulham, Michael; Hertzberg, Mark; Jackson, Michael; Lindeman, Robert; Brighton, Timothy; Kidson-Gerber, Giselle; Wegner, Eva A; Cheung, Carol; MacCallum, Susan; Williams, Janet; Thompson, Stephen R

    2018-06-01

    To compare outcomes of different salvage treatment modalities in patients with aggressive B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) who remain FDG-PET positive after R-CHOP chemotherapy. Existing data on these patients with FDG-PET primary refractory disease are limited. Patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma or grade 3 follicular lymphoma were retrospectively reviewed from the Prince of Wales Hospital databases. Eligibility criteria were: age≥18 years, treated with R-CHOP, with positive post-chemotherapy FDG-PET. Salvage treatment modalities were: radical radiotherapy (RT, dose≥30 Gy), high dose chemotherapy and autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT), or non-radical management. Survival was calculated from date of post-chemotherapy FDG-PET to last follow-up. Twenty-six patients from 2003-2015 met the inclusion criteria. Median age was 60 (range 19-84). Most had adverse baseline features: 21 (81%) stage III-IV, 24 (92%) bulky disease and nine (35%) skeletal involvement. Characteristics of PET-positivity post-chemotherapy were single site in 16 (62%), sites of prior bulk in 24 of 24, skeletal sites in five of nine, and able to be encompassed by RT in 21 (81%). Salvage treatment was: radical RT in 17 (65%), ASCT in four (15%) and non-radical in five (20%). Median follow-up of surviving patients was 31 months. Kaplan-Meier estimates of 3-year PFS and OS were 41% and 52%, respectively. By salvage modality, 3-year PFS was 51% for RT, 25% for ASCT and 20% for non-radical treatment, (P = 0.453); 3-year OS was respectively 65%, 25% and 40% (P = 0.173). Patients with FDG-PET positive disease after R-CHOP for aggressive B-cell NHL are salvageable with radiotherapy. © 2018 The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists.

  14. Energy Absorption in Chopped Carbon Fiber Compression Molded Composites

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

    Starbuck, J.M.

    2001-07-20

    In passenger vehicles the ability to absorb energy due to impact and be survivable for the occupant is called the ''crashworthiness'' of the structure. To identify and quantify the energy absorbing mechanisms in candidate automotive composite materials, test methodologies were developed for conducting progressive crush tests on composite plate specimens. The test method development and experimental set-up focused on isolating the damage modes associated with the frond formation that occurs in dynamic testing of composite tubes. Quasi-static progressive crush tests were performed on composite plates manufactured from chopped carbon fiber with an epoxy resin system using compression molding techniques. Themore » carbon fiber was Toray T700 and the epoxy resin was YLA RS-35. The effect of various material and test parameters on energy absorption was evaluated by varying the following parameters during testing: fiber volume fraction, fiber length, fiber tow size, specimen width, profile radius, and profile constraint condition. It was demonstrated during testing that the use of a roller constraint directed the crushing process and the load deflection curves were similar to progressive crushing of tubes. Of all the parameters evaluated, the fiber length appeared to be the most critical material parameter, with shorter fibers having a higher specific energy absorption than longer fibers. The combination of material parameters that yielded the highest energy absorbing material was identified.« less

  15. Identification of Factors That Affect Software Complexity.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kaiser, Javaid

    A survey of computer scientists was conducted to identify factors that affect software complexity. A total of 160 items were selected from the literature to include in a questionnaire sent to 425 individuals who were employees of computer-related businesses in Lawrence and Kansas City. The items were grouped into nine categories called system…

  16. INTERNATIONAL DIFFERENCES IN FACTORS AFFECTING LABOUR MOBILITY.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    SELLIER, F.; ZARKA, C.

    THE GEOGRAPHICAL, OCCUPATIONAL, AND INTERFIRM MOBILITY, AND THE FACTORS AFFECTING THESE MOVEMENTS FOR WORKERS IN FRANCE, ITALY, GERMANY, AND SWEDEN IN THE PERIOD SINCE THE SECOND WORLD WAR ARE STUDIED. DATA OBTAINED FROM INDUSTRIAL SURVEYS AND GENERAL CENSUSES WERE USED TO COMPARE THE FOUR COUNTRIES WITH EACH OTHER AND WITH THE UNITED STATES.…

  17. A Metasynthesis of Factors Affecting Self-Management of Chronic Illness

    PubMed Central

    SCHULMAN-GREEN, Dena; JASER, Sarah S.; PARK, Chorong; WHITTEMORE, Robin

    2015-01-01

    Aim To identify factors that may serve as facilitators and barriers to self-management described by adults living with chronic illness by conducting a qualitative metasynthesis. Background Self-management is an individuals’ active management of a chronic illness in collaboration with their family members and clinicians. Design Qualitative metasynthesis. Data Sources We analyzed studies (N=53) published between January 2000–May 2013 that described factors affecting self-management in chronic illness as reported by adults aged over 18 years with chronic illness. Review Methods Sandelowsi and Barroso approach to qualitative metasynthesis: literature search; quality appraisal; analysis; and synthesis of findings. Results Collectively, article authors reported on sixteen chronic illnesses, most commonly diabetes (N=28) and cardiovascular disease (N=20). Participants included men and women (mean age=57, range 18–94) from twenty countries representing diverse races and ethnicities. We identified five categories of factors affecting self-management: Personal/Lifestyle Characteristics; Health Status; Resources; Environmental Characteristics; and Health Care System. Factors may interact to affect self-management and may exist on a continuum of positive (facilitator) to negative (barrier). Conclusion Understanding factors that influence self-management may improve assessment of self-management among adults with chronic illness and may inform interventions tailored to meet individuals’ needs and improve health outcomes. PMID:26781649

  18. Factors affecting post-pubertal penile size in patients with hypospadias.

    PubMed

    Moriya, Kimihiko; Nakamura, Michiko; Nishimura, Yoko; Kitta, Takeya; Kanno, Yukiko; Chiba, Hiroki; Kon, Masafumi; Shinohara, Nobuo

    2016-09-01

    To evaluate actual post-pubertal penile size and factors affecting it in hypospadias patients, we retrospectively reviewed medical charts. Hypospadias patients whose external genitalia were categorized into Tanner stage 5, and whose stretched penile length was evaluated at 15 years old or older from April 2008 to April 2015, were enrolled in the present study. Stretched penile length was measured by a single examiner. Actual post-pubertal stretched penile length and factors affecting the post-pubertal stretched penile length were estimated. Statistical analysis was performed using Mann-Whitney U test and univariate and multivariate linear regression models for the determination of independent factors. Thirty patients met the inclusion criteria. Median age at evaluation was 17.2 years. Thirteen and 17 had mild and severe hypospadias, respectively. Endocrinological abnormality was identified in 5. Multivariate analysis showed that the severity of hypospadias and endocrinological abnormality were significant factors affecting stretched penile length. Stretched penile length in 25 patients without endocrinological abnormality was significantly longer than that in those with endocrinological abnormality (p = 0.036). Among patients without endocrinological abnormality, stretched penile length in 13 with severe hypospadias was significantly shorter than that in 12 with mild hypospadias (p = 0.004). While the severity of hypospadias and endocrinological abnormality at post-pubertal evaluation were factors affecting post-pubertal penile size, stretched penile length in patients with severe hypospadias was shorter even in cases without endocrinological abnormality. These results suggest that severe hypospadias is not only a disorder of urethral development, but also a disorder of penile development.

  19. Factors affecting rotator cuff healing.

    PubMed

    Mall, Nathan A; Tanaka, Miho J; Choi, Luke S; Paletta, George A

    2014-05-07

    Several studies have noted that increasing age is a significant factor for diminished rotator cuff healing, while biomechanical studies have suggested the reason for this may be an inferior healing environment in older patients. Larger tears and fatty infiltration or atrophy negatively affect rotator cuff healing. Arthroscopic rotator cuff repair, double-row repairs, performing a concomitant acromioplasty, and the use of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) do not demonstrate an improvement in structural healing over mini-open rotator cuff repairs, single-row repairs, not performing an acromioplasty, or not using PRP. There is conflicting evidence to support postoperative rehabilitation protocols using early motion over immobilization following rotator cuff repair.

  20. Factors affecting corticosteroid concentrations in yellow-bellied marmots.

    PubMed

    Armitage, K B

    1991-01-01

    1. Bound and total corticosteroid concentrations of yellow-bellied marmots (Marmota flaviventris) were lowest in May after emergence from hibernation and peaked in August prior to immergence. 2. Total corticosteroids were affected by age but not by sex or reproductive status. 3. There was no consistent relationship between measures of population density and concentrations of corticosteroids; when a significant relationship occurred, only 22-34% of the variation was explained. 4. Social status and social behavior were the major factors affecting corticosteroid concentrations.

  1. Archaeal community dynamics and abiotic characteristics in a mesophilic anaerobic co-digestion process treating fruit and vegetable processing waste sludge with chopped fresh artichoke waste.

    PubMed

    Ros, M; Franke-Whittle, I H; Morales, A B; Insam, H; Ayuso, M; Pascual, J A

    2013-05-01

    This study evaluated the feasibility of obtaining methane in anaerobic digestion (AD) from the waste products generated by the processing of fruit and vegetables. During the first phase (0-55 d) of the AD using sludge from fruit and vegetable processing, an average value of 244±88 L kg(-1) dry matter d(-1)of biogas production was obtained, and methane content reached 65% of the biogas. Co-digestion with chopped fresh artichoke wastes in a second phase (55-71 d) enhanced biogas production, and resulted in an average value of 354±68 L kg(-1) dry matter d(-1), with higher methane content (more than 70%). The archaeal community involved in methane production was studied using the ANAEROCHIP microarray and real-time PCR. Results indicated that species of Methanosaeta and Methanosarcina were important during the AD process. Methanosarcina numbers increased after the addition of chopped fresh artichoke, while Methanosaeta numbers decreased. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Factors affecting Iran`s future. Final report

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

    Sinai, J.

    1993-05-28

    This study examines the factors affecting Iran`s future by focusing on the demographic, economic, and military trends in Iran and their impact on the country`s national security objectives in the next decade. The paper also assesses the implications of an economic embargo on Iran and potential Iranian threats to regional and United States national interests.

  3. Are Affective Factors a Good Predictor of Science Achievement? Examining the Role of Affective Factors Based on PISA 2006

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ozel, Murat; Caglak, Serdar; Erdogan, Mehmet

    2013-01-01

    This study investigated how affective factors like attitude and motivation contribute to science achievement in PISA 2006 using linear structural modeling. The data set of PISA 2006 collected from 4942 fifteen-year-old Turkish students (2290 females, 2652 males) was used for the statistical analyses. A total of 42 selected items on a four point…

  4. MDM2 phenotypic and genotypic profiling, respective to TP53 genetic status, in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma patients treated with rituximab-CHOP immunochemotherapy: a report from the International DLBCL Rituximab-CHOP Consortium Program

    PubMed Central

    Xu-Monette, Zijun Y.; Møller, Michael B.; Tzankov, Alexander; Montes-Moreno, Santiago; Hu, Wenwei; Manyam, Ganiraju C.; Kristensen, Louise; Fan, Lei; Visco, Carlo; Dybkær, Karen; Chiu, April; Tam, Wayne; Zu, Youli; Bhagat, Govind; Richards, Kristy L.; Hsi, Eric D.; Choi, William W. L.; van Krieken, J. Han; Huang, Qin; Huh, Jooryung; Ai, Weiyun; Ponzoni, Maurilio; Ferreri, Andrés J. M.; Wu, Lin; Zhao, Xiaoying; Bueso-Ramos, Carlos E.; Wang, Sa A.; Go, Ronald S.; Li, Yong; Winter, Jane N.; Medeiros, L. Jeffrey

    2013-01-01

    MDM2 is a key negative regulator of the tumor suppressor p53, however, the prognostic significance of MDM2 overexpression in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) has not been defined convincingly. In a p53 genetically–defined large cohort of de novo DLBCL patients treated with rituximab, cyclophosphamide, hydroxydaunorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (R-CHOP) chemotherapy, we assessed MDM2 and p53 expression by immunohistochemistry (n = 478), MDM2 gene amplification by fluorescence in situ hybridization (n = 364), and a single nucleotide polymorphism in the MDM2 promoter, SNP309, by SNP genotyping assay (n = 108). Our results show that MDM2 overexpression, unlike p53 overexpression, is not a significant prognostic factor in overall DLBCL. Both MDM2 and p53 overexpression do not predict for an adverse clinical outcome in patients with wild-type p53 but predicts for significantly poorer survival in patients with mutated p53. Variable p53 activities may ultimately determine the survival differences, as suggested by the gene expression profiling analysis. MDM2 amplification was observed in 3 of 364 (0.8%) patients with high MDM2 expression. The presence of SNP309 did not correlate with MDM2 expression and survival. This study indicates that evaluation of MDM2 and p53 expression correlating with TP53 genetic status is essential to assess their prognostic significance and is important for designing therapeutic strategies that target the MDM2-p53 interaction. PMID:23982177

  5. Factors affecting cardiac rehabilitation referral by physician specialty.

    PubMed

    Grace, Sherry L; Grewal, Keerat; Stewart, Donna E

    2008-01-01

    Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is widely underutilized because of multiple factors including physician referral practices. Previous research has shown CR referral varies by type of provider, with cardiologists more likely to refer than primary care physicians. The objective of this study was to compare factors affecting CR referral in primary care physicians versus cardiac specialists. A cross-sectional survey of a stratified random sample of 510 primary care physicians and cardiac specialists (cardiologists or cardiovascular surgeons) in Ontario identified through the Canadian Medical Directory Online was administered. One hundred four primary care physicians and 81 cardiac specialists responded to the 26-item investigator-generated survey examining medical, demographic, attitudinal, and health system factors affecting CR referral. Primary care physicians were more likely to endorse lack of familiarity with CR site locations (P < .001), lack of standardized referral forms (P < .001), inconvenience (P = .04), program quality (P = .004), and lack of discharge communication from CR (P = .001) as factors negatively impacting CR referral practices than cardiac specialists. Cardiac specialists were significantly more likely to perceive that their colleagues and department would regularly refer patients to CR than primary care physicians (P < .001). Where differences emerged, primary care physicians were more likely to perceive factors that would impede CR referral, some of which are modifiable. Marketing CR site locations, provision of standardized referral forms, and ensuring discharge summaries are communicated to primary care physicians may improve their willingness to refer to CR.

  6. Factors Affecting Radiologist's PACS Usage.

    PubMed

    Forsberg, Daniel; Rosipko, Beverly; Sunshine, Jeffrey L

    2016-12-01

    The purpose of this study was to determine if any of the factors radiologist, examination category, time of week, and week effect PACS usage, with PACS usage defined as the sequential order of computer commands issued by a radiologist in a PACS during interpretation and dictation. We initially hypothesized that only radiologist and examination category would have significant effects on PACS usage. Command logs covering 8 weeks of PACS usage were analyzed. For each command trace (describing performed activities of an attending radiologist interpreting a single examination), the PACS usage variables number of commands, number of command classes, bigram repetitiveness, and time to read were extracted. Generalized linear models were used to determine the significance of the factors on the PACS usage variables. The statistical results confirmed the initial hypothesis that radiologist and examination category affect PACS usage and that the factors week and time of week to a large extent have no significant effect. As such, this work provides direction for continued efforts to analyze system data to better understand PACS utilization, which in turn can provide input to enable optimal utilization and configuration of corresponding systems. These continued efforts were, in this work, exemplified by a more detailed analysis using PACS usage profiles, which revealed insights directly applicable to improve PACS utilization through modified system configuration.

  7. Cognitive Factors Affecting Freeze-like Behavior in Humans.

    PubMed

    Alban, Michael W; Pocknell, Victoria

    2017-01-01

    Contemporary research on survival-related defensive behaviors has identified physiological markers of freeze/flight/fight. Our research focused on cognitive factors associated with freeze-like behavior in humans. Study 1 tested if an explicit decision to freeze is associated with the psychophysiological state of freezing. Heart rate deceleration occurred when participants chose to freeze. Study 2 varied the efficacy of freezing relative to other defense options and found "freeze" was responsive to variations in the perceived effectiveness of alternative actions. Study 3 tested if individual differences in motivational orientation affect preference for a "freeze" option when the efficacy of options is held constant. A trend in the predicted direction suggested that naturally occurring cognitions led loss-avoiders to select "freeze" more often than reward-seekers. In combination, our attention to the cognitive factors affecting freeze-like behavior in humans represents a preliminary step in addressing an important but neglected research area.

  8. Factors affecting the use of hardwood flooring in urban rehabilitation

    Treesearch

    Robert L. Jr. Nevel; Robert L. Jr. Nevel

    1973-01-01

    The continued use of hardwood flooring in urban rehabilitation is being threatened. A study of the influences that determine the choice of flooring indicates that economic, physical, or technological factors dominate. Most factors affecting the use of hardwood flooring are related to cost, availability, and compatibility. Of these factors, time and cost of installation...

  9. Factors Affecting Sleep Quality of Patients in Intensive Care Unit

    PubMed Central

    Bihari, Shailesh; Doug McEvoy, R.; Matheson, Elisha; Kim, Susan; Woodman, Richard J.; Bersten, Andrew D.

    2012-01-01

    Introduction: Sleep disturbance is a frequently overlooked complication of intensive care unit (ICU) stay. Aim: To evaluate sleep quality among patients admitted to ICU and investigate environmental and non-environmental factors that affect sleep quality in ICU. Methods: Over a 22-month period, we consecutively recruited patients who spent ≥ 2 nights post-endotracheal extubation in ICU and who were orientated to time, place, and person on the day of discharge. Self-reported sleep quality, according to a modified Freedman questionnaire, which provided data on self-reported ICU sleep quality in ICU and environmental factors affecting sleep quality in the ICU, were collected. We also investigated non-environmental factors, such as severity of illness, ICU interventions, and medications that can affect sleep quality. Results: Fifty males and 50 females were recruited with a mean (± SD) age of 65.1 ± 15.2 years. APACHE II score at admission to ICU was 18.1 ± 7.5 with duration of stay 6.7 ± 6.5days. Self-reported sleep quality score at home (1 = worst; 10 = best) was 7.0 ± 2.2; this decreased to 4.0 ± 1.7 during their stay in ICU (p < 0.001). In multivariate analysis with APACHE III as severity of illness (R2 = 0.25), factors [exp(b)(95% CI), p value] which significantly affected sleep in ICU were sex [0.37(0.19-0.72), p < 0.01], age and sex interaction [1.02(1.01-1.03), p < 0.01], bedside phone [0.92(0.87-0.97), p < 0.01], prior quality of sleep at home [1.30(1.05-1.62), p = 0.02], and use of steroids [0.82(0.69-0.98), p = 0.03] during the stay in ICU. Conclusion: Reduced sleep quality is a common problem in ICU with a multifactorial etiology. Citation: Bihari S; McEvoy RD; Kim S; Woodman RJ; Bersten AD. Factors affecting sleep quality of patients in intensive care unit. J Clin Sleep Med 2012;8(3):301-307. PMID:22701388

  10. An Analysis of Factors That Affect the Educational Performance of Agricultural Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Greenway, Gina

    2012-01-01

    Many factors contribute to student achievement. This study focuses on three areas: how students learn, how student personality type affects performance, and how course format affects performance outcomes. The analysis sought to improve understanding of the direction and magnitude with which each of these factors impacts student success. Improved…

  11. Assessment of Factor Affecting Institutional Performance: The Case of Wolaita Sodo University

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shibru, Sintayehu; Bibiso, Mesfin; Ousman, Kedir

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to explore factors that affect institutional performance of Wolaita Sodo University. The study has identified middle level manager's perceptions toward institutional performance to indicate the key factors that seem to affect the performance of the university. Data were collected using structured questionnaires and…

  12. BCL2 and MYC are expressed at high levels in canine diffuse large B-cell lymphoma but are not predictive for outcome in dogs treated with CHOP chemotherapy.

    PubMed

    Curran, K M; Schaffer, P A; Frank, C B; Lana, S E; Hamil, L E; Burton, J H; Labadie, J; Ehrhart, E J; Avery, P R

    2017-12-01

    Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common haematopoietic malignancy in dogs. Recently, MYC and BCL2 expression levels determined with immunohistochemistry (IHC) were found to be prognostic in people with DLBCL. We hypothesized that canine DLBCL can be similarly subdivided into prognostic subtypes based on expression of MYC and BCL2. Cases of canine DLBCL treated with CHOP chemotherapy were retrospectively collected and 43 dogs had available histologic tissue and complete clinical follow-up. Median values of percent immunoreactive versus immunonegative cells were used to determine positive or negative expression status. Completion of CHOP was significantly associated with a positive outcome. Compared with human patients, our canine DLBCL patients had high IHC expression of both MYC and BCL2, and relative expression levels of one or both markers were not associated with clinical outcome. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  13. Factors affecting onset of puberty in Denizli province in Turkey.

    PubMed

    Semiz, Serap; Kurt, Funda; Kurt, Devrim Tanil; Zencir, Mehmet; Sevinç, Ozgür

    2009-01-01

    The relationship between the possible factors affecting pubertal onset and pubertal timing was investigated in the Denizli province in Turkey. A total number of 3311 subjects (1562 girls, 1749 boys) aged 6-16.5 years participated in this study. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated. Pubertal stages were assessed according to methods of Marshall and Tanner. Testicular volume was determined using Prader orchidometer. Menarcheal age was recorded. All parents and students completed different questionnaires on demographic variables affecting pubertal timing such as socioeconomic conditions, psychosocial factors, exercise, nutritional status, chronic diseases, migration and birth weight. Using distribution percentiles of pubertal stages according to age, the relation between pubertal timing and factors affecting puberty was investigated. There was no significant association between exercise, birth weight, migration, chronic disease, and socioeconomic status and age of puberty onset. Menarcheal age of overweight and obese girls was significantly lower than that of girls with normal weight. In-family stress was the cause of early puberty in girls and of delayed puberty in boys.

  14. Multiplex polymerase chain reaction-based prognostic models in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma patients treated with R-CHOP.

    PubMed

    Green, Tina M; Jensen, Andreas K; Holst, René; Falgreen, Steffen; Bøgsted, Martin; de Stricker, Karin; Plesner, Torben; Mourits-Andersen, Torben; Frederiksen, Mikael; Johnsen, Hans E; Pedersen, Lars M; Møller, Michael B

    2016-09-01

    We present a multiplex analysis for genes known to have prognostic value in an attempt to design a clinically useful classification model in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). Real-time polymerase chain reaction was used to measure transcript levels of 28 relevant genes in 194 de novo DLBCL patients treated with R-CHOP (rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, prednisone). Including International Prognostic Index (IPI) as a variable in a penalized Cox regression, we investigated the association with disease progression for single genes or gene combinations in four models. The best model was validated in data from an online available R-CHOP treated cohort. With progression-free survival (PFS) as primary endpoint, the best performing IPI independent model incorporated the LMO2 and HLADQA1 as well as gene interactions for GCSAMxMIB1, GCSAMxCTGF and FOXP1xPDE4B. This model assigned 33% of patients (n = 60) to poor outcome with an estimated 3-year PFS of 40% vs. 87% for low risk (n = 61) and intermediate (n = 60) risk groups (P < 0·001). However, a simpler, IPI independent model incorporated LMO2 and BCL2 and assigned 33% of the patients with a 3-year PFS of 35% vs. 82% for low risk group (P < 0·001). We have documented the impact of a few single genes added to IPI for assignment in new drug trials. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  15. Factors affecting the periapical healing process of endodontically treated teeth.

    PubMed

    Holland, Roberto; Gomes, João Eduardo; Cintra, Luciano Tavares Angelo; Queiroz, Índia Olinta de Azevedo; Estrela, Carlos

    2017-01-01

    Tissue repair is an essential process that reestablishes tissue integrity and regular function. Nevertheless, different therapeutic factors and clinical conditions may interfere in this process of periapical healing. This review aims to discuss the important therapeutic factors associated with the clinical protocol used during root canal treatment and to highlight the systemic conditions associated with the periapical healing process of endodontically treated teeth. The antibacterial strategies indicated in the conventional treatment of an inflamed and infected pulp and the modulation of the host's immune response may assist in tissue repair, if wound healing has been hindered by infection. Systemic conditions, such as diabetes mellitus and hypertension, can also inhibit wound healing. The success of root canal treatment is affected by the correct choice of clinical protocol. These factors are dependent on the sanitization process (instrumentation, irrigant solution, irrigating strategies, and intracanal dressing), the apical limit of the root canal preparation and obturation, and the quality of the sealer. The challenges affecting the healing process of endodontically treated teeth include control of the inflammation of pulp or infectious processes and simultaneous neutralization of unpredictable provocations to the periapical tissue. Along with these factors, one must understand the local and general clinical conditions (systemic health of the patient) that affect the outcome of root canal treatment prediction.

  16. Nurse aide decision making in nursing homes: factors affecting empowerment.

    PubMed

    Chaudhuri, Tanni; Yeatts, Dale E; Cready, Cynthia M

    2013-09-01

    To evaluate factors affecting structural empowerment among nurse aides in nursing homes. Structural empowerment can be defined as the actual rather than perceived ability to make autonomous decisions within an organisation. Given the paucity of research on the subject, this study helps to close the gap by identifying factors that affect nurse aide empowerment, that is, decision-making among nurse aides. The data for the study come from self-administered questionnaires distributed to direct-care workers (nurse aides) in 11 nursing homes in a southern state in the USA. Ordinary least square regression models were estimated to analyse the effects of demographic predictors, personal factors (competency, emotional exhaustion and positive attitude) and structural characteristics (coworker and supervisor support, information availability and shared governance) on nurse aide decision-making. Findings suggest race among demographic predictors, emotional exhaustion among personal characteristics, and supervisor support, and shared governance among structural factors, significantly affect nurse aide decision-making. It is important to explore race as one of the central determinants of structural empowerment among nurse aides. In addition, the nature and type of emotional exhaustion that propels decision-making needs to be further examined. The study shows the importance of shared governance and supervisor support for fostering nurse aide empowerment. © 2013 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  17. Nutritional Factors Affecting Adult Neurogenesis and Cognitive Function

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Adult neurogenesis, a complex process by which stem cells in the hippocampal brain region differentiate and proliferate into new neurons and other resident brain cells, is known to be affected by many intrinsic and extrinsic factors, including diet. Neurogenesis plays a critical role in neural plas...

  18. Note: Voltage and intensity dependence of the saturation curves of free-air ionization chambers irradiated with chopped synchrotron radiation beams

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

    Nariyama, Nobuteru

    2012-01-15

    Current saturation characteristics of free-air ionization chambers with electrode gaps of 4.2 and 8.4 mm were investigated using pulsed photon beam obtained by periodically interrupting synchrotron radiation beams with a chopper. Pulsed photon beams of 10 and 15 keV with pulse duration of 2.5 {mu}s and a frequency of 230 Hz were produced by chopping the beam. The measured recombination rate was found to be proportional to the intensity and inversely proportional to the applied voltage.

  19. The key factors affecting students' individual interest in school science lessons

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cheung, Derek

    2018-01-01

    Individual interest in school science lessons can be defined as a relatively stable and enduring personal emotion comprising affective and behavioural reactions to events in the regular science lessons at school. Little research has compared the importance of different factors affecting students' individual interest in school science lessons. The present study aimed to address this gap, using a mixed methods design. Qualitative interview data were collected from 60 Hong Kong junior secondary school students, who were asked to describe the nature of their interest in science lessons and the factors to which they attribute this. Teacher interviews, parent interviews, and classroom observations were conducted to triangulate student interview data. Five factors affecting students' individual interest in school science lessons were identified: situational influences in science lessons, individual interest in science, science self-concept, grade level, and gender. Quantitative data were then collected from 591 students using a questionnaire. Structural equation modelling was applied to test a hypothesised model, which provided an acceptable fit to the student data. The strongest factor affecting students' individual interest in school science lessons was science self-concept, followed by individual interest in science and situational influences in science lessons. Grade level and gender were found to be nonsignificant factors. These findings suggest that teachers should pay special attention to the association between academic self-concept and interest if they want to motivate students to learn science at school.

  20. Electron-beam induced current characterization of back-surface field solar cells using a chopped scanning electron microscope beam

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Luke, K. L.; Cheng, L.-J.

    1984-01-01

    A chopped electron beam induced current (EBIC) technique for the chacterization of back-surface field (BSF) solar cells is presented. It is shown that the effective recombination velocity of the low-high junction forming the back-surface field of BSF cells, in addition to the diffusion length and the surface recombination velocity of the surface perpendicular to both the p-n and low-high junctions, can be determined from the data provided by a single EBIC scan. The method for doing so is described and illustrated. Certain experimental considerations taken to enhance the quality of the EBIC data are also discussed.

  1. 75 FR 80114 - Agency Information Collection (Obligation To Report Factors Affecting Entitlement) Activity Under...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-12-21

    ... (Obligation To Report Factors Affecting Entitlement) Activity Under OMB Review AGENCY: Veterans Benefits... Report Factors Affecting Entitlement (38 CFR 3.204(a)(1), 38 CFR 3.256(a) and 38 CFR 3.277(b)). OMB... benefits must report changes in their entitlement factors. Individual factors such as income, marital...

  2. Factors Affecting Students' Grades in Principles of Economics

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kara, Orhan; Bagheri, Fathollah; Tolin, Thomas

    2009-01-01

    Factors affecting students' grades in principles of microeconomics and macroeconomics students are analyzed from the data collected in two public universities. Results indicate that gender, number of hours worked, SAT scores, number of missed classes, recommending the course to a friend, instructors, being a junior, number of economics courses…

  3. Systematic review of factors affecting pharmaceutical expenditures.

    PubMed

    Mousnad, Mohamed Awad; Shafie, Asrul Akmal; Ibrahim, Mohamed Izham

    2014-06-01

    To systematically identify the main factors contributing to the increase in pharmaceutical expenditures. A systematic search of published studies was conducted utilising major widely used electronic databases using the search terms 'factors,' 'financing,' 'pharmaceutical,' and 'expenditures.' To be included, the studies needed to: (1) measure at least one of the following outcomes: total growth in pharmaceutical expenditures, price growth or quantity growth; (2) mention a clear method for analysing the impact of factors affecting the increases in drug expenditures; (3) be written in English. Nonprimary articles that were published only as an abstract, a review, a commentary or a letter were excluded. From a total of 2039 studies, only 25 were included in the full review. The main determinant categories that were identified in the review were factors related to price, utilisation, therapeutic choice, demand and health care system. The major cost drivers were found to be changes in drug quantities and therapies as well as new drugs. It is important for policymakers to understand pharmaceutical spending trends and the factors that influence them in order to formulate effective cost containment strategies and design optimum drug policy. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Key factors affecting dying children and their families.

    PubMed

    Hinds, Pamela S; Schum, Lisa; Baker, Justin N; Wolfe, Joanne

    2005-01-01

    The death of a child alters the life and health of others immediately and for the rest of their lives. How a child dies influences parents' abilities to continue their role functions as well as siblings' abilities to make and maintain friendships, and may be the basis for health care providers' decisions to exit direct care roles. Thus, facilitating a "good death"-an obvious care priority for all involved with the dying child-ought also to be a priority for the health of bereaved families and affected health care providers. Making this a care priority is complicated by a serious lack of data, as details of the last hours or weeks of a dying child or adolescent's life are largely unknown. The purpose of this paper is to identify key factors that affect the course of dying children and adolescents and that of their bereaved survivors, and to link those key factors to needed research that could produce clinically relevant findings to improve the care of these patients. Key factors described here include suffering (physical, psychological, and spiritual), communication, decision making, prognostic ambiguities, ability of the seriously ill child to give assent to research participation, and educational preparation of health care providers to give competent end-of-life care.

  5. Genetic factors affecting dental caries risk.

    PubMed

    Opal, S; Garg, S; Jain, J; Walia, I

    2015-03-01

    This article reviews the literature on genetic aspects of dental caries and provides a framework for the rapidly changing disease model of caries. The scope is genetic aspects of various dental factors affecting dental caries. The PubMed database was searched for articles with keywords 'caries', 'genetics', 'taste', 'diet' and 'twins'. This was followed by extensive handsearching using reference lists from relevant articles. The post-genomic era will present many opportunities for improvement in oral health care but will also present a multitude of challenges. We can conclude from the literature that genes have a role to play in dental caries; however, both environmental and genetic factors have been implicated in the aetiology of caries. Additional studies will have to be conducted to replicate the findings in a different population. Identification of genetic risk factors will help screen and identify susceptible patients to better understand the contribution of genes in caries aetiopathogenesis. Information derived from these diverse studies will provide new tools to target individuals and/or populations for a more efficient and effective implementation of newer preventive measures and diagnostic and novel therapeutic approaches in the management of this disease. © 2015 Australian Dental Association.

  6. Factors affecting sustainability of rural water schemes in Swaziland

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Peter, Graciana; Nkambule, Sizwe E.

    The Millennium Development Goal (MDG) target to reduce the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water by the year 2015 has been met as of 2010, but huge disparities exist. Some regions, particularly Sub-Saharan Africa are lagging behind it is also in this region where up to 30% of the rural schemes are not functional at any given time. There is need for more studies on factors affecting sustainability and necessary measures which when implemented will improve the sustainability of rural water schemes. The main objective of this study was to assess the main factors affecting the sustainability of rural water schemes in Swaziland using a Multi-Criteria Analysis Approach. The main factors considered were: financial, social, technical, environmental and institutional. The study was done in Lubombo region. Fifteen functional water schemes in 11 communities were studied. Data was collected using questionnaires, checklist and focused group discussion guide. A total of 174 heads of households were interviewed. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was used to analyse the data and to calculate sustainability scores for water schemes. SPSS was also used to classify sustainability scores according to sustainability categories: sustainable, partially sustainable and non-sustainable. The averages of the ratings for the different sub-factors studied and the results on the sustainability scores for the sustainable, partially sustainable and non-sustainable schemes were then computed and compared to establish the main factors influencing sustainability of the water schemes. The results indicated technical and social factors as most critical while financial and institutional, although important, played a lesser role. Factors which contributed to the sustainability of water schemes were: functionality; design flow; water fetching time; ability to meet additional demand; use by population; equity; participation in decision making on operation and

  7. Factors Affecting Online Groupwork Interest: A Multilevel Analysis

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Du, Jianxia; Xu, Jianzhong; Fan, Xitao

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of the present study is to examine the personal and contextual factors that may affect students' online groupwork interest. Using the data obtained from graduate students in an online course, both student- and group-level predictors for online groupwork interest were analyzed within the framework of hierarchical linear modeling…

  8. Factors Affecting the Technology Readiness of Health Professionals

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Myers, Stephanie E.

    2010-01-01

    Federal government policies are promoting diffusion of technologies into the healthcare system. If health professionals reject the new technologies planned for the healthcare system, it could result in costly failures, delays, and workforce problems. There is a lack of knowledge about factors that affect technology readiness (TR), defined as the…

  9. Factors affecting receipt of chemotherapy in women with breast cancer

    PubMed Central

    Morimoto, Libby; Coalson, Jenna; Mowat, Fionna; O’Malley, Cynthia

    2010-01-01

    Aims: To review literature describing factors associated with receipt of chemotherapy for breast cancer, to better understand what factors are most relevant to women’s health and whether health disparities are apparent, and to assess how these factors might affect observational studies and outcomes research. Patterns of care for metastatic breast cancer, for which no standard-of-care exists, were of particular interest. Methods: Relevant studies written in English, Italian, French, or Spanish, published in 2000 or later, were identified through MEDLINE and reviewed. Review articles and clinical trials were excluded; all observational studies and surveys were considered. Articles were reviewed for any discussion of patient characteristics, hospital/physician/insurance characteristics, psychosocial characteristics, and clinical characteristics affecting receipt of chemotherapy by breast cancer patients. Results: In general, factors associated with increased likelihood of receiving chemotherapy included younger age, being Caucasian, having good general health and few co-morbidities, having more severe clinical disease, having responded well to previous treatment, and having breast cancer that is estrogen- or progesterone-receptor-negative. Many of the clinical factors found to increase the likelihood of receiving chemotherapy were consistent with current oncology guidelines. Of the relevant 19 studies identified, only six (32%) reported data specific to metastatic cancer; most studies aggregated women with stage I–IV for purposes of analysis. Conclusion: Studies of patterns of care in breast cancer treatment can help identify challenges in health care provided to particular subgroups of women and can aid researchers in designing studies that account for such factors in clinical and outcomes research. Although scarce, studies evaluating only women with metastatic breast cancer indicate that factors affecting decisions related to receipt of chemotherapy are similar

  10. Factors affecting the periapical healing process of endodontically treated teeth

    PubMed Central

    Holland, Roberto; Gomes, João Eduardo; Cintra, Luciano Tavares Angelo; Queiroz, Índia Olinta de Azevedo; Estrela, Carlos

    2017-01-01

    Abstract Tissue repair is an essential process that reestablishes tissue integrity and regular function. Nevertheless, different therapeutic factors and clinical conditions may interfere in this process of periapical healing. This review aims to discuss the important therapeutic factors associated with the clinical protocol used during root canal treatment and to highlight the systemic conditions associated with the periapical healing process of endodontically treated teeth. The antibacterial strategies indicated in the conventional treatment of an inflamed and infected pulp and the modulation of the host's immune response may assist in tissue repair, if wound healing has been hindered by infection. Systemic conditions, such as diabetes mellitus and hypertension, can also inhibit wound healing. The success of root canal treatment is affected by the correct choice of clinical protocol. These factors are dependent on the sanitization process (instrumentation, irrigant solution, irrigating strategies, and intracanal dressing), the apical limit of the root canal preparation and obturation, and the quality of the sealer. The challenges affecting the healing process of endodontically treated teeth include control of the inflammation of pulp or infectious processes and simultaneous neutralization of unpredictable provocations to the periapical tissue. Along with these factors, one must understand the local and general clinical conditions (systemic health of the patient) that affect the outcome of root canal treatment prediction. PMID:29069143

  11. Factors affecting outcome in ocular myasthenia gravis.

    PubMed

    Mazzoli, Marco; Ariatti, Alessandra; Valzania, Franco; Kaleci, Shaniko; Tondelli, Manuela; Nichelli, Paolo F; Galassi, Giuliana

    2018-01-01

    50%-60% of patients with ocular myasthenia gravis (OMG) progress to generalized myasthenia gravis (GMG) within two years. The aim of our study was to explore factors affecting prognosis of OMG and to test the predictive role of several independent clinical variables. We reviewed a cohort of 168 Caucasian patients followed from September 2000 to January 2016. Several independent variables were considered as prognostic factors: gender, age of onset, results on electrophysiological tests, presence and level of antibodies against acetylcholine receptors (AChR Abs), treatments, thymic abnormalities. The primary outcome was the progression to GMG and/or the presence of bulbar symptoms. Secondary outcomes were either achievement of sustained minimal manifestation status or worsening in ocular quantitative MG subscore (O-QMGS) or worsening in total QMG score (T-QMGS), assessed by Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America (MGFA) quantitative scores. Changes in mental and physical subscores of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) were assessed with SF-36 questionnaire. Variance analysis was used to interpret the differences between AChR Ab titers at different times of follow up among the generalized and non-generalized patients. Conversion to GMG occurred in 18.4% of patients; it was significantly associated with sex, later onset of disease and anti-AChR Ab positivity. Antibody titer above the mean value of 25.8 pmol/mL showed no significant effect on generalization. Sex and late onset of disease significantly affected T-QMGS worsening. None of the other independent variables significantly affected O-QMGS and HRQoL. Sex, later onset and anti-AChR Ab positivity were significantly associated with clinical worsening.

  12. Factors affecting sexual function in menopause: A review article.

    PubMed

    Nazarpour, Soheila; Simbar, Masoumeh; Tehrani, Fahimeh Ramezani

    2016-08-01

    This study aimed to systematically review the articles on factors affecting sexual function during menopause. Searching articles indexed in Pubmed, Science Direct, Iranmedex, EMBASE, Scopus, and Scientific Information Database databases, a total number of 42 studies published between 2003 and 2013 were selected. Age, estrogen deficiency, type of menopause, chronic medical problems, partner's sex problems, severity of menopause symptoms, dystocia history, and health status were the physical factors influencing sexual function of menopausal women. There were conflicting results regarding the amount of androgens, hormonal therapy, exercise/physical activity, and obstetric history. In the mental-emotional area, all studies confirmed the impact of depression and anxiety. Social factors, including smoking, alcohol consumption, the quality of relationship with husband, partner's loyalty, sexual knowledge, access to health care, a history of divorce or the death of a husband, living apart from a spouse, and a negative understanding of women's health were found to affect sexual function; however, there were conflicting results regarding the effects of education, occupation, socioeconomic status, marital duration, and frequency of sexual intercourse. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  13. Analysis on factors affecting consumers decision on purchasing simple-type houses

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rumintang, A.; Sholichin, I.

    2018-01-01

    In line with the increase of the population and the need of comfortable houses, as affected by modernization era, the house demand is getting higher. Hence, conducting a research on consumers need and want in buying a house should be seriously attempted to succeed marketing activity. Using an analysis consumers’ behavior, the researcher will know few affecting factors related to consumers’ satisfaction in buying a house. Among other, the factors in question include: house price, house condition, facilities, location and accessability. The sample of this research was drawn from the residents of Graha Asri Housing, Taman Bulang Permai, and Sukodono Permai. Based on the analysis and discussion, some conclusions are made as follow: the factors and variables affecting the consumers’ decision on each choice of house is different and also the same variables on three sources of data include housing atmosphere, cleaning service, ease of access to shopping center, health clinics or hospitals, tourism spot, schools, and the bus station.

  14. CD20-positive primary gastric T-cell lymphoma poorly responding to initial treatment with rituximab plus CHOP, and a literature review.

    PubMed

    Kakinoki, Yasutaka; Hashiguchi, Junichi; Ishio, Takashi; Chiba, Koji; Niino, Daisuke; Ohshima, Koichi

    2015-12-01

    There have been rare reported cases of peripheral T-cell lymphoma, not otherwise specified (PTCL-NOS) that co-expressed CD20. A 44-year-old Japanese male was initially misdiagnosed as CD20-positive diffuse large B-cell lymphoma with a background of reactive CD3-positive T-cells in the stomach. After four cycles of R-CHOP [rituximab plus cyclophosphamide (CY), doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisolone (PSL)], total gastrectomy with regional lymph node dissection was performed due to the poor response to R-CHOP. A final diagnosis of CD20-positive primary gastric PTCL-NOS was made based on the immunohistochemical, flow cytometric, and molecular genetic findings. In the present case, CD20 immunostaining for T-cell lymphoma cells in tumor tissue varied; in a large part, these were strong to weak-positive, and in some parts, absent. We additionally reviewed the literature focusing on CD20-positive PTCL-NOS treated with rituximab. The administration of rituximab has been performed as an initial treatment in 11 cases, including the case reported here. The response was good in cases with high expression of CD20, while it was poor in cases with variable intensity in CD20 staining, which is consistent with our experience in the present case. The efficacy of rituximab may be associated with intensity of CD20 expression in T cells and its homogeneity in the tumor tissue.

  15. 14 CFR Appendix B to Part 1215 - Factors Affecting Standard Charges

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... DATA RELAY SATELLITE SYSTEM (TDRSS) Pt. 1215, App. B Appendix B to Part 1215—Factors Affecting Standard Charges Charges for services shall be determined by multiplying the factors below by the base rates for...

  16. Other Factors That Affect Heart Disease: Birth Control Pills

    MedlinePlus

    ... Heart Handbook for Women Other Factors That Affect Heart Disease Birth Control Pills Studies show that women who ... t had any more complications because of my heart disease." — Diane Pay attention to diabetes. Levels of glucose, ...

  17. Reappraising factors affecting mourning dove perch coos

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Sayre, M.W.; Atkinson, R.D.; Baskett, T.S.; Haas, G.H.

    1978-01-01

    Results confirmed pairing as the primary factor influencing perch-cooing rates of wild mourning doves (Zenaida macroura). Marked unmated males cooed at substantially higher rates (6.2x) than mated males, had greater probability of cooing (2.3x) during 3-minute periods, and continued cooing longer each morning than mated males. Population density was not a major factor affecting cooing. Unmated males cooed more frequently in the presence of other cooing doves (P < 0.05) than when alone, but the number of additional doves above 1 was unimportant. Cooing rates of both mated and unmated males on areas with dissimilar dove densities were not significantly different. Within limits of standard call-count procedure, weather exerted no detectable influence on cooing.

  18. Organisational Factors Affecting Policy and Programme Decision Making in a Public Health Policy Environment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zardo, Pauline; Collie, Alex; Livingstone, Charles

    2015-01-01

    Organisational factors can affect the success of interventions aimed at increasing research use. Research is needed to identify organisational factors affecting research use in specific public health policy contexts. Qualitative interviews with decision makers from a specific public health context identified a range of organisational factors that…

  19. Factors affecting dental service quality.

    PubMed

    Bahadori, Mohammadkarim; Raadabadi, Mehdi; Ravangard, Ramin; Baldacchino, Donia

    2015-01-01

    Measuring dental clinic service quality is the first and most important factor in improving care. The quality provided plays an important role in patient satisfaction. The purpose of this paper is to identify factors affecting dental service quality from the patients' viewpoint. This cross-sectional, descriptive-analytical study was conducted in a dental clinic in Tehran between January and June 2014. A sample of 385 patients was selected from two work shifts using stratified sampling proportional to size and simple random sampling methods. The data were collected, a self-administered questionnaire designed for the purpose of the study, based on the Parasuraman and Zeithaml's model of service quality which consisted of two parts: the patients' demographic characteristics and a 30-item questionnaire to measure the five dimensions of the service quality. The collected data were analysed using SPSS 21.0 and Amos 18.0 through some descriptive statistics such as mean, standard deviation, as well as analytical methods, including confirmatory factor. Results showed that the correlation coefficients for all dimensions were higher than 0.5. In this model, assurance (regression weight=0.99) and tangibility (regression weight=0.86) had, respectively, the highest and lowest effects on dental service quality. The Parasuraman and Zeithaml's model is suitable to measure quality in dental services. The variables related to dental services quality have been made according to the model. This is a pioneering study that uses Parasuraman and Zeithaml's model and CFA in a dental setting. This study provides useful insights and guidance for dental service quality assurance.

  20. Exploring Factors that Affect Purchase Intention of Athletic Team Merchandise

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lee, Donghun; Trail, Galen T.; Lee, Cindy; Schoenstedt, Linda J.

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to test a structural model to determine which psychosocial constructs affected the purchase intention of athletic team merchandise (ATM). Results from the analyses indicated that the twelve-factor ATM model fit the data from collegiate athletic events well, explaining the various impact factors that lead to purchase…

  1. 29 CFR 784.118 - The exemption is intended for work affected by natural factors.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 29 Labor 3 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false The exemption is intended for work affected by natural...(a)(5) Exemption § 784.118 The exemption is intended for work affected by natural factors. As... that are controlled or materially affected by natural factors or elements, such as the vicissitudes of...

  2. 29 CFR 784.118 - The exemption is intended for work affected by natural factors.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 29 Labor 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false The exemption is intended for work affected by natural...(a)(5) Exemption § 784.118 The exemption is intended for work affected by natural factors. As... that are controlled or materially affected by natural factors or elements, such as the vicissitudes of...

  3. Formal Classroom Observations: Factors That Affect Their Success

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zaidi, Zeba

    2017-01-01

    Formal class room observation is a very delicate topic in any educational institution. It involves a series of emotions and sentiments that come with the package. In this paper, the researcher will attempt to analyze the factors that affect the process in a relatively significant manner and thereby contribute greatly to the success or failure of…

  4. Factors affecting patient compliance with compressive brace therapy for pectus carinatum.

    PubMed

    Kang, Du-Young; Jung, Junho; Chung, Sangho; Cho, Jinkyung; Lee, Sungsoo

    2014-12-01

    The aim of this study was to identify factors affecting patient compliance with brace therapy for pectus carinatum. Eighty-six pectus carinatum patients who started brace therapy from August 2008 to November 2011 were included in this study. Patients were divided into two groups: patients who wore the brace for ≥6 months (compliance group) or patients who wore the brace for <6 months (non-compliance group). Factors affecting patient compliance were assessed at the last day of follow-up with a multiple-choice questionnaire. The questionnaire comprised seven items: pain at compression site, skin problems on compression area, confidence in brace treatment, shame, discomfort, initial result of bracing treatment and total number of factors affecting patient compliance. Eighty-six patients completed the survey, including seven (8.1%) female patients and 79 (91.9%) male patients, with a mean age of 12.0 years at the time of treatment (range, 3-20 years). The initial result of the compression period (P <0.001) and total number of factors affecting patient compliance (P <0.05) were significant predictors of patient compliance. An initial successful result of the compression period may increase patient compliance during treatment for pectus carinatum. Additional efforts to decrease pain, skin problems, shame and discomfort, and to give confidence may be beneficial in increasing compliance with bracing treatment. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. All rights reserved.

  5. Factors affecting scholastic performances of adolescents.

    PubMed

    Shashidhar, Saraswati; Rao, Chandrika; Hegde, Radhakrishna

    2009-05-01

    The present study aims at recognizing the social influence, study habits and health factors affecting scholastic performances of adolescents and to compare these factors among the adolescents between two categories of school. A total of 1230 adolescents (13-18 yrs) were screened. Data was collected by personal interview, using the teenage screening questionnaire, Trivandrum, between May 2004 and November 2005. A total 615 students from corporation and private schools were studied. 39.76% (489) were high achievers, 13.5% (166) were low achievers with p < 0.001. In the low achievers, 12.03% were from the corporation schools and 1.46% from private schools. The incidence of poor study habits and social factors were increased in low achievers of corporation schools. On multivariate analysis, the predictor variables for poor scholastic performance were adolescent having refractory error, not having help for study at home, not doing home work regularly, not solving question bank papers and reading only before examinations. It is feasible and worthwhile to identify the determinants of scholastic performance and plan intervention strategies at each school. The results of this study highlight the importance of implementing newer strategies, focusing on strict study patterns and creating the conducive school and home environment for study, so as to achieve better scholastic performances.

  6. Factors affecting maintenance overlay ride quality : 1996 rideability status.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1997-01-01

    In early 1996, the Virginia Transportation Research Council initiated a formal analysis of the factors affecting overlay ride quality. As part of that effort, a statewide, multi-year survey of the ride quality for both new overlays and pavement await...

  7. The Novel Mechanisms Concerning the Inhibitions of Palmitate-Induced Proinflammatory Factor Releases and Endogenous Cellular Stress with Astaxanthin on MIN6 β-Cells.

    PubMed

    Kitahara, Atsuko; Takahashi, Kazuto; Morita, Naru; Murashima, Toshitaka; Onuma, Hirohisa; Sumitani, Yoshikazu; Tanaka, Toshiaki; Kondo, Takuma; Hosaka, Toshio; Ishida, Hitoshi

    2017-06-20

    Astaxanthin, an antioxidant agent, can protect pancreatic β-cells of db/db mice from glucotoxicity and resolve chronic inflammation in adipose tissue. Nonetheless, the effects of astaxanthin on free-fatty-acid-induced inflammation and cellular stress in β-cells remain to be demonstrated. Meanwhile, palmitate enhances the secretion of pro-inflammatory adipokines monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and VEGF 120 (vascular endothelial growth factor). We therefore investigated the influence of astaxanthin on palmitate-stimulated MCP-1 and VEGF 120 secretion in mouse insulinoma (MIN6) pancreatic β-cells. Furthermore, whether astaxanthin prevents cellular stress in MIN6 cells was also assessed. Pre-treatment with astaxanthin or with N -acetyl-cysteine (NAC) which is an antioxidant drug, significantly attenuated the palmitate-induced MCP-1 release through downregulation of phosphorylated c-Jun NH₂-terminal protein kinase (JNK) pathways, and suppressed VEGF 120 through the PI3K/Akt pathways relative to the cells stimulated with palmitate alone. In addition, palmitate significantly upregulated homologous protein (CHOP) and anti-glucose-regulated protein (GRP78), which are endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress markers, in MIN6 cells. On the other hand, astaxanthin attenuated the increased CHOP content, but further up-regulated palmitate-stimulated GRP78 protein expression. By contrast, NAC had no effects on either CHOP or GRP78 enhancement induced by palmitate in MIN6 cells. In conclusion, astaxanthin diminishes the palmitate-stimulated increase in MCP-1 secretion via the downregulation of JNK pathways in MIN6 cells, and affects VEGF 120 secretion through PI3K/Akt pathways. Moreover, astaxanthin can prevent not only oxidative stress caused endogenously by palmitate but also ER stress, which NAC fails to attenuate, via upregulation of GRP78, an ER chaperon.

  8. The Novel Mechanisms Concerning the Inhibitions of Palmitate-Induced Proinflammatory Factor Releases and Endogenous Cellular Stress with Astaxanthin on MIN6 β-Cells

    PubMed Central

    Kitahara, Atsuko; Takahashi, Kazuto; Morita, Naru; Murashima, Toshitaka; Onuma, Hirohisa; Sumitani, Yoshikazu; Tanaka, Toshiaki; Kondo, Takuma; Hosaka, Toshio; Ishida, Hitoshi

    2017-01-01

    Astaxanthin, an antioxidant agent, can protect pancreatic β-cells of db/db mice from glucotoxicity and resolve chronic inflammation in adipose tissue. Nonetheless, the effects of astaxanthin on free-fatty-acid-induced inflammation and cellular stress in β-cells remain to be demonstrated. Meanwhile, palmitate enhances the secretion of pro-inflammatory adipokines monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF120). We therefore investigated the influence of astaxanthin on palmitate-stimulated MCP-1 and VEGF120 secretion in mouse insulinoma (MIN6) pancreatic β-cells. Furthermore, whether astaxanthin prevents cellular stress in MIN6 cells was also assessed. Pre-treatment with astaxanthin or with N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC) which is an antioxidant drug, significantly attenuated the palmitate-induced MCP-1 release through downregulation of phosphorylated c-Jun NH2-terminal protein kinase (JNK) pathways, and suppressed VEGF120 through the PI3K/Akt pathways relative to the cells stimulated with palmitate alone. In addition, palmitate significantly upregulated homologous protein (CHOP) and anti-glucose-regulated protein (GRP78), which are endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress markers, in MIN6 cells. On the other hand, astaxanthin attenuated the increased CHOP content, but further up-regulated palmitate-stimulated GRP78 protein expression. By contrast, NAC had no effects on either CHOP or GRP78 enhancement induced by palmitate in MIN6 cells. In conclusion, astaxanthin diminishes the palmitate-stimulated increase in MCP-1 secretion via the downregulation of JNK pathways in MIN6 cells, and affects VEGF120 secretion through PI3K/Akt pathways. Moreover, astaxanthin can prevent not only oxidative stress caused endogenously by palmitate but also ER stress, which NAC fails to attenuate, via upregulation of GRP78, an ER chaperon. PMID:28632169

  9. External factors affecting data acquisition during corneal topography examination.

    PubMed

    González-Méijome, José Manuel; Queirós, Antonio; Jorge, Jorge; Fernandes, Paulo; Cerviño, Alejandro; de Almeida, José Borges

    2007-03-01

    To analyze the factors affecting data acquisition during corneal topography examination with the Medmont E-300 videokeratoscope and to provide strategies to minimize their effects. Sixty eyes from thirty young adults were examined. A second observer registered incidences with the potential to affect data acquisition. Those factors were correlated with the difficulty of measurements as judged subjectively by the practitioner who performed the examination. Measurements of axial curvature were analyzed to evaluate the variability expressed as intrasession and intersession coefficient of variation and the standard error of the mean (SEM). The level of difficulty rated by the practitioner was in general low, with 70% of the eyes being easy or very easy to measure. For the remaining 30% of the eyes, corneal topography measurements were considered to be difficult (27%) or very difficult (3%). Of the external parameters investigated, only fixation instability (P<0.001, chi2) and the need for head repositioning (P=0.024, chi2) were associated significantly with a higher level of difficulty, as rated subjectively by the practitioner. Further analysis showed that some external factors, including those previously mentioned and others related to tear instability, affect the variability of measurements at certain corneal locations, particularly in the vertical meridian when related to tear instability and in the horizontal meridian when related to the need for head repositioning on the chin rest owing to physiognomy interferences with the keratoscope cone. Intersession SEM improved when three readings from each session were considered. The level of subjective difficulty found during videokeratoscopy examination is correlated strongly with fixation instability and the need for head reorientation in the chin rest, whereas tear-related events seem to be less relevant in the practitioner perception of test ease or difficulty. Those factors have relevance in measurement variability.

  10. Factors affecting 30-month survival in lung cancer patients.

    PubMed

    Mahesh, P A; Archana, S; Jayaraj, B S; Patil, Shekar; Chaya, S K; Shashidhar, H P; Sunitha, B S; Prabhakar, A K

    2012-10-01

    Age adjusted incidence rate of lung cancer in India ranges from 7.4 to 13.1 per 100,000 among males and 3.9 to 5.8 per 100,000 among females. The factors affecting survival in lung cancer patients in India are not fully understood. The current study was undertaken to evaluate the factors affecting survival in patients diagnosed with lung cancer attending a tertiary care cancer institute in Bangalore, Karnataka, India. Consecutive patients with primary lung cancer attending Bangalore Institute of Oncology, a tertiary care centre at Bangalore, between 2006 and 2009 were included. Demographic, clinical, radiological data were collected retrospectively from the medical records. A total of 170 consecutive subjects (128 males, 42 females) diagnosed to have lung cancer; 151 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and 19 small cell lung cancer (SCLC) were included. A higher proportion of never-smokers (54.1%) were observed, mostly presenting below the age of 60 yr. Most subjects were in stage IV and III at the time of diagnosis. More than 50 per cent of patients presented with late stage lung cancer even though the duration of symptoms is less than 2 months. The 30-month overall survival rates for smokers and never-smokers were 32 and 49 per cent, respectively. No significant differences were observed in 30 month survival based on age at presentation, gender and type of lung cancer. Cox proportional hazards model identified never-smokers and duration of symptoms less than 1 month as factors adversely affecting survival. Our results showed that lung cancer in Indians involved younger subjects and associated with poorer survival as compared to other ethnic population. Studies on large sample need to be done to evaluate risk factors in lung cancer patients.

  11. Factors affecting 30-month survival in lung cancer patients

    PubMed Central

    Mahesh, P.A.; Archana, S.; Jayaraj, B.S.; Patil, Shekar; Chaya, S.K.; Shashidhar, H.P.; Sunitha, B.S.; Prabhakar, A.K.

    2012-01-01

    Background & objectives: Age adjusted incidence rate of lung cancer in India ranges from 7.4 to 13.1 per 100,000 among males and 3.9 to 5.8 per 100,000 among females. The factors affecting survival in lung cancer patients in India are not fully understood. The current study was undertaken to evaluate the factors affecting survival in patients diagnosed with lung cancer attending a tertiary care cancer institute in Bangalore, Karnataka, India. Methods: Consecutive patients with primary lung cancer attending Bangalore Institute of Oncology, a tertiary care centre at Bangalore, between 2006 and 2009 were included. Demographic, clinical, radiological data were collected retrospectively from the medical records. Results: A total of 170 consecutive subjects (128 males, 42 females) diagnosed to have lung cancer; 151 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and 19 small cell lung cancer (SCLC) were included. A higher proportion of never-smokers (54.1%) were observed, mostly presenting below the age of 60 yr. Most subjects were in stage IV and III at the time of diagnosis. More than 50 per cent of patients presented with late stage lung cancer even though the duration of symptoms is less than 2 months. The 30-month overall survival rates for smokers and never-smokers were 32 and 49 per cent, respectively. No significant differences were observed in 30 month survival based on age at presentation, gender and type of lung cancer. Cox proportional hazards model identified never-smokers and duration of symptoms less than 1 month as factors adversely affecting survival. Interpretation & conclusions: Our results showed that lung cancer in Indians involved younger subjects and associated with poorer survival as compared to other ethnic population. Studies on large sample need to be done to evaluate risk factors in lung cancer patients. PMID:23168702

  12. Factors affecting medication-order processing time.

    PubMed

    Beaman, M A; Kotzan, J A

    1982-11-01

    The factors affecting medication-order processing time at one hospital were studied. The order processing time was determined by directly observing the time to process randomly selected new drug orders on all three work shifts during two one-week periods. An order could list more than one drug for an individual patient. The observer recorded the nature, location, and cost of the drugs ordered, as well as the time to process the order. The time and type of interruptions also were noted. The time to process a drug order was classified as six dependent variables: (1) total time, (2) work time, (3) check time, (4) waiting time I--time from arrival on the dumbwaiter until work was initiated, (5) waiting time II--time between completion of the work and initiation of checking, and (6) waiting time III--time after the check was completed until the order left on the dumbwaiter. The significant predictors of each of the six dependent variables were determined using stepwise multiple regression. The total time to process a prescription order was 58.33 +/- 48.72 minutes; the urgency status of the order was the only significant determinant of total time. Urgency status also significantly predicted the three waiting-time variables. Interruptions and the number of drugs on the order were significant determinants of work time and check time. Each telephone interruption increased the work time by 1.72 minutes. While the results of this study cannot be generalized to other institutions, pharmacy managers can use the method of determining factors that affect medication-order processing time to identify problem areas in their institutions.

  13. Teaching the Factors Affecting Resistance Using Pencil Leads

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Küçüközer, Asuman

    2015-01-01

    The aim of this paper is to provide a way of teaching the factors that affect resistance using mechanical pencil leads and the brightness of the light given out by a light bulb connected to an electrical circuit. The resistance of a conductor is directly proportional to its length (L) and inversely proportional to its cross-sectional area (A).…

  14. Culture and affect: the factor structure of the affective style questionnaire and its relation with depression and anxiety among Japanese.

    PubMed

    Ito, Masaya; Hofmann, Stefan G

    2014-09-02

    Affective styles are assumed to be one of the underlying processes of depression and anxiety maintenance. However, little is known about the effect of depression and anxiety and the cultural influence of the factor structure. Here, we examined the cross-cultural validity of the Affective Style Questionnaire and its incremental validity for the influence on depression and anxiety. Affective Style Questionnaire was translated into Japanese using standard back-translation procedure. Japanese university students (N = 1,041) served as participants. Emotion Regulation Questionnaire, Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II, Toronto Alexithymia Scale, Rumination and Reflection Questionnaire, Brief COPE, Self-Construal Scale, and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale were administered. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses showed that the Affective Style Questionnaire comprised four factors: Concealing, Adjusting, Holding and Tolerating (CFI = .92, TLI = .90, RMSEA = .07). The measure's convergent and discriminant validity was substantiated by its association with various emotion regulation measures. Regression analyses showed that negative influence of Adjusting, Holding, Reappraisal (β = -.17, -.19, -.30) and positive influence of Suppression (β = .23) were observed on depression. For anxiety, Adjusting and Reappraisal was negatively influenced (β = -.29, and -.18). Reliability and validity of the Affective Style Questionnaire was partly confirmed. Further study is needed to clarify the culturally dependent aspects of affective styles.

  15. Factors That Affect the Academic Success of Foreign Students at Cardinal Stritch University

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Annor, Peter

    2010-01-01

    There are limited studies in the literature on the factors that affect the academic success of foreign students in the United States. This ex post facto mixed method study investigated the factors that affect the academic success of foreign students at Cardinal Stitch University (CSU), a medium size, private university located in the Midwestern…

  16. Looking under the Bonnet: Factors Affecting Student Adoption of E-Learning Systems in Jordan

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Abbad, Muneer Mahmood; Morris, David; de Nahlik, Carmel

    2009-01-01

    The primary questions addressed in this paper are the following: what are the factors that affect students' adoption of an e-learning system and what are the relationships among these factors? This paper investigates and identifies some of the major factors affecting students' adoption of an e-learning system in a university in Jordan. E-learning…

  17. Institutional and Managerial Factors Affecting International Student Recruitment Management

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ross, Mitchell; Heaney, Joo-Gim; Cooper, Maxine

    2007-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate international student recruitment from an institutional perspective and to consider institutional factors that may affect recruitment. Design/methodology/approach: A qualitative study is undertaken in which education marketing practitioners are interviewed regarding aspects of international…

  18. Treatment factors affecting outcomes in HIV-associated non-Hodgkin lymphomas: a pooled analysis of 1546 patients

    PubMed Central

    Xue, Xiaonan; Wang, Dan; Tamari, Roni; Lee, Jeannette Y.; Mounier, Nicolas; Kaplan, Lawrence D.; Ribera, Josep-Maria; Spina, Michele; Tirelli, Umberto; Weiss, Rudolf; Galicier, Lionel; Boue, Francois; Wilson, Wyndham H.; Wyen, Christoph; Oriol, Albert; Navarro, José-Tomás; Dunleavy, Kieron; Little, Richard F.; Ratner, Lee; Garcia, Olga; Morgades, Mireia; Remick, Scot C.; Noy, Ariela; Sparano, Joseph A.

    2013-01-01

    Limited comparative data exist for the treatment of HIV-associated non-Hodgkin lymphoma. We analyzed pooled individual patient data for 1546 patients from 19 prospective clinical trials to assess treatment-specific factors (type of chemotherapy, rituximab, and concurrent combination antiretroviral [cART] use) and their influence on the outcomes complete response (CR), progression free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS). In our analysis, rituximab was associated with a higher CR rate (odds ratio [OR] 2.89; P < .001), improved PFS (hazard ratio [HR] 0.50; P < .001), and OS (HR 0.51; P < .0001). Compared with cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (CHOP), initial therapy with more dose-intense regimens resulted in better CR rates (ACVBP [doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, vindesine, bleomycin and prednisolone]: OR 1.70; P < .04), PFS (ACVBP: HR 0.72; P = .049; “intensive regimens”: HR 0.35; P < .001) and OS (“intensive regimens”: HR 0.54; P < .001). Infusional etoposide, prednisone, infusional vincristine, infusional doxorubicin, and cyclophosphamide (EPOCH) was associated with significantly better OS in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (HR 0.33; P = .03). Concurrent use of cART was associated with improved CR rates (OR 1.89; P = .005) and trended toward improved OS (HR 0.78; P = .07). These findings provide supporting evidence for current patterns of care where definitive evidence is unavailable. PMID:24014242

  19. Psychological factors affecting medical condition: a new proposal for DSM-V.

    PubMed

    Fava, Giovanni A; Fabbri, Stefania; Sirri, Laura; Wise, Thomas N

    2007-01-01

    The DSM category of "psychological factors affecting medical condition" had virtually no impact on clinical practice. However, several clinically relevant psychosomatic syndromes have been described in the literature: disease phobia, persistent somatization, conversion symptoms, illness denial, demoralization, and irritable mood. These syndromes, in addition to the DSM definition of hypochondriasis, can yield clinical specification in the category of "psychological factors affecting medical condition" and eliminate the need for the highly criticized DSM classification of somatoform disorders. This new classification is supported by a growing body of research evidence and is in line with psychosomatic medicine as a recognized subspecialty.

  20. Demographic and obstetric factors affecting women's sexual functioning during pregnancy.

    PubMed

    Abouzari-Gazafroodi, Kobra; Najafi, Fatemeh; Kazemnejad, Ehsan; Rahnama, Parvin; Montazeri, Ali

    2015-08-19

    Sexual desire and frequency of sexual relationships during pregnancy remains challenging. This study aimed to assess factors that affect women's sexual functioning during pregnancy. This was a cross sectional study carried out at prenatal care clinics of public health services in Iran. An author-designed structured questionnaire including items on socio-demographic characteristics, obstetric history, the current pregnancy, and women's sexual functioning during pregnancy was used to collect data. The generalized linear model was performed in order to find out factors that affect women's sexual functioning during pregnancy. In all, 518 pregnant women participated in the study. The mean age of participants was 26.4 years (SD = 4.7). Overall 309 women (59.7%) scored less than mean on sexual functioning. The results obtained from generalized linear model demonstrated that that lower education, unwanted pregnancy, earlier stage of pregnancy, older age, and longer duration of marriage were the most important factors contributing to disturbed sexual functioning among couples. The findings suggest that sexual function during pregnancy might be disturbed due to several factors. Indeed issues on sexual relationship should be included as part of prenatal care and reproductive health programs for every woman.

  1. Affect and Health Behavior Co-Occurrence: The Emerging Roles of Transdiagnostic Factors and Sociocultural Factors.

    PubMed

    Zvolensky, Michael J; Leventhal, Adam M

    2016-01-01

    The majority of scientific work addressing relations among affective states and health correlates has focused primarily on their co-occurrence and a limited range of health conditions. We have developed a Special Issue to highlight recent advances in this emerging field of work that addresses the nature and interplay between affective states and disorders, in terms of their impact and consequences from health status and behavior. This Special Issue is organized into three parts classified as (a) co-occurrence and interplay between (b) transdiagnostic factors and (c) sociocultural factors. It is hoped that this issue will (a) alert readers to the significance of this work at different levels of analysis, (b) illustrate the many domains currently being explored via innovative approaches, and (c) identify fecund areas for future systematic study. © The Author(s) 2016.

  2. Prevalence, pathophysiological mechanisms and factors affecting urolithiasis.

    PubMed

    Khan, Aslam

    2018-05-01

    The formation of urinary stone, urolithiasis, is one the oldest known disease affecting human throughout different civilizations and times. The exact pathophysiological mechanism of urolithiasis is not yet clear, as these calculi are of various types and too complex for simple understanding. A single theory cannot explain its formation; therefore, different theories are presented in various times for its explanation like free particle, fixed particle, Randall's plaque theory. In addition, various factors and components are identified that play an important role in the formation of these urinary calculi. In this review, composition of kidney stones, its prevalence/incidence, explanation of pathophysiological mechanisms and role of various factors; urinary pH, uric acid, parathyroid hormone, citrate, oxalate, calcium and macromolecules; osteopontin, matrix Gla protein, kidney injury molecules, urinary prothrombin fragment-1, Tamm-Horsfall protein, inter-α-inhibitors, have been discussed in detail.

  3. Factors that affect the development of nurses' competencies: a systematic review.

    PubMed

    Rizany, Ichsan; Hariyati, Rr Tutik Sri; Handayani, Hanny

    2018-02-01

    To investigate factors affecting the development of nursing competency based on a review of the literature. A systematic review was utilized. The articles were taken from the databases of Pro-Quest, ScienceDirect, SpringerLink, and Scopus. They were retrieved using the following keywords: nursing competence, nurse competencies and clinical competence. Twenty-one papers were selected. Competence development is a continuous process of improving knowledge, attitudes and skills, and is influenced by a myriad of factors. Six factors were identified that affected the development of nursing competence in our systematic review: (1) work experience, (2) type of nursing environment, (3) educational level achieved, (4) adherence to professionalism, (5) critical thinking, and (6) personal factors. Work experience and education were shown to significantly influence the development of competency of nurses. Nurse managers need to support staffing competence through ongoing education, mentoring-preceptorship training, and case-reflection-discussion teaching programs. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  4. 3-Bromopyruvate enhances TRAIL-induced apoptosis in human nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells through CHOP-dependent upregulation of TRAIL-R2.

    PubMed

    Can, Zhou; Lele, Song; Zhirui, Zhang; Qiong, Pan; Yuzhong, Chen; Lingling, Liu; Surong, Zhao; Yiming, Sun; Pei, Zhang; Chenchen, Jiang; Liu, Hao

    2017-08-01

    Past reports have shown that the sensitivity of cancer cells to TRAIL-induced apoptosis is related to their expression of TRAIL-death receptors on the cell surface. However, the level of TRAIL-death receptors expression on cancer cells is always low. Our previous research showed that nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) cells have a poor sensitivity to low doses of TRAIL. Here, we evaluated combined treatment with the energy inhibitor 3-bromopyruvate (3BP) and TRAIL as a method to produce an increased apoptotic response in NPC cells. The results showed that 3BP and TRAIL together produced higher cytotoxicity and increased TRAIL-R2 expression in NPC cells compared with the effects of either 3BP or TRAIL alone. These findings led us to hypothesize that 3BP may sensitize NPC cells to TRAIL. 3BP is a metabolic blocker that inhibits hexokinase II activity, suppresses ATP production, and induces endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. Our results showed that 3BP also activated AMP-activated protein kinase, which we found to play an important role in the induction of ER stress by 3BP. Furthermore, the induction of TRAIL-R2 expression and the sensitization of the NPC cells to TRAIL by 3BP were reduced when we inhibited the expression of CHOP. Taken together, our results showed that a low dose of 3BP sensitized NPC cells to TRAIL-induced apoptosis by the upregulation of CHOP, which was mediated by the activation of AMP-activated protein kinase and ER stress. The results showed that 3BP is a promising candidate agent for enhancing the therapeutic response to TRAIL in NPC.

  5. Three Point Bending of Top-Hat Stiffened Chopped Short Fibre Ramie/HDPE Thermoplastic Composite Beam

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hadi, Bambang K.; Nuril, Yogie S.

    2018-04-01

    The use of natural fibre and thermoplastic matrices in composite materials increased significantly during the last decade especially in the automotive industries. Ramie is one of these potential natural fibres. In this paper, a three point bending of top-hat beam made of ramie/HDPE (High-Density-Polyethylene) composites was performed. Top-hat stiffened structures were common structures found in the aerospace industries. Nevertheless, these structures are beginning to be applied in automotive structures in the forms of chassis and bumpers. The ramie/HDPE composite was manufactured using hot-press technique. The temperature was set to be 135°C and the pressure was 6 bars. Chopped short ramie fibre was used, due to good drape ability characteristics. The experiments showed that the beams produced a large non-linearity. Linear Finite Element Analysis was carried out to be compared with the experimental data. The differences are reasonable.

  6. Factors Affecting Recruitment into Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Training

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shaw, Jon A.; Lewis, John E.; Katyal, Shalini

    2010-01-01

    Objective: The authors studied the factors affecting the recruitment into child and adolescent psychiatry training in the United States. Methods: Medical students (n = 154) and general and child and adolescent psychiatry residents (n = 111) completed a questionnaire to evaluate career choice in child psychiatry (n = 265). Results: Compared with…

  7. Draft Whole-Genome Sequences of Escherichia fergusonii Strains Isolated from Beef Trim (GTA-EF02), Ground Beef (GTA-EF03), and Chopped Kale (GTA-EF04).

    PubMed

    Manninger, Paul; Koziol, Adam; Carrillo, Catherine D

    2016-04-14

    Escherichia fergusoniiis a Gram-negative, rod-shaped, non-spore-forming member of theEnterobacteriaceaefamily and is a bacterium with both biotechnological applications and implication in human clinical disease. Here, we report the draft genome sequences of three isolates ofE. fergusoniifrom beef trim (GTA-EF02), ground beef (GTA-EF03), and chopped kale (GTA-EF04). Copyright © 2016 Manninger et al.

  8. A review of affecting factors on sexual satisfaction in women.

    PubMed

    Shahhosseini, Zohreh; Gardeshi, Zeinab Hamzeh; Pourasghar, Mehdi; Salehi, Fariba

    2014-12-01

    Sex is a complex, important and sensitive issue in human being and interwoven with the whole of human existence. Given the serious changes in attitude, function and behavior in sex, the need to address sexual function, especially sexual satisfaction, is felt completely. Sexual satisfaction has a very important role in creating marital satisfaction and any defect in sexual satisfaction is significantly associated with risky sexual behaviors, serious mental illness, social crimes and ultimately divorce. The aim of this study was to explore affecting factors on sexual satisfaction in women based on an overview in scientific database. In this narrative review the researchers searched MEDLINE database, Google Scholar and Science Direct as well as Persian database like Scientific Information Database with search terms of sexual satisfaction and sexual function, restricted to English/ Persian language, during the 20 years ago. Then those articles written by renowned experts were selected. In this regard, 57 articles have been reviewed, which 30 articles related to this research have been extracted. The findings were divided in to four categories including: Demographic factors, Pathophysiological factors, Psychological factors and Sociocultural factors. Sexuality, especially sexual intimacy is sophisticated and yet elegant affair that the other persons has different definitions and different functions. Discrepancies in the results of the studies show that analysis of factors affecting sexual satisfaction regardless of the women's' sociocultural context, religious beliefs, and personal attitudes is undoubtedly inefficient, unscientific and irrational.

  9. Factors affecting yearly and monthly visits to Taipei Zoo

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Su, Ai-Tsen; Lin, Yann-Jou

    2018-02-01

    This study investigated factors affecting yearly and monthly numbers of visits to Taipei Zoo. Both linear and nonlinear regression models were used to estimate yearly visits. The results of both models showed that the "opening effect" and "animal star effect" had a significantly positive effect on yearly visits, while a SARS outbreak had a negative effect. The number of years had a significant influence on yearly visits. Results showed that the nonlinear model had better explanatory power and fitted the variations of visits better. Results of monthly model showed that monthly visits were significantly influenced by time fluctuations, weather conditions, and the animal star effect. Chinese New Year, summer vacation, numbers of holidays, and animal star exhibitions increased the number of monthly visits, while the number of days with temperatures at or below 15 °C, the number of days with temperatures at or above 30 °C, and the number of rainy days had significantly negative effects. Furthermore, the model of monthly visits showed that the animal star effect could last for over two quarters. The results of this study clarify the factors affecting visits to an outdoor recreation site and confirm the importance of meteorological factors to recreation use.

  10. Reforming the household registration system: a preliminary glimpse of the blue chop household registration system in Shanghai and Shenzhen.

    PubMed

    Wong, L; Wai-po, H

    1998-01-01

    "For decades, the household registration system has functioned as a powerful device in halting rural influxes into Chinese cities. The exigencies of the reform call for reform of the hukou system [China's household registration]. One of the many attempts is the blue chop household registration system. Both Shanghai and Shenzhen have introduced this practice. In addition to promotion of real estate and investment, it creams off those more desirable migrants into the permanent population of the two cities. In view of the present situation of linking welfare provision with household registration status, this selective migration policy seems to be a sensible step forward." excerpt

  11. A Qualitative Study of Factors Affecting Morale in Psychiatry Residency Training.

    PubMed

    Caravella, Rachel A; Robinson, Lee A; Wilets, Ilene; Weinberg, Michael; Cabaniss, Deborah L; Cutler, Janis L; Kymissis, Carisa; Arbuckle, Melissa R

    2016-10-01

    Resident morale is an important yet poorly understood aspect of the residency training experience. Despite implications for program quality, resident satisfaction, patient care, and recruitment, little is known about the variables influencing this complex phenomenon. This study sought to identify important factors affecting morale in psychiatry residency training. The authors conducted four semi-structured focus groups at a moderately sized, urban, psychiatry residency program during the 2013-2014 academic year. They used qualitative data analysis techniques, including grounded theory and content analysis, to identify key themes affecting resident morale across training levels. Twenty-seven residents participated in the focus groups with equal distribution across post-graduate years (PGY) 1-4. Five major conceptual categories affecting resident morale emerged: Sense of Community, Individual Motivators, Clinical Work, Feeling Cared For, and Trust in the Administration. Morale is an important topic in residency education. The qualitative results suggest that factors related to a Sense of Community and Individual Motivators generally enhanced resident morale whereas factors related to a lack of Feeling Cared For and Trust in the Administration tended to contribute to lower morale. The authors describe the possible interventions to promote stronger program morale suggested by these findings.

  12. Factors affecting the overcrowding in outpatient healthcare

    PubMed Central

    Bahadori, Mohammadkarim; Teymourzadeh, Ehsan; Ravangard, Ramin; Raadabadi, Mehdi

    2017-01-01

    Background: The expansion of outpatient services and the desire to provide more outpatient care than inpatient care create some problems such as the overcrowding in the outpatient clinics. Given the importance of overcrowding in the outpatient clinics, this qualitative study aimed to determine the factors influencing the overcrowding in the specialty and subspecialty clinic of a teaching hospital. Materials and Methods: This was a qualitative study conducted in the specialty and subspecialty clinic of a hospital using content analysis method in the period of January to March 2014. The study population was all managers and heads of the outpatient wards. The studied sample consisted of 22 managers of the clinic wards who were selected using the purposive sampling method. The required data was collected using semi-structured interviews. The collected data was analyzed using conventional content analysis and the MAXQDA 10.0 software. Results: Three themes were identified as the main factors affecting the overcrowding including the internal positive factors, internal negative factors, and external factors. Conclusions: Despite the efforts made to eliminate overcrowding, and reduce waiting times and increase access to the services for patients, the problem of overcrowding still has remained unresolved. In addition, the use of some strategies such as clarifying the working processes of the clinic for staff and patients and the relationships between the clinic and other wards especially emergency department, as well as using a simple triage system on the patients’ arrival at the clinic are recommended. PMID:28546986

  13. Recruitment and retention: factors that affect pericyte migration

    PubMed Central

    Aguilera, Kristina Y.

    2013-01-01

    Pericytes are critical for vascular morphogenesis and contribute to several pathologies, including cancer development and progression. The mechanisms governing pericyte migration and differentiation are complex and have not been fully established. Current literature suggests that platelet-derived growth factor/platelet-derived growth factor receptor-β, sphingosine 1-phosphate/endothelial differentiation gene-1, angiopoietin-1/tyrosine kinase with immunoglobulin-like and EGF-like domains 2, angiopoietin-2/tyros-ine kinase with immunoglobulin-like and EGF-like domains 2, transforming growth factor β/activin receptor-like kinase 1, transforming growth factor β/activin receptor-like kinase 5, Semaphorin-3A/Neuropilin, and matrix metalloproteinase activity regulate the recruitment of pericytes to nascent vessels. Interestingly, many of these pathways are directly affected by secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine (SPARC). Here, we summarize the function of these factors in pericyte migration and discuss if and how SPARC might infuence these activities and thus provide an additional layer of control for the recruitment of vascular support cells. Additionally, the consequences of targeted inhibition of pericytes in tumors and the current understanding of pericyte recruitment in pathological environments are discussed. PMID:23912898

  14. Factors Affecting Role Stress and Burnout among School Counselors

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Willingham, Wendy Elizabeth

    2009-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to determine factors affecting role stress and burnout among practicing school counselors as measured by the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Educators Survey (MBI-ES) and the Role Conflict and Ambiguity Scale. The MBI-ES utilizes three subscales to measure burnout: emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal…

  15. Factors affecting species distribution predictions: A simulation modeling experiment

    Treesearch

    Gordon C. Reese; Kenneth R. Wilson; Jennifer A. Hoeting; Curtis H. Flather

    2005-01-01

    Geospatial species sample data (e.g., records with location information from natural history museums or annual surveys) are rarely collected optimally, yet are increasingly used for decisions concerning our biological heritage. Using computer simulations, we examined factors that could affect the performance of autologistic regression (ALR) models that predict species...

  16. Motivational Factors Affecting Online Learning by Japanese MBA Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kikuchi, Hisayo

    2006-01-01

    In Japan, Internet based learning is still at an early stage. However, adult learners in Japanese society expect the development of flexible e-learning programs. This case study examines motivational factors affecting online learning in a Japanese and Australian MBA program, using observations, interviews and a questionnaire survey. The data were…

  17. The Many Facets of Lipooligosaccharide as a Virulence Factor for Histophilus somni.

    PubMed

    Inzana, Thomas J

    2016-01-01

    The lipooligosaccharide (LOS) of Histophilus somni is a multifaceted molecule that provides critical protection to the bacterium against host defenses, may act as an adhesin, and like similar molecules of gram-negative bacteria, is an endotoxin that signals through toll-like receptor 4 and NF-κB to cause inflammation. The lipid A component is responsible for the endotoxic and apoptotic activity of the LOS. The H. somni LOS lacks O-side chains typically characteristic of gram-negative bacteria that have lipopolysaccharide, but has a complex, microheterogeneous outer core. The LOS of disease isolates is capable of undergoing structural and antigenic phase variation of its outer core due to slip-strand mispairing of glycosyltransferase genes that contain repetitive sequences of DNA base pairs. Such variation enables the bacteria to evade bactericidal antibodies made to oligosaccharide antigens. In addition, the LOS can be decorated with phase-variable phosphorylcholine (ChoP), which binds to platelet-activating factor receptor on host cells, thereby aiding in colonization of the upper respiratory tract. However, ChoP is likely not expressed when the bacteria are in systemic sites because ChoP also binds to C-reactive protein, resulting in activation of host complement and promoting bactericidal activity. The structure of some LOS outer core chains is identical to oligosaccharides on host glycosphingolipids of red blood cells, other cells, and merconium (lacto-N-neotetraose, lacto-N-biose, N-acetyllactosamine, etc.). Furthermore, terminal galactose residues on LOS and elsewhere are decorated with sialic acid, which blocks antibody binding, activation of complement, phagocytosis, and intracellular killing. Therefore, antigenic mimicry of host antigens is an important defense mechanism provided by the oligosaccharide component of the LOS to avoid innate and adaptive host defense mechanisms. However, some strains of H. somni isolated from the bovine genital tract

  18. Characterization and consumer acceptance of three muscles from Hampshire x Rambouillet cross sheep expressing the callipyge phenotype.

    PubMed

    Kerth, C R; Jackson, S P; Ramsey, C B; Miller, M F

    2003-09-01

    Eight Hampshire x Rambouillet crossbred wethers expressing the callipyge phenotype and eight Hampshire x Rambouillet half-sibling wethers with a normal phenotype were slaughtered when they reached 59 kg. The supraspinatus (SPM), longissimus (LM), and semitendinosus (STM) muscles were analyzed to determine callipyge effects on calpain and calpastatin activities, sarcomere length, percentage of muscle fiber types, and muscle fiber areas. After 14 d of aging, chops were frozen until analyses for trained sensory panel evaluations, Warner-Bratzler shear force values, and consumer perceptions of tenderness, flavor, juiciness, and overall satisfaction of chops were conducted. Calpastatin activity was 57% greater (P < 0.05) and m-calpain activity was 33% greater (P < 0.05) in muscles from carcasses of callipyge than normal sheep. Sarcomeres were shorter (P < 0.001) in the LM than the SPM or STM, regardless of phenotype. Muscle fiber area was 76% larger (P < 0.05) in the LM of callipyge than normal sheep, but muscle fiber area was not affected (P > 0.05) by phenotype in the SPM or STM. Phenotype had no effect (P = 0.12) on the percentage of slow-twitch, oxidative fiber types in any of the three muscles. In STM and LM from callipyge lambs, the percentage of fast-twitch, oxidative/glycolytic fibers was lower (P < 0.05) and that of fast-twitch-glycolytic fibers was higher (P < 0.05) than in their normal counterparts. Phenotype did not affect (P = 0.90) the fiber type percentage in the SPM. Callipyge LM were less tender and normal LM were more tender than other chops (P < 0.05). Callipyge loin chops had higher Warner-Bratzler shear force values than other chops (P < 0.001). Consumers rated fewer (P < 0.05) callipyge loin and shoulder chops acceptable in juiciness, tenderness, and overall acceptability than normal chops, but phenotype did not affect (P > 0.05) consumer acceptability of leg chops. These results indicate that LM from Hampshire x Rambouillet sheep displaying the

  19. Analysis of extrinsic and intrinsic factors affecting event related desynchronization production.

    PubMed

    Takata, Yohei; Kondo, Toshiyuki; Saeki, Midori; Izawa, Jun; Takeda, Kotaro; Otaka, Yohei; It, Koji

    2012-01-01

    Recently there has been an increase in the number of stroke patients with motor paralysis. Appropriate re-afferent sensory feedback synchronized with a voluntary motor intention would be effective for promoting neural plasticity in the stroke rehabilitation. Therefore, BCI technology is considered to be a promising approach in the neuro-rehabilitation. To estimate human motor intention, an event-related desynchronization (ERD), a feature of electroencephalogram (EEG) evoked by motor execution or motor imagery is usually used. However, there exists various factors that affect ERD production, and its neural mechanism is still an open question. As a preliminary stage, we evaluate mutual effects of intrinsic (voluntary motor imagery) and extrinsic (visual and somatosensory stimuli) factors on the ERD production. Experimental results indicate that these three factors are not always additively interacting with each other and affecting the ERD production.

  20. New strategies in the assessment of psychological factors affecting medical conditions.

    PubMed

    Sirri, Laura; Fabbri, Stefania; Fava, Giovanni A; Sonino, Nicoletta

    2007-12-01

    In this article, we examine research that may lead to a better assessment of psychological factors affecting medical conditions. We performed a review of the psychosomatic literature using both Medline and manual searches. We selected papers that were judged to be relevant to new strategies of assessment, with particular reference to the use of the Diagnostic Criteria for Psychosomatic Research. We assessed 8 areas concerned with the assessment of psychological factors in the setting of medical disease: hypochondriasis, disease phobia, persistent somatization, conversion symptoms, illness denial, demoralization, irritable mood, and Type A behavior. A new subclassification of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed. [DSM-V]; not yet published) category of psychological factors affecting physical conditions appears to be feasible and may provide the clinician with better tools for identifying psychological distress.

  1. Multifactorial analysis of factors affecting recurrence of stroke in Japan.

    PubMed

    Omori, Toyonori; Kawagoe, Masahiro; Moriyama, Michiko; Yasuda, Takeshi; Ito, Yasuhiro; Hyakuta, Takeshi; Nagatsuka, Kazuyuki; Matsumoto, Masayasu

    2015-03-01

    Data on factors affecting stroke recurrence are relatively limited. The authors examined potential factors affecting stroke recurrence, retrospectively. The study participants were 1087 patients who were admitted to stroke centers suffering from first-ever ischemic stroke and returned questionnaires with usable information after discharge. The authors analyzed the association between clinical parameters of the patients and their prognosis. Recurrence rate of during an average of 2 years after discharge was 21.3%, and there were differences among stroke subtypes. It was found that the disability level of the patients after discharge correlated well with the level at discharge (r s = 0.66). Multivariate logistic regression analysis of the data shows that modified Rankin Scale score, National Institute of Health Stroke Scale score, gender, age, and family history had statistically significant impacts on stroke recurrence, and the impact was different depending on subtypes. These findings suggest that aggressive and persistent health education for poststroke patients and management of risk factors are essential to reduce stroke recurrence. © 2012 APJPH.

  2. Mathematics Performance and the Role Played by Affective and Background Factors

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Grootenboer, Peter; Hemmings, Brian

    2007-01-01

    In this article, we report on a study examining those factors which contribute to the mathematics performance of a sample of children aged between 8 and 13 years. The study was designed specifically to consider the potency of a number of mathematical affective factors, as well as background characteristics (viz., gender, ethnicity, and…

  3. Factors Affecting Career Decision Making of Mexican and Mexican-American Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Newlon, Betty J.; Borboa, Roman

    The purpose of this research was to identify the self-reported factors affecting the career decision making of Mexican and Mexican-American students. It was hypothesized that the factor clusters would differ between the two sample populations, Mexican and Mexican-American. It was also hypothesized that these clusters would differ from six clusters…

  4. Industry Training: The Factors that Affect Demand. Discussion Paper.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Smith, A.; Roberts, P.; Noble, C.; Hayton, G.; Thorne, E.

    A study was conducted in Australia, to determine the factors that affect demand for job training. The study consisted of 30 detailed industry case studies, an industry analysis, and a literature review. Each case study examined current training practices, training decision making in the business, and the determinants of training for the…

  5. An Analysis of Factors Affecting Community College Students' Expectations on E-Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kilic-Cakmak, Ebru; Karatas, Sercin; Ocak, Mehmet Akif

    2009-01-01

    There are many factors that affect the e-learning process. Instructor, assessment and evaluation, communication, and technical support are among the leading factors. It is obvious that these factors influence the effectiveness of e-learning and may be related to different expectations of e-learners. Therefore, this study focuses on examining the…

  6. Lengths of Orthologous Prokaryotic Proteins Are Affected by Evolutionary Factors

    PubMed Central

    Tatarinova, Tatiana; Dien Bard, Jennifer; Cohen, Irit

    2015-01-01

    Proteins of the same functional family (for example, kinases) may have significantly different lengths. It is an open question whether such variation in length is random or it appears as a response to some unknown evolutionary driving factors. The main purpose of this paper is to demonstrate existence of factors affecting prokaryotic gene lengths. We believe that the ranking of genomes according to lengths of their genes, followed by the calculation of coefficients of association between genome rank and genome property, is a reasonable approach in revealing such evolutionary driving factors. As we demonstrated earlier, our chosen approach, Bubble-sort, combines stability, accuracy, and computational efficiency as compared to other ranking methods. Application of Bubble Sort to the set of 1390 prokaryotic genomes confirmed that genes of Archaeal species are generally shorter than Bacterial ones. We observed that gene lengths are affected by various factors: within each domain, different phyla have preferences for short or long genes; thermophiles tend to have shorter genes than the soil-dwellers; halophiles tend to have longer genes. We also found that species with overrepresentation of cytosines and guanines in the third position of the codon (GC3 content) tend to have longer genes than species with low GC3 content. PMID:26114113

  7. Lengths of Orthologous Prokaryotic Proteins Are Affected by Evolutionary Factors.

    PubMed

    Tatarinova, Tatiana; Salih, Bilal; Dien Bard, Jennifer; Cohen, Irit; Bolshoy, Alexander

    2015-01-01

    Proteins of the same functional family (for example, kinases) may have significantly different lengths. It is an open question whether such variation in length is random or it appears as a response to some unknown evolutionary driving factors. The main purpose of this paper is to demonstrate existence of factors affecting prokaryotic gene lengths. We believe that the ranking of genomes according to lengths of their genes, followed by the calculation of coefficients of association between genome rank and genome property, is a reasonable approach in revealing such evolutionary driving factors. As we demonstrated earlier, our chosen approach, Bubble-sort, combines stability, accuracy, and computational efficiency as compared to other ranking methods. Application of Bubble Sort to the set of 1390 prokaryotic genomes confirmed that genes of Archaeal species are generally shorter than Bacterial ones. We observed that gene lengths are affected by various factors: within each domain, different phyla have preferences for short or long genes; thermophiles tend to have shorter genes than the soil-dwellers; halophiles tend to have longer genes. We also found that species with overrepresentation of cytosines and guanines in the third position of the codon (GC3 content) tend to have longer genes than species with low GC3 content.

  8. A Study of the Technological, Instructional, and Motivational Factors Affecting PHR Certification Exam Outcomes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bonner, David M.

    2012-01-01

    Although previous studies have considered the factors affecting other certification exam outcomes, they have not examined those that are related to performance on the Professional in Human Resources (PHR) exam. In response to that need, this study specifically investigates technology and training factors that affect self-efficacy and self-set…

  9. Toll-like receptor 7 promotes the apoptosis of THP-1-derived macrophages through the CHOP-dependent pathway.

    PubMed

    Yu, Xiaochen; Wang, Yang; Zhao, Wenhui; Zhou, Haizhou; Yang, Wei; Guan, Xiuru

    2014-09-01

    Macrophage apoptosis is a prominent characteristic of advanced atherosclerotic plaques and leads to plaque destabilization. Certain studies have confirmed that influenza virus A (IVA) infection is related to acute myocardial infarction (AMI). However, it remains unknown as to whether this phenomenon is associated with Toll-like receptor (TLR)7, since single-stranded RNA (ssRNA) of IVA is a natural ligand of TLR7. Thus, in the present study, THP-1‑derived macrophages were infected with IVA or treated with imiquimod (IMQ) in the presence or absence of pre-treatment with oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL). The macrophages were pre-treated with oxLDL (5 µg/ml) for 24 h to mimic high lipid conditions. Cell viability and apoptosis were detected by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-y-1)‑2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and flow cytometry, respectively. Our results revealed that TLR7 played an important role in macrophage apoptosis and cytokine secretion. Both IVA infection and IMQ treatment increased TLR7 expression, as well as the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines [interleukin (IL)-6, monocyte chemotactic protein (MCP)-1] and apoptosis. However, this increase in cytokine secretion occurred independently of cell apoptosis. oxLDL had potential synergistic pro-apoptotic effects combined with TLR7 activation. To determine whether endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress plays a role in cell apoptosis, the mRNA and protein expression of known markers of ER stress [glucose-regulated protein (GRP)78 and C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP)] was detected by reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR), quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) and western blot analysis. Our results revealed that apoptosis aggravated ER stress, as shown by the overexpression of the pro-apoptotic sensor, CHOP. In conclusion, our study demonstrates the converging role of oxLDL pre-treatment, IVA infection and IMQ in ER stress-induced cell apoptosis.

  10. [Factors affecting residual stones after percutaneous nephrolithotomy in patients with renal calculus].

    PubMed

    Qiao, Mingzhou; Zhang, Haifang; Zhou, Chenlong

    2015-11-24

    To explore the factors affecting the residual stones after percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) in patients with renal calculus. A retrospective analysis was performed for 1 200 patients who were affected by renal calculus and treated with PCNL between Jan 2008 and May 2014 in People's Hospital of Anyang City. Among those patients, 16 were diagnosed as bilateral renal stone and had two successive operations. The size, location and number of stones, previous history of surgery, the degree of hydronephrosis, urinary infection were included in the univariate analysis. Significant factors in univariate analysis were included in the multivariate analysis to determine factors affecting stone residual. A total of 385 cases developed stone residual after surgery. The overall residual rate was 31.7%. In univariate analysis, renal pelvis combined with caliceal calculus (P=0.006), stone size larger than 4 cm (P=0.005), stone number more than 4 (P=0.002), the amount of bleeding more than 200 ml (P=0.025), operation time longer than 120 minutes (P=0.028) were associated with an increased rate of stone residual. When subjected to the Cox multivariate analysis, the independent risk factors for residual stones were renal pelvis combined with caliceal calculus (P=0.049), stone size larger than 4 cm (P=0.038) and stone number more than 4 (P=0.018). Factors affecting the incidence of residual stones after PCNL are the size, location and number of stones. Larger size stone and the presence of renal pelvis combined with caliceal calculus are significantly associated with residual stones. Nevertheless, stone number less than 4 indicates an increased stone clearance rate.

  11. Factors affecting decision-making of patients choosing acupuncture in a public hospital.

    PubMed

    Sayampanathan, Andrew Arjun; Koh, Thean Howe Bryan; Kong, Keng He; Low, Yin Peng

    2015-11-01

    With increasing evidence to support its practice, acupuncture has been integrated within many hospitals around the world. The purpose of this study is to understand the factors affecting decision making of patients as they select acupuncture treatment for their medical conditions and symptoms within a public hospital. A qualitative study consisting of in depth interviews with 14 patients was conducted. All patients attended an acupuncture clinic within a public hospital. Data collected was analysed via thematic analysis. Four main factor groups affecting decision making of patients were identified- factors affecting the level and value of patient-centric care, the confidence and trust patients place within the acupuncture service, the presence of collaborative efforts between acupuncturists and Western medicine practitioners, and the knowledge, culture and belief society has regarding the role of acupuncture and Western medicine. All participants interviewed had more than one factor group present as enablers toward their eventual selection of acupuncture for ailment management. It was also noted that although the majority of participants had sufficient knowledge regarding acupuncture, there were a select few who had misperceptions or no knowledge regarding certain aspects of acupuncture. There may be certain patterns in the way patients choose to utilise acupuncture services in public hospitals. Further studies should also be carried out in other public hospitals to analyse the factor groups identified further.

  12. Factors that Affect Poverty Areas in North Sumatera Using Discriminant Analysis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nasution, D. H.; Bangun, P.; Sitepu, H. R.

    2018-04-01

    In Indonesia, especially North Sumatera, the problem of poverty is one of the fundamental problems that become the focus of government both central and local government. Although the poverty rate decreased but the fact is there are many people who are poor. Poverty happens covers several aspects such as education, health, demographics, and also structural and cultural. This research will discuss about several factors such as population density, Unemployment Rate, GDP per capita ADHK, ADHB GDP per capita, economic growth and life expectancy that affect poverty in Indonesia. To determine the factors that most influence and differentiate the level of poverty of the Regency/City North Sumatra used discriminant analysis method. Discriminant analysis is one multivariate analysis technique are used to classify the data into a group based on the dependent variable and independent variable. Using discriminant analysis, it is evident that the factor affecting poverty is Unemployment Rate.

  13. Factors Other than GFR Affecting Serum Cystatin C Levels

    PubMed Central

    Stevens, Lesley A; Schmid, Christopher H.; Greene, Tom; Li, Liang; Beck, Gerald J; Joffe, Marshall; Froissart, Marc; Kusek, John; Zhang, Yaping (Lucy); Coresh, Josef; Levey, Andrew S

    2015-01-01

    Cystatin C is gaining acceptance as an endogenous filtration marker. Factors other than glomerular filtration rate (GFR) that affect the serum level have not been carefully studied. In a cross-sectional analysis of a pooled dataset of participants from clinical trials and a clinical population with chronic kidney disease (N=3418), we related serum levels of cystatin C and creatinine to clinical and biochemical variables after adjustment for GFR using errors-in-variables models to account for GFR measurement error. GFR was measured as urinary clearance of 125I-iothalamate and 15Cr-EDTA. Cystatin C was assayed at a single laboratory and creatinine was standardized to reference methods. Mean (SD) creatinine and cystatin C were 2.1 (1.1) mg/dL and 1.8 (0.8) mg/L, respectively. After adjustment for GFR, cystatin C was 4.3% lower for every 20 years of age, 9.2% lower for female sex but only 1.9% lower in blacks. Diabetes was associated with 8.5% higher levels of cystatin C and 3.9% lower levels of creatinine. Higher C-reactive protein and white blood cell count and lower serum albumin were associated with higher levels of cystatin C and lower levels of creatinine. Adjustment for age, sex and race had a greater effect on association of factors with creatinine than cystatin C. In conclusion, cystatin C is affected by factors other than GFR. Clinicians should consider these factors when interpreting the serum levels or GFR estimates from cystatin C. PMID:19119287

  14. Validating YouTube Factors Affecting Learning Performance

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pratama, Yoga; Hartanto, Rudy; Suning Kusumawardani, Sri

    2018-03-01

    YouTube is often used as a companion medium or a learning supplement. One of the educational places that often uses is Jogja Audio School (JAS) which focuses on music production education. Music production is a difficult material to learn, especially at the audio mastering. With tutorial contents from YouTube, students find it easier to learn and understand audio mastering and improved their learning performance. This study aims to validate the role of YouTube as a medium of learning in improving student’s learning performance by looking at the factors that affect student learning performance. The sample involves 100 respondents from JAS at audio mastering level. The results showed that student learning performance increases seen from factors that have a significant influence of motivation, instructional content, and YouTube usefulness. Overall findings suggest that YouTube has a important role to student learning performance in music production education and as an innovative and efficient learning medium.

  15. Retrospective analysis of first-line treatment for follicular lymphoma based on outcomes and medical economics.

    PubMed

    Muneishi, Manaka; Nakamura, Ayaka; Tachibana, Katsumi; Suemitsu, Junko; Hasebe, Shinji; Takeuchi, Kazuto; Yakushijin, Yoshihiro

    2018-04-01

    Follicular lymphoma (FL) is the most common type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), with indolent progression. Several treatment options are selected, based not only on disease status, quality of life (QOL), and age of patient, but also on recent increasing medical costs. We retrospectively analysed the first-line treatment of FL with regard to treatment outcomes and medical economics, and discuss the appropriate strategies for FL. Data on a total of 69 newly-diagnosed patients with FL was retrospectively collected from 2001 to 2015. The median age of the patients was 60 years and the median follow-up was 58 months. A total of 25 cases with FL were treated with R monotherapy, and 28 cases were treated with R-CHOP as first-line treatment. The factors affecting the decision of physicians to use R or R-CHOP treatment were serum level of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and disease stage. The first-line treatment-associated survival did not show any statistical differences between R and R-CHOP. The average hospitalization and average of all medical costs during the first-line treatment were 4.1 days (R) versus 55.7 days (R-CHOP), and JPY 1,707,693 (USD 15,324) (R) versus JPY 2,136,117 (USD 19,170) (R-CHOP), respectively. R monotherapy for patients whose diseases show low tumor burden and who are not candidates for local treatment has benefits as a first-line treatment compared to R-CHOP, based on the patients' QOL and medical economics.

  16. Beyond Negative Pain-Related Psychological Factors: Resilience Is Related to Lower Pain Affect in Healthy Adults.

    PubMed

    Hemington, Kasey S; Cheng, Joshua C; Bosma, Rachael L; Rogachov, Anton; Kim, Junseok A; Davis, Karen D

    2017-09-01

    Resilience, a characteristic that enhances adaptation in response to stressful events, is a positive psychological factor that can predict and modulate health outcomes. However, resilience is rarely considered in pain research. Conversely, negative psychological factors (eg, anxiety, depression) are known to be related to the affective dimension of pain. It is critical to understand all potential psychological drivers of pain affect, a prominent component of chronic pain. We tested the hypothesis that higher resilience is associated with lower pain affect, above and beyond the predictive value of negative psychological factors. Healthy adults underwent psychophysical testing to acquire ratings of heat pain intensity and unpleasantness and completed the Resilience Scale, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (trait form), Beck Depression Inventory, Pain Catastrophizing Scale, and the Pain Vigilance and Attention Questionnaire. Multiple regression modeling (n = 68) showed resilience to be a negatively associated with pain affect (unpleasantness). Furthermore, in individuals with higher anxiety scores, resilience was protective against higher pain affect. This highlights the importance of resilience, a positive psychological factor, in the affective dimension of pain. This study is the first to assess a positive psychological factor and experimental pain affect, and has the potential to improve prediction of and treatment strategies for clinical pain. We report that resilience, a positive psychological factor, interacts with anxiety and is associated with heat pain affect (unpleasantness) in healthy individuals. Resilience may provide predictive value of chronic pain affect and treatment outcomes, and could be a target for behavioral therapy. Copyright © 2017 American Pain Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. A study of the factors affecting the range of airplanes

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Biermann, David

    1937-01-01

    A study was made of the most important factors affecting the range of airplanes. Numerical examples are given showing the effects of different variables on the range of a two-engine airplane. The takeoff problems of long-range airplanes are analyzed.

  18. An Empirically Derived Taxonomy of Factors Affecting Physicians' Willingness to Disclose Medical Errors

    PubMed Central

    Kaldjian, Lauris C; Jones, Elizabeth W; Rosenthal, Gary E; Tripp-Reimer, Toni; Hillis, Stephen L

    2006-01-01

    BACKGROUND Physician disclosure of medical errors to institutions, patients, and colleagues is important for patient safety, patient care, and professional education. However, the variables that may facilitate or impede disclosure are diverse and lack conceptual organization. OBJECTIVE To develop an empirically derived, comprehensive taxonomy of factors that affects voluntary disclosure of errors by physicians. DESIGN A mixed-methods study using qualitative data collection (structured literature search and exploratory focus groups), quantitative data transformation (sorting and hierarchical cluster analysis), and validation procedures (confirmatory focus groups and expert review). RESULTS Full-text review of 316 articles identified 91 impeding or facilitating factors affecting physicians' willingness to disclose errors. Exploratory focus groups identified an additional 27 factors. Sorting and hierarchical cluster analysis organized factors into 8 domains. Confirmatory focus groups and expert review relocated 6 factors, removed 2 factors, and modified 4 domain names. The final taxonomy contained 4 domains of facilitating factors (responsibility to patient, responsibility to self, responsibility to profession, responsibility to community), and 4 domains of impeding factors (attitudinal barriers, uncertainties, helplessness, fears and anxieties). CONCLUSIONS A taxonomy of facilitating and impeding factors provides a conceptual framework for a complex field of variables that affects physicians' willingness to disclose errors to institutions, patients, and colleagues. This taxonomy can be used to guide the design of studies to measure the impact of different factors on disclosure, to assist in the design of error-reporting systems, and to inform educational interventions to promote the disclosure of errors to patients. PMID:16918739

  19. Factors Affecting Teen Involvement in Pennsylvania 4-H Programming

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gill, Bart E.; Ewing, John C.; Bruce, Jacklyn A.

    2010-01-01

    The study reported here determined the factors that affect teen involvement in 4-H programming. The design of the study was descriptive and correlational in nature. Using a purposive sampling procedure, a survey questionnaire was distributed to all (N=214) 4-H members attending the 4-H State Leadership Conference. The major findings of the study…

  20. [Factors affecting the quality of cardiopulmonary resuscitation in inpatient units: perception of nurses].

    PubMed

    Citolino, Clairton Marcos Filho; Santos, Eduesley Santana; Silva, Rita de Cassia Gengo E; Nogueira, Lilia de Souza

    2015-12-01

    To identify, in the perception of nurses, the factors that affect the quality of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in adult inpatient units, and investigate the influence of both work shifts and professional experience length of time in the perception of these factors. A descriptive, exploratory study conducted at a hospital specialized in cardiology and pneumology with the application of a questionnaire to 49 nurses working in inpatient units. The majority of nurses reported that the high number of professionals in the scenario (75.5%), the lack of harmony (77.6%) or stress of any member of staff (67.3%), lack of material and/or equipment failure (57.1%), lack of familiarity with the emergency trolleys (98.0%) and presence of family members at the beginning of the cardiopulmonary arrest assistance (57.1%) are factors that adversely affect the quality of care provided during CPR. Professional experience length of time and the shift of nurses did not influence the perception of these factors. The identification of factors that affect the quality of CPR in the perception of nurses serves as parameter to implement improvements and training of the staff working in inpatient units.

  1. Factors Affecting Zebra Mussel Kill by the Bacterium Pseudomonas fluorescens

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

    Daniel P. Molloy

    2004-02-24

    The specific purpose of this research project was to identify factors that affect zebra mussel kill by the bacterium Pseudomonas fluorescens. Test results obtained during this three-year project identified the following key variables as affecting mussel kill: treatment concentration, treatment duration, mussel siphoning activity, dissolved oxygen concentration, water temperature, and naturally suspended particle load. Using this latter information, the project culminated in a series of pipe tests which achieved high mussel kill inside power plants under once-through conditions using service water in artificial pipes.

  2. Psychological Factor Affecting English Speaking Performance for the English Learners in Indonesia

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Haidara, Youssouf

    2016-01-01

    In every learning situation or environment, human psychology plays a significant role. English speaking is a language skill that is highly affected by human psychology. This research aimed at describing the psychological factor that affects negatively the English speaking performance for the English learners in Indonesia. A descriptive qualitative…

  3. The Key Factors Affecting Students' Individual Interest in School Science Lessons

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cheung, Derek

    2018-01-01

    Individual interest in school science lessons can be defined as a relatively stable and enduring personal emotion comprising affective and behavioural reactions to events in the regular science lessons at school. Little research has compared the importance of different factors affecting students' individual interest in school science lessons. The…

  4. Affective changes during the postpartum period: Influences of genetic and experiential factors.

    PubMed

    Agrati, Daniella; Lonstein, Joseph S

    2016-01-01

    This article is part of a Special Issue "Parental Care". The postpartum period involves some truly transformational changes in females' socioemotional behaviors. For most female laboratory rodents and women, these changes include an improvement in their affective state, which has positive consequences for their ability to sensitively care for their offspring. There is heterogeneity among females in the likelihood of this positive affective change, though, and some women experience elevated anxiety or depression (or in rodents anxiety- or depression-related behaviors) after giving birth. We aim to contribute to the understanding of this heterogeneity in maternal affectivity by reviewing selected components of the scientific literatures on laboratory rodents and humans examining how mothers' physical contact with her infants, genetics, history of anxiety and depression and early-life and recent-life experiences contribute to individual differences in postpartum affective states. These studies together indicate that multiple biological and environmental factors beyond female maternal state shape affective responses during the postpartum period, and probably do so in an interactive manner. Furthermore, the similar capacity of some of these factors to modulate anxiety and depression in human and rodent mothers suggests cross-species conservation of mechanisms regulating postpartum affectivity. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. Factors Affecting Soil Microbial Community Structure in Tomato Cropping Systems

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Soil and rhizosphere microbial communities in agroecosystems may be affected by soil, climate, plant species, and management. We identified some of the most important factors controlling microbial biomass and community structure in an agroecosystem utilizing tomato plants with the following nine tre...

  6. Factors affecting the reproductive success of dominant male meerkats.

    PubMed

    Spong, Göran F; Hodge, Sarah J; Young, Andrew J; Clutton-Brock, Tim H

    2008-05-01

    Identifying traits that affect the reproductive success of individuals is fundamental for our understanding of evolutionary processes. In cooperative breeders, a dominant male typically restricts mating access to the dominant female for extended periods, resulting in pronounced variation in reproductive success among males. This may result in strong selection for traits that increase the likelihood of dominance acquisition, dominance retention and reproductive rates while dominant. However, despite considerable research on reproductive skew, few studies have explored the factors that influence these three processes among males in cooperative species. Here we use genetic, behavioural and demographic data to investigate the factors affecting reproductive success in dominant male meerkats (Suricata suricatta). Our data show that dominant males sire the majority of all offspring surviving to 1 year. A male's likelihood of becoming dominant is strongly influenced by age, but not by weight. Tenure length and reproductive rate, both important components of dominant male reproductive success, are largely affected by group size and composition, rather than individual traits. Dominant males in large groups have longer tenures, but after this effect is controlled, male tenure length also correlates negatively to the number of adult females in the group. Male reproductive rate also declines as the number of intra- and extra-group competitors increases. As the time spent in the dominant position and reproductive rate while dominant explain > 80% of the total variance in reproductive success, group composition thus has major implications for male reproductive success.

  7. Factors affecting the employability in people with epilepsy.

    PubMed

    Wo, Monica Chen Mun; Lim, Kheng Seang; Choo, Wan Yuen; Tan, Chong Tin

    2016-12-01

    People with epilepsy (PWE) are negatively prejudiced in their ability to work. This study aimed to examine demographic, clinical and psychological factors associated with employability in PWE. This study recruited epilepsy patients from a neurology clinic in Malaysia. Employability was measured using employment ratio, with a ratio ≥90% (ER90) classified as high employability. Basic demographic data such as age, gender, marital status, religion, education level and household income was collected. Clinical measures consisted of age of seizure onset, seizure frequency, type of epilepsy, aura, polytherapy, nocturnal seizures and seizure control. Psychological measures included Work Self-Determination Index (WSDI), Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (SES), and Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS). Of 146 PWE, 64.4% had high employability. The participants were predominantly female (52%), Chinese (50.7%), single (50%), having tertiary education (55.5%) and focal epilepsy (72.6%). Clinically, only type of epilepsy was significantly correlated to employability of PWE. Employability of PWE was associated with ability to work (indicated by education level, work performance affected by seizures, ability to travel independently and ability to cope with stress at work) and family overprotection. The high employability group was found to have lower self-perceived stigma (ESS), higher self-determined motivation (WSDI), self-esteem (SES) and perceived social support (MSPSS), than the low employability group. Logistic regression analysis showed that tertiary education level (AOR 3.42, CI: 1.46-8.00), higher self-determination (WSDI, AOR 1.09, CI: 1.012-1.17), lower family overprotection (AOR 0.76, CI: 0.61-0.95), and generalised epilepsy (AOR 4.17, CI: 1.37-12.70) were significant predictors for higher employability in PWE. Ability to work (education level), clinical factor (type of epilepsy) and psychological factor (self-determined motivation and family

  8. Efficacy and safety of frontline rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin and prednisone plus bortezomib (VR-CAP) or vincristine (R-CHOP) in a subset of newly diagnosed mantle cell lymphoma patients medically eligible for transplantation in the randomized, phase 3 LYM-3002 study.

    PubMed

    Drach, Johannes; Huang, Huiqiang; Samoilova, Olga; Belch, Andrew; Farber, Charles; Bosly, André; Novak, Jan; Zaucha, Jan; Dascalescu, Angela; Bunworasate, Udomsak; Masliak, Zvenyslava; Vilchevskaya, Kateryna; Robak, Tadeusz; Pei, Lixia; Rooney, Brendan; van de Velde, Helgi; Cavalli, Franco

    2018-04-01

    This post-hoc subanalysis of the LYM-3002 phase 3 study assessed the efficacy and safety of substituting vincristine in rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin and prednisone (R-CHOP; n = 42) for bortezomib (VR-CAP; n = 38) in a subgroup of 80 mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) patients aged <60 years who did not receive stem cell transplantation (SCT) despite medical eligibility. Complete response (CR)/unconfirmed CR (CRu) rates were 67 vs. 39% (odds ratio 3.69 [95% CI(confidence interval): 1.31, 10.41]; p = .012). After 40 months median follow-up, median progression-free survival by independent radiology committee with VR-CAP vs. R-CHOP was 32.6 vs. 12.0 months (hazard ratio (HR) 0.59 [95% CI: 0.31, 1.13]; p = .108); median overall survival was not reached vs. 47.3 months (HR 0.81 [95% CI: 0.33, 1.96]; p = .634). Adverse events included neutropenia (92/76%), thrombocytopenia (70/10%) and leukopenia (65/50%). VR-CAP represents a potential alternative to R-CHOP in combined and/or alternating regimens for younger, SCT-eligible MCL patients.

  9. Personal Factors that Affect the Satisfaction of Female Patients Undergoing Esthetic Suture after Typical Thyroidectomy.

    PubMed

    Kim, Hyo Young; Kim, Jung Won; Park, Jin Hyung; Kim, Jung Hun; Han, Yea Sik

    2013-07-01

    In esthetic surgery, understanding the factors that influence patient satisfaction is important for successful practice. We hypothesize that the factors that influence patient satisfaction include not only aesthetic and functional outcomes, but also personal factors such as the level of familiarity with factors affecting wound healing and expectations regarding aesthetic outcome. One hundred patients who underwent esthetic closure after thyroidectomy were included in this study. In order to evaluate the individual characteristics of the patients, a preoperative survey was administered to the patients. We estimated the patient satisfaction six months postoperatively and assessed the aesthetic and functional outcomes using the Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale. According to the results of correlation analysis, level of familiarity with wound healing factors had a positive correlation with satisfaction. High expectations, pain, itching, and high observer scale score had negative correlations with satisfaction. The factors that were correlated with satisfaction were included in the multiple regression analysis. Level of familiarity with wound healing factors was found to have a positive relationship with satisfaction, while itching and observer scale were found to have a negative relationship with satisfaction. After excluding 10 patients who had hypertrophic scars, only level of familiarity with wound healing factors and expectations affected satisfaction. The level of familiarity with factors affecting wound healing and expectations were found to independently affect satisfaction. Improving patients' level of familiarity with wound healing factors and reducing their expectations by providing suitable preoperative education has the potential to improve patient satisfaction.

  10. Arsenic in Drinking Water in Bangladesh: Factors Affecting Child Health

    PubMed Central

    Aziz, Sonia N.; Aziz, Khwaja M. S.; Boyle, Kevin J.

    2014-01-01

    The focus of this paper is to present an empirical model of factors affecting child health by observing actions households take to avoid exposure to arsenic in drinking water. Millions of Bangladeshis face multiple health hazards from high levels of arsenic in drinking water. Safe water sources are either expensive or difficult to access, affecting people’s individuals’ time available for work and ultimately affecting the health of household members. Since children are particularly susceptible and live with parents who are primary decision makers for sustenance, parental actions linking child health outcomes is used in the empirical model. Empirical results suggest that child health is significantly affected by the age and gender of the household water procurer. Adults with a high degree of concern for children’s health risk from arsenic contamination, and who actively mitigate their arsenic contaminated water have a positive effect on child health. PMID:24982854

  11. Factors affecting physical therapists’ job satisfaction: questionnaire survey targeting first-year physical therapists

    PubMed Central

    Kota, Munetsugu; Kudo, Hiroyuki; Okita, Kazuhiko

    2018-01-01

    [Purpose] The survey aimed to clarify the factors that affect physiotherapists’ job satisfaction. [Subjects and Methods] To examine factors affecting physical therapists’ job satisfaction using a cross-sectional study with a questionnaire survey. Subjects were 193 first-year physical therapists who participated in a newcomer orientation at Hiroshima Prefectural Physical Therapy Association. The questionnaire comprised items concerning physical therapists’ satisfaction with their work, motives for becoming physical therapists, education in school, internships, the workplace, and comfort in the workplace. [Results] Subjects were divided into two groups according to their satisfaction with their occupation. The “high satisfaction” group included 157 subjects, and the group “low satisfaction” group included 36 subjects. Using logistic regression analysis, items concerning comfort in the workplace, motives for becoming physical therapists, and learning in school were analysed. [Conclusion] Factors affecting physical therapists’ job satisfaction were primarily influenced by previous experience and working conditions. PMID:29706706

  12. Factors affecting physical therapists' job satisfaction: questionnaire survey targeting first-year physical therapists.

    PubMed

    Kota, Munetsugu; Kudo, Hiroyuki; Okita, Kazuhiko

    2018-04-01

    [Purpose] The survey aimed to clarify the factors that affect physiotherapists' job satisfaction. [Subjects and Methods] To examine factors affecting physical therapists' job satisfaction using a cross-sectional study with a questionnaire survey. Subjects were 193 first-year physical therapists who participated in a newcomer orientation at Hiroshima Prefectural Physical Therapy Association. The questionnaire comprised items concerning physical therapists' satisfaction with their work, motives for becoming physical therapists, education in school, internships, the workplace, and comfort in the workplace. [Results] Subjects were divided into two groups according to their satisfaction with their occupation. The "high satisfaction" group included 157 subjects, and the group "low satisfaction" group included 36 subjects. Using logistic regression analysis, items concerning comfort in the workplace, motives for becoming physical therapists, and learning in school were analysed. [Conclusion] Factors affecting physical therapists' job satisfaction were primarily influenced by previous experience and working conditions.

  13. Factors affecting wood energy consumption by U.S. households

    Treesearch

    Nianfu Song; Francisco X. Aguilar; Stephen R. Shifley; Michael E. Goerndt

    2012-01-01

    About 23% of energy derived from woody sources in the U.S. was consumed by households, of which 70% was used by households in rural areas in 2005. We investigated factors affecting household-level wood energy consumption in the four continental U.S. regions using data from the U.S. Residential Energy Consumption Survey. To account for a large number of zero...

  14. The main factor affecting the competitiveness of Contractor Company

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nurisra; Malahayati, Nurul; Mahmuddin

    2018-05-01

    Contractor companies must have the competitive advantage to compete in maintaining the survival of the company. Problems arise because quite a lot of advantages can be used and these advantages must be used appropriately to produce competitiveness for the company to continue to compete and to win the competition. This study aims to determine the main factors affecting the competitiveness of medium-class contractors in Banda Aceh. Data collection was obtained through questionnaires distributed to 31 middle-class contractors in Banda Aceh. Data processing and analysis is done by using descriptive analysis. Based on the result of descriptive analysis, it can be concluded that the most important competitiveness factor with a mean score value 4.52 is the relationship, and the factor that has the highest mean score value is the relationship with the government of 4.97, while the result of the ranking analysis is obtained 25 factor that is critical to the competitiveness of medium-class contractors in Banda Aceh.

  15. Factors Affecting the Formation of Food Preferences in Preschool Children.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Alles-White, Monica L.; Welch, Patricia

    1985-01-01

    Identifies and discusses factors that affect the development of food preferences in preschool children, including familiarity, age, parents, peers, teachers, and programs designed to influence food habits. Makes recommendations to preschool and day care programs for creating an atmosphere conducive to trying new foods. (Author/DST)

  16. Risk factors for injuries in landslide- and flood-affected populations in Uganda.

    PubMed

    Agrawal, Shreya; Gopalakrishnan, Tisha; Gorokhovich, Yuri; Doocy, Shannon

    2013-08-01

    The frequency of occurrence of natural disasters has increased over the past several decades, which necessitates a better understanding of human vulnerability, particularly in low-resource settings. This paper assesses risk factors for injury in the March 2010 floods and landslides in Eastern Uganda, and compares the effects of location, injury type, and severity. A stratified cluster survey of the disaster-affected populations was conducted five months after onset of the disasters. Probability proportional to size sampling was used to sample 800 households, including 400 affected by floods in Butaleja District and 400 affected by landslides in Bududa District. Flood- and landslide-affected populations were surveyed in July 2010 using a stratified cluster design. The odds of injury were 65% higher in the flood-affected groups than the landslide-affected groups in a logistic regression (OR = 0.35; 95% CI, 0.24-0.52; P < .001). The injury rate was greater in individuals under 42 years of age, and location of injury was a contributing factor. More people were injured in the flood-affected population as compared with the landslide-affected population, and injuries were more severe. This study illustrates differences between populations injured by flood and landslide disasters that occurred simultaneously in Eastern Uganda in 2010. In areas where landslides are prone to occur due to massive rainfalls or floods, preventative measures, such as early warning systems and evacuation, are more likely to increase the likelihood of people surviving, while for areas with massive floods, immediate and effective medical attention can save lives and improve injury outcomes.

  17. Factors affecting smoking in schizophrenia.

    PubMed

    Beratis, S; Katrivanou, A; Gourzis, P

    2001-01-01

    There is an increased frequency of smoking among patients with schizophrenia. However, it is unknown whether the smoking behavior of the patients is similar in all schizophrenia subtypes, as well as which is the relationship between smoking initiation and disease onset. Four hundred six patients with DSM-IV schizophrenia were interviewed to determine the smoking status in relationship to gender and schizophrenic subtype, and to other factors that could affect or be affected by smoking. The frequency of smoking among patients (58%) was significantly greater than in subjects from the general population (42%) (P =.000005). Male patients smoked significantly more frequently (70%) than the corresponding control subjects (50%) (P =.000006), whereas the difference failed to reach significance between female patients (41%) and control subjects (32%). Among male patients, the number of smokers was significantly greater than in the controls in the paranoid (77%), undifferentiated (72%), and residual (78%) subtypes, whereas there was no significant difference in the disorganized (44%) and catatonic (22%) subtypes. The findings show that the frequency of smoking in schizophrenia patients increases with increasing positive symptoms and decreases with increasing negative symptoms. Male and female smoking patients consumed approximately 10 cigarettes per day more than the corresponding control subjects (P <.000001). In 86% of the patients, smoking initiation occurred before the disease onset. Among patients who smoked, smoking initiation and disease onset occurred at age 18.7 +/- 4.4 and 24.1 +/- 6.1 years, respectively (P <.000001). It appears that smoking in schizophrenia is influenced by gender and subtype. However, the nature of this association remains uncertain because in the vast majority of the patients smoking initiation occurs earlier than the disease onset. Copyright 2001 by W.B. Saunders Company

  18. Companion of choice at birth: factors affecting implementation.

    PubMed

    Kabakian-Khasholian, Tamar; Portela, Anayda

    2017-08-31

    Two recent recommendations made by the World Health Organization confirm the benefits of companion of choice at birth on labour outcomes; however institutional practices and policies do not always support its implementation in different settings around the world. We conducted a review to determine factors that affect implementation of this intervention considering the perspectives and experiences of different stakeholders and other institutional, systemic barriers and facilitators. Forty one published studies were included in this review. Thirty one publications were identified from a 2013 Cochrane review on the effectiveness of companion of choice at birth. We also reviewed 10 qualitative studies conducted alongside the trials or other interventions on labour and birth companionship identified through electronic searches. The SURE (Supporting the Use of Research Evidence) framework was used to guide the thematic analysis of implementation factors. Women and their families expressed appreciation for the continuous presence of a person to provide support during childbirth. Health care providers were concerned about the role of the companion and possible interference with activities in the labour ward. Allocation of resources, organization of care, facility-related constraints and cultural inclinations were identified as implementation barriers. Prior to introducing companion of choice at birth, understanding providers' attitudes and sensitizing them to the evidence is necessary. The commitment of the management of health care facilities is also required to change policies, including allocation of appropriate physical space that respects women's privacy. Implementation research to develop models for different contexts which could be scaled up would be useful, including documentation of factors that affected implementation and how they were addressed. Future research should also focus on documenting the costs related to implementation, and on measuring the impact of

  19. Impact of Pretreatment Neutrophil Count on Chemotherapy Administration and Toxicity in Dogs with Lymphoma Treated with CHOP Chemotherapy.

    PubMed

    Fournier, Q; Serra, J-C; Handel, I; Lawrence, J

    2018-01-01

    Prechemotherapy absolute neutrophil count (ANC) cutoffs are arbitrary and vary across institutions and clinicians. Similarly, subjective guidelines are utilized for the administration of prophylactic antibiotics in neutropenic dogs. To evaluate the impact of various ANC cutoffs on chemotherapy administration in dogs with lymphoma treated with CHOP chemotherapy and to determine whether an association between prechemotherapy ANC and subsequent toxicity exists. The secondary objective was to evaluate a currently used ANC cutoff to indicate prescription of prophylactic antibiotics. Dogs diagnosed with lymphoma treated with CHOP chemotherapy (n = 64). Six hundred and fifteen ANCs were stratified into 6 classes. The 3 ANC cutoffs 1.5 × 10 3 /μL, 2.0 × 10 3 /μL, and 2.5 × 10 3 /μL were assessed. The presence of an association between prechemotherapy ANC class and toxicity was determined. Afebrile neutropenic dogs with ANC <1.5 × 10 3 /μL but above the criteria for prophylactic antibiotics were evaluated. Chemotherapy was not administered in 7% of visits with an ANC cutoff of 1.5 × 10 3 /μL; chemotherapy would not have been administered in 10% and 16% of visits with an ANC cutoff of 2.0 × 10 3 /μL or 2.5 × 10 3 /μL, respectively. There was no association among the 3 lower prechemotherapy ANC classes and toxicity. All dogs with ANC 0.75-1.5 × 10 3 /μL recovered spontaneously without medical intervention. The number of dose delays was minimized with a prechemotherapy ANC cutoff of 1.5 × 10 3 /μL, and the prechemotherapy ANC class 1.5-1.99 × 10 3 /μL was not associated with an increased toxicity. Further investigation of an ANC cutoff near 0.75 × 10 3 /μL in which to prescribe prophylactic antibiotics is indicated. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.

  20. The Synergistic Effect of Affective Factors on Student Learning Outcomes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jack, Brady Michael; Lin, Huann-shyang; Yore, Larry D.

    2014-01-01

    This study investigates how affective and self-related factors impact participation in science learning and environmental awareness and responsibility. Using PISA 2006 datasets from Taiwan and Canada having similar level of science competency, the model for this study verifies and expands an earlier model by examining the relationships among…

  1. Factors Affecting Educational Innovation with in Class Electronic Response Systems

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Freeman, Mark; Bell, Amani; Comerton-Forde, Carole; Pickering, Joanne; Blayney, Paul

    2007-01-01

    This paper reports the use of Rogers' diffusion of innovation perspective to understand the factors affecting educational innovation decisions, specifically in regard to in class electronic response systems. Despite decreasing costs and four decades of research showing strong student support, academic adoption is limited. Using data collected from…

  2. Scrutinizing the Factors Affecting Fluency of English among Arab Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Al Ghazali, Fawzi

    2017-01-01

    This research study investigates the cognitive, psychological and personal factors affecting the accuracy and fluency of English language usage among Arab learners. Early research led by Chomsky (1965) and Krashen (1981) suggested that an individual's Language Acquisition Device once triggered at the appropriate time and supported with adequate…

  3. Factors Affecting the Acceptability of Microforms as a Reading Medium.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Spencer, Herbert; Reynolds, Linda

    Based on visits to representative microform users and an extensive survey of relevant literature, a study was undertaken to assess the relative importance of factors affecting the acceptability of microforms as reading mediums. The following variables were considered: (1) microform characteristics; (2) equipment design; (3) work station design;…

  4. Environmental factors affecting understory diversity in second-growth deciduous forests

    Treesearch

    Cynthia D. Huebner; J.C. Randolph; G.R. Parker

    1995-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to determine the most important nonanthropogenic factors affecting understory (herbs, shrubs and low-growing vines) diversity in forested landscapes of southern Indiana. Fourteen environmental variables were measured for 46 sites. Multiple regression analysis showed significant positive correlation between understory diversity and tree...

  5. Factors Affecting School Choice: What Do Malaysian Chinese Parents Want?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Siah, Poh Chua; Christina Ong, Sook Beng; Tan, Swee Mee; Sim, Chzia Poaw; Xian Thoo, Raphael Yi

    2018-01-01

    Aiming to explore factors affecting Malaysian Chinese parents in sending their children to either national secondary schools or Chinese independent schools, 494 parents were surveyed using a questionnaire. Results showed that parents who sent their children to Chinese independent schools have different priorities compared to those who sent theirs…

  6. Risk factors affecting human traumatic tympanic membrane perforation regeneration therapy using fibroblast growth factor-2.

    PubMed

    Lou, Zhengcai; Yang, Jian; Tang, Yongmei; Xiao, Jian

    2015-01-01

    The use of growth factors to achieve closure of human traumatic tympanic membrane perforations (TMPs) has recently been demonstrated. However, pretreatment factors affecting healing outcomes have seldom been discussed. The objective of this study was to evaluate pretreatment factors contributing to the success or failure of healing of TMPs using fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2). A retrospective cohort study of 99 patients (43 males, 56 females) with traumatic TMPs who were observed for at least 6 months after FGF-2 treatment between March 2011 and December 2012. Eleven factors considered likely to affect the outcome of perforation closure were evaluated statistically using univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis. Each traumatic TMP was treated by direct application of FGF-2. Complete closure versus failure to close. In total, 99 patients were analyzed. The total closure rate was 92/99 (92.9%) at 6 months; the mean closure time was 10.59 ±  6.81 days. The closure rate did not significantly differ between perforations with or without inverted edges (100.0% vs. 91.4%, p = 0.087), among different size groups (p = 0.768), or among different periods of exposure to injury (p = 0.051). However, the closure rate was significantly different between the high- and low-dose FGF-2 groups (85.0% vs. 98.3%, p = 0.010) and between perforations where the umbo or malleus was or was not involved in perforation (85.4% vs. 98.3%, p = 0.012). Additionally, univariate logistic regression analysis tests showed that it was difficult to achieve healing of these perforations with a history of chronic otitis media or residual TM calcification (p = 0.006), the umbo or malleus was involved in perforation (p = 0.038), and with a high dose of FGF-2 (p = 0.035) compared with control groups. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that only a history of chronic otitis media and residual TM calcification and perforation close to the

  7. Factors affecting alkali jarosite precipitation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dutrizac, J. E.

    1983-12-01

    Several factors affecting the precipitation of the alkali jarosites (sodium jarosite, potassium jarosite, rubidium jarosite, and ammonium jarosite) have been studied systematically using sodium jarosite as the model. The pH of the reacting solution exercises a major influence on the amount of jarosite formed, but has little effect on the composition of the washed product. Higher temperatures significantly increase the yield and slightly raise the alkali content of the jarosites. The yield and alkali content both increase greatly with the alkali concentration to about twice the stoichiometric requirement but, thereafter, remain nearly constant. At 97 °C, the amount of product increases with longer retention times to about 15 hours, but more prolonged reaction times are without significant effect on the amount or composition of the jarosite. Factors such as the presence of seed or ionic strength have little effect on the yield or jarosite composition. The amount of precipitate augments directly as the iron concentration of the solution increases, but the product composition is nearly independent of this variable. A significant degree of agitation is necessary to suspend the product and to prevent the jarosite from coating the apparatus with correspondingly small yields. Once the product is adequately suspended, however, further agitation is without significant effect. The partitioning of alkali ions during jarosite precipitation was ascertained for K:Na, Na:NH4, K:NH4, and K:Rb. Potassium jarosite is the most stable of the alkali jarosites and the stability falls systematically for lighter or heavier congeners; ammonium jarosite is slightly more stable than the sodium analogue. Complete solid solubility among the various alkali jarosite-type compounds was established.

  8. [Phosphorus availability in cropland soils of China and related affecting factors].

    PubMed

    Wang, Yong-Zhuang; Chen, Xin; Shi, Yi

    2013-01-01

    Soil phosphorus (P) availability directly determines cropland productivity. Based on the long-term fertilization experiments in different climatic zones of China, this paper summarized the P content, its availability, and the factors affecting the P transformation in China cropland soils. The total and available P contents in different types of China cropland soils were 0.31-1.72 g x kg(-1) and 0.1-228.8 mg x kg(-1), respectively. Soil parent material, soil physical and chemical prosperities, and fertilization practices were the main factors affecting the soil P availability. It was suggested that more attentions should be paid on the mixed application of organic manure and chemical fertilizers to improve the P availability of cropland soils and on the potential environmental impacts of this fertilization.

  9. Factors affecting workplace bullying and lateral violence among clinical nurses in Korea: descriptive study.

    PubMed

    Oh, Hyunjin; Uhm, Dong Choon; Yoon, Young Joo

    2016-04-01

    Workplace bullying and lateral violence are serious issues affecting the work life of hospital nurses. The purpose of this study was to identify the selected individual and institutional characteristics for workplace bullying and lateral violence using a conceptual framework. A descriptive survey design was used. A convenience sample of 255 nurses in tertiary hospitals, who had a minimum of 6 months clinical experience, completed the survey. Regression analysis was used to determine factors significantly associated with workplace bullying and lateral violence. The Negative Acts Questionnaire-Revised and the Lateral Violence scale were used to measure workplace bullying and lateral violence. A negative affect, individualism and working in hospital specialty units predicted workplace bullying. Individualism, a negative affect, affiliated hospital and working hours predicted verbal abuse whereas the place of employment was significantly associated with lateral violence. The results of this study identified factors that are associated with bullying and violence but did not fully support the conceptual framework. The individual characteristic negative affect was significantly associated with most types of workplace bullying and lateral violence bully whereas the place of employment was an important factor in lateral violence. Nurse managers need to be aware that both individual and institutional factors may impact levels of workplace bullying and lateral violence in their hospitals and need to prepare specific strategies to address these multiple factors. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  10. Factors affecting length of stay in teaching hospitals of a middle-income country

    PubMed Central

    Khosravizadeh, Omid; Vatankhah, Soudabeh; Bastani, Peivand; Kalhor, Rohollah; Alirezaei, Samira; Doosty, Farzane

    2016-01-01

    Introduction The length of stay (LOS) in hospitals is a widely used and important criteria for evaluating hospital performance. The aim of this study was to determine factors affecting LOS in teaching hospitals of Qazvin Providence. Methods In this cross-sectional study, patients’ health records were randomly selected from archives in teaching hospitals of Qazvin in 2013. Data were collected through a data entry form and were analyzed using Kolmogorov–Smirnov, Kruskal–Wallis, and Mann–Whitney U tests at the significant level of 0.05. Results The mean of hospital LOS was 5.45 ± 6.14 days. Age, employment, marital status, history of previous admission, patient condition at discharge, method of payment, and type of treatment had an impact on LOS (p<0.05). Other factors, including gender, place of residence, and type of admission, did not affect LOS. Conclusion Because hospitals consume a perceptible part of resources in a health system, controlled and optimized use of its resources help to save a lot. Therefore, this study showed many clinical and nonclinical factors affect LOS in evaluating these factors, which may reduce inappropriate hospital stays and decrease costs. PMID:27957301

  11. Analysis of usability factors affecting purchase intention in online e-commerce sites

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Perdana, R. A.; Suzianti, A.

    2017-03-01

    The growing number of internet users plays a significant role in the emergence of a variety of online e-commerce sites to meet the needs of Indonesians. However, there are still some problems faced by the users in using e-commerce sites. Therefore, a research related to user experience on their purchase intention to foster e-commerce sites is required. This study is conducted to find out the relationship between usability factors on e-commerce users’ purchase intention using a case study by using SEM to analyse the usability of the website. The result of this study shows that credibility, readability and telepresence are usability factors that directly affect purchase intention, while simplicity, consistency and interactivity are usability factors that indirectly affect purchase intention. Therefore, we can conclude that Indonesian consumers are on the Early Majority phase in adopting Company A.

  12. The Internal Structure of Positive and Negative Affect: A Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the PANAS

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tuccitto, Daniel E.; Giacobbi, Peter R., Jr.; Leite, Walter L.

    2010-01-01

    This study tested five confirmatory factor analytic (CFA) models of the Positive Affect Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) to provide validity evidence based on its internal structure. A sample of 223 club sport athletes indicated their emotions during the past week. Results revealed that an orthogonal two-factor CFA model, specifying error…

  13. Factors affecting midwives' confidence in intrapartum care: a phenomenological study.

    PubMed

    Bedwell, Carol; McGowan, Linda; Lavender, Tina

    2015-01-01

    midwives are frequently the lead providers of care for women throughout labour and birth. In order to perform their role effectively and provide women with the choices they require midwives need to be confident in their practice. This study explores factors which may affect midwives' confidence in their practice. hermeneutic phenomenology formed the theoretical basis for the study. Prospective longitudinal data collection was completed using diaries and semi-structured interviews. Twelve midwives providing intrapartum care in a variety of settings were recruited to ensure a variety of experiences in different contexts were captured. the principal factor affecting workplace confidence, both positively and negatively, was the influence of colleagues. Perceived autonomy and a sense of familiarity could also enhance confidence. However, conflict in the workplace was a critical factor in reducing midwives' confidence. Confidence was an important, but fragile, phenomenon to midwives and they used a variety of coping strategies, emotional intelligence and presentation management to maintain it. this is the first study to highlight both the factors influencing midwives' workplace confidence and the strategies midwives employed to maintain their confidence. Confidence is important in maintaining well-being and workplace culture may play a role in explaining the current low morale within the midwifery workforce. This may have implications for women's choices and care. Support, effective leadership and education may help midwives develop and sustain a positive sense of confidence. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Specifying the non-specific factors underlying opioid analgesia: Expectancy, attention, and affect

    PubMed Central

    Atlas, Lauren Y.; Wielgosz, Joseph; Whittington, Robert A.; Wager, Tor D.

    2013-01-01

    Rationale Psychological processes such as expectancy, attention, and affect directly influence clinical outcomes. These factors are grouped together as “nonspecific” factors, or placebo effects, in the medical literature, and their individual contributions are rarely considered. The pain-reducing effects of analgesic treatments may reflect changes in these psychological factors, rather than pure drug effects on pain. Furthermore, drug effects may not be isolated by drug vs. placebo comparisons if drugs interact with relevant psychological processes. Objectives To determine whether the analgesic effects of opioid and placebo treatment are mediated by changes in attention, expectancy, or affect. Methods We crossed intravenous administration of a potent opioid analgesic, remifentanil, with information about drug delivery (treatment expectancy, or placebo) using a balanced placebo design. We measured drug and treatment expectancy effects on pain, attention, and responses to emotional images. We also examined interactions with cue-based expectations about noxious stimulation, or stimulus expectancy. Results Pain was additively influenced by treatment expectancy, stimulus expectancy, and drug concentration. Attention performance showed a small but significant interaction between drug and treatment expectancy. Finally, remifentanil enhanced responses to both positive and negative emotional images. Conclusions The pain-relieving effects of opioid drugs are unlikely to be mediated by changes in threat or affective processing. Standard open-label opioid administration influences multiple clinically relevant cognitive and emotional processes. Psychological factors can combine with drug effects to influence multiple outcomes in distinct ways. The influence of specific psychological factors should be considered when developing and testing pharmacological treatments. PMID:24096537

  15. Study on the factors affecting the quality of public bus transportation service in Bali Province using factor analysis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Susilawati, M.; Nilakusmawati, D. P. E.

    2017-06-01

    The volume of mobility flows are increasing day by day and the condition of the number of people using private transport modes contribute to traffic congestion. With the limited capacity of the road, one of the alternatives solution to reduce congestion is to optimize the use of public transport. The purposes of this study are to determine the factors that influence user’s satisfaction on the quality of public bus transportation service and determine variables that became identifier on the dominant factor affecting user’s satisfaction. The study was conducted for the public bus transportation between districts in the province of Bali, which is among the eight regencies and one municipality, using a questionnaire as a data collection instrument. Service variables determinant of user’s satisfaction in this study, described in 25 questions, which were analyzed using factor analysis. The results showed there were six factors that explain the satisfaction of users of public transport in Bali, with a total diversity of data that can be parsed by 61.436%. These factors are: Safety and comfort, Responsiveness, Capacity, Tangible, Safety, Reliability. The dominant factor affecting public transport user satisfaction is the safety and comfort, with the most influential variable is feeling concerned about the personal safety of users when on the bus.

  16. A study of factors affecting the adoption of server virtualization technology

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lu, Hsin-Ke; Lin, Peng-Chun; Chiang, Chang-Heng; Cho, Chien-An

    2018-04-01

    It has become a trend that worldwide enterprises and organizations apply new technologies to improve their operations; besides, it has higher cost and less flexibility to construct and manage traditional servers, therefore the current mainstream is to use server virtualization technology. However, from these new technology organizations will not necessarily get the expected benefits because each one has its own level of organizational complexity and abilities to accept changes. The researcher investigated key factors affecting the adoption of virtualization technology through two phases. In phase I, the researcher reviewed literature and then applied the dimensions of "Information Systems Success Model" (ISSM) to generalize the factors affecting the adoption of virtualization technology to be the preliminary theoretical framework and develop a questionnaire; in phase II, a three-round Delphi Method was used to integrate the opinions of experts from related fields which were then gradually converged in order to obtain a stable and objective questionnaire of key factors so that these results were expected to provide references for organizations' adoption of server virtualization technology and future studies.

  17. Factors Affecting Environmental Knowledge and Attitudes among Lebanese College Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Oweini, Ahmad; Houri, Ahmad

    2006-01-01

    This exploratory study aimed at assessing the variables that would positively affect the knowledge and attitude of a group of Lebanese college students regarding the environment, namely such factors as gender, age, previous hiking experience and living abroad. A purposeful sample of students attending the Lebanese American University, was asked to…

  18. Factors Affecting Performance of Undergraduate Students in Construction Related Disciplines

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Olatunji, Samuel Olusola; Aghimien, Douglas Omoregie; Oke, Ayodeji Emmanuel; Olushola, Emmanuel

    2016-01-01

    Academic performance of students in Nigerian institutions has been of much concern to all and sundry hence the need to assess the factors affecting performance of undergraduate students in construction related discipline in Nigeria. A survey design was employed with questionnaires administered on students in the department of Quantity Surveying,…

  19. Factors affecting the implementation of childhood vaccination communication strategies in Nigeria: a qualitative study.

    PubMed

    Oku, Afiong; Oyo-Ita, Angela; Glenton, Claire; Fretheim, Atle; Eteng, Glory; Ames, Heather; Muloliwa, Artur; Kaufman, Jessica; Hill, Sophie; Cliff, Julie; Cartier, Yuri; Bosch-Capblanch, Xavier; Rada, Gabriel; Lewin, Simon

    2017-02-15

    The role of health communication in vaccination programmes cannot be overemphasized: it has contributed significantly to creating and sustaining demand for vaccination services and improving vaccination coverage. In Nigeria, numerous communication approaches have been deployed but these interventions are not without challenges. We therefore aimed to explore factors affecting the delivery of vaccination communication in Nigeria. We used a qualitative approach and conducted the study in two states: Bauchi and Cross River States in northern and southern Nigeria respectively. We identified factors affecting the implementation of communication interventions through interviews with relevant stakeholders involved in vaccination communication in the health services. We also reviewed relevant documents. Data generated were transcribed verbatim and analysed using thematic analysis. We used the SURE framework to organise the identified factors (barriers and facilitators) affecting vaccination communication delivery. We then grouped these into health systems and community level factors. Some of the commonly reported health system barriers amongst stakeholders interviewed included: funding constraints, human resource factors (health worker shortages, training deficiencies, poor attitude of health workers and vaccination teams), inadequate infrastructure and equipment and weak political will. Community level factors included the attitudes of community stakeholders and of parents and caregivers. We also identified factors that appeared to facilitate communication activities. These included political support, engagement of traditional and religious institutions and the use of organised communication committees. Communication activities are a crucial element of immunization programmes. It is therefore important for policy makers and programme managers to understand the barriers and facilitators affecting the delivery of vaccination communication so as to be able to implement

  20. Factors affecting early and long-term outcomes after completion pneumonectomy.

    PubMed

    Chataigner, Olivier; Fadel, Elie; Yildizeli, Bedrettin; Achir, Abdallah; Mussot, Sacha; Fabre, Dominique; Mercier, Olaf; Dartevelle, Philippe G

    2008-05-01

    To identify factors that affect operative mortality and morbidity and long-term survival after completion pneumonectomy. We retrospectively reviewed the charts of consecutive patients who underwent completion pneumonectomy at our cardiothoracic surgery department from January 1996 to December 2005. We identified 69 patients, who accounted for 17.8% of all pneumonectomies during the study period; 22 had benign disease and 47 malignant disease (second primary lung cancer, n=19; local recurrence, n=17; or metastasis, n=11). There were 50 males and 19 females with a mean age of 60 years (range, 29-80 years). Postoperative mortality was 12% and postoperative morbidity 41%. Factors associated with postoperative mortality included obesity (p=0.005), coronary artery disease (p=0.03), removal of the right lung (p=0.02), advanced age (p=0.02), and renal failure (p<0.0001). Preoperative renal failure was the only significant risk factor for mortality by multivariate analysis (p=0.036). Bronchopleural fistula developed in seven patients (10%), with risk factors being removal of the right lung (p=0.04) and mechanical stump closure (p=0.03). Overall survival was 65% after 3 years and 46% after 5 years. Long-term survival was not affected by the reason for completion pneumonectomy. Although long-term survival was acceptable, postoperative mortality and morbidity rates remained high, confirming the reputation of completion pneumonectomy as a challenging procedure. Significant comorbidities and removal of the right lung were the main risk factors for postoperative mortality. Improved patient selection and better management of preoperative renal failure may improve the postoperative outcomes of this procedure, which offers a chance for prolonged survival.

  1. Effects of energy supplementation on energy losses and nitrogen balance of steers fed green-chopped wheat pasture I: Calorimetry.

    PubMed

    Shreck, A L; Ebert, P J; Bailey, E A; Jennings, J S; Casey, K D; Meyer, B E; Cole, N A

    2017-05-01

    Cattle grazing wheat pasture in the southern Great Plains are sometimes fed an energy supplement; however, the benefits of supplementation on nutrient balance, energy metabolism, and greenhouse gas emissions have not been elucidated. Therefore, we used 10 British crossbred steers (206 ± 10.7 kg initial BW) in a respiration calorimetry study to evaluate the effects of energy supplementation on energy losses, N balance, and nutrient digestibility of steers fed green-chopped wheat forage. The study design was an incomplete replicated 4 × 4 Latin square with treatments in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement. Steers ( = 8) were assigned to 1 of 2 BW blocks (4 steers per block) with dietary factors consisting of 1) no supplementation (CON) or supplemented with a steam-flaked corn-based energy supplement (that also contained monensin sodium) at 0.5% of BW daily (SUP) and 2) NEm intakes of 1 times (1x) or 1.5 times (1.5x) maintenance. Wheat forage was harvested daily and continuously fed as green-chop to steers during the 56-d study. There were no differences ( ≥ 0.32) between CON and SUP for OM (78.3 vs. 80.7%, respectively) or NDF (68.3 vs. 64.8%, respectively) digestibility. At the 1.5x level of intake, there was no difference ( ≥ 0.16) in energy lost in feces (4.27 vs. 3.92 Mcal/d) or urine (0.58 vs. 0.55 Mcal/d), heat production (8.69 vs. 8.44 Mcal/d), or retained energy (3.10 vs. 3.46 Mcal/d) between supplementation treatments. Oxygen consumption (1,777 vs. 1,731 L/d; = 0.67) and CO production (1,704 vs. 1,627 L/d; = 0.56) of CON and SUP steers, respectively, were not different; however, SUP steers tended to have ( = 0.06) lower CH production (115 vs 130 L/d) than CON steers. Methane, as a proportion of GE intake, was similar for CON (6.87%) and SUP (6.07%; = 0.18), as was the ME:DE ratio ( = 0.24; 86.3% for CON and 87.9% for SUP). Fractional N excretion in urine and feces, as a proportion of total N excreted ( ≥ 0.84) or N intake ( ≥ 0.63), was not different

  2. Factors Affecting 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Concentration in Response to Vitamin D Supplementation

    PubMed Central

    Mazahery, Hajar; von Hurst, Pamela R.

    2015-01-01

    Sun exposure is the main source of vitamin D. Due to many lifestyle risk factors vitamin D deficiency/insufficiency is becoming a worldwide health problem. Low 25(OH)D concentration is associated with adverse musculoskeletal and non-musculoskeletal health outcomes. Vitamin D supplementation is currently the best approach to treat deficiency and to maintain adequacy. In response to a given dose of vitamin D, the effect on 25(OH)D concentration differs between individuals, and it is imperative that factors affecting this response be identified. For this review, a comprehensive literature search was conducted to identify those factors and to explore their significance in relation to circulating 25(OH)D response to vitamin D supplementation. The effect of several demographic/biological factors such as baseline 25(OH)D, aging, body mass index(BMI)/body fat percentage, ethnicity, calcium intake, genetics, oestrogen use, dietary fat content and composition, and some diseases and medications has been addressed. Furthermore, strategies employed by researchers or health care providers (type, dose and duration of vitamin D supplementation) and environment (season) are other contributing factors. With the exception of baseline 25(OH)D, BMI/body fat percentage, dose and type of vitamin D, the relative importance of other factors and the mechanisms by which these factors may affect the response remains to be determined. PMID:26121531

  3. Factors Affecting Aerosol Radiative Forcing

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Jingxu; Lin, Jintai; Ni, Ruijing

    2016-04-01

    Rapid industrial and economic growth has meant a large amount of aerosols in the atmosphere with strong radiative forcing (RF) upon the climate system. Over parts of the globe, the negative forcing of aerosols has overcompensated for the positive forcing of greenhouse gases. Aerosol RF is determined by emissions and various chemical-transport-radiative processes in the atmosphere, a multi-factor problem whose individual contributors have not been well quantified. In this study, we analyze the major factors affecting RF of secondary inorganic aerosols (SIOAs, including sulfate, nitrate and ammonium), primary organic aerosol (POA), and black carbon (BC). We analyze the RF of aerosols produced by 11 major regions across the globe, including but not limited to East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, North America, and Western Europe. Factors analyzed include population size, per capita gross domestic production (GDP), emission intensity (i.e., emissions per unit GDP), chemical efficiency (i.e., mass per unit emissions) and radiative efficiency (i.e., RF per unit mass). We find that among the 11 regions, East Asia produces the largest emissions and aerosol RF, due to relatively high emission intensity and a tremendous population size. South Asia produce the second largest RF of SIOA and BC and the highest RF of POA, in part due to its highest chemical efficiency among all regions. Although Southeast Asia also has large emissions, its aerosol RF is alleviated by its lowest chemical efficiency. The chemical efficiency and radiative efficiency of BC produced by the Middle East-North Africa are the highest across the regions, whereas its RF is lowered by a small per capita GDP. Both North America and Western Europe have low emission intensity, compensating for the effects on RF of large population sizes and per capita GDP. There has been a momentum to transfer industries to Southeast Asia and South Asia, and such transition is expected to continue in the coming years. The

  4. Factors Affecting Aerosol Radiative Forcing

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, J.; Lin, J.; Ni, R.

    2016-12-01

    Rapid industrial and economic growth has meant large amount of aerosols in the atmosphere with strong radiative forcing (RF) upon the climate system. Over parts of the globe, the negative forcing of aerosols has overcompensated for the positive forcing of greenhouse gases. Aerosol RF is determined by emissions and various chemical-transport-radiative processes in the atmosphere, a multi-factor problem whose individual contributors have not been well quantified. In this study, we analyze the major factors affecting RF of secondary inorganic aerosols (SIOAs, including sulfate, nitrate and ammonium), primary organic aerosol (POA), and black carbon (BC). We analyze the RFof aerosols produced by 11 major regions across the globe, including but not limited to East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, North America, and Western Europe. Factors analyzed include population size, per capita gross domestic production (GDP), emission intensity (i.e., emissionsper unit GDP), chemical efficiency (i.e., mass per unit emissions) and radiative efficiency (i.e., RF per unit mass). We find that among the 11 regions, East Asia produces the largest emissions and aerosol RF, due to relatively high emission intensity and a tremendous population size.South Asia produce the second largest RF of SIOA and BC and the highest RF of POA, in part due to its highest chemical efficiency among all regions. Although Southeast Asia also has large emissions,its aerosol RF is alleviated by its lowest chemical efficiency.The chemical efficiency and radiative efficiency of BC produced by the Middle East-North Africa are the highest across the regions, whereas its RF is loweredbyasmall per capita GDP.Both North America and Western Europe have low emission intensity, compensating for the effects on RF of large population sizes and per capita GDP. There has been a momentum to transfer industries to Southeast Asia and South Asia, and such transition is expected to continue in the coming years. The resulting

  5. Mothers recovering from cocaine addiction: factors affecting parenting skills.

    PubMed

    Coyer, S M

    2001-01-01

    To identify factors that may influence parenting by mothers who are recovering from cocaine addiction. Exploratory descriptive, with in-depth unstructured interviews. Interviews were conducted in the woman's home or in a treatment center. A convenience sample of 11 women recovering from cocaine addiction who were mothers of children 3 years of age and younger. A content analysis was used to analyze the interview data. Two themes, personal/psychologic factors and environmental/contextual factors, and four subthemes emerged. They identify issues that may affect parenting by mothers being treated for cocaine addiction. Subthemes included low self-esteem, difficulty developing a maternal identity, isolation from friends and family, and chronic life stress. This study provides a better understanding of the sources contributing to vulnerability in the parenting role for mothers recovering from cocaine addiction and will assist nurses in providing care for these mothers and their children.

  6. Factors Affecting the Interest of Israeli Social Work Students in Working with Different Client Groups

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Krumer-Nevo, Michal; Weiss, Idit

    2006-01-01

    Employing a large-scale sample of 521 BSW students from 4 Israeli schools of social work, this research examines the factors affecting social work students' interest in working with a wide range of client groups. The results suggest that student interest in working with specific client groups is affected by factors related to desire for…

  7. Factors Affecting English Language Teaching and Learning in Higher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nguyen, Hong Thi; Warren, Wendy; Fehring, Heather

    2014-01-01

    This paper reports part of a study that aims to explore factors affecting the efficacy of non-major English teaching and learning in Vietnamese higher education through an investigation of classroom practices. Eight non-participant class observations were conducted at HUTECH University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The study's findings show that…

  8. The Impact of CLIL on Affective Factors and Vocabulary Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Heras, Arantxa; Lasagabaster, David

    2015-01-01

    The aim of this article is twofold: to assess the effectiveness of a CLIL (content and language integrated learning) module on affective factors (motivation and self-esteem), and to test the purported blurring effect of CLIL on gender differences in foreign language learning. Forty-six students in their fourth year of compulsory secondary…

  9. The Perspective of Gozitan Teachers on Factors Affecting Students' Achievement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Xuereb, Lorna; De Giovanni, Katya Sarah

    2016-01-01

    This study aims at exploring the impact of factors at pupil, teacher and school levels on students? academic achievement. Moreover, the main purpose was that of investigating which one of the three levels is most likely to affect students? educational accomplishment. A questionnaire was administered to 100 Gozitan teachers. Results were analysed…

  10. 77 FR 18862 - Brazil: Competitive Factors Affecting U.S. and Brazilian Agricultural Sales in Selected Third...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-03-28

    ... INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION [Investigation No. 332-524] Brazil: Competitive Factors Affecting U.S. and Brazilian Agricultural Sales in Selected Third Country Markets AGENCY: United States... Committee in investigation No. 332-524, Brazil: Competitive Factors In Brazil Affecting U.S. and Brazilian...

  11. Factors affecting the stability of reverse shoulder arthroplasty: a biomechanical study.

    PubMed

    Clouthier, Allison L; Hetzler, Markus A; Fedorak, Graham; Bryant, J Tim; Deluzio, Kevin J; Bicknell, Ryan T

    2013-04-01

    Despite the success of reverse shoulder arthroplasty (RSA) in treating patients with painful pseudoparalytic shoulders, instability is a common complication and currently the factors affecting stability are not well understood. The objective of this study was to investigate a number of factors as well as the interactions between factors to determine how they affect the stability of the prosthesis. These factors included: active arm posture (abduction and abduction plane angles), loading direction, glenosphere diameter and eccentricity, and humeral socket constraint. Force required to dislocate the joint, determined using a biomechanical shoulder simulator, was used as a measure of stability. A factorial design experiment was implemented to examine the factors and interactions. Actively increasing the abduction angle by 15° leads to a 30% increase in stability and use of an inferior-offset rather than a centered glenosphere improved stability by 17%. Use of a more constrained humeral socket also increased stability; but the effect was dependent on loading direction, with a 88% improvement for superior loading, 66% for posterior, 36% for anterior, and no change for inferior loading. Abduction plane angle and glenosphere diameter had no effect on stability. Increased glenohumeral abduction and the use of an inferior-offset glenosphere were found to increase the stability of RSA. Additionally, use of a more constrained humeral socket increased stability for anterior, posterior, and superior loading. These identified factor effects have the potential to decrease the risk of dislocation following RSA. Copyright © 2013 Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery Board of Trustees. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Factors affecting the palpability of breast lesion by self-examination.

    PubMed

    Lam, W W M; Chan, C P; Chan, C F; Mak, C C C; Chan, C F; Chong, K W H; Leung, M H J; Tang, M H

    2008-03-01

    This study aims to assess the accuracy of detection of breast lesion by breast self-examination and to assess different factors affecting the accuracy. All consecutive Chinese female patients, who attended our breast imaging unit in 2001, completed our questionnaire, had retrievable hard copy films, and had more than three years clinical follow-up, were recruited for this study. Different factors, such as age, menopausal status, previous experience of breastfeeding, family history of breast cancer, previous history of mastectomy or lumpectomy, hormonal therapy, oral contraceptive pills and previous history of mammography, were correlated with accuracy in self-detection of breast lesions retrospectively. The nature, size and location of the lesion, and breast size based on imaging, were also correlated with the accuracy in self-detection of breast lesions. A total of 163 questionnaires were analysed. 111 patients detected a breast lesion themselves and 24 of these lesions were false-positives. A total of 173 lesions (27 cancerous, 146 benign lesions) were documented by either ultrasonography and/or mammography, and confirmed by either histology or three-year clinical follow-up. The overall sensitivity in detecting both benign and malignant breast lesions was 71% when number of breast lesions was used as the denominator, and up to 78% sensitivity was achieved when number of patients was used as the denominator. History of mastectomy, and size and nature of the lesions were found to affect the accuracy of self-detection of breast lesions. Overall, breast self-examinations were effective in the detection of breast lesions and factors such as size of lesion, nature of the lesion and history of mastectomy affect the accuracy of the detections. Breast self-examination should be promoted for early detection of breast cancer.

  13. Factors Affecting the Effectiveness and Use of Moodle: Students' Perception

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Damnjanovic, Vesna; Jednak, Sandra; Mijatovic, Ivana

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this research paper is to identify the factors affecting the effectiveness of Moodle from the students' perspective. The research hypotheses derived from the suggested extended Seddon model have been empirically validated using the responses to a survey on e-learning usage among 255 users. We tested the model across higher education…

  14. Magnolol protects neurons against ischemia injury via the downregulation of p38/MAPK, CHOP and nitrotyrosine

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

    Chen, Jiann-Hwa; School of Medicine, Fu-Jen Catholic University, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Emergency Medicine, Cathay General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan

    Magnolol is isolated from the herb Magnolia officinalis, which has been demonstrated to exert pharmacological effects. Our aim was to investigate whether magnolol is able to act as an anti-inflammatory agent that brings about neuroprotection using a global ischemic stroke model and to determine the mechanisms involved. Rats were treated with and without magnolol after ischemia reperfusion brain injury by occlusion of the two common carotid arteries. The inflammatory cytokine production in serum and the volume of infarction in the brain were measured. The proteins present in the brains obtained from the stroke animal model (SAM) and control animal groupsmore » with and without magnolol treatment were compared. Magnolol reduces the total infarcted volume by 15% and 30% at dosages of 10 and 30 mg/kg, respectively, compared to the untreated SAM group. The levels of acute inflammatory cytokines, including interleukin-1 beta, tumor necrosis factor alpha, and interleukin-6 were attenuated by magnolol. Magnolol was also able to suppress the production of nitrotyrosine, 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal (4-HNE), inducible NO synthase (iNOS), various phosphorylated p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases and various C/EBP homologues. Furthermore, this modulation of ischemia injury factors in the SAM model group treated with magnolol seems to result from a suppression of reactive oxygen species production and the upregulation of p-Akt and nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB). These findings confirm the anti-oxidative properties of magnolol, including the inhibition of ischemic injury to neurons; this protective effect seems to involve changes in the in vivo activity of Akt, GSK3β and NF-κB. - Graphical abstract: Schematic presentation of the signaling pathways involved in magnolol inhibited transient global ischemia brain apoptosis and inflammation in rats. The effect of magnolol on the scavenger of ROS, which inhibits p38 MAPK and CHOP protein

  15. Factors Affecting Conservation Practice Behavior of CRP Participants in Alabama

    Treesearch

    Okwudili Onianwa; Gerald Wheelock; Shannon Hendrix

    1999-01-01

    This study examines the factors that affect conservation practice choices of CRP farmers in Alabama. From over 9,000 contracts enrolled in the state between 1986 and 1995, 594 were randomly selected for the study. A multiple-regression analysis was employed to analyze the data. Results indicate that education, ratio ofcropland in CRP, farm size, gender, prior crop...

  16. Factors Affecting the Retention Decisions of Female Surface Warfare Officers

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2003-03-01

    NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL Monterey, California THESIS Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. FACTORS AFFECTING THE RETENTION...Warfare Officers 6. AUTHOR(S) Clifton, Elizabeth A. 5. FUNDING NUMBERS 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) Naval Postgraduate School ...for the degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE IN LEADERSHIP AND HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT from the NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL March 2003

  17. Factors Affecting Lactoferrin Concentration in Human Milk: How Much Do We Know?

    PubMed Central

    Villavicencio, Aasith; Rueda, Maria S.; Turin, Christie G.; Ochoa, Theresa J.

    2017-01-01

    Lactoferrin (LF) is a breast milk glycoprotein with antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effects. Its beneficial properties in infants, especially in those born preterm, are currently being studied in clinical trials. However, the maternal and nursing infant factors that may affect the concentration of LF in breast milk are still not clear. We conducted a systematic review to investigate the factors that may affect LF concentration. We used a 2-step approach to identify the eligible studies according to inclusion/exclusion criteria and to determine which studies would be considered. We included 70 qualified articles from 29 countries with publication dates ranging from 1976 to 2015. We described the correlation between LF concentration in breast milk and lactation stage; 10 maternal factors, such as race, parity, among others; and 2 infant factors, infections and prematurity. Colostrum has the highest LF levels, but they decrease with days postpartum. No other factor has been consistently associated with LF concentration. A major limitation of the majority of the published studies is the small sample size and the different methods used to measure LF concentration. Therefore, there is a need for large, multicenter studies with standardized study design, sample collection, and LF measurement methods to identify clinically significant factors associated with LF expression in breast milk, which will help promote exclusive breastfeeding in preterm infants. PMID:28075610

  18. Factors affecting assertiveness among student nurses.

    PubMed

    Ibrahim, Sanaa Abd El Azim

    2011-05-01

    This study aimed to investigate the factors affecting assertiveness among student nurses. The study was carried out at Faculty of Nursing, Port-Said University, on 207 student nurses from four different grades. Rathus Assertiveness Schedule, consisted of 30 items, was used to measure the students' assertiveness level and a 12-item scale developed by Spreitzer was used to measure students' psychological empowerment. The study results showed that 60.4% of the students were assertive, while about half of the students were empowered. A positive relation between student assertiveness and psychological empowerment was detected. Moreover, positive relations regarding family income and students' assertiveness and psychological empowerment were determined. The study recommended introduction of specific courses aiming at enhancing the acquisition of assertiveness skills, in addition, nurse educators must motivate their students to express their opinion and personal rights and also they must pay attention for students' empowerment and enhance students' autonomy. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Factors Affecting Regional Per-Capita Carbon Emissions in China Based on an LMDI Factor Decomposition Model

    PubMed Central

    Dong, Feng; Long, Ruyin; Chen, Hong; Li, Xiaohui; Yang, Qingliang

    2013-01-01

    China is considered to be the main carbon producer in the world. The per-capita carbon emissions indicator is an important measure of the regional carbon emissions situation. This study used the LMDI factor decomposition model–panel co-integration test two-step method to analyze the factors that affect per-capita carbon emissions. The main results are as follows. (1) During 1997, Eastern China, Central China, and Western China ranked first, second, and third in the per-capita carbon emissions, while in 2009 the pecking order changed to Eastern China, Western China, and Central China. (2) According to the LMDI decomposition results, the key driver boosting the per-capita carbon emissions in the three economic regions of China between 1997 and 2009 was economic development, and the energy efficiency was much greater than the energy structure after considering their effect on restraining increased per-capita carbon emissions. (3) Based on the decomposition, the factors that affected per-capita carbon emissions in the panel co-integration test showed that Central China had the best energy structure elasticity in its regional per-capita carbon emissions. Thus, Central China was ranked first for energy efficiency elasticity, while Western China was ranked first for economic development elasticity. PMID:24353753

  20. Factors affecting regional per-capita carbon emissions in China based on an LMDI factor decomposition model.

    PubMed

    Dong, Feng; Long, Ruyin; Chen, Hong; Li, Xiaohui; Yang, Qingliang

    2013-01-01

    China is considered to be the main carbon producer in the world. The per-capita carbon emissions indicator is an important measure of the regional carbon emissions situation. This study used the LMDI factor decomposition model-panel co-integration test two-step method to analyze the factors that affect per-capita carbon emissions. The main results are as follows. (1) During 1997, Eastern China, Central China, and Western China ranked first, second, and third in the per-capita carbon emissions, while in 2009 the pecking order changed to Eastern China, Western China, and Central China. (2) According to the LMDI decomposition results, the key driver boosting the per-capita carbon emissions in the three economic regions of China between 1997 and 2009 was economic development, and the energy efficiency was much greater than the energy structure after considering their effect on restraining increased per-capita carbon emissions. (3) Based on the decomposition, the factors that affected per-capita carbon emissions in the panel co-integration test showed that Central China had the best energy structure elasticity in its regional per-capita carbon emissions. Thus, Central China was ranked first for energy efficiency elasticity, while Western China was ranked first for economic development elasticity.

  1. Alternating R-CHOP and R-cytarabine is a safe and effective regimen for transplant-ineligible patients with a newly diagnosed mantle cell lymphoma.

    PubMed

    Klener, Pavel; Fronkova, Eva; Belada, David; Forsterova, Kristina; Pytlik, Robert; Kalinova, Marketa; Simkovic, Martin; Salek, David; Mocikova, Heidi; Prochazka, Vit; Blahovcova, Petra; Janikova, Andrea; Markova, Jana; Obr, Ales; Berkova, Adela; Kubinyi, Jozef; Vaskova, Martina; Mejstrikova, Ester; Campr, Vit; Jaksa, Radek; Kodet, Roman; Michalova, Kyra; Trka, Jan; Trneny, Marek

    2018-02-01

    Implementation of cytarabine into induction therapy became standard of care for younger patients with mantle cell lymphoma (MCL). On the basis of its beneficial impact, many centers incorporated cytarabine at lower doses also into first-line treatments of elderly patients. We conducted a multicenter observational study that prospectively analyzed safety and efficacy of alternating 3 + 3 cycles of R-CHOP and R-cytarabine for newly diagnosed transplant-ineligible MCL patients. A total of 73 patients were enrolled with median age 70 years. Most patients had intermediate (39.7%) and high-risk (50.7%) disease according to MCL international prognostic index. Rituximab maintenance was initiated in 58 patients. Overall response rate reached 89% by positron emission tomography-computed tomography, including 75.3% complete remissions. Two patients (2.7%) did not complete the induction therapy because of toxicity. Three patients (4.1%) were considered nonresponders, which led to therapy change before completion of induction. Estimated progression-free survival and overall survival were 51.3% and 68.6% at 4 years, respectively. Mantle cell lymphoma international prognostic index, bulky disease (≥ 5 cm), and achievement of positron emission tomography-negativity independently correlated with progression-free survival. Grade 3 to 4 hematologic and nonhematologic toxicity was documented in 48% and 20.5% patients, respectively. Alternation of R-CHOP and R-cytarabine represents feasible and very effective regimen for elderly/comorbid MCL patients. This study was registered at GovTrial (clinicaltrials.gov) NCT03054883. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  2. [Two HHV8-related illnesses in a HIV-negative patient: Kaposi's sarcoma and multicentric Castleman's disease. Response to treatment with Rituximab and CHOP].

    PubMed

    Pastor, M A; Vasco, B; Mosquera, J M; Debén, G; Bautista, P; Requena, L

    2006-01-01

    Human herpes virus 8 (HHV8) was discovered in 1994 in the biopsy of a Kaposi's sarcoma in a patient with AIDS. Since then it has been identified in all variants of Kaposi's sarcoma and in another two rare disorders: multicentric Castleman's disease and primary body-cavity based lymphomas. The case discusses a 68 year old, HIV-negative male patient, presenting Kaposi's sarcoma for one year and being monitored by dermatology, who presented for weakness, anorexia and fever. On examination, he was found to have adenitis of the lymph nodes in his neck, underarm and groin. A biopsy on one of the swellings led to findings characteristic of multicentric plasma cell variant Castleman's disease. Blood tests for HHV8 and HIV were carried out, resulting positive and negative respectively (IgG anti-HHV8 positive, title 1/640, indirect immunofluorescence). PCR amplification showed HHV8 in peripheral blood. Patient received 8 cycles of CHOP and rituximab, leading to complete disappearance of the adenitis and general symptoms, with no worsening of his Kaposi's sarcoma. Patient remained in complete remission for 10 months after treatment. This paper discusses the case of a HIV-, HHV8+ patient, diagnosed with classic Kaposi's sarcoma, who developed multicentric plasma cell variant Castleman's disease. The coincidence of two or more HHV8-related illnesses in a HIV-negative patient has rarely been described in medical literature. Treatment with rituximab combined with CHOP chemotherapy was effective in this case, and no worsening of the patient's KS was observed.

  3. [Factors affecting infant mortality (author's transl)].

    PubMed

    Chackiel, J

    1982-04-01

    The purpose of this paper is to analyze the differentials and detect factors affecting infant mortality on the basis of data obtained from the fertility surveys from those countries participating in the World Fertility Survey. In particular, this includes the surveys carried out in Colombia, Peru, Costa Rica, Panama, and the Dominican Republic. 3 types of explanatory variables may be considered from the information available: 1) context variables related to the mother's environment; 2) socioeconomic variables based on the educational and economic characteristics of the mother and her last husband; and 3) biological factors (from each woman's pregnancy history) such as mother's age at birth of the child, order of birth, interbirth interval, etc. The countries, whether high or low mortality, present great differences in child mortality in most of the variables considered. In Panama and Costa Rica there are population sectors with infant mortality rates of around 100/1000 live births, whereas in Peru these are over 150/1000 (children from mothers without education, low agricultural strata, etc.). Besides presenting the differentials, a methodological test is made through the application to Costa Rica and Peru of the Proportional Hazards Model which permits analysis of the effects of variables when acting simultaneously upon mortality in early childhood. The variables which show the highest disparity in mortality level are: natural region among the context variables, education of mother among the socioeconomic variables, and interbirth interval and maternal age at birth of their children among the biological ones.

  4. Factors affecting rotator cuff healing after arthroscopic repair: osteoporosis as one of the independent risk factors.

    PubMed

    Chung, Seok Won; Oh, Joo Han; Gong, Hyun Sik; Kim, Joon Yub; Kim, Sae Hoon

    2011-10-01

    The prognostic factors associated with structural outcome after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair have not yet been fully determined. The hypothesis of this study was that bone mineral density (BMD) is an important prognostic factor affecting rotator cuff healing after arthroscopic cuff repair. Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. Among 408 patients who underwent arthroscopic repair for full-thickness rotator cuff tear between January 2004 and July 2008, 272 patients were included whose postoperative cuff integrity was verified by computed tomography arthrography (CTA) or ultrasonography (USG) and simultaneously who were evaluated by various functional outcome instruments. The mean age at the time of operation was 59.5 ± 7.9 years. Postoperative CTA or USG was performed at a mean 13.0 ± 5.1 months after surgery, and the mean follow-up period was 37.2 ± 10.0 months (range, 24-65 months). The clinical, structural, and surgery-related factors affecting cuff integrity including BMD were analyzed using both univariate and multivariate analysis. Evaluation of postoperative cuff integrity was performed by musculoskeletal radiologists who were unaware of the present study. The failure rate of rotator cuff healing was 22.8% (62 of 272). The failure rate was significantly higher in patients with lower BMD (P < .001); older age (P < .001); female gender (P = .03); larger tear size (P < .001); higher grade of fatty infiltration (FI) of the supraspinatus, infraspinatus, and subscapularis (all P < .001); diabetes mellitus (P = .02); shorter acromiohumeral distance (P < .001); and associated biceps procedure (P < .001). However, in the multivariate analysis, only BMD (P = .001), FI of the infraspinatus (P = .01), and the amount of retraction (P = .03) showed a significant relationship with cuff healing failure following arthroscopic rotator cuff repair. Bone mineral density, as well as FI of the infraspinatus and amount of retraction, was an independent determining factor

  5. Factors that affect the onset of action of non-depolarizing neuromuscular blocking agents

    PubMed Central

    Kim, Yong Byum; Sung, Tae-Yun

    2017-01-01

    Neuromuscular blockade plays an important role in the safe management of patient airways, surgical field improvement, and respiratory care. Rapid-sequence induction of anesthesia is indispensable to emergency surgery and obstetric anesthesia, and its purpose is to obtain a stable airway, adequate depth of anesthesia, and appropriate respiration within a short period of time without causing irritation or damage to the patient. There has been a continued search for new neuromuscular blocking drugs (NMBDs) with a rapid onset of action. Factors that affect the onset time include the potency of the NMBDs, the rate of NMBDs reaching the effect site, the onset time by dose control, metabolism and elimination of NMBDs, buffered diffusion to the effect site, nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subunit affinity, drugs that affect acetylcholine (ACh) production and release at the neuromuscular junction, drugs that inhibit plasma cholinesterase, presynaptic receptors responsible for ACh release at the neuromuscular junction, anesthetics or drugs that affect muscle contractility, site and methods for monitoring neuromuscular function, individual variability, and coexisting disease. NMBDs with rapid onset without major adverse events are expected in the next few years, and the development of lower potency NMBDs will continue. Anesthesiologists should be aware of the use of NMBDs in the management of anesthesia. The choice of NMBD and determination of the appropriate dosage to modulate neuromuscular blockade characteristics such as onset time and duration of neuromuscular blockade should be considered along with factors that affect the effects of the NMBDs. In this review, we discuss the factors that affect the onset time of NMBDs. PMID:29046769

  6. Bio-psycho-social factors affecting sexual self-concept: A systematic review

    PubMed Central

    Potki, Robabeh; Ziaei, Tayebe; Faramarzi, Mahbobeh; Moosazadeh, Mahmood; Shahhosseini, Zohreh

    2017-01-01

    Background Nowadays, it is believed that mental and emotional aspects of sexual well-being are the important aspects of sexual health. Sexual self-concept is a major component of sexual health and the core of sexuality. It is defined as the cognitive perspective concerning the sexual aspects of ‘self’ and refers to the individual’s self-perception as a sexual creature. Objective The aim of this study was to assess the different factors affecting sexual self-concept. Methods English electronic databases including PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and Google Scholar as well as two Iranian databases including Scientific Information Database and Iranmedex were searched for English and Persian-language articles published between 1996 and 2016. Of 281 retrieved articles, 37 articles were finally included for writing this review article. Results Factors affecting sexual self-concept were categorized to biological, psychological and social factors. In the category of biological factors, age gender, marital status, race, disability and sexual transmitted infections are described. In the psychological category, the impact of body image, sexual abuse in childhood and mental health history are present. Lastly, in the social category, the roles of parents, peers and the media are discussed. Conclusion As the development of sexual self-concept is influenced by multiple events in individuals’ lives, to promotion of sexual self-concept, an integrated implementation of health policies is recommended. PMID:29038693

  7. Bio-psycho-social factors affecting sexual self-concept: A systematic review.

    PubMed

    Potki, Robabeh; Ziaei, Tayebe; Faramarzi, Mahbobeh; Moosazadeh, Mahmood; Shahhosseini, Zohreh

    2017-09-01

    Nowadays, it is believed that mental and emotional aspects of sexual well-being are the important aspects of sexual health. Sexual self-concept is a major component of sexual health and the core of sexuality. It is defined as the cognitive perspective concerning the sexual aspects of 'self' and refers to the individual's self-perception as a sexual creature. The aim of this study was to assess the different factors affecting sexual self-concept. English electronic databases including PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and Google Scholar as well as two Iranian databases including Scientific Information Database and Iranmedex were searched for English and Persian-language articles published between 1996 and 2016. Of 281 retrieved articles, 37 articles were finally included for writing this review article. Factors affecting sexual self-concept were categorized to biological, psychological and social factors. In the category of biological factors, age gender, marital status, race, disability and sexual transmitted infections are described. In the psychological category, the impact of body image, sexual abuse in childhood and mental health history are present. Lastly, in the social category, the roles of parents, peers and the media are discussed. As the development of sexual self-concept is influenced by multiple events in individuals' lives, to promotion of sexual self-concept, an integrated implementation of health policies is recommended.

  8. Clinical trials involving cats: what factors affect owner participation?

    PubMed

    Gruen, Margaret E; Jiamachello, Katrina N; Thomson, Andrea; Lascelles, B Duncan X

    2014-09-01

    Clinical trials are frequently hindered by difficulties in recruiting eligible participants, increasing the timeline and limiting generalizability of results. In veterinary medicine, where proxy enrollment is required, no studies have detailed what factors influence owner participation in clinical trials involving cats. We aimed to investigate these factors through a survey of owners at first opinion practices. The survey was designed using feedback from a pilot study and input from clinical researchers. Owners were asked demographic questions and whether they would, would not, or were unsure about participating in a clinical trial with their cat. They then ranked the importance and influence of various factors on participation using a five-point Likert-type scale, and incentives from most to least encouraging. A total of 413 surveys were distributed to cat owners at four hospitals, two feline-only and two multi-species; 88.6% were completed. Data for importance and influence factors as well as incentive rankings were analyzed overall, and by hospital type, location and whether owners would consider participating. The most influential factors were trust in the organization, benefit to the cat and veterinarian recommendation. Importance and influence factors varied by willingness to participate. Ranked incentives were not significantly different across groups, with 'Free Services' ranked highest. This study provides a first look at what factors influence participation in clinical trials with cats. Given the importance placed in the recommendation of veterinarians, continued work is needed to determine veterinarian-related factors affecting clinical trial participation. The results provide guidance towards improved clinical trial design, promotion and education. © ISFM and AAFP 2014.

  9. Factors affecting smartphone adoption for accessing information in medical settings.

    PubMed

    Tahamtan, Iman; Pajouhanfar, Sara; Sedghi, Shahram; Azad, Mohsen; Roudbari, Masoud

    2017-06-01

    This study aimed to acquire knowledge about the factors affecting smartphone adoption for accessing information in medical settings in Iranian Hospitals. A qualitative and quantitative approach was used to conduct this study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 21 medical residents and interns in 2013 to identify determinant factors for smartphone adoption. Afterwards, nine relationships were hypothesised. We developed a questionnaire to test these hypotheses and to evaluate the importance of each factor. Structural equation modelling was used to analyse the causal relations between model parameters and to accurately identify determinant factors. Eight factors were identified in the qualitative phase of the study, including perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, training, internal environment, personal experience, social impacts, observability and job related characteristics. Among the studied factors, perceived usefulness, personal experience and job related characteristics were significantly associated with attitude to use a smartphone which accounted for 64% of the variance in attitude. Perceived usefulness had the strongest impact on attitude to use a smartphone. The factors that emerged from interviews were consistent with the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and some previous studies. TAM is a reliable model for understanding the factors of smartphone acceptance in medical settings. © 2017 Health Libraries Group.

  10. Factors affecting mortality in elderly patients who underwent surgery for gastric cancer.

    PubMed

    Kayılıoglu, Selami Ilgaz; Göktug, Ufuk Utku; Dinc, Tolga; Sozen, Isa; Yavuz, Zeynep; Coskun, Faruk

    2018-03-05

    The aim of this study was to determine factors affecting overall mortality in patients over 60 years of age who underwent surgery for gastric cancer in our clinic. Data on histopathological diagnosis (tumor size, lymph node status, and number), pathological stage, serum albumin level, tumor markers, complete blood count, and demographic information of 109 patients over 60 years of age who had surgery for gastric cancer between January 2011 and July 2016 were obtained retrospectively from the patient files. In addition, the survival status of all patients were examined and recorded. Metastatic lymph node ratio (MLR), red cell distribution width platelet ratio (RPR), neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), plateletlymphocyte ratio (PLR), and prognostic nutritional index (PNI) were calculated. On univariate analysis of independent parameters, pathological LN number (p = 0.001), MLR (p <0.001), T3 (p = 0.001) or T4 (p = 0,006) tumor stage according to TNM system, the presence of metastasis (p = 0.063), and male gender (p = 0.066) were found to affect overall mortality (OM). On multivariable Cox regression analysis of these results, MLR (p = 0.005) and T stage (p = 0.006) was determined to be a statistically significant and independent prognostic value. In patients over 60 years of age who underwent surgery for gastric cancer, the factors affecting mortality were determined to be the presence of metastases, number of pathological lymph nodes, and male gender. Metastatic lymph node ratio and T1&T2 stage were determined to be independent prognostic factors. Elderly, Gastric cancer, Mortality, Prognostic factor.

  11. Control of exogenous factors affecting plasma homovanillic acid concentration.

    PubMed

    Davidson, M; Giordani, A B; Mohs, R C; Mykytyn, V V; Platt, S; Aryan, Z S; Davis, K L

    1987-04-01

    Measurements of plasma homovanillic acid (pHVA) concentrations appear to be a valid research strategy in psychiatric disorders in which a central dopamine (DA) abnormality has been implicated. This study provides guidance about the control of some of the exogenous factors affecting pHVA concentrations. Fasting for 14 hours eliminates the dietary effects on pHVA in healthy human subjects. Changing position, walking for 30 minutes, or smoking two cigarettes has no effect on pHVA concentrations.

  12. Factors Affecting Differential Equation Problem Solving Ability of Students at Pre-University Level: A Conceptual Model

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Aisha, Bibi; Zamri, Sharifa NorulAkmar Syed; Abdallah, Nabeel; Abedalaziz, Mohammad; Ahmad, Mushtaq; Satti, Umbreen

    2017-01-01

    In this study, different factors affecting students' differential equations (DEs) solving abilities were explored at pre university level. To explore main factors affecting students' differential equations problem solving ability, articles for a 19-year period, from 1996 to 2015, were critically reviewed and analyzed. It was revealed that…

  13. Merriam's turkey nest survival and factors affecting nest predation by mammals

    Treesearch

    Chad P. Lehman; Mark A. Rumble; Lester D. Flake; Daniel J. Thompson

    2008-01-01

    Nest success is an important parameter affecting population fluctuations of wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo). Factors influencing mammalian predation on turkey nests are complicated and not well understood. Therefore, we assessed nest hazard risk by testing competing hypotheses of Merriam's turkey (M. g. merriami) nest...

  14. Factors that affect coseismic folds in an overburden layer

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zeng, Shaogang; Cai, Yongen

    2018-03-01

    Coseismic folds induced by blind thrust faults have been observed in many earthquake zones, and they have received widespread attention from geologists and geophysicists. Numerous studies have been conducted regarding fold kinematics; however, few have studied fold dynamics quantitatively. In this paper, we establish a conceptual model with a thrust fault zone and tectonic stress load to study the factors that affect coseismic folds and their formation mechanisms using the finite element method. The numerical results show that the fault dip angle is a key factor that controls folding. The greater the dip angle is, the steeper the fold slope. The second most important factor is the overburden thickness. The thicker the overburden is, the more gradual the fold. In this case, folds are difficult to identify in field surveys. Therefore, if a fold can be easily identified with the naked eye, the overburden is likely shallow. The least important factors are the mechanical parameters of the overburden. The larger the Young's modulus of the overburden is, the smaller the displacement of the fold and the fold slope. Strong horizontal compression and vertical extension in the overburden near the fault zone are the main mechanisms that form coseismic folds.

  15. Multi-Level Family Factors and Affective and Behavioral Symptoms of Oppositional Defiant Disorder in Chinese Children

    PubMed Central

    Tang, Yixin; Lin, Xiuyun; Chi, Peilian; Zhou, Qing; Hou, Xiangning

    2017-01-01

    Given the important role of family environment in children's psychological development, the objective of this study was to examine the linkages between family factors at the whole, dyadic, and individual levels and two dimensions (affective and behavioral) of Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) symptoms in Chinese children. Participants comprised of 80 father-child dyads and 169 mother-child dyads from families with ODD children. The results indicated that multilevel family factors were differently associated with children's affective and behavioral ODD symptoms. All the family factors at the dyadic and individual levels were significantly associated with child affective ODD symptoms. However, only the most proximal factors (parent-child relationship and child emotion regulation, which were directly related to child) were significantly related to child behavioral ODD symptoms. The present study extends the current knowledge regarding the relationships between family factors and two dimensions of child ODD symptoms by testing the comprehensive multilevel family factors model. This study also recommends that future interventions for ODD children should consider the multi-level family factors to enhance intervention efficacy. PMID:28713321

  16. Factors affecting compliance with measles vaccination in Lao PDR.

    PubMed

    Phimmasane, Maniphet; Douangmala, Somthana; Koffi, Paulin; Reinharz, Daniel; Buisson, Yves

    2010-09-24

    In line with WHO objectives, the Lao Government is committed to eliminate measles by 2012. Yet from 1992 to 2007, the annual incidence of measles remained high while the vaccination coverage showed a wide diversity across provinces. A descriptive study was performed to determine factors affecting compliance with vaccination against measles, which included qualitative and quantitative components. The qualitative study used a convenience sample of 13 persons in charge of the vaccination program, consisting of officials from different levels of the health care structure and members of vaccination teams. The quantitative study performed on the target population consisted of a matched, case-control survey conducted on a stratified random sample of parents of children aged 9-23 months. Overall, 584 individuals (292 cases and 292 controls) were interviewed in the three provinces selected because of low vaccination coverage. On the provision of services side (supply), the main problems identified were a lack of vaccine supply and diluent, a difficulty in maintaining the cold chain, a lack of availability and competence among health workers, a lack of coordination and a limited capacity to assess needs and make coherent decisions. In the side of the consumer (demand), major obstacles identified were poor knowledge about measles immunization and difficulties in accessing vaccination centers because of distance and cost. In multivariate analysis, a low education level of the father was a factor of non-immunization while the factors of good compliance were high incomes, spacing of pregnancies, a feeling that children must be vaccinated, knowledge about immunization age, presenting oneself to the hospital rather than expecting the mobile vaccination teams and last, immunization of other family members or friends' children. The main factors affecting the compliance with vaccination against measles in Laos involve both the supply side and the demand side. Obtaining an effective

  17. Factors affecting sexual life during pregnancy in eastern Turkey.

    PubMed

    Eryilmaz, Gülşen; Ege, Emel; Zincir, Handan

    2004-01-01

    This is a descriptive and cross-sectional study aiming to determine the factors affecting sexual life in pregnant women. The study was carried out in 238 women in Malatya, Turkey. It was found that 61.4% regarded coitus as a risk during pregnancy, 31.9% did not have any knowledge about this matter. In 81.5% sexual life was affected during pregnancy. The mean frequency of intercourse was 2.02 +/- 0.7/week before pregnancy and decreased to 1.51 +/- 0.6/week during pregnancy. The reasons for this decline are: exhaustion and fatigue (64.3%); waning of sexual desire (55.9%); harmful to the fetus (49.2%); causing abortions in early pregnancy (45%), and inducing preterm labor (34%). There was a significant relationship between changes in sexual life during pregnancy and the duration of marriage (chi2=10.8, p<0.05), education level (chi2=18.1, p<0.05), parity (chi2=11.1, p<0.05), and gravidity (chi2=6.8, p<0.05). The variables such as age, employment status, and number of abortions did not affect sexual life during pregnancy. Copyright 2004 S. Karger AG, Basel

  18. Factors Affecting Husband Participation in Antenatal Care Attendance and Delivery

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rumaseuw, R.; Berliana, S. M.; Nursalam, N.; Efendi, F.; Pradanie, R.; Rachmawati, P. D.; Aurizki, G. E.

    2018-02-01

    The government has implemented several programs to prevent and reduce a mother’s mortality rate by enhancing active role of the family. The most responsible family member on maintaining the pregnancy and delivery process is the husband. The husband must be active to take care of his wife. Active participation of the husband in accompanying his wife during pregnancy and the delivery process is one of the substantial factors, which helps the husband to take decisions related to the health of his wife. This study aimed to identify variables and its trends, which significantly affect a husband’s participation in accompanying his wife during pregnancy and the delivery process. The data used in this study was from an Indonesian Demographic Health Survey 2012. The study used binary logistic regression as the analysis method. The result showed as many as 8,237 husbands accompanied their wife in antenatal care and the delivery process. The significant variables affecting the husband participation are the age of the wife, the education of wife, the education of the husband, the occupational status of the wife and the husband, the number of children, pregnancy status, and residency region. The possibility for a husband to accompany his wife is larger in several factors, such as the wife being between the ages of 21 - 35 years old, a husband who minimally graduated from junior high school, a working husband, as well as a wife, and the number of children less than and equal to two and the expected pregnancy. The government should consider those factors to create policy related women’s health and integrate the factors into various sectors.

  19. Milking performance evaluation and factors affecting milking claw vacuum levels with flow simulator.

    PubMed

    Enokidani, Masafumi; Kawai, Kazuhiro; Shinozuka, Yasunori; Watanabe, Aiko

    2017-08-01

    Milking performance of milking machines that matches the production capability of dairy cows is important in reducing the risk of mastitis, particularly in high-producing cows. This study used a simulated milking device to examine the milking performance of the milking system of 73 dairy farms and to analyze the factors affecting claw vacuum. Mean claw vacuum and range of fluctuation of claw vacuum (claw vacuum range) were measured at three different flow rates: 5.7, 7.6 and 8.7 kg/min. At the highest flow rate, only 16 farms (21.9%) met both standards of mean claw vacuum ≥35 kPa and claw vacuum range ≤ 7 kPa, showing that milking systems currently have poor milking performance. The factors affecting mean claw vacuum were claw type, milk-meter and vacuum shut-off device; the factor affecting claw vacuum range was claw type. Examination of the milking performance of the milking system using a simulated milking device allows an examination of the performance that can cope with high producing cows, indicating the possibility of reducing the risk of mastitis caused by inappropriate claw vacuum. © 2016 Japanese Society of Animal Science.

  20. Factors that Affect Emergent Literacy Development When Engaging with Electronic Books

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Salmon, Lynda G.

    2014-01-01

    This article reviews extant literature with the purpose of identifying factors that affect the potential efficacy of electronic books to support literacy development during early childhood. Selection criteria include experimental, quasi-experimental, and observational studies from peer-reviewed journals from 2000 to 2013 with a target population…

  1. Motivating Factors that Affect Enrolment and Student Performance in an ODL Engineering Program

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dadigamuwa, P. R.; Senanayake, Samans

    2012-01-01

    The present study was carried out to determine the motivating factors for enrolling in an engineering study programme in open and distance learning (ODL) and the factors that affect the students' performance. The study was conducted with two convenient samples of students following distance learning courses in engineering technology, conducted by…

  2. A review of genetic, biological, pharmacological, and clinical factors that affect carbohydrate-deficient transferrin levels.

    PubMed

    Fleming, Michael F; Anton, Raymond F; Spies, Claudia D

    2004-09-01

    Carbohydrate-deficient transferrin (CDT) is an alcohol biomarker recently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. This test is increasingly being used to detect and monitor alcohol use in a variety of health care, legal, and industrial settings. The goal of this study is to review the genetic, biological, pharmacological, and clinical factors that may affect CDT levels. A review of the literature identified 95 research articles that met the authors' criteria and reported potential interactions of a variety of factors on percent and total CDT levels. The review established 12 categories of variables that may affect CDT levels. These categories include (1) alcohol use, (2) genetic factors, (3) race, (4) gender, (5) age, (6) liver disease, (7) iron levels, (8) tobacco use, (9) medication such as estrogen and anticonvulsants, (10) metabolic factors such as body mass index and total body water, (11) chronic medical conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, and (12) surgical patients. There is evidence that %CDT levels are affected by alcohol use, end-stage liver disease, and genetic variants. In addition to these three factors, total CDT levels (CDTect) are also affected by factors that raise transferrin levels such as iron deficiency, chronic illnesses, and menopausal status. Other potential factors such as tobacco and age appear to be confounded by alcohol use. The roles of female gender, low body mass index, chronic inflammatory diseases, and medication on CDT levels require further study. False negatives are associated with female gender, episodic lower level alcohol use, and acute trauma with blood loss. This review suggests that a number of factors are associated with false-positive CDTect and %CDT levels. CDT offers great promise to assist physicians in the care of patients to detect and monitor heavy alcohol use.

  3. Factors Affecting Teachers' Adoption of Educational Computer Games: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kebritchi, Mansureh

    2010-01-01

    Even though computer games hold considerable potential for engaging and facilitating learning among today's children, the adoption of modern educational computer games is still meeting significant resistance in K-12 education. The purpose of this paper is to inform educators and instructional designers on factors affecting teachers' adoption of…

  4. Factors Affecting Participation of Displaced Workers in Retraining: A Literature Review.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dean, Gary J.

    This document offers a selected review of literature relevant to retraining displaced workers. A description of the economic conditions leading to the displacement of workers, the nature and scope of the displaced worker problem, and factors potentially affecting displaced workers' participation in adult education and training programs is…

  5. Factors Affecting Student Retention in Online Courses: Overcoming This Critical Problem

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gaytan, Jorge

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to determine what a panel of 15 experts would identify as critical factors affecting student retention in online courses that will serve as implications for educational leaders to guide their student retention strategies, online organizational structures, institutional policies, and online instructional activities. A…

  6. Factors Affecting Bachelor's Degree Completion among Black Males with Prior Attrition

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Matthews-Whetstone, Rayna; Scott, Joyce A.

    2015-01-01

    Black males lag behind their female counterparts in bachelor's degree completion. This study examined why Black males leave higher education, eventually return, and complete their degrees. Researchers are aware of some of the challenges that Black males encounter in higher education, but there is little information factors affecting successful…

  7. Factors Affecting Career Choice among Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stone, Larissa; Pellowski, Mark W.

    2016-01-01

    This investigation assessed the factors affecting career choice among 474 current undergraduate and graduate speech-language pathology and audiology students (from four universities). A 14-item questionnaire was developed that included questions related to general influence of career choice and whether or not the participants had previously been,…

  8. Factors affecting the decision to pursue glaucoma fellowship training.

    PubMed

    Gedde, Steven J; Budenz, Donald L; Haft, Payman; Lee, Yunhee; Quigley, Harry A

    2007-01-01

    To identify factors associated with the choice to pursue glaucoma fellowship training by graduating ophthalmology residents. An anonymous survey was sent to each graduating ophthalmology resident in the United States in February 2003. Demographic data and information relating to residency training, career goals, and factors influencing career choices were collected from the surveys. Surveys were completed by 215 (49.2%) residents, including 135 (62.8%) who were pursuing fellowships. Among residents undertaking fellowship training, 17 (12.6%) selected glaucoma and 118 (87.4%) chose other subspecialties. Residents entering glaucoma fellowships performed more glaucoma filtering procedures (P=0.006), and they were less likely to publish a paper (P=0.05) and have time allocated for research (P=0.04) than residents seeking fellowships in other subspecialties. Factors that were rated as less important to those choosing glaucoma fellowships included interest in challenging diagnostic problems (P=0.009), types of patient problems (P=0.015), an academic career (P=0.03), and working with new technology (P=0.04). The decision to pursue fellowship training was made later by residents entering glaucoma compared with those choosing other subspecialties (P=0.001). A variety of factors affect the decision to pursue fellowship training. There are differences in how these factors are weighed among residents seeking fellowships in glaucoma and other subspecialties.

  9. An Analysis of Multiple Factors Affecting Retention in Web-Based Community College Courses

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Doherty, William

    2006-01-01

    The current study examined four factors affecting retention in Web-based community college courses. Analyses were conducted on student demographics, student learning styles, course communication and external factors. The results suggest that Web-based courses are more attractive to busy students who are also more likely to fail or drop the course.…

  10. Some factors affecting skin and wound healing.

    PubMed

    Winter, G D

    2006-05-01

    The domestic pig is the preferred animal for studying the effects of environmental factors on skin and wound because its integument is more like that of man than any other. The three factors that most drastically affect the pattern, speed and quality of healing are dehydration of exposed tissues, the status of the blood supply bringing oxygen and nutrients to the area and sepsis. Wounds exposed to the air lose water vapour, the upper dermis dries and healing takes place beneath a dry scab. Covering a wound with an occlusive dressing prevents scab formation and radically alters the pattern of epidermal wound healing. Blowing on wounds creates a scab within three hours instead of the normal 24 hours but more tissue is sacrificed in the process. This may only be justified if it can be shown that rapid artificial scab formation significantly cuts down the incidence of severe infections, i.e. in large burns. Less serious wounds heal faster when covered with a suitable occlusive dressing. Indolent wounds are characterised by a rim of infected, necrotic tissue in which leucocytes and macrophages are unable to function effectively through lack of oxygen. A suitable dressing changed frequently can bring about mild debridement and re-establish the conditions for healing.

  11. A Study on Factors Affecting Navy Officers’ Decisions to Pursue Funded Graduate Education: A Qualitative Approach

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2017-06-01

    Distribution is unlimited. A STUDY ON FACTORS AFFECTING NAVY OFFICERS’ DECISIONS TO PURSUE FUNDED GRADUATE EDUCATION: A QUALITATIVE APPROACH ...NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA THESIS Approved for public release. Distribution is unlimited. A STUDY ON FACTORS...REPORT DATE June 2017 3. REPORT TYPE AND DATES COVERED Master’s thesis 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE A STUDY ON FACTORS AFFECTING NAVY OFFICERS

  12. Analysis of various factors affecting pupil size in patients with glaucoma.

    PubMed

    Park, Ji Woong; Kang, Bong Hui; Kwon, Ji Won; Cho, Kyong Jin

    2017-09-16

    Pupil size is an important factor in predicting post-operative satisfaction. We assessed the correlation between pupil size, measured by Humphrey static perimetry, and various affecting factors in patients with glaucoma. In total, 825 eyes of 415 patients were evaluated retrospectively. Pupil size was measured with Humphrey static perimetry. Comparisons of pupil size according to the presence of glaucoma were evaluated, as were correlations between pupil size and various factors, including age, logMAR best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness, spherical equivalent, intraocular pressure, axial length, central corneal thickness, white-to-white, and the kappa angle. Pupil size was significantly smaller in glaucoma patients than in glaucoma suspects (p < 0.001) or the normal group (p < 0.001). Pupil size decreased significantly as age (p < 0.001) and central cornea thickness (p = 0.007) increased, and increased significantly as logMAR BCVA (p = 0.02) became worse and spherical equivalent (p = 0.007) and RNFL thickness (p = 0.042) increased. In patients older than 50 years, pupil size was significantly larger in eyes with a history of cataract surgery. Humphrey static perimetry can be useful in measuring pupil size. Pupil size was significantly smaller in eyes with glaucoma. Other factors affecting pupil size can be used in a preoperative evaluation when considering cataract surgery or laser refractive surgery.

  13. FACTORS AFFECTING SENSITIVITY OF CHEMICAL AND ECOLOGICAL RESPONSES OF MARINE EMBAYMEMTS TO NITROGEN LOADING

    EPA Science Inventory

    This paper summarizes an ongoing examination of the primary factors that affect sensitivity of marine embayment responses to nitrogen loading. Included is a discussion of two methods for using these factors: classification of embayments into discrete sensitivity classes and norma...

  14. Evaluation of factors that affect hip moment impulse during gait: A systematic review.

    PubMed

    Inai, Takuma; Takabayashi, Tomoya; Edama, Mutsuaki; Kubo, Masayoshi

    2018-03-01

    Decreasing the daily cumulative hip moments in the frontal and sagittal planes may lower the risk of hip osteoarthritis. Therefore, it may be important to evaluate factors that affect hip moment impulse during gait. It is unclear what factors affect hip moment impulse during gait. This systematic review aimed to evaluate different factors that affect hip moment impulse during gait in healthy adults and patients with hip osteoarthritis. Four databases (Scopus, ScienceDirect, PubMed, and PEDro) were searched up to August 2017 to identify studies that examined hip moment impulse during gait. Data extracted for analysis included the sample size, age, height, body mass, type of intervention, and main findings. After screening, 10 of the 975 studies identified were included in our analysis. Several factors, including a rocker bottom shoe, FitFlop™ sandals, ankle push-off, posture, stride length, body-weight unloading, a rollator, walking poles, and a knee brace, were reviewed. The main findings were as follows: increasing ankle push-off decreased both the hip flexion and extension moment impulses; body-weight unloading decreased both the hip extension and adduction moment impulses; the FitFlop™ sandal increased the sum of the hip flexion and extension moment impulses; long strides increased the hip extension moment impulse; and the use of a knee brace increased hip flexion moment impulse. Of note, none of the eligible studies included patients with hip osteoarthritis. The hip moment impulses can be modified by person-specific factors (ankle push-off and long strides) and external factors (body-weight unloading and use of the FitFlop™ sandals and a knee brace). Effects on the progression of hip osteoarthritis remain to be evaluated. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Factors Affecting University Students' Intention to Use Cloud Computing in Jordan

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rababah, Khalid Ali; Khasawneh, Mohammad; Nassar, Bilal

    2017-01-01

    The aim of this study is to examine the factors affecting students' intention to use cloud computing in the Jordanian universities. To achieve this purpose, a quantitative research approach which is a survey-based was deployed. Around 400 questionnaires were distributed randomly to Information Technology (IT) students at four universities in…

  16. Factors Affecting Early Services for Children Who Are Hard of Hearing

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Harrison, Melody; Page, Thomas A.; Oleson, Jacob; Spratford, Meredith; Berry, Lauren Unflat; Peterson, Barbara; Welhaven, Anne; Arenas, Richard M.; Moeller, Mary Pat

    2016-01-01

    Purpose: To describe factors affecting early intervention (EI) for children who are hard of hearing, we analyzed (a) service setting(s) and the relationship of setting to families' frequency of participation, and (b) provider preparation, caseload composition, and experience in relation to comfort with skills that support spoken language for…

  17. Factors Affecting Training Transfer: Participants' Motivation to Transfer Training, Literature Review

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Alawneh, Muhammad K.

    2008-01-01

    This article investigates factors that motivate participants in learning and training activities to transfer skills, knowledge and attitude from the learning setting to the workplace. Based on training transfer theories hypothesized by Holton (1996), one of the major theories that affect an organization's learning is motivation to transfer theory.…

  18. Standard International prognostic index remains a valid predictor of outcome for patients with aggressive CD20+ B-cell lymphoma in the rituximab era.

    PubMed

    Ziepert, Marita; Hasenclever, Dirk; Kuhnt, Evelyn; Glass, Bertram; Schmitz, Norbert; Pfreundschuh, Michael; Loeffler, Markus

    2010-05-10

    The International Prognostic Index (IPI) is widely used for risk stratification of patients with aggressive B-cell lymphoma. The introduction of rituximab has markedly improved outcome, and R-CHOP (rituximab + cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, prednisone) has become the standard treatment for CD20(+) diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. To investigate whether the IPI has maintained its power for risk stratification when rituximab is combined with CHOP, we analyzed the prognostic relevance of IPI in three prospective clinical trials. In total, 1,062 patients treated with rituximab were included (MabThera International Trial [MInT], 380 patients; dose-escalated regimen of cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, etoposide, and prednisone (MegaCHOEP) trial, 72 patients; CHOP + rituximab for patients older than age 60 years [RICOVER-60] trial, 610 patients). A multivariate proportional hazards modeling was performed for single IPI factors under rituximab on event-free, progression-free, and overall survival. IPI score was significant for all three end points. Rituximab significantly improved treatment outcome within each IPI group resulting in a quenching of the Kaplan-Meier estimators. However, IPI was a significant prognostic factor in all three end points and the ordering of the IPI groups remained valid. The relative risk estimates of single IPI factors and their order in patients treated with R-CHOP were similar to those found with CHOP. The effects of rituximab were superimposed on the effects of CHOP with no interactions between chemotherapy and antibody therapy. These results demonstrate that the IPI is still valid in the R-CHOP era.

  19. The Factors that Affect Science Teachers' Participation in Professional Development

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Roux, Judi Ann

    Scientific literacy for our students and the possibilities for careers available in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) areas are important topics for economic growth as well as global competitiveness. The achievement of students in science learning is dependent upon the science teachers' effectiveness and experienced science teachers depend upon relevant professional development experiences to support their learning. In order to understand how to improve student learning in science, the learning of science teachers must also be understood. Previous research studies on teacher professional development have been conducted in other states, but Minnesota science teachers comprised a new and different population from those previously studied. The purpose of this two-phase mixed methods study was to identify the current types of professional development in which experienced, Minnesota secondary science teachers participated and the factors that affect their participation in professional development activities. The mixed-methods approach s utilized an initial online survey followed by qualitative interviews with five survey respondents. The results of the quantitative survey and the qualitative interviews indicated the quality of professional development experiences and the factors which affected the science teachers' participation in professional development activities. The supporting and inhibiting factors involved the availability of resources such as time and money, external relationships with school administrators, teacher colleagues, and family members, and personal intrinsic attributes such as desires to learn and help students. This study also describes implications for science teachers, school administrators, policymakers, and professional development providers. Recommendations for future research include the following areas: relationships between and among intrinsic and extrinsic factors, science-related professional development activities

  20. Factors affecting the adoption of home-heating energy-conservation measures: a behavioral approach

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

    Macey, S.M.

    1982-01-01

    The basic aim of this research is to better understand homeowners' adoption of home-heating energy-conservation measures by analyzing a number of factors that are thought to be underlying determinants of adoption behavior. The basic approach is behavioral drawing on the knowledge built up in behavioral geography through studies on natural hazards and innovation diffusion, and borrowing from psychological theories of attitude formation and decision making. In particular, six factors (information, environmental personality, socio-economic and demographic factors, dwelling unit characteristics, psychological variables, and past experience) are shown to directly and indirectly affect adoption behavior. By this means, differences between adopters andmore » nonadopters in the underlying cognitive structures and in the situational factors that affect their decisions are identified. The study focuses on the adoption of three measures: reducing winter night-time thermostat settings, changing or cleaning furnace filters, and installing an automatic setback thermostat. Personal interviews with a random sample of 159 homeowners in Decatur, Illinois serve as the main data base. Results indicate that adoption behavior is determined more by past experience, than by intention. Beliefs, attitudes, and social influences affect behavior indirectly through intention. These psychological variables also act as mediators between information, knowledge, environmental personality, situational variables and behavior. In particular, respondent's age, previous home ownership, and length of residence act indirectly on adoption behavior. Each of these reflects the amount of past experience the respondent is likely to have.« less

  1. Dietary factors affecting susceptibility to urinary tract infection.

    PubMed

    Kontiokari, Tero; Nuutinen, Matti; Uhari, Matti

    2004-04-01

    Urinary tract infection (UTI) is usually an ascending infection caused by bacteria derived from stools. Since the bacterial composition of stools is dependent on the diet, it is likely that the risk of UTI will change with changes in the diet. Most data describing diet as a risk factor for UTI come from epidemiological and interventional trials. It has been shown in a case-control setting that frequent consumption of fresh berry or fruit juices and fermented milk products containing probiotic bacteria decreases the risk for UTI recurrence in women. Several interventional trials have found Vaccinium berry products to provide protection from UTI recurrence. Probiotics have not been able to prevent UTI in interventional trials. However, the lack of an effect may be related to too low a dose or to the use of non-optimal products in these trials. Limited data are available on the effects of nutrition on UTI in children. However, there is no reason to expect that children would be different from adults in this respect. In this review, we discuss the dietary factors affecting the susceptibility to UTI.

  2. Factors affecting participation decision and amount of physical activity among urban dwellers in Malaysia.

    PubMed

    Cheah, Y K; Azahadi, M; Phang, S N; Hazilah, N

    2017-05-01

    The rapid rise in the prevalence of physical inactivity-related diseases has become a serious public health issue worldwide. The objective of the present study is to examine the factors affecting participation in physical activity among urban dwellers in Malaysia. This cross-sectional study measures physical activity using a rigorous regression model. Data are obtained from the National Health and Morbidity Survey 2011 (NHMS 2011). A lognormal hurdle model is used to analyse the participation decision and the amount decision of physical activity. The results show that income, gender, ethnicity, marital status and employment status are significantly associated with participation decision and amount decision. However, age, insurance and self-rated health only affect participation decision, whereas family size, education and smoking only affect amount decision. It can, thus, be concluded that sociodemographic, insurance, lifestyle and health factors play an important role in determining physical activity behaviour among urban dwellers. When formulating policies, special attention must be paid to these factors. Copyright © 2017 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Factors affecting songbird nest survival in riparian forests in a Midwestern agricultural landscape

    Treesearch

    Rebecca G. Peak; Frank R. Thompson; Terry L. Shaffer

    2004-01-01

    We investigated factors affecting nest success of songbirds in riparian forest and buffers in northeastern Missouri. We used an information-theoretic approach to determine support for hypotheses concerning effects of nest-site, habitat-patch, edge, and temporal factors on nest success of songbirds in three narrow (55-95 m) and three wide (400-530 m) riparian forests...

  4. Factors Affecting the Adoption of Information and Communication Technologies in Teaching

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Salinas, Álvaro; Nussbaum, Miguel; Herrera, Oriel; Solarte, Mario; Aldunate, Roberto

    2017-01-01

    This study describes the level of adoption of information and communication technologies in teaching in three Latin American countries. It also analyzes factors that affect the process by which teachers incorporate these technologies into their classrooms. In order to do so, an online survey was conducted with 89 teachers. The results show that…

  5. Factors affecting the healing of pressure ulcers in a Korean acute care hospital.

    PubMed

    Sung, Young Hee; Park, Kyung Hee

    2011-01-01

    We sought to determine the factors affecting pressure ulcer (PU) healing in an acute care facility in Korea. Data were collected between October 1, 2006, and September 30, 2007, regarding PU status and factors hypothesized to influence wound healing. We developed a form that queried factors thought to affect PU healing based on literature review. We also administered the Pressure Ulcer Scale for Healing (PUSH) tool to assess healing of PUs and calculated change in PUSH scale as the outcome variable reflecting the magnitude of the healing of PU. One hundred fifty eight patients with a total of 326 PUs in an acute care hospital located in Seoul, Korea, comprised the sample. The variables found to significantly affect PU healing included mean arterial pressure (MAP), serum albumin level, urinary incontinence, consultation with nutritionist, Braden Scale scale, wound size, and exudate amount. Pressure ulcer healing was improved when the MAP was higher (B = 0.034) and the serum albumin level was more than 2.8 g/dL (20.8 grams/liter) (B = 1.107). When managing patients in an acute care setting, PU healing may be improved by maintaining MAP and providing protein supplements to keep serum albumin level greater than 2.8 g/dL (20.8 grams/liter).

  6. Analysis of the microbiota of refrigerated chopped parsley after treatments with a coating containing enterocin AS-48 or by high-hydrostatic pressure.

    PubMed

    Grande Burgos, María José; López Aguayo, María Del Carmen; Pérez Pulido, Rubén; Galvez, Antonio; Lucas, Rosario

    2017-09-01

    Parsley can be implicated in foodborne illness, yet chopped parsley is used as an ingredient or garnish for multiple dishes. The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of two different treatments on the bacterial diversity of parsley: (i) coating with a pectin-EDTA solution containing the circular bacteriocin enterocin AS-48, and (ii) treatment by high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) at 600MPa for 8min. Control and treated parsley were stored in trays at 5°C for 10days. Both treatments reduced viable counts by 3.7 log cycles and retarded growth of survivors during storage. The bacterial diversity of the chopped parsley was studied by high throughput sequencing (Illumina Miseq). Bacterial diversity of control samples mainly consists of Proteobacteria (96.87%) belonging to genera Pseudomonas (69.12%), Rheinheimera (8.56%) and Pantoea (6.91%) among others. During storage, the relative abundance of Bacteroidetes (mainly Flavobacterium and Sphingobacterium) increased to 26.66%. Application of the pectin-bacteriocin-EDTA coating reduced the relative abundance of Proteobacteria (63.75%) and increased that of Firmicutes (34.70%). However, the relative abundances of certain groups such as Salmonella, Shigella and Acinetobacter increased at early storage times. Late storage was characterized by an increase in the relative abundance of Proteobacteria, mainly Pseudomonas. Upon application of HHP treatment, the relative abundance of Proteobacteria was reduced (85.88%) while Actinobacteria increased (8.01%). During early storage of HHP-treated samples, the relative abundance of Firmicutes increased. Potentially-pathogenic bacteria (Shigella) only increased in relative abundance by the end of storage. Results of the present study indicate that the two treatments had different effects on the bacterial diversity of parsley. The HHP treatment provided a safer product, since no potentially-pathogenic bacteria were detected until the end of the storage period. Copyright

  7. Activation of the STAT3 Signaling Pathway Is Associated With Poor Survival in Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma Treated With R-CHOP

    PubMed Central

    Huang, Xin; Meng, Bin; Iqbal, Javeed; Ding, B. Belinda; Perry, Anamarija M.; Cao, Wenfeng; Smith, Lynette M.; Bi, Chengfeng; Jiang, Chunsun; Greiner, Timothy C.; Weisenburger, Dennis D.; Rimsza, Lisa; Rosenwald, Andreas; Ott, German; Delabie, Jan; Campo, Elias; Braziel, Rita M.; Gascoyne, Randy D.; Cook, James R.; Tubbs, Raymond R.; Jaffe, Elaine S.; Armitage, James O.; Vose, Julie M.; Staudt, Louis M.; McKeithan, Timothy W.; Chan, Wing C.; Ye, B. Hilda; Fu, Kai

    2013-01-01

    Purpose We previously reported that constitutive STAT3 activation is a prominent feature of the activated B-cell subtype of diffuse large B-cell lymphomas (ABC-DLBCL). In this study, we investigated whether STAT3 activation can risk stratify patients with DLBCL. Patients and Methods By an immunohistochemical method, we investigated phosphotyrosine STAT3 (PY-STAT3) expression from 185 patients with DLBCL treated with R-CHOP (rituximab plus cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone). Cell line-based siRNA experiments were also performed to generate an 11-gene, PY-STAT3 activation signature, which was used to study a previously published cohort of 222 patients with DLBCL. The STAT3 activation status determined by these two methods and by STAT3 mRNA levels were then correlated with survival. Results PY-STAT3 was detected in 37% of DLBCL and enriched in ABC-DLBCL cases (P = .03). PY-STAT3 positivity significantly correlated with poor overall survival (OS; P = .01) and event-free survival (EFS; P = .006). Similar observations were made for high levels of STAT3 mRNA. In multivariable analysis, PY-STAT3 status (P = .02), International Prognostic Index (P = .02), and BCL2 expression (P = .046) were independent prognosticators of OS in this cohort. Among the cell-of-origin subgroups, PY-STAT3 was associated with poor EFS among non–germinal center B-cell DLBCL cases only (P = .027). Similarly, the 11-gene STAT3 activation signature correlated with poor survival in the entire DLBCL cohort (OS, P < .001; EFS, P < .001) as well as the ABC-DLBCL subgroup (OS, P = .029; EFS, P = .025). Conclusion STAT3 activation correlated with poor survival in patients with DLBCL treated with R-CHOP, especially those with tumors of the ABC-DLBCL subtype. PMID:24220563

  8. Factors affecting aging cognitive function among community-dwelling older adults.

    PubMed

    Kim, Chun-Ja; Park, JeeWon; Kang, Se-Won; Schlenk, Elizabeth A

    2017-08-01

    The study purpose was to determine factors affecting aging cognitive function of 3,645 community-dwelling older adults in Korea. The Hasegawa Dementia Scale assessed aging cognitive function, blood analyses and anthropometrics assessed cardio-metabolic risk factors, and the Geriatric Depression Scale Short Form Korean Version assessed depressive symptoms. Participants with poor aging cognitive function were more likely to be in the late age group (≥75 y) and currently smoking and have a medical history of stroke, high body mass index, and high level of depressive symptoms; they were also less likely to engage in regular meals and physical activities. Regular meals and physical activities may be primary factors for clinical assessment to identify older adults at risk for aging cognitive function. With aging, depressive symptoms and other unhealthy lifestyle behaviours should be managed to prevent cognitive function disorders. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

  9. Identifying the factors affecting bike-sharing usage and degree of satisfaction in Ningbo, China

    PubMed Central

    Guo, Yanyong; Zhou, Jibiao; Wu, Yao; Li, Zhibin

    2017-01-01

    The boom in bike-sharing is receiving growing attention as societies become more aware of the importance of active non-motorized traffic modes. However, the low usage of this transport mode in China raises concerns. The primary objective of this study is to explore factors affecting bike-sharing usage and satisfaction degree of bike-sharing among the bike-sharing user population in China. Data were collected by a questionnaire survey in Ningbo. A bivariate ordered probit (BOP) model was developed to examine simultaneously those factors associated with both bike-sharing usage and satisfaction degree of bike-sharing among users. Marginal effects for contributory factors were calculated to quantify their impacts on the outcomes. The results showed that the BOP model can account for commonly shared unobserved characteristics within usage and satisfaction of bike-sharing. The BOP model results showed that the usage of bike-sharing was affected by gender, household bicycle/e-bike ownership, trip model, travel time, bike-sharing stations location, and users’ perception of bike-sharing. The satisfaction degree of bike-sharing was affected by household income, bike-sharing stations location, and users’ perception of bike-sharing. It is also found that bike-sharing usage and satisfaction degree are strongly correlated and positive in direction. The results can enhance our comprehension of the factors that affect usage and satisfaction degree of bike-sharing. Based on the results, some suggestions regarding planning, engineering, and public advocacy were discussed to increase the usage of bike-sharing in Ningbo, China. PMID:28934321

  10. Histological analysis on adhesive molecules of renal intravascular large B cell lymphoma treated with CHOP chemotherapy and rituximab.

    PubMed

    Kusaba, T; Hatta, T; Tanda, S; Kameyama, H; Tamagaki, K; Okigaki, M; Inaba, T; Shimazaki, C; Sasaki, S

    2006-03-01

    A 48-year-old man was admitted to our hospital for investigation of mild renal dysfunction. A blood examination revealed mild elevation of creatinine level (1.77 mg/dl). Urinary examination revealed mild protein excretion (0.54 g/day) and microhematuria; renal biopsy revealed the focal proliferation of large mononuclear cells with mitosis in glomerular capillaries. According to immunohistochemical analysis, the intravascular lymphomatous cells stained positively with anti-leukocyte common antigen (LCA: CD45) and CD20, indicating a B lymphocyte lineage. In electron microscopy, the glomerular capillary was filled with lymphoma cells and epithelial foot process fusion was noted. Immunohistochemical analysis on adhesive molecules revealed a lack of CD11a expression on lymphoma cells, but positive CD54 expression on endothelial cells. Systemic 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) revealed no abnormal uptake of isotopes. On the basis of these findings, we diagnosed intravascular diffuse large B cell lymphoma localized in the kidney. Despite treatment with rituximab and CHOP (prednisolone, doxorubicin, vincristine, cyclophosphamide) for 3 cycles at 1-month intervals, the renal dysfunction did not change. In histopathological analysis of the second biopsy, lymphoma cells disappeared, but focal segmental glomerulosclerosis and moderate interstitial fibrosis were noted. Electron microscopic findings revealed severe subendothelial edema with mesangial interposition, indicating severe endothelial damage. Epithelial foot process fusion was improved. These pathological analyses let us conclude that a lack of CD11a could be a candidate factor for prevention of the extravasation of lymphoma cells from blood vessels in our patient. We also presumed that the intraglomerular endothelial damage occurred due to chemotherapy-associated cell injury.

  11. [Factors affecting the vegetation restoration after fires in cold temperate wetlands: A review].

    PubMed

    Zhao, Feng-Jun; Wang, Li-Zhong; Shu, Li-Fu; Chen, Peng-Yu; Chen, Li-guang

    2013-03-01

    Cold temperate wetland plays an important role in maintaining regional ecological balance. Fire is an important disturbance factor in wetland ecosystem. Severe burning can induce the marked degradation of the ecological functions of wetland ecosystem. The vegetation restoration, especially the early vegetation restoration, after fires, is the premise and basis for the recovery of the ecological functions of the ecosystem. This paper reviewed the research progress on the factors affecting the vegetation restoration after fires in wetlands. The vegetation restoration after fires in cold temperate wetlands was controlled by the fire intensity, fire size, vegetation types before fires, regeneration characteristics of plant species, and site conditions. It was considered that the long-term monitoring on the post-fire vegetation restoration in cold temperate wetland, the key factors affecting the vegetation restoration, the roles of frozen soil layer on the post-fire vegetation restoration, and the theories and technologies on the vegetation restoration would be the main research directions in the future.

  12. Factors affecting the sustainability of solid waste management system-the case of Palestine.

    PubMed

    Al-Khateeb, Ammar J; Al-Sari, Majed I; Al-Khatib, Issam A; Anayah, Fathi

    2017-02-01

    Understanding the predictors of sustainability in solid waste management (SWM) systems can significantly contribute to eliminate many waste management problems. In this paper, the sustainability elements of SWM systems of interest are (1) attitudes toward separation at the source, (2) behaviour regarding reuse and/or recycling and (3) willingness to pay for an improved service of SWM. The predictors affecting these three elements were studied in two Palestinian cities: Ramallah and Jericho. The data were collected via structured questionnaires and direct interviews with the respondents, and the analysis utilized a logistic regression model. The results showed that the place of residence and dwelling premises are the significant factors influencing attitudes toward separation at the source; the place of residence and age are the significant factors explaining behaviour regarding reuse and/or recycling; while the dwelling premises, gender, level of education and being received education on waste management are the significant factors affecting willingness to pay for an improved service of SWM.

  13. Factors that affect the flow of patients through triage.

    PubMed

    Lyons, Melinda; Brown, Ruth; Wears, Robert

    2007-02-01

    To use observational methods to objectively evaluate the organisation of triage and what issues may affect the effectiveness of the process. A two-phase study comprising observation of 16 h of triage in a London hospital emergency department and interviews with the triage staff to build a qualitative task analysis and study protocol for phase 2; observation and timing in triage for 1870 min including 257 patients and for 16 different members of the triage staff. No significant difference was found between grades of staff for the average triage time or the fraction of time absent from triage. In all, 67% of the time spent absent from triage was due to escorting patients into the department. The average time a patient waited in the reception before triage was 13 min 34 s; the average length of time to triage for a patient was 4 min 17 s. A significant increase in triage time was found when patients were triaged to a specialty, expected by a specialty, or were actively "seen and treated" in triage. Protocols to prioritise patients with potentially serious conditions to the front of the queue had a significantly positive effect on their waiting time. Supplementary tasks and distractions had varying effects on the timely assessment and triage of patients. The human factors method is applicable to the triage process and can identify key factors that affect the throughput at triage. Referring a patient to a specialty at triage affects significantly the triage workload; hence, alternative methods or management should be suggested. The decision to offer active treatment at triage increases the time taken, and should be based on clinical criteria and the workload determined by staffing levels. The proportion of time absent from triage could be markedly improved by support from porters or other non-qualified staff, as well as by proceduralised handovers from triage to the main clinical area. Triage productivity could be improved by all staff by becoming aware of the effect of

  14. Internal and external environmental factors affecting the performance of hospital-based home nursing care.

    PubMed

    Noh, J-W; Kwon, Y-D; Yoon, S-J; Hwang, J-I

    2011-06-01

    Numerous studies on HNC services have been carried out by signifying their needs, efficiency and effectiveness. However, no study has ever been performed to determine the critical factors associated with HNC's positive results despite the deluge of positive studies on the service. This study included all of the 89 training hospitals that were practising HNC service in Korea as of November 2006. The input factors affecting the performance were classified as either internal or external environmental factors. This analysis was conducted to understand the impact that the corresponding factors had on performance. Data were analysed by using multiple linear regressions. The internal and external environment variables affected the performance of HNC based on univariate analysis. The meaningful variables were internal environmental factors. Specifically, managerial resource (the number of operating beds and the outpatient/inpatient ratio) were meaningful when the multiple linear regression analysis was performed. Indeed, the importance of organizational culture (the passion of HNC nurses) was significant. This study, considering the limited market size of Korea, illustrates that the critical factor for the development of hospital-led HNC lies with internal environmental factors rather than external ones. Among the internal environmental factors, the hospitals' managerial resource-related factors (specifically, the passion of nurses) were the most important contributing element. © 2011 The Authors. International Nursing Review © 2011 International Council of Nurses.

  15. An Investigation of Relationships between Internal and External Factors Affecting Technology Integration in Classrooms

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hur, Jung Won; Shannon, David; Wolf, Sara

    2016-01-01

    Various factors affecting technology integration have been identified, but little research has examined the relationships between factors, especially internal and external ones, and whether they directly or indirectly influenced each other. To fill this research gap, this study examined the significance and relationships of five factors…

  16. FACTORS AFFECTING SUSCEPTIBILITY OF THE CORAL MONTASTRAEA FAVEOLATE TO BLACK-BAND DISEASE

    EPA Science Inventory

    Black-band disease affects many species of tropical reef-building corals, but it is unclear what factors contribute to the disease-susceptibility of individual corals or how the disease is transmitted between colonies. Studies have suggested that the ability of black-band disease...

  17. Commentary on factors affecting transverse vibration using an idealized theoretical equation

    Treesearch

    Joseph F. Murphy

    2000-01-01

    An idealized theoretical equation to calculate flexural stiffness using transverse vibration of a simply end-supported beam is being considered by the American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM) Wood Committee D07 to determine lumber modulus of elasticity. This commentary provides the user a quantitative view of six factors that affect the accuracy of using the...

  18. Factors Affecting the Identification of Research Problems in Educational Administration Studies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yalçin, Mikail; Bektas, Fatih; Öztekin, Özge; Karadag, Engin

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to reveal the factors that affect the identification of research problems in educational administration studies. The study was designed using the case study method. Criterion sampling was used to determine the work group; the criterion used to select the participants was that of having a study in the field of…

  19. System-Level Evaluation: Language and Other Background Factors Affecting Mathematics Achievement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Howie, Sarah

    2005-01-01

    The aim of this study is to describe and to explore the main factors affecting the performance of South African pupils in the mathematics test of the Third International Mathematics and Science Study-Repeat (TIMSS-R). The first objective was to describe the performance of the pupils in the mathematics test, the pupils' proficiency in English, as…

  20. Factors affecting physicians' responses to patients' requests for antidepressants: focus group study.

    PubMed

    Tentler, Aleksey; Silberman, Jordan; Paterniti, Debora A; Kravitz, Richard L; Epstein, Ronald M

    2008-01-01

    The ways in which patients' requests for antidepressants affect physicians' prescribing behavior are poorly understood. To describe physicians' affective and cognitive responses to standardized patients' (SPs) requests for antidepressants, as well as the attitudinal and contextual factors influencing prescribing behavior. Focus group interviews and brief demographic questionnaires. Twenty-two primary care physicians in 6 focus groups; all had participated in a prior RCT of the influence of patients' requests on physicians' prescribing. Iterative review of interview transcripts, involving qualitative coding and thematic analysis. Physicians participating in the focus groups were frequently unaware of and denied the degree to which their thinking was biased by patient requests, but were able to recognize such biases after facilitated reflection. Common affective responses included annoyance and empathy. Common cognitive reactions resulted in further diagnostic inquiry or in acquiescing to the patient's demands to save time or build the patient-clinician relationship. Patients' requests for medication prompted the participants to err on the side of overtreating versus careful review of clinical indications. Lack of time and participants' attitudes--toward the role of the patient and the pharmaceutical ads--also influenced their responses, prompting them to interpret patient requests as diagnostic clues or opportunities for efficiency. This study provides a taxonomy of affective and cognitive responses to patients' requests for medications and the underlying attitudes and contextual factors influencing them. Improved capacity for moment-to-moment self-awareness during clinical reasoning processes may increase the appropriateness of prescribing.

  1. Patient and disease factors affecting the choice and adherence to active surveillance.

    PubMed

    Dall'Era, Marc A

    2015-05-01

    Treatment decisions for low-risk prostate cancer are arguably some of the most challenging in oncology. Active surveillance has emerged as an important option for many men with tumors estimated to have a low metastatic potential. Multiple complex patient and physician factors affect the recommendation, selection, and adherence to active surveillance. While baseline clinical criteria are used to identify candidates for this approach, it is important to identify and understand other forces that may influence the management of prostate cancer with active surveillance. Patient perceptions and acceptance of active surveillance have improved over time. Treatment decisions for prostate cancer are strongly associated with physician recommendations, and a high-quality relationship between the patient and his healthcare system is critical to successful active surveillance. Patient understanding of prostate cancer and consistency of information received from separate physicians can affect a decision to pursue active surveillance. Psychological symptoms, most notably regarding anxiety and distress, can affect adherence to active surveillance over time. In general, anxiety for men on active surveillance is low, and lifestyle interventions and self-management strategies may be helpful for increasing quality of life and limiting abandonment of active surveillance in the absence of disease progression. Multiple factors may affect the decision for and adherence to active surveillance for prostate cancer. It is important for both physicians and patients to be aware of these issues and work towards individualized approaches and interventions as needed to increase adoption of active surveillance in the future.

  2. Turkish nurses' assessments of their power and the factors that affect it.

    PubMed

    Basaran, Seher; Duygulu, Sergul

    2015-11-01

    To explore nurses' self-assessments of power and their opinions regarding factors affecting power in Turkey using a cross-sectional, descriptive study. In order to safely and cost-effectively care for patients, nurses must perceive themselves as powerful and have the use and control of power resources. The study sample consisted of 297 nurses in six hospitals: two government hospitals, two university hospitals and two private hospitals. Data were collected using the Demographic Data Form and Power Question Form. Nurses regarded themselves as 'quite powerful' regarding persuasion (53.2%) and referent power (43.4%). Many nurses also regarded themselves as having positional power and 'quite powerful' regarding, reward (44.1%) and legitimate power (34.7%). Nurses saw themselves as least powerful in resource power (48.1%). Individual, educational and organisational factors were the main factors affecting personal and positional power sources. Turkish nurses regarded themselves as above average on being powerful in both the personal and positional power base but not in resource power. We recommend that nurses, educators and managers develop strategies to support nurses' power as a way to enhance the patient care outcomes. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  3. Factors affecting economies of scale in combined sewer systems.

    PubMed

    Maurer, Max; Wolfram, Martin; Anja, Herlyn

    2010-01-01

    A generic model is introduced that represents the combined sewer infrastructure of a settlement quantitatively. A catchment area module first calculates the length and size distribution of the required sewer pipes on the basis of rain patterns, housing densities and area size. These results are fed into the sewer-cost module in order to estimate the combined sewer costs of the entire catchment area. A detailed analysis of the relevant input parameters for Swiss settlements is used to identify the influence of size on costs. The simulation results confirm that an economy of scale exists for combined sewer systems. This is the result of two main opposing cost factors: (i) increased construction costs for larger sewer systems due to larger pipes and increased rain runoff in larger settlements, and (ii) lower costs due to higher population and building densities in larger towns. In Switzerland, the more or less organically grown settlement structures and limited land availability emphasise the second factor to show an apparent economy of scale. This modelling approach proved to be a powerful tool for understanding the underlying factors affecting the cost structure for water infrastructures.

  4. Maternal and Neonatal Birth Factors Affecting the Age of ASD Diagnosis.

    PubMed

    Darcy-Mahoney, Ashley; Minter, Bonnie; Higgins, Melinda; Guo, Ying; Zauche, Lauren Head; Hirst, Jessica

    2016-12-01

    Early diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) enables early intervention that improves long term functioning of children with ASD but is often delayed until age of school entry. Few studies have identified factors that affect timely diagnosis. This study addressed how maternal education, race, age, marital status as well as neonatal birth factors affect the age at which a child is diagnosed with ASD. This study involved a retrospective analysis of 664 records of children treated at one of the largest autism treatment centers in the United States from March 1, 2009 to December 30, 2010. Logistic regression and Cox proportional hazards regression were used to identify maternal and neonatal factors associated with age of diagnosis. Infant gender, maternal race, marital status, and maternal age were identified as significant factors for predicting the age of ASD diagnosis. In the Cox proportional hazards regression model, only maternal race and marital status were included. Median survival age till diagnosis of children born to married mothers was 53.4 months compared to 57.8 months and 63.7 months of children born to single and divorced or widowed mothers respectively. Median survival age till diagnosis for children of African American mothers was 53.8 months compared to 57.2 months for children of Caucasian mothers. No statistically significant difference of timing of ASD diagnosis was found for children of varying gestational age. Children born to older or married mothers and mothers of minority races were more likely to have an earlier ASD diagnosis. No statistically significant differences in timing of ASD diagnosis were found for children born at varying gestational ages. Identification of these factors has the potential to inform public health outreach aimed at promoting timely ASD diagnosis. This work could enhance clinical practice for timelier diagnoses of ASD by supporting parents and clinicians around the world in identifying risk factors beyond gender

  5. Factors affecting injury severity of vehicle occupants following road traffic collisions.

    PubMed

    Abu-Zidan, Fikri M; Eid, Hani O

    2015-01-01

    We aimed to define factors affecting injury severity of vehicle occupants following road traffic collisions (RTC). 422 vehicle occupants (343 males, 81.3%) with RTC-related injuries were prospectively studied over 18 months. General linear model was used to test the effect of age, gender, alcohol and drug use, time of injury, mechanism of injury, size and speed of the vehicle, position in the vehicle, seatbelt usage, and air bag deployment on the Injury Severity Score (ISS) of the vehicle occupants. The mean (range) age of patients was 28.2 (1-78) years and the mean (range) ISS was 7.9 (1-50). Front impact was the most common mechanism of injury (32.9%) followed by rollover (25.6%) and side impact (22.3%). 18.2% used seatbelts. The general linear model was highly significant and showed that mechanism of injury (p<0.0001), speed of the vehicle (p=0.02), and age of the vehicle occupant (p=0.03) significantly affected the Injury Severity Score. The mechanism of the RTC, the vehicle speed, and age of the vehicle occupant are the most important factors affecting the severity of road traffic collision injuries. A detailed history of the mechanism of injury is important for alerting clinicians to severity of injury, the need for admission, and workup of the patients. Furthermore, strict speed limit enforcement is an injury prevention priority in our community. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Factors affecting frequency and orbit utilization by high power transmission satellite systems.

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kuhns, P. W.; Miller, E. F.; O'Malley, T. A.

    1972-01-01

    The factors affecting the sharing of the geostationary orbit by high power (primarily television) satellite systems having the same or adjacent coverage areas and by satellites occupying the same orbit segment are examined and examples using the results of computer computations are given. The factors considered include: required protection ratio, receiver antenna patterns, relative transmitter power, transmitter antenna patterns, satellite grouping, and coverage pattern overlap. The results presented indicate the limits of system characteristics and orbit deployment which can result from mixing systems.

  7. Factors affecting frequency and orbit utilization by high power transmission satellite systems

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kuhns, P. W.; Miller, E. F.; Malley, T. A.

    1972-01-01

    The factors affecting the sharing of the geostationary orbit by high power (primarily television) satellite systems having the same or adjacent coverage areas and by satellites occupying the same orbit segment are examined and examples using the results of computer computations are given. The factors considered include: required protection ratio, receiver antenna patterns, relative transmitter power, transmitter antenna patterns, satellite grouping, and coverage pattern overlap. The results presented indicated the limits of system characteristics and orbit deployment which can result from mixing systems.

  8. Analysis of Factors that Affect the Teacher Certification Exam Results in a University System in Puerto Rico

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Garofalo, Jorge H.

    2009-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to analyze the factors that affect a teacher preparation exam results within a University System in Puerto Rico. Using Bertalanffy's System Theory as theoretical framework, this mixed methods study examined factors in the university system that could have affected student's preparation for a teacher exam (PCMAS by its…

  9. Factors Affecting the Full Use of Library and Information Management Systems by Library Personnel

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Skretas, Georgios

    2005-01-01

    Purpose: To provide a general list of factors that affects and determines the full use of library information management systems (LIMS) by library staff. Design/methodology/approach: The factors, which were identified mainly during participation in the implementation of automation projects in Greece, are listed and briefly analysed in categories…

  10. ACCELEROMETERS IN FLOW FIELDS: A STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS OF THE CHOPPED DUMMY INPILE TUBE

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

    Howard, T. K.; Marcum, W. R.; Latimer, G. D.

    2016-06-01

    Four tests characterizing the structural response of the Chopped-Dummy In-Pile tube (CDIPT) experiment design were measured in the Hydro-Mechanical Fuel Test Facility (HMFTF). Four different test configurations were tried. These configurations tested the pressure drop and flow impact of various plate configurations and flow control orifices to be used later at different reactor power levels. Accelerometers were placed on the test vehicle and flow simulation housing. A total of five accelerometers were used with one on the top and bottom of the flow simulator and vehicle, and one on the outside of the flow simulator. Data were collected at amore » series of flow rates for 5 seconds each at an acquisition rate of 2 kHz for a Nyquist frequency of 1 kHz. The data were then analyzed using a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) algorithm. The results show very coherent vibrations of the CDIPT experiment on the order of 50 Hz in frequency and 0.01 m/s2 in magnitude. The coherent vibrations, although small in magnitude pose a potential design problem if the frequencies coincide with the natural frequency of the fueled plates or test vehicle. The accelerometer data was integrated and combined to create a 3D trace of the experiment during the test. The merits of this data as well as further anomalies and artifacts are also discussed as well as their relation to the instrumentation and experiment design.« less

  11. Resolution V fractional factorial design for screening of factors affecting weakly basic drugs liposomal systems.

    PubMed

    Nageeb El-Helaly, Sara; Habib, Basant A; Abd El-Rahman, Mohamed K

    2018-07-01

    This study aims to investigate factors affecting weakly basic drugs liposomal systems. Resolution V fractional factorial design (2 V 5-1 ) is used as an example of screening designs that would better be used as a wise step before proceeding with detailed factors effects or optimization studies. Five factors probable to affect liposomal systems of weakly basic drugs were investigated using Amisulpride as a model drug. Factors studied were; A: Preparation technique B: Phosphatidyl choline (PhC) amount (mg) C: Cholesterol: PhC molar ratio, D: Hydration volume (ml) and E: Sonication type. Levels investigated were; Ammonium sulphate-pH gradient technique or Transmembrane zinc chelation-pH gradient technique, 200 or 400 mg, 0 or 0.5, 10 or 20 ml and bath or probe sonication for A, B, C, D and E respectively. Responses measured were Particle size (PS) (nm), Zeta potential (ZP) (mV) and Entrapment efficiency percent (EE%). Ion selective electrode was used as a novel method for measuring unentrapped drug concentration and calculating entrapment efficiency without the need for liposomal separation. Factors mainly affecting the studied responses were Cholesterol: PhC ratio and hydration volume for PS, preparation technique for ZP and preparation technique and hydration volume for EE%. The applied 2 V 5-1 design enabled the use of only 16 trial combinations for screening the influence of five factors on weakly basic drugs liposomal systems. This clarifies the value of the use of screening experiments before extensive investigation of certain factors in detailed optimization studies. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Study of factors affecting the appearance of colors under microscopes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zakizadeh, Roshanak; Martinez-Garcia, Juan; Raja, Kiran B.; Siakidis, Christos

    2013-11-01

    The variation of colors in microscopy systems can be quite critical for some users. To address this problem, a study is conducted to analyze how different factors such as size of the sample, intensity of the microscope's light source and the characteristics of the material like chroma and saturation can affect the color appearance through the eyepiece of the microscope. To study the changes in colors considering these factors, the spectral reflectance of 24 colors of GretagMacbeth Classic ColorChecker® and Mini ColorChecker® which are placed under a Nikon ECLIPSE MA200 microscope®2 using dark filed and bright field illuminations which result in different intensity levels, is measured using a spectroradiometer®3 which was placed in front of the eyepiece of the microscope. The results are compared with the original data from N. Ohta1. The evaluation is done by observing the shift in colors in the CIE 1931 Chromaticity Diagram and the CIELAB space, also by applying a wide set of color-difference formulas, namely: CIELAB, CMC, BFD, CIE94, CIEDE2000, DIN99d and DIN99b. Furthermore, to emphasize on the color regions in which the highest difference is observed, the authors have obtained the results from another microscope; Olympus SZX10®4, which in this case the measurement is done by mounting the spectroradiometer to the camera port of the microscope. The experiment leads to some interesting results, among which is the consistency in the highest difference observed considering different factors or how the change in saturation of the samples of the same hue can affect the results.

  13. A holistic approach to factors affecting depression in haemodialysis patients.

    PubMed

    Gerogianni, Georgia; Kouzoupis, Anastasios; Grapsa, Eirini

    2018-05-19

    Depression in dialysis populations is affected by co-morbid diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and immune dysfunction, and it also includes high suicide risk and frequent hospitalizations. Depressive disorders have a close association with malnutrition and chronic inflammation, as well as with cognitive impairment. Impaired cognitive function may be manifested as low adherence to dialysis treatment, leading to malnutrition. Additionally, chronic pain and low quality of sleep lead to high rates of depressive symptoms in haemodialysis patients, while an untreated depression can cause sleep disturbances and increased mortality risk. Depression can also lead to sexual dysfunction and non-adherence, while unemployment can cause depressive disorders, due to patients' feelings of being a financial burden on their family. The present review provides a holistic approach to the factors affecting depression in haemodialysis, offering significant knowledge to renal professionals.

  14. Factors Affecting Accent Acquisition: The Case of Russian Immigrants in Israel

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Abu-Rabia, Salim; Iliyan, Salman

    2011-01-01

    A debate centers on whether the native accent is acquired early in life or whether it can be acquired at any time. This study investigated factors that may affect native accent acquisition in a second language. Participants in this study were 50 Russians who immigrated to Israel, 17 males and 33 females. Their age on arrival was 5 to 25 years.…

  15. Factors Affecting the Identification of Hispanic English Language Learners in Special Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Becker, Gail I.

    2012-01-01

    This qualitative phenomenological study revealed factors affecting the overrepresentation of Hispanic English language learners (ELLs) in special education. An analysis of the lived experiences of school professionals indicate multiple causes that determine students to be disabled often in violation of state and federal guidelines. Child study…

  16. Straight and chopped dc performance data for a Prestolite MTC-4001 motor and a general electric EV-1 controller

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Edie, P. C.

    1981-01-01

    Performance data on the Prestolite MTC-4001 series wound dc motor and General Electric EV-1 Chopper Controller is supplied for the electric vehicle manufacturer. Data are provided for both straight and chopped dc input to the motor, at 2 motor temperature levels. Testing was done at 6 voltage increments to the motor, and 2 voltage increments to the controller. Data results are presented in both tabular and graphical forms. Tabular information includes motor voltage and current input data, motor speed and torque output data, power data and temperature data. Graphical information includes torque-speed, motor power output-speed, torque-current, and efficiency-speed plots under the various operating conditions. The data resulting from this testing show the speed-torque plots to have the most variance with operating temperature. The maximum motor efficiency is between 76% and 82%, regardless of temperature or mode of operation.

  17. Process optimization for enhancing production of cis-4-hydroxy-L-proline by engineered Escherichia coli.

    PubMed

    Chen, Kequan; Pang, Yang; Zhang, Bowen; Feng, Jiao; Xu, Sheng; Wang, Xin; Ouyang, Pingkai

    2017-11-22

    Understanding the bioprocess limitations is critical for the efficient design of biocatalysts to facilitate process feasibility and improve process economics. In this study, a proline hydroxylation process with recombinant Escherichia coli expressing L-proline cis-4-hydroxylase (SmP4H) was investigated. The factors that influencing the metabolism of microbial hosts and process economics were focused on for the optimization of cis-4-hydroxy-L-proline (CHOP) production. In recombinant E. coli, SmP4H synthesis limitation was observed. After the optimization of expression system, CHOP production was improved in accordance with the enhanced SmP4H synthesis. Furthermore, the effects of the regulation of proline uptake and metabolism on whole-cell catalytic activity were investigated. The improved CHOP production by repressing putA gene responsible for L-proline degradation or overexpressing L-proline transporter putP on CHOP production suggested the important role of substrate uptake and metabolism on the whole-cell biocatalyst efficiency. Through genetically modifying these factors, the biocatalyst activity was significantly improved, and CHOP production was increased by twofold. Meanwhile, to further improve process economics, a two-strain coupling whole-cell system was established to supply co-substrate (α-ketoglutarate, α-KG) with a cheaper chemical L-glutamate as a starting material, and 13.5 g/L of CHOP was successfully produced. In this study, SmP4H expression, and L-proline uptake and degradation, were uncovered as the hurdles for microbial production of CHOP. Accordingly, the whole-cell biocatalysts were metabolically engineered for enhancing CHOP production. Meanwhile, a two-strain biotransformation system for CHOP biosynthesis was developed aiming at supplying α-KG more economically. Our work provided valuable insights into the design of recombinant microorganism to improve the biotransformation efficiency that catalyzed by Fe

  18. Factors affecting recovery from work-related, low back disorders in autoworkers.

    PubMed

    Oleske, Denise M; Neelakantan, Janani; Andersson, Gunnar B; Hinrichs, Bradley G; Lavender, Steven A; Morrissey, Mary J; Zold-Kilbourn, Phyllis; Taylor, Emily

    2004-08-01

    To simultaneously evaluate personal, medical, and job factors that could affect recovery from work-related, low back disorders, specifically focusing on an active working sample. Observational, longitudinal study. Two US automotive plants. Employees (N=352; 289 men, 63 women; mean age +/- standard deviation, 45.1+/-7.5 y) who were active hourly autoworkers, diagnosed with work-related, low back disorder by the plant's medical department. Not applicable. Oswestry Disability Questionnaire for back pain was used to evaluate recovery. Factors associated with better recovery were lower stress levels (P<.001) and exercise or physical activity outside work (P<.001); factors associated with higher disability levels over time were current cigarette smoking (P<.01) and bedrest (P<.001). Personal modifiable factors are major influences in the recovery from work-related, low back disorders, even in active working populations. Interventions aimed at increasing exercise and decreasing stress should also be considered as a part of rehabilitation in employed persons with low levels of disability.

  19. Factors affecting access to healthcare services by intermarried Filipino women in rural Tasmania: a qualitative study.

    PubMed

    Hannah, Chona T; Lê, Quynh

    2012-10-01

    Access to health care services is vital for every migrant's health and wellbeing. However, migrants' cultural health beliefs and views can hinder their ability to access available services. This study examined factors affecting access to healthcare services for intermarried Filipino women in rural Tasmania, Australia. A qualitative approach using semi-structured interviews was employed to investigate the factors affecting access to healthcare services for 30 intermarried Filipino women in rural Tasmania. The study used grounded theory and thematic analysis for its data analysis. Nvivo v8 (www.qsrinternational.com) was also used to assist the data coding process and analysis. Five influencing factors were identified: (1) language or communication barriers; (2) area of origin in the Philippines; (3) cultural barriers; (4) length of stay in Tasmania; and (5) expectations of healthcare services before and after migration. Factors affecting intermarried Filipino women in accessing healthcare services are shaped by their socio-demographic and cultural background. The insights gained from this study are useful to health policy-makers, healthcare professionals and to intermarried female migrants. The factors identified can serve as a guide to improve healthcare access for Filipino women and other migrants.

  20. Multiple Weather Factors Affect Apparent Survival of European Passerine Birds

    PubMed Central

    Salewski, Volker; Hochachka, Wesley M.; Fiedler, Wolfgang

    2013-01-01

    Weather affects the demography of animals and thus climate change will cause local changes in demographic rates. In birds numerous studies have correlated demographic factors with weather but few of those examined variation in the impacts of weather in different seasons and, in the case of migrants, in different regions. Using capture-recapture models we correlated weather with apparent survival of seven passerine bird species with different migration strategies to assess the importance of selected facets of weather throughout the year on apparent survival. Contrary to our expectations weather experienced during the breeding season did not affect apparent survival of the target species. However, measures for winter severity were associated with apparent survival of a resident species, two short-distance/partial migrants and a long-distance migrant. Apparent survival of two short distance migrants as well as two long-distance migrants was further correlated with conditions experienced during the non-breeding season in Spain. Conditions in Africa had statistically significant but relatively minor effects on the apparent survival of the two long-distance migrants but also of a presumably short-distance migrant and a short-distance/partial migrant. In general several weather effects independently explained similar amounts of variation in apparent survival for the majority of species and single factors explained only relatively low amounts of temporal variation of apparent survival. Although the directions of the effects on apparent survival mostly met our expectations and there are clear predictions for effects of future climate we caution against simple extrapolations of present conditions to predict future population dynamics. Not only did weather explains limited amounts of variation in apparent survival, but future demographics will likely be affected by changing interspecific interactions, opposing effects of weather in different seasons, and the potential for

  1. Factors Affecting the Inclusion Potency for Acicular Ferrite Nucleation in High-Strength Steel Welds

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kang, Yongjoon; Jeong, Seonghoon; Kang, Joo-Hee; Lee, Changhee

    2016-06-01

    Factors affecting the inclusion potency for acicular ferrite nucleation in high-strength weld metals were investigated and the contribution of each factor was qualitatively evaluated. Two kinds of weld metals with different hardenabilities were prepared, in both, MnTi2O4-rich spinel formed as the predominant inclusion phase. To evaluate the factors determining the inclusion potency, the inclusion characteristics of size, phase distribution in the multiphase inclusion, orientation relationship with ferrite, and Mn distribution near the inclusion were analyzed. Three factors affecting the ferrite nucleation potency of inclusions were evaluated: the Baker-Nutting (B-N) orientation relationship between ferrite and the inclusion; the formation of an Mn-depleted zone (MDZ) near the inclusion; and the strain energy around the inclusion. Among these, the first two factors were found to be the most important. In addition, it was concluded that the increased chemical driving force brought about by the formation of an MDZ contributed more to the formation of acicular ferrite in higher-strength weld metals, because the B-N orientation relationship between ferrite and the inclusion was less likely to form as the transformation temperature decreased.

  2. Factors affecting coastal wetland loss and restoration

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Cahoon, D.R.; Phillips, S.W.

    2007-01-01

    Opening paragraph: Tidal and nontidal wetlands in the Chesapeake Bay watershed provide vital hydrologic, water-quality, and ecological functions. Situated at the interface of land and water, these valuable habitats are vulnerable to alteration and loss by human activities including direct conversion to non-wetland habitat by dredge-and-fill activities from land development, and to the effects of excessive nutrients, altered hydrology and runoff, contaminants, prescribed fire management, and invasive species. Processes such as sea-level rise and climate change also impact wetlands. Although local, State, and Federal regulations provide for protection of wetland resources, the conversion and loss of wetland habitats continue in the Bay watershed. Given the critical values of wetlands, the Chesapeake 2000 Agreement has a goal to achieve a net gain in wetlands by restoring 25,000 acres of tidal and nontidal wetlands by 2010. The USGS has synthesized findings on three topics: (1) sea-level rise and wetland loss, (2) wetland restoration, and (3) factors affecting wetland diversity.

  3. Assessing Cognitive and Affective Empathy Through the Interpersonal Reactivity Index: An Argument Against a Two-Factor Model.

    PubMed

    Chrysikou, Evangelia G; Thompson, W Jake

    2016-12-01

    One aspect of higher order social cognition is empathy, a psychological construct comprising a cognitive (recognizing emotions) and an affective (responding to emotions) component. The complex nature of empathy complicates the accurate measurement of these components. The most widely used measure of empathy is the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI). However, the factor structure of the IRI as it is predominantly used in the psychological literature differs from Davis's original four-factor model in that it arbitrarily combines the subscales to form two factors: cognitive and affective empathy. This two-factor model of the IRI, although popular, has yet to be examined for psychometric support. In the current study, we examine, for the first time, the validity of this alternative model. A confirmatory factor analysis showed poor model fit for this two-factor structure. Additional analyses offered support for the original four-factor model, as well as a hierarchical model for the scale. In line with previous findings, females scored higher on the IRI than males. Our findings indicate that the IRI, as it is currently used in the literature, does not accurately measure cognitive and affective empathy and highlight the advantages of using the original four-factor structure of the scale for empathy assessments. © The Author(s) 2015.

  4. Factors Affecting Physicians’ Responses to Patients’ Requests for Antidepressants: Focus Group Study

    PubMed Central

    Silberman, Jordan; Paterniti, Debora A.; Kravitz, Richard L.; Epstein, Ronald M.

    2007-01-01

    Background The ways in which patients’ requests for antidepressants affect physicians’ prescribing behavior are poorly understood. Objective To describe physicians’ affective and cognitive responses to standardized patients’ (SPs) requests for antidepressants, as well as the attitudinal and contextual factors influencing prescribing behavior. Design Focus group interviews and brief demographic questionnaires. Participants Twenty-two primary care physicians in 6 focus groups; all had participated in a prior RCT of the influence of patients’ requests on physicians’ prescribing. Measurements Iterative review of interview transcripts, involving qualitative coding and thematic analysis. Results Physicians participating in the focus groups were frequently unaware of and denied the degree to which their thinking was biased by patient requests, but were able to recognize such biases after facilitated reflection. Common affective responses included annoyance and empathy. Common cognitive reactions resulted in further diagnostic inquiry or in acquiescing to the patient’s demands to save time or build the patient–clinician relationship. Patients’ requests for medication prompted the participants to err on the side of overtreating versus careful review of clinical indications. Lack of time and participants’ attitudes—toward the role of the patient and the pharmaceutical ads—also influenced their responses, prompting them to interpret patient requests as diagnostic clues or opportunities for efficiency. Conclusions This study provides a taxonomy of affective and cognitive responses to patients’ requests for medications and the underlying attitudes and contextual factors influencing them. Improved capacity for moment-to-moment self-awareness during clinical reasoning processes may increase the appropriateness of prescribing. PMID:17987348

  5. Factors Affecting Christian Parents' School Choice Decision Processes: A Grounded Theory Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Prichard, Tami G.; Swezey, James A.

    2016-01-01

    This study identifies factors affecting the decision processes for school choice by Christian parents. Grounded theory design incorporated interview transcripts, field notes, and a reflective journal to analyze themes. Comparative analysis, including open, axial, and selective coding, was used to reduce the coded statements to five code families:…

  6. The Relationships among Adult Affective Factors, Engagement in Science, and Scientific Competencies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tsai, Chun-Yen; Li, Yuh-Yuh; Cheng, Ying-Yao

    2017-01-01

    This study investigated the relationship among adult affective factors, engagement in science, and scientific competencies. Probability proportional to size sampling was used to select 504 participants between the ages of 18 and 70 years. Data were collected through individual face-to-face interviews. The results of hierarchical regression…

  7. Factors Affecting the Happiness of Urban Elementary School Students: An Exploratory Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tenney, Jodiann K.

    2011-01-01

    The purpose of this transformative mixed methods study was to examine the school happiness of upper elementary students in three Connecticut urban demonstration schools. The study examined the differences in students' happiness based on ethnicity, gender, and their interaction. It also investigated the factors that affect students' happiness in…

  8. Factors Affecting Literacy Achievement of Eighth Grade Middle School Instrumental Music Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kurt, Johnny T.

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of this pretest-posttest comparative efficacy study was to analyze factors affecting literacy achievement of eighth grade middle school instrumental music students (n = 38) including (a) socioeconomic status (SES), (b) gender, (c) grade point average (GPA), (d) music motivation, (e) music involvement, and (f) instrument section. The…

  9. Factor affecting happiness among nursing students in South Korea.

    PubMed

    Jun, W H; Jo, M J

    2016-08-01

    WHAT IS KNOWN ON THE SUBJECT?: Despite the increased interest in nursing students' happiness in South Korea, few studies have attempted to identify factors influencing their happiness. Therefore, nursing educators should consistently investigate the factors influencing happiness and develop strategies to improve happiness among Korean nursing students. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS TO EXISTING KNOWLEDGE?: This study confirmed that there were positive correlations between grateful disposition, social support and happiness. In addition, grateful disposition and support from intimate people were identified as predictors of happiness in Korean nursing students. WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE?: Development of intervention programmes to help nursing students increase grateful disposition and support from intimate people may be helpful for improving happiness. These programmes can include activity, such as writing a gratitude journal, and extracurricular programmes, such as mentoring programmes between seniors and juniors and/or professor and student. Introduction Happiness is very important in the training and development of nursing students as future nurses. However, nursing students experience a high level of stress and low level of happiness in South Korea. Aim This study aimed to investigate factors that affect happiness among nursing students in South Korea. Method Data were collected from a total of 241 nursing enrolled in two 4-year baccalaureate nursing programmes in South Korea, using a self-administrated questionnaire. To identify predictors of happiness, stepwise regression analysis was conducted. Results The results indicated that grateful disposition and support from intimate people significantly predict happiness among Korean nursing students. These two factors accounted for 38.0% of the variance in happiness. Discussion This study indicated grateful disposition and support from intimate people as factors promoting happiness in nursing students. The findings

  10. Miscible blends of biobased poly(lactide) with poly(methyl methacrylate): Effects of chopped glass fiber incorporation

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

    Cousins, Dylan S.; Lowe, Corinne; Swan, Dana

    Poly(lactide) (PLA) and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) are melt compounded with chopped glass fiber using laboratory scale twin-screw extrusion. Physical properties are examined using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), tensile testing, impact testing, X-ray computed tomography (CT) scanning, and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). Molecular weight is determined using gel permeation chromatography (GPC). Miscibility of the blends is implied by the presence of a single glass transition temperature and homogeneous morphology. PLA/PMMA blends tend to show positive deviations from a simple linear mixing rule in their mechanical properties (e.g., tensile toughness, modulus, andmore » stress at break). The addition of 40 wt % glass fiber to the system dramatically increases physical properties. Across all blend compositions, the tensile modulus increases from roughly 3 GPa to roughly 10 GPa. Estimated heat distortion temperatures (HDTs) are also greatly enhanced; the pure PLA sample HDT increases from 75 degrees C to 135 degrees C. Fiber filled polymer blends represent a sustainable class of earth abundant materials which should prove useful across a range of applications.« less

  11. How social factors and behavioural strategies affect feeding and social interaction patterns in pigs.

    PubMed

    Boumans, Iris J M M; de Boer, Imke J M; Hofstede, Gert Jan; Bokkers, Eddie A M

    2018-04-26

    Animals living in groups compete for food resources and face food conflicts. These conflicts are affected by social factors (e.g. competition level) and behavioural strategies (e.g. avoidance). This study aimed to deepen our understanding of the complex interactions between social factors and behavioural strategies affecting feeding and social interaction patterns in animals. We focused on group-housed growing pigs, Sus scrofa, which typically face conflicts around the feeder, and of which patterns in various competitive environments (i.e. pig:feeder ratio) have been documented soundly. An agent-based model was developed to explore how interactions among social factors and behavioural strategies can affect various feeding and social interaction patterns differently under competitive situations. Model results show that pig and diet characteristics interact with group size and affect daily feeding patterns (e.g. feed intake and feeding time) and conflicts around the feeder. The level of competition can cause a turning point in feeding and social interaction patterns. Beyond a certain point of competition, meal-based (e.g. meal frequency) and social interaction patterns (e.g. displacements) are determined mainly by behavioural strategies. The average daily feeding time can be used to predict the group size at which this turning point occurs. Under the model's assumptions, social facilitation was relatively unimportant in the causation of behavioural patterns in pigs. To validate our model, simulated patterns were compared with empirical patterns in conventionally housed pigs. Similarities between empirical and model patterns support the model results. Our model can be used as a tool in further research for studying the effects of social factors and group dynamics on individual variation in feeding and social interaction patterns in pigs, as well as in other animal species. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Anthocyanin inhibits propidium iodide DNA fluorescence in Euphorbia pulcherrima: implications for genome size variation and flow cytometry.

    PubMed

    Bennett, Michael D; Price, H James; Johnston, J Spencer

    2008-04-01

    Measuring genome size by flow cytometry assumes direct proportionality between nuclear DNA staining and DNA amount. By 1997 it was recognized that secondary metabolites may affect DNA staining, thereby causing inaccuracy. Here experiments are reported with poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima) with green leaves and red bracts rich in phenolics. DNA content was estimated as fluorescence of propidium iodide (PI)-stained nuclei of poinsettia and/or pea (Pisum sativum) using flow cytometry. Tissue was chopped, or two tissues co-chopped, in Galbraith buffer alone or with six concentrations of cyanidin-3-rutinoside (a cyanidin-3-rhamnoglucoside contributing to red coloration in poinsettia). There were large differences in PI staining (35-70 %) between 2C nuclei from green leaf and red bract tissue in poinsettia. These largely disappeared when pea leaflets were co-chopped with poinsettia tissue as an internal standard. However, smaller (2.8-6.9 %) differences remained, and red bracts gave significantly lower 1C genome size estimates (1.69-1.76 pg) than green leaves (1.81 pg). Chopping pea or poinsettia tissue in buffer with 0-200 microm cyanidin-3-rutinoside showed that the effects of natural inhibitors in red bracts of poinsettia on PI staining were largely reproduced in a dose-dependent way by this anthocyanin. Given their near-ubiquitous distribution, many suspected roles and known affects on DNA staining, anthocyanins are a potent, potential cause of significant error variation in genome size estimations for many plant tissues and taxa. This has important implications of wide practical and theoretical significance. When choosing genome size calibration standards it seems prudent to select materials producing little or no anthocyanin. Reviewing the literature identifies clear examples in which claims of intraspecific variation in genome size are probably artefacts caused by natural variation in anthocyanin levels or correlated with environmental factors known to induce

  13. Factors affecting aggression in South Korean middle school students.

    PubMed

    Park, MiJeong; Choi, Jihea; Lim, Seung-Joo

    2014-12-01

    The study was undertaken to assess levels of aggression, and to determine factors affecting aggression among South Korean middle school students. A descriptive study was conducted using self-report questionnaires. The participants were 340 girls and boys from two middle schools and 302 questionnaires were used for the final data analysis. Aggression, academic stress, depression, self esteem, decision-making competency, and happiness were measured. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics including t tests, one-way analysis of variance, Pearson's correlation coefficients and multiple regressions. Aggression had significant correlations with academic stress (r = .21, p < .001), depression (r = .43, p < .001), self esteem (r = -.25, p < .001), decision-making competency (r = -.25, p < .001), and happiness (r = -.21, p < .001). Mean score for aggression was 2.49 out of 5. Significant explanatory variables for aggression were grade (t = 4.39, p < .001), academic stress (t = 2.78, p = .006), and depression (t = 5.03, p < .001). The explanatory power of these factors was 26.9%, and this was statistically significant (F = 16.06, p < .001). Findings indicate that depression, academic stress, and grade (second grade) influence aggression. To decrease aggressive behavior, it is necessary to provide systematic and political programs in schools and local communities that can ameliorate negative emotional factors like depression and academic stress. Additionally, development of positive factors such as self esteem, decision-making skills, and happiness in middle school students is important to reduce aggression. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  14. A Multivariate Evaluation of Factors Affecting the Quality of Freshly Frozen Tissue Specimens.

    PubMed

    Wang, Tong-Hong; Chen, Chin-Chuan; Liang, Kung-Hao; Chen, Chi-Yuan; Chuang, Wen-Yu; Ueng, Shir-Hwa; Chu, Pao-Hsien; Huang, Chung-Guei; Chen, Tse-Ching; Hsueh, Chuen

    2017-08-01

    Well-prepared and preserved freshly frozen specimens are indispensable materials for clinical studies. To manage specimen quality and to understand the factors potentially affecting specimen quality during preservation processes, we analyzed the quality of RNA and genomic DNA of various tissues collected between 2002 and 2011 in Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taiwan. During this period, a total of 1059 freshly frozen specimens from eight major cancer categories were examined. It was found that preservation duration, organ origin, and tissue type could all influence the quality of RNA samples. The increased preservation period correlated with decreased RNA quality; the brain, breast, and stomach RNA specimens displayed faster degradation rates than those of other organs, and RNA specimens isolated from tumor tissues were apparently more stable than those of other tissues. These factors could all be used as quality predictors of RNA quality. In contrast, almost all analyses revealed that the genomic DNA samples had good quality, which was not influenced by the aforementioned factors. The results assisted us in determining preservation factors that affect specimen quality, which could provide evidence for improving processes of sample collection and preservation. Furthermore, the results are also useful for researchers to adopt as the evaluation criteria for choosing specimen collection and preservation strategies.

  15. [Factors affecting maternal physical activities: an analysis based on the structural equation modeling].

    PubMed

    Liu, Yi; Luo, Bi-Ru

    2016-11-20

    To analyze the factors affecting maternal physical activities at different stages among pregnant women. Self-designed questionnaires were used to investigate the physical activities of women in different stages, including 650 in the first, 650 in the second, and 750 in the third trimester of pregnancy. The factors affecting maternal physical activities were analyzed using the structural equation model that comprised 4 latent variables (attitude, norm, behavioral attention and behavior) with observed variables that matched the latent variables. The participants ranged from 18 to 35 years of age. The women and their husbands, but not their mothers or mothers-in-law, were all well educated. The caregiver during pregnancy was mostly the mother followed by the husband. For traveling, the women in the first, second and third trimesters preferred walking, bus, and personal escort, respectively; the main physical activity was walking in all trimesters, and the women in different trimester were mostly sedentary, a greater intensity of exercise was associated with less exercise time. Structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis showed that the physical activities of pregnant women was affected by behavioral intention (with standardized regression coefficient of 0.372); attitude and subjective norms affected physical activity by indirectly influencing the behavior intention (standardized regression coefficients of 0.140 and 0.669). The pregnant women in different stages have inappropriate physical activities with insufficient exercise time and intensity. The subjective norms affects the physical activities of the pregnant women by influencing their attitudes and behavior intention indirectly, suggesting the need of health education of the caregivers during pregnancy.

  16. Response and survival benefit with chemoimmunotherapy in Epstein-Barr virus-positive diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.

    PubMed

    Beltran, Brady E; Quiñones, Pilar; Morales, Domingo; Malaga, Jose M; Chavez, Julio C; Sotomayor, Eduardo M; Castillo, Jorge J

    2018-02-01

    Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-positive diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is a haematologic malignancy with poor prognosis when treated with chemotherapy. We evaluated response and survival benefits of chemoimmunotherapy in EBV-positive DLBCL patients. A total of 117 DLBCL patients were included in our retrospective analysis; 33 were EBV-positive (17 treated with rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone [R-CHOP] and 16 with CHOP), and 84 were EBV-negative (all treated with R-CHOP). The outcomes of interest were complete response (CR) and overall survival (OS) in EBV-positive DLBCL patients (R-CHOP versus CHOP) and in DLBCL patients treated with R-CHOP (EBV-positive vs EBV-negative). There were no differences in the clinical characteristics between EBV-positive and EBV-negative DLBCL patients. Among EBV-positive DLBCL patients, R-CHOP was associated with higher odds of CR (OR 3.14, 95% CI 0.75-13.2; P = .10) and better OS (hazard ratio 0.30, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.09-0.94; P = .04). There were no differences in CR rate (OR 0.52, 95% CI 0.18-1.56; P = .25) or OS (hazard ratio 0.93, 95% CI 0.32-2.67; P = .89) between EBV-positive and EBV-negative DLBCL patients treated with R-CHOP. Based on our study, the addition of rituximab to CHOP is associated with improved response and survival in EBV-positive DLBCL patients. Epstein-Barr virus status does not seem to affect response or survival in DLBCL patients treated with R-CHOP. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  17. Basic Factors that Affect General Academic Motivation Levels of Candidate Preschool Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Celikoz, Nadir

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to investigate some personal and familial factors that affect overall academic motivation levels of candidate preschool teachers. The study group of this research consists of 285 students attending the child development and preschool education department at Selcuk University Faculty of Vocational Education in the…

  18. Factors affecting fixation of heavy metals in solidified/stabilized matrix: a review.

    PubMed

    Malviya, Rachana; Chaudhary, Rubina

    2010-07-01

    In this paper, an effort has been made to understand the factors, which affect fixation of heavy metals in solidified/stabilized matrix. Various aspects related to the solidification/stabilization of different heavy metals (Ar, Ba, Cu, Cr, Pb, Zn, Hg) are reviewed. A comparative study of different binders for the fixation of each metal has also been carried out to suggest the most suitable binder, pretreatment required for the metal. Valence, speciation, pH and other factors are also considered while reviewing metal retention capacity of different matrix.

  19. Factors affecting trip generation of motorcyclist for the purpose of non-mandatory activities

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Anggraini, Renni; Sugiarto, Sugiarto; Pramanda, Heru

    2017-11-01

    The inadequate facilities and limited access to public transport reflect many people using private vehicles, in particular, motorcycle. The motorcycle is most widely used in Indonesia, recently, including Aceh Province. As a result, the number of motorcycle ownership is increasing significantly. The increasing number of motorcycles leads to complex traffic problems. Several factors tend to affect the trip generation of the motorcyclist, i.e., the social demographics of individuals and families, accessibility, etc. This study aims to analyze the characteristics of motorcyclists for non-mandatory activities, i.e. activities other than to work and school. It also aims to determine the dominant factors that affect their trips through trip generation models. The required data consist of primary data and secondary data. Primary data consists of a home interview survey that collects individual's daily trips. It is conducted by distributing the questionnaires to 400 families residing in Lhokseumawe City. Modeling the trip generation of the motorcyclist is done by multiple linear regression analysis. Parameters calibration uses OLS (Ordinary Least Square) method. The results showed that the dominant variables that affect the trip generation of motorcyclist for non-mandatory activities are license ownership, housewife, school-age children, middle-income household, and lower education level. It can be concluded that some factors affecting trip generation to non-work activities were female motorcyclists from the middle-income household with lower education level. As their status is mostly as the housewife, escorting children to non-school activities seems to the mother's task, instead of the father. It is clear that, most female ride motorcycle for doing household tasks. However, it should be noted that the use of the motorcycle in long-term does not suit for sustainable transportation.

  20. Eating habits and factors affecting food choice of adolescents living in rural areas.

    PubMed

    Bargiota, Alexandra; Pelekanou, Maria; Tsitouras, Andreas; Koukoulis, Georgios N

    2013-01-01

    To establish factors that affect food choices among adolescents living in rural areas and to identify their food choices. A random sample of adolescents living in a Greek rural area (n=382) aged 12-18 years were individually interviewed. Food consumption was assessed by a semi-quantitative food-frequency questionnaire and adherence to the Mediterranean diet was evaluated using the KIDMED questionnaire. Information was collected regarding self-perceived body size, dieting, dietary knowledge, parental control, meal and snack frequency, eating out of home, eating takeaways and precooked meals, eating from the school canteen. Body image concerns, dieting, education about food, parental control, maternal education level and eating with family and peers are factors that were found to affect food choices in this group of Greek adolescents. The adherence to the Mediterranean diet was low (KIDMED index was 4.5±2.7). Regular family meals at home were frequent in this group and 99% of the adolescents ate lunch daily at home. Eating out with peers and eating from the school canteen was related with higher consumption of 'junk type of food'. Girls and younger adolescents and those whose mothers had a higher education level seem to make healthier choices. Factors such as personal issues, family and peer pressure significantly affect food choices among adolescents living in a Greek rural area and highlight the importance of implementing multilevel strategies to promote healthy eating among adolescents.

  1. Analyzing the Factors Affecting the Success in University Entrance Examination through the use of Artificial Neural Networks

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Agdelen, Zafer; Haydar, Ali; Kanani, Andisheh

    2007-01-01

    There are many factors that affect the success of students in university entrance examination. These factors can be mainly categorized as follows; social factors, environmental factors, economical factors etc. The main aim of this study is to find whether there is a relation between these factors and the success in the university entrance…

  2. Factors affecting hazardous waste solidification/stabilization: a review.

    PubMed

    Malviya, Rachana; Chaudhary, Rubina

    2006-09-01

    Solidification/stabilization is accepted as a well-established disposal technique for hazardous waste. As a result many different types of hazardous wastes are treated with different binders. The S/S products have different property from waste and binders individually. The effectiveness of S/S process is studied by physical, chemical and microstructural methods. This paper summarizes the effect of different waste stream such as heavy metals bearing sludge, filter cake, fly ash, and slag on the properties of cement and other binders. The factors affecting strength development is studied using mix designs, including metal bearing waste alters the hydration and setting time of binders. Pore structure depends on relative quantity of the constituents, cement hydration products and their reaction products with admixtures. Carbonation and additives can lead to strength improvement in waste-binder matrix.

  3. Factors affecting birth weight in sheep: maternal environment

    PubMed Central

    Gardner, D S; Buttery, P J; Daniel, Z; Symonds, M E

    2007-01-01

    Knowledge of factors affecting variation in birth weight is especially important given the relationship of birth weight to neonatal and adult health. The present study utilises two large contemporary datasets in sheep of differing breeds to explore factors that influence weight at term. For dataset one (Study 1; n = 154 Blue-faced Leicester×Swaledale (Mule) and 87 Welsh Mountain ewes, 315 separate cases of birth weight), lamb birth weight as the outcome measure was related to maternal characteristics and individual energy intake of the ewe during specified periods of gestation, i.e. early (1-30 days; term ∼147 days gestation), mid (31-80 days) or late (110-147 days) pregnancy. For dataset two (Study 2; n = 856 Mule ewes and 5821 cases of birth weight), we investigated using multilevel modelling the influence of ewe weight, parity, barrenness, lamb sex, litter size, lamb mortality and year of birth on lamb birth weight. For a subset of these ewes (n = 283), the effect of the ewes’ own birth weight was also examined. Interactions between combinations of variables were selectively investigated. Litter size, as expected, had the single greatest influence on birth weight with other significant effects being year of birth, maternal birth weight, maternal nutrition, sex of the lamb, ewe barrenness and maternal body composition at mating. The results of the present study have practical implications not only for sheep husbandry but also for the increased knowledge of factors that significantly influence variation in birth weight; as birth weight itself has become a significant predictor of later health outcomes. PMID:17244755

  4. Individual and School Factors Affecting Students' Participation and Success in Higher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shulruf, Boaz; Hattie, John; Tumen, Sarah

    2008-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to identify school factors that affect students' achievements at the secondary and tertiary levels of education. The analysis included data of 9,894 students who studied in Auckland regional secondary schools in 2004. The results indicate that, although student demographic characteristics are associated with students'…

  5. Critical Factors Affecting Students' Satisfaction with Higher Education in Sri Lanka

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Weerasinghe, I. M. S.; Fernando, R. L. S.

    2018-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this study is to explain critical factors affecting student satisfaction levels in selected state universities in Sri Lanka. Design/methodology/approach: The study has applied an quantitative survey design guided by six hypotheses. A conceptual framework has been developed to address the research questions on the basis of a…

  6. Factors That Affect Students' Capacity to Fulfill the Role of Online Learner

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Comer, Debra R.; Lenaghan, Janet A.; Sengupta, Kaushik

    2015-01-01

    Because most undergraduate students are digital natives, it is widely believed that they will succeed in online courses. But factors other than technology also affect students' ability to fulfill the role of online learner. Self-reported data from a sample of more than 200 undergraduates across multiple online courses indicate that students…

  7. A Study of Students' Attitude toward Teachers' Affective Factors in EFL Classrooms

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ranjbar, Nahid Amini; Narafshan, Mehry Haddad

    2016-01-01

    In any teaching-learning situation, teacher plays a significant role in the classroom. This study aimed at investigating the students' attitude toward teachers' affective factors in EFL classrooms. In this study, the students' population was 300 pre-intermediate (based on the institutes' placement test) female EFL students (10 to 25 years old) in…

  8. Exploring the factors affecting motorway accident severity in England using the generalised ordered logistic regression model.

    PubMed

    Michalaki, Paraskevi; Quddus, Mohammed A; Pitfield, David; Huetson, Andrew

    2015-12-01

    The severity of motorway accidents that occurred on the hard shoulder (HS) is higher than for the main carriageway (MC). This paper compares and contrasts the most important factors affecting the severity of HS and MC accidents on motorways in England. Using police reported accident data, the accidents that occurred on motorways in England are grouped into two categories (i.e., HS and MC) according to the location. A generalized ordered logistic regression model is then applied to identify the factors affecting the severity of HS and MC accidents on motorways. The factors examined include accident and vehicle characteristics, traffic and environment conditions, as well as other behavioral factors. Results suggest that the factors positively affecting the severity include: number of vehicles involved in the accident, peak-hour traffic time, and low visibility. Differences between HS and MC accidents are identified, with the most important being the involvement of heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) and driver fatigue, which are found to be more crucial in increasing the severity of HS accidents. Measures to increase awareness of HGV drivers regarding the risk of fatigue when driving on motorways, and especially the nearside lane, should be taken by the stakeholders. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  9. Variation of NEE and its affecting factors in a vineyard of arid region of northwest China

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Guo, W. H.; Kang, S. Z.; Li, F. S.; Li, S. E.

    2014-02-01

    To understand the variation of net ecosystem CO2 exchange (NEE) in orchard ecosystem and it's affecting factors, carbon flux was measured using eddy covariance system in a wine vineyard in arid northwest China during 2008-2010. Results show that vineyard NEE was positive value at the early growth stage, higher negative value at the mid-growth stage, and lower negative value at the later growth stage. Diurnal variation of NEE was "W" shaped curve in sunny day, but "U" shaped curve in cloudy day. Irrigation and pruning did not affect diurnal variation shape of NEE, however, irrigation reduced the difference between maximal and minimal value of NEE and pruning reduced the carbon sink capacity. The main factors affecting hourly NEE were canopy conductance (gc) and net radiation (Rn). The hourly NEE increased with the increase of gc or Rn when gc was less than 0.02 m·s-1 or Rn was between 0 and 200 W·m-2. The main factors affecting both daily and seasonal NEE were gc, air temperature (Ta), atmospheric CO2 density, vapour pressure deficit (VPD) and soil moisture content.

  10. Non-deployment factors affecting psychological wellbeing in military personnel: literature review.

    PubMed

    Brooks, Samantha K; Greenberg, Neil

    2018-02-01

    Most military mental health research focuses on the impact of deployment-related stress; less is known about how everyday work-related factors affect wellbeing. This systematic narrative literature review aimed to identify non-deployment-related factors contributing to the wellbeing of military personnel. Electronic literature databases were searched and the findings of relevant studies were used to explore non-deployment-related risk and resilience factors. Fifty publications met the inclusion criteria. Determinants of non-deployment stress were identified as: relationships with others (including leadership/supervisory support; social support/cohesion; harassment/discrimination) and role-related stressors (role conflict; commitment and effort-reward imbalance; work overload/job demands; family-related issues/work-life balance; and other factors including control/autonomy, physical work environment and financial strain). Factors positively impacting wellbeing (such as exercise) were also identified. The literature suggests that non-deployment stressors present a significant occupational health hazard in routine military environments and interpersonal relationships at work are of fundamental importance. Findings suggest that in order to protect the wellbeing of personnel and improve performance, military organisations should prioritise strengthening relationships between employees and their supervisors/colleagues. Recommendations for addressing these stressors in British military personnel were developed.

  11. A review on the factors affecting mite growth in stored grain commodities.

    PubMed

    Collins, D A

    2012-03-01

    A thorough review of the literature has identified the key factors and interactions that affect the growth of mite pests on stored grain commodities. Although many factors influence mite growth, the change and combinations of the physical conditions (temperature, relative humidity and/or moisture content) during the storage period are likely to have the greatest impact, with biological factors (e.g. predators and commodity) playing an important role. There is limited information on the effects of climate change, light, species interactions, local density dependant factors, spread of mycotoxins and action thresholds for mites. A greater understanding of these factors may identify alternative control techniques. The ability to predict mite population dynamics over a range of environmental conditions, both physical and biological, is essential in providing an early warning of mite infestations, advising when appropriate control measures are required and for evaluating control measures. This information may provide a useful aid in predicting and preventing mite population development as part of a risk based decision support system.

  12. Factors affecting job motivation among health workers: a study from Iran.

    PubMed

    Daneshkohan, Abbas; Zarei, Ehsan; Mansouri, Tahere; Maajani, Khadije; Ghasemi, Mehri Siyahat; Rezaeian, Mohsen

    2014-11-26

    Human resources are the most vital resource of any organizations which determine how other resources are used to accomplish organizational goals. This research aimed to identity factors affecting health workers' motivation in Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences (SBUMS). This is a cross-sectional survey conducted with participation of 212 health workers of Tehran health centers in November and December 2011. The data collection tool was a researcher-developed questionnaire that included 17 motivating factors and 6 demotivating factors and 8 questions to assess the current status of some factors. Validity and reliability of the tool were confirmed. Data were analyzed with descriptive and analytical statistical tests. The main motivating factors for health workers were good management, supervisors and managers' support and good working relationship with colleagues. On the other hand, unfair treatment, poor management and lack of appreciation were the main demotivating factors. Furthermore, 47.2% of health workers believed that existing schemes for supervision were unhelpful in improving their performance. Strengthening management capacities in health services can increase job motivation and improve health workers' performance. The findings suggests that special attention should be paid to some aspects such as management competencies, social support in the workplace, treating employees fairly and performance management practices, especially supervision and performance appraisal.

  13. Factors Affecting College-Going Rates in California: A Study Prospectus. Working Paper WP/06-09

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    California Postsecondary Education Commission, 2006

    2006-01-01

    This working paper announces a report proposed by the California Postsecondary Education Commission to conduct a further statistical study on the factors affecting college-going rates in California. These factors would include school demographics, neighborhood characteristics, and regional labor market forces. Such a study could reveal insights…

  14. Exploring factors affecting owners' trust of contractors in construction projects: a case of China.

    PubMed

    Tai, Shuangliang; Sun, Chengshuang; Zhang, Shoujian

    2016-01-01

    It has been found that a low level of trust among members of a construction project team leads to poor performance in China. Many researchers have described the challenges, consequently advocating partnering as an attractive approach for more valuable cooperation. Because substantial investments have been poured into construction projects since the year 2000, trust research will improve the performance of construction projects and will be meaningful to the Chinese construction industry. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the attributes affecting owners' trust of contractors, to understand the potential properties of these factors, and to rank the factors in order of importance. Twenty-four attributes are identified from a literature review. Supported by qualitative reviews, a questionnaire is conducted to obtain relevant data, and 168 valid responses are obtained for data analysis. Principal component analysis (PCA) is employed to find the factor structure of the identified trust attributes. By the method of PCA, the attributes are extracted into eight factors, including interaction history, information sharing and communication, contract and institution, relation-specific investment, reputation, integrity, competence, and opportunistic behaviour. The value and originality of this paper are embodied in using PCA to understand the various attribute groupings and to illuminate trust impact factors in the Chinese context. When they understand the critical factors affecting trust better, owners and contractors can devise more appropriate strategies to improve performance.

  15. Factors affecting mortality in older trauma patients-A systematic review and meta-analysis.

    PubMed

    Sammy, Ian; Lecky, Fiona; Sutton, Anthea; Leaviss, Joanna; O'Cathain, Alicia

    2016-06-01

    Major trauma in older people is a significant health burden in the developed world. The aging of the population has resulted in larger numbers of older patients suffering serious injury. Older trauma patients are at greater risk of death from major trauma, but the reasons for this are less well understood. The aim of this review was to identify the factors affecting mortality in older patients suffering major injury. A systematic review of Medline, Cinhal and the Cochrane database, supplemented by a manual search of relevant papers was undertaken, with meta-analysis. Multi-centre cohort studies of existing trauma registries that reported risk-adjusted mortality (adjusted odds ratios, AOR) in their outcomes and which analysed patients aged 65 and older as a separate cohort were included in the review. 3609 papers were identified from the electronic databases, and 28 from manual searches. Of these, 15 papers fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Demographic variables (age and gender), pre-existing conditions (comorbidities and medication), and injury-related factors (injury severity, pattern and mechanism) were found to affect mortality. The 'oldest old', aged 75 and older, had higher mortality rates than younger patients, aged 65-74 years. Older men had a significantly higher mortality rate than women (cumulative odds ratio 1.51, 95% CI 1.37-1.66). Three papers reported a higher risk of death in patients with pre-existing conditions. Two studies reported increased mortality in patients on warfarin (cumulative odds ratio 1.32, 95% CI 1.05-1.66). Higher mortality was seen in patients with lower Glasgow coma scores and systolic blood pressures. Mortality increased with increased injury severity and number of injuries sustained. Low level falls were associated with higher mortality than motor vehicle collisions (cumulative odds ratio 2.88, 95% CI 1.26-6.60). Multiple factors contribute to mortality risk in older trauma patients. The relation between these factors and

  16. Factors Affecting Women's Decisions to Pursue an IS Degree: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Serapiglia, Constance Patricia; Lenox, Terri L.

    2010-01-01

    The declining participation of women in the computer-related professions is a concern to academia and business. There appears to be a complex set of factors influencing the selection of a major and completing the degree. A case study of 25 undergraduate women explored, in detail, the events, conditions, and relationships that affected the decision…

  17. Factors Affecting Sensitivity to Frequency Change in School-Age Children and Adults

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Buss, Emily; Taylor, Crystal N.; Leibold, Lori J.

    2014-01-01

    Purpose: The factors affecting frequency discrimination in school-age children are poorly understood. The goal of the present study was to evaluate developmental effects related to memory for pitch and the utilization of temporal fine structure. Method: Listeners were 5.1- to 13.6-year-olds and adults, all with normal hearing. A subgroup of…

  18. Investigation of Factors Affecting Students' Science Achievement According to Student Science Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tatar, Erdal; Tüysüz, Cengiz; Tosun, Cemal; Ilhan, Nail

    2016-01-01

    In this study, it was aimed to investigate the factors affecting students' science achievement according to student science teachers. The survey model which is one of the quantitative research methods was used. The sample was consisted of total 606 student science teachers from four state universities in Turkey. The data were obtained by using the…

  19. Factors affecting the establishment of direct-seeded pine on surface-mine spoils

    Treesearch

    William T. Plass

    1974-01-01

    In a greenhouse study the emergence, survival, and growth of seven species of pine were related to chemical and textural characteristics of 12 Kentucky spoils. The results identify three factors that may affect the establishment of direct-seeded pine on surface-mine spoils. First, fine-textured spoil material may restrict seedling emergence. Coarse-textured sandstones...

  20. Factors Affecting Public-Supply Well Vulnerability in Two Karst Aquifers

    PubMed Central

    Musgrove, MaryLynn; Katz, Brian G; Fahlquist, Lynne S; Crandall, Christy A; Lindgren, Richard J

    2014-01-01

    Karst aquifers occur in a range of climatic and geologic settings. Nonetheless, they are commonly characterized by their vulnerability to water-quality impairment. Two karst aquifers, the Edwards aquifer in south-central Texas and the Upper Floridan aquifer in western Florida, were investigated to assess factors that control the movement of contaminants to public-supply wells (PSWs). The geochemistry of samples from a selected PSW or wellfield in each aquifer was compared with that from nearby monitoring wells and regional PSWs. Geochemistry results were integrated with age tracers, flow modeling, and depth-dependent data to refine aquifer conceptual models and to identify factors that affect contaminant movement to PSWs. The oxic Edwards aquifer is vertically well mixed at the selected PSW/wellfield, although regionally the aquifer is geochemically variable downdip. The mostly anoxic Upper Floridan aquifer is affected by denitrification and also is geochemically variable with depth. In spite of considerable differences in geology and hydrogeology, the two aquifers are similarly vulnerable to anthropogenic contamination. Vulnerability in studied PSWs in both aquifers is strongly influenced by rapid karst flowpaths and the dominance of young (<10 years) groundwater. Vulnerability was demonstrated by the frequent detection of similar constituents of concern in both aquifers (nitrate, atrazine, deethylatrazine, tetrachloroethene, and chloroform). Specific consideration of water-quality protection efforts, well construction and placement, and aquifer response times to land-use changes and contaminant loading are discussed, with implications for karst groundwater management. PMID:24841501

  1. Factors affecting public-supply well vulnerability in two karst aquifers

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Musgrove, MaryLynn; Katz, Brian G.; Fahlquist, Lynne S.; Crandall, Christy A.; Lindgren, Richard J.

    2014-01-01

    Karst aquifers occur in a range of climatic and geologic settings. Nonetheless, they are commonly characterized by their vulnerability to water-quality impairment. Two karst aquifers, the Edwards aquifer in south-central Texas and the Upper Floridan aquifer in western Florida, were investigated to assess factors that control the movement of contaminants to public-supply wells (PSWs). The geochemistry of samples from a selected PSW or wellfield in each aquifer was compared with that from nearby monitoring wells and regional PSWs. Geochemistry results were integrated with age tracers, flow modeling, and depth-dependent data to refine aquifer conceptual models and to identify factors that affect contaminant movement to PSWs. The oxic Edwards aquifer is vertically well mixed at the selected PSW/wellfield, although regionally the aquifer is geochemically variable downdip. The mostly anoxic Upper Floridan aquifer is affected by denitrification and also is geochemically variable with depth. In spite of considerable differences in geology and hydrogeology, the two aquifers are similarly vulnerable to anthropogenic contamination. Vulnerability in studied PSWs in both aquifers is strongly influenced by rapid karst flowpaths and the dominance of young (<10 years) groundwater. Vulnerability was demonstrated by the frequent detection of similar constituents of concern in both aquifers (nitrate, atrazine, deethylatrazine, tetrachloroethene, and chloroform). Specific consideration of water-quality protection efforts, well construction and placement, and aquifer response times to land-use changes and contaminant loading are discussed, with implications for karst groundwater management.

  2. Genetic and non-genetic factors affecting morphometry of Sirohi goats

    PubMed Central

    Dudhe, S. D.; Yadav, S. B. S.; Nagda, R. K.; Pannu, Urmila; Gahlot, G. C.

    2015-01-01

    Aim: The aim was to estimate genetic and non-genetic factors affecting morphometric traits of Sirohi goats under field condition. Materials and Methods: The detailed information of all animals on body measurements at birth, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months of age was collected from farmer’s flock under field condition born during 2007-2013 to analyze the effect of genetic and non-genetic factors. The least squares maximum likelihood program was used to estimate genetic and non-genetic parameters affecting morphometric traits. Results and Discussion: Effect of sire, cluster, year of birth, and sex was found to be highly significant (p<0.01) on all three morphometric traits, parity was highly significant (p<0.01) for body height (BH) and body girth (BG) at birth. The h2 estimates for morphometric traits ranged among 0.528±0.163 to 0.709±0.144 for BH, 0.408±0.159 to 0.605±0.192 for body length (BL), and 0.503±0.197 to 0.695±0.161 for BG. Conclusion: The effect of sire was highly significant (p<0.01) and also h² estimate of all morphometric traits were medium to high; therefore, it could be concluded on the basis of present findings that animals with higher body measurements at initial phases of growth will perform better with respect to even body weight traits at later stages of growth. PMID:27047043

  3. Factors affecting conjugated linoleic acid content in milk and meat.

    PubMed

    Dhiman, Tilak R; Nam, Seung-Hee; Ure, Amy L

    2005-01-01

    Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) has been recently studied mainly because of its potential in protecting against cancer, atherogenesis, and diabetes. Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) is a collective term for a series of conjugated dienoic positional and geometrical isomers of linoleic acid, which are found in relative abundance in milk and tissue fat of ruminants compared with other foods. The cis-9, trans-11 isomer is the principle dietary form of CLA found in ruminant products and is produced by partial ruminal biohydrogenation of linoleic acid or by endogenous synthesis in the tissues themselves. The CLA content in milk and meat is affected by several factors, such as animal's breed, age, diet, and management factors related to feed supplements affecting the diet. Conjugated linoleic acid in milk or meat has been shown to be a stable compound under normal cooking and storage conditions. Total CLA content in milk or dairy products ranges from 0.34 to 1.07% of total fat. Total CLA content in raw or processed beef ranges from 0.12 to 0.68% of total fat. It is currently estimated that the average adult consumes only one third to one half of the amount of CLA that has been shown to reduce cancer in animal studies. For this reason, increasing the CLA contents of milk and meat has the potential to raise the nutritive and therapeutic values of dairy products and meat.

  4. Factors affecting delays in first trimester pregnancy termination services in New Zealand.

    PubMed

    Silva, Martha; McNeill, Rob; Ashton, Toni

    2011-04-01

    To identify the factors affecting the timeliness of services in first trimester abortion service in New Zealand. Primary data were collected from all patients attending nine abortion clinics between February and May 2009. The outcome measured was delay between the first visit with a referring doctor and the date of the abortion procedure. Patient records (n=2,950) were audited to determine the timeline between the first point of entry to the health system and the date of abortion. Women were also invited to fill out a questionnaire identifying personal factors affecting access to services (n=1,086, response rate = 36.8%). Women who went to private clinic had a significantly shorter delay compared to public clinics. Controlling for clinic type, women who went to clinics that offered medical abortions or clinics that offered single day services experienced less delay. Also, women who had more than one visit with their referring doctor experienced a greater delay than those who had a single visit. The earlier in pregnancy women sought services the longer the delay. Women's decision-making did not have a significant effect on delay. Several clinic level and systemic factors are significantly associated with delay in first trimester abortion services. In order to ensure the best physical and emotional outcomes, timeliness of services must improve. © 2011 The Authors. ANZJPH © 2011 Public Health Association of Australia.

  5. Factors affecting the development of somatic cell nuclear transfer embryos in Cattle.

    PubMed

    Akagi, Satoshi; Matsukawa, Kazutsugu; Takahashi, Seiya

    2014-01-01

    Nuclear transfer is a complex multistep procedure that includes oocyte maturation, cell cycle synchronization of donor cells, enucleation, cell fusion, oocyte activation and embryo culture. Therefore, many factors are believed to contribute to the success of embryo development following nuclear transfer. Numerous attempts to improve cloning efficiency have been conducted since the birth of the first sheep by somatic cell nuclear transfer. However, the efficiency of somatic cell cloning has remained low, and applications have been limited. In this review, we discuss some of the factors that affect the developmental ability of somatic cell nuclear transfer embryos in cattle.

  6. Factors Affecting the Development of Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer Embryos in Cattle

    PubMed Central

    AKAGI, Satoshi; MATSUKAWA, Kazutsugu; TAKAHASHI, Seiya

    2014-01-01

    Nuclear transfer is a complex multistep procedure that includes oocyte maturation, cell cycle synchronization of donor cells, enucleation, cell fusion, oocyte activation and embryo culture. Therefore, many factors are believed to contribute to the success of embryo development following nuclear transfer. Numerous attempts to improve cloning efficiency have been conducted since the birth of the first sheep by somatic cell nuclear transfer. However, the efficiency of somatic cell cloning has remained low, and applications have been limited. In this review, we discuss some of the factors that affect the developmental ability of somatic cell nuclear transfer embryos in cattle. PMID:25341701

  7. [Factors affecting the clinical pregnancy rate in an in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer program].

    PubMed

    Zhang, L; Wei, Z; Liu, P

    1998-12-01

    To analyze the various factors in an in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET) program which may affect the clinical pregnacy rate. A retrospective study was done on 559 IVF-ET cycles from 1992-Nov. 1995. The indication for treatment was bilateral tubal blockage. The chi 2 analysis of single factor variants with SPSS-PC + V3.0 was used for statistics. The overall clinical pregnancy rate in 559 cycles was 21.6%. The cause of tubal blockage due to tuberculoses consisted of 28.4%, and 34.9% of secondary sterility had the history of artificial abortion. The changes of environment, the different causes of tubal blockage, the history of previous intrauterine pregnancy did not affect the clinical pregnancy rate. When the number of embryos transferred increased to 5, the clinical pregnancy rate was highest 32.5%. The cumulative embryo score or embryo quality was related significantly with clinical pregnancy rate. The number and quality of embryos transferred are important factors affecting the clinical pregnancy rate. However, measures to prevent high-order multiple pregnancy and studies on the survival potential of embryos besides their morphology should be emphasized.

  8. Factors Affecting Success in the Professional Entry Exam for Accountants in Brazil

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lima Rodrigues, Lúcia; Pinho, Carlos; Bugarim, Maria Clara; Craig, Russell; Machado, Diego

    2018-01-01

    This paper explores factors that have affected the success of candidates in the professional entry exam conducted by Brazil's Federal Council of Accounting. We analyse results of 18,948 candidates who sat for the exam in 2012, using a logistic regression model and the key indicators used by government to monitor the performance of higher education…

  9. Automobile driving in older adults: factors affecting driving restriction in men and women.

    PubMed

    Marie Dit Asse, Laetitia; Fabrigoule, Colette; Helmer, Catherine; Laumon, Bernard; Lafont, Sylviane

    2014-11-01

    To identify factors associated with driving restriction in elderly men and women. Prospective cohort study of French drivers from 2003 to 2009. The Three-City Cohort of Bordeaux, a prospective study of 2,104 people aged 65 and older. Five hundred twenty-three drivers with a mean age of 76 (273 male, 250 female). Sociodemographic characteristics, driving habits, health variables, cognitive evaluation and dementia diagnosis. Predementia was defined as no dementia at one follow-up and dementia at the next follow-up. Over the 6-year period, 54% of men and 63% of women stopped driving or reduced the distance they drove. Predementia, Parkinson's disease, older age, and a high number of kilometers previously driven were common restriction factors in both sexes. Prevalent dementia, depressive symptomatology, a decline in one or more instrumental activities of daily living, and poor visual working memory were specific factors in men. In women, low income, fear of falling, slow processing speed, and severe decline in global cognitive performance all affected driving restriction. Older women restricted their driving activity more than older men, regardless of the number of kilometers previously driven, physical health, and cognitive status. Factors affecting driving restriction differed according to sex, and women were more likely to stop driving than men in the period preceding a dementia diagnosis. © 2014, Copyright the Authors Journal compilation © 2014, The American Geriatrics Society.

  10. Risk factors affecting chronic rupture of the plantar fascia.

    PubMed

    Lee, Ho Seong; Choi, Young Rak; Kim, Sang Woo; Lee, Jin Yong; Seo, Jeong Ho; Jeong, Jae Jung

    2014-03-01

    Prior to 1994, plantar fascia ruptures were considered as an acute injury that occurred primarily in athletes. However, plantar fascia ruptures have recently been reported in the setting of preexisting plantar fasciitis. We analyzed risk factors causing plantar fascia rupture in the presence of preexisting plantar fasciitis. We retrospectively reviewed 286 patients with plantar fasciitis who were referred from private clinics between March 2004 and February 2008. Patients were divided into those with or without a plantar fascia rupture. There were 35 patients in the rupture group and 251 in the nonrupture group. The clinical characteristics and risk factors for plantar fascia rupture were compared between the 2 groups. We compared age, gender, the affected site, visual analog scale pain score, previous treatment regimen, body mass index, degree of ankle dorsiflexion, the use of steroid injections, the extent of activity, calcaneal pitch angle, the presence of a calcaneal spur, and heel alignment between the 2 groups. Of the assessed risk factors, only steroid injection was associated with the occurrence of a plantar fascia rupture. Among the 35 patients with a rupture, 33 had received steroid injections. The odds ratio of steroid injection was 33. Steroid injections for plantar fasciitis should be cautiously administered because of the higher risk for plantar fascia rupture. Level III, retrospective comparative study.

  11. Factors Affecting Corporate Image from the Perspective of Distance Learning Students in Public Higher Education Institutions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    da Costa, Fábio Reis; Pelissari, Anderson Soncini

    2016-01-01

    New information technologies enable different interactions in the educational environment, affecting how the image of educational institutions adopting distance-learning programmes is perceived. This article identifies factors affecting the perception of corporate image from the viewpoint of distance-learning students at public higher education…

  12. FACTORS AFFECTING THE USE OF CAF2:MN THERMOLUMINESCENT DOSIMETERS FOR LOW-LEVEL ENVIRONMENTAL RADIATION MONITORING

    EPA Science Inventory

    An investigation was made of factors affecting the use of commercially-produced CaF2:Mn thermoluminescent dosimeters for low level environmental radiation monitoring. Calibration factors and self-dosing rates were quantified for 150 thermoluminescent dosimeters. Laboratory studie...

  13. Factors affecting registered nurses' use of medication administration technology in acute care settings: A systematic review.

    PubMed

    San, Tay Hui; Lin, Serena Koh Siew; Fai, Chan Moon

    Information technology to aid reduction in medication errors has been encouraged over the years and one of them is the medication administration technology. It consists of the electronic Medication Administration Record, Bar-Code Medication Administration system and Automated Medication Dispensing system. Studies had examined the effectiveness and impact of this technology to reduce medication error. However, user's acceptance towards this technology has often been neglected. To date, no systematic review has been undertaken to examine the possible factors that affect nurses' use of this technology in the acute care settings. The objective of this systematic review was to explore and determine the factors that affect nurses' use of medication administration technology in the acute care settings. All quantitative studies published in English which examined factors affecting nurses' use of the medication administration technology were considered.Primary focus was on registered nurses with experience of operating medication administration technology in the acute care settings. Other healthcare personnel were excluded.This review considered studies that evaluated factors affecting nurses' use of the medication administration technology.The outcome measures of interest were the factors that affect nurses' use of the medication administration technology in the acute care settings. The search was conducted across published and unpublished databases. A search was conducted in JBI Library of Systematic Reviews, The Cochrane Library, CINAHL, MEDLINE, Scopus, ScienceDirect, Wiley InterScience, SpringerLink, PsycINFO (ovid), Web of science, ProQuest Dissertations and Theses, and MedNar. Papers selected for retrieval were assessed by two independent reviewers for methodological validity prior to inclusion in the review, using the standardised critical appraisal instruments developed by the Joanna Briggs Institute. Quantitative data were extracted from papers included in the

  14. Factors affecting implementation of an evidence-based practice in the Veterans Health Administration: Illness management and recovery.

    PubMed

    McGuire, Alan B; Salyers, Michelle P; White, Dominique A; Gilbride, Daniel J; White, Laura M; Kean, Jacob; Kukla, Marina

    2015-12-01

    Illness management and recovery (IMR) is an evidence-based practice that assists consumers in managing their illnesses and pursuing personal recovery goals. Although research has examined factors affecting IMR implementation facilitated by multifaceted, active roll-outs, the current study attempted to elucidate factors affecting IMR implementation outside the context of a research-driven implementation. Semi-structured interviews with 20 local recovery coordinators and 18 local IMR experts were conducted at 23 VA medical centers. Interviews examined perceived and experienced barriers and facilitators to IMR implementation. Data were analyzed via thematic inductive/deductive analysis in the form of crystallization/immersion. Six factors differed between sites implementing IMR from those not providing IMR: awareness of IMR, importer-champions, autonomy-supporting leadership, veteran-centered care, presence of a sensitive period, and presence of a psychosocial rehabilitation and recovery center. Four factors were common in both groups: recovery orientation, evidence-based practices orientation, perceived IMR fit within program structure, and availability of staff time. IMR can be adopted in lieu of active implementation support; however, knowledge dissemination appears to be key. Future research should examine factors affecting the quality of implementation. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

  15. Dispositional Factors Affecting Motivation during Learning in Adult Basic and Secondary Education Programs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mellard, Daryl F.; Krieshok, Thomas; Fall, Emily; Woods, Kari

    2013-01-01

    Research indicates that about a quarter of adult students separate from formal adult basic and secondary education (ABE/ASE) programs before completing one educational level. This retrospective study explores individual dispositional factors that affect motivation during learning, particularly students' goals, goal-directed thinking and action…

  16. Factors affecting nurse retention at an academic Magnet® hospital.

    PubMed

    Buffington, Annsley; Zwink, Jennifer; Fink, Regina; Devine, Deborah; Sanders, Carolyn

    2012-05-01

    : The aim of this study was to examine the factors affecting the retention of registered nurses (RNs) and validate the revised Casey-Fink Nurse Retention Survey (2009). : Creating an organizational culture of retention may reduce nurse turnover. Focusing on why nurses leave and identifying factors why nurses stay are essential. : A descriptive survey design gathered data from RNs with 1 or more years of experience providing direct patient care and employed in inpatient/ambulatory settings in an acute care, academic, Magnet hospital. : There were no statistically significant relationships between nurse respondents' perceptions of work environment/support/encouragement and age or years of experience. However, there were significant differences between inpatient and ambulatory nurse responses in several key areas including job satisfaction, mentorship, and educational support. Overall, nurses reported feeling a lack of support and recognition from managers. Results provide evidence to support improved strategies to foster nurse retention.

  17. Factors affecting stone-free rate and complications of percutaneous nephrolithotomy for treatment of staghorn stone.

    PubMed

    el-Nahas, Ahmed R; Eraky, Ibrahim; Shokeir, Ahmed A; Shoma, Ahmed M; el-Assmy, Ahmed M; el-Tabey, Nasr A; Soliman, Shady; Elshal, Ahmed M; el-Kappany, Hamdy A; el-Kenawy, Mahmoud R

    2012-06-01

    To determine factors affecting the stone-free rate and complications of percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PNL) for treatment of staghorn stones. The computerized database of patients who underwent PNL for treatment of staghorn stones between January 2003 and January 2011 was reviewed. All perioperative complications were recorded and classified according to modified Clavien classification system. The stone-free rate was evaluated with low-dose noncontrast computed tomography (CT). Univariate and multivariate statistical analyses were performed to determine factors affecting stone-free and complication rates. The study included 241 patients (125 male and 116 female) with a mean age of 48.7 ±14.3 years. All patients underwent 251 PNL (10 patients had bilateral stones). The stone-free rate of PNL monotherapy was 56% (142 procedures). At 3 months, the stone-free rate increased to 73% (183 kidneys) after shock wave lithotripsy. Independent risk factors for residual stones were complete staghorn stone and presence of secondary calyceal stones (relative risks were 2.2 and 3.1, respectively). The complication rate was 27% (68 PNL). Independent risk factors for development of complications were performance of the procedure by urologists other than experienced endourologist and positive preoperative urine culture (relative risks were 2.2 and 2.1, respectively). Factors affecting the incidence of residual stones after PNL are complete staghorn stones and the presence of secondary calyceal stones. Complications are significantly high if PNL is not performed by an experienced endourologist or if preoperative urine culture is positive. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Factors affecting patient's perception of anticancer treatments side-effects: an observational study.

    PubMed

    Russo, Stefania; Cinausero, Marika; Gerratana, Lorenzo; Bozza, Claudia; Iacono, Donatella; Driol, Pamela; Deroma, Laura; Sottile, Roberta; Fasola, Gianpiero; Puglisi, Fabio

    2014-02-01

    Analysis of relative importance of side effects of anticancer therapy is extremely useful in the process of clinical decision making. There is evidence that patients' perception of the side effects of anticancer treatments changes over time. Aim of this study was to evaluate the cancer patients' perceptions of physical and non-physical side effects of contemporary anticancer therapy. Four hundred and sixty-four patients entered the study (153 men and 311 women). Participants were asked to rank their side effects in order of distress by using two sets of cards naming physical and non-physical effects, respectively. Influencing factors, including treatment and patient characteristics, were also analysed. Patients ranked the non-physical side effect 'Affects my family or partner' first. 'Constantly tired' and 'Loss of hair' were ranked second and third, respectively. Significant differences from previous studies on this topic emerged. In particular, 'Vomiting', a predominant concern in previous studies, almost disappeared, whereas 'Nausea' and 'Loss of hair' remained important side effects in the patients' perception. Interestingly, marital status was predominant in driving patients' perception, being associated with several side effects ('Constantly tired', 'Loss of appetite', 'Affects my work/Home duties', 'Affects my social activities', 'Infertility'). Other significant factors influencing patient's perception of side effects included age, disease characteristics and ongoing anticancer therapy. This study provided information on current status of patients' perceptions of side effects of anticancer treatment. These results could be used in pre-treatment patient education and counselling.

  19. Test- and behavior-specific genetic factors affect WKY hypoactivity in tests of emotionality.

    PubMed

    Baum, Amber E; Solberg, Leah C; Churchill, Gary A; Ahmadiyeh, Nasim; Takahashi, Joseph S; Redei, Eva E

    2006-05-15

    Inbred Wistar-Kyoto rats consistently display hypoactivity in tests of emotional behavior. We used them to test the hypothesis that the genetic factors underlying the behavioral decision-making process will vary in different environmental contexts. The contexts used were the open-field test (OFT), a novel environment with no explicit threats present, and the defensive-burying test (DB), a habituated environment into which a threat has been introduced. Rearing, a voluntary behavior was measured in both tests, and our study was the first to look for genetic loci affecting grooming, a relatively automatic, stress-responsive stereotyped behavior. Quantitative trait locus analysis was performed on a population of 486 F2 animals bred from reciprocal inter-crosses. The genetic architectures of DB and OFT rearing, and of DB and OFT grooming, were compared. There were no common loci affecting grooming behavior in both tests. These different contexts produced the stereotyped behavior via different pathways, and genetic factors seem to influence the decision-making pathways and not the expression of the behavior. Three loci were found that affected rearing behavior in both tests. However, in both contexts, other loci had greater effects on the behavior. Our results imply that environmental context's effects on decision-making vary depending on the category of behavior.

  20. Factors Affecting Job Motivation among Health Workers: A Study From Iran

    PubMed Central

    Daneshkohan, Abbas; Zarei, Ehsan; Mansouri, Tahere; Maajani, Khadije; Ghasemi, Mehri Siyahat; Rezaeian, Mohsen

    2015-01-01

    Objective: Human resources are the most vital resource of any organizations which determine how other resources are used to accomplish organizational goals. This research aimed to identity factors affecting health workers’ motivation in Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences (SBUMS). Method: This is a cross-sectional survey conducted with participation of 212 health workers of Tehran health centers in November and December 2011. The data collection tool was a researcher-developed questionnaire that included 17 motivating factors and 6 demotivating factors and 8 questions to assess the current status of some factors. Validity and reliability of the tool were confirmed. Data were analyzed with descriptive and analytical statistical tests. Results: The main motivating factors for health workers were good management, supervisors and managers’ support and good working relationship with colleagues. On the other hand, unfair treatment, poor management and lack of appreciation were the main demotivating factors. Furthermore, 47.2% of health workers believed that existing schemes for supervision were unhelpful in improving their performance. Conclusion: Strengthening management capacities in health services can increase job motivation and improve health workers’ performance. The findings suggests that special attention should be paid to some aspects such as management competencies, social support in the workplace, treating employees fairly and performance management practices, especially supervision and performance appraisal. PMID:25948438